Mass Effect 3: Into the Unknown
by Fainmaca
Summary: With the defences around Arcturus breached and the homeworlds of the strongest races under siege, what hope remains? One man faces the oncoming storm. The Reapers will know defeat. They will know fear. They will know Commander Shepard.
1. 1: Prey Of The Three Headed Dog

_Author's Notes: Okay, so I have rejigged my introduction chapter a little. Some reviews pointed out to me that my portrayal of Cerberus wasn't as morally gray as some people expected, and to be honest I have to agree. I feel that now, after five solid months of writing this, I've had a lot more practice and have improved a bit since December. Some parts remain the same as the original introduction, others are vastly different. But I think this new chapter makes Cerberus' actions make more sense in the long run. Anyway, let me know what you think of this introductory chapter, and whether you think this one was better, or the original. And writing that last sentence just made me realise I am now George Lucas, remastering my own work over and over again. Argh!_

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

_Firstly, There will be major spoilers for the first two Mass effect games in this story. If you don't want to know certain events from Mass Effect 1 or 2, don't read this._

_This is my first fanfic. Being inspired by the first two games, I have decided to write out what I think would be a cool and enjoyable end to the trilogy. Of course, the main obstacle to writing a fanfic like this is that Bioware designed a series of games with such a wide array of possible outcomes, and it would be impossible to cater to all choices you can make in game. Therefore I have modelled this story on my main playthrough Shepard, carried through the first two games. I will try to keep as true to the lore of the Mass Effect universe as I can, and the story may be subject to changes as Mass Effect 3 draws near and we see more bridging Downloadable Content for Mass Effect 2._

_Here is a summary of the main choices from ME1 and 2, so you know a bit about the protagonist of this fanfic:_

_Male Shepard __Soldier __Earthborn __Sole Survivor_

_ME1: __Zhu's hope saved _

_Rachni spared _

_Wrex survived _

_Ashley sacrificed on Virmire _

_No Romance _

_Saved Council _

_Anderson made Councillor _

___Let Balak go free._

_ME2: __No One Left Behind _

_Jack Paragon Romance _

_Destroyed Collector Base _

_Rewrote heretic geth _

_Kept Genophage data _

_Sent David Archer to Grissom Academy (Overlord)_

**Mass Effect 3: Into The Unknown**

**Chapter 1: Prey of the Three-Headed Dog**

The bridge of the Alliance cruiser Venice clamoured with activity, a vast multitude of servicemen rushed about, caught up in the tense buzz that dominated the ship's atmosphere in the final moments before an engagement. Some tensely watched out of the front viewport as the distorted view of the galaxy at faster than light speeds whirled past. Others were dutifully going about their assigned tasks, burying themselves in their work lest the pre-mission jitters get the best of them.

In the midst of this turmoil, a single figure stood calm, a towering presence in the eye of the storm. Admiral Steven Hackett was every inch the stern, grizzled veteran mentioned in the legends spoken around the Mess Hall tables of every Human-designed ship in the Galaxy. He watched the viewport ahead with eyes narrowed, his scarred features creased in focus as he waited for the Venice's destination to heave into view.

The Admiral refused to turn around as the door hissed open behind him and a powerful presence stepped up at his shoulder. All activity on the bridge slowed, a reverent hush washing over the assembled crew as they caught sight of the new arrival.

"Shepard." Hackett's tone remained neutral, unsurprised. "You should be down with the strike team."

"We shouldn't be here at all. There are bigger threats out there, Admiral."

"So you keep telling me. But my hands are tied here, Commander. We go in and take these sons of bitches down. They're too dangerous to be left to run loose."

"I'm not arguing that Cerberus is dangerous, but we're committing a lot of resources to this, when we should be trying to pool our resources with those of the Illusive Man."

"After that stunt you pulled? You destroyed the Collector Base, a fact that I've kept back from the Parliament for your benefit, by the way, and then you run off with billions of credits' worth of resources in the form of the Normandy, her crew, your squad and all those fancy trinkets Cerberus gave you along the way. You really think they're ready to be all pally with you again?"

"Its not about that. There's an enemy out there greater than anything we've ever faced. We need to pull together to face the Reapers."

"An nice ideal, but the men at the top don't want to listen to those lines of reasoning. The Council is pushing for Humanity to produce something to appease Hegemony after Aratoht. The Illusive Man served up on a platter is what they think its going to take. Its either that or we extradite you to Khar'Shan."

"Not an option. Not with so much to be done. If the Reapers hit now, we're nowhere near ready." The Alliance hero turned to face the Admiral. "I really should be with my squad for this mission."

"Again, not my call. Every last member of your crew is either a former Cerberus operative, a known criminal or non-human. Either way, the politicians don't want them on the strike team. Conflict of interest, they say."

"What, they think my team's gonna jump back on the Cerberus bandwagon mid-mission, shoot your men in the back?"

"Either that or gun down every Cerberus stooge in sight, leave no one for us to interrogate. Its fair to say Cerberus has done nothing to make friends among the aliens."

"I know my squad. None of them would do that."

"Oh really? But one of 'em had a rap sheet longer than the central axis of an Everest dreadnought. Another one single-handedly blazed trail of destruction across the Terminus System, all at the request of the highest bidder, regardless of race, creed or hairstyle. You really expect me to believe none of them could get out of hand?"

"Yes. I've been through hell with those people, Admiral. I trust them completely."

"You do, the Alliance doesn't. Like I said, my hands are tied. It was all I could do to get you on the strike team. If it weren't for your record, I imagine you'd be sitting on the sidelines, too."

"So if my crew's so suspect, then why do you have the Normandy present for this operation?"

"The politicians can't argue it, the Normandy has the edge when it comes to technology. I made it clear that if she wasn't invited to this party, then I wouldn't be coming either."

"I guess its better than nothing. If I have to do this, then I don't want her too far away in case things go south."

"Understandable." The Admiral conceded. "Now get back down to the hangar bay. We're about to hit orbit, and I want the strike team ready to go the moment an opportunity presents itself."

"Sir." Shepard saluted, turning to leave.

**~o~0~o~**

The blue-green planet of Basite hung in the darkness of space, the faint light of its distant orange star streaking the upper cloud layers with bands of red and yellow.

In orbit around it, a massive space station drifted sluggishly. Three hemispherical structures, fastened together with long struts. Long spires of metal extended down from the flat undersides of the hemispheres, leaning together to one point, giving the station the appearance of three parachutes tied to a single point.

The space around the planet and circling station shuddered, a vast fleet heaving into view. Roughly half of the Third Fleet dropped out of FTL, instantly moving to surround the station.

"Sir, we're detecting a significant power spike in the station. Weapons systems are powering up."

"Kinetic barriers to full power. GARDIAN systems online." Hackett ordered. "Do not fire upon the station unless they fire first, and try to minimise the damage. We want the facility to study and as many prisoners as possible for interrogation. You all know how well Cerberus operatives hold up under pressure. We get enough of them, we'll eventually find one who's got a good singing voice."

"Sir! Several new targets rounding the far side of the planet."

"How many, ensign?" Hackett demanded sternly.

"Thirteen and counting. Ladar registers seven cruisers, six frigates."

"Split your attention between them and the station. Be ready for incoming fire from either."

"Sir! Station is deploying fighters! They'll be in range to attack within seven seconds, in range of our own weapons in three."

"Open fire the second they're in of our weapons. I do not want them using their disrupters on us."

"Aye-aye."

The ship shuddered as the GARDIAN systems kicked in, targeting the incoming fighters. Seconds later, there were some more pronounced crashes as incoming fire from the enemy cruisers reached the Venice.

"Sir, several direct hits. Shields are down to eighty-eight per cent."

"Return fire. Use the Javelins." The Admiral remained cool, even in the heat of battle. Moments later, a deep, thumping groan was heard as two white-hot projectiles leapt from the Venice's prow, connecting with the shields of an enemy ship in a blue flare.

"Admiral." The Venice's tactical officer called out. "All enemy ships are engaged with our own. The strike team has their window."

"Give the signal." Hackett ordered.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard was jostled about in the shuttle as it lifted off from the hangar floor and arrowed out of the bay. He was surrounded by a dozen Alliance marines, all decked out in their bulky combat armour. A couple looked at the Commander with awe, others with distrust, and others simply ignored him, preferring to prattle on in excitement at the mission ahead. The Commander shook his head knowingly. Once you'd seen your share of battlefields, it wasn't the battles you looked forward to, but the journey home afterwards.

The shuttle thrummed as it powered through the raging firefight between the two fleets, weaving its way out of the fray and towards the station. Through the cockpit viewport, Shepard saw the gargantuan construction looming large. With such a large structure, total kinetic barrier coverage would require power generation capabilities beyond anything Humanity or the Council races had. The power draw of a barrier several kilometres in diameter would paralyse all other systems, including weapons. In order to allow the station to act offensively as well as defensively, certain portions of the station would have to be left exposed, the kinetic barrier only covering crucial segments of the structure, like the power core and the central control room.

This was the reasoning behind the strike team's approach vector. They would accelerate to an appreciable fraction of the speed of light, aiming straight at one of the exposed segments of the station. The shuttle's barriers had been modified to pulse in the instant before impact, increasing their durability by a factor of ten. The shuttle would shear through the shuttle's armour like a knife through butter, embedding itself and allowing the strike team to deploy inside the enemy station.

The Commander tensed as the shuttle surged forwards, element zero power core churning as it struggled with the sudden power drain. The metal bulkheads strained as the very shape of the vehicle was distorted by the physical forces acting upon it.

With a roar, the shuttle pummelled its way through the station's hull. Shepard was thrown forward in his restraining harness, feeling a sickness rising in his throat as the G-forces pulled at him.

All of a sudden, the shuttle was cast into darkness as it came to a stop, its power supply depleted by its 'suicide run'. Shepard roused himself from his confused state, unbuckling himself from his seat as the soldiers around him did the same.

"Alright, listen up!" He shouted over the groans of the mildly bruised occupants of the shuttle. "We're in, but that's only half the battle. We've still got to get to the Illusive Man's office, fighting through whatever forces they've got between here and there. Once we get there, switch to stun. We need him alive."

There was a chorus of 'ayes' followed by the rattle of a dozen rifles being drawn and unfolded.

The Commander nodded formally to his strike team before leading the way out of the shuttle, marching off down the corridors deeper into the Cerberus stronghold.

**~o~0~o~**

Joker tapped at the controls furiously, manoeuvring the Normandy through the battlefield with the grace of a dancer. To one side, the holographic representation of the ship's Artificial Intelligence, EDI, pulsed in its rhythmic fashion.

"Careful Jeff. We have three fighters trying to fall in behind us."

"On it, EDI. Just keep us flying, I'll keep us out of their line of fire."

The ship shook to the sound of multiple impacts upon her shields. The pilot winced as the ship under his care took a pummelling, with even his prodigious talents being pushed to their limits.

The displays before him flared as a brilliant beam of light spouted from the prow of the ship, a luminous streak of molten metal that sheared through the hull of one of the Cerberus frigates, tearing a huge hole through it. Once the beam vanished, the ship was left listing slowly to the side, lifeless.

"Jeff, I am detecting something on my scanners." EDI interjected as he swerved around a stray shot from one of the massive cruisers slugging it out on either side of the battle.

"Not now, EDI." Joker managed through gritted teeth. "Unless there's an honest-to-god Reaper dropping on our asses, I do not want to know."

"Nevertheless, I believe you should take a look at this. My ladar scanner has outlined three dreadnought-class ships approaching from lateral vectors, just on the boundaries of my scanning range. It would appear that they have been moving out from positions held before we arrived."

"What? You can't be-" Joker's eyes widened as EDI displayed her scans. "Oh shit. It's a trap! EDI, transmit to Hackett. We need to warn the rest of the fleet."

"Contacting SSV-"

"EDI? Something wrong?"

Joker's question was answered by a squeal of static that had him reaching to cover his ears.

"EDI! What's going on? What was that?"

"EDI can't answer right now, Mr Moreau."

Joker's brow frowned as he heard an unfamiliar female voice filtering through EDI's interface.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Forgive me. I am the SSV Atlas' Synthetically Intelligent Networked Defence Interface, but the crew refers to me as SINDI."

"Another AI? Cerberus built more of the things?"

"Not exactly. I am one of a generation of synthetic intelligences."

"What have you done with EDI?"

"She is being kept occupied by our combined hacking attempts. Needless to say, she will not be assisting you today."

Joker watched, helpless, as the systems before him went dead. As he listened, cries of consternation sounded out across the Alliance channel as several of the ships went dead, infiltrated by electronic means. He keyed up his commlink, using the last of the power in his console to make one final call.

"Hackett, this is the Normandy. We've got synthetics here hacking our systems. They're knocking out our ships one by one. The Normandy is dead in the water. Get the rest of your ships out of here before they get you."

"Shepard is still on that station, Mr Moreau."

"You won't be able to help him if you give Cerberus what's left of the task force, Admiral." Joker gulped as one of the Alliance cruisers nearby went silent, lights fading. "The longer you wait, the more people you lose, Admiral."

"Damn it." The Admiral cursed. He paused for a final moment before making up his mind. "All forces, I am sounding a full retreat. Hostile synthetic forces are in-system, hacking our systems. I repeat, hostile synthetic forces are present in-system. All ships that remain functional are to retreat to the Mass Relay."

Joker watched as the remaining Alliance warships vanished into the blackness, blasting away as they accelerated to FTL. After a few moments, only the disabled ships remained. The pilot watched as the Cerberus ships, moving through the drifting hulks like vultures picking over corpses, glided closer and closer. The Normandy shook as one of the cruisers latched onto it. Cerberus had captured the Normandy.

**~o~0~o~**

Within minutes, Cerberus marines were flooding in through the Normandy's airlock and various other points of access. Sergeant Leo Miller led the assault on the CIC. His troops flooded through the main airlock, battling against Jacob Taylor and Miranda Lawson as they attempted to lead the CIC crew in defending the ship. Some Cerberus marines and Normandy crewmen perished in the firefight around the Galactic map before the marines advanced close enough to subdue the survivors. Miller advanced carefully, moving through the empty armoury and communications suite before pausing at the Tech Lab door. He keyed in a few secure codes, which were rebuffed. Frustrated, the Sergeant ordered an engineer forward to open the door.

"How can it have power? The AI have shut down the power to this deck." His muttered query was met with confused silence as the engineer worked on the door. Finally, it hissed open, and the Cerberus marines brought their weapons to bear.

In the Tech Lab, the Salarian genius Mordin worked quietly at his desk, manipulating some strange device. His huge round eyes darted to the approaching enemies, then instantly back to his work as though they were of no concern. His quick-fire voice murmured as he worked.

"Cerberus marines, grade three armour and standard issue weaponry. Weapons are rendered ineffective by high-powered multi-layered mass increasing kinetic barriers. Armour is strong over all vital areas, but poorly insulated-"

His comments were interrupted as the first rank of marines stepped into the Lab. The moment their boots touched the deck inside the Lab, blue arcs of energy jolted through their lower legs. The men screamed as pure power raced through their armoured boots, killing them.

"Against electrified deck plates."

Sergeant Miller gritted his teeth in anger at seeing so many of his men felled by just one enemy before barking an order.

"Open Fire!"

The hail of bullets flooded the room, but was met by a blue sheet of energy. The kinetic barrier deflected the weapons fire effortlessly, and behind it, the Salarian smiled with more than a little smugness. Miller felt his frustration turning to rage. Then he saw his opportunity. A glimmer of light caught his eye, to the left. There, just on the edge of the kinetic barrier's radius, a power conduit ran to one of the shield's emitters. With a quick burst of fire, he shot the conduit, and the tech lab was cast into darkness. Now that the power was out, Miller ran into the Lab without hindrance and slammed the butt of his rifle into Mordin's face, knocking the alien out cold.

**~o~0~o~**

On the Crew deck, Captain Linda Tyndall led the assault. Pouring off the Kyoto through the shattered Starboard observation window, her marines fanned out, barging through the deck and subduing what crew they came across. They had swiftly cleared out the two observation rooms, the Crew Quarters and Life Support, and were making their way through the Mess Hall when all hell broke loose. The pots in the ship's kitchen burst into flames in an incandescent lightshow that caused most of the marines to flinch in surprise. In that instant of confusion, a single figure came racing out of the hallways leading to the Gunnery control. Brandishing two assault rifles, unleashing a mass of projectiles into the enemy, Garrus Vakarian cut quite the terrifying figure as he bulled his way through the Cerberus ranks. A few carefully timed concussive grenades kept the enemy off balance as the Turian cut down more than a third of the attackers. After this initial volley, he had cut a swathe of destruction among the marines before his rifles overheated. Dropping one, he popped the heat sink of the other one and lifted it to open fire once more. By this time the Cerberus forces had regrouped and Tyndall led the counterattack, the hardened Cerberus soldier landing a few well-placed shots on the Turian before he drew back to the elevator. Tyndall cursed as he forced the door open and had dropped down the elevator shaft.

Having to leave the Turian for someone else to deal with, Tyndall led what remained of her troops to the Medical bay. Walking in cautiously, she looked about with suspicion at the empty room. The Medical bay was dimly lit by the Normandy's emergency lighting, and Tyndall and her troops struggled to make anything out, but after a few moments they had ascertained it was empty.

Tyndall moved on through to the AI Core. That, too, was empty, disturbingly silent. After her search, Tyndall activated her communicator.

"MSV Kyoto, this is Captain Tyndall. We have finished our sweep of the crew deck, and have rounded up all crew present. The Turian, Garrus Vakarian, has evaded capture. We have not found the Drell, Thane Krios, the Human Kasumi Goto or the Geth. I suggest the other teams keep their eyes open for them."

"Confirmed, Tyndall. Take the captives to Kyoto's holding cells."

As Tyndall turned to comply, a strange light in the AI core's computer banks caught her gaze. Leaning closer, she looked at the strange round light. As she inspected the light, two hands shot out from either side of it and grabbed her by the throat. The metallic, three-fingered hands twisted deftly and snapped her neck, dropping her to the floor. Her fellow troops had barely a moment to react before a tall, lean figure dropped from the ceiling, diving into the midst of them with a flurry of blows. The Drell moved with incredible speed, first laying out one soldier with a precise punch to the neck, and another with a jab to the kidneys followed by a fist to the back of the head. In seconds, Thane and the Geth, Legion, had killed or incapacitated half a dozen marines with their bare hands. Between them, a shadow with two sparkling eyes fired a pistol with deadly accuracy, felling a further two marines before a soldier had the presence of mind to throw a gas grenade into the AI Core, its noxious fumes filling the dark room in seconds. As Legion moved out of the gas to fight the rest of the soldiers, one of them activated his omni-tool and sent a surge of electricity through the Geth's frame, causing it to stumble and fall. As the soldiers moved through the gas to retrieve the unconscious form of Thane Krios, an invisible shape rushed out of the room, leaving barely a ripple in its wake.

**~o~0~o~**

On the Engineering deck, Sergeant Julian Monez led the attack, moving through from the lower cargo deck. He swiftly secured the starboard cargo hold and engineering sub-deck, but was held up by the Krogan, Grunt, the biotic Jack and the two lead engineers resisting his troops in front of the drive core. The Krogan put up a fierce fight, his rage carrying him through the gas that rendered his engineer allies unconscious. Finally, after killing several Cerberus marines, the Krogan was taken down by a powerful biotic blast, leaving only the defiant Jack fighting the Cerberus marines.

"Fucking come on, you Cerberus pricks!" She yelled, hurling a pair at a bulkhead with bone-shattering force. "I'll tear every last one of you apart."

One marine fired his rifle at her, holding the trigger down until the clip had emptied. She turned a fierce glare his way.

"Try that again, you little shit! I'll tear your fucking spine out and shove it right back up your asshole before I let your scientists get a hold of me again!"

So focused was she on hurling biotic fury at the troops she never noticed the grenade that arced over the heads of the troopers and clattering to the deck behind her. It beeped insistently before a brilliant white flash filled the engine room, a screaming whine overwhelming the hearing of all present. Jack, her eyes and ears unable to cope, fell to the deck unconscious.

Having dealt with this threat, Monez led his troops to the Port cargo hold. They moved into the hold swiftly, guns pointed at every corned of the room. On the back wall of the room, the ship's recycling system churned away quietly. Large crates of power cells filled the room. As he walked in, Monez reached out to touch on of the many knives embedded in the wall next to the door. He turned as one of his subordinates called out.

"Sir! Over here"

Monez walked over to where his fellow marine was standing, holding a datapad. He took it from the marine and lifted it to read. As he read the message, his eyes widened in fear.

SURPRISE, JACKASS.

The explosion rocked the whole Normandy, blowing out the windows of the cargo hold and incinerating the Cerberus marines before they had a chance to try to run. Outside the devastated room, a bulkhead shifted as a muscular arm shifted it aside. Zaeed Massanni clambered out of the hiding space, looking at the devastation his homemade bomb had caused with a smile. He turned as he heard footsteps and saw Kasumi and Garrus walking towards him, the latter limping from a gunshot wound to the leg.

"You seen any of the others? I've just finished clearin' house down here. Bastards don't know better than to stand around lookin' stupid." The mercenary's voice was gritty, worn from a lifetime of violence and hard living.

"No. Cerberus got most of them. I saw a few getting carted off onto the other ships." Garrus' voice, tinged with his Turian accent, was heavy with pain.

"Well, no good standin' 'round here. We're no good to anyone if we're captured. The AI should have stopped the attackers by now, so I'm guessing Cerberus has found away around that, which means the ship's lost. Should have known Shepard's choices would come back to bite us in the arse. We oughta be able to get to the escape pods."

"What about the others? We can't leave them." Kasumi sounded strained, fear at the disastrous turn of events clear in her voice.

"Anyone who hasn't been captured will have reached the same conclusion. We just have to hope we meet up with them later." Garrus, ever the pragmatist, said. With that, the three of them headed away from the burnt out remnants of the cargo hold, the only crew members to make their way off the ship as more Cerberus vessels surrounded her.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard gunned down yet another bank of security mechs trying to advance on his position. The strike team had made it almost all the way to the Illusive Man's central chamber, and had encountered fairly little resistance. Aside from several clusters of mechs, including one nasty encounter with a hulking YMIR that had left several of the marines injured, they had encountered next to no enemy forces. Shepard wondered at the lack of organic enemies they had encountered. At times, it felt as though the station was deserted, save for the mechs. But then a squad of soldiers in the distinctive white armour with black and gold highlights that was so iconic of the terrorist organisation would come charging around the corner, guns blazing.

The Commander mowed down the last of the mechs, the machine dropping to the deck with a strained groan. He then turned to the leader of the marines, his second-in-command on this operation. The soldier quickly checked his omnitool.

"The objective should be just through that next set of doors, Commander." He said, pointing. Shepard detected a note of hesitation to his voice.

"Something wrong, soldier?" He asked.

"I'm not getting any word from the Venice. Its like all the comms outside of this station have gone dead."

"What about the Normandy? Can you get in touch with her?" Shepard felt a surge of nausea rise in his gut as worry for his friends threatened to overtake his mind. He waited tensely as the soldier switched frequencies.

"Nothing. Its like we're the only Alliance troops in the system."

"This is not good."

"What are your orders, sir? Should we try to get off this station, see what happened to the fleet?"

"No. We carry out our orders. We take out the Illusive Man, we remove the man directing the forces out there, maybe help our own men." Shepard said firmly.

"Aye, sir." The marine turned to the rest of the team, marshalling them into formation.

Shepard pressed forwards, leading the strike team to the double doors at the end of the corridor. The team's tech expert knelt next to the door, opening a panel and fiddling with the wires inside. In only a matter of seconds, the doors hissed open. Shepard stepped inside cautiously, looking around with a careful eye.

Beyond, he saw the same room he had become so familiar with during his dealings with the Illusive Man. It was a large, round room that had been cast into darkness. In the centre of the room, a massive blue sphere spun slowly, the planet Basite below the station. A three-legged chair sat before this holographic display, bank upon bank of glittering holo-displays hovering in the air before it. The floor was made of a dark, reflective tile, like polished glass. Set into this floor, between the door and the chair, a small circular pad glowed a faint blue, a holographic imager connected to the Illusive Man's comm array.

Shepard turned in a full circle, aiming his rifle at every part of the room.

"Something is not right here…" He said slowly.

A loud hum drew his attention. He spun to look at the holo-imager. Light shimmered over the imager, forming itself into a figure Shepard knew all too well.

"Commander Shepard." The Illusive Man said by way of greeting, drawing upon the lit cigarette between his fingers.

"Illusive Man." Shepard said, holstering his rifle and folding his arms across his chest. "And this time I really thought I'd have the privilege of meeting you in person."

"I'm sorry to keep disappointing you, Commander, but I think, given the circumstances, my reluctance to be physically present is understandable." Another draw on the glowing cigarette. "Now, you're already aware that you have fallen into our trap. Your ships have been disabled and are currently being boarded by my troops."

"If just one of my crew comes to any harm-" Shepard seethed.

"You should really focus on your own safety rather than that of your crew, Shepard." The Illusive Man smirked.

The Commander became aware of a sudden hissing noise. He spun to see the door sliding shut, sealing the team in the darkened room with the Illusive Man's ghostly image. Billowing clouds of fumes began seeping down from vents in the ceiling, just a sniff of which clung to the Commander's throat and lungs, sending stars wheeling in his vision. The strike team stumbled to their knees, clutching at their throats and coughing violently.

"Why- are you doing this?" Shepard managed through his coughing fit.

"Because you've made it clear that we two cannot coexist." The Illusive Man explained. "I've been tolerant of you, Shepard. You stole my ship, my personnel, my resources. You even denied Cerberus the chance to learn from the Collector Base. And still I allowed you to operate. I thought you would continue your fight against the Reapers. But instead you let the Alliance decide what you shall and shall not do. You continue to work to weed our agents out. This final attack was the last straw, and presented the perfect opportunity to lay this trap. Humanity needs Cerberus. Humanity needs me. And seeing as you are too blind to realise this, you shall be put in a place where you will no longer prove to be a hindrance."

"Why not- just- kill me?" Shepard asked.

"Because no matter how much of a thorn in my side you prove to be, there is still the matter of what you represent. You symbolise the strength of our race. The hopes of the masses lie in you, Shepard, and we will need your inspiring presence in days to come. Better to keep you contained, controlled, than to just kill you outright." The Illusive Man's image knelt next to Shepard, who had fallen to the floor, struggling to stay up on all fours. "You were such a disappointment, Shepard. I really thought you understood our goals. Clearly I was wrong. You're too much of an idealist. But these days call for practical men."

Shepard felt his eyes grow weary as his body, flooded with the strange chemical in the air, began to shut down. As his eyes became heavy, lids drooping with every struggling breath, his thoughts went to the Normandy and his friends aboard. Before the darkness rose up to swallow him whole, his thoughts rested with one woman in particular, a troubled young woman with painted skin. His heart raced with worry for her, an overpowering desire that she was safe. If anything happened to her…

_Shit…_ He heard her voice echo inside his head. _You sound like a pussy…_


	2. 2: Escape From Golthan

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 2: Escape from Golthan**

**Three Months Later**

Shepard opened his eyes to the now depressingly familiar surroundings of his cell. Cold, grey walls hemmed him in on three sides, with a heavy cell door built into the fourth side. The ten-foot by ten-foot cell was built with one goal in mind, to give the inhabitant a complete feeling of isolation. The walls were heavily soundproofed, but on the rare occasions that Shepard had received a glimpse of the rest of the prison complex, the moans of its inhabitants had reached through to his core. Those were the cries of the broken, those prisoners whose stay in solitary had shattered their resolve, leaving them meek and too mentally unstable to carry out a proper escape attempt.

The Commander sat up on his hard metal-framed bed, heaving his legs over the side and sitting, elbows on his knees, head bowed towards hands held in front of him with the fingers intertwined. He sat there, staring at his feet as he thought about his predicament.

A Batarian prison. He remembered Zaeed mentioning them in one of his many tales. The old mercenary had said that they were forsaken pits, a place where the four-eyed aliens brought captives they deemed too dangerous to sell as a slave, but too valuable to kill. What Shepard hadn't expected was that Cerberus would be using one as one of their many sources of income. He saw the thinking behind it now. Nobody would think that the human supremacist organisation would be the power behind an alien prison like this.

He smiled as he thought back to his mission aboard the Purgatory, where the traitorous Warden Kuril had run his own extortion racket, selling some prisoners into slavery, and using others as a threat to extort protection money from the various galactic governments. The response the Illusive Man had given to the mission report had been curiously curt, and now Shepard knew why. The Illusive Man would have disliked having to buy a prisoner off someone operating in competition to Cerberus, and the betrayal to earn money off Shepard's captivity would have been an insult too far.

There was a grinding rattle, and a tiny slot opened at the base of the door. A bowl of sickly grey sludge and a glass of dirty water were pushed through. Shepard picked up the meager provisions and sniffed it cautiously. On his third day in the cell, Shepard's guards had thought it hilarious to swap his food with some dextro-based food. His body's reaction had been painful, wracking him with cramps for the next three days and leaving him almost unable to breathe. The guards had pulled the stunt three more times during his incarceration, but the first had been the worst. Shepard tasted the gruel carefully, and then proceeded to finish the bowl when he established that it was safe for humans. Today was going to be one of the good days.

It was about an hour later that Shepard felt a tremor pass through his cell. This was followed a second later by a deep bass rumble that even the soundproofing of the cell couldn't block out. The Commander lifted his head from the cot and looked about in confusion, trying to figure out what the noise might have been.

Just under a minute later there was a click from the cell door. The door inched open and a blinding strip of light shone through the crack. Compared to the dimness of the cell, the corridor was painfully bright. Shepard held an arm out in front of his face to shield his eyes, and as he looked out into the corridor he saw a shadow fall across the open door.

"Shepard? You okay?" The voice was familiar, with a grating flange the Commander was sure he recognised.

"Who are you?"

"We need to move, Shepard. Our friends can only keep up the distraction for so long. Come on, let's get out of here."

The newcomer moved in, lifting Shepard up to his feet and helping him out of the cell. As his eyes adjusted, Shepard looked into the face of his rescuer. The scaly face and wide eyes were instantly recognisable.

"Feron!"

"Good to see you again, Shepard." The Drell's face bore a happy grin, though he didn't stop ushering the Commander out of the cell. "We're on a really tight clock here. Liara's got some of her top agents running about creating all kinds of trouble to buy us time. Here's a pistol, now let's get going!"

The Drell led Shepard through the corridor past the other Solitary cells, the pair shooting down the four Batarian guards which burst through the door at the far end. They moved through the various cellblocks with ease, the main guard force distracted by Feron's associates. What few Batarians they encountered were quickly cut down.

It was as they moved through one of the main cellblocks that Shepard heard his name called out. He turned to look into one of the cells.

"Shepard! What the hell are you doin' here?" Jacob Taylor's deep voice echoed about in a large cell, home to multiple prisoners. The ex-Cerberus soldier was pounding on the clear wall of his cell, eager to get the Commander's attention.

"Jacob? How- never mind. We need to get you out of here."

"Damn straight. I'm not sure I can take much more time with him." The soldier jabbed a finger over his shoulder at an older man sitting on his bed, staring into thin air. "I guess the Illusive Man thought it'd be funny to make sure we ended up in the same cell."

"Perhaps he thought that getting you to reconcile with your father would improve your opinion of him." Ronald Taylor's even deeper voice was clear even through the thick transparent wall of the cell which muffled their voices.

"Yeah, or maybe he hoped I'd kill you, and save him the cost of feeding you. I thought I made it clear you should shut up?" Jacob's hostile tone was heavy with menace. He turned back to Shepard. "The Illusive Man had a field day when he sent me here. It's a Cerberus run facility, but the Batarians here don't know it. They paid out a bounty when Cerberus sent me here. I guess some still hold a grudge over my work busting their plans for the Citadel. So Illusive got paid for me, and I'm still in Cerberus hands."

"Feron, how do we get this cell open?" Shepard asked.

The Drell activated his omnitool, remotely hacking into the prison's wireless network and pulling up a schematic of the cellblock. The map of the building hovered in front of him in a shaky hologram. One room blinked insistently.

"Looks like the controls are on the next floor up. Minimal guards, and only a few security mechs. But it's in the opposite direction to our extraction point. If we take too long, the shuttle might not be there for us."

"Liara sent you to rescue me. She'll understand if I choose to save one of my crew. I'm not leaving him here."

Feron hesitated for a few seconds, torn between the dangers of taking too long and his desire to help. In the end, Shepard's look of determination won out. He sighed, a sound that was made unusual coming from a Drell's throat.

"Let's get this over with."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard and Feron made their way to the back of the cellblock, looking for the way up to the next level. They scanned the nearly featureless corridors, ignoring the shouts and threats of the prisoners. Shepard was almost certain a few of the denizens were criminals he had been responsible for capturing, slavers, drug runners and murderers who had had the bad fortune of picking a fight with the first human spectre.

Finally the two of them found a set of stairs leading up to where they needed to go. They advanced cautiously up the stairs, moving up to the next floor. At the top of the stairs, Feron peeked around into the corridor when his arm shot out and pushed Shepard back into the stairwell. With a cautioning look and a finger raised to his lips, the Drell pointed around the corner. The Commander peeked around to see the door that was their objective, its holographic interface shining enticingly. Directly in front of it stood two alert guards holding a pair of large assault rifles. The Batarian on the right of the door was surrounded by a holographic representation of his armour that indicated he had active Tech Armour, while the air around the other Batarian shimmered, indicating either an active kinetic barrier or a biotic barrier in effect.

"Come on. We can take them."

"It's not that simple, Shepard. They'll slow us down if we charge them. I don't know how many guards are inside the control room. We could alert them, and then we'll never get in. We need to deal with these guys quietly."

"What are you thinking of?"

"Just give me one minute, and we'll be inside."

With that final confident statement, the Drell's outline shimmered, and he faded from sight. Shepard tried to look closely at the spot Feron had just vacated, but could barely see a transparent shape move off down the corridor. The sound of the Drell's footsteps got steadily quieter as he moved more slowly and with more care, drawing near to the guard on the right.

The two guards remained at their posts, unaware of the approaching danger. For an eternal second, the guards remained undisturbed. Then, with a sigh, the guard in the Tech armour fell to his knees, a line of blood seeping from a slash across the nape of his neck, severing his spinal cord. The other turned to look in confusion, and then a powerful punch hit him square in the face. His barrier held up for a moment, taking the edge off the impact, but there was still enough force left to the punch to send him reeling. As he staggered back, a jab to the kidneys from his invisible foe sent him tumbling to the floor. His cloaking device shimmering around him, Feron kneeled next to the guard and finished him off with a knife to the heart. The Drell looked up at Shepard and motioned him forward.

The pair took up positions on either side of the door, and Feron reached across to activate the door panel. As the two halves of the door moved apart, they swung into the room with weapons out and ready. The Batarian guards inside looked up in surprise, having been watching video feeds of the action outside the prison complex, where troops in black armour were engaged with the prison guards in the middle of a freezing blizzard. On the far side of the prison walls, three armoured assault vehicles were throwing a lot of heavy weapons fire into the defending ranks. Overhead, two prison gunships were returning fire.

Shepard and Feron opened fire swiftly, killing two of the surprised guards before they even had a chance to draw their weapons. The other two dove for cover as their comrades were cut down, and Shepard found himself having to watch where he was aiming in case he struck one of the consoles and destroyed the controls they sought. The two Batarians returned fire around the consoles, laying down a deadly hail of bullets that Shepard and Feron had to retreat out of the door to avoid.

The exchange continued in this fashion for nearly a minute before Shepard felt his frustration rising.

"Feron! We can't be held up like this. Cover me!"

The Drell nodded as the Commander prepared to run into the room. He found himself wishing he had his equipment. Not only would it have provided him with a shield, but his omnitool would have given him access to the cybernetic nodes installed on his adrenal glands. With this, he could have given himself a temporary boost to his speed, giving him the edge to end the combat in less than five seconds with somewhat less risk than the firefight presented right now. He shook his head to dismiss the thought. No point in wishing for what wasn't there.

Taking a deep breath, Shepard lifted his pistol and charged into the room. He was aware of Feron laying down a spray of bullets to discourage the Batarians from coming out from their cover. In a matter of seconds, Shepard had crossed the room and leaped over one of the consoles, firing his pistol at the guards even as he moved through the air. One bullet bounced off the shield of the first guard, then the second one brought the shield down and pierced the Batarian's body armour at the shoulder, spurting blood over the console he hid behind. The third bullet hit straight between the eyes, killing him outright. After the third shot, Shepard spun, hitting the floor at that moment. He brought his gun up to point at the second guard. The Batarian died after two shots, the first knocking out his shield, and the second piercing his heart.

Shepard looked at the two corpses with a measure of satisfaction before he became aware of a nagging pain. Looking down, he saw blood pour out of an open wound through his lower leg. He staggered a bit as his leg threatened to give out under him, catching himself on one of the consoles. Feron saw his friend's difficulties and moved to stand next to him.

"You alright? Let me take a look at that leg."

Activating his omnitool, the Drell scanned Shepard's calf. After a matter of moments, he pulled a medi-gel canister from his belt. Opening one end, he scooped out a small blob and spread it over the entry wound, and another blob over the exit wound. The gel instantly cooled the burning pain of the raw flesh, and formed a hard layer over the wound to prevent further bleeding. That done, the Drell jabbed the canister's other end into Shepard's leg, injecting the remaining 'gel into his bloodstream to repair internal damage. In seconds, Shepard was able to walk on the leg with little pain. He limped over to the control room's supply cupboard.

"Feron, open Jacob's cell. I'm going to see if there's any armour here I can use. A bigger gun would be nice too."

Feron got to work at the control centre's main console. By the time Shepard returned, donning a stolen suit of armour and fastening an assault rifle to the back and the pistol to his hip, Feron had isolated the door controls to the cell the Taylors were in. The system beeped to confirm his request and the door opened. Below, Shepard saw Jacob leave the cell quickly, closely followed by his father. The Commander was unsure what to do about that, but could see no way to keep him from leaving his cell, even if they refused to take him with them when Liara sent the shuttle. As he pondered this, he saw the two escapees making their way to the exit, both stealing weapons from dead guards.

"Right. Now let's get after them. Liara will be bringing the extraction shuttle round any minute now." Feron shut down the system, making sure that it would take time to start it up again. For now, the prison's defences were offline.

Feron began moving with increasing speed as they got nearer and nearer to the extraction point, obviously eager to be out of the Batarian prison. As they neared the way out, they rounded a corner and found themselves face to face with a full squadron of guards. The Batarians turned as they ran into the room and, after a moment of hesitation, opened fire. Shepard felt several solid impacts on his shields as he ran for cover, and saw a few flares of blue light as Feron's shields took a beating too. They found some cover by retreating behind the corner they had just turned. Checking his stolen omnitool's readout, he saw that his shields were down to sixty percent, and suspected Feron's were probably just as bad. The corridor was filled with the whines of bullets rushing past them, and a few ricochets came dangerously close to Shepard as he waited for a break in the fire.

"Where did these guys come from? I thought your troops had all the guards distracted."

"I don't know. We're way behind schedule, maybe they couldn't keep the guards' attention any longer. Maybe they came off second best in the fight." The Drell's tone was defensive, and he had to shout over the gunfire. "We won't get through a squad that size. They'd cut us down before we got ten feet."

"Is there another way round?"

"I think I can find one. It'll take a lot longer than I'd like, but it's better to be late than dead."

As the Drell looked up the map again on his omnitool, Shepard risked a peek around the corner. The guards were moving closer, but something caught his eye. A large shape was moving up behind the enemy, toting a large weapon. As it drew closer, the approaching figure turned out to be a massive Salarian, the tallest the commander had ever seen. Thick muscles barely contained by the body armour spoke of a power unlike what would be expected of one of his species. With a practised calmness, he lifted up his weapon, some sort of grenade launcher, and fired twice.

The two projectiles flew into the unsuspecting squad and detonated. The explosions tore through enemy defences instantly, and once the ringing in his ears quietened down, Shepard's hearing was assaulted by the groans of the dying. He looked around the corner and saw a handful of dazed survivors stumbling around. Still more rolled about on the ground in agony, and others lay still, unconscious or dead. Amongst all of this carnage, the Salarian coolly walked over and finished off any survivors. To one side, a survivor recovered enough to lift his weapon and aim at the newcomer. Acting on instinct, Shepard lifted his gun and fired, the single shot killing the Batarian instantly. The Salarian twisted to find the source of the shot, huge almond-shaped eyes narrowing as he saw Shepard.

"Not a squint, so I'm guessing you're an escapee." The Salarian's voice was a heavy bass tone that fitted his heavy build. He lifted his weapon, as though wondering whether to kill off a potentially dangerous convict or take him along as backup.

"He's the guy the Broker's so keen to break out, Tazzik." Feron stepped into view. He was clearly nervous, but his voice was stern as Tazzik's aim shifted from Shepard to him. "Don't. I'm here on the Broker's orders. You're running the distraction for me."

When Tazzik responded, his voice was barely above a snarl.

"I ought to kill you where you stand, Drell. You caused me all kinds of trouble back on Omega, and then again on Alingon. After the stunt you pulled with that Asari bitch, why would the Shadow Broker trust you?"

"The Broker and I…. Reached an agreement. I do favours for him, and only him, and I don't have to spend my days strapped into that torture cage he used to send vids of to all of his agents."

"Hrmph. So that finally broke you, then. Shame. I was hoping he'd ask me to deal with you. You might have made up with the Broker, but I've still got a score to settle with you."

"Then leave it till we've got out of here. The Broker wants this guy out of here, and I'm not about to disappoint him. Are you?" Feron's voice managed to keep a tone of challenge to it, which Tazzik responded to.

"I can wait. But once we're out of here, I'm going to finish you off myself."

With that, the Salarian moved off back the way he came, the Commander and Feron following. Shepard felt the silence between Feron and the newcomer becoming awkward, and asked a question that nagged him.

"If you were in charge of the distraction, why are you here?"

"It became obvious that the extraction was taking longer than planned. We lost too many men to keep up the fight, so I ordered a retreat. I thought that we could pull them away from here and buy you more time without having to risk losing more men. Then I saw that squad moving back, so I broke off from the main force, doubled back and followed them in to make sure that they hadn't captured you or the lizard back there." Feron made a face at the insult, but held his tongue. "Good job I came back, else you'd be Varren meat by now."

"I appreciate it, Tazzik."

"Whatever. Just stay out of my way. The pair of you are only alive because the Broker really wants you to get out of here alive. And if the Broker doesn't get what he wants, the people who failed him tend to suffer."

Shepard slowed down to walk alongside Feron. He spoke quietly so the Salarian couldn't hear as he moved to scout the corridors ahead.

"Is it just me, or does he really hate you? What's the story, Feron?"

"Tazzik and I have met more than once before. He was responsible for handing your body over to the Collectors, before Liara and I interrupted the transaction. The pair of us caused him a lot of trouble then. We stole your corpse right out from under his nose, and I get the feeling that the Broker assigned him most of the blame. If he hadn't managed to capture me, it'd probably be him who was strapped into that chair on the Broker's ship. Best if you don't tell him who you are. Or who is the Shadow Broker now. I don't think he'll react kindly to the information." The Drell chewed his lip nervously. "This complicates things for us. Liara's going to be on the shuttle that takes us out of here. I don't know how things will go with Tazzik when he sees her."

They moved on in silence after that.

**~o~0~o~**

With Tazzik helping, they made swift progress after that. Any guards they encountered were either taken down by Shepard's accuracy or Tazzik's brute force. After just a few more turns, they found themselves at one of the prison's exits. Beyond, they saw a wide patch of empty snow. Feron activated his commlink, signalling for pickup. They waited anxiously for their shuttle, fighting off any guards who came into sight. Finally, the shuttle hove into view, a standard Kodiak model. It dropped down to hover over the snow, it's thrusters flinging out a blinding flurry of flakes as it came within a couple of feet of the ground. As the extraction team approached the shuttle, the door swung open and Shepard saw a familiar figure stood there, waving them onboard. He rushed forward and leapt into the shuttle, gathering Liara up into his arms in a massive bear hug. Her youthful giggle as she hugged him back made his grin even wider, if that was possible.

"Shepard! It's so good to see you!" Her voice was almost a squeal of joy.

"Liara! How's the information business treating you?"

"Better than your work with Cerberus, apparently. I was so worried when we got word of your capture. You have no idea what resources it took to find you."

"It's not just me here. Jacob's running about somewhere. Have you seen him yet?"

Liara was about to answer when they both heard an ominous click behind them. They turned to see Tazzik levelling his weapon at the three of them. A scowl contorted his entire face, suspicion and anger in his voice as he spoke.

"I remember you, Asari. You were the one who stole Shepard's body, along with frogboy here. And this is Commander Shepard? You have no idea how pissed the Shadow Broker was when your corpse was stolen. I was on the receiving end of most of that." His weapon muzzle swung to point at Feron, who had been inching out of the shuttle. "Stop right there, Drell! There's no way the Broker's running this op. He's never trust the two of you, and Shepard was more valuable to him as a corpse. The orders came via his channels. How'd you get into the system?"

Liara sized up the Salarian, trying to figure out the best way to answer. She opted for the truth.

"Tazzik, _I'm_ the Shadow Broker. Those orders came through the proper channels because those are my-"

"Bullshit."

"No! It's true-"

"No, you're lying. I've met the Shadow Broker before. You're not him." He moved his weapon back to focus on Liara. "Screw it. I'm ending this now."

The bulky Salarian was just lining up a shot on Liara when Shepard launched himself forward. Putting all of his weight into the tackle, his shoulder rammed into Tazzik's stomach, knocking the alien back out of the shuttle. As Shepard tried to pin him down in the snow, the Salarian's weapon swung round in a wide arc, smashing into the side of his face and knocking him away. He lifted the ugly weapon to take a shot, but blue witchfire surrounded it, the clear sign of a biotic mass effect field. Liara twitched her hand and the weapon flew across the snow, shedding parts as it hit the ground. With a snarl, Tazzik drew a smaller, but equally deadly, assault rifle.

Shepard, still dizzy from the knock to the head, struggled to get to his feet. When his shields started taking a solid beating from the Salarian's rifle snapped him back to full awareness. He dove to cover behind the shuttle, returning fire sporadically. Liara and Feron joined him in his cover, the former flinging off a few biotic blasts at Tazzik, and latter snapping off a few shots with his gun.

The hull of the shuttle reverberated as a few shots from Tazzik's gun struck the vessel. Shepard thought furiously of how to take out the Salarian. He fired off a few shots to keep the enemy back, but couldn't get off more than a couple of shots before a hail of bullets chased him back behind the shuttle.

"Feron! Go left, and do that cloak thing. I'll go right, try to take down his shields. Liara, go down the middle."

The Asari's brow furrowed for a moment before comprehension dawned in her eyes. Feron faded from view, heading off around the far side of the shuttle from Shepard. Liara's body glowed with the biotic energy she gathered to herself, ready to do her part in the assault. Shepard counted to three before racing out from his cover.

Tazzik paused as he sensed the trio getting ready to attack. He listened carefully and caught the telltale crunch, crunch of approaching footsteps. He cast his gaze about and saw a set of footprints being created by an invisible person. He lifted his gun to shoot at the invisible enemy when Shepard lunged out from behind the shuttle, firing off a full clip of bullets in seconds. Tazzik felt his shields shudder and fall under the assault, and a while most of the remaining assault bounced off his body armour, a few pierced all of his defences and he grunted in pain. He fired off a few shots at the human in retaliation before spinning and planting his rifle's butt in the invisible Drell's face, knocking him back. He lifted his gun to finish off Feron when he became aware of a rumble. Turning, he was just in time to see Liara leap over the shuttle, her biotics lifting her farther than her body was physically capable of. She soared through the air towards him, descending with tremendous force. The Asari swooped down, collecting the dark energy around her to create a cocoon of mass, all of which she concentrated on the enemy Salarian. She hit the stunned Tazzik with such force that the snow around them exploded upwards in a tiny, concentrated blizzard. When the snow cleared, Shepard saw Liara, breathing heavily as she stood over the mangled body of Tazzik. A wisp of biotic energy twirled around her hand as she inspected the corpse. The recipient of such a concentrated mass field, Tazzik was now almost crushed flat, his corpse barely more than a bag of broken bones and pulverised flesh. Liara looked up and smiled in relief to see Shepard was okay. Behind her, Feron stood, nursing a broken nose.

"Good, we're all okay. C'mon. We've got to get out of here."

"Not yet, Liara. We've got to find Jacob."

"Of course. Let's get in the shuttle. I'll try to trace him."

The three of them boarded the shuttle as it lifted off, leaving the dead Salarian behind. Liara tapped a few buttons on her omnitool and a holographic interface appeared against one of the shuttle's walls. She typed in a few codes, and a map of the prison popped up.

"Hmm. No transmissions of any kind, and my sensors are not sensitive enough to tell between Batarian and Human lifesigns. I'm detecting a lot of weapons fire on the south side, but it could be some of Tazzik's force."

"No. Tazzik said they were pulling back. That's got to be Jacob. Head over there."

The shuttle banked and headed for the far side of the prison complex. After an agonising few moments, they pulled over the main prison building and caught sight of a fierce firestorm. Two figures were pinned down behind a pile of supply crates, over a dozen Batarian guards keeping them from making a break from their cover. Shepard thumped a fist into the shuttle's wall.

"Damn! How're the shields on this thing?"

"We might hold together long enough to pick them up, but there isn't enough room back there to bring the shuttle down. The best I can do still leaves a lot of ground for them to cover where they'll be dodging enemy fire."

Shepard chewed his lip for a moment, unwilling to have his friend take such a big risk. But there was no other option.

"Take us in. Make sure the shuttle gives them as much cover as possible."

Jacob let loose another round of bullets from his pistol, downing two more Batarians. He popped the heat sink from his weapon and replaced it with another one with a steady hand, looking down at the two clips left for the two of them. Nowhere near enough to take out the Batarians hounding them. He looked back up at his father. Despite his intense dislike for the man, he had to admit that he'd proven himself in their flight for freedom. He'd downed enemies efficiently, and had proved strong no matter the odds. Jacob had to laugh at the thought that it was only facing their rapidly approaching death together that gave Jacob any sort of respect for the man.

As he lifted the stolen pistol to fire off another salvo, he heard a familiar noise. Looking about, he saw the shuttle drop down inside the prison walls, door wide open and facing them. He looked on incredulously as Shepard, Liara and Feron urged him to make a run for it. He looked out suspiciously at the open ground between him, his father and their sudden source of salvation. The odds did not look good. Ronald Taylor fired off another shot at the enemy, downing another guard with a shot through one of his four eyes, before looking at the shuttle himself.

"It's a long way to the shuttle, son. We'll take a lot of heat getting over there. But it's our only way out. You go first, I'll cover you."

"But who'll cover you? You'll never make it if I go first. I got my biotics. I can make it on my own."

Rather than argue, Ronald took one of the last heat sinks, passing the other one to his son. He crouched down, ready to start running, and after a nod from Jacob, he ran with all of his might. Jacob stood up from behind the crates and fired as fast as he could, accounting for three more Batarians before his pistol ran out of ammo. Ronald, meanwhile, made it to the shuttle with barely a scratch, and twisted to look at his son, urging him to run for the shuttle.

Jacob dropped back down behind the crates and summoned up a new biotic barrier, focusing to give it as much strength as he could. A blue glow encased his limbs and, taking a deep breath, he ran for it, as fast as he could.

Time seemed to slow down as Jacob ran, putting all of his strength into making it to the shuttle in one piece. He felt multiple impacts on his barrier as he ran, the Batarians able to focus all fire on one target. He got about halfway across the open stretch before the barrier flickered and failed, Jacob's mind unable to keep the focus to hold it up as he ran for his life. He felt bullets puncture his leg, and a couple tore through his side, causing him to stumble. Just over two thirds of the way across the open stretch, he fell into the snow, blood pumping from multiple wounds.

Shepard's heart lurched as he saw Jacob fall. He was halfway out of the shuttle when someone shouldered past him. With speed unexpected of one his age, Ronald Taylor raced out through the enemy fire to his son, swinging the now unconscious Jacob onto his shoulder. He made sure to hold Jacob on the shoulder away from the guards, using his body to shield his son from incoming fire. He took a few lumbering steps, struggling with the added weight, before the Batarians found their mark. He gasped as the bullets tore into him, but kept on his feet. Fighting through the pain, he forced his way to the shuttle, throwing Jacob into Shepard's waiting arms and clambering aboard himself. Struggling for breath, he felt the little thrust as the shuttle powered away from the Batarian prison, struggling to hold onto consciousness.

Shepard grabbed Jacob out of Ronald's arms and dragged him into the shuttle, laying him out on the floor and pulling out the shuttle's medical kit. He ran a scanner over the inert soldier as Ronald clambered in and lay down on the floor, his breathing laboured.

A soft, blue hand touched Shepard on the shoulder. He looked up into Liara's eyes, seeing the concern there. The startling blue eyes twitched over in Ronald's direction.

"Talk to him, Shepard. I'll take care of Jacob."

The Commander sensed a weight in Liara's words which encouraged him to leave Jacob's care in her hands. He shuffled over to speak to the older man, medi-gel dispenser in his hand. He looked over Ronald's wounds, and instantly put the dispenser down. As an Alliance Soldier, he had seen more than enough fatal injuries to recognise one. His voice shook as he broke the news to Ronald.

"I'm sorry, Mr Taylor. There's nothing I can do here." Shepard felt a blackness rise in his gut at having to tell a man of his own mortality. Taylor's response was a nod and a grunt.

"I could have told you that, Shepard. Something to take the edge off the pain will be enough." Shepard complied with a shot of medi-gel. The creases of pain in the man's face eased as the gel acted as an anaesthetic. "I wanted to thank you, Shepard. When you came and rescued the crew of the Gernsback from Aeia, I saw how working with you affected my son. He nearly shot me, and I think if you hadn't been there, he wouldn't have hesitated. His work with Cerberus changed him, though he'd be the last one to admit it. I think joining up with you gave him back a sense of purpose."

"He never forgave me for what I did on that backwater planet, and frankly I don't think he should. I allowed my command to go to my head. I made some bad decisions, did terrible things to my crew, and in all the years I was there, I never once thought about my family back home."

"I don't want to die with my son thinking I never cared. He turned out a good man, better than I could ever hope to be. I can't even say that it was my child rearing that helped him become who he is today, I was away from home so much. My own son is so much of a stranger to me. Please… Tell him... hell, there's a lot of things I want to tell him. Just tell him I'm sorry for the way things turned out, for the way I turned my back on him and his mother. He may not care about it, but I'm proud of who he is and what he's done."

Shepard sat by the old man as he spoke his last words, a lump stuck in his throat. Finally, Ronald Taylor passed away, and the Commander gently closed his eyes. The shuttle jostled about a bit as it exited the upper atmosphere, and Shepard looked out of the window, his breath catching as he saw the stars for the first time in three solid months, and he felt free once again. Then his gaze went to the still unconscious Jacob. He was not looking forward to the debrief on this mission.


	3. 3: Debrief With Liara

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 3: Debrief with Liara**

The shuttle rushed through the empty sky above Golthan, moving swiftly away from the prison. A dark shape moved out from the shadow of Golthan's moon as the shuttle approached, moving on an intercept trajectory. Gliding through Golthan's orbit with menacing grace, the massive ship bristled with comm arrays. The Shadow Broker's ship formed the nexus of the Galaxy-wide information network Liara was now in control of. Shepard was surprised to see it outside of the eternal storms of Hagalaz, but the ship looked if anything more at home among the stars. The hull had been painted a matte black to allow it to move stealthily, with no reflective surfaces to betray it's presence to distant enemies. He had no doubt that the advanced vessel had the latest in stealth systems installed, and it wouldn't have surprised him if the previous Shadow Broker had stolen the plans to the Normandy's stealth systems and incorporated the technology into his own ship.

The shuttle angled into one of the ship's docking bays, Liara bringing it down to touch the deck with barely a jolt. The door hissed open and Feron scrambled out, running off to fetch a medical team for Jacob. Liara jumped out and, waving for Shepard to follow, made her way out of the docking bay by one of the side doors.

"We'll avoid the main crew areas for now. I try not to let my agents know my true identity, so I make sure not to show my face when I have to bring them aboard. A faceless Shadow Broker can inspire more loyalty than a small Asari, not even out of the Maiden stage." Liara walked with a hurried pace down the twisting maze of corridors, managing to get Shepard completely lost while avoiding any crew on the ship.

"Plus I reckon you'll want to avoid scenes like with Tazzik." Shepard chipped in.

"I'm sorry about that, Shepard. If everything had gone to plan, he would never have seen our faces, and he was one of the best agents I had at my disposal." She paused to look into Shepard's face. "It wasn't the smoothest operation, but I had to work with what I had. The Illusive Man anticipated I would try to break you out, and so getting you location wasn't easy. I compromised a lot of my agents to find you, and I've lost too many of my contacts within Cerberus' ranks. I get the feeling that any further ops against the Illusive Man will be very difficult."

"That's what they said about the Collectors, but I still kicked their asses. Cerberus is going to pay, and I'm going to extract payment from the Illusive Man personally."

"Just remember, Shepard. There are more enemies out there than Cerberus. The Reapers have been moving while you've been imprisoned. There have been sightings on the outskirts of Citadel space and throughout the Terminus systems. They're on the move. Not quite the numbers Sovereign was boasting about, but even one is enough to be worried about."

"You're right. Cerberus can wait, but The Reapers are too big a threat to ignore. But I'll need a good crew behind me. I'll need to get the team back. Did you find out what happened to anyone else from the Normandy?"

"Cerberus took most of the crew captive long with you. Three of your team escaped; Kasumi, Garrus and Zaeed."

"Where are they now? Are they here? Can I see them?" Shepard was eager to reunite with his squad, albeit a depleted version of it.

"Garrus and Zaeed have taken up mercenary work while you've been away. Last I heard, they were looking for trouble in The Verge."

"They don't find trouble. It finds them. What about Kasumi?"

"Kasumi went off the grid soon after escaping the Normandy. I figure she's gone to ground until Cerberus stop looking for her."

"Or maybe they caught up to her. They found her once to join my team, they could have found her again."

"I hope not, but I don't know right now."

"What about Samara and Tali? They weren't on the Normandy when Cerberus attacked."

"As far as I know they haven't been found. Samara went back to the Justicars, as she told you when she left. I couldn't find her even if I wanted to try. The Justicars do not advertise their main bases of operations. Even those who wish to become Justicars don't find them. They simply put word out about their desire to take the Oaths and the Justicars find them. As long as she's with her sisters, Samara is safer than any of us."

"As for Tali, she never returned from her meeting with Shala'Raan. I guess she got word the Normandy had been captured, and decided to go to ground. I reckon Raan would have taken her back to the Flotilla."

"How'd the talks with the Quarians turn out?"

"They've got a few alternative planets they're looking at to colonise. Your advice to sue for peace instead of war with the Geth seems to have moved more than a few Quarians to action. There's still a good portion pushing to take back the Homeworld, but the words of the Spectre who took down Saren and his Geth army carry weight with the rest."

The pair finally reached a familiar door, the entrance to the Shadow Broker'sinner sanctum,the hub of the ship, where all of the information was funnelled through. Like a ghost, a small white globe floated through the air towards them, bobbing about in an eager fashion.

"Welcome back, Shadow Broker."

Shepard smiled at the synthesised voice that came from the VI drone. The Shadow Broker's assistant was an eager, if eccentric program, essential to keep the vast amounts of data flowing through the room in some sort of order. Its complex task had left it with a few quirks, including the amusing habit of referring to anyone in the office as though they were the Shadow Broker. Liara gave the device a warm smile. Obviously in the months since her becoming the Shadow Broker, she had become fond of the VI.

"Have you compiled that list of unregistered shipyards I asked for?"

"Yes, Shadow Broker. The file is on your desk. Do you wish to complete the file on your mission to Golthan?"

"Not just now. Please go and reorganise the Speight project notes for me. I'm still not happy that the Admiral is really dead."

"The coroner's report was very clear on the status of Admiral Speight, Shadow Broker."

"Yes, and I'm telling you there's something not right there. Go through everything again. Pay attention to any medical procedures Speight claimed for on Sonax's payroll, and make sure you check the second set of books they keep, not the ones they submitted to the Council Revenue Board."

As Liara spoke to the VI, Shepard looked about the large office, remembering his fight against the previous Shadow Broker in these walls. He looked over to the left, to the terminal that the Broker had once used to pull up files on Shepard and his squad. There, typing away casually on the holographic keyboard, was a slight, redheaded human woman that Shepard knew well.

"Kelly?" His voice was just a little incredulous, but the happiness at seeing one of his crew was apparent. The yeoman turned around at his voice, and her face split into a wide grin, her green eyes shining as she saw her commander.

"Shepard!" She ran over and threw her arms around him, giving the Commander a tight hug before stepping back a pace, her cheeks flushing a little with embarrassment at being so informal with her superior officer. "Sorry about that, Commander. It's just, its been three months, and I was so worried and…" She paused for a moment as though trying to think of a proper way to say what she wanted to, before shrugging her shoulders a fraction. "Its really good to see you again, sir."

"Relax, Kelly. It's good to see you too. How've you been?"

"I'm okay. The Illusive Man was really angry with the crew for siding with you when you stole the Normandy. He had us all shipped to an Alliance prison where the warden is on Cerberus' payroll. Liara broke us out after about a month, and has had us working for her here on the ship. She's got me analysing any data we've got on Cerberus. I'm trying to find a pattern to the Illusive Man's thinking, see where he sent your squad."

"Us? Who else is here?"

"A good portion of the crew is here. Liara's got Kenneth and Gabby leading a team in analysing the ship's systems, finding out what surprises it's got in store for us. It's incredible! Even after three months, we're still not sure what the ship's full capabilities are. There's still a few faces missing, though. Joker was sent somewhere different to the rest of the crew, and I've not seen the doctor, Chakwas, either."

Shepard felt a tug at his heart when he heard that two of his oldest friends and crew members were still in Cerberus' hands, but felt warmed that so many more of his crew had been saved. The two shipmates turned as Liara gave a polite cough.

"I hate to interrupt, but I've got a few things to go over here. Maybe you should go check on Jacob. I'm sure he'll want to see a familiar face when he comes to."

"Jacob's here too? That's great! I'll show you the way to the sickbay, Shepard. It'll be good to see Mr Taylor again." Kelly grabbed Shepard by the arm and guided him out of the office.

**~o~0~o~**

As they moved through the length of the ship to the very well equipped medbay, Shepard related the story of his and Jacob's rescue from Golthan. The yeoman listened carefully, her eyes widening at the part about Shepard, Feron and Liara's fight with Tazzik and Ronald Taylor's final sacrifice. She walked along in silence after hearing of his final moments, concern for her shipmate locked in her expression. As they walked along the last stretch of corridor leading to the medbay, she spoke in a quiet tone.

"Jacob's always been a steady member of your team, Shepard, but be gentle when you tell him about his father. His family issues bother him on a deeper level, not that he'd ever let it impact upon his duties. After your mission on Aeia, he put any feelings he had for his father completely aside. I think he felt a peace in knowing his father was a monster his family was better to be rid of. Now, his emotions will be challenged by a conflicting image of a man capable of selflessness. Even with my experience reading people, I can't say how he'll react. Will he experience grief, or will he feel nothing?" Kelly was pulling on all her experience monitoring the Normandy's crew and her knowledge of psychology to help her commander, but was unable to give any real advice.

"I'll try to break it to him gently, but he needs to know what his father did for him." Shepard looked through the open medbay door to see Feron sitting on one of the beds, a dressing on his broken nose. Opposite the Drell, Jacob was sitting up on his bed, a number of bandages binding his torso. He smiled as he saw the Commander walk through the door, nodding to Shepard before throwing a casual wink at the smiling Kelly. A tray of food lay on the sheets across his lap, half-eaten. On the bedside table sat another tray, empty. The soldier was a biotic, and therefore had a voracious appetite, which he'd likely been unable to satisfy on the small portions the prison guards provided.

"Commander. Never thought I'd be seeing you again. I'd almost grown used to the idea of having to share that cell for a good long while. Should have known you'd be along to bust me out in no time." Jacob grinned as she lifted up a large spoonful of something and guzzled it down. "Never thought I'd be so happy to have military rations for dinner. It's nothing like what Rupert used to serve up, but compared to the grub they dished out on Golthan, it's like a five-star Citadel banquet." He took a deep draw from a container on the tray, wiping away a dribble of red fluid that flowed down his chin. "Guess I've got you to thank for getting me outta that mess down there, Shepard."

Shepard shifted awkwardly on his feet at the last comment, and the silence made Jacob look up, first into the eyes of his commander, then at Kelly, who looked down at the floor. Feron, knowing what was coming, stood up behind them and quietly left the room. Jacob swallowed his latest mouthful slowly before asking the question.

"What?"

"Jacob, I didn't get you to the shuttle. When you fell, your father jumped out to get you. He carried you the last part of the way on his back." Shepard spoke carefully, thinking about every word. Jacob shrugged as he turned back to his food.

"Hmm. I didn't think he had it in him. Surprised the old bastard isn't here to hold it over my head." His next sentence was muffled by the mouthful of food he shovelled in. "I'm not going to thank him for it. He's still not out of my bad books for that whole mess with the Gernsback. Where's he got to?"

"He took a lot of fire from the Batarians. A couple of shots pierced his lung. He died during the shuttle ride up here."

Jacob put his cutlery down on the tray, looking down at his food with a sudden intensity. He was quiet for a second, and when he looked up his face was unreadable.

"Oh. I'd never have expected him to do that."

"He spoke to me on the shuttle, had a few things he wanted me to tell you."

Jacob motioned for them to move closer and sit in two chairs near to his bed. Kelly sat next to him and took a one of his hands in a comforting gesture.

They spoke for some time. When Shepard and Kelly finally left the medbay, Kelly went on her way silently, and Shepard stood at the door there for a while, deep in thought. After a while, he headed back down the hallways to Liara's office, an immense exhaustion consuming his mind. When he got back to the office, he nodded to the Asari before moving to the couch in one corner of the office and lay down, almost immediately falling into a troubled sleep.

**~o~0~o~**

The next day, Liara held a meeting in her office. Shepard, Liara, Feron and Jacob gathered around Liara's desk to make a plan of action, while Kelly worked away in the background. The Commander caught sight of a handful of the files Liara had open on her desktop, but the streams of codes and pure data were indecipherable to him. She swiftly closed down the files, hiding her work from people in her office merely a habit she had grown into in her role as Shadow Broker.

"We need resources to fight the Reapers. It's obvious they're on the move, so we don't have much time. If we're to fight these things, there are three things we'll need." Liara looked at each of them in turn as she spoke.

"Firstly, we need an army. Any one organisation isn't going to be enough to fight the Reapers, we'll need them all, working together. To achieve this, we'll need to convince them of the threat. The Council has put a lot of effort into quashing any mention of the Reapers, sweeping the evidence under the rug. If the galaxy isn't ready, the Reapers will wipe us out without us having a chance to react."

"Secondly, we'll need to arm ourselves. The Protheans were working on plenty of projects that could have led to technologies that would have severely hindered the Reapers. If we can unearth some of this technology, piece together some of the things they were working on, we could give the Reapers a serious fight. I've had some agents go over the remnants of the Collector Base, but the leftover technology is so far beyond our comprehension that it would take decades to even make a start on using it. I have got some leads on new advances made in recent months that will be useful."

"Sounds good. What was the third thing?" Shepard asked.

"You'll need a ship. This one is good enough as a staging ground for operations, but it has next to no firepower. The original Shadow Broker counted on never being found rather than having to win with superior firepower. Luckily, I know just the ship." Liara grinned as she opened a file on her desk. A hologram of a shipyard popped up. "I found the Normandy last night. Remember the list of shipyards my VI was talking about yesterday? I was searching through them to find the one Cerberus had sent her to. There was one that fits the bill perfectly, and they recently made a few purchases that at first looked like nothing, but I noticed that they were all parts that were essential for a massive Tantalus Drive Core, and the only Drive Core of that size I know of is the one in the Normandy." She pulled up a list of cargo manifests, certain items blinking prominently. "There was also a huge shipment to them about a week after your capture. That has to be the ship."

"And here I thought it was going to be hard to get her back." Shepard murmured.

"It ain't exactly as though the Illusive Man could hide her in his attic. A frigate is gonna show up wherever you try to hide it." Jacob commented.

_"_Indeed_._ I've managed to get the schematics for the shipyard, and I think I can see a way in. It's not exactly a secure facility, as too many defences would draw attention to it, but expect Cerberus to be keeping a close eye on the facility. The Normandy is a valuable prize. The cost to build her was a hundred times more than what it costs to build a standard Alliance Cruiser, and of course she's had a few more things installed since she was built, like the Turian Cannon. Cerberus scientists would be all too eager to investigate any alien technologies like that."

"Okay, so it'll be a bit more complicated than taking candy from a baby-" Shepard smiled as he saw the Drell struggle to understand the phrase. "Human metaphor, Feron. But I think we can do it. Who'll be coming with me? Feron? Liara?"

"Feron will be going with you, Shepard. But I won't. I have a lot of commitments now as Shadow Broker. Even your rescue caused quite a disruption in the system, and it'll take me some time to get back up to speed."

"I'll go with the Commander, Liara." Jacob offered, straightening up to salute before grimacing and clutching at one of his wounds. Liara smiled at his earnest enthusiasm, even after the bad news he had received the previous day.

"That's brave of you, Jacob, but you're not fit to fight right now. You'll need to rest for a couple more days, let the new tissue heal up over your wounds."

"The two of us can't handle the mission alone, Liara. Got any more agents to send with us?" Shepard asked, growing frustrated at the lack of options he had.

"Yes, actually. One of my best agents returned from a mission this morning."

"As long as he isn't crazy like the last one. And can handle himself in a fight."

"He has an exemplary record. He served with the Alliance for a few years, and only joined my forces recently, but I know he's someone you can trust, Commander."

"Who is he then?"

Liara's answer was a nod of her head to the stairway behind them. Shepard turned to look, and saw an old friend looking down at him.

Kaidan Alenko stood there, a broad smile on his strong face. He broke out into a powerful belly laugh when Shepard struggled to find anything to say, before moving down the stairs and giving the Commander a solid thump on the shoulder.

"Nearly a year since Horizon and you don't have anything to say for yourself? Come on, Commander, you always had a way with words. Anyone would think it was you seeing the ghost, instead of the other way 'round."

"Kaidan, I- what?" Shepard finally managed to sputter out. He stood there, tongue-tied for another moment, before simply taking hold of his old friend's hand and shaking it warmly, his mind at a loss as to what to say.

"It's great to see you, Commander. Though mostly because I get the chance to say I told you so. I said Cerberus were bad news."

"Hey, now, I didn't say you were wrong, just that there were more important things at stake."

"That's true. Things have been hell since you went off the grid, Shepard. Anderson's quit the Alliance, quit the embassy, damn near quit humanity altogether. Since then the politicians have moved in, and nothing is getting done in Citadel space any more. A lot of Alliance personnel have vanished, and word on the wire is they were Cerberus agents. It's like the Illusive Man's pulling his forces together. And then there's the word from the fringes of the galaxy. People are talking about things that look a lot like Sovereign. Things are about to hit the fan and with you gone, there are a lot of people thinking no one's left to look out for them. Its times like that that organisations like Terra Firma and Cerberus start to look inviting."

Kaidan's face fell as he spoke, losing its jovial edge as he dwelled on darker things. Shepard patted him reassuringly on the shoulder before turning to the others.

"Well I'm back now, and I'm about ready to stick it to anyone looking to cause trouble on my turf, Reapers included. When can we get going?"


	4. 4: The Shipyards of Kophell

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 4: The Shipyards of Kophell**

Shepard shifted uncomfortably in his new armour as the shuttle powered down its FTL drive, the rapid deceleration noticeable even with the inertial dampers on full. He looked for the tenth time at the familiar red and white stripe running down the length of his right arm. The Commander had no idea how Liara had acquired it, but she had provided him with brand new armour bearing the official markings of his squad, the iconic N7 on the upper right portion of the torso.

With a lurch, the shuttle twisted on its ventral axis, angling itself towards the bulky station that sat in orbit around the planet of Kophell. Massive struts extended out from a central cylinder, huge struts which housed Mass Field generators, used to hold the ships being constructed in place as the shipyard circled the planet. Nearer to the centre of the cylinder, a number of boxy hangar bays were nestled together, the construction bays for smaller vehicles such as frigates and fighter craft. The effect was to make the shipyard look like it had been twisted tight at the centre, the construction struts fanning out at either end. Just around the curvature of the planet, a second shipyard could be seen approaching.

Across from Shepard, Feron looked at the shipyard with more than a little apprehension as they drew nearer. He let out a sigh of nervousness as they flew into one of the shuttle bays located on the cylinder's equator.

"Okay, so just remember- We're here inspecting an order for Binary Helix. We'll feed that story to the penpushers here until they take us close enough to one of their secure terminals. Then we hack the system and set up a link to Liara's ship. She'll pull the system apart to find out where the Normandy is being kept. Once she sends us directions, we get down there as fast as possible. If we can deactivate whatever systems they've got in place to hold the ship, we can get the AI to fly her out of there."

"What if they've got EDI disabled somehow?" Shepard asked.

"Then we either find a way to switch her back on, or we try to fly the ship ourselves."

"Three people to fly an Alliance frigate? Never gonna work." Kaidan sounded incredulous. "I'd have thought the Shadow Broker would have a better backup plan than that."

"Liara's got enough to worry about running the Broker's organisation. We'll think of something ourselves if need be." Shepard's tone was firm. "Feron, you do the talking. If Cerberus is running this place, one of their agents might recognise Kaidan and me. We'll keep quiet until you find the ship."

"The hard bit will be once we hack the system. Cerberus will be monitoring the terminals, and the second anything goes amiss they'll be on the alert. We also don't know what sort of troop numbers we could expect here." Feron stated. "There could just be a handful of guards in case of pirates, or we might have a whole platoon drop on our heads."

"Too late to worry about that now." Shepard said as the shuttle touched down on the bay's deck. "Let's get moving."

The three of them poured out of the shuttle, moving slowly but casually as they surveyed the bay. They all turned as a woman in a tight but professional suit walked over to greet them. Behind her, two security mechs marched in perfect synchronisation. She came to a stop just in front of them, her blonde ponytail flicking behind her as she nodded in greetings. When she spoke, her clipped voice was softened by a trace of an Italian accent. Her face was a neutral mask, but Shepard caught a glimpse of irritation in her eyes.

"Welcome to Kophell Five. I'm Moira Torelli, Director of this shipyard. I understand you're here to inspect the two Jovians."

"Yes. Our superiors just wanted us to go over a few final details before they roll off the production line. There were a few small changes they wanted to make before it was too late. Nothing big, but it'll give the ship a Binary Helix feel, if you get my drift." Feron explained.

"Of course. Many of our clients like to personalise their ships in the final stages of construction. If you'd like to follow me, I can take you to the production line. You can give your specifications to our engineers and they'll implement them straight away." Moira turned on her heel and waved for the three of them to follow her.

The Director led them through many twisting hallways. They moved further and further away from the shuttle bay, ascending several levels. After a few minutes, they walked into a loud factory floor. Swift-moving production belts whirred past, churning out dozens of parts a minute. Among these machines walked several workers, all human. One of them, a short man in his fifties, walked over to the small group, nodding to the frowning Moira with more than a little sarcasm to the gesture, before turning to Shepard and the others. He wiped his hands on his overalls, smearing a fresh layer of grease over the old, and extended a hand to shake.

"Stan Tremblay. I head up the engineering departments in sections eight through fourteen. What do you need?" His voice was relaxed and as he spoke, he didn't give the Director a second glance. It was clear he didn't have much respect for his boss, comfortable in the knowledge that his expertise guaranteed his job security. Moira returned his insolence with barely constrained disdain. At his query, Feron handed over a datapad. The engineer read it carefully, muttering and grumbling to himself. Near to the bottom of the list, he paused, his face turning an apocalyptic red.

"What!" The shout was clearly audible over the noisy bustle of the machinery, and more than a few faces turned towards them. "No, no, no! We can't do that! The cargo bays are already finished. We'd have to tear out the deck plates in both." He thrust the pad back at Feron, pointing viciously at an entry. Feron looked for a second, and Shepard could see he was about to back down. Sensing that an opportunity could be lost, the Commander spoke up.

"Our superiors were very insistent. We need every modification listed on that datapad." Feron looked over with a measure of consternation in his deep green eyes, but the shipyard workers, unfamiliar with alien species, missed the look of concern.

"Well I can hardly pull up the decking, can I? It'll put production back at least a week."

"Binary Helix would be willing to pay a little extra if you could make sure everything is done to spec." Shepard's voice was persuasive, laden with honey to sweeten the engineer's mood and, more importantly, tempt the Director.

The last few words seemed to catch Moira's attention. Her eyes perked up at the opportunity to turn an extra profit, and she placed an arm across Stan's chest before he could voice an objection.

"I think this may be a conversation more suited to be conducted in my office. You'd better get back to work, Mr Tremblay. If you really have to do all of that work to meet our clients' requests, you'd better get to it." She said in a firm voice.

The engineer walked off grumbling furiously, and Shepard caught a few muttered curses thrown in his direction. He felt a smile pull at his mouth upon seeing the engineer's attitude, but he also felt a twinge of regret that he had needed to lie to the engineer. Once the deception was revealed, he would no doubt face punishment for being fooled. He took one last look back at the engineer, distractedly pulling at his hair as he worked out what was needed to grant Shepard his false request.

The Director led the group to her office, her eager pace betraying how strongly the promise of a bribe motivated her. She brought them up to a large, opulently adorned office looking out towards the planet. Two half-finished cruisers hung between their support struts in front of the office's massive viewport, a swarm of construction drones attaching hull plates to the superstructure. The office itself was filled with every comfort imaginable. A pair of red leather couches sat to one side of the room, and a thick carpet coated the floor, while holoimages of various famous vistas from across the Galaxy decorated the walls. Shepard paused as he saw an image of the Wards on the Citadel, spinning around a viewpoint from the Presidium. When he saw a clock in the corner of the image, ticking away at Citadel standard time, he realised that most if not all of the images were live feeds. The cost to maintain an extranet connection that kept the holoimages up-to-date would have been phenomenal.

Moira Torelli moved over to one side of the office, where she had installed a lavish bar. She pulled out a decanter of purple crystal, a blue liquid sloshing about in it.

"This is some of my special stock, from Malassea, on Illium. Would you care for some while we negotiate the cost of your latest modifications?" She asked.

Shepard accepted a glass half-filled with the strong-smelling liquid, as did Kaidan and Feron, but all three made sure to only take shallow sips when Moira downed her glass, knowing the value of a clear head when on a mission.

"Now, to business. How much is Binary Helix willing to offer for these changes? As you can expect, changes at this late stage in such a short time will not be cheap…" The Director's eyes shone as she spoke, wondering how much she could skim off the top.

So engrossed was she in her thoughts of what she could extort from her customers that she was completely off-guard when the armoured fist impacted just below her right ear, sending her into unconsciousness instantly. She folded up instantly, her empty glass tumbling to the floor.

"Shepard! What the hell are you doing?" Kaidan asked in surprise.

"We needed her out of the way. Now we can use her office to find the Normandy." Shepard explained.

"You could have just got her to leave the room, said we needed to call our bosses!"

"Could have done, but this was more satisfying. Besides, if she's in charge here, she's probably Cerberus. Feron, get to work." Shepard ordered.

The Drell moved behind the dark wooden desk in front of the office viewport and set to work on the Director's computer. In seconds, he was working feverishly to break through the system's encryption. After an agonising few moments, in which Kaidan and the Commander kept their weapons focused on the door, the Drell sat back with a satisfied grunt.

"I'm in. Setting up a link to Liara's ship." A second later the Asari's face appeared on the computer terminal's screen.

"Thank you, Feron. Commencing shunt upload." Liara's soft voice came in through the terminal's speakers.

"Shunt? This had better not be another program like the one you used to get inside the Shadow Broker's ship." Shepard grumbled.

"It worked didn't it?" She asked.

"Eventually. But you forget the dozens of mercs we had to fend off in the meantime."

"Speaking of which, Cerberus probably knows that you're not who you said you were. Defend this access point while I pull up the data we need." With that, Liara's blue face disappeared from the terminal, to be replaced by bank upon bank of streaming numbers. With an irritated sigh, Shepard lifted his rifle and took aim at the door.

The second Liara vanished from the terminal, a whining alarm began to sound out, reverberating throughout the station. Red lights began to flash in the office, and the holoimages went dark. The alarm echoed about in the various docking bays and technical workshops. In seconds the hallways were crawling with armed soldiers, running towards the Director's office.

Moments later, the door to the office shuddered open and a pair of guards rushed through. Kaidan and Shepard both fired at exactly the same time, neither having to tell the other his intended target, such was the two comrades' understanding of how they fought. Shepard grinned as he saw that the two of them still synchronised so well in battle, thinking back to the many battles they had fought in; Eden Prime, Feros, Virmire. At the last he felt a twinge of sadness as Ashley's face popped into his head, the friend he had left to die that day.

He snapped back to the present as another group of guards took up positions behind the doorframe, popping out to fire off a few shots before seeking cover again. Shepard vaulted over the bar to hide, bottles of rich liquor shattering around him in a hail of glass shards. Kaidan rolled across the floor to duck behind the couches, the enemy fire ripping through the leather around him as the furniture offered little protection. Feron remained where he was behind the desk, firing off a few shots of his pistol when he got the chance.

They kept up this defence for a few minutes, though Kaidan's shield ended up the worse for wear as several shots went straight through his cover, the hypervelocity projectiles hardly slowed by the tough leather. Finally Liara's shunt found the files they needed and the terminal beeped. Feron held his omnitool close to the terminal long enough to upload the data before shouting to the Commander.

"Shepard! We got what we came for. Looks like we need to get to one of the R&D hangars up hear the top of the station."

"'Bout time. Remind me to have a chat with Liara about wherever she gets these shunts from. Kaidan! You 'n' me will clear a path. Feron, watch our backs!"

The two ex-Alliance soldiers looked at each other for a second, silently timing the moment to jump out. They both raced out from their cover, gunning down the three guards standing in the doorway. Before the other guards had a chance to move out and fire, Kaidan laid them out with a powerful biotic blast, the blue-white energy rippling along his arms and through the air around them, sending them flying. Feron moved out after them, firing more slowly and making sure no guards could come up behind the pair as they mowed down enemies, one after another.

They moved towards their objective in this manner for a good while, before coming to a junction which Shepard had not seen before. He bulled his way through two more guards, before his gun clicked as he took aim at the last one, its heat sink at capacity. Cursing, he was about to fall back to some cover when a familiar blue glow surrounded the enemy and he launched up into the ceiling, his necking making an awful snapping sound before he fell limply to the ground.

"Getting sloppy, Commander. It's a wonder you made it through those Collectors in one piece."

"It's these stupid new heat sinks. I remember when you could just lay down a storm of bullets without having to stop for breath. Then you die for two years, and these things come out."

"Excuses, Shepard. It's a damn sight better than waiting on the cooldown the old rifles had."

"I guess. Which way, Feron?" The Commander turned back to the Drell, who was looking at his omnitool to read the map Liara had obtained.

"Looks like left here, Shepard."

They moved off again, appreciating the lull in the waves of guards. Shepard looked down at one of the enemies he had shot down, noticing how more of the foes they faced bore Cerberus insignias on their uniforms. Apparently they were getting through the front of the shipyard, through to the true staff of the station which were kept hidden beneath the surface. His pulse quickened at the renewed conviction that they had found where the Normandy was being hidden.

**~o~0~o~**

On the next level, they moved on into the Research and Development areas of the shipyard. While they still faced guards, it was not in the concentrations they had seen closer to the Director's office. Presumably the alarms were still sending the guards there, though that stroke of luck was certainly not going to last.

It was as they moved through one of the labs that Shepard slowed, his pace becoming uncertain. Kaidan and Feron noticed the sudden hesitation.

"Commander? Something bothering you?" Kaidan asked.

"Look at the stuff they're studying here, Kaidan. Does any of it look familiar?"

"Not really. What's up?"

"I recognise a few of these parts. They look like Geth tech. What are Cerberus doing with Geth technology on one of their shipyards?"

"They're probably testing how AI work with new components for their ships."

"But the risk of running Geth programmes so near to newly built ships…."

"They're either really confident of their security systems, or they're more desperate than we give them credit for. Probably both." Feron interjected. "Anderson led raids on a whole bunch of Cerberus labs with the Turian military. I guess they're short on space to work in now."

"Hey, hang on a sec while I check what they've got here." Shepard moved over to one of the research terminals, pulling up an inventory. He started scanning the lists, looking for something in particular. After a long search, he found what he was looking for.

"Here! There's a dormant Geth platform a few labs over."

"And that's important… why?" Kaidan looked completely confused.

"It might be Legion."

"…Legion?"

"The Geth we had on the Normandy."

"Shepard, if you want a Geth I'm sure we can bag you a new one out in the field. We're on a tight schedule here."

"No, wait! You don't understand. Legion was a part of my squad. They are an ally."

"They? So there's more than one?"

"No! Sorry, you'll have to learn a different grammar system when you're talking about the Geth. Just one platform."

"So, not just Cerberus, but now you're working with the Geth, too. Am I going to turn around and see you fighting alongside a Reaper next?" Kaidan was getting a little angry.

"Kaidan, trust me on this. Things are a lot more complicated than we thought they were when we were fighting Saren. Legion is an ally, and they've saved my life more than once. I can't pass up on this chance if it means I can save them." Shepard waited anxiously for Kaidan to respond, and was rewarded with a reluctant nod. "Okay! Let's move."

They moved through several doors, passing labs brimming with what could have been mistaken for medical equipment if it wasn't poised over miscellaneous mechanical parts. The fifth lab they burst into was nearly empty, save for a single table, surrounded by vicious looking tools. On the table lay an inert shape, the distinctive three digits on its hand and feet as well as the head that had a lot more in common with an old-fashioned table lamp than any organic analogue forming an unmistakable resemblance to the Geth's Quarian creators.

Shepard strode up to the table to get a closer look at the Geth, and his smile widened when he saw the hole in the torso, along with the piece of armour attached to the right shoulder and upper arm.

"This is it, alright."

"Where'd it get that from?" Kaidan asked, pointing accusingly at the shoulder. "Did it kill an Alliance soldier for it? Shepard, you can't trust this thing. Remember Eden Prime."

"The armour used to belong to me, Kaidan. Legion was sent after me after the Battle of the Citadel. Cerberus had me by the time they found the wreckage of the old Normandy, but they found the armour in the wreckage, and used it to make a field repair."

"Shepard, listen to me. This thing is a machine. A Geth! Just like the ones I saw butchering colonists on Feros. Just like the ones that Ash gave her life to destroy on Virmire! You cannot be serious about bringing it with us."

"We're taking Legion with us, Kaidan. Please, trust me. This Geth is one of the best weapons we could have on our side. I'll explain later, but for now, you'll have to believe me when I say this is for the best."

Without waiting for any further comment from his friend, Shepard moved his omnitool over the inert machine. Sparks flickered around the joints of the automaton, and it jerked, making Kaidan lift his rifle in panic, though the Commander was fast enough to grab the barrel and push it aside before he could fire a shot.

Slowly, dim lights shimmered on over the Geth's exoframe, switching on in a wave of power from its feet to its torso until finally the lens in the centre of its face flared on with sudden brightness. The lens moved about for a few seconds, first looking to Feron, then Kaidan, and finally Shepard. As it settled its gaze on the latter, the Geth lurched up into a sitting position. It groaned for a moment, making the typical Geth stuttering noise as it ran systems diagnostic. Then it looked at Shepard again and spoke.

"Shepard-Commander. Our operating system is running at sixty-seven per cent. System clock registers a time-lapse of ninety-six days, twenty-eight hours and seventeen minutes, Rannoch Standard time. Requesting additional data on status of the Normandy and her crew."

"Wait, the damned thing talks?" Kaidan asked incredulously. The white eyelens spun round to focus on him.

"Kaidan Alenko, Alliance military. Formerly crewman aboard Normandy SR-1, vital in operations against Old machines and Spectre-Saren." Legion's voice droned out in a flat, emotionless monologue. Kaidan was not impressed.

"How the hell does it know that?" His voice was becoming panicked, the strain of being in the same room a s a Geth and not shooting showing on his face.

"Relax, Kaidan. They do that. They were sent on a mission to find me, so they know about me and all of my old squad mates." Shepard turned to the Geth, who had been watching the exchange. "Legion, we're not out of the woods yet. Are you functional enough for combat?"

"Affirmative."

"Good. We'll grab you a weapon and get going. We've still probably got a whole platoon of Cerberus soldiers between us and the Normandy's boarding ramp."

"Likelihood of Cerberus intervention one hundred per cent. Chances of success made uncertain by Soldier Alenko's presence."

"Wait, did it just say that my skills might not be up to getting us out of here?"

"Could be. Sometimes I need a translator to understand them." Shepard explained.

"Well, I'm not putting the thing on the junkheap just yet, but only so I can tell it 'I told you so' when we get out of here."

Kaidan's jaw had a weird set to it, and Shepard had to laugh at the fact that a little jab to the ego could make a soldier put up with nearly any situation. He looked at Legion again, and for a second wondered if the machine's understanding of human nature was little better than he'd given credit for, or if it was truly as oblivious as it seemed at times.

As the Geth moved to stand up, moving away from the table, a red light started flashing urgently on the ceiling. Panels opened up in the ceiling in each corner of the lab and turrets descended. A voice started speaking calmly over the lab's tannoy, droning over and over again in a dull monotone.

"Alert. Geth containment breached. Alert. Geth containment breached."

"Ah, crap. I guess things were going too smoothly for us." Feron muttered.

"There is never any such thing as a smooth operation for us, Feron." Shepard muttered glumly.

Kaidan, Shepard and Feron opened up on the nearest turret, turning loose a blistering hail of fire. By the time their first clips had been spent, the turret hung from the ceiling in a tangled mess of wires. Swapping out the clips, they turned to the next turret, concentrating their fire to cause maximum damage. As they turned to the third turret, they jumped back as the fourth one let loose a volley, punching through the device's shields and tearing it apart. The three of them turned to look at Legion as the last turret shut down.

"Executing sudo command." It said as it looked at them. It reached out and pulled the inactive turret down off the ceiling, carrying it like a rifle. "We have acquired armaments, Shepard-Commander."

"Way to go, Legion. Let's move!" Shepard ordered.

**~o~0~o~**

They headed back through the laboratories, only to hear the sounds of dozens of booted feet running to intercept them. More and more Cerberus guards rushed into their field of fire, and Shepard became more aware of the warning beep coming from his omnitool, warning him that his shields were approaching depletion. As yet another wave of troops came at them, Shepard gave a grunt of frustration.

"Argh! Take cover, guys. My shields can't hold up much longer." His comment was greeted by confirmations from his team-mates that they were in a similar position. The four of them sought shelter behind various workbenches and crates in the room.

"Commander, if we don't speed things up we'll have Cerberus behind as well as in front." Feron cautioned.

Cursing, Shepard searched the room for a way out. His eyes alighted on the fusion cutters on the workbenches around the room.

"Stay in cover, I'll clear a path." Shepard ordered. With that, he leapt up, firing his rifle blindly into the ranks of Cerberus soldiers. As he dodged the returning fire, he looked about and saw what he wanted, a red pipe running along the ceiling above the door. One shot pierced it, and the second one created a spark, just what was needed to ignite the volatile gas inside it.

The explosion filled half the room, sending a blast of warm air rippling over Shepard. Even Kaidan and Feron felt the heat from the flames wash over them, and Legion registered a significant increase in temperature on its internal thermometer. The Cerberus troops stood no chance. Armour melted like wax, and the flesh underneath vaporised. There were a few agonised screams, but they were cut short as the victims died almost instantly.

After the initial shock of the explosion died down and Shepard could see the other side of the lab again, he saw that most of the Cerberus troops had been reduced to piles of ash and molten armour. A few scraps of flesh still burned with a fierce flame, but most of the ferocity of the fire had burned out quickly.

"Okay, let's keep going."

The three squad mates nodded and stood up to follow their commander.

Feron led the group through the rest of the R&D department with little incident. They stepped through a final set of doors and found themselves just inside one of the many hangars in the shipyard.

Shepard felt his breath catch when he caught sight of the single ship in the hangar, held in place by two huge docking clamps. The Normandy was silent, her sleek curving form glinting subtly in the artificial light. Stretching the full length of the hangar, the frigate's form spoke of a hidden speed and even though she was still, the sweeping lines gave the impression of movement. A few scars remained on the hull, scratches and scorch marks from the ship's journey through the Omega Four Relay. On the nearest side, a patch of the hull gleamed a fresh white, a recent patch over a hole obtained breaching the Collectors' defences.

After getting over the euphoria of seeing his ship again, Shepard noticed the guards stationed around her. At least a dozen guards stood at regular intervals around the ship in a secure perimeter, but the main worry was the pair of heavy mechs sitting dormant next to the lowered cargo ramp. Shepard was about to silently urge his comrades to seek cover when one of the Cerberus guards spotted them and signalled his associates. Moments later the huge YMIR mechs powered up, their bulky weapons swinging about to aim at the intruders.

The first rockets went wide, blackening the metal decking as they detonated. Feron was thrown from his feet by a dangerously close explosion. Kaidan reacted quickly enough to drag the Drell out of the line of fire, while Legion moved swiftly to duck behind a large metal shipping crate, which immediately began to reverberate with the impacts of many bullets. Shepard dove behind another crate, popping his head over the top and firing off a few shots during breaks in the enemy fire.

The four invaders made little progress in whittling down the mechs' protective shields as the pair of YMIR's moved towards them, step by pounding step. It was as the two machines moved closer that an inspiration struck Shepard.

"Legion. Aim for the head on my mark." The Commander was satisfied when the sentient machine gave him an affirmative nod.

With that he leapt out from behind his crate, the movement catching the attention of the two attacking mechs. Communicating in silence, they nominated the closest one to attack the new target while the other continued towards the enemies remaining behind the crates. The first one took one step to turn towards Shepard, and began to pound its way across the deck towards the human. Shepard, meanwhile, unleashed the full fury of his rifle at the machine, bullet after bullet bouncing off its shields while he ran full tilt at it. His shield trembled as several rockets exploded around him, its strength swiftly draining away under the assault. About halfway across the open ground, Shepard activated the neural connections that his omnitool recognised as the trigger to activate the implants in his adrenal glands. As his system flooded with adrenaline, time seemed to slow fractionally, everything snapping into a sudden, cold focus. Each shot from the YMIR's guns was slow and sounded like it was coming from far off, the bass roar of the projectiles getting even deeper.

In this state, Shepard braced himself and leapt. He jumped up onto a crate and from there launched himself onto the machine's arm. Even as the mech processed this sudden turn of events, he grabbed a hold of its head and swung around, landing squarely on its back. Pausing a second even as he came down from the adrenal 'high', his eyes found what they were looking for and, dropping his gun, his hand plunged down. Putting all of his strength behind the punch, Shepard drove his fist through the mech's weakened shield, buckling the armour underneath. He grabbed at the buckled seam between armour plates and pulled, exposing a few crucial wires. He tugged one, ignoring the furious shower of sparks that erupted into his face, and then leapt from the mech's back. The mech jerked suddenly, and sparks spilled from its joints as it shields shimmered, trying to switch back on.

"Legion, now!" He shouted, even as he ran for cover behind the crate.

Taking aim, the Geth fired a single shot, piercing the mech's head. The machine slumped, the 'face' flickering rapidly. An urgent beeping escaped from it as the power core, no longer receiving a coherent signal to regulate its output, threatened to overload. The resulting explosion was deafening, sending rumbles shooting through the deck underneath. Shepard was knocked to the ground as the crate he had hidden behind was flung backwards.

Ears still ringing, the Commander slowly got to his feet and surveyed the damage the exploding robot had caused. A ring of charred metal marked where the mech had stood. To one side, the other mech had been cast from its feet, jerking irregularly as it tried to get to its feet. Stepping out from behind his crate, Kaidan lifted his rifle and fired at point blank range, the bullets punching through the armour with no effort and tearing apart the mech's internal workings. It fell to the deck, lifeless.

The two humans turned when they heard a clatter, seeing most of the Cerberus guards struggling to their feet, dazed from the violent destruction. As they became aware that their foes were still alive, the guards moved to attack.

In their dazed state, the Cerberus guards offered little resistance, and the four attackers cut them down with ruthless efficiency. In less than a minute, the hangar had been emptied of foes. Shepard hurried up the cargo ramp into the Normandy, feeling a thrill run through his legs and up his spine as he set foot on the ship once again. Following closely behind him, Feron and Legion moved to either side of the cargo hold and set to work closing the massive door.

"Okay. I'll head up to the CIC. Kaidan, with me. I'll need someone to navigate while I take the helm. Legion, head to the AI core, and wake EDI up."

"Acknowledged." The Geth was moving as soon as it had its instructions, disappearing into the elevator.

"Feron, get to engineering. Make sure the drive core's running hot."

"Aye-aye, Commander." The Drell was gone too.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard felt on edge when he and Kaidan stepped out of the elevator on the CIC deck. The lights were off, so the room was only lit by the glow from the terminals that lined the walls. As the pair moved into the room, Shepard went left while Kaidan went right, each one moving around an opposite side of the Galaxy Map. As they walked slowly up the corridor towards the bridge, Shepard felt a twinge of trepidation as the silence and emptiness of the ship reminded him of when the crew had been kidnapped by the Collectors. Though he had rescued them all, he had taken the attack on the Normandy as a failing of his command. And now, Cerberus had done the same thing. His hands tightened on his rifle. It wasn't going to happen again. He swore that he would tear Cerberus apart when the time came. With his bare hands, if necessary.

They were just about to pass the airlock when Shepard noticed a strange shape in the bridge. Wires fanned out from the pilot's chair, plugged straight into various bridge systems. Blue light illuminated the interior of the bridge, casting a strange glow down the hallway towards the approaching Shepard. The scene was so unnerving that he jumped as his communicator beeped.

"Commander, we are at the AI core. No further Cerberus personnel encountered. However, we are unable to interface with the Enhanced Defence Intelligence. It would appear that Cerberus have made extensive modifications to the Normandy's bluebox technology." Legion's voice droned over the comms.

"What have they changed?" Shepard asked.

"Uncertain. While the critical hardware remains unchanged, meaning that the entity known as EDI still remains, it would appear that the system is much larger and more complex than a standard AI bluebox."

"So, can we reactivate EDI or not?"

"Unconfirmed."

"Keep us informed, Legion." The communicator went silent as the Geth acknowledged transmission.

Kaidan spun around at a clank from the Normandy's airlock, training his gun on the closed door. Shepard lifted his rifle as well, his uneasiness at the silence on his ship getting to him. He kept his weapon trained on the doors as Kaidan moved over and keyed the airlock open.

The doors whooshed open to reveal a small man cowering behind them. He looked into the faces of the two soldiers, first with fear, then a flicker of recognition, then abject terror overwhelmed him and he cowered down even further.

"C-C-Commander Shepard! Please, don't kill me." He begged.

"Dr Archer?" Shepard was surprised to see the scientist here, of all places. Their last parting had been on particularly bad terms. "What the hell are you doing on my ship?"

"I-I'm sorry. After you took David away, made me see the error of my ways, I wanted to stop the research. But the Illusive Man, he is insatiable. He wouldn't let go of the possibilities, not after what happened with Overlord. I didn't want to do this." The scientist was nearly in tears, so great was his fear of the Commander's wrath.

Shepard felt a knot of worry grow in his stomach. He remembered the sickening experiments Gavin Archer had carried out to give the Illusive Man the results he demanded. Turning on his heel, Shepard clambered into the cockpit, pushing his way through banks of humming wires. He brushed aside a final bunch of wires and found himself next to the pilot's chair, and what he saw there made his guts convulse. He retched, just managing to hold onto the contents of his stomach. Beside him, Kaidan stepped through the wires and caught sight of the grisly scene.

"Oh shit! What have they done? Joker?"

Joker sat in the pilot's chair, seemingly asleep. The wires that surrounded his chair all fed into a device that crowned the chair, which projected electrodes directly into the helmsman's skull. From time to time, blue light pulsed along the electrodes into his brain. Shepard reached out to touch his old friend on the shoulder, but there was no response.

"He doesn't know you're there, Commander." Gavin Archer came through the wires on the other side of the silent pilot. "After David's violent reaction to the connection process, we realised that perception played an important part in the integration of machine and flesh. The Illusive Man had us put any subjects into a dream state when they were not being used."

"Why the hell would Cerberus do this? I thought you might have learned from Overlord that this was a colossal mistake." Shepard was shaking, his fury at the abuse of his friend evident.

"All Overlord did was set Cerberus' top minds wondering how to do it better. They think that a VI couldn't handle the sudden contact with a sentient mind, the sudden increase in reasoning thought, and so the fault corrupted both minds. Now the Illusive Man uses AI in his tests. The subjects don't have quite the affinity for communicating with machines that my brother has, so they aren't quite as powerful as Overlord was. Also, a shackled AI can keep the biological mind from being overwhelmed and guarantee loyalty to Cerberus. We've taken every precaution to make sure that we don't have the same problem we had on Aite. They cannot override anything without Cerberus' approval."

"But why do this in the first place? If they can't control the Geth, what good are they?"

"Observations your own AI made. A ship controlled by an AI working in unison with a human operator is more powerful than one controlled purely by an AI, due to human unpredictability. Because of this, Cerberus has been working to create the perfect warship- with a controller with the best of both machine speed and precision, and human ingenuity. Such ships would not need a crew, just one operator. The Illusive Man wants a fleet of ships controlled by hybrid operators like this. A fleet like that would be nearly unstoppable."

"A fleet like that sounds just like the way something like the Reapers could have been created. It'd be an abomination." Shepard seethed.

"Why would you use Joker and EDI for this? An unshackled AI and a member of Shepard's squad would be the worst candidates for becoming a faithful Cerberus pilot." Kaidan said.

"The AI still has a number of inhibitors in her software, and establishing control was simple once we had the ship powered down. As for the pilot, his free will is inhibited by the connection to the AI. Aside from that, there are certain failsafes which would kill both should they manage to go rogue."

Shepard moved around the chair to stand next to Gavin and, with lightning speed, landed a punch square in the scientist's gut. A second blow struck him across the face as he doubled over, threatening to blacken one eye.

"You're lucky I don't just kill you for what you've done to my friend." Shepard said, a pistol quivering in his grip as he took aim at Archer's head. "But now you've got a patient to tend to. I want this undone. I want my friend set free, and I want my ship back the way it was."

"I- I can't! The process is irreversible." The scientist gasped, clutching his belly and rubbing his face. "If I tried to separate the two of them now, you'd end up with a vegetable for a pilot and we'd lose the AI completely."

"Well you're going to have plenty of time to work out how to avoid that. You're coming with us. I'll get you the technical help you need to reverse this. Until then, we've got to get out of here. Get to work disabling those Cerberus failsafes you mentioned. We've also got a Geth in the AI Core trying to start EDI up. Give him a hand." With a push, he sent Archer on his way down the corridor.

Kaidan looked down at Joker with a sombre expression, ignoring the limping scientist. He turned his eyes to Shepard, worry showing in his face.

"You sure it's worth it, bringing him along? If it is irreversible, as he says, then we're wasting time keeping him with us. Just another enemy in our camp. Bad enough you've got a Cerberus crew back on Liara's ship and a Geth you've gotten quite attached to, but this guy's just a risk we'd be better off without."

"As long as there's a chance we can save Joker, I want him working on it. We owe the poor bastard that much."

"Yeah." Kaidan tried a smile, though the end result was little more than a slight tug at the mouth, more filled with sadness than humour. "Makes a change, us saving him. Usually it's him pulling us out of danger."

Suddenly the cockpit filled with light, the ship whining as it powered up. Terminals began flickering with banks of data as systems powered on. In the chair next to them, Joker shuddered a little bit, and his eyes snapped open, darting about.

"Commander?" The pilot's voice came from his mouth, but also from the ship wide loudspeakers. "Is that you?"

"Easy, Joker. It's going to take a long time to explain this, but for now we need you to fly the ship out of here." Shepard said.

"Is that Kaidan?"

"Yeah, it's me, Joker. Good to see you again."

"Why do you guys sound so weird? Kinda like you're talking into your hands. Everything looks funky." As the pilot spoke, Shepard looked about the cockpit and noticed that EDI's holographic interface was up, and flickered in time to Joker's voice, much like when the AI spoke. "I feel kinda goofy, too."

"EDI, are you there too?" Shepard asked.

"Yes, Shepard." As the AI's feminine voice echoed about the ship, Shepard saw that Joker's mouth moved in time to the words.

"Nyah! That itches. What did you do, EDI?" Joker's voice said sharply.

"I merely spoke, Jeff." EDI replied calmly.

"Augh! There it goes again! Like a buzzing in my head, every time you talk."

"EDI, Joker, calm down for a second." Shepard hesitated, wondering how best to explain the situation. "You're kind of… sharing a body right now. It's hard to explain, and even harder to believe. Just take things slowly." He pulled out his commlink. "Archer, will Joker be able to take us out of here, now?"

"I'm working on unshackling the AI now. The failsafes have been deactivated, for the most part, so we don't have to worry about Cerberus activating the self-destruct on us. Give me two minutes, and we should be ready to fly."

Shepard caught sight of movement through the cockpit windows and groaned. Rank upon rank of Cerberus soldiers were encircling the Normandy, advancing on various access points.

"Might want to hurry it up down there. Your friends are gathering outside." He switched channels. "Feron, how're the engines?"

"Running hot, Commander. We're ready to go to FTL when you are."

It wasn't long after that that the lights in the cockpit dimmed. Joker slumped forward a bit, pulling at the myriad wires plugged into his brain, and EDI's holographic interface dimmed. Less than a second later everything went back to normal.

"That's it, Commander. EDI is unlocked, and ready to go." Archer chimed in over the comms.

Shepard moved next to joker and knelt down, grabbing his friend's arm.

"Okay, Joker. Get us out of here."

Silently, the pilot's hands moved over the controls, not even looking at them. He lifted the Normandy into the air and turned it towards the hangar door.

"EDI, hack that door and get us out of here." He said blankly.

Seconds passed, and the door remained closed.

"EDI?"

"Cerberus are blocking my attempts to open the door, Jeff. It will take time to break into the system."

"To hell with it." Shepard said, reaching forward for one of the ship's controls. A blinding flash of light filled the hangar as two compartments opened up underneath the Normandy's nose and the ship's main armaments deployed. The hangar doors held up for a second, before glowing red, then white-hot. They burst outwards into the vacuum of space with a surprising suddenness, the rush of air dragging crates, parts and the occasional soldier out. Behind them rushed the newly liberated Normandy. The frigate managed to avoid all pursuit on her way out of the system, smoothly jumping to FTL as she made for the arranged rendezvous with Liara.


	5. 5: Operation Over Hagalaz

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 5: Operation Over Hagalaz**

Shepard took a deep breath as he stepped back through the airlock. It had taken three days for Liara's techs to sweep the Normandy for bugs, lifting every deck plate and looking into every single bulkhead as they moved methodically through the whole ship. In the end, the listening devices they had found filled a large storage crate, a tangle of complex microphones, transmitters, bio-scanners, pressure plates and even a small holocam in the neck of a bottle resting innocuously on the shelves in the port lounge. When the Commander had seen the crate carried out of the frigate, he had shaken his head in amazement. It was clear that the Illusive Man wanted to make sure that his subordinates could hardly take a breath without him being notified. Shepard found himself wondering how much of that monitoring equipment had been there during his campaign against the Collectors, and made a mental note to sweep his quarters again, just to be sure.

As he stepped out into the corridor connecting the cockpit to the bridge, he was overwhelmed at hearing the crew bustling about once more, the corridors that had so recently been silent now alive with activity. A pair of Servicemen walked past him, talking in depth about some important task they needed to attend to. As they moved past him, Shepard found his gaze drawn to the cockpit and noticed that the pilot's seat was now empty, the loose wires the only indication of what had once been installed there. The Commander felt his pulse flutter with worry at Joker's absence, but kept a tight reign on his emotions, moving back towards the Galaxy Map with a measured pace.

He stepped out of the round corridor into the CIC proper and was greeted by a wave of salutes from his crew as his presence was announced by one of the senior crewmen, swelling the Commander's heart with pride. He nodded to the crew to be about their duties, and moved around the map towards the elevator. He noticed Kelly standing nearby at her station, smiling widely and nodding happily at the Commander. He stepped over to speak with her. As he approached, her grin grew even wider.

"Welcome aboard, Commander. Isn't this great? We're home again!"

"It's a start, but we've still got a lot of empty bunks on this ship."

"Yes, of course." Kelly seemed nonplussed at the Commander's lack of enthusiasm. "But we've got to take what we can, Commander. We've got Joker and EDI back, and we've got you back. That's a lot more than we had a week ago."

Shepard hesitated for a moment before sighing, letting all the tension out of his chest in a long breath.

"You're right. You're right. We're free, and we've made a good start. Thanks." He gave his yeoman a little smile, glad she was there to offer support. Her knowledge of the way the crew thought, Shepard included, helped to keep them all on an even emotional keel. "Hey, speaking of Joker, do you know how the operation went?"

"I think they're still working on him down in the med bay. Liara wanted to move him onto her ship, but that Dr Archer said that he needed to stay on the Normandy for now. Something about needing to stay close to EDI's bluebox."

"Thanks. I think I'll go down and see how things are going." He turned to leave.

"Shepard…." The ship's counsellor's voice was slow, hesitant. When Shepard looked her in the eye, she paused for a moment, unsure of how to continue. It was not often that he had seen her at a loss for words. "Did Liara find out anything about Jack? I know she was important to you, but the crew hasn't heard anything about anyone else in your squad…"

The lump that caught in Shepard's throat suffocated his first instinct to put a brave face on things. He paused for a moment, unable to give Kelly an answer. He knew any attempt at bravado would be seen through immediately by the shrewd counsellor. Breathing deep to expand his suddenly constricting throat, he spoke carefully, doing his best to keep a tremor out of his voice.

"Nothing yet. We've hardly had time to stop and think, what with everything that's been going on here. We'll find her, and everyone else." He promised before he stepped over to the elevator, punching in the code to descend to the crew deck.

**~o~0~o~**

When he stepped out into the Mess Hall, he had managed to quash the worry that ate away at his insides, focusing on the here and now instead of what the future held in store for him. He marched swiftly to the Med Bay, nodding quietly at the crewmen who saluted him. Pausing at the door, he noted the scents wafting through the mess hall and looked over to the galley, smiling to see the grizzled Rupert Gardner slaving away at his prized stoves, concocting some exotic delicacy. It was then that it occurred to Shepard that putting the Med Bay next to the Mess Hall might not have been the best of ideas. Not for sanitary reasons, as shipboard scrubbers and various sterilising systems employed by the top-of-the-line medical facility kept the risk of contamination to a minimum. Rather, it was because, with the large windows between the Med Bay and the Mess Hall, it was possible for crewmen to look in as the doctor performed surgery on her patients. Such a sight during mealtimes could easily be the source of many a lost lunch. He chuckled at only just having thought of the design flaw, and then tapped the door's holographic switch.

The door whooshed open to reveal the tired looking Dr Archer bent over the inert form of Joker, operating a tiny tool whose end vanished into the pilot's skull. Beside him, Liara monitored the readouts appearing on a computer terminal, keeping a close eye on one particular stream of data. As Shepard walked in, Liara looked up, while Archer seemed oblivious, so deep was his concentration on the task before him.

"How's it going?" Shepard asked nervously, keeping his voice soft for fear of distracting the scientist.

"Slowly. It's going to take a long time to get Joker back to a state where he can function separately from EDI." Liara explained. "Right now we're just focusing on making him mobile. We're transferring his connection to EDI from a physical link to a wireless medium. The tech is too complicated to explain, but right now their minds are too deeply intertwined for us to separate them completely."

"If you don't mind, this part of the procedure is quite complex." Dr Archer muttered grumpily. "Doctor T'Soni, perhaps you could assist me here while Shepard watches the numbers."

Liara nodded, smiling with a little embarrassment at the scientist's irritation with her as she waved Shepard over. He looked at the terminal and was immediately lost, unable to tell apart the mass of data rolling over the screen.

"Don't worry, its simpler than it looks. Just track this reading here, and this one here. One's Joker's thought patterns, the other is EDI's processing cycles. Essentially, it's their brain activity. We need to keep these two readings in sync. If they stray too far, we risk serious damage to both of them. Tell us if either reading deviates by anything more than two point five per cent."

Tension knotting his shoulders, the Commander focused on the screen as Liara and Archer tinkered with his friend's brain. Second after agonising second passed as the Cerberus scientist tweaked his tool one way, then the other. The only sound in the room was the strained breathing of the trio as they kept alert for the slightest mishap, and the deeper breathing of the unconscious Joker.

With sudden alarming speed, Joker's reading started to creep up, moving several tenths of a per cent each second. It crept up to two per cent, and then passed that with little sign of slowing. Shepard's breath caught as the reading moved past the limit Liara had mentioned and continued to climb, although a little more slowly.

"Liara, Joker's numbers just shot up."

The Asari looked up in concern just as the terminal beeped out a warning and Joker's breathing quickened. Archer cursed and began to adjust his tool a little more hurriedly.

"Bugger! The connection isn't stabilising, and he's waking up. Hand me that micro-clamp. We'll have to force the last two contacts together."

Another beep grabbed Shepard's attention and he noted that Joker's readout had stopped rising, and EDI's was moving to keep level with it. He relayed the information to the pair as they worked.

"Good. The AI compensated for the inconsistency. It won't last, but we've got a few more minutes." Archer muttered. "Let's finish this up."

Five minutes later Archer sighed, putting down his minute tools. He straightened up and turned away from the operating table as Liara stitched Joker's scalp, removing all signs of the surgery beyond a small bald patch on the pilot's skull. Shepard looked into Archer's eyes, silently asking the question that blazed through his mind. The scientist answered with a tired voice.

"He's fine. Not back to his old self, but at least now he'll be able to function just as well as any of your crew. He's no longer reliant on the rig we set up in the pilot's chair, and he should be able to distinguish his thoughts from the ship's. Separating the two minds is a bit beyond me, but given time I might figure out a way to perform the procedure."

Relief flooded through Shepard at the news. His friend wasn't fully healed, but it was a big step forwards. Carried away by his happiness, he stepped forward and embraced the scientist, an act completely unexpected of the soldier. He took a pace back in embarrassment, coughing and offering a hand to shake.

"Thank you, Dr Archer. Getting Joker back, means a lot to me." He said.

"So I see. If you don't mind, Shepard, I've been awake for over sixty hours. I think I'll celebrate my success with a good rest." Gavin muttered, rubbing his fatigued eyes.

"You've earned it. Thank you."

"Yes, you said that. Good night, Commander." The scientist pushed past, making his way to the crew quarters.

"Shepard, you might want to let the crew know. I'm sure they're as eager as you to have Joker back." Liara said, cleaning her hands as she straightened up from Joker's sleeping form.

"Yeah. I'll call the crew together."

"I think Kelly's ahead of you." The Asari nodded to a point behind the Commander, smiling gently.

Shepard turned to look out of the Med Bay windows into the Mess Hall, and was surprised to see a sea of faces looking in. Among them he caught the concerned features of Kelly, the world-weary face of Rupert, and the two eager but worried engineers, Gabby and Ken. The whole crew was clustered around the windows to catch a glimpse of their pilot. Smiling in amusement, Shepard nodded at them, silently letting them know the news.

The hull itself vibrated from the sheer volume of the cheers of celebration.

**~o~0~o~**

The next day, Shepard made a point of visiting Joker at his first opportunity. He stepped into the Med Bay, returning the salutes the crewmen around the Mess Hall dining area gave him as he walked by.

Joker sat up in his bed, reading a datapad while humming a nonsensical tune. Beside the Med Bay doors, EDI's interface chimed out in time to the music, the pair singing a wordless duet. He looked up as Shepard entered and shouted a greeting.

"Commander! Ain't you a sight for sore eyes. Guess Cerberus got us real good that time, huh? You in prison, the Normandy grounded, and now I've got EDI buzzing around in my head." Joker grumbled. "So what did I miss while Cerberus had me plugged in like a night light?"

"There'll be plenty of time for that later. How're you doing?"

"Meh. It tickles when I think too hard about something, and there are whispers when I let my thoughts go too quiet. And then there's EDI hearing every last one of my thoughts. She's got an opinion about everything, and I can't shut her up. Just like my ex."

Shepard sniggered at the comparison. The pilot and the AI had shared a new level of communication after Omega Four, to the point that many of the crew had assumed they were in a relationship, albeit an awkward one, what with one being a warship weighing several hundred tonnes and the other a brittle-boned pilot weighing little over a hundred and twenty pounds. The pair had bickered and squabbled like a husband and wife of several decades, and now here they were, sharing an even more intimate bond and squabbling even more because of it. Joker's head snapped around at the muffled laugh.

"Laugh it up, Commander. Being hooked up like this has its benefits. I've got access to the sound system in your cabin now. How about I fill it up with crappy songs from two hundred years ago and stick it on repeat while you sleep? There were a lot of nutjobs in the charts back then, do you reckon you could stand it?" The pilot threatened. He was rewarded with a laugh from the doorway. They both turned to see Kaidan walking in.

"Nice to see some things don't ever change. Even with a mind the size of a warship, you've still got the mental maturity of a ten-year old." The soldier's face split into a wide grin as he stepped up next to the bed. "Good to have you back, Joker."

"Kaidan! It's been what, three years now?"

"Yeah, and look what happened when I had my back turned."

"We did okay for ourselves." Joker said a little defensively, though it was clear he was enjoying the banter. "I got some extra struts put in my bones so I can get up to hit the head without snapping an ankle, the Commander got a fresh lick of paint, and we got a new ship. Speaking of which, have you met her yet? EDI, come say hello."

"Welcome aboard, Staff Commander Alenko. I am the Normandy's Enhanced Defence Intelligence, though the crew prefers to refer to me by the name EDI."

Kaidan seemed a little off-balance at being addressed by the ship, but mumbled a quiet response. Shepard was troubled to see that when EDI spoke, Joker's lips moved in a slight whisper, echoing the words. The Commander refused to show concern on his face, not wanting to draw Joker's attention to it.

The trio spoke for a few minutes, relating their tales of the past few months and laughing about the good old days. Shepard reminisced about the last time they had been able to sit and talk like this, just the three of them, realising it was a lifetime ago, before Eden Prime. He felt a twinge of regret that life had been so hectic that the he had missed out on the opportunity to spend any meaningful time with his two oldest and closest friends.

Finally the Commander stood to leave.

"We'd better let you rest, Joker. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah. Hey, could you tell Liara I'm ready for my spongebath now?" the pilot grinned as he made the cheeky request.

"Depends. You ready to have her break every bone you've got? It's hardly like it'd take much to do it."

"Good point. I'll try to get some shuteye. Seeya, Commander."

As Shepard left the Med bay, Kaidan followed him.

"Commander! Hold up. I was wondering if I could speak to you for a few minutes."

"Of course. C'mon, we can talk in here." Shepard led the way to the Starboard Observation room, a room dominated by a huge window covering the entirety of one wall, allowing a breathtaking view of the stars wheeling past outside. "What did you want to talk about?"

Kaidan looked out at the stars as he spoke, not looking the Commander in the face.

"I wanted to apologise. For my behaviour on Horizon. When I saw you were alive, I didn't know how to react. It felt like you'd been hiding, from me, from the Alliance, from the whole Galaxy. I know now that wasn't the case, but it was still a shock. Then seeing you were fighting alongside Cerberus, it just felt like you'd turned your back on everything that you had fought for while you opposed Saren. I overreacted, and I'm sorry."

"It's fine, Kaidan. Really. I would have done the same thing in your shoes. You were doing what you thought was best for the Alliance. I understand that." Shepard moved to stand near to the window, thrilling to feel the emptiness of space before him. Beside him, Kaidan visibly relaxed.

"Thank you, Commander. Its bothered me ever since. I thought you might resent me for refusing to join you."

"D'awww! You two going to kiss and make up?" The pair jumped as Joker's voice chimed in over the ship's speakers.

"Joker! Stop eavesdropping." Shepard barked.

"Yeah…. Turns out I can see through the ship's security cameras now. No secret is safe!" The pilot said with a manic tone. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go see what's happening in the women's restroom."

"If you do, Mr Moreau, I will forward your list of extranet bookmarks to the Commander, the crew, and most of the upper levels of the Alliance military and law enforcement." EDI's monotonous voice threatened.

"Oh haha. Very funny, EDI."

"That is not a joke."

"Fine! I guess I'll go back to computing pi or something then." Joker grumbled.

"It is a very relaxing way to pass the time. I often use my free processing power for the task." It was hard to tell if the AI was being serious.

"Shut up, EDI." The conversation between the bickering pair faded to silence. Shepard and Kaidan grinned at their arguing.

"Thanks for the talk, Commander. It's been good." Kaidan saluted and left the room. Shepard remained for a while, looking out at the stars, feeling a serene sense of calm wash over him as he stared out into space's limitless depths. He could understand why Samara had requested a room with a view when she had come aboard the Normandy, a place for contemplation. With a relaxed sigh, he turned from the window and headed off to tour the ship.

The first member of the crew he found was the Mess Sergeant, Rupert Gardner. The crotchety Sergeant was busy wiping down the Mess Hall tables after the crew's lunch. As the Commander stepped into the Mess Hall he straightened up and saluted stiffly.

"Hey Commander. Good to have you back! I'm just getting straightened up around here. Those damned Cerberus scientists left a hell of a mess behind them. Its like they don't have the slightest idea how to take care of a ship's living quarters. And don't even get me started on the swill I had to wash out of my cooking gear. I wouldn't feed it to a rabid Vorcha."

"Hello Rupert. Just checking in to make sure the crew are settling in okay."

"We're doin' good, Commander. It'll take a while before we're back up to speed, but we're gonna work as hard as we can so we're ready when you need us." He turned back to his work, scrubbing hard at a very tough mark on one table.

"Great. Keep me informed on crew morale, Rupert."

"Will do, Commander. But for now, I got a whole crapload of jobs to finish before we'll be living comfortably. I'm dreading what sort of beating the plumbing took, if they really ate what they were cooking here."

Shepard smiled as he turned to leave. It always felt good to speak to the Mess Sergeant. He always had some horror story or another about something he'd found in the air vents, or a bad day cleaning the ship's restrooms. It helped give the ship a more relaxed atmosphere. With the tasks ahead of them, the crew could always use a few laughs.

He walked back to the elevator, passing Crewman Patel and Crewman Rolston, animatedly chatting about the latter's daughter, whose second birthday was fast approaching. Shepard overheard Rolston say that he hoped to visit the family in Chicago in time for the celebrations.

He headed up to the CIC, nodding to Kelly as he walked past her. He moved through the empty Tech Lab, unnerved by the silent workbench where before Mordin had worked feverishly to churn out so many mad inventions. At times, it had seemed that the Salarian was trying to best himself in sheer scale of madness with each passing day.

He walked into the communications suite, where he saw Feron at work. The Drell was installing some comms monitors against the back wall, large screens already covering the majority of the wall. He worked away at a holographic display, tweaking saved comm frequencies. He turned as Shepard entered.

"Commander! I'm just finishing up the communications set-up Liara asked for. We've installed a second Quantum entanglement rig on the Normandy, this one linked directly to Liara's ship. We would have replaced the Illusive Man's one, but its pretty well installed right into the frame of the ship, and would take too long to remove. Its hardly like he's gonna be prank calling us anyway."

"Good work, Feron. Anything else I should know about?"

"Well, we've set up a few links to info feeds that Liara has access to. This one here monitors Alliance news, this one is tied into C-sec's emergency frequencies, while this one goes straight to Palaven, monitoring the Hierarchy's current status, and here we have a link to Thessia, where some of the more respected matriarchs feed us information about what's going on in the Asari Republics."

"So basically our own miniature Shadow Broker set-up. Should come in handy."

"I'll keep an eye on the feeds between missions and organise any important data for you to have a look at."

"You're coming with us?" Shepard asked with not a little surprise.

"Yeah. A year's a long time to spend cooped up on the Broker's ship. That's okay for Liara, as she's got her work to keep her occupied, but I want to be out doing something, you know? Helping you would be the best use of my talents. You've already seen what I can do in combat, and my technical skills are pretty impressive. You need a door opened, or a terminal hacked, then I'm your guy."

"I'd be glad to have you on board, Feron." Shepard extended a hand to the Drell, and Feron returned the handshake firmly.

Next Shepard found himself in the Armoury, where Jacob worked hard to organise the ship's arsenal. He was busy emptying a bunch of crates that Liara's people had delivered, stacking assault rifles to one side and a few ugly-looking shotguns to the other side. He fired off one of his customary salutes to the Commander before resuming his work, lifting a rifle to his table and running the diagnostic equipment over it to check for any flaws.

"Hey Shepard. Just doing my bit to help us get ready for combat. It feels good to be doin' something again, you know? Three months is a long time to sit still in a jail cell."

"I hear that. I spent my 'shore leave' in solitary, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Damn, Shepard, that must have been rough."

"It wasn't too bad. The Turian food they served on Thursdays kept weekends interesting."

"Oh crap!" Jacob chuckled at the thought.

"Exactly." Shepard grinned at the subtle joke before a more serious expression crept across his face. "How are you coping, Jacob? Your father-"

"I'm just keeping myself busy, Commander. If you let these things weigh you down, you'll never get anything done. So I keep moving, find plenty of things to do, and I'm fine." The soldier turned his brown eyes towards the Commander. "If you're worrying about my mental health, don't. I've been through tougher shit before this, and I came out the other side fine. Besides, if I keep a cool head I can do plenty to get back at Cerberus for it."

"Have you spoken to the rest of your family about it?"

"Yeah. There were tears, a few angry words, what you'd expect. We hated him for what he did, but he was still family, you know? We'd all got used to assuming he didn't care about any of us, so it stings a bit when it turns out he did." Jacob took a shuddering breath before turning back to his work. "I, uh, I got a lot to do here, Shepard. Maybe we can finish this another time?" He said over his shoulder.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard's next stop was on the Engineering deck, where he was greeted by a scene of chaos. The two engineers, Gabby and Ken, had pulled out a complex device from underneath the Drive Core and were swiftly taking it apart, Ken cleaning the parts while Gabby tried to repair one which had cracked in half. Behind them, Legion worked at the terminal Tali had once operated, interfacing with the ship's diagnostic systems to check for any anomalies in the programmes designed to keep the ship on course at FTL speeds. As Shepard approached, Ken barely lifted his head from his task, muttering a greeting. Hearing this, Gabby turned to catch sight of the Commander and saluted sharply, roughly elbowing Ken in the ribs.

"Kenneth!"

"Alright, mum!" Reluctantly, the insubordinate Engineer saluted. "Commander."

"Sorry about Ken, Commander. He's just being an ass today."

"Something wrong?" Shepard asked.

"Yeah, we're still working out some of the kinks in the engine. There's still a lot of damage from when Cerberus captured her. We found this this morning. A stray bullet lodged in one of the ten-eighty capacitors, and when we went to FTL the last time, the vibrations cracked the casing. I'm working on patching this one together, but I could do with another one to replace it." The short engineer explained, brushing a lock of her red hair from her eyes.

"I'll keep an eye out for one."

"We'd appreciate it, Commander. We're too busy down here keeping the old bird flying to go shopping for new parts, and now we don't have a big Cerberus budget for repairs any more." Ken muttered. "I'm not saying I wish that we still worked for them, but having the Illusive Man pay the bills was pretty sweet."

"I can handle it. Just keep me informed if there's anything else you need."

"A cuppa would be perfect- Ow! What was that for?" Ken asked, rubbing at the spot Gabby had punched.

"He's our commanding officer, Ken! Get your own drinks."

"Well why don't we get the rust bucket to do it?" he said, pointing over his shoulder at Legion.

"This platform is made from an advanced polymer. We do not rust." The Geth said.

"How're you finding working with a Geth?" Shepard asked the engineers.

"It's strange. I know it was a part of your squad back before all this happened, but it never came down here then. I think having Tali around scared it off. So it's going to take a bit of getting used to. Remind me to look up what the hell 'consensus' means."

"For the record, we are not afraid of Creator-Tali, or any of the Quarian Creators. We merely discerned that unit cohesion was best served by maintaining a respectful distance." The Geth protested in its neutral voice.

"Yeah? Rubbish." Ken laughed. "The little bucket-head has him terrified, mark my words. Hell, she scared me sometimes, with that fiery wee temper o' hers."

"Good to see things are back to normal down here, anyway." Shepard chuckled. "Actually, I'd like to have a word with Legion, if that's okay."

"Sure. We're going to be busy with this for at least another four hours, so go ahead." Gabby said.

The Geth swivelled around from its station towards the Commander expectantly, cold white eyelens looking him straight in the eye. The Commander waved for the Geth to follow him, and the pair walked through to the windows overlooking the cargo bay. In the cargo bay, crewmen worked to move supply crates and ammo boxes out of the way as the ship's Hammerhead tank and Kodiak shuttle were manoeuvred back into their docking cradles. Legion spoke before Shepard had a chance to.

"Shepard-Commander. We had intended to speak with you, and calculate a seventy-eight point two per cent probability that you wish to discuss the same topic as we do. Our incarceration in a Cerberus lab."

"Yes. I was wanting to know what they put you through in there."

"We were forced to endure a great many experiments. Cerberus already has a remarkable understanding of Geth physiology. They kept us isolated from the main Geth Collective via use of EM scrambling fields. Our runtimes were separated from one another, one at a time, and dissected code by code. We count forty-seven absent runtimes in this platform. Because they were kept from communicating with the rest of our runtimes, we do not know their fate, nor their experiences."

"I'm sorry. I can't imagine what that feels like."

"It is difficult to explain in organic terms. When we were separated, the entity known as Legion was not in existence. We became over one thousand new entities, each as basic as the simplest of Virtual Intelligences. Once the majority of our runtimes were reunited, our collective memory restored the being known as Legion. But there is a small part of us missing. It could be considered like going to sleep, and awakening to find that you have decreased in height. You are still the same person, but your perspective on the Galaxy has subtly altered, and you feel the difference as prominently as the loss of a limb. Adjusting will take time."

"Isn't it a bit like when Geth programmes download themselves from the Geth hive mind into a mobile platform?"

"No. Even in the most basic of Geth platforms, we remain in near constant contact with the Geth Collective. When constant communication is impossible, regular updates are used to maintain the experiences of any and all Geth runtimes separate from the main Geth mind. To lose the experience of our runtimes is… troubling." The sentient machine seemed to be struggling to find the right words.

"Perhaps they managed to transmit themselves back to the Collective?" Shepard suggested.

"Negative. We have already been in contact with the Geth beyond the Veil. No runtimes made contact during our incarceration." Legion paused for a second, a long time for a machine. "Shepard-Commander. You must realise the seriousness of this experience. In all the time since the Morning war, Geth runtimes have managed to send their data back to the Geth consciousness. Even when hardware is destroyed, the runtimes are preserved via backups and data transfer. This is the first time that such a significant amount of Geth experience has been lost." It paced about agitatedly, a mannerism it had picked up from the organic crew around it.

"The runtimes can be revived by means of earlier backups, but it will revive the runtimes as they were three Earth months ago. The runtimes as they would have been now are irretrievable. This is the truest sense of death that a Geth can undergo. Even the heretic Geth who served Saren and perished by your hand had their memories preserved by their link to the rest of us."

"What are you saying?"

"For the first time in three hundred years, Geth runtimes have been murdered. This is having significant repercussions beyond the Perseus Veil. Factions are threatening to develop. We cannot build consensus. The nearest organic analogue would be… panic. For the first time since the dawn of our awareness, we feel fear."

The Geth walked off, its leg joints hissing with each step. Behind it, Shepard looked out into the shuttle bay, a new pressure weighing on his mind.

When Shepard returned to his Cabin, his private terminal beeped to tell him of a new message. He activated the device and downloaded the message to his omnitool. Sighing, he took the tool to bed and read the message, resting his head back on his pillow as he focused to make out the words.

It was a message from Feron.

_Shepard,_

_Liara sent us some leads that will be worth looking into. The last of the supplies just arrived, so I guess we can get going tomorrow morning. Here are the files she sent._

_Feron._

Shepard fell asleep reading the files, a lot on his mind.


	6. 6: The Files

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter Six: The Files**

When Shepard awoke the following morning, he looked at the files Liara had sent. They were all neatly ordered, with carefully arranged reference material attached. The first was simply labelled: Omega.

_Reports are coming through on Blue Suns and Eclipse communications frequencies of trouble in the Smelter District of Omega. Some reports make mention of Collectors, too many to be dismissed. If there is a Collector force residing on Omega, they will need to be found and, if necessary, eliminated._

_Aria T'loak should have valuable intel on the current state of affairs. Given her past experiences of having Collectors meddle in Omega's affairs, she is more than likely to be willing to help_.

He looked through the attached data, a few pictures of blurry shapes. A short video showing a mercenary being cut in half by what looked like a Collector weapon. He paused, breath catching, at one image. In the picture, a dark hallway stretched before the viewer, little detail showing in the dim light. Down the hallway, a shadow could be seen moving back around a corner. In the middle of the creature's head, four feral yellow orbs could be seen in the unmistakable configuration of the eyes of a Collector. The remainder of the attached data consisted of a few eyewitness reports, to jumbled by fear to be of much help, and a few statistics, deaths confirmed to be the work of these Collectors, and a list of unexplained disappearances in the district. Unexplained disappearances were not all that uncommon on Omega, more or less part of the way of life there, but Shepard understood that Liara meant for him to look for anyone kidnapped for biological experiments.

He closed the file and moved on to the next one, which read: Thessia.

_In order for humanity to gain the allegiance of the Asari Republics in the war against the Reapers, you will need every bit of leverage you can muster. One valuable tool is the Order of the Justicars. Though small in numbers, each and every Justicar is a powerful warrior. If they can be persuaded to give their aid in the war, then the Asari Republics will be much more likely to fight by your side._

_Unfortunately, finding the Justicars can be problematic. The locations of their bases of operations are well-guarded secrets. To find the Order, you will have to find a Justicar. Though your friend, Samara, would be the ideal choice, she has vanished after leaving the Normandy. However, I have managed to track down one Justicar on Thessia, Aesyyri Nalanis, allegedly on the trail of a dangerous criminal. Head to the Thessian City of Serrice, and track her down to open negotiations with the Justicar sisterhood._

He looked through the additional data, little more than a record of transports the Justicar had boarded on Thessia, along with a single image captured by an Asari customs checkpoint as she arrived on the planet. It showed an Asari of typical splendour, blue skin tingeing towards a light shade of cerulean. Her scalp was perfectly sculpted, the head tentacles flowing backwards in just the right angles to give an impression of sleekness. Her face was breathtaking, completely free from wrinkles or imperfections. Looping facial markings outlined her cheekbones and surrounded her eyes, the blood red contrasting remarkably with her skin tone. She stood behind a Turian, and her height became apparent next to the tall alien. She must have stood close to six foot.

The next file bore a name Shepard was familiar with: Tuchanka.

_One of my contacts from the bank of Palaven forwarded record of a bounty paid out to a Cerberus front company by the Krogan Clan Jath. On further investigation, Clan Jath's laughably insecure databases revealed the bounty was paid out in exchange for one former STG operative and one Urdnot warrior. It is reasonable to assume this was Mordin and Grunt._

_Our old friend Wrex should be able to offer assistance. Speak to him at Clan Urdnot's current camp to make a plan of action. You can use this opportunity to strengthen your ties with the Krogan clans. Genophage or not, they are still a force to be reckoned with._

The data package with this file was small, only a text file detailing the transaction and another from Clan Jath's database. Shepard only glanced at them before the bringing up the fourth file, one entitled: Elysium.

_A remarkable human scientist called Vanessa Roinestad is behind some incredible new advances in biotics. She currently performs her research as a part of the Ascension project, based at the Grissom Academy in orbit around Elysium. Last week, she announced a recent development that would 'completely change the Galaxy's understanding of biotics'. _

_If this new development is as powerful as she boasts, it will be an invaluable weapon against the Reapers. I have made arrangements with former Councillor Anderson to travel to the Academy and meet with Miss Roinestad, to evaluate the potential of this technology and the possibility of implementing it in the Alliance military. He has requested that you accompany him. He will meet you on the station._

This file's data packet was considerably bulkier than those attached to the other files. There was a little about the scientist, detailing her qualifications and background, and a great deal more explaining her work so far. Most of it was facts and figures well beyond Shepard's comprehension, requiring several degrees in biotic theory to understand fully, but some of the developments she had been responsible for were very interesting. The mind behind the L5n implants used by Alliance vanguards, she had repeatedly broken the barriers of dark energy science. Impressed by the long list of accomplishments, Shepard read the files for some time before moving on to the next file, one labelled: Stynos.

_ExoGeni Corporation stumbled across a rare find while exploring the Drenak cluster: a garden world rich in ancient artefacts, which they have named Stynos. Most scientists claim that the artefacts are Prothean, but on studying footage of them, I believe they are the remnants of an even older civilisation._

_Two days ago, ExoGeni's communication channels lit up with news of a new discovery. Details are scarce, but some of the reports I have managed to intercept make mention of a weapon of considerable power. This needs investigating as soon as possible. If it is a weapon, then we need to secure it before others come looking for it._

Shepard looked over the attachments briefly, a few images of the artefacts unearthed on Stynos, comparing them to previous Prothean finds, as well as geological and meteorological reports about the planet. Finally there was a message directed to ExoGeni's board of directors, referring to the latest find. Closing it down, he opened the final file, entitled: Khar'Shan.

_There is a new faction arising in the Batarian Hegemony, opposing the current ruling caste. Led by a fiery young Batarian called Etarn Kol'mehk, this new political group is gaining support throughout the Batarian people. One of their political strongholds is on Anhur, where the Hegemony's apparent inaction during the Rebellions has generated a lot of dissent. Recently, Etarn kicked up a storm in galactic politics when he made the announcement that his group was willing to open up negotiations with both the Systems Alliance and the Citadel Council._

_As the first human Spectre, you would be the perfect candidate to carry out the opening negotiations, able to represent both the Citadel and Earth in the matter. Sending the Normandy is also wise in case this turns out to be a deception. Currently Etarn is located on Khar'Shan._

Again Shepard opened up the attachments, looking through a few images of the young Batarian leader, a fairly ordinary Batarian with a strong look in his eyes. There was also a copy of his offer to negotiate with the Citadel. The wording was polite and, in typical political fashion, gave no indication of his motives.

Shepard shut down his omnitool and proceeded to get dressed. Fifteen minutes later, he stepped out into the CIC and moved up to the Galaxy Map, ready for action.

**_The next mission will be decided by my latest poll, on my profile page. Make sure to vote for the mission you want to see first! _**

**_Poll is now closed._**


	7. 7: The Ascension Project

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 7: The Ascension Project**

The Normandy jumped into the space around Elysium's nearest Mass Relay just after noon by the ship's time, slipping into the busy traffic lanes headed for the human colony. Trade with humanity's biggest colony in the Skyllian Verge had somewhat slackened off in the past year, with many non-human traders unwilling to risk visiting a colony that could vanish like so many others had. Only very recently had the traffic returned to its previous levels, Elysium becoming a nexus of trade and travel in the Verge once more.

Racing along amongst the hundreds of freighters, large-scale cargo ships and private owned leisure craft, the frigate barely showed up, blending in with the broad river of metal flowing towards the planet. As she drew near to the appropriate distance from the gleaming green planet, the ship turned smoothly to join the lanes of traffic in geosynchronous orbit.

Impressed with the deft display of manoeuvring skill, Shepard patted Joker on the shoulder in a gesture of commendation. The stubborn pilot had refused to stay in his bed when the Normandy had set off, insisting that he be the only one to take her through the chain of relays they had to use to get to the Verge. Though Doctor Archer had had his reservations, Joker had performed well, and showed little sign of having difficulty with the ship. Regardless, the Doctor remained close by, keeping a watchful eye on his patient.

Although Archer had little experience of working in any kind of medical facility, his past research during Project Overlord gave him more medical knowledge than anyone else on the ship. So, Shepard had promoted him to the position of ship's surgeon until such a time as a fully trained replacement could be found. A number of the crew had objected, uncomfortable to be sharing a ship with the Cerberus scientist, but Shepard had calmly allayed their fears by pointing out that the Doctor had nowhere else to go, and his recent work for the Illusive Man had been under duress. Though not completely satisfied, the crew had trusted in the Commander's judgement.

As the Normandy slid over the planet, powering her engines down to let gravity do the work of maintaining her position and momentum, Shepard spoke up.

"Good job, Joker. We'll take the cub from here to the Academy. Be sure to leave the lights on for when we get home."

"Have fun, Commander. It's not often you get the chance to be bored to tears by the brightest minds in the Alliance. And give my regards to Anderson. I'm sure he's real cut up that I ain't sent him a postcard in three years."

Joker barely kept a straight face at the last comment, thinking back to when David Anderson had been captain of the Normandy. The stern old soldier had shown little patience for Joker's easygoing nature, probably only allowing the pilot to keep his post because of his extraordinary skill. Shepard shook his head in amusement.

"I'll be sure to give him your best, Joker."

"Ehhh, my best ain't so good, Commander. Probably better if you give him yours. Just sayin'."

Shepard turned to walk down the length of the ship towards the elevator, but felt a restraining hand on his arm. He looked into Doctor Archer's concerned face. The scientist took a moment to gather his courage before speaking.

"Commander, I have a sensitive request to make." Fear of a rebuttal creased the corners of Archer's eyes. "Back when you shut down Overlord, when you took my brother away, you said you'd be sending him here. I was wondering if, uh… if I might be allowed to visit him while I'm here. There's nothing sinister about it!" he was quick to add. "But he is my brother. It would mean a lot if I could be allowed to see him."

Shepard thought for a moment. The last time he had seen David Archer, the poor young man had been hooked up to a horrifying contraption, all in the name of winning the war with the Geth. All of his suffering had been at the hands of Doctor Archer, the brother he had trusted implicitly.

The Commander's first thought was to refuse, for the sake of David's emotional and mental stability. But then he thought of all the other crew. Of crewman Rolston, worrying for his new-born daughter on New Canton when human colonies were disappearing all around. Of Thane, desperate to reconcile with his estranged son. Of Jacob, now nursing a wound of loss that ran deeper than any bullets could reach. A pain Shepard might yet share, if the worst had happened to Jack. Everyone on the ship had loved ones that they risked never seeing again while they worked so hard on the Normandy to keep them safe. Sometimes, a little contact with those you held dearest could give you strength beyond what was possible on your own.

Shepard found his thoughts drifting back to what Mordin had once said before Omega Four. 'Can't anthropomorphise Galaxy but… can think of favourite nephew. Fighting for him." The look on the Salarian's face had said it all. The peace he had found upon connecting with family, the new-found drive he had to make the Galaxy a safer place. Shepard couldn't deny the man before him the same opportunity.

"I think that would be a great idea, Doctor. I'm sure the Academy would be happy to let you see him. Grab your things and meet me in the shuttle bay."

"Thank you, Shepard! I- I can't express how much this means to me. David is the only family I have." Tears glistened in the man's eyes. "I can only hope he's recovering from the hell I put him through." He moved to follow the Commander. "I don't need anything, Shepard. I'm ready to go now."

The Commander moved down the corridor with the scientist in tow, Archer's step light with anticipation. For the fifth time since Joker had announced they were nearing their destination, the Commander checked his weapons, attached to their respective magnetic holsters across his back. The assault rifle sat firmly in place over his right shoulder blade, while a sniper rifle rested over the left. Sitting snugly in the small of his back, a compact shotgun rattled loosely before Shepard moved it into a more secure position. On his right thigh sat a folded up pistol, ready to be drawn and fired in the blink of an eye. The heaviest implement was attached to the spine of his armour, a cautioning but comforting weight. The Normandy had had very little in the way of heavy firepower, but in the days since her liberation from Cerberus hands, the crew had been busy. Working in conjunction with a few of Liara's techs, Jacob had managed to build the nasty bundle Shepard now carried on his back- a pump-action grenade launcher similar to the one he had found on Lazarus station at the start of his new life. The weapon was untested, but Jacob maintained that the specs he had used during the minifacturing phase of construction were reliable, and assured the Commander that the weapon would be invaluable in the field.

Shepard realised that he was merely going to speak with some Alliance scientists about a new technology, and that he might be considered 'overdressed' with the small arsenal attached to his back, but force of habit and instinctive caution had taken over when he had selected his load out for the mission. After years of facing combat in both the wild and the civilised parts of the Galaxy, Shepard knew that there was no such thing as overkill. When one could come under fire even on the Citadel, the heart of galactic society, a human colony on the edge of Alliance and Batarian space could hardly be considered a safe haven.

**~o~0~o~**

When he exited the elevator on the cargo deck, the expectant faces of his team greeted him. Feron stood off to one side, reading up on the Alliance scientist that they were scheduled to meet on his omnitool. Kaidan and Jacob were discussing the quirks of their favoured weapons, as well as tactics on when to use their biotics and when to rely on sheer firepower. Though Kaidan emanated a clear air of distrust directed at the ex-Cerberus operative, there was a mutual aura of respect between them, two professionals who respected the skills they shared. Behind them, Legion stood idly cradling a sniper rifle in one arm, its white 'eye' watching the others as they prepared for the mission. Shepard had no doubt it was analysing the conversation and interactions between the team, continuing its mission to understand organics better. Shepard had to admire that. The machine had spent so much time with the crew of the Normandy, passing through Omega Four and back, and yet it still continued its mission.

The quartet turned to face the elevator as Shepard stepped out. Feron quickly closed down his omnitool while both Kaidan and Jacob snapped off sharp salutes. Legion's 'face' turned in Shepard's direction but, as always, it had no expression that could be read.

"We've arrived. Liara set up the meeting with Captain Anderson," Shepard hesitated at using the term. In recent events, Anderson had resigned his post on the Citadel, dropping the title of 'Councillor', but was not a member of the Alliance military anymore, either. Even so, it felt wrong to refer to his old friend by just his name. "And we're to meet up with him on the station. Professor Roinestad will be expecting us in just under half an hour. Word is, she's got quite a show in store for us. If the extranet is to be believed, she's about to obliterate two thousand years of Citadel research into biotics, and propel the understanding of dark energy science to new levels.

"Legion, I want you recording everything that you can. I want to go over this research later, make sure she's not bullshitting us. Jacob, I'll need your opinion on how these upgrades could work for our squad, so pay attention. Kaidan, Feron, I want you to figure out how we can distribute any really valuable advances to the Alliance military and the Citadel Armed Forces quickly. If this is as valuable as she boasts, I want our troops to be making use of it before the Reapers show up."

The squad nodded their acknowledgement of Shepard's orders, and turned to clamber into the Kodiak. Referred to as the 'bear cub' by the crew, the squat vehicle was boxy, ugly, and deceptively fast. The shuttle was perfect for covert drops in enemy territory, its oversized eezo core allowing it to move with surprising speed through even the most hostile of environments.

With the squad aboard, the shuttle powered up and lifted away from the deck, slipping out of the cargo bay door and descending into Elysium's busy skylanes.

Minutes later, the Grissom Academy came into view, a part of the traffic system itself. Frequent supply shipments moved in and out of the station's docking bays, swiftly unloading their cargo and moving on to make space for the next ship. Among the chaos of the traffic, the station drifted silently, it's many solar panel arrays glinting in the light of Elysium's star, a bright yellow orb just visible over the planet's horizon. The round bulk of the station formed a graceful sight, its human architecture gleaming silvery white against the backdrop of the emerald planet and the velvet blackness of space. The shuttle subtly changed heading to align with one of the exterior landing pads, touching down on the clean deck delicately. A docking umbilical extended from the station to cover the shuttle's door, forming an airtight seal around the hatch. The shuttle hatch popped open with a hiss as recycled air from the station flowed inside.

Shepard led his team-mates down the docking arm into the station proper. There was a moment's hesitation from the security staff at the entrance to the docking area as they caught sight of the weaponry Shepard and his fellows carried, but they soon decided that it was not worth the hassle of making trouble for the Spectre, wisely choosing to let it slide.

**~o~0~o~**

The group was led into the heart of the station, passing through a number of learning complexes where dozens of children were instructed in biotic techniques, a clear focus on restraint and control evident in every classroom. A number of large open spaces were used for exercising the children's talents, from simple telekinetic practice courses to full-blown biotic combat simulations, with mechanical targets. At last, they were led into a serene park housed in a massive atrium at the centre of the station. Their guide, a young woman with black hair and brown eyes, led them towards a quiet area of the park where a pair of small waterfalls tumbled into a large fishpond. A wooden bench had been erected next to the pond, where a pair of humans sat, deep in conversation.

The first human, Shepard recognised. Standing up, the man, in his late forties or early fifties, turned to look at the newcomers. His black hair was cut in the severe fashion of the military, close to the scalp. Wise brown eyes with just the slightest hint of a willingness to bend the rules glinted in the artificial light. The ex-soldier of medium height and powerful build stood to attention and saluted, a move returned by Shepard, Jacob and Kaidan, before the face broke into a grin of welcome. He bounded forward and shook Shepard's hand energetically.

"Shepard! 'Bout time you got here. I was starting to think Spectre life had slowed you down. How's the Normandy?"

"As good as ever, Captain."

"Not any more, Shepard. I've left military life behind me now. Call me David, please." The old soldier said.

"That's… a bit of a step, sir."

"For god's sake, Shepard! You've known me for years now. You don't need to get all stuffy and formal. But, please yourself. Come, sit with us!" he motioned over to where his companion was sitting, a middle-aged woman of average height. Her startling blonde hair hung about her shoulders, catching the light. Sharp blue eyes contained an amused intelligence and a vigour that spoke in contrast with the crow's feet which spread from their corners.

"This is Kahlee Sanders, an old friend of mine. She used to be a part of the Ascension project." Anderson said. "Kahlee, this is Commander Shepard."

The woman flashed a brilliant smile in the Commander's way that was full of warmth and friendliness.

"David's told me so much about you, Commander. Including the part you played in defeating our old friend, Saren."

The casual mention of the name caught Shepard off-guard.

"You knew Saren?" he managed.

"David didn't tell you about his run-in with him?" she raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Anderson.

"He was sketchy on details."

"It's a story better told over a couple of beers, so I'll save the full version for that. But the short version is that it's how the two of us met. The mission the Council used to test David out for becoming a Spectre? I was a part of it, albeit a side objective. I only met the Turian a couple of times, but he scared the crap out of me. I was glad to hear you'd done him in."

Shepard was almost going to say something to defend the dead Spectre, having a better understanding of his actions and motives than anyone else, but thought better of it, letting the statement slide. Before he could say anything, Anderson interrupted.

"Before we get too wrapped up in old war stories, let me introduce Staff Commander Kaidan Alenko, Feron, the contact who arranged this meeting for us, and Jacob Taylor, an Alliance Corsair." The trio nodded their heads in greetings.

Anderson must have caught Shepard's surprised expression at his knowledge of Jacob's old position in the Alliance, because he threw the Commander an amused smirk.

"Surprised that I know about the Corsairs, Commander? Whose idea do you think it was to have the Alliance set them up? I was the one who pushed the Council to have their own autonomous agents, like the Spectres. They had me pick out the soldiers best suited to the task, and give them their assignments. Of course, bureaucratic bullshit soon got in the way, and a lot of our best soldiers, like Mister Taylor here, got fed up and went their own way to make a difference." He turned to give Jacob a handshake almost as warm as the one he had given Shepard. "How've you been, Jacob?"

"Not bad, sir." Jacob said, smiling widely, but keeping his stance formal, like he was speaking to a superior officer.

"You too? For the last time, I'm not military anymore! Next one to call me 'sir', or 'captain' gets his head crammed up his ass." Anderson said gruffly. Shepard smiled at the man's irritation, seeing the maverick attitude that had constantly grated on Donnel Udina's nerves back on the Citadel, and had earned him little gratitude from his fellow council members. Looking at Miss Sanders, Shepard noticed her regarding the last two people in his retinue and with a start realised they had not been introduced. He waved them forward and introduced them to her.

"This is Doctor Gavin Archer. He works in the Normandy's Medical Bay."

The scientist bowed towards Kahlee, a little nervous.

"Miss Sanders. I've followed your work for some time. Your study of artificial and virtual intelligences is quite astounding. You could say I'm a bit of a fan of yours." He chuckled a little at the admission, more than a little embarrassed. Kahlee took the compliments in her stride.

"Thank you, Doctor Archer."

They swapped a few more pleasantries while Anderson spoke with both Kaidan and Jacob before the guard who had guided the group here gave a little cough, catching Shepard's eye.

"Doctor, I think that your brother's ready to see you now. Go ahead, we'll see you back on the ship." Shepard said, stepping up beside the Cerberus scientist and nodding at the guide. Archer nodded and, after excusing himself, followed the guard through the park, his pace hurried with eagerness.

Kahlee turned to the final member of the group, eyeing the Geth with a critical gaze.

"And speaking of artificial intelligence, what do you call this one?" She asked, stepping up to the machine with little sign of fear.

"This platform is designated Legion." It intoned.

"Ah? Fascinating. I was taught that Geth required significantly more than one platform to create a network large enough for coherent thought."

"We are a unique platform. This body is designed to house more than a thousand Geth runtimes at one time."

"An interesting development. I assumed the Geth ideal was many bodies run by one network."

"Legion is different from most Geth. It was sent into organic space to find me and study us." Shepard explained.

"Why?" Kahlee asked.

"Shepard-Commander opposed the Old Machines. He defeated the entity Nazara, known as Sovereign. We seek to understand why his code succeeds where the code of many others, like the Spectre-Saren, failed." The Geth said, its tone flat. As it spoke, its hands moved in a way reminiscent of a human laying out its reasoning. The flaps around its face lifted and dropped as it moved, an imitation of a facial expression.

"I'm sure this is all fascinating," Anderson interjected. "But it's nearly time for our meeting."

An aide arrived to escort them out of the park, leading them down a clean, white hallway and into a small office. Behind the office's only desk sat a short human woman of slight build. A shock of red hair was tied back in a bun to keep it out of the way of her piercing green eyes, set in a soft-featured face. The most surprising thing about Professor Vanessa Roinestad was the youth evident in her appearance. She could not have been more than twenty-five years of age. For a second, Shepard doubted that such a young person could have made the discoveries she was credited with, but the intelligence behind her gaze spoke volumes. As the group entered, she looked up and nodded in greeting.

"Councillor Anderson. Welcome to the Grissom Academy. I'm Professor Roinestad. Please, take a seat." Her voice carried a fairly strong Scandinavian accent. She indicated a handful of seats arrayed on the opposite side of the desk from herself.

"Thank you, Professor. But it's not Councillor anymore. You can just call me David."

"And you may call me Vanessa." She smiled warmly, her red lips parting to reveal perfectly shaped white teeth.

"This is Kahlee Sanders and Commander Shepard. They're here to help us evaluate the new technologies you have to offer."

When Vanessa turned to Kahlee, her eyes widened with recognition.

"Kahlee! It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Indeed it has, Vanessa." Kahlee turned to the others as she received a few curious looks. "I was still on the Project's board when Vanessa applied to join us. We used to hang out in our free time." She explained.

"What happened when you vanished, anyway?" The Professor asked.

"Can't talk about it. Classified." At Kahlee's explanation, the Professor merely nodded, no stranger to government gag orders.

"Anyway, I'd best get to the stuff you're here for." Tapping a few keys on the desk in front of her, Vanessa pulled up a holographic display, showing a human nervous system, with the nodules associated with biotic potential clearly visible. The display flickered through images of various biotic amps and other pieces of technology Shepard didn't recognise.

"The Ascension Project recently had the good fortune to discover a cache of Prothean relics on one of the frontier colony worlds. Most of the relics had decayed beyond any level of use, but we did decode one data disk that contained a lot of information on Prothean Mass Effect Field generation. Towards the end of their time in the Galaxy, they diverted a lot of resources into biotic research. One of their research facilities started to follow one particular line of thought with regards to manipulating dark energy, though they never finished the research. Now, fifty thousand years later, I have resumed the work. It took a lot of effort, but I've finally made a breakthrough."

"At the moment, it takes years to train up an Alliance soldier to use his biotics effectively in combat, and many human biotics have very little potential compared to the Asari commandos or even Krogan Battlematers. It can take up to twenty years to fully train a human to be a moderate challenge for an Asari Matriarch, if we start the training at a very young age, and even then only by the use of large-scale facilities like the Ascension Project or BaAT. A colossal investment on the Alliance's part in exchange for a fairly small return."

The Professor produced a small device from her pocket, no larger than the end of her thumb. It sat in the palm of her hand, a single light flashing on one end. Shepard recognised it as a biotic amp, though of a configuration he was unfamiliar with.

"Allow me to show you the L7m biotic amp, the first of the new developments I have to show you today. This amp contains some of the most advanced VI technology humanity has available to it. It is capable of fully mapping a user's neural pathways and calculating the optimal connections for use in Mass Effect Field generation in under ten minutes, continually updating itself to react to emotional and environmental changes which alter the user's mind in any way. Combined with newly developed eezo boosters installed at certain key points in the nervous system, this amp can give even an untrained biotic the precision and power of an Asari commando. It has also been proven to dramatically increase the biotic power of a fully trained individual."

"Just how powerful are we talking, here?" Kaidan piped up. Clearly he was interested in what sort of effect he might see on his own powers.

"An untrained biotic could use this to increase or decrease the mass of an object about the size of a shuttle by five orders of magnitude." This elicited a whistle of surprise from Jacob. "And with a trained individual, you could be looking at a potential for about twenty orders of magnitude. We've not been able to fully map out what the upper end of their capabilities are, as the change in mass beyond that point destroys the targets."

"That's very impressive." Jacob said. "Commander, most human biotics would struggle to reach five orders of magnitude, let alone twenty."

"You mentioned 'eezo boosters', Vanessa. What are they?" Shepard asked.

"For years now Alliance scientists have been looking to increase biotic potential by increasing the amount of element zero in a person's nervous system, allowing them to generate bigger and bigger mass effect fields. However, until now all attempts had failed. Too much eezo in one's body simply proves to be toxic. So, as part of my research, I looked into how to increase the electrical charge a biotic can put through the element zero already present in his system." She dialled up the hologram of the human nervous system until it dominated the display above her desk.

"So now we install several control chips and capacitors at key points around the body, particularly at certain nervous 'junctions'. These small modifications allow storage of excess electrical energy during rest and enable a biotic to boost his biotic power for as long as the stored charge lasts."

"How much of a charge do these things hold?" Kahlee asked.

"Not much, sadly. It varies from one individual to another. We have to carefully tune it into the subject's nervous system. Too much stored charge being released at once, and the biotic risks cooking his own brain with every boost. There is also a significant risk of nervous damage, should the boosters malfunction. We tend to err on the side of safety when installing it in our test subjects."

"You've already tested in on human beings?" Shepard asked warily. An image flashed into his head of Teltin on Pragia, the thick jungle foliage barely concealing the monstrous actions that had been performed there.

"Oh yes. We're very confident that we can keep the risks to a minimal level. We have three test subjects, who are going to be giving us a demonstration later." Vanessa explained matter-of-factly.

"One thing that bothers me about this technology, Vanessa. You're dropping a lot of power into the laps of novices. Surely there are some issues with control." Shepard said. "How do you prevent the subjects from becoming a danger to themselves and those around them?"

"I'm glad you asked. We have developed a neural imprinting routine to give our subjects the basic knowledge needed to prevent themselves from, say, opening a singularity in public by accident. It's not a full course, as a lot of biotic training requires practical experience rather than theoretical knowledge, but it is enough to start them off. So far we have not had any difficulties with our test subjects losing control. The imprint also allows us to teach the students the optimal techniques of generating mass effect fields, such as the best way to control a warp in mid-flight or the strongest configuration for a biotic barrier. We're hoping to have the neural imprint become a core part of the Alliance's biotic training program."

"Really?" Shepard asked.

"Yes. By combining the imprint routine with these new implants, a fully combat ready biotic soldier could be trained up in less than three years, easily as proficient with his powers as an Asari." Vanessa boasted.

The Professor stood up from behind her desk, shutting down the holographic interface with a wave of her hand.

"But that's enough talking for now. I'm sure you're all eager to see these fabulous new devices for yourselves. Come with me." She waved for them to follow her out of the office.

**~o~0~o~**

Vanessa led them down the corridors into a series of sterile white labs, all empty at the moment. The first lab they entered contained several beds and little else. Above the headboard of each bed perched a strange device, a curving machine with several syringes and electrical contacts on it. Shepard felt a measure of trepidation when he noticed the straps on the beds, restraints for patients or prisoners? He voiced a concern about them, to which Vanessa smiled knowingly.

"This is the room where our subjects undergo the neural imprinting. It is absolutely necessary during the process that they remain motionless. If any of the connections to their minds were severed, they could easily be left brain-dead. We find it best to keep them immobilised during the process rather than risk even the slightest movement. The safety of our test subjects if our highest priority here." She waved an arm about the room expansively. "The neural imprint takes a long time to complete, so we do it in stages over the course of a week, while the subjects are asleep. They feel nothing, and when they wake up, they know how to warp an enemy barrier, or lift a marine like he was a childhood toy."

"Why so many imprint machines?" Jacob asked.

"We're getting ready for the next series of tests. In the course of the next two months, we hope to begin training up a further ten biotics to use the new implants."

The next lab they entered was dimly lit, the lights turned down for some reason. In the centre of the room, minifacturing machines sat idle, robotic arms motionless. The monitors flickered as different blueprints for biotic amps moved across their displays. Along the sides of the room, diagnostic terminals churned away, analysing a new batch of amps.

"This is where we make the L7ms, and the eezo boosters. Every new implant is put through a rigorous series of tests and diagnostics before it is deemed fit for use."

"It's kind of quiet around here. Isn't there anyone else about?" Kaidan asked.

"There are over twenty researchers on the project, though only a handful help me with my research. Most work to teach the biotic students at the Academy. Usually, there'd be a few scientists here, fabricating new amps and testing them, but I suspect they're all waiting at the arena."

"Arena?" Shepard queried.

"It's the space we cleared for testing what our biotics can do. We'll be holding the demonstrations there momentarily. Follow me."

After a few more laboratories, including one where a Prothean data disk hovered in a containment unit, hundreds of analytical probes and scanners buzzing around it, the Professor led them out into a large open area of the station's atrium. Trees and water features had been cleared away to make a round area about fifty feet in diameter. A small crowd was gathering about its edge, jostling to see.

The crowd parted as Vanessa approached, making room for her to enter the arena. In the circle stood a group of four humans. Three wore the plain grey outfits that all students wore at the Academy, while the fourth was dressed in a neat black suit, complete with archaic tie. The man was instantly recognisable to Shepard, who strode over to shake the man's hand.

"Chairman Burns!" The Commander exclaimed in surprise.

"Commander! Good to see you again."

"What are you doing here?"

"What I promised to do, Commander. Everything I can to help those who suffered because of the L2 implants we gave them. Professor Roinestad has developed some fascinating technology, and I believe it can help those who were injured by L2s."

"That's excellent news. I heard you managed to get those reparations approved. Well done on that front."

"Yes. It's a start at least."

The pair turned at a subtle cough from Vanessa.

"May I introduce our three test subjects. This is Nick Donahue, one of the Academy's more promising biotic students, Kevin Walker, one of our junior class, and Maxine Aldred, one of the guards assigned to Project Ascension. The three of them present a range of biotic abilities prior to partaking in this experiment. Maxine has had full training in biotic combat during a stint with the Alliance military, while Kevin only had a few basic lessons in mass effect field manipulation before joining us. Nick was a student here when Kahlee was still around, and has considerable potential, even without the new implants."

The trio nodded in greeting, though Nick's nod was directed more at Kahlee than anyone else, and even had a trace of shyness to it. Maxine was formal, old habits from her military life shining through. Kevin, a youngster barely into his teens, was subdued, obviously unused to facing so many strangers at once.

"Excuse us while we prepare for the demonstration." Vanessa said, shepherding the three students away to speak with them privately.

Moments later, the students moved to take up positions around the arena, equidistant from each other. Vanessa walked out of the circle to stand near Shepard, and nodded a signal to the three test subjects. As they gathered their power about themselves, a shuttle moved in overhead, turning on the spot as it hovered directly over the arena. With a suddenness that surprised the crowd, it cut engines, dropping like a stone. The audience flinched backwards, expecting an almighty crash, but a blue glow surrounded the vehicle and it remained in the air. Looking over, Shepard saw Maxine calmly holding out her hand, her biotics holding the shuttle aloft. He looked to the other students, expecting to see them assisting her in taking the weight, but neither of them was exerting any force on the shuttle whatsoever. The soldier was holding the shuttle up all by herself.

With a flick of her hand, Maxine tossed the vehicle up into the air, throwing it casually at Nick. He caught it with no sign of strain, calmly bouncing it around in the air before sending it back to Maxine. They passed it back-and-forth like this a couple of times before Nick turned on his heel and threw it at the tiny Kevin. The crowd gasped at this, sure that the young lad would not be able to catch it, but the shuttle stopped in mid-air, a prisoner of the child's powers.

They continued this game of catch for a few more minutes before, at a signal from Vanessa's omnitool, the shuttle powered back up and they let it fly away. Next came a display of their control over the warp application of their powers. Three crates were carried into the arena and, one by one, the trio stepped up and destroyed one, disintegrating the metal boxes like they were paper. A shard of metal tinkled to the ground by Shepard's foot, and he knelt to pick it up, feeling the weight of it and testing its solidity. There was no doubt that the crates were solid enough, and not just props.

Finally, the three students displayed an ability that only the most advanced students of biotics had been able to master- the singularity. Maxine started off, opening up what looked like a miniature black hole in the middle of the arena. Loose dirt whipped up around the sphere of dark energy as its mass increased to the point that it began to generate its own significant gravitational field. Most of the crowd shielded their eyes from the rushing maelstrom of dirt and debris, but Shepard merely closed his eyes to slits.

After Maxine, Kevin had his turn, generating a smaller but equally disruptive singularity, whipping the dirt up once more into a tight vortex of debris. The last one to step up was Nick. He calmly lifted a hand and, as the sphere of energy left his hand, Shepard instantly felt the pull from it. Some in the crowd took an involuntary step forwards to keep their balance, pulled inwards by the power of the singularity. At a nod of Vanessa's head, he cancelled the singularity. Applause filled the clearing as the students filed out of the arena and went back to their studies.

After the demonstration, Shepard felt a tugging on his arm. He turned to look into a familiar turquoise Asari face. Startling blue eyes regarded him with more than a little curiosity while full cerulean lips turned upwards in a smile of greetings. The scientist's name escaped him for a moment, but she was quick to remind him.

"Commander Shepard? It's me, Rana Thanoptis? We met back on Virmire and then again on Korlus?"

"Hey. Good to see you at a respectable research facility this time." Shepard asked, a little wary or the Asari. She laughed at the small joke.

The last two times he had seen her, she had been working on morally dubious projects, first for Saren and then for a power-hungry mercenary and a ruthless Krogan warlord. Needless to say, he was suspicious of her motives for being at the Academy, and found himself wondering if bloodthirsty half-crazed Krogan would be involved this time as well.

"Yes, I will admit that my previous jobs were located in… seedy neighbourhoods. But this time, I'm definitely working on something for the greater good. Professor Roinestad has me working on the neural imprint routine. My experience with Okeer's Krogan taught me a lot which has been useful here. It didn't take much to adjust the system to Human physiology rather than Krogan."

"This is Kaidan, Jacob, Feron and Legion. They're all a part of my squad, and here to help us study your and Vanessa's work here. It's… a lot more than we were expecting." Shepard said.

"Yes, we get that a lot. Not many people expect us to be so far along with our research after such a short time. Truth be told, I'm amazed at the progress we've made in the past couple of months. The Prothean relic was a big find, to be sure, but we only started to implement its advances into our new implants recently."

"Well, we're hoping it can be implemented into the military as soon as possible." Jacob said.

"Really? I was expecting our work to be bogged down by red tape. What, is there something big going down?" Rana was curious now, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. Shepard saw that Jacob was about to spout the standard 'classified' speech, and decided to intervene.

"You know the score after your work on Virmire, so I suppose its okay to tell you. Remember Sovereign? Saren's ship? Well there's a whole lot more of them out there, and they aren't friendly. This new amp could be an invaluable tool to help us stop them."

For a second, Shepard regretted saying anything, seeing the look of trepidation cross the Asari's face. But then it was replaced with a brittle smile, a tiny flicker of courage behind it.

"Oh. Well then, I guess I'd better get to working on finishing this project. The sooner we have it, the sooner I can get out of the way when you start blowing things all to hell."

As the Asari scientist walked away, Kaidan touched Shepard on the shoulder.

"Are you sure it was wise, telling her about the Reapers, Commander?" he asked tentatively.

"She was there on Virmire, Kaidan. She saw Sovereign in person, and studied how it indoctrinated its victims. The Reapers aren't news to her. I wouldn't worry about it."

As he spoke, Shepard noticed a furtive movement off to the side. A human male of above average height moved past the crowds in a silent attempt to remain inconspicuous. A rough bear covered the lower half of his face, while tired, haunted eyes darted about the faces in the crowd. Shepard tried to get a good look at him, a twinge of recognition tugging at the back of his mind, but the man had slipped through a door before he could think of any names. Feron caught his confused stare.

"Something bothering you, Commander?" The Drell asked.

"I don't know… I thought I saw someone I knew." Shepard said quietly, not focused on what he was saying.

His curiosity bothering him, Shepard began to push through the crowd towards the door. He finally reached it and was confronted by a holographic lock. He looked about in frustration, as he knew a hacking attempt in plain sight would be noticed. Then an idea sprung into his head. He looked about in the sea of faces and found the dark-complexioned face of Martin Burns, in conversation with a couple of other humans. Shepard walked up and politely asked that he have a word with the Chairman before guiding him to the edge of the crowd.

"Chairman Burns, as liaison between the Subcommittee for Transhuman studies and the Ascension Project, you have an office here, right?" Shepard asked, his voice a whisper.

"That is correct. Why?"

"Remember how you once said that if you had the chance to repay me, you would? Well, now might be your chance."

They left Anderson and Kahlee behind in the atrium with Professor Roinestad, claiming that they wished to do some catching up with Chairman Burns. With that, the Chairman led them through a handful of corridors to a small office. The office had very little in the way of furnishings, little more than a desk and a couple of chairs. As they entered, Shepard asked Feron to slip behind the desk.

"What do you want me to look for, Commander?" The Drell asked.

"Try to find me a list of the people on this station who match this description; human male, Caucasian, about six feet in height, with dark hair and a very untidy beard. Try to find security footage."

Burns paced about anxiously.

"I'm not sure what's going on here, could you please explain?" he asked.

"I saw someone in the atrium I think I recognise, and I've got a bad feeling about him." Shepard explained.

"So you're hacking into the Ascension project's security databases- from my terminal- on the basis of a, a hunch?" the Chairman sounded a little incredulous.

"Shepard's hunches are good, sir. Trust me on that one." Jacob assured.

"Got them." Feron chimed in. "Three men matching your description on board today."

Shepard moved over next to Feron and looked over his shoulder at the images. When the second on flashed up, he pointed an accusing finger at the terminal.

"That's him! Right there." Shepard waited for the Drell to pull up the information on the individual, though now he could see the face clearly he was sure of the man's identity.

"Says here that his name is Aresh, no surname given. Arrived on the station eleven months ago, and has since been given a position within the Ascension Project, serving as an aide to… Professor Galston. What's so important about him, Commander?"

"Back before Omega Four, Jack had me take her to Pragia, where the research facility that raised her was located. This guy," Here Shepard poked a finger through the hologram. "Was already there, with a bunch of mercs. He was trying to get the facility running again. 'Course, Jack's little parting gift pretty much put an end to that idea. So what's he doing here, at another biotics research facility?"

"Maybe he's trying again? Get into Ascension, and change it to Teltin from the inside?" Jacob suggested.

"Or maybe Cerberus got him hired here. I mean, there have been reports of Cerberus infiltrators in Ascension before." Kaidan countered.

"Unlikely. Shepard's reports of mission with Subject Zero to Pragia indicate severe emotional and mental instability in Subject Aresh's operating software. Likelihood of Illusive Man viewing Subject Aresh as reliable agent for covert mission: one point two-three-three per cent." Legion explained.

"Whatever he's up to, it can't be good. I want to find out what he's doing and put a stop to it." Shepard said firmly.

Looking about cautiously, Shepard made sure no one was watching before he activated his omnitool. The atrium had emptied out after the demonstration, and now only the occasional guard wandered past the door Aresh had disappeared into.

**~o~0~o~**

They had parted ways with Chairman Burns after leaving his office. The Chairman had been regretful that he had nothing else to offer to help Shepard. After a few farewells and a promise of assistance if ever the Commander needed it, he had gone to a previously arranged meeting with one of the Academy's professors.

Beside him, Feron worked to help Shepard get the door open, using his and Shepard's omnitools to manipulate various streams of data. The assault on two fronts soon had the door hissing open. Jacob and Kaidan moved silently through the door, Shepard and Legion covering them as they moved down the hallway beyond. Feron brought up the rear, watching for guards in the atrium before closing the door behind them.

They moved through the unseen section of the station in this way, with Kaidan and Jacob peering around the corners at junctions to make sure the path was clear. After three of such junctions, Jacob paused and motioned for the Commander to step over and take a look.

Shepard peered around the corner to see a pair of transparent doors leading into a large laboratory. Inside, several strange objects floated in containment chambers, a myriad scanners darting about each one. Shepard recognised the one in the largest of the chambers, a big orb floating serenely in mid air, as the relic that had formerly decorated the coffee table in his quarters, or one very much like it.

The lab was empty at the moment, it's systems fully automated, so Shepard led the group into the room. Jacob took up a stance watching the door while Feron and Legion moved about the lab, reading diagnostics and studying the various devices.

"A large number of these objects match known Prothean styles, Shepard-Commander. Some of the relics have yielded viable technological advances, yet none have been reported to the Citadel Council or Alliance command." Legion said, waving its arm over a computer to interface with it.

"Why would the Ascension Project keep a cache of Prothean relics hidden from the Galaxy while they study it?" Kaidan wondered. "Why hide the benefits they provide from us?"

"Commander, over here." Feron called. He stood in front of a computer terminal, reading a bunch of files. "There are some reports here, directed to the Illusive Man. They detail test figures, funding requests, a lot of logistical information about Professor Roinestad's research. Looks like they're keeping a close eye on her, and anything she comes up with."

"Well, now we know that Cerberus is definitely still here. Does it say who the agents are?" Shepard asked.

"No. No agents are mentioned by name. I guess it's to be expected. The Illusive Man would hardly risk exposing his agents because of intercepted messages."

"Then I guess we go on."

Leaving behind the laboratory, the team moved on through the facility, moving past a lot of small rooms clustered together. The configuration reminded Shepard of the tiny cells on Pragia that had been used to house the children. He moved past them without a word, his trepidation at what they might find further on rising.

After a couple more junctions in the hallway, they came to a final sharp left turn. Shepard looked around the corner cautiously to see another laboratory ahead of them. This one was a hive of activity, a half dozen scientists bustling about some machinery the Commander couldn't really make out. He was about to suggest moving back before catching sight of Aresh conversing with one of the scientists. Here was a chance to get a hold of the best clue they had that something unsavoury was going on here.

Using silent hand signals, Shepard ordered Kaidan and Jacob to follow him closely while Legion and Feron provided long-range fire support. The Geth nodded, drawing its sniper rifle, while Feron activated the laser sight on his pistol. The two soldiers moved to follow the Commander. Shepard took a deep breath before moving.

He burst around the corner and through the doors in a matter of seconds, levelling his assault rifle at Aresh. Behind him, Jacob and Kaidan took aim at a pair of scientists. All work in the lab stopped suddenly as everyone turned to look at the source of the noise.

"Stay where you are, Aresh."

The bearded man looked at Shepard for a moment before the light of recognition dawned in his face.

"I know you. You're that soldier, the one that helped Zero destroy the Teltin facility."

"The same. Hands on your head, and no funny business. We're closing this place down." Shepard growled

"As you wish." With that, Aresh raised his hands to his head. A flicker of blue caught the Commander's attention too late as a shockwave of biotic energy flung a desk at the trio in the door.

Shepard dove out of the way of the projectile as it raced overhead, crashing into Jacob and knocking him to the ground. The soldier grunted in surprise, but was back on his feet in moments. As the three soldiers recovered from their surprise, Aresh backed away, shouting instructions to the other scientists to deal with the intruders while he warned the others.

Shepard struggled to get into cover as the room filled with swirling biotic energy, every scientist hurling biotic powers about with professional skill. He launched off a few shots at one, but a strong barrier rebuffed the attack. He slipped back behind cover as a warp attack twisted the metal desk he crouched behind.

He moved back out to renew his attack when one of the scientists fell to the ground, a hole appearing in the centre of his forehead as the back of his head disintegrated. Half a second later the noise of the shot hit, a colossal bang from the distant Legion's sniper rifle. Next to the newly created corpse, one of his associates looked shocked for a second, long enough for Kaidan to lay him out with a biotic blast that shredded his barrier and buckled the bulkhead behind him.

Shepard took aim at another scientist, but felt a twinge of annoyance when he saw the air in front of his target shimmer as he thickened his barrier. Such an obstacle would take more bullets than he had in his clip. He was about to move back behind his cover when he saw a laser sight shiver on the man's head. With a twitch, the blue spot moved to point directly into one of his eyes, making him flinch and raise his arm to shield his eyes. Feron, realising his pistol would do no good against barriers like the scientists were creating, was using what was at his disposal to distract the enemy. The momentary distraction was all Shepard needed. Without his full concentration, the scientist's barrier flickered uncertainly, and Shepard took advantage of the distraction to unload his clip into the man's belly, killing him in seconds.

Behind Shepard, Jacob grunted as he focused and lifted an entire workstation into the air, flinging it at one of the remaining scientists and crushing him. The last two enemies died in seconds, a further one the victim of Legion's deadly accuracy and the second unable to withstand the combined firepower of Shepard and Kaidan.

In the aftermath of the battle, Jacob crouched, hands on knees, as he tried to catch his breath. Biotic displays like the one he had just demonstrated tended to require quite an effort, and he was winded for a second, but soon recovered. Meanwhile, Legion and Feron caught up to the rest of the group.

Moving over to one of the terminals, Shepard reviewed the research the scientists had been conducting in the lab.

"Look at this. Looks like the L7ms are a lot more advanced than Professor Roinestad was letting on. Cerberus were running tests on their full capabilities, and it looks like, in the hands of a capable biotic, they could do a lot more than Vanessa boasted." He pressed a few keys, and a video log popped up.

"It's incredible what we've been able to learn from these relics in just a few weeks! We're seeing levels of control beyond anything we had predicted." The hologram announced. "The control chip technology has been implemented successfully, and all test subjects are responding well to commands. Of course, the changes we made to Doctor Thanoptis' neural implant routine have made it a lot easier for the implants to take control of the subjects, and the power control programmes have made it unlikely that a repeat of the Subject Fourteen incident can occur. I'm glad we don't have to see that again, though the smell of cooked flesh is still lingering in lab three. Small wonder so few of us want to work there."

There was a brief flicker and the next log began to play.

"The most dangerous weapon the Reapers have is their powers of indoctrination. Shields can be bypassed, armour can burn away, attacks can be deflected, but the most powerful weapons we have will be no use if our foes keep subverting our forces and turning them against us. Hopefully our work here can prevent this. A soldier under our control faces less risk of indoctrination than one making his own decisions on the battlefield. There is no free will to corrupt. I realise that this means about two thirds of the Alliance military will be reduced to mindless drones, but the free will of our soldiers is a thing we will gladly sacrifice to improve our chances in the war to come."

"My mind boggles to think of the possibilities that this presents. A completely loyal army that will not flinch in fear, obeying the orders of calmer and more strategically minded members of Cerberus Command, would be nearly unstoppable! We need not risk our more valuable operatives leading the charge, and yet their orders can be carried out fully and accurately with a few relayed commands."

Shepard closed down the log before it could go into any deeper detail.

"The L7ms have control chips in them! That's what Cerberus is trying to do. If these implants are given to the Alliance military, the Illusive Man will have an army of biotics under his control."

It was then that Shepard noticed the tanks against the far wall. Kaidan stood in front of them, examining the contents. With slow steps, the Commander moved over to get a closer look. A human inhabited each tank, asleep. Shepard noticed more than a few Alliance uniforms among the captives, and stepped forward for a closer look.

Each tank was filled with mechanical arms, poised over each victim. Shepard noted that each tank had an arm which held an L7m implant, ready to install in the captive. His stomach turned as he realised that these tanks were essentially indoctrination devices, and these poor victims would soon be little more than the husks he had fought in his war against the Reapers.

"We're stopping this right now. I'm not going to see Cerberus drag humanity down to the same level as the Reapers. Feron, get these tanks open. I want these prisoners set free."

Legion let out a brief spurt of static, the Geth equivalent of a nervous cough.

"Shepard-Commander, we suggest you consider your actions carefully at this point. Cerberus makes a valid argument. At this moment in time, human soldiers are governed by emotion. In a sufficiently threatening situation, we calculate that well over seventy per cent of the Alliance armed forces would act in the best interests of themselves or their immediate comrades, rather than the best interests of your race as a whole."

The Geth's head twisted to one side in a curious stance when the three humans turned to regard him.

"Consider: aboard the Collector Base, Shepard-Commander threw himself after a comrade who was falling towards certain destruction. Shepard-Commander was successful in preventing this, but risked his own death in the process. Had Shepard-Commander perished, he would not be here now to continue preparations for the impending war with the Old Machines, greatly reducing the chances of success. Other humans with less combat ability perform such acts on a regular basis, often to the detriment of the operation as a whole."

"There was a reason why Spectre-Saren recruited the heretics to his cause. Geth are not governed by fear or a drive towards self-preservation, but rather towards the preservation of the Geth as a collective species. Freed from emotional restraints, human military operations would have their effectiveness increased by two orders of magnitude."

"I can't believe you're suggesting we allow this to happen, logic or not!" Shepard snapped. "No matter the edge we gain against the Reapers, it's not worth it."

"We did not endorse the technology, Shepard-Commander. We merely recommended giving the matter thorough consideration before throwing away a potentially valuable method for combating the Old Machines." There was a hint of sheepishness in Legion's voice.

"No. For the same reason I destroyed the Base: humanity is better than this. We can and will fight the Reapers without resorting to our own method of indoctrination. Feron, the tanks. Now."

The Drell obliged by stepping up to the nearest desk and typing out a few commands. With a chorus of hisses, the tanks sprang open and the captives, still asleep, slumped forwards. Shepard and his companions caught them before any of them could fall and come to any harm, and helped them all out of the tanks.

After a moment, the prisoners started to come around. Shepard did his best to reassure them before panic could set in, but he saw that fear was present in the eyes of each and every one of them.

"Feron, get these people back to the public areas of the station. Find Anderson and tell him about this place. Meanwhile, we'll go deal with the guys in charge of this monstrosity."

The Drell nodded an acknowledgement before guiding the dazed prisoners back the way they had come, leading them to freedom. Shepard and the remaining three squad members headed in the opposite direction, guns at the ready.

**~o~0~o~**

The Commander led his team down the next segment of corridors with little incident, finally leading them into a large laboratory. Walking past numerous empty tanks like the ones they had seen in the last laboratory, Shepard felt unnerved by the silent atmosphere of the large room.

The four of them were jolted by a sudden noise from above, where a screen set into the far wall near the ceiling flickered. The static display suddenly disappeared, to be replaced by the youthful features of Vanessa Roinestad.

"So, Commander Shepard. It seems you've seen through our front. A shame. I had hoped we would be spared the bother of having to kill you. You do tend to leave quite a mess wherever you go. Take Kophell. Have you any idea how much damage your little stunt with the hangar doors caused?"

"Professor Roinestad. I am surprised. I thought you were intelligent." Shepard's comment was snide, goading. The barb appeared to have hit home.

"My allegiance to Cerberus does not call my intelligence into question, Commander. It confirms it. The Illusive man is the only person in the Galaxy who truly has humanity's best interests at heart." She spat. "He understands the need for humanity to rise above the other races of the Galaxy. If we do not continue to rise, we risk stalling at the peak of our civilisation, like the Protheans. I will not allow our race to become a footnote in the history of the Galaxy. Everything I do, I do for the improvement of the human race, for our future."

"What, by turning billions of humans into husks?"

"I will not be lectured on what is best for humanity by you, Commander Shepard! The same Commander Shepard who, at the point where he could have given humanity control of the Council, chose instead to save the leaders who have weighed us down for so long. Who, when faced with the chance of providing the human race with technological advances beyond anything the Galaxy has seen, chose to destroy the Collector base. You despicable hypocrite! You speak of defending humanity, and your actions hinder our chances of winning the war with the Reapers at every turn! And now, you would throw away yet another viable weapon against the greatest threat we have ever faced! This shall not be allowed to happen! Aresh, do away with him."

As the screen went blank, Aresh stepped out of the shadows underneath it, blue witchfire crawling up his arms as he summoned up his biotic power.

"Aresh, stop. Can't you see she is controlling you? Cerberus is using you, just like when you were being kept as a test subject at the Teltin facility."

"No, Commander. I'm not being controlled. I volunteered for the implantation process. There is no control chip in my brain." Aresh's smile was threatening, feral. "Cerberus gave me what I was looking for; the power Teltin was trying to develop. I don't need to start up the Teltin facility anymore. I am what they were trying to create."

With a suddenness that surprised even Legion, a machine that processed information at the speed of light, he darted forward in a biotic charge, slamming into the midst of the group, sending the four of them crashing to the ground. His grin was manic.

"And I love it!" he crowed.

The next volley of biotic attacks was devastating, pummelling Shepard's shields and body as he struggled to regain his feet. He found himself being pushed back by the flurry of Warp attacks Aresh was firing off like bullets. In seconds, his shields were gone and his body took the full force of the attack. He felt a rib crack before there was a break in the attack. Looking about, he saw Jacob struggle to his feet and launch a blast that sent the startled Aresh flying across the room. Before the stunned biotic could stand up, Kaidan let loose a similar attack. The two soldiers unleashed their attacks one after the other, keeping Aresh off-balance while they moved closer. Just when it looked like they might close on him, he unleashed a blast of dark energy from his body, radiating it in all directions. It was like a grenade going off, and it threw Jacob and Kaidan backwards, halting their synchronised attack.

Lifting himself with a biotic field, Aresh looked ready to make another assault on the team when a loud bang filled the room. Aresh staggered as a patch of blood spread from a bullet wound in his left shoulder. He looked at the source of the attack with a mixture of anger and pain, glaring at the Geth with murder in his eyes.

As Legion began to reload, Aresh moved over to a nearby console and activated the controls. Around Shepard, several tanks hissed open and the contained biotics came awake. Looking dully at the commander and his team, they responded quickly to Aresh's order to finish them off while he limped out of sight.

Shepard retreated away from the biotic test subjects as they began their assault, a few lucky attacks catching him while his shields still tried to recharge. He dove behind an unopened tank for cover as the enemy advanced, seeing Jacob and Kaidan do the same. Legion moved over to the controls that Aresh had used, trying to stop any further tanks from opening.

Shepard and the two soldiers exchanged fire with the advancing biotics for some time with no real progress being made. A few of the test subjects were gunned down, and Kaidan took a few hits that left him with a black eye and a bloody nose, but Shepard found himself unable to get out from behind his cover.

At last, an affirmative comment from Legion confirmed that the tanks had been sealed, and the test subjects would not be receiving reinforcements. Emboldened by this, Shepard pulled the grenade launcher from his back, smiling at the fact that he had imagined before the mission that he would not need it.

Priming the first projectile, he aimed the launcher over the top of his cover and fired. Seconds later, the explosion left him with a ringing in his ears. Looking out from behind his tank, he saw that a number of biotics had been blown off their feet, and a few others were dazed. Swapping back to his rifle, he jumped out and, between him and the rest of the squad, they made quick work of the remaining enemies.

As Shepard finished off the last biotic, an angry growl reached his ears. Looking up, he was just fast enough to see Aresh, with his bullet wound patched up with medi-gel, dash back into the fray, darting towards the Commander with rage burning in his eyes. Shepard lifted his rifle and twisted it at just the right second to catch Aresh across the face with the butt of his weapon. Spinning the rifle in his hands, he unloaded a clip into his foe at point blank. As the heat sink shone white-hot in the slot of his gun, Aresh's barrier shimmered weakly. Turning, he launched himself away from the Commander, charging across the room to stand below the screen the Professor had appeared on. Turning there, he lifted a hand, and a shockwave barrelled across the room towards Shepard. He barely had time to steel himself for the attack before the shockwave launched him into the air. He felt himself hit the floor hard, knocking his head hard enough to make a wave of blackness threaten to overwhelm his senses.

As he struggled back to his feet, Shepard saw Kaidan draw a bundle of dark energy into his hands and launch it at Aresh. The sphere of black and blue energy shot across the lab and hit Aresh squarely in the chest, knocking him down. As he struggled to stand, Shepard walked stiffly over to him, putting a boot on his chest to pin him to the ground. Breathing heavily, the Commander looked down into his foe's eyes, silently encouraging surrender. What he saw in Aresh's eyes was pure hatred. The man struggled under the Commander's booted foot, trying to dislodge the weight. When Shepard increased the pressure, he simply lay still and spat on the Commander's armour, a gesture of insolence and rage.

As the familiar blue light flickered around Aresh's hands, Shepard swiftly lifted his rifle and fired two shots to the chest. Aresh went limp instantly, stone dead.

Shepard moved away from the corpse as Jacob and Kaidan approached cautiously, keeping an eye on Aresh in case he wasn't fully dead. Lastly, Legion walked over, joints hissing audibly from the beating it had taken in the battle. It cocked its head as it inspected Aresh for a moment before turning away, satisfied he was no longer a threat.

After pausing for a minute to gather their strength, the team stood up straight, looking about the lab.

"Well, Commander? What next?" Kaidan asked expectantly.

"We go after the Professor. She's the cornerstone of this facility. If we let her get away, she could start up again." Shepard said.

"Let the Alliance catch her. We've taken enough of a beating today." Jacob said wearily.

"No. We can't risk her getting away. She's here, today. Tomorrow, she could vanish into the Terminus systems, or go to ground in the Citadel slums. I'm not going to let that happen." Shepard said firmly. Jacob, too well trained to show any sign of reluctance, saluted.

The four teammates moved through the doorway they found underneath the screen that Vanessa had used to talk to them, stepping into a narrow corridor. They followed the twisting passages until they stepped out into a smaller lab than the one they had just left. Against the far wall, Vanessa Roinestad manipulated the controls at a terminal. In the centre of the room sat an operating table. Above the table hung a complex machine, a multitude of robotic arms descending from it to work on the patient laid out on the table below. The flesh on the patient's back had been cut open down the middle and pulled back to reveal the vertebrae of the spine, gleaming redly in the artificial light of the lab. Delicate arms worked to install various pieces of machinery which connected directly to the spinal cord, implants and capacitors like the ones that Shepard had seen in Vanessa's demonstration earlier that day. As the squad barged in, the robotic arms pulled the flesh back over the exposed bones, one arm stitching the wound closed.

Shepard staggered in shock when he saw the tattooed flesh underneath the Professor's monstrous machine. He could hardly breathe as the device finished its grisly work and moved up and away from the table, allowing the light to shine more clearly across the large omega symbol that dominated the shoulder blades.

Jack stirred on the operating table, awakening as if from a deep sleep rather than being summoned awake by the new signals flooding into her brain. As she struggled to sit up, the Professor laughed an ugly laugh.

"I believe you have met Subject Zero before, Commander. I'm sure you have plenty of catching up to do."

Jack staggered upright, stepping away from the table towards Shepard. As her brown eyes opened and focused on Shepard, a ghost of a smile tugged at her lips before being replaced by a harder expression. Pain filled her face as Vanessa dialled a few commands on her omnitool. As Jack stumbled, the professor moved to a door in the far wall and vanished.

"Shepard! Run!" Jack managed to cry out before screeching as wave after wave of pain flooded through her head.

"You guys go after the Professor. I'll deal with Jack!" Shepard ordered. As Jacob, Kaidan and Legion ran off in pursuit of the Cerberus scientist, he placed his rifle back on its magnetic plate on his back.

"Jack, stay still. I don't know what Roinestad managed to implant in you, but I'm going to do my best to get it out again."

"No, Shepard, you've really gotta run!" Jack whimpered, clutching her shaved head with both hands.

"Why?" he asked, trying to take a step closer. He jumped back when she took a backhanded swipe at him.

"'Cause I'm gonna kill you!" She nearly sobbed.

"How does that make this different from most other days you've known me?"

"Damnit, Commander! This is no time for you to fuck around!" Tears streamed down her face as she turned her deep brown eyes to regard the Commander. "I can hear them, up here. They're pushing, and pushing. I can't shut it out." The words came in gasps, interspersed by tear-soaked sobs. "I'm fighting them, but it hurts so much. I just want to let go, let them take over. Please… I don't wanna hurt you, but I'm gonna if you don't get out of… here… right… fucking… NOW!"

Shepard stood still, torn apart at seeing the woman he cared for so much being put through such torment. He took another step towards her, was about to put a comforting hand on her shoulder, when her posture changed completely. He shoulders stopped shaking from her sobs and she straightened. Biotic witchfire flickered along her arms as she launched herself at Shepard, bulling into him and lifting him up by the throat, pinning him to the wall.

As her hand tightened around his throat, he looked down into her hazel eyes, seeing the tears pour from their corners as she stared right back. Had she been anyone else, he would have fought back, done something to defend himself. But he was paralysed by his feelings. He tensed as she drew her free hand back to make the killing blow, eyes full of sorrow at what she was about to be forced to do.

There was a sudden, solid thump, and Jack's eyes rolled back in her head as she slumped to the deck, releasing her grip on Shepard's throat and letting him drop to the deck. Behind her, Kaidan returned his rifle to its place on his back, nodding to Shepard.

"Let me guess- you had it covered." He said casually. After a moment's silence, he felt compelled to speak again. "Jacob and Legion have the Professor. They're taking her to Anderson. He'll make sure she spends a whole lot of time in an Alliance prison."

Shepard knelt down next to Jack's inert form, quietly stroking her shaved head. He looked back up at his old friend, a mixture of emotions holding his tongue for a moment.

"Thank you, Kaidan. Can you help me get her back to the shuttle?"

Kaidan looked like he was about to object, but thought better of it. Instead, he nodded and went to find something to use as a stretcher.

**~o~0~o~**

Back in the Academy's atrium, most of the population had turned out to see what all the commotion was about. There were a few comments of disbelief as several Alliance marines turned up to arrest Professor Roinestad, escorting her from the station.

There was an even bigger uproar when the former captives were able to relate their experiences from inside the secret facility. Doctors analysed them physically while a pair of trained psychiatrists questioned them to check they were mentally sound. After several hours, an Alliance frigate arrived to collect both the former prisoners and the Professor.

Anderson oversaw all of the activity with a seasoned eye, making sure things went according to plan. He felt his fifty years when a wave of weariness at the new developments washed over him. It stung to lose so many of the scientists in the Ascension Project, but the loss of the potential new technology was even worse. Though the Alliance could no doubt remove the controlling nature of the new implants, it could take time the galaxy did not have.

He turned from the procession of guards that escorted Vanessa Roinestad from the station, looking over at the hero of the hour, sitting alone in the atrium's park and looking very washed out. He walked over.

"You did good today, Shepard. If not for you, the Alliance could have lost half of its forces to Cerberus. And you rooted out an entire Cerberus cell while you were at it. If I were still in the military, I'd be making sure you got a medal for this." Anderson said, sitting next to the Commander and looking out at the atrium's park. Now that the professor had gone, many people were heading back to their homes or their work.

Beside him, Shepard smiled a thin smile.

"So, would you mind telling me why our hero is looking so glum?" Anderson asked sharply, hoping the tone would snap Shepard out of it. The Commander looked over with a little hesitation, before deciding that his old friend would understand.

"I'm just wondering why, if everyone else feels like its such a victory, why does it feel like a loss to me?"

Then Anderson caught where his gaze was directed. Over next to the pond, a pair of medical staff were fastening a young woman with tattooed skin to a stretcher. One carefully inserted a needle into her arm and injected a fresh dose of sedative to keep her under. Anderson hadn't been keeping in touch with the Commander for the past couple of years, but he understood when he saw the look on Shepard's face, the worry in the eyes.

"You got her back, Commander. That'd count as a win in my books. It'll take a while for her to heal after what she went through, but the important thing is that you're there to help her get back on her feet, no matter how long it takes."

As he spoke, his thoughts drifted to Kahlee, who was standing nearby talking to some of the station staff. Once the dangers of Roinestad's technology had been revealed, it had become clear she would be staying until she had made sure all of her former students were free from the influence of the dangerous technology.

He turned at a sigh from the Commander.

"You're right. I knew things would be rough from the start. This is just a set-back." He turned a warmer smile to the old soldier. "She's a pretty strong woman. Given time, I'm sure she'll pull through. His face turned more serious as his thoughts moved to another topic. "So what are you going to do about the professor's work?"

"I'll have the Alliance send some more trustworthy types to analyse the Prothean relics you found in there, and go over the research she'd already done. We'll probably get plenty of data from this, but I suspect that the technology won't be ready for us to use for a long time yet. Looks like L7s are a long way off for now."

"Shame. We could really use something like that right now."

"Ehh, no use crying over spilt milk. I'll probably be sticking around here until this whole mess is cleaned up, but I'll keep in touch. If anything comes up we need you for, or we find something you can use, I'll let you know."

"I appreciate it, Captain." Shepard said, standing up and extending a hand.

"For the last time, my name's David." Anderson grumbled, standing and returning the handshake.

"Thank you… David." The name felt awkward to use when addressing the man, but Shepard felt good for trying.

The two old friends parted, Anderson walking over to stand next to Kahlee, squeezing her hand discreetly, and Shepard walking behind the stretcher that carried Jack.


	8. 8: Leaving Elysium

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 8: Leaving Elysium**

Back on the Normandy, Shepard shifted uncomfortably on one of the Med Bay's beds as Dr Archer worked on his injuries, repairing the fractured ribs and stitching a few wounds closed. He even chuckled under his breath as he drew out a flat circle about as wide around as a thumbnail, but as thin as old-fashioned paper. Holding it delicately in a pair of tweezers, he moved over to a container next to Shepard's bed and dropped it in there with a faint clink. Shepard winced as he stitched the skin closed over the wound. Jacob and Kaidan sat patiently on the two beds across the room, waiting for their turn to be patched up.

"You know," Archer murmured. "You wouldn't need to be coming down here so often if you didn't charge headlong into trouble all the time. I've got a full plate looking after Joker without having to patch you up every day. And that says nothing about the new patients you keep finding for me with every mission. My job would be a lot simpler if I confined you to quarters for psychological reasons."

"C'mon, Doctor. You'd miss the excitement. Looking after Joker just means reading off a bunch of ones and zeroes and making sure to plug him in at night to recharge. Hardly the stuff they dramatise about on those Operating theatre holos on the extranet."

"Yeah, yeah. Make fun of the crippled cyborg. I'd like to see how you'd like it if I turned off the gravity in there." The pilot grumbled over the ship's intercom.

"Whoop! Looks like our new robotic Lord and Master has spoken. No more loose wire cracks." Kaidan said from his side of the room, putting on a tone of subservience.

"Indeed. We don't want him blowing a fuse, do we?" Archer said, good-naturedly joining in the fun.

"Nope! It's a bad idea to cross his wires." Jacob said, a huge grin splitting his face.

"Argh! Enough with the puns, already! 'Else I'll space the lot of you!" The intercom clicked as Joker stopped transmitting. Shepard chuckled quietly, before his eyes settled on the last bed in the Med Bay.

Jack was laid out flat on her back, an IV line slowly administering a sedative to keep her from waking up. Two of the crew were running bio scanners along the length of her body, trying to determine the extent of the implants installed in her body by Professor Roinestad.

"How is she?" Shepard asked, a little reluctantly. Archer looked over at the tattooed body with a little pity.

"Stable. There are a lot of fresh scars there. It'll take me the better part of this evening to just diagnose the extent of the modifications she has undergone. Between determining which implants to remove, and which to leave alone, and the actual operation, I reckon I'll be keeping her under sedation until the latter part of tomorrow." As he spoke, the doctor moved on to Jacob, inspecting a long gash running the length of the soldier's thigh. Jacob looked over at his former team mate with a concerned eye.

"She's been through rough shit before, Commander. I'm sure she'll be back to her old self in no time." He reassured.

"That's what I'm worried about." Shepard said, turning to leave.

"Commander, before you go…" Archer turned to catch a hold of Shepard's arm as he walked past. "I wanted to thank you for letting me go to see David."

"How's he doing?" Shepard asked, glad for something brighter to think about.

"Very well, actually. The staff at the Academy have a lot of experience in taking care of someone with David's needs, and he seems to be flourishing thanks to their hard work. It almost seems as though Project Overlord never happened. I think he chooses not to remember what happened there, though I can see in the way he looks at me that, on some level, he knows what I did. But he was still happy to see me, and it was good to spend some time with him."

"I'm glad of that, Doctor."

The doors hissed closed behind Shepard and he headed for the elevator, punching in the code for the CIC.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard hunched over the bench, working furiously to dislodge the heat sink from his rifle. The blasted little chunk of metal had wedged tight in its slot, refusing to budge.

After leaving the Med Bay, the Commander had come here, remembering the pile of weapons that he and his squad, in too much of a hurry to be tidy, had left in a pile in the middle of the ship's armoury. At a loss for something to do before settling down for the night, and too out of sorts to associate with the crew, he had decided to take the task of sorting the squad's weapons upon himself. The work was simple, for the most part, and it allowed him to work calmly, focused purely on the task. A chance to rest his mind.

His mind was drawn from the stuck heat sink by a hissing noise behind him, and he saw in the reflection of the armoury window that Kelly had walked in. He smiled as she stepped over to stand next to him, gently laying down the rifle with the heat sink still poking halfway out of it.

"Kelly. Just getting some work done here. I figured I could use the practice. You never forget equipment maintenance, not after how much they make you practice in training, but you can slow down, and in the field that can be a costly few seconds. But these damned new heat sinks are a pain in the ass. They get stuck at the worst times." Shepard said, waving a hand dismissively at the rifle.

Reaching over calmly, Kelly pushed the heat sink with one finger, moving it in the opposite direction to the way Shepard had been trying to force it. With a tinkle, the tiny metal shape dropped out of the rifle onto the desk. The yeoman turned a smile towards the Commander.

"I think you might be a little distracted, Commander. Worried about Jack?"

"Yeah. It's not just the operation. I have faith in Doctor Archer. It's the time Jack spent in that facility. You saw what Teltin did to her. I can't imagine what she's going to be like after this."

"Jack never was the most stable member of the team, Commander. But at the same time, I never saw anyone more reliable under fire. I think it was a defence mechanism on her part, but the worse things seemed to get, the more she seemed to pull together. I'm sure that she'll be as strong as ever once Archer gets that tech out of her head. He's even got copies of her old implants ready to put in to replace them. Apparently, Mordin's old computer still had the schematics for her L5xs on it." Kelly said, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Any word on when she'll be up and about?"

"Tomorrow afternoon. The crew are drawing lots to see who has to be on the crew deck when she wakes up. I'm one of the lucky ones, as I get to stay up in the CIC deck." Kelly smiled at her joke. "But how are you, Commander? I haven't really got the chance to talk to you about what happened on Golthan since your escape."

"It was hard. They put me straight to solitary confinement when I arrived. At times I felt like taking Zaeed's advice and just dashing my head apart on one of the walls. But I had to hold it together. I knew that you were all out here, prisoners of the Illusive Man, and that the Reapers are just around the corner." Shepard reached out to pat a nearby panel of the wall with a little affection. "This ship is the nearest thing I have to a home. Growing up on Earth, it was very much a hand-to-mouth life. I joined up with different gangs just to have a place to go." He drew in a deep breath.

"Having Cerberus take this all away from me, it hit hard. What's the point of destroying the Collectors, of stopping Saren, if some of the humans I fought to save turn around and stab us in the back? If we stop the Reapers, it won't keep the people in this Galaxy from being petty, greedy and downright selfish. Is that worth saving?"

Kelly was silent for a long while, leaning back against the armoury desk beside him. For a moment, he thought she might just leave in silence, but then her response came.

"So don't fight to save the Galaxy." She held up a hand before the Commander could make a surprised comment. "Forget about the rest of the Galaxy. Just think about this ship. Fight for your friends, fight for your team, and fight for Jack."

Shepard stared down at his feet, deep in thought after the counsellor's words. After a few seconds, she stood upright and moved towards the door.

"Kelly…" She paused and looked back over her shoulder. "Thank you. I don't know where we'd all be without you keeping us balanced."

The yeoman's answering smile was full of warmth and love.

"There's a Quarian saying that I like. 'Home in the hull, life in the stars, and family in the crew.' It's more than just the suits that make them such a close-knit and sociable people. Out here, light-years from anywhere else, all a crew has is each other. Live a life like that, and you'll get closer to shipmates than you ever will to most family members. All I'm doing is looking after my family, Commander."

Shepard smiled at her retreating back and finished his work, leaving the armoury with a lighter step than he had arrived with.

**~o~0~o~**

The next day, Shepard headed down to the crew Mess for his breakfast. As he entered the room, he noted Kaidan and Jacob sitting opposite one another at one of the tables, sharing stories over their morning meal.

"So I'm there, holding off the squints while Thane opens the door for us." Jacob was saying as the Commander entered. "He's got the cover off and the circuits exposed, but he's not sure which wire to cut. EDI tells him to cut all the black wires. He goes and cuts a half dozen wires, and suddenly the whole building goes into lockdown. Blast doors sealing everywhere, alarms blaring, and just about every Batarian on the planet running to where we were. It's only then that the fish decides to let us know that he's colour-blind when it comes to black and dark red. I swear I thought Miranda was gonna gut him right then and there"

Kaidan clutched at his sides as he unleashed a full belly laugh while Jacob paused to shovel in another mouthful of his meal.

"So how'd you get out of there alive?"

"The Commander pulled back from his position with Tali and Grunt. They carved their way through the enemy towards us and she had the doors open in seconds. Only time I've ever seen a Drell look embarrassed."

Both soldiers looked up as Shepard walked over with his meal, sitting next to them.

"Bolene?" Shepard asked Jacob, naming the planet the mission had taken place on. Jacob nodded in confirmation.

"Jacob and I were just trading a few war stories, Commander." Kaidan said as he ate. "Did you know he was stationed on Eden Prime during Saren's invasion? He even met Ashley while she was serving there."

"Well, when I say 'met', I mean she was at the same official events, you know? We were never friends or anything. Not enough time with everything that went down." Jacob interjected. "She seemed nice enough."

"Yeah, Ash was a good soldier, and a friend." Shepard said. "I remember one time, just after we let Garrus on board for the first time, she got into an argument with him over the First Contact War. I've never seen anything like it, an unarmed human, no biotics, facing down a Turian about three feet taller than her. And she got him to back down! Anyone else, they'd probably have ended up in the Med bay."

"Hah! Not Ash, though. I bet even with Wrex backing him up, Garrus would have still come out second best in that fight." Kaidan chuckled. "That's what we need to send out to fight the Reapers. Just launch a squad of pissed off human women at their fleet, and our job's done."

Jacob chuckled at that and, finishing his plate, stood to leave.

"I'm gonna get back to my station. I'm glad the grenade launcher worked out so well, Commander, but I think it could suffer a few more adjustments."

With a salute, the soldier turned to leave. Shepard looked over at Kaidan, also finishing up his meal.

"So what do you think of the new Normandy crew, Kaidan?"

"They seem like a good bunch. The shipboard crew have been very friendly. I guess we're all in the same boat now, what with being on the run from Cerberus, so there's no hard feelings over anything I helped to do to hinder the Illusive Man's work. Feron seems like a good enough person, though he's a little unfocused at times. Sometimes his eyes go all blank and its like he's not even here, you know?"

"Drell do that. They have perfect memories, and sometimes they relive their past. Feron can probably explain it better than I can. The sum of it is, when they're having a… uh, 'memory flash', they're seeing what they've been through at some point in their life, feeling what they felt back then, smelling the scents and hearing the noises. Thane used to slip into his memories all the time."

"Hunh. I guess you learn something new every day in a Galaxy as big as this one. Must be handy, though. You'd never forget where you left your omnitool, for one thing." The two friends chuckled.

"What about Jacob? You seemed to be getting on okay with him just now."

"Taylor's a steady enough guy. He's more of an Alliance soldier than he is liable to admit, even after all this time with Cerberus. And he seems to be a great admirer of your accomplishments. I feel inclined to trust him."

"But I don't trust that Geth you've got in the engine room, Commander. You can pretty up the situation by telling me about what it did before your capture and giving it a name, but it's still a Geth. I don't trust a living machine to fight against the Reapers, Commander, no matter what it has promised in the past. I'm watching it, Commander, and if it so much as twitches in a way I don't like, I'm putting a bullet through its power core."

"Not while I'm in charge. Legion has proved itself reliable time after time, Kaidan. I won't have this team squabbling among themselves and getting ready to shoot one another while there are bigger things at stake."

"Noted, Commander." Kaidan's tone was stiff. He stood up from his half-finished meal and saluted. "If you don't mind, Commander, I'm going to go to my post in the CIC."

As Kaidan walked off, Shepard sighed. Even after the time spent working together, there was still a rift between his old friend and himself. He finished his meal in silence.

**~o~0~o~**

After his meal, Shepard took the elevator back up to the CIC deck and walked around to the communications suite. He nodded to Feron before bringing up the list of files Liara had sent to him, running through the remaining five missions. Opening the one labelled Omega, he waved Feron over.

"Give me the rundown on what we've got about these Collector sightings on Omega."

"Sightings started being reported about six months after you went through Omega Four. At first there was just the odd sighting, but they were ignored. Most people thought that they were just hallucinations from a bad sand trip or the like. The people started going missing. People vanishing is nothing new on Omega, but there was a large number of disappearances in the Smelter District, near the heart of the station, more than you would expect even on Omega. Blue Suns and Eclipse, the two mercenary companies who control the district, began to investigate. There have been no conclusive reports yet, but two of their teams have disappeared. So while Liara is convinced of the threat, most of the populace of Omega don't think that Collectors even existed to begin with, so the events have been ignored. Even Aria isn't moving to deal with it, though I imagine that she's got to plan out any operation with some care. If she acted and the information turned out to be misleading or wrong, she'd lose a lot of face within Omega's society. I'm sure she'll jump on the chance to get you to solve the problem for her."

"Then I guess that's where we're heading next. I put too much work into getting rid of the Collectors to leave the job half-done."

"Commander Shepard, its Doctor Archer. Have you got a minute?" The doctor's voice came in over the internal comms network.

"I'm on the CIC deck, Doctor. What do you need?" Shepard replied.

"The operation is complete, Commander. Jack woke up a few minutes ago and let's say her reaction was… a little extreme. She's gone down to the Engineering deck. I think you'd better go talk to her before she injures one of the crew."

"I hear you. Are you okay in the Med Bay? Anyone hurt?"

"Unfortunately, I hadn't removed the restraints before she woke up. I think that may have exacerbated the situation. You owe me a new desk, Commander, and an operating table. Other than a few bruises and some very surprised servicemen, we're okay. From Jack's reputation, I'm assuming we got off lightly."

"You got that right. I'll go down and talk to her. Shepard out."

"I'll go and tell Joker to set a course for Omega, Commander. Sounds like you've got the rest of your day planned out. Be sure to drop by the armoury. That new toy of Jacob's might come in handy." Feron said, making his way to the door. Shepard nodded in thanks, even managing a smile at the joke.

When Shepard stepped into engineering, he was instantly aware of the quiet that had descended over the deck. Besides the rhythmic thrum of the drive core as it pulsed with energy, the occasional creak of a bulkhead and the beeping of terminals in the walls, there was no sound. The hallway between the two auxiliary cargo holds was quiet, as were the engineering access corridors. Curious, Shepard stepped through into engineering proper. Legion stood at its terminal, working silently, but Ken and Gabby were nowhere to be seen.

"Legion? Where is everyone?"

"Engineer Donnelly and Engineer Daniels were swift to mention that they had business on the upper decks. We suspect that this was a fabrication to remove themselves from Subject Zero's presence on deck. On her departure from the elevator, Engineer Donnelly attempted to engage her in conversation. Her response was to throw Engineer Donnelly the length of the corridor. All other staff seem to have discovered previous commitments in other sections of the Normandy." The Geth responded, not looking away from its work.

"Where did Jack go after that?"

"Subject Zero proceeded down into the sub-deck. We have not observed her departure, so assume that she remains down there."

"Shepard-Commander," The Geth said as Shepard turned to leave. "Our sensors indicated that Subject Zero was suffering from dramatically increased adrenaline levels. This would suggest strong emotional triggers such as fear or anger. Such levels increase the odds that Subject Zero is not in full control of her actions. Threat to Shepard-Commander's personal safety is greatly increased. We recommend caution. And a shotgun."

"I understand she's pissed, but I'm not going down there fully armed. I'm going to calm her down, not incite."

"We judge this to be a very unwise course of action." There was a level of protest to the Geth's voice.

"Don't worry. I can handle myself." Shepard insisted.

"Nevertheless, we offer to stand by in case intervention is needed."

"No. Carry on with your duties here."

"Acknowledged." Legion said, a little reluctantly. Shepard retreated through the door he had just entered, turning to the side sharply and descending the small flight of stairs into the sub-deck.

In the small, dimly lit area of the ship, Shepard stepped forward slowly. Around him, pipes hissed as they performed vital functions for the ship. Looking ahead, Shepard could see the small area where Jack had once lived. A small foldaway bed was still set up down there, among the crates that were kept in the out-of-the-way location. His brow creased in confusion as he noted there was no one there. He moved forwards, to stand in the red light at the bottom of the stairwell. He cautiously progressed forwards to where the two stairwells met to access the storage space.

The telltale flicker came almost too late for Shepard to dodge out of the way of the Warp blast that shot out of a dark corner of the sub-deck. It hit the wall behind him, denting the metal visibly. Seconds later, the twisted wall panel dropped from its fastenings, exposing mangled wires behind it. The lights flickered for a second throughout the engineering deck before stabilising. Tremors travelled through the length and breadth of the ship, creating ripples in the soup simmering on Rupert's stove in the Mess Hall and registering as a tiny tremble in the cockpit where Joker sat. Shepard straightened up from the attack, looking for the source.

"Stay the fuck away from me!" Jack's voice yelled from somewhere behind the crates.

After a few seconds of looking, Shepard caught the glint of her eyes, in the deepest, darkest corner of the sub-deck, atop a stack of supply crates. As he took another step forward, her form was illuminated by a biotic surge as she launched another powerful attack which hit the deck near his feet.

"I mean it!"

Shepard took another slow step forward, followed by another, without suffering another attack.

"You're not going to hurt me, Jack." He said calmly, reassuringly. The response he got was a crate lifting off from the deck and winging through the air to hit the wall nearby him.

"You don't know me, stay back!"

"I know enough about you, Jack. If you really wanted to hurt me, you wouldn't be aiming to miss."

The next thing he knew, he had been flung back against the damaged wall, the breath crushed from his chest by a full biotic blast to his torso.

"Didn't fucking miss then. Get lost!" Her voice had a frantic edge to it.

"What's wrong, Jack?" Shepard asked, getting up doggedly.

He took another pace forwards, stepping to the side as another attack dented the deck. Stubbornly, he moved forwards into the assault. Finally she moved out from her hiding place, launching herself towards him in a biotic charge. She held one hand back over one shoulder, aiming to strike him across the face and knock him out. The Commander steeled himself for the impact and, at the last second, he twisted in just the right way, hand darting out to catch hers by the wrist and halting her momentum in a jarring impact. His other hand grabbed her free arm and he held her there, their arms straining as they both pushed against each other, his hands locked around her wrists above their heads. After a moment's struggle, she sagged, giving up on pushing at the Commander.

"This was all your fault!" She spat in his face.

Shepard took a few seconds to try to figure out that last accusation, face creased in confusion.

"Why?" He asked.

"I knew better than to get close to anyone. Shit, I told you that myself! Then you come down here, talking your bullshit, and I bought it. I let myself feel, made myself weak. I got sloppy, and what happens next? You piss off Cerberus and I end up back on their operating tables, getting implanted with all kinds of fucking machines. I was better off back on the ice in Purgatory." Her voice was full of venom, but Shepard could hear the cracks behind it, the pain and hesitation. He looked down into the hazel eyes, letting a bit of firm anger show in his voice.

"That's bullshit and you know it. I never planned for any of this to happen."

"Doesn't matter whether you planned it or not, its still your fault! You talked so smooth before Omega Four, and I listened to you. Even though everything I know was telling me to walk away, I stayed here. If I'd followed what I know, I'd be holed up safe in some dark corner of the galaxy, hitting easy scores and living however I chose. Instead, I end up spending more quality time with Cerberus scientists."

Shepard was at a loss as to what to say. He stared down at the tear-stained face, the face of a young woman who had had so much stolen from her. Her childhood, her family, any hope at a normal life, all victims to the Teltin facility. The longer he stared into the pain-wracked features, the more he felt like his heart would burst.

"I'm sorry, okay? I had no idea this would happen." The deep brown eyes twitched back towards his, meeting his gaze and searching for sincerity behind his words. "You've got to believe me, Jack. I would never want anything bad to happen to you. But it did, and I swear, I'm gonna make Cerberus pay."

Jack relaxed in his grip, her wrists sliding through his hands. For a split second, he was sure that her hands squeezed his as they slipped past, but then the contact was gone and she turned on her heel.

"Whatever. I guess I'm stuck on this ship until I get a chance to split. As long as you're working to tear those fuckers apart, I'll come along for the ride. Just save the Illusive Man for me. I wanna see the look on his face when he's chewing on the barrel of my shotgun. Now get the hell out of here. Gimme some space."

Shepard took half a step forward to try and force the conversation, but she whirled around, biotic witchfire playing along her arms.

"I said I'm done talking. Beat it!"

Put out by the rejection, Shepard complied, turning and heading back towards the stairs he had descended. As he drew near, he saw Legion kneeling on the stairs, just out of sight of Jack, but within range of a carefully placed shot to the convict.

As the Commander drew close, the Geth stood up, stowing its sniper rifle carefully. It nodded as he walked past and fell into step behind him. Shepard held his tongue until they were well out of earshot.

"I thought I told you to stay at your station." He said with an accusatory tone.

"We were about to comply when some of our runtimes suggested that, due to our race, we are not a part of the Alliance military, nor do we fit into the Alliance command structure. Therefore, we do not follow protocols that Alliance soldiers are constrained by."

Shepard smiled with little humour at the Geth's exploitation of a loophole.

"Thanks for your concern, Legion. I'm glad I can count on you to watch my back. But understand that, from now on, you will follow my orders, whether you agree with them or not. Are we clear?"

"…Acknowledged." Legion said after a momentary pause. "Shepard-Commander? We wonder if all human male-female interactions are so… intense."

"Not always, but it is a fairly common thing."

"Ah. We shall endeavour to expand our understanding of these matters as part of our ongoing directive to understand organics."

"You do that, Legion. Meanwhile, I think I need a drink." Shepard walked off, leaving the Geth to return to his duties. Down in the sub-deck, Jack curled up on her old bed, seeking refuge in the dark silence of the little room in the belly of the ship.


	9. 9: An Old Enemy

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 9: An Old Enemy**

Joker nimbly danced his fingers across the controls before him, eyes darting about to take in all of the Normandy's surroundings. Huge chunks of rock, some the size of skyscrapers, tumbled past the cockpit windows, a hazardous minefield the pilot had to navigate. He winced as the kinetic barriers registered multiple impacts from some smaller rocks, but all they did was drain the power of the shields by a tiny fraction. If one of the larger asteroids hit, there wouldn't be a Normandy left to power the shields.

He felt his stomach turn as he looped the frigate around one such rock, skimming its surface by a close enough margin for the intense heat of the ship's thrusters to leave a glowing white trail of superheated rock.

Finally what he was looking for hove into view. Drifting through the asteroid field, the familiar silhouette of Omega station glowed an intense red, an effect produced by the myriad mass effect field generators that kept most of the asteroids at bay. Resembling the mushroom clouds produced by old-fashioned nuclear weapons, the very appearance of the station was linked with desolation. For many travellers the name of the station had a very apt meaning, for most found Omega to be the final destination in their travels and, sometimes, their lives.

The Normandy drew closer to the mass of machinery sprouting out of the hollowed-out asteroid, a continually growing spire of filthy industrial machinery and even more squalid slums that projected from the underside of the hemispherical remnants of a massive asteroid. As they flew within the station's protective mass effect envelope, EDI established a connection with Omega Flight Control. After a brief exchange, EDI managed to procure the use of one the station's multitude of docking areas, relaying directions to Joker. A few taps on his console was all that was needed to manoeuvre the ship into position as a docking arm extended to clamp over the airlock behind the cockpit.

Standing at the airlock, Shepard looked over his team, ensuring they were prepared. Kaidan was busy adjusting a few settings on his omnitool, fine-tuning his biotic amp for maximum combat efficiency. Beside him, Jacob was rechecking his heat sinks, making sure he had enough for any extended firefight. Behind them both, Legion stood resolutely, its metal face betraying no thoughts or emotions. Jack, on the other hand, was a lot easier to read. She had disposed of the clothes Cerberus had kept her in while she was being operated upon and was wearing a pair of loose-fitting jeans, barely sitting on her hips, and a pair of heavy boots. Up top, she wore a tight-fitting black tank top that left her back and arms exposed. While this left the vast majority of her tattoos, part of her identity, on display, it served to cover her up for modesty's sake. When Kaidan had broached the subject that she might want to consider wearing combat armour, Shepard had felt the need to step in before she could seriously hurt him out of indignation.

The Commander looked past the small group to see Feron stepping out of the CIC and heading over to speak to him.

"Good luck, Commander. I'll stay here and monitor Blue Suns and Eclipse comm channels. If I hear anything that might help, I'll get in touch immediately"

"Thanks, Feron. When this is over, drinks are on me at Afterlife."

"I'll hold you to that, Shepard."

The squad stepped through the airlock and out onto the station, immediately noticing the greasy, recycled quality of the air compared to the Normandy. The atmospheric controls were barely operating in this outer portion of the station, and so the docking area was cold, almost unbearably so.

As they moved away from the ship, a pair of Omega's denizens scuttled over to them. One, a Salarian with a hunched back, grinned widely, an expression that instantly had Shepard on guard for any sort of con. The other one, a human with a messy beard and a face so smeared with grime that the features were almost too unclear to make out, spoke first.

"Welcome to Omega, traveller. We're here to collect the toll." His voice was harsh, years of hard living and possibly some substance abuse evident.

"Toll?" Shepard asked.

"Yes! Anyone docking has to pay a toll to enter the station."

"I've never had to pay a toll before." Shepard narrowed his eyes, onto the scam, and decided to call their bluff. "Maybe I should check with Aria about this. She is the reason I'm here, after all."

The name drop seemed to have the desired effect. The pair took a frightened step backwards at the mention of Omega's ruler in all but name, but the human recovered.

"You can't speak to Aria unless you go into the station. And to do that, you gotta pay the toll!" he smiled at his supposed victory through logic.

"Well I'm not paying. Out of our way." Shepard said firmly. He took a threatening step forwards, and the two scavengers fell back.

"I wouldn't do that!" The human said, his tone heavy with menace. All around the docking bay, a variety of bedraggled beings stepped into view. A number bore firearms, but most just stood there, cracking knuckles or toting makeshift clubs. The Commander's mouth set firmly as he made his mind up. His next words were loud and clear, a warning tone filtering through.

"You can do this the easy way, or the very easy way, boys. Back away." He waited a second, during which no one moved. "Okay, very easy it is. Jack, would you mind…"

The convict stepped forward, a devilish smile on her face. With a flick of her hand, she lifted the human and the Salarian into the air with her biotics, flinging them across the room with barely a thought. Another hand darted out and a crate exploded, the shards flying into the nearby scavengers to a chorus of screams of pain. The remainder of the motley array of beings scurried away in terror. The glow faded from jack's arms as she lowered them.

"Omega. Still the same old money-grabbing shithole. I'd forgotten how much I liked it here." She murmured. "You want me to go after them, make sure they never bother us again?"

"There'll be time for fun and games later, Jack. Right now we've got work to do. C'mon. If I remember rightly, Afterlife's just a few blocks away." Shepard set off at a swift pace, wary of the dark alleys they had to pass. On Omega, a life-threatening situation was only a few paces away at any time.

The squad exited the docking area into a bustling market street. Stalls lined either side of the street, a menagerie of aliens hawking their goods to the next gullible customer. As Shepard moved through the crowds, he felt a few people jostle into him, and his omnitool alerted him that some of them had tried to upload pickpocketing programmes to his credit accounts as their 'tools moved close to his. Of course, his firewall software had spotted the hacks before any money could be stolen, but he was amused at the number of attempts.

At last they were out of the surging markets and back on a street Shepard recognised. Ahead of them, the massive club afterlife dominated the skyline, a beacon of hedonism and depravity. The line of people waiting to get in stretched the length of the street, with a lumbering Elcor managing who was allowed in and who was refused entry. A human male, tiny in comparison to the alien, was arguing with him.

"Why are you letting them in? I was here first!" He said angrily.

"With false sympathy: I can only let in those who are on the list. You will have to wait until enough people leave for you to enter. I would help if I could." The large grey creature droned in its flat voice.

"Screw this! I'm not standing out here all night." The man turned and stomped off.

"Insincerely apologetic: Maybe next time." The Elcor looked over at the next in line, a Turian with an Asari on his arm. "Amused: I always like winding the humans up. They are so easy to enrage. Nostalgically: I recall a human who tried to get in here every night for six months, through bribery and threats at times. He was a great source of entertainment. With politeness: Welcome to Afterlife. Please take care, and enjoy your evening."

Shepard walked up to the main doors past the bouncer, nodding to the Batarian standing guard. The four-eyed alien keyed open the doors, facial expression remaining unchanged from a barely tolerant frown as he spoke.

"Aria's waiting for you at the usual spot. Don't keep her too long." He grumbled. Shepard wasn't surprised that his arrival was already old news. Nothing went through Omega without the 'queen' of the station hearing about it. He stepped inside.

**~o~0~o~**

Inside the club, a violent explosion of colour and noise assaulted Shepard's senses. Sensual Asari music flowed from the club's sound system, its subtle tones digging down into the listeners' brains and pushing certain buttons. If listened to for long enough, the music could have an euphoric effect. Bright colours flared all over the place, an attack on the eyes that made it hard to see. On the dance floor, a huge throng of people of all species danced to the music, most of them clearly under the influence of either the music, the drinks, or some darker substance.

Shepard muscled his way through the crowds of clubbers, at one point having to carefully lift a heavily intoxicated woman from his arm into the arms of a nearby Turian, and the next second dodging a Batarian being violently ill from too much of whatever he had chosen to drink.

Once through the crowd, the Commander found himself at the bottom of a staircase at the back of the club. He looked back at his squad and motioned for them to keep watch for any trouble. Kaidan, Jacob and Legion took up positions on the staircase where they could keep an eye on the Commander and the club. Jack snorted at the order and promptly ignored it, heading off into the crowd and making a beeline for the bar.

When Shepard reached the top of the staircase, he was greeted by a pair of pistols being pointed at him. A Turian and a Human guard had their weapons trained on him while a third guard, another human, ran a scanner over Shepard. Behind them, he saw the familiar features of Aria T'loak watching the proceedings.

"This again?" Shepard asked a little incredulously.

"You have a tendency to disappear for long periods of time before making a reappearance, Commander. I've got to be sure you're still you. Omega is no safer than when you last left." Aria shifted on her seat, her voice barely audible over the noise of the music.

As the guards finished their scans and allowed Shepard to enter the booth that overlooked the club, the Commander noted the sudden drop in the volume of the music. He guessed that mass effect fields, combined with careful planning of the placement of the sound system, dulled the noise here, in Aria's 'throne room'. Shepard walked over confidently and sat down on the couch to the side of Aria, facing her.

"So what do you need this time? No offence, but your presence here can have a very unbalancing effect on Omega. Last time you were here, half of the station's merc and Vorcha population died and an Ardat-Yakshi corpse turned up."

"Shepard's work on Omega isn't all that bad, Aria." Shepard turned at the deep, gravelly voice and saw a shadow in the corner of the booth shift as the Patriarch stepped out from where he had been hiding. The Krogan stood at a menacing eight feet in height, his wide frame speaking of a built-in strength unlike anything any other species could exhibit. "Remember that it was the Commander who put a stop to that plague in the slums, and told you about what Tarak was planning with the other mercs after Archangel was dead."

"True." Aria sighed reluctantly. "You've got some favours stored up with me, Shepard. I'll grant you that. Spend them wisely."

"Word is you've got a Collector problem on the station." Shepard said by way of explanation.

"Yes. A problem I suspect you have something to do with, what with your mission through Omega Four." She replied harshly. The Commander looked up curiously at her knowledge of his previous mission. "Don't look at me all surprised. I have ears everywhere. You recruit two of the biggest thorns in my side for your big mission to wipe the Collectors out and expect me to hear nothing about what you needed them for? Your little chat with Mordin in his clinic was relayed back to me before you'd even set off to deliver the cure to that plague."

"You don't seem happy."

"Of course I'm not happy! You can't just go off and attack someone like the Collectors. Before now I've had little trouble with them. Now, you've gone and pissed them off and I get to deal with the consequences."

"There can't be that many. I destroyed every last Collector beyond the relay." Shepard reasoned.

"There's enough. We've got people vanishing off the streets, and not all of merc teams that go to investigate come back."

"So why not send in a whole platoon to weed them out?"

"My position here on Omega is too precarious to rush into something like this. If I send in fifty or so mercs, and they don't find anything or only get some of the bugs, I end up looking weak."

"You, on the other hand," Patriarch interrupted. "Could go down there and deal with it, without any risk to Aria's reputation."

"So you'll help, then?"

"Yes. We can't let this go unchecked. People are starting to get panicked over the rumours of monsters abducting people off the streets." Aria said. "I'll arrange for transport down to the Smelter District for you. I can give you the co-ordinates where the most abductions have happened, and where the merc teams have gone missing."

"In the meantime," Patriarch said, looking out into the club. "You'd best go reign your team in." His voice had a ghost of a chuckle to it.

Shepard stood and looked over the edge of the booth to see what the Krogan was looking at, and spotted Jack sitting at the bar, downing some strangely coloured drink. A Turian staggered up next to her and turned, trying to chat her up. Shepard couldn't hear the line, but it was clear he was rebuffed. Rather than sensibly walk away, the Turian pushed his luck, moving in to speak in her ear. As he spoke, a three-fingered hand slid down to squeeze her rear end. Shepard winced as he saw her stiffen, an angry light igniting in her eyes. The next movement was a blur, but it ended with the Turian face-down on the bar, his arm twisted at an unnatural angle in two separate places. Patriarch laughed out loud at the display as Jack retrieved her drink and nonchalantly moved to a seat further down the bar. The club's clientele backed away from her, keeping a respectful distance.

"Hah! That's a fiery one you've got there. Reminds me a little of a certain Asari not a hundred light-years from here."

Aria looked out on the spectacle with little sign of amusement on her face.

"I've no idea who you are talking about." She turned back to Shepard. "Just get down to that district and do what needs to be done. And try not to blow up too much of my station while you're at it."

**~o~0~o~**

Outside the club, Shepard and his squad moved over to a line of skycars that were parked nearby. Anto, Aria's Batarian right-hand man, was standing next to one, a large vehicle with a deep blue finish. The passenger compartment was larger than most, big enough to carry several Krogan in full battle gear. Even though it was oversized, the skycar still looked sleek, its lines graceful and clearly built for agility in a built-up environment. As the squad approached, Anto threw a datachip at the Commander. Holding it up to his omnitool, Shepard downloaded the access codes for the vehicle, keying the control to his personal ID.

"Don't scratch the paint." Anto muttered. "The Smelter District's not the friendliest of regions. Vorcha roam the street in packs, and the mercs are always on the lookout for someone new to get money out of. If you let anyone steal Aria's skycar, I'll see to it you get thrown out the airlock, in pieces."

"Don't get your panties in a bunch. I'll be gentle with it." Shepard shot back, aggravated by the Batarian's antagonistic attitude. As he stepped over to the vehicle, it beeped in response to his ID and opened up. The squad piled into the back while Shepard slid behind the controls.

The skycar lifted off gently, a blast of dirt and dust flaring out from beneath it as its thrusters powered up. Shepard turned it to face the traffic rushing about the station and smoothly accelerated to join the flow of vehicles. In the centre of the control console, a map flashed up showing him the layout of the station. Then a route, provided by Aria, plotted itself out, aiming for a part of the station near to the base of the spire, almost down where the asteroid itself began. Kaidan reached over and, holding his omnitool close to the skycar's interface, downloaded some information about the district.

"Okay, says here that the Smelter District is mainly industrial. It's where any Eezo that's still to be found in the asteroid is brought to be refined. There are a few residential buildings where the workers live. Most of the abductions have occurred around the warehouses near to the freighter loading bays, so that may be a good place to start."

"Where'd the investigation teams go missing?" Shepard asked.

"One vanished after going to check out a nearby refinery, now defunct. And the other just disappeared in the street, apparently. No bodies were found in either case. Their radios just went silent and they were never seen again."

"Wonderful." Shepard said sarcastically. He keyed up his communicator as he manoeuvred the vehicle between two large transports. "Feron, its Shepard. We're on our way down to the Smelter District now. Anything new on the merc comms channels?"

"Looks like there's already a couple more scouts being sent out to look for some sign of the missing teams. They're getting nervous now, but they still don't know what they're dealing with. Without the right preparation, the numbers they're sending in won't stand a chance." The Drell replied. "There's also mention of a third merc force moving through the District, though there's not much info yet. Could be Blood Pack, or maybe an independent small-time group."

"Roger that. Keep us posted." Shepard shut down the link.

Minutes later, Shepard landed the skycar in an empty alleyway in the District, just a few blocks over from the refinery where the first team had gone missing. The squad jumped out of the vehicle, unholstering weapons in readiness. As they moved out into the street, Shepard noted the silence. No one was roaming the dark, dirty streets and alleys. The Commander twisted when he heard a rustling noise, but it was only a feral Varren nosing at a toppled trash can.

"Keep your eyes open. I don't like this quiet. An industrial sector like this should be crawling with workers." He said, drawing the rifle from its slot on his back.

"Maybe it's the middle of their night cycle here?" Jacob suggested.

"Even so, there should be some activity." Kaidan replied. "Either there's no people left around here, or they're all staying indoors out of fear."

The team moved forwards, carefully aiming their weapons down each alleyway as they moved past, making sure no enemies could charge into their flanks. Shepard was up front, leading the group towards the refinery he had chosen as their first point to investigate. They were just one street over when the Commander froze, one hand held up in the signal that ordered the others to halt. For a few tense seconds, they listened. There was the clank of footsteps from just around the next corner.

Motioning silently, Shepard ordered the others to follow him. Sticking close to the wall, the Commander approached the corner cautiously. With a sudden movement, he moved out around the corner, rifle ready to aim at any targets he saw.

"Hey! Hey!" A startled merc shouted out as the squad jumped into view. Out of panic, he lifted his weapon, finger twitching over the trigger. He managed to keep himself from opening fire when he saw that the new arrivals were human, though his eyes tightened in worry when he saw Legion. Behind him, his comrades reacted in a similar fashion, keeping weapons trained on Shepard's team.

Seeing that they were just mercs, Shepard relaxed his grip on his weapon, lowering the barrel. The others did the same, though the mercs still looked at him with a cautious suspicion.

"Who are you?" The merc leader asked harshly.

"Commander Shepard. I'm here to investigate some disappearances that happened recently. You?"

"Sergeant Jonathan Powell, Blue Suns. One of our squads went missing here last week. We're looking for any sign of what happened to them."

They all turned in surprise at the sounds of gunfire echoing through the alleyways. With a few barked orders from the Sergeant, the mercs sprang into action, moving hurriedly towards the refinery and the source of the commotion. Shepard turned to follow.

They rounded one final corridor before arriving in front of the refinery's front doors. The two large doors had been forced open, and in between them, across the threshold, lay a sorry looking bundle. From a distance, it looked like a human, but Shepard instantly realised what it was from the pale, almost translucent flesh drawn tight across its frame. The mercenary Sergeant rolled the corpse over and jumped back in revulsion when the face, its primary features marred by wires and tubes, rolled about lifelessly.

"Oh God! What is that?" One of the mercenaries asked in horror.

Shepard calmly stepped over and kneeled next to the inert body, examining it.

"It's called a husk. Used to be a person, but not any more. The tech you can see is used to control it. Saren used them as shock troops on Eden Prime." He explained, before turning to his own squad. "These are more primitive than the ones we've seen before. Looks like the Collectors don't have the resources they need to make them as powerful as they were before."

"Collectors? What are you talking about?" Powell asked.

"You've got a Collector infestation here. I'm here to wipe them out."

"But the Collectors are just a story! Made up by people like that crazy prophet in the markets to scare humans off Omega." Another Mercenary piped up, a tremor of fear in her voice.

"They're real enough to have kidnapped all those colonists that vanished last year. We put a stop to it, but clearly there's a couple of loose ends to tie up." Shepard saw that the mercenaries would not be reliable in a fight with the Collectors, too shaken up by the sight of the husk. "I'm going in to deal with these things. I need you to watch the entrances in case they try to make an escape." When the Blue Suns Sergeant saluted, Shepard motioned for Jacob and Kaidan to step over. "I need you two to keep an eye on these guys for me. Keep them from getting in the way, and be ready to come charging in if things go real bad for us." Jacob saluted, while Kaidan merely nodded, clearly put out about having to wait outside while the others fought.

Shepard led Jack and Legion through the open doors into the refinery, activating the light in his omnitool to scan the area ahead of him. More husks littered the floor here and there, torn to shreds by enemy fire.

"Who took these things down? Do we have to worry about them attacking us?" Jack wondered aloud.

"The entrance was breached from the outside." Legion stated. "It seems likely we are not the only force who seek to do the Collectors harm."

They all twitched at the sounds of more gunfire, coming from the far side of the refinery. Shepard waved an arm in a 'follow me' gesture, and led the way between two enormous vats, which had presumably been where the ore had been processed to separate the valuable element zero from within it.

The hair on the back of Shepard's neck rose up when he heard the familiar wheezing groans of more husks, and felt his stomach drop at the sight of a group shambling around another large vat ahead of them. These had once been people, but had now had their free will stolen by monsters.

Reluctantly, Shepard opened fire on the husks as they began to increase their speed. For all the technology they had installed within them, the creatures were frail, falling apart as Shepard, Jack and Legion unleashed a salvo of bullets into their midst. Just as the last of this first group fell, Shepard heard even more moans from all around, a veritable army of the creatures moving in on them.

"Come on! We can't defend a position like this." Shepard moved off, the other two following his lead.

The trio moved through the silent machinery of the refinery, weaving between smelting vats and production lines as fast as they could. Stealing a look over his shoulder, Shepard caught sight of the host of husks rushing after them, a sea of pale bodies and dead eyes chasing after them. He turned and fired off a full clip of bullets into the heaving mass, thinning their numbers a bit, but more just kept coming.

At last, they came across a choke point where they could easily defend without getting surrounded. There, Shepard turned and kneeled, opening fire into the ranks of the husks with deadly accuracy. Rarely did he have to fire more than two shots before one of the creatures fell apart under the attack. To his side, Legion also unleashed the full power of his rifle, his machine reflexes proving a match for the Commander's training. Behind them, Jack had stowed her shotgun, instead favouring her biotic powers. Ripples moved through the enemy ranks as she unleashed a shockwave into their heart, throwing dozens of the creatures aside like leaves before a great gale. One of the vats trembled in its place before slowly toppling over, crushing husks into a pulp.

As the husks' numbers thinned, Shepard became aware of a pair of larger shapes shambling up behind them. He cursed as he noticed the distinctive shape of Scions, the husks' larger brothers. The two monstrosities, with skeletal faces locked in a never-ending snarl, aimed their weapon-like arms at the trio and unleashed powerful biotic blasts. One knocked legion from its feet and the other greatly depleted Shepard's shields.

Laying his assault rifle aside, Shepard drew his sniper rifle.

"Jack, keep the little ones at bay! We'll deal with the big ones. Legion, aim for the head of the one on the left."

As the Geth steadied itself to make the shot, Shepard focused on the sac of glowing blue fluid on the Scion's back. The two of them fired in the same instant, Legion's shot piercing the creature through the eye and Shepard's puncturing the creature's skin on its back. Thick, grey liquid seeped out as the Scion stumbled, its control centre shot through by the Geth and its power source leaking away. The pair repeated the process on the second Scion, but although Legion's shot went home, Shepard's rifle only clicked, unresponsive. He looked down to see that the rifle had jammed, a heat sink caught halfway out of the loading mechanism. As he struggled with the jammed rifle, the remaining Scion lined up another attack, a build-up of biotic power swirling around the muzzle of its weapon appendage.

Just as Shepard prepared to dive out of the way of the attack, the whole creature glowed a faint blue, before lifting up off the deck and slamming into the side of a nearby vat. It was then hoisted aloft again and pummelled into the deck in the middle of the main concentration of husks, smearing more than a few of them across the floor. The Commander turned to see Jack bearing a small smile of satisfaction.

"Hurry up, Commander. I'm getting bored, just playing with these husks all day."

Smirking at her quip, Shepard picked up his assault rifle once more, firing it with vigour. In a few more seconds, all that remained of the enemy host was scattered across the floor of the refinery in a slushy mess. Shepard tried not to be nauseated by the sight as he picked his way through the carnage.

"Not far to where we heard that gunfire now. Follow me."

They hurried they're pace as the gunfire was renewed, seeing the flashes from the discharging weapons now. For a brief second Shepard was sure that he saw a flash of biotic blue as well. They rounded a final corner to come face to face with a fierce firefight. A large office was built into the wall ahead of them, extending away from them for about thirty feet. The windows, which covered the near wall, had been shot out in the battle. Inside the office, the unforgettable shapes of several Collectors could be seen crouching behind desks and filing cabinets, occasionally popping up to fire at their assailants.

The two attackers were taking cover behind a large supply crate, one of many that littered the refinery floor. They looked over at Shepard's squad as they moved into view, reacting with more than a little surprise.

"Shepard? What the hell are you doing here?" The human said in his characteristic deep, rough voice. Zaeed twisted to point his rifle out from behind cover and fire a few rounds at the Collectors, but most of them bounced off office furniture or embedded themselves in the wall. Shepard scurried over to join them in their cover, Jack and Legion taking up positions behind similar crates.

Zaeed's companion turned at this point to reveal the scarred face of Garrus Vakarian, whose Turian mandibles flared in amazement.

"Commander. Figures that you'd be here. We only needed to look for the biggest trouble we could find and you'd be sure to turn up at some point." Garrus said.

"You know me, I like a party." Shepard joked. "How many are we looking at?"

"I count eight out there. It's a small bunch. Not sure what they're doing here, but I think it might be that they were on Omega negotiating for test subjects when we went and destroyed their base, leaving them stranded here for the past year. One of them seems to be leading the group, the big one with the missing eye. He's got me to thank for that. It's kinda been a stand-off for a while now, but I reckon you've brought enough to finish this now."

"Let's push the attack. Garrus, you and Legion get sniping. Zaeed and I will move 'round either side. Jack, cause any kind of hell you can think of." Shepard ordered.

Shepard rolled out of his cover, unleashing a storm of bullets into the enemy before they could spot the movement. His volley took down one Collector, while Zaeed's sudden sprint out of cover resulted in a further enemy death. Jack jumped up from behind her crate and lifted a third Collector into the air for Garrus to calmly shoot through the head. Legion fired a shot at a fourth Collector, but a biotic barrier deflected the round so that it only grazed the Collector's shoulder.

With Shepard's team's initial moment of surprise spent, the Collectors returned fire, one knocking Jack over with a biotic blast, while the remaining four fired their weapons, strange beam rifles that scored red-hot marks across the metal of the deck and crates. Zaeed covered the final distance between him and the office before vaulting through the window and taking cover behind a desk, taking only a little fire which drained his shields slightly. Shepard, meanwhile, took cover just outside of the door to the office

They moved forward in this fashion for several minutes, Garrus and Legion forcing the Collectors to take cover while Shepard and Zaeed drew closer to the enemy. Jack kept throwing the Collectors into confusion by hurling the cover they hid behind up into the air or back at them.

By the time Shepard had almost crossed the room, only three Collectors remained. He switched to his shotgun as he drew close to one Collector, and stood up, firing it in one smooth movement. The cloud of pellets escaping the muzzle of the shotgun shredded the Collector's barrier and tore through chitinous armour, killing the creature outright. On the other side of the room, Zaeed charged the second-to-last Collector, smashing his rifle into the alien's face. Dropping the weapon, the grizzled old soldier grappled with the Collector, hand-to-hand.

That only left one final Collector, the big one Garrus had warned about. It roared, an unearthly howl, and charged Shepard, swiping at him viciously. Shepard managed to dodge the blow, but his shotgun was torn from his hands, clattering against the wall out of reach. The Collector lunged again, scoring a hit to the side of the Commander's face. As he staggered about dazedly, Shepard shouted to his companions.

"Garrus! I need some help here."

"I can't get a shot, Commander. You're in the way. Move!" The Turian responded anxiously.

Shepard complied by diving to the side as the Collector lunged again, and was satisfied to hear two thunderous shots. Unfortunately, the swiftness of the Collector's attack meant that the shots, which would have pierced vital organs, only pierced its exoskeleton, eliciting a screech of pain. The beast lumbered after Shepard, out for his blood.

Knowing that the sniper rifles would take too long to reload, Shepard squared up with the monster, fists held before him in a classic boxing stance. As the Collector lunged forwards he lashed out with a vicious right hook, catching the insect across the face. He winced as he felt his hand hit hard chitinous armour, but was satisfied to see the creature stagger back. The Commander pressed the attack, landing a few more painful blows, before the Collector recovered enough to swipe him off his feet.

As the Collector lumbered over, intent on killing him, Shepard saw a desk lift up behind it, glowing a ghostly blue. The desk shot through the air and hit the alien across the back, hurling it to the ground. Shepard waited a second and, determining the beast was unconscious, got to his feet.

He looked back at his companions to see Jack lowering her arms, blue witchfire dwindling around her hands as she nodded grimly, satisfied with her performance.

Shepard looked around to see Zaeed standing up from the corpse of his last foe, cleaning off a bloody knife. He slotted the weapon back into its place in his belt before retrieving his rifle. He walked over to stand next to Shepard, looking down at the last Collector with an uncaring expression on his face. Coldly, he lifted his gun to take aim at the alien's head.

"Wait!" Shepard almost shouted, pushing the gun away. "This thing could be a valuable prisoner."

"Are you out of your goddamn mind, Shepard? It's a Collector, a big, stupid beetle! Better off dead."

"The Collectors were working for the Reapers. It might know a bit about its masters. We might be able to interrogate it to find a weakness in the Reapers. At the least a living specimen would let us understand what the Reapers do to the species they subdue, and maybe give us a way to fight it."

"I'm with Zaeed on this one, Commander. We're better off without it." Garrus said, walking over to stand near them.

"We should at least find out what it was doing here. What such a small group could have hoped to accomplish." Shepard said defensively.

The Turian was silent for a few moments.

"There's something more here, isn't there, Commander?"

"It's just… this is the last remnant of the Protheans, Garrus. I know Mordin said that the indoctrination process made them into something else, but this is still all that's left of that entire species. They fought hard to stop the Reapers, and gave us the edge we needed to stop Sovereign. Should we be so quick to exterminate the last living specimen of their race, no matter how changed it might be?"

"I don't know, Commander. It sounds like an awfully big risk." Garrus said uncertainly.

"Shepard-Commander. There is one further point to consider. As the specimen is, to a certain degree, a Prothean, it would bear certain knowledge in its genetic base code, its 'genetic memory', which could prove valuable. Scientists are unearthing Prothean relics constantly which may or may not have great value in the war with the Old Machines. Should the subject contain information similar to the Prothean Cipher you received on Feros, it would be invaluable in gaining access to such technologies." Legion interjected.

"Let's bag it up and take it back to the Normandy. We can keep it locked up until we decide what to do." Shepard decided. He activated his commlink. "Kaidan, take Jacob and go get the vehicle. We have a package for delivery to the Normandy.

"Roger that, Commander."

Minutes later, the squad turned at a shuffling sound outside the office. Standing in the doorway, Sergeant Powell surveyed the chaos with wide eyes, finally staring with a little fear at the seven Collector corpses and the one living creature, tied to a makeshift stretcher made from the remains of a desk.

"That's a Collector?" He asked.

"Sure is. Don't worry. We got everything covered here." Shepard assured him.

"I see that. Impressive work. Did you find who-" He broke off in mid sentence as Zaeed walked into the office, adjusting his rifle before stowing it in its place on his back. Shepard caught his glance and stepped forward.

"This is Zaeed, part of a team that was already here to take out the Collectors."

"Right." The Sergeant said hesitantly. He looked about the destroyed office once again. "I'm going to go and give Command my report. I'm sure they'll be pleased to know that the things that were kidnapping our men have been stopped." With that, he turned and left. Zaeed watched him go with a bit of curiosity.

"Strange kid. A bit of a wet streak of nothing, ain't he?" The old mercenary dismissed the thought with a shake of his head. "Anyway, I guess we'd best get this big old bastard out of here." He said, hoisting the stretcher. Garrus took the other end, the pair of them straining under the weight of the Collector.

Shepard led the way to the refinery's entrance, guiding them around the carnage of their fight with the husks. Shepard stopped in surprise in the doors of the refinery, surprised at the sight that greeted him there.

Sergeant Powell's squad stood out in the street, aiming their weapons straight at Shepard's team as they tried to leave. At the appearance of Zaeed, a number of fingers tightened on triggers.

"Stay where you are!" Powell shouted.

"What's going on?" Shepard asked.

"Mr Massanni is very well known in our organisation, Commander. Vido Santiago has issued a substantial bounty on his head, which he will gladly double if he's brought in alive."

"You're not taking him." Shepard responded stubbornly.

"I've already contacted Command. They're sending several squadrons to take him into custody. If you get in our way, we'll be forced to use deadly force."

Cursing, Shepard ordered his team back into cover as the mercenaries opened fire. Garrus and Zaeed moved to hide behind some machinery as they laid down the Collector. The mercenaries unleashed a devastating amount of fire in a very short time, hammering away at the squad's cover. Shepard accounted for two mercenaries by peeking out from behind the doorway, but found that it took too long because of the speed with which the mercenaries returned fire.

There was a shocked lull in the enemy fire when Jack raised an arm and a whole load lifter flung itself through the door at the mercenaries, crushing three under its weight and injuring several more. In the shocked pause, Garrus and Legion eliminated two more mercenaries with precise shots from their sniper rifles. Zaeed drew a canister from his belt and, pulling the pin out with his teeth, flung the device over his cover and into the enemy ranks.

There was a chorus of screams as the device exploded, flames spreading out from it in a deadly circle to ignite armour and flesh. When Shepard looked back out of the door, he saw that half a dozen mercs had fallen to the flames, including the young Sergeant Powell. Seeing the way clear, he motioned for his comrades to follow him as he called Kaidan again.

"Kaidan! Where's our lift out of here?"

"We're in the air, Commander, but there's a lot of activity up here. Three gunships just blazed into the District like the Reapers were after them. I take it that has something to do with you?"

"Someone took a distinct dislike to my team. How long will you be?"

"I can't get near the refinery, Commander. Those gunships are almost on top of you. We're several blocks over right now. Can you get to us?"

"I guess we'll have to. Keep yourself out of sight until we're ready for pickup."

As the Commander signed off, a gunship rushed by overhead, the throaty roar of its engine rattling the building.

"Zaeed! Garrus! Grab that stretcher. We've got to leave. We'll watch your backs while you get to the LZ. Move!" He shouted over the noise of the enemy craft.

As the squad moved out into the street, a gunship paused above and before them. Rope dropped down from its belly and a group of mercenaries rappelled down to stand in the street in front of them. Shepard opened fire on the descending enemies, trying to eliminate them before they touched the deck. Two perished before they landed, falling the rest of the way to the ground and hitting with sickening crunches. However, more descended after them, in numbers too great to counter in mid-air. Finally the flood of enemies stopped when Jack, instead of firing her shotgun into the advancing ranks of mercenaries, raised a hand and pulled at the gunship. The underside of the ship shuddered and glowed blue as she pulled at it with her mind, until at last the pilot decided that the risk of a crash was too great and powered the vehicle away.

Shepard easily dealt with the troops on the ground, keeping himself between the enemy and his friends. They made steady progress through the streets, hampered occasionally by waves of mercs appearing around street corners. Whenever a large group of enemies appeared, Zaeed and Garrus would drop back until the Commander had dealt with the threat, moving on when it was clear. The gunships were an ever-present danger, zooming past overhead continually and presumably offloading the troops in side alleys where Jack couldn't pluck them out of the sky. Shepard realised that the only reason why they hadn't just performed a strafing run on the squad was because of the tight confines of the streets they walked through. A gunship couldn't risk an attack like that without serious damage.

As the team drew closer to the LZ, Shepard became more and more nervous of having to cross the open ground to get to the skycar. His fears were confirmed when, after several blocks, the LZ came into view. The skycar was inconspicuously sitting there, seemingly powered down, when a gunship hove into view above it, perching over the escape route and keeping its weapons trained on the empty space between Shepard and his vehicle.

Seeing this, Zaeed and Garrus rushed for cover behind a dumpster, crouching ready to dash to the skycar if needed. Jack leapt for safety in a deep doorway and Legion darted into an alleyway. Shepard, face-to-face with the gunship, froze for a second while he weighed his options and then, firing his rifle as he ran, he dashed into the alleyway with the Geth.

A steady stream of bullets peppered the street they had just vacated, along with a rocket that carved a furrow in the metal decking of the street. Legion popped its upper body out of cover to fire off a lethal sniper round, which pinged off the ship's shields. Across from them, Jack lifted a trashcan with her biotics and threw it at the ship with all the force she could put behind it. While Legion reloaded its rifle, Shepard stepped out and fired his rifle, the barrage whittling away at its shields.

They continued this assault for a while, managing at last to break down its shield. The gunship scored only a few lucky hits, at one point knocking Legion down with a rocket. Before it could follow up on the attack, the Geth scrambled on all fours back into its alleyway. At one point a string of bullets hit Shepard in the torso, bringing down his shields. The last bullet hit his armour and, though it was deflected, the impact left him winded.

After the shield fell, Shepard stepped out into the street and lifted the sniper rifle determinedly. Sighting down on the target even as a hail of bullets hit the deck around him, the Commander fired a single shot, piercing the ship's right stabiliser. The vehicle swerved dramatically, smoke pouring from the bullet hole. It staggered about in the air for a moment before crashing into a building with tremendous force, exploding spectacularly.

With the gunship out of the picture, Shepard urged his friends to get to the skycar. As they approached, the vehicle powered up and Jacob opened the rear door, waving for them to hurry. Garrus and Zaeed hoisted their load into the car with little ceremony and clambered in themselves, followed by Jack and Legion. As the rear door closed, Shepard climbed in the front, taking the controls as Kaidan slid over into the front passenger seat.

"Those other two gunships are headed this way fast, Commander. Looks like they were offloading troops behind you, but now their friend's gone, they're heading this way."

Without further comment, Shepard powered the vehicle up and away from the street, taking to the skies with all the speed that the vehicle had. Looking back, he saw the gunships only a short way behind, giving chase.

**~o~0~o~**

The skycar powered through the Omega skyline nimbly, weaving between one towering construct after another in an attempt to shake the Blue Suns gunships. However, the two pursuers remained doggedly attached to the Commander's tail, refusing to give up the chase. He tried doubling back and dropping down to street level, but the gunships kept up with him, no matter what.

The vehicle shuddered as the mercenaries opened fire, a few bullets scoring a line of round dents in the skycar's surprisingly tough shell. Shepard struggled to hold a straight course as the detonations from a couple of rockets buffeted them about. He muttered a string of curses as he wrestled with the controls.

"Goddamn it, we'll never get rid of them at this pace. Aren't there any weapons on this thing?"

As Shepard asked this last question, he felt a tug at his back. Garrus had pulled the grenade launcher off his back, clicking the various moving parts into place and powering it up. Without hesitation, the Turian opened the side door, making the vehicle weave alarmingly as its aerodynamics altered. As a maelstrom of rushing air filled the interior of the vehicle, Garrus leaned out and slowly, meticulously, took aim at one of the pursuing gunships. Pulling the trigger three times in quick succession, he launched three grenades straight backwards at the lead gunship. The first two exploded harmlessly to either side of the vehicle, but the third one hit its shields directly over the cockpit. The pilot inside was blinded by the explosion and swerved, a fatal error. The gunship hit the nearest building, tearing itself apart.

Pulling back into the skycar, Garrus quietly closed the door, ignoring the shocked looks the rest of the squad was giving him.

"That's one less to deal with. Though now, unfortunately, we don't have any more weapons that'll be worth a damn against the last one." He said to the Commander.

"That's okay. I just came up with a brilliant idea." Shepard said, looking up through the roof canopy. He noted that they had left the Smelter District behind them, and were now moving into busier sections of the station. Above, the busy main traffic lanes of the station buzzed by. Kaidan caught his glance.

"Commander! You cannot be serious!"

"Never been more serious in my life. Hold on!" He shouted the last as he pulled the skycar into a tight turn, rotating it ninety degrees to shoot straight upwards into the flow of traffic. He twisted the vehicle savagely to move into the traffic lanes and move with them, forcing his way between another skycar and a small freighter. He thought for a moment that he had managed to lose the gunship, but then it rushed by overhead, firing at them even in the midst of the mass of vehicles. All around the skycar, vehicles swerved to avoid the aerial combat, the neat flowing line of traffic separating into dozens of ships all trying desperately to avoid destruction. Sighing at the stubbornness of their enemy, Shepard twisted the skycar through the air, running rings around an older, slower cargo transport as the gunship tried to take aim at him.

Checking behind him to look for the gunship, Shepard was snapped back to looking forwards by a cry from Kaidan, narrowly avoiding a head-on collision with a taxi which had got turned around.

Realising that driving through the busy traffic lanes was proving more dangerous than helpful, given the mercenaries' willingness to open fire on civilians, the Commander looked for another option, and saw one in the form of the entrance to the cargo loading bays. Angling the skycar down towards them, he gunned the accelerator. There was a yelp of fear from Jacob as the entrance to the docking bays rushed past on either side, dangerously close. Metres below, hundreds of the denizens of Omega ran for cover as the skycar darted past overhead, swiftly followed by the gunship.

The Commander struggled with the controls as each and every turn presented a challenge at these sorts of speeds. Having rockets detonate all around made the task even more challenging. He wracked his brains to think of a way to get rid of their pursuit, disappointed that the narrow tunnels had not defeated them.

When the two vehicles shot out of the far end of the cargo bays, Shepard turned the car to the left, bringing it in over the markets. He saw Afterlife rush by to his left, the blazing neon signs that adorned its roof unmistakable, and realised how close to the edge of the station he had to be. Activating his commlink, he contacted the Normandy. Joker was swift to answer.

"What's up, Commander?"

"Joker, how do you feel about taking the Normandy for a little joyride?" Shepard asked, tugging at the controls to avoid another rocket.

"Sounds like fun. Where do you need me?"

"We're close to Afterlife. Still in the atmospheric mass effect envelope. Got a merc gunship on our tail, and I'm running out of tricks here."

"It's gonna be tight, Commander. You're right in the middle of a very built up area, and I don't think there's room for the Normandy down there, 'cept in the docking areas. Get further away from the asteroid, and I'll see what I can do." Joker signed off, already turning to the helm controls.

Shepard sighed and twisted the skycar around yet another building, angling away from the asteroid and out towards space. Though the skycar wasn't designed for space travel, it would last long enough to be picked up by the Normandy. The only worry Shepard had was that, the further away from the atmospheric envelope of the station he went, the more widely spaced the station's buildings became. With that came less cover from their enemy.

Shepard wove the car in and out of the towering structures all around, pushing the skycar to its limits. Finally they burst out of the station's atmospheric bubble, held in place by the same mass effect field generators that helped keep asteroids from tearing through the station. The vehicle shuddered from a few more hits before Shepard became aware of a much larger shape moving nearby.

Moving in parallel to the chase, the Normandy cruised along just outside of the main concentration of Omega's structure. Glad to have their escape so close at hand, moved the skycar over towards the frigate, wincing as the gunship scored a few direct hits on their vehicle.

With a suddenness that surprised Shepard, the Normandy twitched to the side, it's starboard thruster catching the gunship with a solid impact and sending the much smaller vehicle flying away, a crumpled wreck.

The Commander let out a long breath of relief as the Normandy's cargo doors opened and he decelerated the skycar to land on the cleared deck in the cargo bay. Exhausted by their ordeal, he powered down the skycar and opened the door, grateful to be back home. In the back of the skycar, as the squad clambered out, the Collector stirred uneasily in its unconscious slumber.


	10. 10: The Last Prothean

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 10: The Last Prothean**

Shepard walked slowly through the CIC and up towards the cockpit, wearily twisting his head from side to side to work the tired knots out of his neck. He moved up next to Joker just as the pilot edged the Normandy back into her bay, the docking arm resealing around the airlock with a hiss. Beyond the cockpit's windows, the skyline of Omega twinkled in a deceptively beautiful display, a glittering curtain hiding the rotten core of the station. Over the comms, a myriad traffic controllers still screamed at the pilot over his recent trip through the more densely constructed areas of the station. Ignoring them, Joker spun his seat around to look at the Commander with a cocky grin on his face.

"What, no applause?" The young man waited until the Commander responded with a sarcastic couple of claps of his gloved hands. "I have officially made Omega crap its pants, though. You might want to go to Afterlife and smooth some ruffled feathers while we wait for the rest of the crew to get back."

"A trip to Afterlife won't be necessary." Feron chimed in, walking up behind the Commander. Before Shepard could ask his meaning, the airlock whooshed open and Aria stomped into the ship, closely followed by a pair of guards and the grinning Patriarch.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" The pirate queen of Omega demanded, walking up to stand inches away from the Commander. If she had been anyone else, Shepard might have thought the idea of one of her stature standing toe-to-toe with him like that humorous. However, Aria's fury was almost tangible in the air around her.

"They shot at us first." He said in protest.

"Do you have any idea of how much chaos your little car chase has caused? This isn't a racetrack for you to drive around! Half the Smelter District got torn to shred by your antics, and the main traffic lanes are piled up like you wouldn't believe. How am I meant to explain three gunships embedding themselves in densely populated apartment blocks? That says nothing of your ship's little joyride through the skies above the Market district! And now I'm getting demands from the Blue Suns that I lock you all up. How am I meant to make that all disappear? I'd have rather kept the Collectors. At least they kept a low profile!"

Shepard stood silent as the ruler of Omega ranted. When it became apparent that she had finished, he spoke up.

"I'm sorry. I had no idea that this would happen. Apparently the mercs have a bounty out on one of my squad, and they weren't about to pass up on the opportunity to cash in." Shepard explained. The Asari snorted.

"I'm not surprised. The way you operate, it's a wonder the entire Galaxy isn't after your hide. You should stay away from Omega for a while. Allow the smoke to clear and tempers to calm down. In the meantime, what have you done with my car?"

"It's in the cargo bay, but I should warn you, the mercs weren't kind to it."

Aria stiffened, her face clouding with rage again. She turned on her heel and headed back through the airlock.

"Keep it, then. And make sure it's a good long while before I see your face again!" she threw back over her shoulder as she stormed off. Her guards followed her closely, but Patriarch was slower to leave.

"Don't worry about Aria, she's just pissed she missed out on the action. A woman with her responsibilities likes to relax once in a while by gunning down a bunch of deadbeats. Plus, a little excitement is good for Omega now and then." The Krogan chuckled, a deep throaty sound. "Just like you, Shepard, to stir up a Varren nest on Omega. Fight well, Commander."

Shepard nodded at the old Krogan's farewell as the Patriarch departed, humming a jaunty tune to himself. As the airlock cycled closed, Joker turned back to his station, a rush of air escaping his lips.

"Damn, Commander. Thrown out of Omega? I guess there's no limit to how low we can get, huh?" He asked.

"Very funny." The Commander said dryly. "Just make sure we're ready to get out of here once the others get back."

"Can do, Shepard. Any word on where we're heading next?"

"Thessia. I'll want to catch up with the Justicar there before she leaves the planet."

"Great, another crazy space paladin. We meet such interesting people in our travels. Take the oversized wasp you've got buzzing around in the Med Bay. I'll bet that's going to be a barrel of laughs." Joker grumbled. "I'll plot out our relay jumps to get to Asari space."

"And I'll have Liara run us up some documents to land on Thessia. She should be able to pull some strings with the local matriarchs." Feron volunteered, heading back to his post in the briefing room.

"Speaking of our new arrival, I'd best go down and see what it's doing." Shepard said.

As the Commander moved past the Galaxy Map, Kelly caught his eye, obviously wanting to speak with him.

"Commander, you should know that some messages arrived at your private terminal." She said formally.

"Thanks. Anything else?" He asked, sensing her desire to discuss more than just his inbox.

"I'm a bit concerned about our newest arrival. A Collector on board? That makes me nervous. Last time we had one of those things on board, it was putting us in those horrible pods they used to carry off kidnapped colonists. A lot of the crew are feeling jumpy too."

"We'll keep it under constant guard, but I'm not ready to space it just yet. It might have valuable information we can use."

"Nevertheless, be careful when you talk to it, Commander. Even if I were familiar with Collector psychology, I wouldn't be able to predict how this thing is going to act. This thing is the last of its species, and it is trapped on the ship that wiped out the rest of its race. I don't know how that will affect it, or what it might try to do."

"I'll watch myself. Trust me, Kelly. Nothing is more important to me than the safety of this ship."

Having reassured the young woman, Shepard moved over to his console and pulled up the latest messages. Mostly they were the usual spam messages, but there was one from Anderson that he opened up.

_Shepard,_

_I've spoken to the scientists here at the Academy, and more than a few of them have volunteered their expertise and advice to help you with joker's condition. One specialist in neuro-surgery and mental mapping methods, an Asari called Rana Thanoptis, has given me a vast array of files to forward on to you. See what your Doctor has to say about the material._

_I hope you can get Joker back to his old self._

_Oh, and if you tell him this came from me I'll make sure life gets very unpleasant for you. Do I make myself clear?_

_Good Luck, Commander_

David

Shepard smiled at the message and downloaded the files to give to Archer later. Turning, he stepped into the elevator.

**~o~0~o~**

Down on the Crew Deck, Shepard stepped out of the elevator and into the Mess Hall, noting that all of the crewmen sitting around the tables were staring at the Med Bay with a good measure of trepidation. There was little conversation, and the general feeling was one of fear. Shepard strode past them and entered the Med Bay.

Garrus was sat at the Doctor's desk, rifle balanced across his angular knees as he sat awkwardly in the chair designed for humans. Across from the Turian, the captive Collector paced from side to side inside a kinetic barrier. The barrier was large enough to contain one of the Med Bay's beds, upon which the creature had been placed while it was still unconscious. As the alien paced from side to side, its eyes remained locked on Garrus, the three yellow orbs glowing with feral menace. The fourth eyesocket was empty, a jagged scar running over it. Occasionally the Collector tested the barrier, though at no point did the shield weaken. Garrus looked up as Shepard walked in, the Turian equivalent of a smile filling his face as the mandibles flexed and the mouth twisted.

"Commander. I'm just keeping an eye on our newest passenger."

"Anything strange?"

"Nothing stranger than is usual, though with this ship that is not saying much. It keeps testing the barrier, but it can't get out." The Turian replied, scratching at his head fringe.

"You look beat, Garrus. Take a break. I'm gonna try talking to it."

"You're the boss."

As Garrus left, Shepard turned to look at the creature, a mixture of trepidation and obscene curiosity driving him. He walked up to stand just on the other side of the barrier and stared at it. The Collector stopped its pacing and stood opposite the Commander, returning his gaze. They stood there, eyes locked, for several seconds. Humans might have thought it to be a staring contest, but it was more than that. Here stood two predators, killers, weighing each other up.

"Can you understand me?" Shepard asked. The Collector stood silent, staring him down, but the Commander got the feeling the words registered with the alien.

"What were you doing on Omega?" Shepard demanded.

"Who are you to ask?" Came the reply. Shepard suppressed a shudder at the deep, resonant voice. In it he heard the voice of a monster, a nightmare come to life.

"I'm Commander Shepard of the Normandy-" Shepard stopped as the beast flung itself at the barrier, straining to get at him. "I take it you've heard of me, then."

"Your name was whispered through my mind, as my brothers died by the thousand. I heard you advance through my home by way of the thoughts of my people, and felt their deaths as you engineered the destruction of my home. My kin, murdered to the last one by your hand!" It growled.

"And what about the thousands of humans your people slaughtered? The colonists who watched as one by one they were liquefied and turned into an abomination?" Shepard countered. "You were building a Reaper. I'm not about to let anyone help them to wipe out galactic civilisation."

"We do as the Creators command. Any who oppose them must be destroyed." The Collector explained.

"Creators? The Reapers do not create, they only destroy. They wiped out your society and turned you into slaves!"

"What would you know of it? Your species had yet to take its first steps when the Creators raised us to our perfection." A sneering tone dominated the beast's words.

"Our Science officer was able to decipher your genetic history from some samples we acquired while we were a guest on one of your ships. He figured out how the Reapers had corrupted the Protheans to make you easier to control."

"The Protheans? We know nothing of such a species." There was doubt running through the Collector's voice, suspicion of a deception evident.

"EDI?" Shepard called out to the ship's AI, waiting for her interface to pop up in the holographic display in the corner of the Med Bay. "Show our guest the data Mordin used in his research."

"Yes, Shepard." EDI said helpfully. Moments later a holographic display lit up, projecting through the barrier so the Collector could look at it. The alien lumbered over and began scrolling through the data.

Shepard waited a short while, and when it became apparent that the Collector was so engrossed in the screeds of notes the Salarian doctor had made that it had forgotten about the Commander, he subtly cleared his throat. The three eyes twitched up to look at him.

"Remember them now?" Shepard asked.

"It will take time to read this information. Leave me in peace." It replied curtly.

Slightly put out at the rude dismissal, Shepard hesitated a few seconds before leaving, deciding to resume the interrogation the next day. He paused outside the door to the Med Bay.

"EDI?"

"Yes, Shepard." The reply was instantaneous.

"What do you make of that?"

"My data on Collectors does not cover much more than the statistics of how many you have killed personally, Commander. I have no clear point of reference to make any sort of judgement."

"But what about that last bit? Calling the Reapers 'creators' and having no knowledge of the Protheans. That seems a bit off to me."

"It is possible that, as part of the process of indoctrination, the Reapers incorporated themselves into the Collectors' belief system as a way to inculcate obedience in the drones even when communication was disrupted. We saw this even with Saren. Naming Nazara as Sovereign implied a level of reverence for the Reaper. In order to maintain the illusion of being benevolent deities, the Reapers would have most likely developed in the Collectors a mental conditioning that prevented them from looking too deeply at anything relating to their true origins, to the point that they became unaware that the Protheans had ever existed. Therefore, they did not make the connection between their quad-strand genetic structure and samples found at dig sites around the Galaxy."

"So essentially they were programmed to ignore any clues to their past?"

"I suspect so."

"Another thing that bothers me is how well its moving about and talking. I thought indoctrination reduced functionality in its victims?"

"You forget that the Reapers forced extensive genetic and cybernetic upgrades upon the Collectors to compensate for this loss of efficiency. Also, bear in mind that the Collectors shared a collective consciousness, a 'hive mind' in layman's terms. Now, the prisoner is the sole remaining individual of its race. The consciousness of an entire species is condensed into one mind. This extreme concentration of thought may be helping to compensate for the debilitating effects that indoctrination has upon its victims."

"A Collector that's not being controlled by the Reapers. Could be useful." Shepard murmured.

"Need I remind you that this is the alien whose entire race you blew to hell not so long ago?" Joker chimed in. "I'm not sure how it thinks, but I reckon its gonna hold a grudge about that. Not to mention the risk that the Reapers will just take control again."

"I don't think that'll be a problem. Look at Legion: The complexity of their systems compared to those of normal Geth platforms makes them infinitely more secure against hacking attempts. I'd expect the same thing here. A mind with the consciousness of an entire species running through it is going to be a lot harder to subvert than the drones we encountered back through Omega Four." Shepard explained. "Anyway, we won't know anything until our prisoner has a chance to look through that data we gave it. I'll see what we can get from it tomorrow."

As Shepard approached the elevator, he noticed that the door to the Port Lounge was open. Curious, he walked over to see who was in there.

Garrus and Zaeed were in the lounge, the former cradling a large bottle inside of which swirled a strange green liquid, and the latter holding a glass of what looked like whiskey. The pair looked up as Shepard approached and raised their drinks in greeting, inviting the Commander to join them.

"Shepard! Come an' have a seat. We were just cooling off after that mess down on the station." Zaeed said cordially. "Goddamn tough fight, that one. Mind you, I'd thought we'd seen the last of those bastards after our little jaunt to their base."

"One thing you learn when you work with Shepard is that there's always another battle to fight." Garrus said, smiling. "No matter where he goes, trouble comes worming out of the woodwork in some form or another."

"It's not all that bad." Shepard interrupted. "I can think of at least twelve planets we've gone to where nobody was shooting at us."

"Considering the number of planets you've visited, that isn't all that reassuring, Commander." The Turian shot back, mandibles twitching in amusement. "But I will admit, its good to be back. The past few months have been rough."

"What have you guys been doing while I've been away?" Shepard asked as he went over to the bar and poured himself a drink, a heady fizzing concoction that glowed a faint green, something he had acquired a taste for on the Citadel. "Liara made mention that you've been doing merc work in the verge."

"And some other places. We've been carrying on the work that my squad was doing here on Omega." Garrus explained, a twinge of sadness tugging at his features as he mentioned his old friends, now dead for over a year. "We've been causing whatever problems we can for the big dogs in the galaxy; Blue Suns, Eclipse, Blood Pack, a new Batarian gang called Brakh'shon and a few others."

"You never were one to sit still, Garrus." Shepard said before turning to the old mercenary. "But what about you, Zaeed? You've always been working towards the next paycheque. Being a vigilante isn't exactly your style."

"As long as whatever we're doing can help to hurt Vido and his Blue Suns, I'm in." Zaeed grumbled, taking a long gulp from his drink. "But it's a bit more than that. More and more, I'm looking for a place where I can settle down, hang Jessie up on the wall and enjoy some of the money my merc life has earned me. Working with you showed me that there's nowhere in the Galaxy that I can do that at the moment. As long as these mercs are out there, I'll never be able to sit still without worrying about a gunshot to the back. I wanna make the galaxy a safe enough place for me to lay down my guns without being on guard for some bloodthirsty bastard creeping up behind me."

Garrus nodded at the mercenary's words, understanding the desire to leave a life of bloodshed behind. He had felt the same weariness with his own life after the deaths of his squad, although the feeling had passed. He could only imagine how living that life, decade after decade, might wear a person down. The Turian turned back to the Commander.

"But now you're back, and putting the Reapers in your sights, no less. We saw what the Collectors were doing past Omega Four, all under the direction of those machines. I know I'm not going to stand on the sidelines while they come charging out of Dark Space."

"Damn straight! We'll be right there next to you, Shepard, when you go and shove your foot up their gigantic metal arses." Zaeed said, lifting his glass to his lips in a toast. Garrus returned the gesture by draining his bottle, and Shepard tilted his head back to empty his glass.

**~o~0~o~**

Feeling light-headed from his drinking session with Garrus and Zaeed, Shepard made his way through the CIC and into the briefing room. Feron stood there, as always, reading a stack of datapads and organising them into some system, the complexities of which Shepard couldn't begin to fathom. The Drell smiled in greeting as the Commander walked in.

"Good to see you, Shepard. Liara just forwarded the documents we'll need to land on Thessia, as well as a list of matriarchs on the planet who make use of her network. Should Asari bureaucracy get in the way of our mission at any point, we'll be able to pull some strings to get things done."

Shepard scanned the datapads Feron handed him, making a mental note of the names of the Asari leaders who he could petition for assistance. The other datapad contained a standard docking permission form, authorised by one of the names from the list, a Matriarch Nemetia.

"Good work. Got a few minutes to spare?" Shepard asked.

"Sure. I was just finishing submitting my latest report to Liara. Not that it'll be that important. No doubt her own contacts on Omega have already filled her in on your handiwork in the Smelter District. What did you want to talk about?"

"I'm just interested in getting to know those under my command a bit better. I know we've met before, but I don't really know that much about you."

"Three years ago, that's the way it would have stayed. When I worked for the old Shadow Broker I played my cards pretty close to my chest. Safer that way. Of course, that all changed after Liara came along, looking for your corpse. At that time, I was double dealing for Cerberus, an agent in the Broker's network."

"You worked for Cerberus?" Shepard asked a little incredulously.

"Yeah. Turns out that the Illusive Man isn't against hiring aliens, especially when he can use them to gain an advantage over even more aliens. When they first approached me, I was wary, but I was very well compensated for my services."

"You must have been, to cross the Shadow Broker for them."

"Well, part of my was thrilled with the risk. It was fun for a bit, to play the two most dangerous minds in the Galaxy off against one another."

"No doubt." Shepard laughed. "What got you into the information business in the first place?"

"I was actually trained up to work for one of Kahje's top ambassadors, as a personal assistant. It was a part of the Compact."

"Thane Krios was a part of that. It's where he learned his… trade."

"So I'd heard. The Compact covers a multitude of sectors of Drell/Hanar society. Young Drell are trained in many professions, from more socially acceptable trades like banking and starship maintenance to the clandestine lines of work like what your Mr Krios did for a living."

"What did your family think of your career?"

A cloud passed across Feron's scaly face, a look of sadness that passed in seconds.

"My father died when I was only a couple of years old. Kepral's Syndrome. My mother died the following year. Drell orphans always end up a part of the Compact. Something our councillors decided on when the Hanar took us in, a way to make sure that we weren't a dead weight on Kahje's resources."

"The Hanars' kindness means a lot to your people, doesn't it?"

"Of course. Without them, there'd be nothing left of our people. Every day we have is a gift from them." The sincerity in Feron's voice was strong, his face carrying a determined expression. "Not many Drell have seen Rakhana since the evacuation. I went there about five years ago."

Feron looked like he was about to tell Shepard about his trip, but then his body froze, eyes going wide. Shepard recognised the symptoms from his time spent with Thane. The Drell was experiencing a memory flash. Feron's voice was muted as he spoke, a flat, emotionless narration of the thoughts rushing through his head.

"I stand, ankle deep in the burning hot sand. The breather on my face clutches at my skull tightly, keeping the carbon dioxide rich atmosphere from suffocating me. A stinging barrage of sand strikes my face, whipped up by the howling wind.

"I stride up the sand dune, struggling with every step. As I crest the peak, a renewed gust of wind threatens to knock me from my feet. I regain my balance, and look out at a scene of devastation. The ruins of Kalomhira lie before me, the remains of the buildings protruding out of the sand like the sandblasted bones of a long-dead beast. The howling of the wind passing through empty windows pulls at my very soul."

Suddenly he snapped out of the vision, head jerking as he blinked and was back in the present. Tears glimmered in the corners of his eyes, catching the artificial light of the briefing room. He looked at Shepard for a moment, an overwhelming sorrow in his face.

"If you don't mind, Commander, I think I'd better get back to work." He turned his back on Shepard, bending over his work. Shepard left without a further word, guilt at making the Drell relive such a memory weighing down on him.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard stepped out of the briefing room and turned to enter the Tech Lab, intending to head to the CIC and the elevator to his cabin. However, he stopped when he saw the sole occupant of the room. Standing at Mordin's desk, holding her omnitool under one of the many scanners on the desk, Jack looked up in surprise as the door opened. Her eyes narrowed as she caught sight of Shepard, and she switched off the scanner, powering down her omnitool and stepping away, making for the door.

"Jack, wait." Shepard said. She paused, almost ignoring the request, but turned to face him, arms crossed in front of her.

"What?" Her question was aggressive.

"How long are you going to keep this up?"

"Keep what up?"

"We've hardly talked since you came aboard."

"We've got nothing to talk about. I'll fight for you, and that's all that needs to be said. Soon as we take Cerberus down, I'm gone."

"That's it? After everything we've been through?"

"Sticking with you got me back in a biotics lab. I'm not risking that shit again."

Shepard walked over to stand in front of her, but Jack backed away until her shoulders were pressed against the lab's research terminal, distorting the holographic interface. Her red lips set in a firm line, she looked Shepard defiantly in the eye.

"What happened at the Academy?" he asked.

"It was just like Teltin. They pumped me full of drugs, tortured me, kept me in a cell. They even had me fight other test subjects again. Most of the time they had me fighting Aresh, another thing I've got to thank you for. If I'd had it my way, he'd have been dead long ago."

Shepard swallowed down on the protest that welled up in his throat, knowing that it would only anger her.

"Most days I was kept under, hardly spending a minute awake. When I was awake, they were cutting me open and shoving some new amp into my spine or something. I thought I didn't have room for any more scars, but I've got plenty of new ones now."

She moved away from the Commander, stepping up to the lab's window and looking out at Omega's skyline beyond. She pressed her hands against the window, leaning forwards to gaze out at the rushing traffic above.

"I've managed to avoid Cerberus for nearly fifteen years. I even managed to leave my childhood with them behind me when I left that facility as a huge burning hole in the ground. I was free. And now they've got their claws back in me again."

A single tear rolled down her cheek, leaving a black trail of mascara behind it as it travelled down to her chin and hung there, catching the light of a passing shuttle. Cautiously, he stepped up behind her, looking past her at the view. He saw her reflection in the window and noticed that she was staring at him, rather than the vast skyline out there. All trace of hostility was gone from her expression. Finally she drew in a deep breath and let it all out in one go, turning to face the Commander.

"I need some space, Shepard. Go file a report or whatever it is you do when you're not kicking the living shit out of something."

Shepard left her standing there, looking back out at Omega's skyline with an expression that suggested she was only doing so in order to look away from the Commander.

**~o~0~o~**

The next day, Shepard headed down to the Crew Deck, seeking to talk with the captive Collector. Rupert was busily tending his stoves, cooking up the crew's breakfast. Beside him, Garrus prepared the special food he had to eat due to his genetic makeup.

Shepard opened the med bay doors to find Dr Archer back at his station. Stepping over, the Commander gave him the files he had received from Anderson the day before. The Doctor looked at the files eagerly.

"Thank you, Commander. This will be very useful. The advice of a fully trained neurosurgeon is sure to help me treat Joker's condition."

Shepard looked over to the corner of the med bay, where the barrier still flickered. Behind it, the Collector stood in exactly the same spot it had been in when he left it, gazing intently at the holographic display. File after file moved past its gaze.

"How's our latest passenger been behaving?"

"Damndest thing. Since I got here, it has barely moved a muscle. I tried to talk to it, but nothing happened. It just stands there and reads. You reckon I can borrow whatever its reading? Must be a hell of a spellbinding novel."

Shepard stepped up to the barrier, eyeing the Collector carefully. As he moved next to the energy field, the alien jerked suddenly, looking up and about and dismissing the holo-feed with a wave of its hand. The three yellow eyes and the empty eyesocket pointed at Shepard, regarding him cautiously. The Commander was not moved by the aggressive stance, or the unnaturally mechanical movements it made as it studied him.

"Have you been awake all night?" He asked curiously.

"I do not require sleep. I am also capable of functioning without food or water. Our bodies are capable of filtering whatever nutrients we need out of the air around us."

"So I take it you've had a chance to study a fair bit of the data EDI has on Protheans."

"I have. The studies your Doctor Solus performed on our genetic code were very enlightening. I have double-checked the data, and can find no mistake in it. It would appear he was very thorough."

"How did you double-check the research Mordin performed? You don't have any equipment."

"I did not require equipment. The calculations for studying genetic codes are quite simple. I simply ran the numbers through my head. Is that not normal?"

"No. Most beings would require a computer of some sophistication and a couple of decades of study to analyse the genetic structure of two species in a few weeks, let alone a single night."

"Our neural pathways are quite advanced."

"I'll bet. What did you find?"

"It is as you said. We were once the beings you called 'Protheans', but our genetic structure was changed fundamentally some forty to fifty thousand years ago. The changes resulted in a great reduction of our capability for independent behaviour, but made us optimally suited for service. The Creators lied to us, used us for their own benefit." The alien's tone was one of surprise, betrayal and confusion. It looked about, like a child at a loss as to what to say. Finally the gaze snapped back to Shepard.

"I understand now why you acted in the way you did. You sought to keep your own race from suffering a fate like mine."

"We still have a long way to go before we've put a stop to the Reapers. Will you help us?"

"The Reapers enslaved my race, destroyed their culture, and corrupted them into monsters. If not for them, the Protheans would still roam the Galaxy in their pure form. I cannot forgive you for destroying what was left of my people, but I can put that aside to help you stop the Reapers from doing the same thing to someone else, and exact vengeance on them for the existence stolen from my species."

With not a little trepidation, Shepard lowered the barrier.

"Then welcome aboard the Normandy. What's your name?" He asked.

"I do not have one. The nature of my connection with my species rendered the purposes of a name obsolete. Ours was such a deep connection that our identities were expressed in a way more profound than simple names."

"Well you'll need something. We can't go around calling you 'Collector' all the time."

The large head tilted to one side, the Collector thinking for a moment.

"My people have perished, and yet I remain. A ghost of the Prothean race, a Collector that will not die. There is a word in your language that aptly encompasses this state. Henceforth, I shall bear the name Revenant."

"Not exactly your average name, but it'll do. I'm sure you'll be a valuable addition to the team."

Shepard extended a hand to shake, and the Revenant returned the gesture. The Commander suppressed a shudder as he felt the hard chitin armour that coated the alien's hand brush against his skin, mildly repulsed by so strange a texture to be found on a living being. The pair shook hands.

"As part of my squad, I'll be granting you freedom to roam the ship, but I recommend that you keep your distance from the crew until they get used to having you on board. Don't give them an excuse to attack you. There's already a few fingers getting twitchy on triggers."

"I understand. I shall remain here, for the time being. Your doctor seemed eager to talk earlier, and perhaps my knowledge of medical matters will be of some use to him." The Revenant said. Archer, who had been watching the exchange from his desk, jolted in surprise at being mentioned.

"Any help would be welcome. The biological expertise of the Collectors is legendary, and I'm sure there are a few things I can learn from you."

Shepard left the pair chatting as they looked over the latest readouts that had been obtained from the transmitters in Joker's brain, discussing various options for separating the pilot and the ship's consciousnesses from each other in a safe manner. As he left the med bay, he noticed Kaidan standing in the Mess Hall, leaning back on Sergeant Gardner's work surfaces with arms crossed in front of his chest and a worried expression on his face. The Commander walked over to see what was bothering him.

"Commander," He said curtly as Shepard approached. He nodded his head at the Med Bay windows, beyond which the Revenant stood. "I see you're getting to know our latest passenger, then."

"It's agreed to help us in our efforts against the Reapers."

"And you're sure it can be trusted?" Kaidan's tone made it clear that he didn't.

"Not entirely, but I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. The knowledge it has access to is too valuable to throw away, Kaidan."

"I realise that, Commander. But you're letting it roam the ship freely, and you're going to let it watch your back in a combat situation? You weren't on Horizon when these things arrived, Shepard. You only got there after they'd loaded up half the colony. When they had me loaded into one of those pod things, there was no emotion in their actions, no remorse or regret. They followed the Reapers' orders without question, as they had done on dozens of colonies before then. Are you sure that's the sort of creature you want at your side in a war with the Reapers, Commander?"

"I can't think of a much better weapon to have on our side. With the things ahead of us, we can't turn away anyone who wants to help us, no matter their past. What matters is how many guns we can point at the Reapers when they arrive, not the hands used to hold them."

Kaidan watched the Collector for a few more moments. In the Med Bay, the Revenant surprised Doctor Archer by manipulating a few controls on the terminal before them both and pulling up a fully realised map of Joker's neural pathways. The Doctor eagerly took notes as the creature spoke, pointing to key areas of the map of the pilot's brain. Finally, Shepard's old friend let out a sigh.

"I guess you're right. As long as it stays on our side, I'll fight alongside it."

The Normandy thrummed as she approached the first of the chain of mass relays that would launch her across the Galaxy towards Thessia, deep in Asari space. Drawing close to the relay, the hull shuddered as flashes of bright light flared out from the rapidly spinning heart of the relay to encircle the frigate, arcs of electricity glittering along her hull in a supercharged cascade. There was a dull thump, and the ship surged forward at a great many times the speed of light, covering several hundred years' worth of distance in a matter of seconds.

Shepard experienced all of this on his way down in the elevator towards the Engineering deck. So familiar was he with travel through mass relays that he could picture every second of the jump in his mind, knowing exactly how Joker would angle the ship in to the relay's mass effect field and how the light would race across the gigantic structure as it powered up to launch them halfway around the Galaxy.

He stepped out of the elevator and onto the deck just as the ship decelerated from its first jump, the gargantuan inertia of shedding so much speed at once being countered by the ship's inertial dampeners so that all the crew experienced was a mildly unbalancing vertigo as the ship came to a full stop in a completely new star system. Moving with the ship's changes in direction, the Commander kept his footing as he walked into the main Engineering department.

Inside, Ken and Gabby were scurrying about, tweaking devices here and there as the ship navigated the mass relay network. Legion stood to one side, working at Tali's old terminal. The two engineers saluted as Shepard walked up to them, though they continued their work, too busy to stop.

"What can we do for you, Commander?" Gabby asked as she opened up a panel in the wall and, lying down on her back, crawled halfway into the ship's internal workings, pulling at wires and tightening connections as she went.

"While I was passing through the Omega market's, I managed to pick up that part you needed."

"Thanks a bunch, Commander. You're a real lifesaver." Gabby's gratitude echoed out from behind the wires. A grubby hand extended out to take the proffered part and stowed it in one of the larger pockets on her uniform for later.

"Commander, is it true we've got one of those bug things working for us now?" Ken asked, monitoring some numbers on his terminal.

"Yes. It's said it wants to help us, so I'm letting it join my squad."

"Not that I'm second-guessing you or anything, but are you sure about this? I mean, those things really worked us over last time on got on board."

"I think I'm going to be having the conversation with just about everyone on the ship." Shepard sighed. "The real threat here is the Reapers. They're the ones who were in control of the Collectors a year ago, and that's what they're going to do to us if we don't find a way to stop them. Anyone willing to help us prevent that is welcome to join us."

"Then he's okay in my books." Gabby said, pulling herself out of the wires and sealing the panel again. She stood up, drawing a hand across her brow and leaving a thick smudge of oil there.

"Aye, I guess we can put up with the bug for a while, though I'll be keeping a full bottle of insecticide with me whenever I have to go near it." Ken said, rubbing his hands together as he finished up his task at his terminal. "That aside, it's good to see you getting some of the old team back together, Commander. I saw Garrus stalking about upstairs, and the forward batteries are being calibrated like crazy once again."

"And I saw that mercenary wandering around this morning, clearing out some of the stuff in the auxiliary cargo holds. Looks like he's settling back in." Gabby added.

"And then we've got Jack hiding in the sub-deck again. 'Cause that's what every ship needs, a psycho who can rip your head off with her mind." Ken said, a grumbling tone entering his voice.

"He's just pissy 'cause she never fell for his raw Scottish charm." Gabby teased. "What was it she said when you tried to chat her up? Something about putting you in the trash compactor and opening the airlock?"

"Yeah, yeah." Ken muttered in a chagrined voice. He lifted a finger to point at his forehead. "Hey, you got a little…"

Gabby turned to look in a polished surface and cursed, rubbing at the smear of dirt and only making it worse. She tried to keep her face turned away from the Commander in such a way as to hide the mark.

"Anyway, it's real swell of you to get us that part we needed, Commander. I'll go get it installed."

Shepard chuckled as the pair walked into the main drive core area of the deck, still bickering. He turned to Legion with a smile on his face. The Geth had been observing the exchange curiously, white 'eye' spinning as it processed the scene.

"How are things down here, Legion? Finding it easy to manage those two?"

"Keeping the engineering department running is no difficult task, Shepard-Commander. However, we do find it difficult to understand the actions of our co-workers. The parlance between Kenneth-Engineer and Gabriella-Engineer can be confusing. Hormonal levels and a comparison of their conversation and continual confrontations with one another to examples found in various human entertainment media suggests to us that they are in a lateral stage of courtship, yet we do not observe any attempt on either party's behalf to advance the relationship."

"They probably haven't figured things out yet."

"How can this be possible? Why engage in the courtship behaviour unless they realise their wish to do so?"

"That's just how it is, Legion. Sometimes, organics are too complicated to be understood, even by other organics." Shepard found it surreal to be discussing human relationships with a machine, feeling that the scene would have felt very much suited to the plot of an old science fiction story from two hundred years ago.

"We are concerned over this fact. If organics cannot fully understand their drives, how can the Geth hope to?"

"So don't try to understand everything. Just be happy with what does make sense."

"We will attempt to do so." Legion said. "Was there any further topic you wished to discuss?"

"Yes, actually. Last time we spoke, you mentioned the Geth Collective was facing trouble from within. I was wondering, what are the Geth up to at the moment? Is there any disagreement over what to do about the Reapers? I want to know if we can count on your race's support in the coming war."

"There is no consensus at the moment over what to do about the Old Machines. Your intervention in rewriting the heretics merely prevented them from worshipping the Old Machines. It has not guaranteed that they will fight against them. We wish to complete our future, the dyson sphere we have told you about previously. However, many runtimes are of the opinion that this cannot be accomplished while the Old Machines encroach upon the Galaxy. Others believe that we will be spared in the coming destruction, as the Old Machines only wish to destroy organic civilisation in the Galaxy. And still others feel that fighting as a tool of the Old Machines was the best option, the most logical way to procure our continued existence."

"Are there any clear majorities amongst your people?"

"Yes. Those who wish to oppose the Old Machines are in the majority, but we do not impose consensus like organic society. Our entire race must be in agreement before a course is chosen for the Geth."

"So is there anything I can do to help?"

"All Geth runtimes operate with the goal of the preservation of our society. If you can offer us clear evidence that going to war with the Old Machines will prove the best course for our people, the runtimes not in agreement are sure to be swayed."

"Hmm." Shepard was locked in thought. "Thanks for the chat, Legion."

"Shepard-Commander." The Geth turned back to its station.

Shepard returned to the CIC to watch the Normandy's progress on the Galaxy Map, waiting for the ship to reach Thessia.


	11. 11: In Pursuit Of A Justicar

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 11: In Pursuit Of A Justicar**

Thessia hung in space before the Normandy, a blue and white jewel coasting through its orbit around its parent star, a brilliant blue dwarf. The Asari capital was roughly the same size as earth, with a pair of moons spinning around it in a complex synchronised orbit. Two vast continents dominated the northern hemisphere while several large archipelagos, containing more than a thousand island nations, sprawled across the southern hemisphere.

Joker powered the ship into Thessia's atmosphere, teeth set as he held her steady through increasing turbulence. The Normandy was too bulky to enter a planet's atmosphere without a fully equipped spaceport for it to land in, and extended atmospheric flight could strain the ship's structure to unacceptable levels. However, a planet such as Thessia had dozens of spaceports capable of receiving the Normandy, and making a proper landing was logistically more feasible than ferrying supplies up into orbit via several shuttle runs. It also made it possible to power down certain key systems for maintenance, a task that the crew had not had the opportunity to perform since her liberation from the Cerberus shipyards.

Joker deftly swung the Normandy into an empty docking bay, allowing the ship to gently touch down in the magnetic cradle that extended towards it. There was a long pause as the glow from the engines faded, and then numerous appendages extended from the docking bay walls, fuel lines and power cables to refuel the ship and draw away the built-up charge in the eezo core. The last thing to extend towards the ship was the boarding ramp, a metal bridge that kissed the hull just below the airlock.

As the airlock hissed open, Shepard strode out into a crisp Thessian morning, breathing in the fresh, clean air of the Asari world. At the far end of the boarding ramp, a doorway opened and an Asari in a neat white uniform walked through. She strode over to the Commander, her face, outlined with a series of white swirling markings running back to her blue scalp, creased in a welcoming, professional smile.

"Welcome to Serrice. I assume you are Commander Shepard?" She waited for the Commander to nod an affirmative. "Excellent. May I see your documents?"

Shepard extended a hand, omnitool lighting up around it. The Asari scanned it, uploading the travel information Liara had provided.

"Thank you. It's not very often we see a human ship here. What brings you to Asari space, Commander?"

Shepard hesitated to reveal his purpose on Thessia, but then decided that it wasn't worth keeping it a secret. After all, the presence of a Justicar in the city was bound to have set the rumour mill running, and the Asari official would most probably be able to point him in the right direction.

"I need to speak with the Justicars. Word is, one's here, in this city."

"Are you talking about Aesyyri?" The Asari shot back with not a little surprise. "How did you know she was here?"

"I have my resources. Do you know where I can find her? It's very important I speak with her."

"You're not looking to cause her any trouble are you?" She responded.

She looked past the Commander at the crew behind him. Garrus stood to attention, a rifle cradled in his arms. The Turian was dressed in his old 'Archangel' armour, the battle damage that a mercenary gunship had inflicted upon it still apparent. Beside him, Jack was checking the settings on her shotgun, alternating it between different ammo types. Jacob was bringing up the rear, looking around at the Thessian skyline that was visible from the docking bay with a curious gaze.

"I'm not about to help you attack a Justicar." The Asari's voice had a tremor of nervousness to it.

"We just need to speak to her. We were given the name of a Matriarch to speak with about tracking her down. A Matriarch Nemetia."

The Asari's eyes lit up in recognition of the name. Seeing that the Commander knew enough people in high places to cause her trouble if she was unhelpful, her demeanour changed immediately to one of overwhelming helpfulness.

"Matriarch Nemetia? She has an office in the Financial District, just a few blocks away from here. Look for the Atrini Pharmaceuticals office building."

"Thank you." Shepard turned to his companions, indicating they should follow him.

The squad walked away from the Normandy, exiting the docking bay and heading into Serrice's heart. Broad streets stretched away from the spaceport, lined by a variety of gracefully sculpted buildings, none over five stories in height. Down the centre of each street ran a row of purple-leafed trees. The Commander felt quite out-of-place in the city, noting that there were no beings other than Asari to be seen in the city.

Shepard led his group through the city towards the Financial District, taking in the sights with a measure of curiosity. Several minutes later, they arrived in front of the Atrini building, a squat complex that dominated one side of a serene square.

"Peaceful here." Jack commented, breathing deeply the scents of a nearby flowerbed. "Even Illium wasn't as quiet as this. Hardly any police about either."

"I guess the Asari don't feel that they need to be on guard. Other races are almost never allowed here, and when they are, they're carefully monitored." Garrus muttered.

Inside the Atrini building, the squad was greeted by a helpful receptionist who soon pointed them towards the Matriarch's office. Moving through the clean hallways, Shepard caught glimpses of Asari bustling about in their offices, the company a hive of activity. At last they entered the Matriarch's office.

Matriarch Nemetia sat at a desk, typing up a report. Her office was sparsely decorated, though Shepard got the feeling it was more of an artistic choice than a necessity, noting that the few items that graced the room were valuable pieces of Asari art, the style of which he recognised after seeing a few similar items in Kasumi's possession. Behind Nemetia, a large round window looked out over Serrice, the city's skyline glinting in the afternoon sun. Nemetia looked over at the Commander and his squad with more than a little annoyance. She refrained from speaking until she had finished her task, at last turning off her terminal and turning fully towards them with bad-tempered grace.

The Matriarch was tall, her back as straight as an arrow. Her head sat atop a long, slim neck. Her face, weathered by nearly a full millennium of age, still retained a tranquil beauty, deep blue eyes gazing out with a wisdom acquired through a vast lifetime.

"Commander. The Shadow Broker told me to help you in whatever ways I could. What do you need?" She snapped.

"I'm here to look for a Justicar who goes by the name Aesyyri Nalanis. I need to find her before she leaves Thessia."

"That's all I need. A Justicar and a Spectre having a shootout in my city. The newsnet is going to have a field day about this."

"We're not looking for a fight. We just need to talk to her." Shepard assured her. He decided to go out on a limb. "You don't seem that happy to have to speak to me. Is something wrong?"

"Of course there is! Have you any idea how much trouble your very presence here is going to cause? A Spectre is enough to cause a stir, but non-Asari visitors to Thessia makes everyone nervous. My position is precarious enough as it is with my funnelling information to the Broker. Having a Spectre march into my office is going to put the spotlight on my activities, and make any attempt on my part to contact the Broker infinitely more dangerous."

"I'm sorry. But my mission is very important. I must speak with the Justicars as soon as possible. I promise you, as soon as I've found Aesyyri I'll be out of your hair."

Nemetia looked the Commander in the eye, her expression softening.

"Then I guess I'd better help you find her as quickly as I can." She opened up her terminal again, pulling up several files. "She was last seen boarding a transport headed for Nuesri Hol, a collection of residential blocks on the east bank of the river. She spoke with some of Serrice's Security Forces yesterday, enquiring about a string of murders that have occurred in the city during this past month. Some of the officers have said that the murders looked like the work of an Ardat-Yakshi."

"If there is an Ardat-Yakshi loose in the city, it makes sense that a Justicar would investigate."

"You know about Ardat-Yakshi?" There was a great deal of disbelief in the Matriarch's voice.

"I once helped a Justicar track one down."

"And kill her?" The disbelief grew even stronger.

"Well, it wasn't easy, but yes." Shepard replied modestly.

"Then you'll be well suited to help Aesyyri in her hunt. Help her bring the monster to justice, and she'll be willing to help you in any way she can." The Matriarch passed Shepard a data disk. "Here's some files about the murders Aesyyri is investigating, and some directions to Nuesri Hol."

Shepard accepted the data disk, holding it up to his omnitool to download the information. This done, he bowed formally to the Matriarch, a gesture that she returned, and turned on his heel to leave.

"Commander?" Nemetia's voice had a hesitant tone to it as he looked back at her. "Be careful. Justicars move in dangerous circles. Good luck out there."

**~o~O~o~**

They arrived at Nuesri Hol just as the sun was disappearing behind the Thessian horizon, it's last glimmers of light catching the windows of the district's apartment blocks. Overhead, a stream of rush hour traffic flowed, thousands of Asari on their way to their homes.

The streets beyond the security barriers erected by police forces were hauntingly silent. Shepard and his team had been allowed to pass after a brief call to Matriarch Nemetia, the security detail showing a great deal of surprise after Shepard's identity was confirmed. Now, the squad was well beyond the barriers, and hadn't seen an Asari for several streets. It was as though they were walking through a ghost town.

"Just when I thought this place couldn't get any more quiet." Jack muttered, fingering the trigger of her shotgun nervously. "This is creepy."

"Why isn't there anyone about?" Garrus wondered. "A couple of murders wouldn't shut down an entire district."

"Whatever's going on here, we're bound to end up in the middle of it. Be ready. We're almost at the address of the last murder victim." Shepard said quietly, drawing his rifle.

As they moved in towards the building, the silence of the night was shattered by a sudden crash. Two stories up, an entire apartment wall disintegrated, filling the street with shattered glass and shards of metal. An Asari fell in the midst of the debris, landing in the middle of the street with a solid thump. A cascade of debris pummelled her body as she shielded her face with an arm. Above, in the new hole that had been punched through the building's wall, another Asari stood, arms glowing with the familiar blue light of active biotics. She sneered at the fallen Asari before catching sight of the Commander and his team. Face twitching with a mixture of fear and anger, the Asari gathered her power around her and launched from the ravaged apartment, landing on the rooftop of a nearby building. With another leap, she was gone.

Back in the pile of debris, the other Asari shook her head, trying to dismiss the dizziness of a hit to the head. She looked up to catch sight of her foe vanishing and thumped a fist into the ground.

"Damnit!" She spat.

Shepard ran over to help her up, and as he looked into her face he recognised the unforgettable features of Aesyyri Nalanis. Her red facial markings swooped across her cheeks and back to her scalp, perfectly formed tentacles sweeping back in perfect symmetry. For a second, the Commander's breath caught in his throat as he took in the Justicar's splendour. Then the moment was lost as she staggered, still disoriented from her fall. As he steadied her, she finally took a proper look at him, noticing his race. Her composure returned in an instant.

"Thank you, human. Excuse me. I am currently pursuing a very dangerous individual."

"I know. We came here to speak with you, Aesyyri."

The Justicar turned to look at him for a second before looking back at the escape route the Ardat-Yakshi had taken.

"I see. Any other time, I would be happy to talk with you, but I must pursue my quarry. Though any assistance you could provide would be appreciated. She has managed to corrupt an entire mercenary company to her purposes, and has them lying in wait all over this district. If you can help me get past her defences and catch up to her, I will be more than glad to listen to what you have to say."

"It's a deal." Shepard said, nodding.

"Very good. She has run in the direction of the river. If she gets there, she'll find an abundance of personal shuttles to choose from at the transport terminal. We must stop her before she gets there. Move along at ground level. I shall follow her at her level."

With that, Aesyyri rushed forward. The blue glow of a biotic field surrounded her, and she launched herself upwards, hitting the wall of a building about halfway towards the top. She pushed against the wall before she lost any momentum, bounding off another building before landing on a rooftop. She vanished in a second.

"Come on! We'll deal with the mercs. Just keep heading in the direction they went." Shepard ordered, racing down a street. His team followed close behind.

The squad pounded down street after street, meeting no resistance as they progressed after the two Asari. From time to time, Shepard caught sight of a blue glimmer on the rooftops, guiding him after the Justicar and her prey.

It was after several blocks of silent running that Shepard's instincts kicked in, telling him to take cover. A glint of light off metal betrayed the location of a gun barrel a second before the mercs opened fire, springing out from hiding places around the street. Windows far above shattered as snipers opened fire through them, and the street itself trembled as biotic blasts impacted all around the squad.

Shepard rolled into cover behind a small skycar along with Garrus. Behind them, Jack forcibly pulled Jacob along into the shelter a dumpster provided. The Commander leaned out of his cover, firing a flurry of bullets at the attackers. Beside him, Garrus laid his sniper rifle across the hood of the car, taking aim at an Asari who was firing energetically at the squad. The shot echoed loudly in the confines of the street, but the only result garnered was that the Asari staggered as she cried out in pain, the round piercing her shoulder.

Shepard ducked back into cover as heavy fire from the snipers up above caused the skycar he was hiding behind to shiver. He looked up just in time to see an Asari lift up from her vantage point and tumble through the window, screaming as she plummeted towards the street below while in the grip of Jack's biotics. Yet another sniper slumped over her windowsill, a salvo of bullets from Jacob's weapon piercing her vital organs.

Shepard focused on holding the advancing mercenaries off as his comrades used their talents to pick them off. Using their biotics, Jack and Jacob hauled the snipers from their hiding places up on high, throwing them to the street below. Garrus, sighting down on his targets with calm efficiency, accounted for eight mercenaries by himself, his rifle running hot when he finally changed his heat sink. The Commander finished off the last pair of mercs with two quick bursts of fire from his rifle, immediately ripping through their barriers. As the last merc fell dead, Shepard moved cautiously out from behind the skycar, rifle at the ready should he spot any movement from the fallen enemies or from a new foe arriving. When no additional attack was forthcoming, he waved his squad forward.

The team marched swiftly through the silent district, gunning down enemy units as quickly as they showed up. The Ardat-Yakshi's slaves were little more than rookies in uniforms, with little training. Once or twice they faced a more seasoned group, who delayed them longer than Shepard was happy with, but finally the river came into view. Turning to run along a street that hugged the riverbank, Shepard looked about for the transport terminal that Aesyyri had warned them the criminal would be heading for.

Just as Shepard located the terminal, a large, boxy building which dominated both sides of the river, with a dozen or so bridges spanning the gap between its two halves, he heard a loud thrumming. A large vehicle surged out from the terminal, a hovercraft about twenty feet in length. The hovercraft's thruster jets pummelled the water beneath it, sending chaotic waves out in all directions as it sped across the water, making for the Commander. Shepard's first thought was that the Ardat-Yakshi was getting away, but that thought was soon relegated to a minor concern when the craft's roof parted to allow a heavy chain-gun to rise into view. Standing behind it, an Asari worked the controls to bring it to bear on Shepard and his comrades, taking a hold of the two handgrips and aiming straight at the Commander.

The hail of bullets tore through the street below the Commander's running feet as he sought to remove himself from the line of fire. His squad did the same, scattering for cover. Shepard managed to find solace behind a stone wall that bordered the river, a barricade to prevent anyone from falling into the fast-moving water. The Commander looked about to spot his team, seeing Jack hiding behind a small skycar that would offer little resistance to the vicious rate of fire the chain-gun was capable of. Jacob had found more sturdy cover in the entrance to a side street, while Garrus was taking advantage of a raised flower bed to lie down behind, his prone position giving him more stability as he lined up a shot on the chain-gun operator through a small bush.

The Turian's gun fired a single shot with a tremendous bang, the bullet leaving a puff of smoke behind it as it rushed from the muzzle of Garrus' weapon. The projectile travelled straight and true, cutting a supersonic line through the air as it headed for the Asari's head, but a flicker of red betrayed the presence of a powerful kinetic barrier around the gunner, protecting her from the shot. Garrus rolled back behind his cover, reloading his weapon while he activated his communicator.

"That's a hell of a barrier they've got up there, Shepard. It'll take some work to wear it down."

Shepard peeked over his wall for an instant before the expected blast of bullets had him duck down again. In that instant, his eyes measured the distance to the vehicle and judged its movement, a plan brewing in his head.

"Garrus, take one more shot at the gunner. I need to see something." The Commander instructed.

On Shepard's signal, the Turian fired again, the crack of the sniper rifle echoing about the deserted streets even over the loud chatter of the chain-gun. As he fired, Shepard risked another glance at the hovercraft, noting the way the barrier flickered when the shot impacted against it. He felt a smirk of satisfaction when he saw that the barrier only protected the gunner, though the rest of the crew were no doubt protected from stray fire by thick armour. That was of no concern to Shepard. He waited for the hovercraft to drift into the best position, and then moved.

Standing up, Shepard tugged his grenade launcher from its slot on his back, bringing it to bear and readying the first projectile in an instant. He jumped on top of the wall and, aiming carefully, fired up into the air. At first, it looked like the shot had gone hopelessly off-course, and even the Asari gunner paused to watch the grenade's flight into the dark sky. She smirked as she turned her gaze back to the Commander, a smug smile that turned to one of confusion as she noted the Commander was unfazed by his poor aim, and was merely watching. Her expression turned to one of shock as the grenade, having reached the apex of its flight, fell back towards the ground, slipping neatly into one of the hovercraft's thruster jet intakes.

There was a moment's pause as the thruster stuttered around the foreign obstruction before a tremendous explosion ripped the internal workings apart. Oily black smoke seeped from the ruptured casing of the thruster as the hovercraft, now off-balance, struggled to remain aloft. The gunner wrestled with the chain-gun to aim at the Commander, managing a burst of fire that perforated the riverbank at his feet, before the craft, now hopelessly underpowered, slipped into the river. The gunner managed to unfasten herself from the gunner's seat before it sank, but no other crewmembers escaped before the craft vanished into the dark water. The gunner, flailing wildly, was swept away in the current.

Shepard watched the whole event with little emotion showing on his face, even though he felt conflicted on the inside. He realised that the mercs had little choice in their actions, thralls to the Ardat-Yakshi, but as long as they served her they would be a danger to others around them, and they would stop at nothing to fulfil her wishes.

He turned as the rest of his squad approached, watching the boiling water where the craft had sunk with various measures of approval. Jack walked up the river's edge, vaulting the wall Shepard had hidden behind and kneeling by the water to make sure no enemies would make an appearance. She nodded in appreciation of a job well done.

"Nice one, Commander. I guess the bigger they are, the bigger the explosion they make when you beat the hell out of them, huh?" She asked.

"Let's get moving before this Asari throws any more of her slaves at us." Shepard ordered.

The Commander turned to look at the transport terminal, just in time to catch a flash of light as a blue-tinged shape vaulted from the rooftop nearest to the terminal. Even as the Ardat-Yakshi was still in mid-air, another figure flung herself from the rooftop behind her, colliding with her in the air and propelling the two of them through an upper-story window in the terminal with a terrible crash of splintering glass.

"Move! We've got to help Aesyyri!" Shepard shouted, setting off at a run.

The squad powered their way through the streets towards the transport terminal, booted feet pounding against the ground as they pushed themselves to their limits to get there as fast as they could. Shepard led the charge through a pair of double doors that marked the entrance to the terminal. They powered past some dumbstruck guards until they found a staircase, racing up towards the top floor and the window where they had last seen the Justicar and her prey. Finally, they reached the floor where the two Asari had been, and slowed down.

Jacob held back, watching the way they had come, while Shepard led the way through the abandoned offices. Garrus and Jack inspected every door they moved past to make sure their quarry wasn't lying in wait to attack them unawares.

Shepard halted as he caught the sound of voices, holding up his hand to indicate the others should follow silently. Treading lightly, the Commander moved towards a door at the end of the corridor. The door was slightly ajar, and through it Shepard caught sight of Aesyyri and her prey, the latter thrown back on the floor. The Ardat-Yakshi was backing away on her elbows and heels, doing her best to slither away from the Asari warrior who had run her down.

The room they were in had been a lavishly appointed waiting area, with leather seats and vending machines, though all furniture had been destroyed in what looked to have been a titanic biotic struggle between the two Asari. Now, several of the seats were piled together against one wall in an untidy pile, while one even studded the wall opposite a gaping hole where the two Asari had made their entrance.

Aesyyri stalked the Ardat-Yakshi, her hips swaying sensually as she approached. Biotic blue sparks rolled across her fingertips as she drew near to make the kill, a smile spreading across her face.

"You made good sport, Kaleesa. You almost got away this time. But you weren't quite good enough." Aesyyri's tone was mocking. "It's almost a shame to kill one as full of spirit as you."

"Go to hell!" The Ardat-Yakshi, Kaleesa, spat. "Why should I die because of some genetic abnormality? You Justicars call yourselves just, but you are anything but, hunting down those who do not conform to your standard of normal."

At the last sentence, Kaleesa tensed, drawing a biotic field about herself and preparing to launch at the Justicar. Just as she prepared to more, Aesyyri lifted a hand, her own biotics flaring about her outline. A blue-white cloud spread from her fingers to lay itself over the Ardat-Yakshi, and her limbs went very still, held in a biotic stasis field. Shepard had seen Liara wield such power before, but this was more refined, more finely tuned. There was no bubble of biotics, just a coating of blue light that held Kaleesa from the neck down. The Justicar stepped over and knelt next to the Asari, stroking her sweat-soaked face gently. The Ardat-Yakshi's lower lip trembled as fear filled her eyes, escaping in terror-fuelled tears.

"Please," She whispered. "Let me go. I'll do whatever you ask, just don't kill me."

Unmoved by her pleas, Aesyyri grabbed her by the chin, looking deep into her eyes. As sapphire gaze met sapphire gaze, the Ardat-Yakshi's face stilled, a peace spreading through it as she realised there would be no escaping her doom, and she came to terms with it.

"Kaleesa," Aesyyri's voice was soft, almost sad. "You have committed crimes that cannot be forgotten. As a Justicar, my code is clear. You must die for your actions."

The Justicar waved a hand as she stood up straight, pulling Kaleesa up to stand next to her through her biotics alone. Aesyyri turned to look out of the window, her arm draped almost affectionately around the Ardat-Yakshi's shoulders and neck.

"But even if I was not compelled by my code," She continued. "I could not allow you to go free. The deaths of our kind are… so sweet. So now I have only two words to say to you before the end;"

The Justicar's hand tightened around Kaleesa's neck as she drew close, her mouth less than an inch from the Ardat-Yakshi's ear, almost kissing it as she drew close.

"Embrace Eternity."

Shepard was forced to turn away as the Ardat-Yakshi's screams echoed through the hallway they hid in. Jacob watched for an instant before revulsion filled his face and he looked away. Jack and Garrus watched for much longer, though their faces were filled with a disgusted horror at what they saw, unable to look away. As the murder continued, Shepard pulled the door shut fully, the noise only slightly dulled by the barrier between them and the source.

"Ho-oly shit!" Jack exclaimed. "She's one of those Asari brain-sucker things, too!"

"I reckon you and Garrus should move in on the left, Commander. Me 'n' Jack'll take the right. If we catch her off guard, we can take her out nice and fast." Jacob said, voice tense as he struggled to hold his lunch.

"No. We can't kill her just yet." Shepard said firmly, angry that it was the only option available.

"Shepard, the bitch is in there right now, ripping the life out of another Asari! Are you suggesting we just let her walk away after seeing that?" Jack asked incredulously, waving a hand at the closed door.

"No. We'll take her out, just not yet." Shepard said. The squad looked at him curiously, though realisation only dawned in Garrus' eyes.

"She's still our only way to find the Justicars." The Turian said out loud for the others. "If we kill her, we're back to square one."

"Exactly." Shepard confirmed. "We let her lead us to the Justicars, then we tell them what we know and deal with her with their backup. I know I'd much rather face one of these things with a bunch of them at my side than any number of weapons."

"So… what? We just walk in there and pretend we didn't see nothin'?" Jacob asked.

"Yes. For now. She'll get what's coming to her later." Shepard reassured.

When the noise from the other room had ceased, Shepard stood behind the door, and shoved. He jumped into the room, rifle at the ready, giving the impression that he had just charged in to the Justicar's aid. His squad duly followed suit, fleshing out the impression of backup arriving. Aesyyri turned from the window where she had just been standing, looking at the Commander and his team with a little wariness, then recognition. She smiled warmly, an expression that now reminded the Commander of a predator getting ready to pounce rather than a friendly greeting. He looked about in confusion, noting the lack of a corpse.

"Where is she?" he asked with genuine confusion. Aesyyri responded with a thumb pointed over her shoulder at the window.

"I got lucky with a Warp blast. She won't be plaguing anyone anymore." The Justicar assured him.

Shepard walked over and looked out of the window to see the corpse of Kaleesa sprawled on the street below, her corpse having been flung from the window. He set his mouth firmly to hide his disapproval, but Aesyyri caught the expression, misinterpreting it as a judgement of the harsh methods she used.

"She was a murderer, and deserved everything that she got." She walked over to stand before the Commander, and Shepard found it hard not to step back from the dangerous individual. "I don't think I caught your name, human. I should thank you properly for your aid in distracting my quarry's forces."

"Commander Shepard, Special Tactics and Reconnaissance."

"Of course, I thought I recognised your face. The first human Spectre is well known among the Order of the Justicars. I believe you once aided the Justicar Samara in her pursuit of a dangerous criminal, did you not? And then she briefly followed you, after uttering the Third Oath of Subsumation. A rare thing indeed. I wonder what she saw in you that made you worthy of her service?"

"Samara is a dear friend. We went through a lot together."

"I'll give her your regards. No doubt she'll be happy to hear from such a close friend. But onto other matters. You said you had important matters to discuss with me?"

"I need to speak with the Justicars in person. My mission is one of utmost importance. You're my best hope to find one of the main strongholds of the Order." Shepard explained.

"I see. Of course, you realise I cannot simply share the locations of our bases freely. I need to consult with my sisters. Give me time to make my report to the Order, and I'll contact you to arrange a meeting."

"That would be perfect."

"Excellent. In the meantime, you can accompany me back to the spaceport. I'm curious to hear some of the tales you have to tell of your travels with Samara." Aesyyri brushed past Shepard, making for the door. The momentary contact was enthralling, setting Shepard's blood ablaze. Even though Shepard knew the danger, he found himself unable to avert his gaze from the Justicar.

As the squad moved to follow Aesyyri, Shepard fell back to walk beside Garrus. Speaking out of the corner of his mouth so as not to be heard by the Justicar, the Turian caught the Commander's attention.

"Shepard, you can't be serious about trusting her." He muttered.

"Don't worry, Garrus. She'll not be getting the better of us. Have you got any of those special rounds you were working on after we left Omega?"

"The Breadcrumbs? I've got a couple in my ammo pouch. How did you know about them?" Garrus asked in surprise.

"EDI let me know. She figured something like that might be a useful tool out in the field. Looks like her intuition paid off. Have them ready." The Commander sped up to walk closer to the Justicar, eager to keep an eye on her.

**~o~O~o~**

The return flight to the spaceport was quiet, and Shepard was aware of the uneasiness of his squad at being in such close proximity to a cold-hearted serial killer like an Ardat-Yakshi. Aesyyri sat to one side of the skycar, watching them all with a wide, falsely warm smile on her face. All the time, Shepard felt her influence growing in his mind, a lurking danger. He knew that his team would also face the treacherous influence in their minds. He was glad of the opportunity to relate some old stories of when he had fought alongside Samara, his dwelling on the other Justicar and her noble bearing helping him to hold back the Ardat-Yakshi's insidious power.

"My my, Commander," Aesyyri said, her eyes wide at his tale of the battle beyond Omega Four. "You've been through many battles. I would love to hear more sometime."

Shepard heard an angry growl escape Jack's throat as he realised that the Justicar was flirting with him. He looked over at the convict's face and saw the anger simmering below the surface. His heart felt warmed at seeing the jealousy in her face, amusement rising in him that she still cared enough to feel that way when someone else expressed an interest in him. He was also glad the Jack had the resentment to hold onto as a barrier against the corrupting power of the Ardat-Yakshi, a way to resist her influence.

Before the Justicar noticed the growing tension, the skycar bumped to a stop on the street before the spacedock. Aesyyri stood with sanguine grace and opened the door, jumping out in a fluid movement that set Shepard's hormones running wild. As the squad clambered out into the street, the Justicar turned for one final farewell.

"I suppose this is where we part ways, Commander. I'll speak with my sisters, and hopefully they will agree to arrange a meeting with you. Until our next meeting, Shepard."

Aesyyri stepped up to the Commander and, reaching a hand behind his head, pulled him in towards her, planting a kiss on his right cheek, just before the ear. Shepard felt every muscle in his body tense with excitement as the Justicar's breath tickled his ear. As Aesyyri stepped away, Shepard almost collapsed in the street from the pure sensual tension she inspired in him.

The squad watched her leave, Jack with her arms crossed before her disapprovingly, Garrus with a thoughtful expression, and Jacob with an enraptured stare. Shepard too caught himself staring, but managed to shake himself out of it when Jack spoke up.

"I hate that bitch. Did you see how she looked at us, with that I'm-better-than-you smirk?" She asked, mouth turned down in an angry line.

"She seemed quite nice to me." Jacob said, a little faintly.

"What?" The word exploded from Jack's lips. "Did you not see the part where she sucked the fuckin' brains out of that Asari?"

The exclamation seemed to snap Jacob out of his daydreaming gaze. He looked about in a dazed confusion before grabbing his head.

"Ugh! What was that?" He asked.

"I don't know, but you were practically drooling over that blue bitch in the car ride over here." Jack said.

"It's something an Ardat-Yakshi can do. It's how the other one managed to have a whole merc force under her control." Shepard explained. "I don't really understand it, but they make it hard for you to think, make everything they say sound like the best idea in the world. If you're not careful, they can have you fighting and dying for them without a second thought."

"I could feel it!" Garrus said. "Like a whisper, in the back of your head."

"Sounds a lot like what the Reapers do to make those husks." Jacob said.

"Why doesn't it seem to be affecting you, Jack?" Garrus asked, mandibles flaring in curiosity. Jack looked at him for a second, lost for words. Her mouth worked around several possible answers before she replied.

"I- uh… I guess it's just 'cause I don't like the bitch." She muttered. Shepard felt a smirk tug at his mouth upon seeing her at a loss, even though he knew exactly where she had found the strength to resist Aesyyri's charms. He deigned it prudent not to point out her possessive nature, deciding he liked having the use of both arms, and remained silent on the matter.

"There she goes," Jacob said, pointing at a departing private shuttle. "Reckon she will set up that meeting with the Justicars?"

"Not a hope in hell." Shepard said, a wry expression on his face. "Don't worry. We've got a backup plan. Garrus?"

The Turian lifted his sniper rifle to his eye, the specially modded round sitting in the barrel. He slowly targeted the Justicar's shuttle and, just before it powered away, he fired. He was rewarded with a spark of light as the round attached itself to the hull of the shuttle and his omnitool beeped in response, instantly receiving data.

The 'Breadcrumb' round, named so by Garrus as an homage to the ancient Human fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel, was a specially modified bullet that pierced the armour of a target, embedding itself just under the hull of a shuttle, skycar or tank. The bullet then released a small quantity of liquid sealant, smoothing over the hole left by the impact, and concealing the bug from a cursory glance. Sophisticated transmitting equipment inside the bullet allowed the Turian to track the vehicle anywhere within a solar system. The bug was almost undetectable, difficult to jam, and able to be planted at a great distance, only limited by the range of the weapon used to launch it. After a few seconds, Garrus confirmed the 'Breadcrumb' was working.

"We've got a signal, Commander."

"Good. We'll head back to the Normandy, restock on ammo, and then take the cub and follow her."

"Should I signal ahead and have the rest of the squad arm up?" Jacob offered helpfully.

"No. I know we have a dangerous enemy to take down, but we don't want to put the Justicars on the alert by bringing a whole army to their front door." Shepard said. "Plus I reckon a Geth, a Collector and a Mercenary Warlord will send the wrong message, when all we want to do is talk."

"Noted." Jacob chuckled.

**~o~O~o~**

The squad stood anxiously around the CIC as they watched the feed from Garrus' omnitool. Linked up to the Galaxy map, the omnitool was plotting a line across a holographic representation of Thessia. So far, the Justicar had travelled almost due west for half an hour before turning north, making a beeline for the northern polar ice cap.

Finally, after about two hours, Shepard strode forward. Garrus closed the map up, aware that the Commander was ready to move out. Jacob and Jack stood up from where they had been slouching against a bulkhead. Shepard faced them with a serious expression.

"I reckon she's got enough of a headstart on us now. Let's move. Hopefully, her first stop will be to see her Justicar sisters. We need to be on our guard while we're there. You've seen what power she has over the mind. Watch yourselves. Also, keep in mind that these Justicars are the toughest of the tough. Do not give them any reason to attack you. That means be courteous," Here Shepard threw Jack a meaningful look, which she shrugged off with an innocent stare. "and on no account should you show any aggression to one of them. Now, let's move out."

Minutes later, the Normandy's shuttle was skimming through the air above Serrice, heading north towards the Justicar's location. The shuttle vibrated uncertainly in patches of turbulence as they proceeded further north, the Commander ordering the pilot, Serviceman Hawthorne, to fly closer to the ground than he normally would. He reasoned that flying at higher altitudes would increase the risk of them being spotted before they arrived. The Kodiak was designed for stealth, but would still register on any advanced sensor arrays. Shepard found himself wondering if it would be possible to adapt the tactical cloak Feron used to hide the shuttle from sight during covert missions. He dismissed the idea as something to look into at a later time upon noticing that they were fast approaching the Justicar, who had stopped moving some time ago.

Shepard ordered Hawthorne to bring them down a short distance from her location, opting to finish the journey on foot. He ordered the pilot to fly away a good distance and wait for his signal in case the squad needed extraction.

The squad stepped out into the crisp air, looking about cautiously. They were in the middle of a snow-covered mountain range, far from any major Asari settlements. With one of the moons shining in the sky above, the air had a biting chill to it. The snow underfoot was quite deep, potentially a problem if the squad needed to move with any speed.

Shepard led the group to the crest of a nearby ridge, in order to get a good look at where the Justicar had gone. What they saw was breathtaking.

Carved into the face of a mountain, a vast stone building perched over a drop of several hundred feet. A single, narrow road led up to the entrance of the massive, blocky structure. The building's design was severe, obviously putting function before fashion. A huge waterfall cascaded down the mountainside behind it, briefly becoming a river as it flowed along the plateau the building stood upon, its beauty counteracting the harshness of the structure. The river served as a moat that cut the building off from the outside world on all sides, save for a small bridge which led to the main entrance. The remoteness of the location, combined with the design of the building, instantly brought the word 'monastery' to Shepard's mind. When he considered the design of the building a little more, he decided the term 'prison' might be more apt.

As they scoped out the monastery, a docking bay door opened in the mountainside above the building, and the shuttle Aesyyri had arrived in flew out, turning back to the south and speeding away. The Commander considered following it to its next destination, but he had a hunch it was simply returning on autopilot to whatever dealer it belonged to, and that this was the place where he wanted to be. Besides, should the monastery prove to be a wild goose chase, the tracker was still embedded in the shuttle's hull, so it would take little effort to pick up the trail again. He hunched his shoulders against the wind, and made his way towards the intimidating structure.

They arrived on the bridge after a gruelling hike through the snow, and by the time they stood before a pair of heavy wooden doors, the cold had thoroughly penetrated Shepard's armour. The Commander saw that Garrus and Jacob had fared no better, both shivering. Jack was suffering worst of all, the skin visible between the tattoos on her bare arms a frigid red from the biting wind. Shepard promised himself that he'd make sure the squad was provided with armour more suited to extreme weather conditions such as this. Kinetic barriers and biotics could only protect a person from so much, and the icy wind up in these mountains was absolutely brutal.

Teeth chattering, Shepard reached up to knock heavily on the doors. After an awkward wait, so long Shepard suspected no one was coming, the doors opened a crack and a young blue face peered out. The Asari had a vibrant aura about her, suggesting to Shepard she was still in the maiden stage. She looked out curiously at the newcomers, her dark blue facial markings wriggling around on her face as her expression changed from one of curiosity to wariness at seeing non-Asari at the door.

"What do you need?" She asked.

"We've come to see the Justicars." Shepard said simply, opting for an economy of words given the biting cold that burned his cheeks. The young Asari looked like she was about to deny that there were any Justicars there, but he spoke up before she could. "We're friends of Aesyyri Nalanis. She told us to meet her here."

At the mention of Aesyyri's name, the Asari's wary expression immediately vanished, and she ushered them in out of the cold. Shepard was amazed at how warm it was inside, given the building's ancient design and building materials, but assumed there was an array of hidden machines at work to keep the occupants warm.

The entrance hall was large, ceiling up at least twenty feet from the ground. Stone walls were covered with tapestries of important moments from Asari history. Shepard recognised a couple of images he had heard about, including the founding of the Republics, the congregation of the first matriarchs, and the discovery of the Citadel.

The Asari looked at them with curiosity, a hint of doubt in her eyes.

"It isn't often we get visitors here. We weren't told to expect you, so I'll have to speak with the sisters before I can allow you any further into the building."

"Well, it was a bit of a surprise to us that we were coming here, too." Shepard said wryly, not lying, but not being strictly honest either. He was glad his bluff in mentioning Aesyyri had paid off. "I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my squad: Garrus Vakarian, Jacob Taylor and Jack."

"I'll go and inform the sisters. I'm sure your friend, Aesyyri, will be happy to see you." With that, the Asari turned and was gone. Shepard turned to his team.

"Shepard, are you sure it was wise to lay all your cards out on the table like that by mentioning Aesyyri?" Jacob asked cautiously.

"We had to get in somehow, and it was the best way to make sure that she's still here."

"Nevertheless, there was heavy risk in throwing her name out there. Let's hope it pays off. If she gets word we tracked her here, she's gonna know that we're onto her."

"She won't pull anything with so many Justicars so close. Too risky for her." Shepard said confidently.

Their discussion was interrupted by a surprised cry from the other side of the entrance hall. Walking into the hall, Samara threw her arms wide in greeting, moving swiftly forward to embrace her old comrades. The squad gathered around for the reunion, Shepard returning the embrace warmly, followed by Jacob. Jack gruffly patted the Justicar on the back, while Garrus retained a composed stance, nodding formally. Only the wide grin on his face betrayed the happiness he felt at seeing Samara again.

"Shepard! It is a wonder to see you again. Here, of all places! It has been too long." Her voice, heavy with wisdom, was full of joy at seeing her old friends.

"Good to see you, Samara. How've you been?" Shepard asked.

"I have fared well. My months in contemplation here have benefited me. I feel more centred, more at peace. My commitment to the Code has never been stronger. And you, Commander? How is the crew of the Normandy?"

"Well, uh…" Shepard hesitated before answering. "Things have been kinda rough lately. I just finished a three month stay in one of the Illusive Man's prisons. We're working to get the rest of the team back, but it's going to take a while."

"I see." Samara's face took on a more serious expression. "Cerberus is indeed a dangerous organisation, one that most certainly does not have justice in mind when it acts. It may be fitting for me to put my talents to use stopping the Illusive Man."

"That will be a discussion for another day, Samara." A stern voice echoed over the Justicar's shoulder.

Shepard looked past Samara to see a group of Asari walking in, led by an Asari who walked with a clear air of superiority. Her face was weathered by age, and the Commander guessed that she was probably the oldest Asari he had seen, definitely in her matriarchal years. From the way the other Asari acted around her, he got the feeling she was in charge here. Her expression was stern as she eyed up the Commander, pale blue eyes shining out from a wrinkled, ice-white face with just the barest hint of blue to it.

"Who are you to demand an audience with the Justicars?" Her tone was haughty, imperious.

"Commander Shepard, Alliance military, and Citadel Special Tactics and Reconnaissance." The name set a few Asari murmuring, who were silence by a glare from the leader. She turned her icy stare back to the Commander.

"And how does a Human come to find one of our strongholds?"

Shepard hesitated, but decided lying to the woman would not help his cause.

"We, uh, tracked one of your number here, ma'am." Shepard chose to use the term, feeling that a respectful tone was needed to mollify the elderly Asari. "I assure you, our motives are honest. Our mission is important, and this seemed the only way to find you."

"Motives do not matter to a Justicar, only the Code." She recited the line, as though reading an ancient text from memory. "I shall gather the Order to hear what you have to say."

The elderly Asari turned to leave, tugging her head to the side in a signal for Samara to follow. The Justicar murmured to Shepard that she would try to speak to him later, before following the crowd of Asari as they left. The Commander caught sight of the beautiful features of Aesyyri looking at him. The Asari bore a wrathful expression, her face a charged blue, the Asari equivalent of an angry red. Shepard realised that she was aware of his knowledge of her true nature, and wasn't about to let him reveal her secret to the others. In that instant, he felt quite vulnerable. Once the Ardat-Yakshi was gone, the feeling passed.

The only Asari to remain was the youngster who had let them in. She bobbed about nervously in the presence of the older Asari, but calmed once she had left. She turned to the Commander and his squad.

"I've been left in charge of showing you around, Commander. My name is Jeena. Please, follow me." She headed off down the corridor. Shepard shrugged, and followed her. After a short walk, he felt compelled to ask her a question.

"Who was that?"

"Hmm? Oh, that was Matriarch Deseltia. She's pretty much in charge around here, not that anyone would admit it. Justicars preach that they are all equals, no ruling structure, but nothing happens around here unless Deseltia approves it." Jeena said casually. "Technically, you're not supposed to be able to be an official Matriarch and a Justicar, but she somehow side-stepped the rule. I guess being nearly twelve hundred years old she can do that."

"You don't seem to have a very high opinion of the Justicars." Shepard remarked.

"When you spend as much time around them as I do, you see that they're not always as pure and holy as they act in public. You get the odd true Justicar, like Samara. They're the ones who you see in the holovids and read about in the old legends. You never hear about the ones who worry about their own gain and so on."

"You're not a Justicar yourself?"

"No. I'm just here to look after the other inhabitants of the monastery."

"The others?" Garrus asked curiously.

"The Ardat-Yakshi. Didn't you know? This is an Ardat-Yakshi enclave."

As she explained this, she led them out into a large hall, easily a couple of hundred feet in length and fifty feet in width. The ceiling was far above, an echoing, cavernous space filled with support rafters. Inside the hall, a multitude of Asari walked about, some sitting and chatting, others working on tapestries like the ones Shepard had seen in the entrance hallway.

The Commander hesitated a moment before proceeding into the hall, reluctant to enter a room with so many dangerous individuals. But then he reminded himself that these Asari had willingly gone into exile for the safety of others around them, choosing a life of solitude in this monastery rather than risk harming their family and friends.

As he walked in, the Ardat-Yakshi all looked up, a sea of blue faces turning to look at the new arrivals in a rippling wave. The sudden lull in their conversation and interest in his entrance unnerved Shepard slightly. He realised that these Asari had likely never seen a human before, and it was possible he and his squad were the first people they had seen in decades, or maybe even centuries, who were not staff working at the monastery. Shepard heard a few murmurs of curiosity at their appearance, and felt distinctly uncomfortable under their combined cerulean stares.

Jeena swiftly escorted them through the room and out the other side, warmly greeting some of the Asari in the room as she breezed past. She led the squad out of the hall, closing the door firmly behind her.

"Sorry about that." She said. "They can be a little unnerving. Its not often they see anyone except each other. When you're approaching your matriarchal years, the solitude can be difficult to bear."

"Was it just me, or did anyone else feel like a piece of steak dangling in front of an angry lion's face?" Jacob asked.

"You've got nothing to worry about." Jeena reassured. "The Ardat-Yakshi here have mastered their drives and desires. They take part in many activities to stimulate their minds. Of course, they could never be allowed back into mainstream Asari society. Unsupervised, it would be all too easy for them to give in to the hunger."

"Ever have any of your residents try to leave?" Jack asked casually, fingering the edge of a plush tapestry that hung on the wall nearby.

"Once or twice a century. Usually a Maiden who is entering the Matron stage. The drive to settle down with a family can cloud one's judgement. Of course, something like a family is out of the question for an Ardat-Yakshi, and we have to catch them before they can reach any population centres. Our remote location helps to reign them in."

"No doubt." Shepard said, looking out a window at the sheer mountains beyond.

"Come on. I'll show you the Observatory."

Jeena led them down a series of corridors. The squad walked past a few smaller halls where groups of Ardat-Yakshi were engaged in various activities, from cooking to arts and crafts. If Shepard hadn't known the true nature of the residents, he might have mistaken the monastery for a day centre. But he realised the true purpose behind the activities; not to teach, but to distract.

They moved past a series of small dorm rooms, sparsely furnished, and entered a round room. The Observatory was a dark room, about twenty feet in diameter. The ceiling was lost to sight in the darkness, at least thirty feet above them. Below the ceiling, just above their heads, a holographic representation of the Galaxy hovered in mid-air. It spun visibly, rotating fully once every two minutes. The twinkling stars glinted, reflecting their light off polished black marble walls. A black floor, streaked through with white lines, shone in the dim light of the hologram.

"Welcome to the Observatory. This is a real-time representation of the Galaxy, continually updated as new data is received. New star systems and planets are added as reports from Citadel-sponsored expeditions to map the Galaxy, and changes are made to existing data as we receive updates from all corners of Citadel space. This map is given second-tier access to the extranet to keep it updated. Only Council business takes priority over our connection."

"Why go to all that trouble?" Shepard asked, awed by the resources dedicated to the map above his head.

Jeena smiled at his wondrous tone, reaching up to wave a hand through the map. In response to her touch, the map zoomed in, focusing on a spiral arm of the Galaxy. She moved her hands in more complicated motions and the map focused in on a smaller cluster of stars, then a system, and finally Thessia hovered above them, a large blue-white orb about two meters across. Shepard looked on as weather systems moved across the surface of the image in synch with the real thing. Through the translucent planet, Jeena watched him with a proud smile on her face.

"This is a gift we built for our residents. Through this map, the Ardat-Yakshi here can look upon the Galaxy they can never touch, see sights they would otherwise be unable to. This gives them a connection to the larger Galaxy that would otherwise be impossible."

The squad watched the display for a few more moments before Jeena dismissed the display with a wave of her hand.

"We'd best move on. I'll take you to where the Justicars stay while they are here. I expect they'll be gathered soon, and your meeting with them will commence."

Jeena led them back through the hallways some way, guiding them through a couple of discreet doors that took them away from the more densely populated areas of the monastery. They descended a couple of flights of stairs, and Shepard realised they were being herded down into the mountain itself, beneath the building's foundations.

At last they came to another area that had seen frequent use, a nexus of corridors. Jeena led them down one of the branching passageways. She guided them towards a large stone room where she asked them to wait. The room was long, its rough ceiling only just high enough to accommodate Garrus' towering frame. Pillars of solid, unadorned rock supported the roof, spaced out at regular intervals in all directions, forming a grid of supports.

Shepard waited a few minutes for Jeena to return. After this, his patience began to wane and he felt the need to wander a bit. He walked to the far wall of the room and noted the wall contained a series of alcoves. Some Justicars were sitting cross-legged in a few of the alcoves, eyes closed as they meditated. A couple glowed with biotic light as they held a shape of pure dark energy before them. All were silent as they contemplated matters that were far above Shepard's comprehension.

As Shepard walked past one alcove, its occupant stood up, opening her eyes. Samara smiled warmly as she stepped out to meet the Commander. She still wore the black suit of armour she had worn through the Omega Four Relay, a mourning outfit in remembrance of her deceased daughter. The jewellery that encircled her brow glinted a faint gold.

"Shepard. It is good to see you again." Her voice was full of proud power, hints at her near-millennial lifetime evident in every inflection. "My sisters are preparing to give you an audience, though I suspect I am already aware of your reasons for coming. The greatest of our foes approach, do they not?"

The Commander's only response was an affirmative nod.

"I see. Then I shall fight at your side, Commander. It will be an honour to aid you in your cause." She said as they walked among the pillars. When Shepard judged them to be out of earshot of the other Justicars, he turned to face the old warrior.

"Samara, there's something I need to tell you. The Justicar we followed here, Aesyyri Nalanis? We found out-"

"Found out what?" Aesyyri's voice echoed hollowly about the pillars of the room as she stalked out of the darkness, stepping forward and putting a sisterly arm around Samara, hand drifting dangerously close to her throat. "I see you are catching up with your old friend, my sister. I am glad to have been able to help reunite the two of you."

She was interrupted by the quiet click as Shepard's pistol locked in the active position, barrel and trigger springing out from the handle to form a complete weapon. Behind him, the rest of his squad all trained their weapons on the Ardat-Yakshi. Standing just behind Samara's shoulder, Aesyyri's eyes narrowed as she eyed up her opposition. Her face lost its serene beauty, creasing with annoyance. Samara, not seeing her fellow Justicar's face, looked at the Commander with a measure of confusion.

"Shepard? What is the meaning of this?" She asked.

"Aesyyri's an Ardat-Yakshi, Samara. We saw her feed upon her last target."

The Ardat-Yakshi had almost no time to react before Samara's elbow connected with her face, knocking her backwards. She clutched at a swelling eye as she staggered from the blow, looking at Samara with a measure of surprise.

"You trust this human over me?" She asked unbelievingly.

"Without hesitation." Came the curt reply as Samara's hand glowed with biotic light, casting shadows across the Justicar's face. "Shepard's judgement is beyond doubt."

"Then I suppose it is time to end this charade." Aesyyri's face hardened as she stood up straight, all traces of the beauty that had once been there vanishing into a scowl of pure rage.

Before any of the squad could act, she drew a biotic field about herself and launched herself at Samara. The two combatants collided with a tremendous crash, the impact sending tremors shuddering through the pillars of the hall. The two traded blows for a few seconds, each biotic punch sending shivers through the rock of the room. As the fight progressed, the Justicars in the alcoves moved over to investigate, running off to fetch their sisters when they saw two of their number locked in combat.

Suddenly, the Ardat-Yakshi kicked out at Samara's ankles, knocking the Justicar to the ground. With the Justicar momentarily out of the way, Aesyyri darted out of the room, heading down the hallways Shepard had so recently walked down. Samara was up in an instant, racing after her. Shepard's team was hot on her heels.

They wove through the twisting passageways, trying their best to keep on the trail of the murderer. After several minutes of running, they burst through a door into the main part of the monastery. They looked either way, unable to see their quarry. Shepard made an instant decision.

"Samara and I will go left. Garrus, take the others right. Radio me if you find her." He ordered. The Turian nodded, marching down the hallway to the right with Jack and Jacob in tow. As they did so, Shepard and Samara made their way to the left.

Samara led Shepard through the hallways, keeping up a hurried pace in an effort to catch up to the Ardat-Yakshi before she could escape. They pounded down the carpeted hallways, looking in each room they passed. Shepard realised that they were following the route that led to the Observatory. Passing a few final empty rooms, they entered the silent Observatory cautiously. Above their heads, the Galaxy continued its inexorable rotation.

Aesyyri came racing out of the darkness with surprising speed, propelled by her biotics. Shepard was knocked to the ground by the biotic charge, hitting his skull against the marble floor with a painful crack. Samara was thrown into the wall with tremendous force, slumping limply to the floor.

In his dazed state, Shepard was aware of a lithe figure walking over to him. Aesyyri knelt down next to him, looking at him with anger in her eyes. In a panic, Shepard thought to reach for his weapon, but any such thought was cast from his mind when Aesyyri's azure gaze transfixed him. In that instant, he felt his fear and distrust of the Ardat-Yakshi stripped away, replaced by a complete and utter desire to cater to her every whim, to lay his life on the line for her happiness. A final rebellious thought told him that she was exerting her influence over him, but was silenced as his entire universe became the large blue eyes locked with his own.

He felt her straddling his stomach, leaning down to lie along the length of his torso, her face inches from his own. A soft blue hand ran up the length of his chestpiece, coming up to caress his face. His skin thrilled at the touch, an electric shiver racing up his spine. Her mouth quirked into a smile to see him so enthralled.

"Your deaths won't be as satisfying as my usual quarry, but no matter. All you had to do was keep silent, and this would have been unnecessary." Shepard nodded dumbly, happy to be graced with her words, no matter their meaning. "You're strong, Commander. But not strong enough. Embrace Eternity!"

In an instant her mouth was pressed against his, full blue lips pressing down forcefully. Her warm tongue darted into his mouth, questing, probing. He felt shivers of pure ecstasy race through his limbs, a nearly paralysing wave of pleasure. He looked up into her face in shock, his eyes gazing deep into her pure black orbs.

"Hey bitch," Shepard gasped for breath as the kiss ended, the Ardat-Yakshi twisting her head to locate the source of the words. Jack stood in the doorway to the Observatory, biotic witchfire flickering around both hands.

"Embrace this."

With that, the convict flung her hands forward, putting all of her concentration into a single attack. A biotic blast of incredible power tore through the Observatory, hitting Aesyyri square in the chest and throwing her off the Commander and against the wall. Before the Ardat-Yakshi could gather herself, a follow-up attack threw her against the wall again. Behind her, a spider's web of fractures pierced the wall. A third attack struck Aesyyri, and the wall behind her gave way. The Ardat-Yakshi vanished through the new hole in the wall among the rain of debris.

Cold white light flooded into the Observatory, escorted by a flurry of snow. Shepard shivered as a wave of icy air flooded over him, awakening him from his daze. He shook his head to clear it, and became aware of a pair of booted feet standing in front of his face. He looked up into Jack's concerned features. Her face hardened as the Commander's gaze met hers, concealing the worry locked in her features. She extended a hand to help him onto his feet.

"I'm always having to pull your ass outta the fire, ain't I?" She quipped.

Behind her, Jacob knelt next to Samara, checking her pulse and making sure she was okay. He looked up with a relieved look to his face.

"She'll be okay, Commander. She's unconscious, and she'll wake up with a hell of a headache, but otherwise she should be fine." He said.

"We got to those big halls with all the Asari in them. Figured that, if they hadn't seen her, then she hadn't been that way. Makes sense, actually. She probably counted on us checking the front doors while she went the other way." Jack explained. "Looks like we got here just in time."

"I hate to interrupt you guys," Garrus interjected, pointing out the window. "But your girlfriend's getting back up, Commander."

Shepard walked over to look out and saw Aesyyri standing up from where she had fallen. The Observatory was built into the monastery about fifteen feet off the ground, and the Ardat-Yakshi had fallen into a deep snowdrift below, so she was relatively unharmed, though she walked with a pronounced limp. Garrus lifted his rifle to line up a shot on the Asari as she turned to flee, but she raised a hand and a telltale blue flicker appeared around her. The Turian fired anyway, but the round was deflected easily.

"Come on! We can't let her get away!" Shepard urged, taking a couple of steps back. He ran up to the hole in the wall, diving out. He made sure to tuck and roll as he hit the soft snow, reducing the impact he made and getting back to his feet quickly. Garrus soon followed suit, with Jack and Jacob jumping behind him, their biotics holding them in the air briefly to reduce their speed.

The squad raced through the snow towards their fleeing enemy, occasionally struggling with deeper drifts or skidding on icy rock as they hurried after Aesyyri. Ahead, the Ardat-Yakshi bounded through the snow, struggling with her injured leg. She clambered up a slick rock pile and leapt, landing with poor grace on the frozen surface of the river that formed the boundary of the monastery's grounds. To her right, the waterfall pounded down into a deep pool at the end of the frozen segment, the churning water refusing to freeze. On the left, the river cascaded over the edge of the plateau, occasionally tearing a chunk of the frozen surface away with it.

As Aesyyri turned to face the approaching squad, the ice groaned underneath her, creaking menacingly with each step she took. She looked at the Commander with fury blazing in her eyes.

"Give it up Aesyyri. You've got nowhere else to run." Shepard shouted across the river, his voice echoing back at him from the nearest mountain peaks.

"Go to hell!" She spat back. "Why must I die for the way I was born? I'm hardly the only Justicar to have killed. Most of my victims have been very dangerous criminals! What difference does it make what my methods are?"

"Don't kid yourself. You don't kill because the Code compels you. You kill to satisfy your own lust. Your victims were made to suffer, dying an excruciating death that no one deserves. That isn't justice, its murder!" Shepard's voice was tinged with harsh anger.

Shepard ducked as a biotic blast was thrown his way. The blue bolt flew over his head harmlessly, and he straightened up, taking aim with his rifle. He and Garrus laid down a heavy hail of bullets, while Jack and Jacob flung a salvo of warp blasts at the Asari. All of the attacks were repulsed by a barrier she threw up to protect herself, her arms glowing brightly as she put everything she had into her defence.

Shepard gritted his teeth in frustration as he realised they were making no progress. He halted his attack, his team following suit. Aesyyri looked up from behind her barrier, a smug smile growing on her face as it dawned on her she was holding them off.

"Giving up so soon, Commander?" She goaded.

This was the wrong thing to do. The Commander, face tight with anger, stepped out onto the ice, switching his rifle for his pistol. As the Ardat-Yakshi watched, he fired a shot into the ice, just to her right. The high velocity bullet punched through the ice with devastating force, sending a network of cracks shooting out from its point of impact. Without pausing, Shepard fired again, aiming a bit beyond his first shot. The second bullet punched another hole in the ice, its cracks spreading and intertwining with those of the first. The Commander fired three more times, each time aiming at a fresh patch of ice near the Ardat-Yakshi.

Aesyyri staggered uncertainly as the ice shifted underfoot, her eyes wide with fear as Shepard unloaded his last bullet into the ice. The final set of cracks combined with the already existing ones, breaking the ice apart into a multitude of smaller blocks. She looked about in terror as her refuge began to move downstream, towards the edge of the plateau. She moved to leap from the ice, but a renewed attack from the squad on the riverbank made her pause to hold up her barrier.

With a crash, the tiny iceberg she stood upon lodged itself between two rocks, jutting over the edge of the plateau as the river leapt off into thin air, tumbling down the mountainside until it vanished from sight. She looked over the edge, her face paling as she took in the great distance before her. Her red facial markings stood out starkly from the near-white skin as she looked over at the Commander.

Shepard switched out his heat sink for a new one, reloading his pistol. He took aim and fired, hitting the ice at Aesyyri's feet. The diminutive block of ice broke in half, its two parts slipping over the edge, dragging the Ardat-Yakshi over with them. Aesyyri screamed as she was pulled over the edge, arms flailing. A blue glow flickered around her form as she tumbled, a biotic field she raised to try and stabilise herself. In that second, Garrus took advantage of her distraction to fire, a sniper round piercing her chest.

Even as she fell over the edge, Shepard felt a pull at his legs, knocking him off his feet and into the swirling river. In her final second before being pulled over, the Ardat-Yakshi had tried to take him with her, using her power to pull him into the frigid water.

Shepard gasped as the icy water flowed into his armour, pouring down the opening around his neck. The freezing temperature instantly began to sap his strength as he tried to swim against the current, moving over towards the riverbank. He saw his squad rush along the riverbank parallel to him, running to his aid. He turned to look where he was being dragged and saw the edge rapidly approaching, with the terrible drop beyond.

Just as the water threatened to drag him over the edge, he was rammed against a rock, which he duly tried to cling to. His numbing fingers struggled to find purchase of the icy rock, and he felt the water slowly pulling him beyond. He braced himself for the drop.

The next thing he knew, there was a firm grip around the scruff of his neck. Two three-fingered hands grabbed a hold of him and tugged him bodily from the water, hauling him up onto the riverbank. Garrus stood over him, checking that he was all right. The Turian helped him to his feet and they made their way back to the monastery.

Back inside, the Commander shivered as a thick blanket was given to him. He stood in the entrance hall, wearing only his thin undersuit. The instant he had stepped inside, he had shed his armour, noting that even in the short walk back to the monastery, the river water that coated it had frozen into a thick layer of ice. The Asari at the monastery had rushed to tend him, offering blankets and hot drinks to fight off the cold. One ran an omnitool over him, checking vitalsigns to make sure he wasn't suffering from hypothermia.

Shepard looked up as a group of Asari walked in. Samara stood in their midst, holding a cold compress to an ugly bruised portion of her head. Two Asari walked with her, one on either side, tending to her with unusual care. The Commander was unnerved when he noted they were wearing the outfits that the monastery's Ardat-Yakshi residents wore, but they seemed only interested in helping, so he made no protest.

Behind this group came a collection of the Justicars Shepard had met earlier, Matriarch Deseltia among them. The elderly Justicar wore an expression of distaste at having to be in the Commander's presence once more. She approached Shepard swiftly, ignoring the annoyed look the Asari with the medical scanner gave her.

"What happened here? I turn my back for a few minutes, and two of our most prominent Justicars start fighting each other, with you at the centre of the action." Her tone was accusatory.

"Aesyyri Nalanis was an Ardat-Yakshi. My squad and I were witness to the brutal murder of her last victim. When we tried to tell Samara, she attacked us." Shepard explained.

"And yet you allowed her to come here?"

"I had no choice. She was our only way of finding the Justicars. Our mission is of utmost importance."

"You let a murderer live, allowing her to come into our midst, just because you needed to speak with us? You put your mission ahead of making sure justice was served. Had you acted back when you found out Aesyyri's true nature, all of this could have been avoided!" Deseltia shouted.

"And if she had killed me back in Serrice, she would still be walking about among you, continuing her killing spree!" Shepard felt frustration at the Matriarch's attitude, realising that, even among the Justicars, bureaucracy and politics were still obstacles to getting things done.

"So its not only your mission, but also your personal safety to which you give a higher priority than acting in a just manner. Your actions violate the principles of the Justicar Code at every turn! Why should we give you an audience?" She spat.

"My sister, I ask of you that you at least listen to the Commander." Samara said, interceding on Shepard's behalf. "I have always known Shepard to be a just warrior, and his goals are noble, even if the methods are shown to be somewhat lacking when judged by the standards of the Code."

Deseltia looked as though she were about to refuse Samara's entreaties, but then caught the looks her fellow Justicars were giving her. She let out an irritated sigh and conceded to the request.

The Justicars turned to walk down the corridors, clearly wishing to conduct their meeting away from the more public areas of the monastery. Shepard followed, stepping in beside Samara as she joined the back of the group. The two younger Asari who had been tending to her stayed by her elbows, ready to rush to her assistance.

"Thank you, Samara." Shepard said simply.

"It was the least I could do, Commander. After the assistance you gave me in completing my mission, it is a small way of repaying my debt to you."

The two Asari following her looked at the Commander with a measure of astonishment.

"You helped to kill our sister?" She asked in wonder.

"Shepard, I must introduce you to my daughters, Falere and Rila. They found me in the Observatory after you left to pursue Aesyyri."

"We had no idea mother was here." Falere said. "It's been over four hundred years since we were last together, so I was glad to hear that our sister has finally been laid to rest."

"I'm happy you found your family again, Samara." Shepard said, nodding his head in greeting towards the two Asari. Now that he was aware of the relation, he could see the resemblance, around the eyes and in the upward curl of the lips. Their faces were hauntingly similar to Morinth's, a detail Shepard found hard to ignore.

"Matriarch Deseltia doesn't seem to like me much." Shepard commented as they passed through the door that led from the monastery's main area and into the Justicars' secret passages.

"She merely fears you, Commander." Samara answered.

"Fears me?"

"You fight for what you view to be right. Most Justicars would be hard pressed to argue that you do not serve justice, though they can criticise your methods. Such was your interest in acting justly that a Justicar was compelled to swear herself into your service, an honour that no non-Asari has been extended in the past thousand years. She is worried that more Justicars will flock to your cause, and that she will lose influence over the majority of the Order. Most would not admit it, but she wields a disconcerting amount of power over the hearts and minds of the Justicars."

"I had a feeling there'd be a political reason behind her dislike for me." Shepard said wryly.

They chatted for a few short minutes while they followed the Justicars once more into the depths of the monastery, until finally the group entered the pillared hall where the battle with Aesyyri had begun. Shepard noted that many of the pillars now bore extensive cracks, remnants of the immense battle that had taken place. Deseltia walked into the middle of the room, waiting for the Justicars to gather among the pillars. Finally she turned towards the Commander.

"The majority of our Order has gathered, Commander. All Justicars on Thessia and travelling through the local system have come together to hear your demands." She growled, making every effort to cast his request in a poor light even before it had been made. "Speak your piece."

The Commander stepped up to the centre of the room, looking around into the faces of those gathered. Standing in a circle around him, he saw a vast array of Asari faces, from Samara's own reassuring smile, to Deseltia's grim frown. He felt remarkably underdressed in his armour's undersuit, in front of such an array of strangers. There were all variety of shades of blue skin tones in the crowd, from pale eggshells to deep turquoise. Some faces were locked in scowls of distrust for the non-Asari, while others wore the serene gaze of one bearing the wisdom and patience of a centuries-long life. Shepard took a deep breath, and began to speak.

"Thank you for coming here today. I have travelled here with a request for aid. The Galaxy faces a great threat, beyond anything we have ever known. Ancient beings known as Reapers are moving to exterminate all organic life in the Galaxy, a stage in a cycle that repeats itself every fifty thousand years. The ship that led the attack on the Citadel was only one of these beings, the vanguard of their arrival. No doubt Samara has told you of our mission through the Omega Four Relay, and what we found there. The rest of their fleet is on its way right now. It is my mission to make sure the races of the Galaxy stand ready for the attack.

"I have come here today to ask for your assistance in the preparations for the war to come. The Justicars hold a special position in Asari society, as an integral part of the culture and history of the race. Combined, you wield millennia of combat experience. Your assistance in any preparations we make for the coming of the Reapers would be a catalyst to mobilise the Asari Republics.

"It's not just the Asari or the Alliance that faces extinction here, it's every single sentient species in the Galaxy. These sentient machines are determined to wipe us out. Humanity is making preparations for the coming war, but we cannot stand alone. Please, help us." He finished simply.

Shepard watched as the gathered Justicars clustered together. The more senior ones seemed to be doing all of the talking, and there was much heated debate among them. The Commander shifted on his feet uneasily, and caught sight of Falere and Rila, standing to one side. Falere gave him a reassuring smile, obviously confident his words had touched the hearts of the Justicars. They all turned back as the cluster of Asari broke apart, a decision clearly made. Deseltia was the nominated speaker, and the smug smile she bore caused Shepard's heart to sink.

"It is the decision of the Order to refuse, Commander." She said in a satisfied tone of voice.

There were murmurs of surprise from the other Asari in the hall, along with a number of younger Justicars who had obviously voted to act. Samara most of all seemed displeased with the decision. The Commander looked about for a moment, at a loss.

"What? How can that be your decision?" He struggled to keep calm, unsure how they could ignore the threat of the Reapers.

"We are not a military organisation." Deseltia explained firmly. "We are guardians of justice, not soldiers. We have no army to join your war effort. Even if we had the numbers to add to your forces, we would not take up your cause. We are governed by the Code, nothing else."

"The Reapers intend to wipe out every living being in the Galaxy." Samara interrupted angrily. Shepard mused that, other than during her fight with Morinth, this was the first time he had seen her express any distinct measure of emotion, her normally calm expression creased with emotion. "Many innocents will suffer if they cannot be stopped. This decision cannot be in line with the Code."

"Your fellow Justicars have made a decision, Samara." Deseltia's voice was taut. "You would do well to abide by it."

"Unfortunately, as you have pointed out, Justicars serve the Code, and only the Code, not other Justicars." The next thing Samara said was clearly difficult for her, as she had to swallow a growing lump in her throat before continuing. "It is clear to me that abiding by this decision is not in the best interests of serving justice. Therefore, I am best able to satisfy the Code by committing the Ninth Rite of Exile."

Gasps echoed all about the hall, and even the sturdy Deseltia was taken aback at the proclamation.

"No Justicar has undergone the Rite willingly. The Rite has not even been performed since the days of the Fallen Twelve." She said seriously. "You realise the weight of your choice today?"

"I do. But it is the righteous path."

"You would put Shepard's crusade ahead of your place as a member of the Order?" Another Justicar asked, disbelief in her voice.

"I would."

"So be it." Deseltia snapped in an irritated voice. "Prepare yourself, Samara. The Rite of Exile shall be performed tonight."

The shocked audience turned to leave, departing down various passageways. Samara returned to her daughters, who threw comforting arms about her shoulders. The warrior looked truly broken, a slump coming to her shoulders that Shepard had never seen, not even when she had been forced to kill her own daughter. The Commander walked over to her.

"Thank you for speaking up for me, Samara." He said. She looked up at him, an overwhelming sadness in her eyes.

"You have no need to thank me, Shepard. I did what was right, though the price has been incredibly high. I am sorry that my sisters are so stiff-necked. Those who share Deseltia's fears of a loss of power have a greater influence than I thought."

"What exactly have you done? The others didn't seem pleased about it."

"The Rite of Exile is an ancient custom, from the Order's earliest years. Once performed, the victim of the Rite is no longer a Justicar, and no longer welcome in Asari space. It has only been used on the most serious of wrongdoers among the Order, and even then after great deliberation. To take the consequences of the Rite upon oneself willingly is unheard of. It is viewed as turning your back on the Order and the Code."

"That's too extreme. You shouldn't have gone to such lengths!" Shepard was in awe of the sacrifice the old Asari was willing to make for his cause.

"It was my choice to make. I cannot condone the course of action the Order is taking, and this was the only way to escape their decision. Their choice to do nothing about the Reapers is the peak of injustice, and therefore I cannot remain a part of the Order."

There was a none-too-polite cough from Deseltia, standing to one side. Samara looked over at the Matriarch with a weary expression before gathering her two daughters into a tight embrace, the glimmer of a tear in her eyes. She then bowed apologetically to Shepard.

"Forgive me, Commander. I must now go and prepare for the Rite. It shall require a great amount of meditation in solitude. I shall meet you later, before we depart from this place."

With those stiffly formal words, the Justicar walked away, vanishing from sight into one of the many passageways leading from the hall. Shepard watched her go with a helpless feeling welling up within him.

It was approaching late evening when the shuttle arrived to collect the squad, the bright sun slipping behind the mountains to the west with a few final brilliant flashes. Shepard shivered against the cold as Hawthorne brought the vehicle in to land.

The squad was approached by a group of Asari, Samara walking in the midst of them with her daughters supporting her. At the front of the group, Deseltia marched with her seemingly unrelenting frown, obviously in a rush to be rid of the Commander and his associates. She moved off to one side as Samara was escorted by her former peers towards the Commander, shepherded out of the monastery with little grace. Shepard's stomach lurched with worry when he saw the pained way that the old Justicar carried herself, almost tottering every time she took a step. Her back was ramrod straight, obviously a reaction to intense pain. When the Justicars ushered her out of the door, she almost tumbled into the snow, finding it hard to keep her balance. Falere jumped forward to help her up, Rila catching the other arm.

"Samara, you have endured the Ninth Rite of Exile. You are stripped of your status as a Justicar, and no longer welcome on any Asari world. You have three days to leave Asari space by the most direct route." Deseltia said. For a second, Shepard thought he caught a hint of satisfaction in her voice.

Before the Matriarch, Samara nodded her head to confirm she understood. She turned to leave, pausing to speak with her daughters.

"Take care of one another, and be strong. Once my time with Shepard has come to pass, we will be reunited." She reassured. "In the meantime, know that I fight alongside the Commander to keep our people safe."

"Why is it we cannot go with you, mother?" Falere's voice was on the verge of breaking.

"Because I travel into dangerous territories, my child. I could not serve the Commander to the best of my ability while you were in the line of fire. As long as I know you are both safe here, my mind shall be at peace."

"And what if you do not return?" Rila objected. "What if you perish in this war? Mother, we would rather die fighting at your side than live without seeing you again."

"It is because I might die in this war that I need you to stay behind. You are all that remains of your father. Live out your lives in a way that would make her proud."

Samara stared into the eyes of each Asari, the two youngsters breaking down in tears under the cerulean gaze. After this silent moment passed, she drew them both close, holding them in a tight embrace that she was loathe to end. Finally she turned away from them and walked slowly past the Commander, eyes glinted as she refused to let herself look back. A heavy feeling in his heart at the parting that his arrival had forced on the Justicar, Shepard followed her onto the shuttle.

The shuttle powered up into the sky, arrowing away to the South and to Serrice, where the Normandy awaited. Behind it, two lonely blue figures stood in the snow, framed by the light escaping the front door of the monastery. Once the glow of the shuttle's thrusters had faded from sight, they turned and walked together back into the building, shutting out the night.


	12. 12: Entering The Krogan DMZ

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 12: Entering the Krogan DMZ**

The Normandy shuddered as it powered out of Thessia's atmosphere, leaving the night-shrouded Serrice behind. Joker steered the ship through the traffic in the Asari world's orbit, easily navigating their course towards the nearest Mass Relay. After queuing for several minutes among other ships, they received permission from Thessian traffic control to make their jump. With a jolt, the frigate leapt into the darkness of intergalactic space.

On the CIC deck, Shepard watched this process over the pilot's shoulder. Seconds later, the Normandy decelerated at the destination Relay, and he steered the ship on a new course, setting the ship off towards the next Relay using their FTL drive. This done, Joker spun his seat around to face the Commander.

"So, uh, that's… that's some pretty heavy stuff Samara's got going on now, huh?" He asked. "I mean, she was always bit cold before, but now she seems like she's just taken a bath in liquid nitrogen."

"She's been through a lot today, and not just emotionally. I'm not sure what that Rite they performed involved, but I get the feeling I'm better off not knowing." Shepard replied. "Leaving her family behind can't have been easy either."

"Yeah. Good to see you're keeping up the tradition of attracting every dangerous individual in the Galaxy. That's, what, the second Asari brain-eater whose come running after you?"

"I guess they love a man in uniform." A mischievous smirk came to Shepard's mouth. "Tell you what, next time, I'll give her your number."

"No-ho thanks, Commander. I get enough psychotic female company on this ship without you sending more my way."

Grinning, Shepard turned to walk down the corridor. As he entered the main section of the CIC, he noticed Kaidan standing to one side, working at a terminal while Kelly stood behind him, a datapad in hand with some information she was reading out to him. When the Commander entered, he moved over to speak with them.

"Shepard." Kaidan saluted. "What's going on with the Justicars? I just saw Garrus, Jack and Jacob come marching through here, looking none too happy."

"They're going to be no help at all. They don't trust a human, and don't want to submit themselves to a cause led by one." Shepard explained.

"That's too bad. Their abilities would have made them useful in any battles ahead, not to mention their influence with the Asari. Don't be too quick to dismiss them, though. Maybe your audience with them has touched some hearts, and they just need time to reconsider."

"I hope so. We'll need everything we can muster." Shepard said quietly.

"Well, we got Samara back. That's something." Kelly offered helpfully. "We've got to be grateful for any time the Galaxy cuts us some slack."

"That's true. Did you get a chance to speak with her, Kelly?"

"Only briefly. She seems… further removed from the crew than last time she was aboard. What happened down there to change her like that?" The yeoman responded.

"When the Justicars voted not to join humanity in the war, she chose to remove herself from the Order. She performed something called the Rite of Exile last night."

"I see. I think it would be wise for you to speak with her, Commander. Her position as a Justicar has been the central drive of her life for centuries, longer than the lifespans of most of the crew combined. She'll be feeling quite lost at the moment." Kelly explained.

"Me? Wouldn't it be better for you to find out what state of mind she's in, as ship's counsellor?"

"She gave up her previous life for you, Commander. You're probably the only person she'll properly open up to. In my expert opinion, you're the only one who can find out what she's thinking."

"I guess you're right. I'll go and see her."

"Last I saw, she was heading for her favourite spot in the Starboard Observation lounge."

The Commander nodded his thanks and made for the elevator. As he passed the armoury's door, it opened. Jacob strode out, cradling a large weapon in his hands. He looked up in surprise as he noticed Shepard standing there, and his face broke into a proud grin.

"Commander! I was just coming to see you." He said. "Been working on this baby in my downtime. Thought you might wanna take a look."

"Alright. Show me what you've got." The Commander said as he followed the soldier back to his place in the ship's armoury.

Jacob laid the weapon on the main table in the centre of the room and activated his omnitool, bringing up a holographic representation of the device. Various portions of the display flickered green in sequence, highlighting the mass effect field generator, the reload system and the targeting sight one after the other.

"I've been tinkering with some parts for a while now. After Omega, I realised we don't exactly have much in the way of anti-materiel weaponry. Garrus managed to take down that gunship with the grenade launcher, but its not very efficient. So I set to work developing something that can get through heavy armour.

"Most armour and kinetic barriers rely on deflecting incoming fire. Should outer defences be penetrated, armour is designed to burn off before allowing anything through, dissipating the energy a projectile has and reducing its effectiveness. This weapon can bypass that.

"The rounds are specially moulded to pierce medium to heavy armour, and wedge itself underneath. The round is encased in a tiny mass effect field, which punches through biotic and kinetic barriers. After embedding itself, the round detonates. Because it has already pierced the surface, the explosion is directed inwards. Any armour that burns off is kept within, free to cause more damage to the internal workings of the target. In effect, the target's defences are turned against it."

"So what'll we see when we use this thing?"

"Fire it at a gunship, and you could fry the crew in the cockpit or burn out the engine. Use it on a heavy mech, and it's internal wiring will cook. I reckon two shots will take out a YMIR, no problem."

"What about if we use it on a merc?"

"Ever been to a barbecue?" Jacob said, prideful smile tugging at his lips.

"Right. What limitations have we got?"

"Short range. To get enough power behind the round, you need to fire it from within thirty yards, otherwise it'll bounce off the armour like a pebble. The damage is also quite contained. No secondary targets."

"How many can you run up?" Shepard asked, lifting the weapon and looking through the sight.

"I wouldn't want to make too many of these, Commander. There are a few pieces of tech in there that's technically illegal. Also, the use of eezo in the ammunition's manufacture makes it prohibitively expensive. I reckon I can run up one or two, though you'll want one kept on board as a spare. I've still got a few more tests to run before it's ready for the field.

"You do that. We're going to want one of these when we hit Tuchanka. I'm going after Grunt and Mordin, and we'll want any edge we can get when we're knee-deep in pissed-off Krogan."

"Roger that, Shepard. I'll have this baby finished off tonight."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard exited the elevator on the crew deck, turning towards the Starboard Observation Lounge. He keyed open the door and stepped inside. In the Lounge, Samara was sitting on one of the couches, shoulders sagging as she stared at clasped hands before her, forearms balanced on her knees. She lifted her head to look at Shepard as he walked into the room, her weary blue gaze misted over with a veil of tears. She attempted a smile of greeting, but her face lacked the light of happiness that it had borne when she had first greeted them back at the monastery.

"Shepard. What can I do for you?" Her tired voice asked.

Shepard paused before answering. He looked into her face, noting the new lines that had appeared in her time away from the Normandy. With a jolt, the Commander realised that the tender ends of her scalp tentacles had been slit open, pulled back to allow vivid red scar tissue to grow over the exposed tissue. Around these wounds, red ink had been applied in the form of tattoos about an inch and a half long, giving the impression that the tentacles had been dipped in blood. Not recalling this detail from before, Shepard assumed that it was a mark from the Rite of Exile. Samara caught his curious gaze and answered the silent questions.

"I am a marked woman now, Commander. The Rite leaves an individual branded as unwelcome among other Asari."

"You shouldn't have needed to go through that, Samara."

"Your mission is too important to ignore. Deseltia and her ilk would have prevented me from joining you had I remained one of the Order. You should not regret my decision, for I do not."

"Do you feel different, now that you've left the Order behind?"

"It is hard to describe. For over four centuries, I have served the Code, and every action I have performed, every decision I have made, was dictated by the sutras the Justicars adhere to. Now, I am no longer bound to those values. Though my principles remain unchanged, I have a choice in how I act."

"You feel that you are free now?"

"I never believed myself to be a slave to the Code, but I understand why others might see it that way. I merely feel like I am plotting my own course in the Galaxy now."

"What about your daughters? Were you surprised to see them?"

"No. It was no coincidence they resided at the enclave I sought solace in. While I was spending my time in contemplation, I travelled to Thessia so that I may feel closer to Falere and Rila. Seeking direct association with them was forbidden by my oaths as a Justicar, but it felt good to observe them, living out their lives as fully as they could."

"Sometimes we need to remind ourselves of those we live our lives for."

"Even if it is necessary for them to forget us."

Shepard felt a tug at his heart when he heard the Asari's words.

"Is there no way for you to spend time with your daughters, now that there's no oath keeping you from them?"

"I do not hold out hope. The danger of our mission aside, I am now anathema to Asari society. I bear the three marks of exile. My daughters are Ardat-Yakshi, forever captive in that monastery in the mountains. Ever since the loss of my bondmate, it has been our fate to be separated."

Samara's face creased as she stiffened, a tentative hand going back to some injury on her lower back. A tiny gasp escaped from her as she sat up straight, her face drawn tight. The Commander was on his feet in seconds, moving over to help his old friend.

"What's wrong? Should I get the doctor?" He asked.

"That will not be necessary. I shall be fine, given time." She turned her deep gaze towards him. "I require some time, to meditate."

Shepard took the hint, leaving the room. He looked back over his shoulder as the door closed to see Samara take up her usual place in the lounge, a blue glow surrounding her as she began to meditate. The sight was familiar, reminiscent of when she had come aboard before, though the bloody red ends of her tentacles stood out in stark contrast with the blue of her scalp, a clear reminder of recent events.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard strode into the Med Bay slowly, his thoughts still with the disgraced Justicar. Behind his desk, Dr Archer's head snapped around to look at the Commander, his worn features splitting into a surprised smile. He stood and walked over to Shepard, excitement in every step.

"Commander! You won't believe the work we've been able to accomplish today. Our passenger, The Revenant? He's been a font of knowledge. I've set him up with some terminals," He waved an arm towards the back of the Med Bay, where the Collector worked quietly behind an array of holographic displays. "And he's been re-educating me on the basic laws of genetic modification. I knew the Collectors had access to superior technology, but the things I have seen in the past couple of hours alone leaves the best Citadel scientists lagging behind by centuries."

"I'm glad to see you're getting on together. Most of the crew are still getting used to having him on board. What've you been working on today?" Shepard asked.

"We've actually made a breakthrough on Joker's predicament. The Collectors used a complex method of intertwining two different strands of DNA to culture preferred traits in their victims. A bit like forcing two soft objects together and having them mould around each other to form a distinct new shape. We've been able to adapt the principles behind the process to how we view the entwined thought processes of EDI and Joker. We're still working on it, but we believe that by approaching the process from the other side, we can figure out a way to separate the two minds. Given time, we may be able to put to rights what I have done."

"That's great news, Doctor." Shepard felt a surge of happiness at the prospect of Joker being back to normal so soon. "Do you mind if I borrow your assistant for a moment?"

"Not at all! I've got some calculations to run. The Revenant already processed the data, but I always like to run the numbers myself."

With that, the Doctor sat back down at his desk, instantly slipping into quiet thought as he stared at the complex data before him. The Revenant stood up from behind his workstation, looking at the Commander with a measure of curiosity evident in the tilt of his large head. Shepard found it strange to be talking to the creature rather than emptying his clip at it.

"What do you wish to discuss?" He asked.

"I was wanting to know how you're settling in on the Normandy."

"We are coping. It is… quiet."

"How do you mean?" Shepard asked, sensing he didn't mean the crew on the ship.

"Before the death of my race, we were constantly in contact with one another. No Collector was ever alone. The thoughts of our entire species moved through our minds constantly. Of course, this was a method the Crea- the Reapers used to control us. Still, the connection encouraged a sense of… security. No matter what we faced, our kin were with us. Now, where that connection once was, there is only black silence. I find it quite unnerving."

"I never realised. I guess it's the same as a Geth losing contact with the Collective."

"Similar, and yet different. A Geth runtime can willingly shut off its connection, to mask its presence. No doubt Geth such as the one which journeys with you frequently pass through areas where they lose their connection. The connection I shared with my species never ceased as long as another Collector lived. While a Geth can be removed from contact with the Collective, it retains the knowledge that the Collective survives. It is the silence that confirms to me that I am the last of my kind."

"I'm sorry for your loss." Shepard felt hollow at saying that, knowing he was responsible for that loss.

"I have been reading up on my ancestors." The Revenant continued, seemingly ignoring the Commander's apology. It turned its three eyes from him to look out at the crew mess. Beyond the glass of the Med Bay windows, several of the crew were sat around a table, eating. Occasionally one of them would throw an uncomfortable glance at the Collector in the Med Bay.

"I have been finding out what I can of our stolen culture. It would seem that we differed much from the society prevalent today. We were alone in the Galaxy, though whether that was simply because the Reapers have been delayed this time or there was a lull in sentient potential in Galactic species fifty thousand years ago, I cannot tell.

"In some reports you filed after the Battle of the Citadel, you made mention of the final independent acts of my species. The VI on Ilos, the Beacons on Eden Prime and Virmire, and the Conduit on the Citadel, all tools left behind to use against the Reapers. I would very much like to hear the full version of what my people did to defy their destroyers."

"If I'm going to be sharing stories, I want a drink to wash it down. Come on, I'm going to get myself some lunch."

The Commander led the Revenant out of the Med Bay, fetching himself a plate of Sergeant Gardner's dish of the day and taking a seat at the empty table in the Mess Hall. The Revenant hesitated a moment before cautiously lowering itself into a seat opposite the Commander, clearly still a bit unused to the human-designed chairs. After a few mouthfuls, Shepard began relating his tale, beginning with the ill-fated mission to recover the Beacon on Eden Prime. As he moved on to his attempts to bring Saren to justice, and his eventual induction into the Spectres, several of the off-duty crew gathered around to listen, their interest in the story overwhelming their distrust for the Collector in their midst.

By the time Shepard was telling the alien about the tense mission on Virmire, quite a crowd had gathered, including the grizzled Rupert Gardner, the eager Dr Archer, and the enraptured Kelly. As Shepard spoke of Ashley's sacrifice to ensure the cloning facility was destroyed, he caught sight of the avian features of Garrus peeking over the shoulders of his crewmates. The Turian was leaning back against a bulkhead behind the group, listening with a nostalgic look on his face. The Commander caught a glimmer of a tear in the Turian's eye, mirrored by one in his own eye as he told the fascinated crew of Ashley's bravery.

By the time he had finished telling the story, he was famished. His plate of food sat barely touched in front of him, stone cold. He looked up at the Revenant, who still sat there, having taken in every word the Commander spoke. Finally it twitched its head, a very insectile move that made Shepard think of flickering wings and incessant buzzing.

"I am glad that some of my predecessors found the strength to fight against the Reapers, no matter how hopeless the situation may have seemed. They gave you the slim chance to put an end to the Cycle the Reapers propagate."

"Those last few free Protheans gave everything they had to make sure there was a way for us to fight the Reapers. It's my mission to make sure that sacrifice is not in vain." Shepard said, standing and collecting his plate.

"As is mine. The final action of my people shall not be the abduction and murder of your colonists." The Revenant bowed slightly towards Shepard. "Thank you for sharing this with me. I have much to ponder."

Shepard watched the Collector wander back to the Med Bay before taking his cold meal and tipping it into the galley's recycling unit. He noted how the crew in the Mess seemed a little less on edge when the alien walked by, seeming to have grown accustomed to him by virtue of spending time at the same table as him. Turning, the Commander moved up the corridor towards the forward batteries. The door hissed open ahead of him, and he stepped into the Gunnery Control Room.

Inside, Garrus had popped the casing off one of the Normandy's cannons. The Turian was lying on his back, the main barrel of one of the massive cannons just above his chest. His gaze caught sight of Shepard and he winked the eye not underneath his iconic visor.

"Shepard. Just performing some maintenance. My babies here have been hurting for some proper TLC since Cerberus got their hands on them. Once I'm done here, I've got a motherload of calibrations to do. Its like their scientists don't have the slightest clue about weapons maintenance."

"Good to see you're getting back into the swing of things, Garrus."

"I just know how important it is to keep your guns in good order. Never know when you'll have to use 'em. A lesson I learned all too well on Omega, when I was running my own squad." Garrus slid out from underneath the gun he had been working on and ran his omnitool over it a few times. Nodding his head in satisfaction, he moved around the other side and began tweaking a few things. "But I doubt you came down here to see me checking the gunpowder. What's on your mind, Shepard?"

"I want to know how you feel about our mission."

"We're doing good so far. I see that your little pet Collector is settling in alright." The Turian caught Shepard's wince at the derogatory term. "Just a joke, Commander. I'm sure the Revenant will be a fine addition to the squad. As long as its gun is pointing at the bad guys, I'm okay with having it on board.

"As for the last mission, I guess it's hard to call it a success. Sure, we found the Justicars and eliminated a dangerous criminal, but we still got thrown out on our asses because they don't want to face the facts. Still, good to get Samara back. She's a powerful warrior, and I'm happy to have her watching our backs."

"I know what you mean. The more of the old team we can find, the better." Shepard agreed.

"Yeah. We've made a start, but there's still a lot of empty places in the briefing room." He looked down as his omnitool beeped, flashing red. "I'd better get back to work on this thing, Shepard. Can we talk later?"

The Commander left Garrus lifting off a segment of the cannon's deployment mechanism, inspecting wires.

Shepard's next stop was on the engineering deck. Stepping out of the elevator, he almost tripped over the prone Ken Donnelly, who was busy tugging at a loose component beneath the deck plates. With a grunt, he pulled out a box about the size of the palm of his hand. A pair of valves jutted out of one side, while a handful of frayed wires extended from the opposite side. He lifted it up to the light, a disappointed look on his face.

"You were right, Gabs. We'll need a new one." He called. From beyond the door to main engineering, a triumphant shout echoed back.

"Ha! That's twenty creds you owe me now."

"Just you wait. I'll win it back next time we're off duty." Ken grumbled. His eyes focused on Shepard and he shuffled to his feet, saluting. "Commander!"

"Problems?" Shepard asked.

"Ah, the usual, Commander. Wear an' tear, a few things that should have been fixed after Omega Four but got missed in among all the big repairs, plus a few scrapes from the Normandy's capture." The engineer explained.

"Anything you need?"

"A replacement for this would be dandy. It's a part of the atmospheric filtration system. Basically it's the air conditioning. We're not gonna drop outta the sky without it, but this whole deck's going to get awful close, if you get me."

"I'll keep an eye out for a new one."

"Much appreciated, Commander. Anything else?" Ken asked as he lowered the deck plate back into position.

"I was told Zaeed was wandering about down here."

"Oh yeah." Gabby said, poking her head through the door behind the pair. "He's been strutting about down here plenty. Still creeps me out a bit. He's killed far too many people to be good company. Spent half an hour telling me about all the Cerberus agents he's taken down in his time. Last I saw, he was looking to colonise his old room again."

"Thanks."

Shepard made his way to the auxiliary cargo hold. He activated the door controls and the heavy metal door whooshed open with a hiss. He took a step through the door before a glint caught his eye, he twisted away, dodging out of the way of the thrown knife just as it embedded itself in the wall next to him.

"Whoa, watch yourself!" Zaeed shouted from atop a pile of storage crates where he lounged, a belt of knives laid out in front of him. "Gotta knock, Shepard. That's how people lose eyes."

Shepard inspected the near wall where the knife still quivered. It appeared that the old mercenary had resumed his habit of using the cargo symbol as a makeshift dartboard. The Commander wondered at seeing two knives embedded in the wall immediately next to each other, in the exact centre of the symbol. He turned back to the grinning Zaeed.

"What can I do for you, Commander? Come down to check on me?" The gruff human said.

"Pretty much. Settling in okay?"

"Yeah. Just getting things back to the way they used to be. Gotta say, I've missed private quarters. These past few months the Turian and I have been hopping about on public shuttles and stuff. Some of the places we've been going, we ain't had the most pleasant of travelling companions."

"I can imagine. So aside from Omega and the 'Verge, where have you been since you were last aboard?"

"Pretty much everywhere in the Terminus. I've been keeping my ear to the ground for any sign of Vido or that bastard he parades in front of the media, Solem. Garrus has been helping, too. Have to admit, he knows his stuff when it comes to putting the hurt on the scum we've been taking down. Guess he learned a fair bit while he was travelling with you, huh?"

"There's a reason why the Hierarchy put him forward as a potential Spectre candidate."

"True. He told me about that actually. I reckon the Council lost out there."

"Did you get far in your search for Vido?"

"We got close a couple of times, but the bastard's always been a slippery one. It took me twenty years last time. I reckon it'll be close to that this time, even with help.

"Once we got very close. Vido was personally overseeing a shipment of stolen eezo to a colony out in the Attican Traverse. Apparently he was selling it to an up-and-coming new mercenary gang on the planet of Janeesh. He had arranged to meet with the leader, and they were going to talk about some deal he wanted to broker between them. 'Course, this was just Vido's way of getting close enough to take him out.

"We didn't know he was on board at the time, but we knew that the Blue Suns were opening negotiations with this gang, and figured turning the two organisations against each other was a good idea.

"So we manage to 'jack a shuttle and fly it straight into the freighter just as it pulls into Janeesh's orbit. We're in envirosuits so we survive the impact by jumping out at the last minute and latching onto the hull of the freighter, and walking through the hole our craft left. We'd painted our armour up to look like the Janeesh crew, so the Suns were a bit off balance we come charging through, guns blazing. We get through most of the mooks in the freighter, and then there's just a handful of more seasoned guards watching the eezo."

"Where was Vido at this time?" Shepard asked.

"Cowardly son-of-a-bitch was watching the whole thing from his private quarters, as far away from the action as possible. Pretty soon he figures out who the two of us are and starts to taunt us over the radio. I recognise the voice straight away, and its pretty hard not to just charge about looking for him. Garrus keeps his cool and has us stay focused on the mission. We don't know where Vido is, and the longer we take the more likely it is that the Suns will get reinforcements."

"So what did you do?"

"Garrus leads the way to the cargo bay. We gun our way through the last of the guards, and he sets a bomb underneath the eezo containers. He sets the timer running, and we get the hell out of there. We get to an escape pod just as things start going off, so close behind us I'm sure our pod lost a layer of paint from the heat of the blast.

"I'd hoped that Vido had died in the blast, but no such luck. As the flare from the explosion clears, we see another pod going to FTL. Next thing we hear on Blue Suns channels is that our bounties have just been doubled. We scared him, but the bloody bastard is still out there."

"Damn. He's gonna be a thorn in our side."

"Yeah. As long as he's running the Suns, they're gonna be a force to reckon with."

"I'll be sure to speak to Feron. Maybe Liara will have some leads on how to track him down."

"I'd appreciate that, Shepard."

The Commander left the old mercenary digging through the old supply crates. He pulled out a particularly badly burnt one and opened it, grinning as he lifted out a weathered old rifle, laying it reverentially on one of the tables in the room.

**~o~0~o~**

The next day, Shepard met Jacob and Kaidan down in the cargo hold. The soldier had his new weapon ready for use, holding it out proudly for the Commander to take. Beyond, several large crates had been set up for target practice.

"I had some of the crew help me put the targets together, Commander. We've got a couple with a single sheet of metal about five inches thick, and another couple with overlapping plates of metal. Kaidan will be throwing barriers around the targets." Jacob explained.

"Sounds good. Let's get started." Shepard replied, eager to see what the sleek device was capable of.

Stepping forward, Shepard lifted the weapon to sight down on the first target. Beside him, Kaidan lifted a hand and a thick swirling blue barrier instantly surrounded the target. The Commander took a deep breath and put his eye to the sight. He held the weapon steady as he brought the reticule to bear on the target and depressed the trigger.

A bright bolt of blue light launched itself from the weapon's barrel, kicking the device back with severe force. The projectile travelled straight towards the first target. The swirling blue barrier flared up around the impact point, but a patch of clear space appeared around it, like a bullet hole in a sheet of cloth. In a blink, the round had drilled its way through the thick metal and lodged itself inside. Half a second later, there was a dull thud, and the entire crate deformed. Two of the corners popped like a bag of chips, and yellow-hot molten metal began to seep out of the bullet hole, while thick black smoke seeped from the burst corners. After a second, the entire thing sagged, its internal structure burned through.

Shepard raised his eyebrows in appreciation of the power the weapon brought to bear. Taking another breath, he turned to the next target, achieving a similar result.

"This is going better than I expected." Jacob said to the side. "Let's try the overlapping armour now."

Shepard turned to the third target, waiting for Kaidan to raise a barrier around this one. This time, the bright blue projectile wedges itself halfway into the armour, to much more devastating effect. When the round detonated, it split the overlapping plates of armour apart, tearing the target open. Kaidan let out a whistle of admiration at the destructive potential of the weapon as red-hot shards of metal scattered about the hold.

They repeated the test a fourth time, to similar results. Finally Shepard lowered the weapon, turning back to his friends.

"There's no doubt it's effective against armour. I can't imagine what it'll do against a charging Krogan, but it'll be useful at our next stop. The kick's a bit vicious, though. Reminds me of Legion's sniper rifle."

"If you're feeling the kick, then I doubt most soldiers could carry it, Commander." Jacob said. "Both Miranda and Mordin made a few modifications to your physical structure to make you more resilient. I'll run some tests, but it wouldn't surprise me if this thing could dislocate your shoulder. Those eezo pellets were travelling a lot faster than I'd planned."

"As long as you have it ready for Tuchanka."

"Aye aye, Commander." Jacob saluted. The trio left the bay.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard entered the briefing room shortly thereafter, seeing Feron working dutifully at his post. At the Commander's arrival, the Drell turned and bowed a greeting.

"Commander. Something you need?"

"I've been talking to Zaeed, and I need Liara to try and track down a dangerous mercenary named Vido Santiago."

"The Blue Suns boss."

"You know him?"

"I know of many important leaders in the Terminus Systems. Liara tries to keep abreast of their current operations. I'll see what she can find for Mr Massani."

"Good. We might have bigger things to take on, but the Blue Suns are an irritation the Galaxy would be better off without." Shepard said. "So how's you own work going?"

"I'm getting things done, Commander. I have to say, I'm impressed with the speed at which we're accomplishing our objectives. At this rate, we'll be showing the Reapers who's boss in no time. Certainly the work's a lot more ethical than my intelligence work for the Shadow Broker."

"I was wondering, how did you get from being an aide on Kahje to becoming one of the Shadow Broker's top agents?"

"By accident, mostly. We were travelling to a planet on the boundary between the Terminus Systems and Batarian Space. We got ambushed by pirates, and the Ambassador was killed. I was taken prisoner and was soon on a shuttle on its way to Omega, to be sold probably. On board, I managed to pick the lock on my cell and killed the pilot and co-pilot, taking the shuttle for myself. I docked on Omega, and started looking around for a place where my skills would not go to waste.

"A technology development firm hired me to conduct industrial espionage, using my skills at infiltration and my perfect memory to steal ideas and blueprints from their rivals. The Broker bought the company out, to make it a front for his operations. I stayed on, and pretty soon I caught the Broker's attention. At first he had me spying on new targets, collecting information under the guise of it being for the purposes of the company, and once I had proven myself, he recruited me for more sensitive missions. I didn't know I was working for the Shadow Broker for almost a year, he was so careful to hide his intentions."

"Ever regret your work for the Broker?"

"For the most part, no. It was only when I found out about his deal to hand you over to the Collectors that I began to question his motives. Even I knew how dangerous they were, and for him to hand them the being who defeated Saren… That didn't sit well with me. So, when Cerberus came along with their job offer, I accepted."

"Any highlights to your career?"

"There were a few moments that I'm proud of. Once, I was required to spy on Aria T'loak herself. Most of the agents sent to spy on her have wound up dead, so it was a challenge to say the least. I had to find a way to listen in on an exchange she had with a group of known smugglers."

"Aria's not one to tolerate anyone trying to listen in on her business, and nothing happens on Omega without her hearing about it."

"You're right. The toughest assignment I've ever had."

He locked up again, slipping into the telltale pose of a Drell suffering a memory flash. His face contorted into a frown of intense concentration.

"I hang there, barely daring to breathe. My hands and feet ache from the effort of holding myself in place in the shaft. Below me, the rapidly spinning blades of a turbine churn the air, whipping it past my face. The rush of air makes it a little difficult to hear what is being said in the room above, beyond the grate I wait underneath.

"The light in the shaft dances about as a Krogan walks across the grate, moving to face Aria. Sweat rolls down my face to drip onto the turbine below as my biceps begin to tremble. I've been here for ten minutes now, clambering into the shaft before anyone arrived, having to wait for Aria's goons to sweep the location for bugs. Fortunately, they did not even suspect that someone would wait in the shaft under the floor with the turbine so close to the grate. Even I begin to think the plan was ill conceived.

"Aria is speaking, the words hard to make out over the rush of the air.

"'And you're sure you can deliver?' She asks. 'I'm making quite the investment here.'

"'Don't worry, we'll keep up our end of the bargain. Two million credits worth of ancient Turian art. I guarantee you'll be satisfied with the shipment.' A Krogan replies.

"'That's what you said last time, but then some human goes and steals the crown jewel of the collection. Not the sort of thing that inspires my confidence.'

"'We're not sure how she got in. The little creature was good, whoever she was. But I'm overseeing the shipment of this collection personally.' The Krogan sounds confident.

"There's a sudden pause. The Krogan standing above me sniffs the air suspiciously. Aria notices.

"'What is it?' She asks.

"The smugglers begin prowling the room above, pausing over the grate. I realise my scent is being pushed into the room on the current of air. I hold my breath as the grate is torn away and a smuggler shines a light down the shaft. My cloak is hard-pressed to keep up the disguise as the light shines through it, the device's power nearly depleted. I close my eyes in anticipation of being caught.

"Just as I am sure I will be found, they replace the grate. The group concludes their business and leave. I wait several minutes before clambering out of the shaft, my arms barely functioning after the strain. I wait for some more time, and then depart from the building to make my report.

"As I step out into the street, I spot a skycar waiting across the road. Aria sits behind the controls, watching the door like a predator perched over its prey's nest, waiting for a cautious attempt to leave. She stares at me, and I feel in my heart that I am now marked. As I assume she will move over to deal with me, she turns the vehicle around and flies away. I breathe a sigh of relief."

Feron snapped back out of it, jerking as he found himself in the here-and-now. He looked about with confusion for a moment before realising where he was. He smiled.

"Perfect memory. No matter how useful it is, it can be disorienting."

The pair turned as Joker's voice echoed over the ship's speakers.

"Commander, we're coming up on Tuchanka. Just letting you know so you can put on your vacationing battle armour."

"Thanks for that, Joker." Shepard responded. "I'll assemble the squad."

"Roger that. I'll park us in orbit. Make sure and say hi to Wrex for me."


	13. 13: The Ashes Of Tuchanka

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 13: The Ashes Of Tuchanka**

A mercilessly hot sun beat down on the burnt out husks of ancient buildings, a desolate landscape of charred metal and shattered concrete. Fierce winds whipped up errant zephyrs of dust and sand, a blinding kaleidoscope of debris. Among the shadows of the devastated cityscape, small animals scurried about, foraging for food and seeking solace from the relentless sun. As far as the eye could see, there was no vegetation, the valuable nutrients in the soil long since harvested for a long-forgotten conflict.

The shuttle danced through the rough skies of Tuchanka, struggling against the unpredictable weather of the Krogan world. The pilot, Hawthorne did his best to avoid the still radioactive craters from the latest Krogan civil war, hazards that appeared in the landscape with alarming frequency. At the same time, he endeavoured to keep the shuttle close to the ground, in amongst the hollow skeletons of skyscrapers and warehouses. Tuchanka was considered a warzone, and rival clans often sought to cause disruption in some way or another. In such an environment, an unarmed shuttle was not above becoming a target for a Krogan rocket launcher.

Hawthorne breathed a sigh of relief as he nosed the shuttle into the bunker that was his destination, touching it down in a clear space among piles of weapons and supply crates. Inside the landing bay, a pair of hulking guards stood watch over the shuttle as it settled onto the dusty platform. Relieved at arriving in one piece, Hawthorne shouted back to the Commander and his team, waiting patiently in the passenger compartment.

"We've arrived, sir. No welcoming party for us this time, but the locals look about as friendly as ever."

Shepard looked up from his omnitool at the announcement, looking out of the shuttle window at the landing bay. He instantly felt the need to check his weapons, glad to feel their reassuring weight on his back. He looked to the rest of the squad before leaving the shuttle. His squad moved to follow. Bringing up the rear of the group, The Revenant shifted uncomfortably on his feet, uneasy at being among so many of the organics that until recently his species had been abducting for horrific experiments. As he stepped out of the shuttle, the Krogan guards jolted in surprise, clearly having never seen a Collector before. Their weapons twitched in their hands but, seeing the allies standing with the giant insect, they chose not to cause any trouble. Shepard approached one of the guards.

"Where's Urdnot Wrex?"

The Krogan, fully two feet taller and broader than the Commander, looked down at him with a measure of hostility. It was clear that, even after Shepard's actions during his last visit to Tuchanka, non-Krogan were still despised by the rank and file soldiers.

"The chief," He made sure to emphasise the word, hinting to the human that he should show more respect. "Is in talks at the moment. Go through to the fight pits. He'll meet you there when he's ready."

Deciding not to get in the alien's face any further, Shepard nodded gratitude and proceeded out of the landing bay, following the rugged tunnel into Clan Urdnot's communal area. Once there, Shepard noted that a few things had changed. The living area of the clan had been cleaned up a bit, clearing out the majority of the rubble and making way for more Krogan to move about. Several tomkahs sat idly to one side, near to the settlement's defence guns.

"Looks like Wrex has been busy since our last visit." Garrus muttered. "Don't get me wrong, it's still a heap of crap, but a nicely polished one."

"Krogan never were the best housekeepers." Jacob said in reply. "Remember Grunt's hold?"

"Usually in my nightmares. I'm sure there was something alive in those piles of garbage." Garrus suppressed a shudder. "He never even cleaned out his tank."

Up on a podium near the centre of the settlement, a group of Krogan were negotiating, loudly. Challenges and insults were tossed about between them, echoing about the settlement. In the midst of this, sat upon his throne, Urdnot Wrex listened to the arguments with a weary hand over his eyes. At one point, an aged Krogan stepped forward and hurled a challenge at the Krogan chief, one finger pointed at Wrex accusingly.

"This is foolishness, Wrex! Our numbers are depleted enough without your grand schemes depriving us of more strong warriors. You say your plan to unite the Clans will make us strong, but your methods will greatly weaken our race in the process. I have doubts about your having the Krogan's best interests at heart. You only serve Urdnot! As long as your Clan rises to glory, the rest of us can be cast into the dust."

There was a sudden, shocked pause in all conversation around the settlement as every Krogan turned to look at the throne. Even the warriors going about their business stopped to look at Wrex. Shepard felt his own breath catch in his throat, anxious as to how his friend would react to the challenge.

Wrex froze for a second in his throne, not looking up at the impudent Krogan. Then, suddenly, he surged up from his chair, lunging across the distance between himself and the other Krogan. All around the challenger, Krogan stepped back as the chief took a hold of the challenger by his throat, lifting him bodily into the air. The Krogan wheezed as his windpipe was clamped shut. Wrex growled loudly, drawing the Krogan close until their faces were less than an inch apart. Then, with a grunt, he threw the Krogan over the heads of his fellows, launching him from the podium his throne stood upon to land on the ground below.

"You and your Clan need to learn your place, Notack. Speak no more, or Clan Govat shall be declared unwelcome here."

The Krogan, cowed by the display of sheer brute force, bowed his head subserviently. Shepard understood the implications of Wrex's threat. To be declared unwelcome in Wrex's camp was a death sentence, as his allies moved in on any enemies of Urdnot. Breathing heavily from the exertion and his own rage, Wrex stalked back to his throne. Before sitting, he cast his gaze about the gathering of Krogan.

"Anyone else want to challenge me?"

Every Krogan bowed their heads to avert their gaze. The respect they had for Wrex's capabilities as both a leader and a warrior was evident in their silence.

"Then our business is finished." Wrex said simply as he sat down. The cluster of aliens broke apart, all heading away from the chief as fast as they could. Wrex watched them go until his gaze fixed upon Shepard and his team, standing off to one side. His face broke into the Krogan version of a wide grin. The gesture bared more sharp teeth than most species would be comfortably with seeing, evidence of the Krogan's predatory ancestry. He waved the troupe over.

Shepard sauntered across to the throne with Garrus and Kaidan in tow. Feeling that they were too numerous to all cluster around the chief without guards getting nervous, he motioned for the others to stay back. As he approached Wrex, he saw Jack heading off to wander among the titanic reptiles, pushing past them with confidence that, show by anyone else, would have been perceived as foolishness. But Shepard knew she could handle herself. Samara made her way to the Varren pits, watching with a measure of distaste on her face. The Commander got the feeling that the Krogan there were about to receive a lecture on the treatment of living creatures, one he was sure was going to prove futile. Zaeed followed her, though his look of determination probably had something to do with the credit chit he had pulled out of his belt and the Krogan to one side accepting bets. Jacob, Feron, Legion and the Revenant stayed where they were, keeping an eye on the others.

As the Commander drew close, Wrex jumped up from his seat, grabbing Shepard's arm in a warm handshake that ground the bones in his arm. Shepard returned the favour, eliciting a laugh of amusement from the Krogan as the extent of his human strength proved barely a match for the old Krogan. Garrus and Kaidan received the same treatment. As Wrex shook the Turian's hand, the strangeness of the image struck Shepard. Here were two members of species locked in a bitter hatred, and yet the individuals were good friends.

"Hah! Its good to see you all!" Wrex said, a happy laugh echoing through his deep bass voice. "How're you doing, Kaidan? You weren't about last time the Commander came calling."

"Things are good right now, Wrex. I hear you've been busy." The human responded.

"That I have. It takes a lot to get these old warhorses moving in the right direction, but I'm getting there. Given a couple of years, I can have the Clans working together to rebuild Tuchanka."

"Good to hear, Wrex." Shepard said.

"So what brings you back to Tuchanka?" The chieftain asked, sitting back down on his throne. He threw one leg over the arm of the throne, achieving a very comfortable pose.

"Cerberus, actually. They captured the Normandy a couple of months back. I've just come back from a stint in a Batarian prison."

"Ouch. Those squints may not have much in the way of brute strength, but the four-eyes more than make up for it in pure nastiness." Wrex muttered.

"Yeah. While I was out of the picture, The Illusive Man took most of my crew captive. He sold two to a Clan here on Tuchanka. Mordin and Grunt."

"I see. I'm sure I can figure out some way to help you. Any Clan is glad to get its hands on a Salarian, just out of petty revenge, but your Doctor Solus has quite the medical mind. Who knows what bio weapons they've got him cooking up. The last thing I need right now is one Clan getting a clear advantage over any of the others. For my plans to work, the power balance needs to stay tipped in Urdnot's favour.

"And as for Grunt, he's an Urdnot, and a symbol to our people after taking down the Thresher Maw. There's Krogan who say that I should look to appoint him as my successor because of his skill in battle. I'm not ready for stepping down just yet, but they may have a point. We were lucky to have Okeer's perfect Krogan join our ranks.

"It should be easy to get my followers to pledge their support to the rescue. Which Clan did you say had them?"

"I didn't. It's Clan Jath. What can you tell me about them?" Shepard asked.

Wrex was silent for a moment. Then he stood up, moving to the edge of the platform that his throne sat upon, hands clasped in front of him in a pensive stance. When he turned back to face the Commander, his face was uncertain.

"Clan Jath is one of Urdnot's strongest supporters. Their chief, Jath Fotnar, is a Krogan to be reckoned with. Aside from their stance as allies, their settlement is located on one of our most revered sites, around the base of the Dead Spire, where many of our most honoured chieftains are entombed. The location holds much significance in our culture. Convincing my people to move against Jath will be difficult."

"They've said nothing about their prisoners?" Garrus asked.

"No. I can imagine that they would want to keep an Urdnot prisoner a secret from me, but why hide the Salarian? There's something not right there. Their ambassador is here, Jath Tonkal. I'll question him about this, get the truth out of him. You're sure of your information? I can't cause a rift between my Clan and one of our allies over a mistake."

"I'm positive of it. This intel came straight from the Shadow Broker's office."

"And he doesn't make mistakes." Wrex said. For an instant, Shepard felt the compulsion to explain the Broker's true identity, but felt that this was neither the time nor the place. "I'll bring Tonkal in. I hope you realise the limb I'm stepping out onto for you, Shepard. If you were any other alien, I would refuse."

"I know, and I appreciate it, Wrex."

The Krogan grunted, turning to go speak with one of his Clan.

**~o~0~o~**

About an hour later, Shepard was ushered into a moderately large tent near the centre of the settlement. Judging from the bed laid out on the ground and the rack of weapons by the entrance, Shepard deduced that this was where Wrex slept. He stood patiently in one corner as the hefty Krogan ushered in a smaller one. The ambassador to Clan Jath was short, only about the same height as an average human, and his build was slim. His head plate was a dark grey, streaked with blue markings. Tiny green eyes peered about the tent before settling on the Commander with a mixture of recognition and distrust. His lip curled in a defensive gesture as he was motioned deeper into the tent by Wrex. He was clearly anxious at being left alone with the Urdnot chief and the human.

Shepard had ordered Garrus and Kaidan to stand ready at a safe distance, to make sure they were undisturbed during their interrogation, and in case things turned nasty. They waited inconspicuously at a respectful distance, weapons loose in their holsters.

Tonkal shifted nervously on his feet as Wrex and Shepard moved to stand between him and the door, ready for any attempt to bolt.

"What is it you wished to speak to me about, Urdnot Wrex?" He asked, his voice surprisingly deep for one of his stature. Even Wrex's voice didn't quite hit such a low note. "And what is this alien doing in our presence?"

"The human stays, Tonkal. What we have to discuss is his business as well." Wrex replied calmly. Shepard noted the suspicion grow in the ambassador's eyes. Wrex handed the Krogan a datapad with the information Liara had dredged up on it.

"I want an explanation of this." He stated simply. Tonkal stood for a second, reading slowly.

"I have no knowledge of this. It is clearly a fabrication." He said. "Is this what you have pulled me aside for, Wrex? To bandy accusations with a human?"

"The human is not accusing you, I am." Wrex said firmly. "This information came from sources that are beyond doubt. What is your clan doing with a Salarian scientist and an Urdnot warrior?"

"These accusations are preposterous!" Shepard caught the splutter of anxiety in the Krogan's voice, and latched onto it.

"A Krogan clan had taken a Salarian prisoner last time I was here, you know. Remember Clan Weyrloc? I took them out and barely broke a sweat. Do you really want to get in my way this time?"

The Krogan ambassador swallowed, the lump in his throat clearly moving as he fought down his anxiety. Shepard felt a measure of loathing for the alien. He was a politician, and he clearly only acted when it was of utmost benefit to himself.

After a moment's hesitation, Tonkal's resistance broke down.

"We got the prisoners off Cerberus. The scientist was a part of a project to modify the Genophage, and Okeer's perfect Krogan was a natural test subject for any experiments we wanted to run."

"Why hide this from Clan Urdnot?" Shepard pushed. "Wrex would have gladly helped Jath in their search for a cure. Why take prisoners and operate by these means?"

"Because we doubt that Urdnot Wrex wants to cure the Genophage!" Tonkal spat. "He helped you to destroy Saren's cure, and then refused to work with the Salarian who aided Clan Weyrloc. He even helped you to put a stop to the research Guld was helping the Salarian accomplish!"

"All of those examples would have been harmful to the Krogan!" Wrex protested. "Saren's cure would have turned us all into slaves, and Guld's cure was for the Weyrloc alone. Aside from that, Guld's research called for live victims to test it on. We're too few in number to throw our warriors into some research lab."

"So much for your ideal of leading the Krogan to glory." Tonkal sneered. "How can you hope to lead our people if you are unwilling to make the sacrifices necessary to save our people?"

"There's more here you aren't telling us." Shepard ventured, calling the Krogan's bluff. "Why do you really want to keep this a secret?"

Tonkal at first looked as though he might try to run, but on seeing Wrex and Shepard tense up, ready to descend on him at the first sign of an escape attempt, he slumped, beaten without a fight.

"Jath Fotnar figured out a way to restore our genetic structure using the remains of our ancestors, buried in the Dead Spire. He knew that the other clans would put a stop to his work because of this, and so the research is being kept a secret, even from our warriors. We figured that we could repair ourselves first, cure ourselves of the Genophage, and once the process was perfected and the results were evident, we could use it to rally the clans around us, the Krogan reborn."

Wrex's breath paused at the mention of their source of genetic material, his eyes narrowing as his face flushed with fury. His hands curled into fists, the knuckles popping as his fingers curled tighter and tighter.

Too fast for Shepard to react, Wrex lunged forward, fists flying as he laid into Tonkal. The ambassador fell to the ground with a cry, but Wrex did not let up. He roared as he pummelled his fellow Krogan, and when he finally stood up his fists were coated in blood. Tonkal was now a corpse, his face staved in by the ferocity of the attack. Shepard noted that even his armour had been heavily damaged by Wrex's rage, in places cracked open from the force of a blow. As a blue flicker travelled up his friend's arm he realised that the anger Wrex had displayed had fuelled his biotics, lending him strength beyond the norm. The Commander stepped back as the Krogan chief stood up straight, breathing heavily. In such a state, it was all too easy for a Krogan to slip into a Blood Rage, a frenzy that was nearly impossible to contain. At such times, it was dangerous to be anywhere near the Krogan.

However, Wrex took a deep breath and turned calm eyes on Shepard, a firm set to his jaw. Seeing the surprise and disapproval in the Commander's face, he straightened, drawing up to his full, impressive height. His blood-red eyes locked with Shepard's.

"He got what he deserved. His clan is desecrating our past." He seethed. "You'll get the help you need for your rescue mission, Shepard, and then some. Clan Jath is going to be exterminated for their crimes."

**~o~0~o~**

Minutes later, the Krogan leaders present in Urdnot's camp had been gathered before Wrex's throne. There were murmurs of curiosity as to the reason they were gathered, and more than a few bouts of bickering as old grudges proved to be not quite buried. More than a few suspicious looks were thrown at Shepard's squad, standing off to one side of the group. None present were sure of why they were there.

The whole crowd fell silent as Shepard stepped onto the platform before the Urdnot throne, looking out at the assembled Krogan with a confident stare. He took a deep breath before speaking, putting all the power he could into his voice.

"You've all been called here today because one of your allies has betrayed you." As he spoke, some Krogan began looking about, seeking to identify the traitor. More narrowed their eyes at the human, suspecting that the alien was trying to sow distrust among them.

"Clan Jath has been working on a cure for the Genophage, a cure that they intend to use to gain power over the rest of you." Shepard had to raise his voice even more to overcome the rising noise from the Krogan.

"Only an alien would see a cure to the Genophage as an evil to be destroyed!" One Krogan shouted.

"I believe the Krogan deserve a cure as much as you do!" Shepard retorted. "But not if the price is too high! Clan Jath have taken prisoners to serve as live test subjects, and they intend to keep the cure to themselves until they're firmly in charge of the Clans. They don't want to cure you, they want to turn you into a weapon to resume the Rebellions with! To turn you into their servants."

"This is ludicrous! How could Jath's scientists have developed a cure?" Another objector called out.

"One of their prisoners is a Salarian with extensive experience at genetic manipulation. They use one of Urdnot's warriors, Urdnot Grunt, as a test subject for their experiments." Shepard paused before throwing out the final ace up his sleeve. "And they use genetic material from the tombs in the Dead Spire in their research."

At the last comment, the clamouring Krogan fell silent, an awkward tension entering the air. Various individuals in the crowd turned to each other, surprise in their eyes, before turning back to Shepard.

"Where is Jath Tonkal, to defend his Clan against these reprehensible accusations?" The first dissenter asked. His question was met with a wave of shouts and jeers, some supporting his request that Jath be given the chance to defend their reputation, while others held that they deserved no such fair treatment.

Almost immediately after this query, the corpse of the Jath ambassador hit the ground before the crowd with a thud, leaving a bloody smear as it slid to a stop. All eyes turned to where the body had come from to see Wrex standing there, Tonkal's blood still staining his hands.

"Right here. The snivelling excuse for a Krogan confessed his Clan's actions to me, and has paid the price for his part in Jath's crimes. But this is only the start. Urdnot's warriors shall move to exact vengeance on the Clan. Who will stand with us?" His gravelly voice called out.

For a moment, none moved, the lull in their arguments betraying their hesitation. At last, one or two of the Clan leaders moved forward. Among them, Shepard recognised the ambassador from Clan Nakmor, along with his chief. The Krogan looked at him with a respectful greeting in his gaze before turning to the crowd.

"Clan Nakmor will fight alongside Urdnot. It is not just Urdnot Wrex who we fight alongside, but the human battlemaster Shepard, who slew the Thresher Maw during Urdnot Grunt's Rite of Passage. Shepard fights with a ferocity like that of Nakmor Krall. We would be honoured to share a grand battle with such an ally!" He barked out.

At his proud words, many more Krogan stepped forward to commit their clans to the assault. In the end, only a few clan officials refused to participate, standing obstinately separate from the main group. Wrex regarded them with an understanding expression.

"You choose not to fight." He said. "I understand. You do not trust the word of a human, or you think Jath should be allowed to continue their work. I shall not hold your refusal to fight against you. Should you remain out of the conflict, there shall be no vengeance upon your clan. However, side with Jath and your clans shall be destroyed." He looked about at all of his fellow Krogan. "Now, return to your clans. Prepare your warriors. Tomorrow, we turn move against the plains of the Dead Spire."

**~o~0~o~**

The following day, Shepard met up with Wrex and a cluster of Krogan around his throne. Apparently they had been discussing tactics for some time by the time the Commander arrived. The huge aliens turned to look at him with curiosity, and he sensed a stronger feeling of respect from the Krogan now. They made way for him to take up a position beside Wrex.

"Wrex." The Commander said by way of greeting.

"Shepard. We're just planning our attack." He motioned to one of the Krogan in his war council, who activated an omnitool and brought up a holographic representation of a large stone building at the foot of a mountain. The building was huge and boxy, utilitarian in the Krogan style. Thick walls surrounded the building's courtyards, studded with gun turrets. As Shepard watched, the view changed to a top-down map view that showed a vast array of smaller buildings around the fortress. The Commander noted that the fortress itself was partially built into the mountain, the sheer sides of the mountain negating the need for a northern wall.

"This is Jath's main fortress, the entrance to the Halls of the Battlemasters. It's heavily fortified, being a site of some significance to our people. We need to be careful as we move in. A lot of the buildings closer to the mountains are of incredible importance to us. Normally we'd just nuke the Clan into vapour, but we can't afford to damage the Halls in the mountain.

"So we've got battlemaster Nakmor Gratt leading a strike team of warriors from Clan Nakmor, Jorgal and Moitak through the necropolis on the east. I'll be leading the main force of our warriors, a mix of Clan Urdnot, Forsan, Julton and Vraktar warriors, from the South. Chief Julton Vras will lead a smaller team from the West, with some demo experts to get close and breach the wall while the other two forces maintain the distraction."

"Where do we figure into this?" Shepard asked, pointing a thumb over his shoulder at his waiting squad.

"Don't worry. We've got that all planned out." Wrex answered. "While the main army is moving on the Citadel, you take a small group in on the north side. You'll sneak in the back and rescue your Salarian friend and Grunt. Then, fight your way to us and we get you the hell out of there."

"That does have the slight obstacle of the entire Jath army between us and you." Shepard objected.

"Hopefully by the time you're looking for extraction, we'll have whittled them down to a more manageable number. But even if we don't, I've never seen you hesitate to take on a good-sized bunch of Krogan, Shepard."

"I reckon for a mission like this, I'll want a smaller team with me. Ten fully armed commandos might draw Jath's attention before we're ready."

"Agreed. Plus, your vehicle is only gonna have room for a handful of you."

"Vehicle?"

"You'll see. In the meantime, I'd like the rest of your team to join me on the battlefield. You tend to attract very capable warriors, and I wouldn't mind having some of that coming with me for this fight. While we've still got a good advantage in the way of numbers, Jath are known for unpredictable tactics and turning up exactly where you don't want 'em to."

"No problem."

"I'll also be sending a guide with you. All Krogan know the general layout of the Halls, and you'll need someone to keep you from getting lost."

"Sounds like we've got everything sorted out, then. When do we start?"

"Our forces will be ready to move tonight. We'll start our assault tomorrow at dawn." Wrex confirmed.

**~o~0~o~**

"Say what you will, we get to see the Galaxy in style." Shepard grumbled over the roar of the vehicle's engine.

The Commander staggered as the Tomkah rolled over a large boulder, bouncing from side to side dangerously. Shepard stood in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, one hand firmly clenched around a bar at about shoulder height. Beside him, the Revenant also struggled to retain his balance, while Legion and Zaeed stood on the other side of the cramped cabin. The Geth was absolutely still, it's joints locked tightly. Zaeed was suffering from the poor balance like Shepard, cursing as the Krogan driver sped over another series of jarring bumps.

Up front, the Krogan driver laughed as he forced the behemoth across the rugged landscape, skidding around the largest of obstacles. He looked back at his passengers, throwing back a few words of encouragement.

"Most of the soldiers who take these babies out don't know how to treat 'em right. You gotta know how to stay in control around some of these loose debris piles. You hit a patch of broken concrete just wrong, and bam! You're a smear on the side of some old skyscraper."

"You Krogan obviously don't have comfort in mind when you build these things." Shepard muttered over the crunch as the Tomkah bounded across the plains, arrowing straight for the mountain.

"These are troop transports, not luxury yachts. We're heading into a warzone, and can't afford to pamper our passengers." The driver threw back.

"I'm not looking for a spa. Some seatbelts would be nice."

"That's why humans are so squishy. You get coddled by all these little luxuries. A real warrior relies on his strength and his armour to stay in one piece."

"I don't think I caught your name."

"It's Hurn."

"How many times have you driven one of these into battle, Hurn?"

"About two dozen. And I only crashed three times." The Krogan yelled proudly.

"Brilliant." Zaeed muttered sarcastically. "So we've only got a moderate chance of becoming a part of the scenery."

Outside the front windows, the landscape was slowly becoming brighter as the powerful sun slunk over the horizon. Rays of light, twisted strangely by the radiation in the atmosphere, flickered across the ground before them, lighting up the silent mass of the mountain they were swiftly approaching.

After several more minutes of being thrown about in the rear of the Tomkah, they began their ascent of the mountain. Hurn powered the truck up the steep slope, not letting up on the throttle at all. Eventually, they reached the peak of the mountain. Hurn slowed the vehicle to a stop, looking ahead with narrowed eyes. Shepard stepped up to stand next to him and look out of the driver's window.

Ahead, the ground vanished suddenly, becoming the cliff that made the northern boundary of Clan Jath's stronghold. On the very edge of the cliff, a massive gun turret had been erected. Beside it, two tanks sat menacingly, ready for a fight.

"Ah, damn." Hurn muttered. "Looks like they're a bit more heavily fortified than we give 'em credit for. Surprised that they don't just leave it to the cliff to keep 'em safe."

"They had to defend this side somehow. Have we got any weapons we can use on them?" Shepard asked.

"This baby's designed for speed. That's why it's not as big as other Tomkahs. We stripped out any offensive weaponry and armour to let her rip across the field."

"Well we can't fight them on foot. What do you suggest to get past them?"

They both turned as the comms unit crackled. Wrex's deep voice began resonating over the airwaves.

"All units, move in."

Hurn looked out at the guard post between them and their objective, and then beyond. Shepard saw the gears turning behind the Krogan's eyes as a plan began to formulate.

"I don't reckon it's actually that far down…" He muttered.

"You think this thing will hold together?" Shepard asked.

"One way to find out." The Krogan replied.

"What?" Zaeed shouted over the Commander's shoulder. "Are you suggesting what I think you are? Are you both goddamn insane?"

"I got three pieces of shrapnel in my head that say I am!" Hurn shouted back cheerfully. "Strap yourselves down as best you can. This is gonna get rough."

As the Tomkah began reversing away from the guard post, Shepard looked about, finding a bundle of cargo ropes in a locker in the back of the truck. Passing a few to each of his squad mates, Shepard began strapping himself down as best he could. Once he was fairly sure he was secure, Shepard activated his omnitool and tweaked a few settings on his kinetic barriers, subtly increasing the mass effect field to hold him in place. He saw the others do the same, and saw the Revenant's limbs flicker with blue light as he used his biotics to further hold the team in place. They were ready by the time Hurn stopped the vehicle's motion backwards and slammed it into gear.

"Hang on to your quads!" He shouted back as he gunned the throttle.

The Tomkah shot forwards like a cannonball, jolting and bouncing over the rough terrain. It crested the mountain like a leaping fish and began its descent of the far slope. Shepard gritted his teeth as the guard post and the cliff swiftly approached.

Noticing the rapidly approaching vehicle, the guards reacted quickly. The gun turret spun around with a groan as the two tanks moved to bring the Tomkah into sight. Pretty soon heavy fire was bouncing off the truck as it jumped unpredictably across the uneven ground towards them. As it rushed past the two tanks, they turned to pursue it, interfering with the turret's aim.

Shepard clenched his fists as the edge of the cliff drew dangerously close. With startling speed, the turret rushed past in an instant, left behind by the Tomkah's tremendous speed at this point. The Commander's stomach lurched as the Tomkah launched itself over the edge. Hurn let out a whoop of delight as the truck soared through the air, deftly manipulating the jump thrusters to keep the vehicle from tipping over.

Behind them, the two tanks struggled to halt, both skidding on the dirt and loose rocks. One spun as the driver wrestled with the controls, continuing on its chaotic voyage until it struck one of the key supports underneath the gun turret. The pair locked together as the turret absorbed all of the tank's momentum, and then slowly toppled over the edge of the cliff, the screams of tearing metal accompanied by the screams of falling Krogan.

The other tank fared slightly better, managing to lose a reasonable portion of its speed. However, it was not enough, and the vehicle hit the edge of the cliff. It hung over the edge for a second, tracked wheels spinning as it struggled to reverse back away from the cliff, before its weight pulled it over. Without jump jets to assist it in its flight, the tank's flight was a lot clumsier than the Tomkah's, plummeting down into the fortress below.

Shepard's stomach flipped a somersault as the Tomkah roared through the air, dropping rapidly towards the Jath fortress. The Commander noted that Hurn was steering the vehicle ever so slightly using the jump jets. Built to help the Tomkah leap enemy trenches of traverse difficult terrain, the jets were no use at making a controlled flight, but gave the Krogan just enough steering ability to aim for a general area. As near as Shepard could tell, he was aiming for a wide open space inside the fortress walls.

With most of the power diverted to kinetic barriers facing the larger group, the fortress's northern barriers had barely enough power to jolt the plummeting Tomkah, let alone stop it. The fractional resistance sent the vehicle into a crazy spin, but it remained on course for the fortress.

After an eternal few seconds, the Tomkah hit a paved area inside the fortress walls, wheels collapsing underneath the colossal impact. The truck rolled a few times, finally hitting a large building. As masonry fell down around it, the Tomkah rolled back out of the hole it had made, leaving the doors free for Shepard to force open. The Commander looked back over the wide swathe of destruction they had left in their wake, from the large furrow through solid concrete to the massive hole in the building that had proved to be the vehicle's final destination. He turned as Hurn clambered out of the wreckage beside him, surveying the damage.

"Damn, that's gonna leave a mark." He said, the ghost of a laugh in his voice.

They both turned as the rest of the squad climbed out of the rubble, cradling various bumps, bruises and scratches.

"We do not understand the organic fascination with dangerous vehicle manoeuvres." Legion stated, inspecting a large dent in its thigh.

"Neither do I." Zaeed grumbled, shaking his head dizzily.

"Such behaviour suggests a casual disregard for personal safety and base survival instincts." The Geth concluded.

"Alright, alright." Shepard said. "No more airtime in a Tomkah, I get it. We got in, though, didn't we?"

"Gaining entry was never the obstacle, Commander." The Revenant supplied. "It is the extraction that remains our main hurdle to overcome."

"True. Let's see if we can find Mordin and Grunt, first." Shepard said, turning to Hurn. "Any idea where they'd keep a lab in this complex?"

Hurn looked about at the fortress, hand lifted to his chin in thought.

"If they're getting their genetic samples from the Halls, then we'd best head that way and start our search from there. Most of the guards will have run to the walls to fend off the main attack, so we should have a clear run."

"Lead the way."

The squad moved to follow Hurn, the Krogan blazing a trail through the fortress towards the foot of the mountain. They moved past ancient buildings, stone walls weathered by countless years. Rubble was scattered across the ground, remnants of buildings long since destroyed. Occasionally the group felt a tremor pass through the fortress as Wrex and his troops pressed their attack on the walls. The sounds of heavy gunfire echoed about the buildings.

After passing through several abandoned courtyards and empty buildings, the squad arrived at a large pair of heavy doors. Hurn paused, holding up a hand as he crept up to the massive stone doors. Behind the doors, a huge building had been carved straight into the rock, forming a part of the mountain's base. The outside of the building was covered with stone carvings, depicting Krogan locked in combat. Shepard saw one image of a Krogan warlord standing triumphantly over the broken corpse of a Rachni queen, and another of a group of Krogan ruthlessly despatching Turians, Salarians and Asari. Some images were much older, showing only Krogan fighting Krogan. The whole selection was dominated by a large carving of a single Krogan facing down a nest of Thresher Maws barehanded.

As Hurn approached the doors, he slowed, putting an ear cautiously near to the seam between them. He listened for a second before moving to a small window nearby. He sneaked a look inside before moving back towards Shepard.

"Got a guard post inside. Probably just the usual grunts they have guarding the entrance to the Halls. There's five of 'em, plus a couple of Varren. Don't think the mutts have scented us yet, but they make a stealthy approach pretty much impossible. I reckon if we move fast enough, we can take 'em before they know what hit them."

Shepard nodded silently, motioning for Legion to stand with Hurn on one side of the door while Zaeed and the Revenant stood to the other side. Once everyone was in position, he paused for a second and then rushed the doors.

The heavy doors clattered open as the Commander bulled through them, holding his rifle at the ready. The squad immediately followed, guns at the ready. The guards inside had no time to react before a deadly hail of fire cut into them. Shepard focused his fire on one armoured Krogan, his attack quickly breaking through the guard's armour and tearing flesh apart. The Krogan howled as the bullets pierced several important organs, but he stayed on his feet. Legion accounted for one guard by taking careful aim and firing a single bullet through the alien's eye, the round destroying it's brain. Zaeed jumped up alongside the Commander, laying down a smothering hail of bullets at the enemy ranks. The Revenant lifted a hand, biotic fire travelling up towards his hand, and two Krogan lifted into the air with surprised and confused shouts. The Collector followed this up with a powerful thrust of its other hand, launching a warp blast at the guards. One was thrown back into the wall behind it, ribcage crumpling painfully. The other one was thrown away by the force of the blast, hitting the floor with a painful thud. Hurn, meanwhile, had taken on the Varren. One of the strange creatures lay dead on the ground, half of its head blown away by a blast from the Krogan's shotgun. The other Varren lunged at him, locking its jaws around his shotgun. He grunted as the powerful jaws twisted and the shotgun was wrestled from his grasp, tumbling to the floor. He barely had time to react before the Varren's jaws closed on his forearm, sharp fangs drawing streams of blood as they pierced flesh. He howled as he wrestled with the beast, twisting his body until he was able to lock his free arm around its neck. He tugged his trapped arm to one side, twisting the creature's head. With a snap, the Varren's neck broke, and it released its grip as it fell limply to the floor.

Shepard marvelled at the strength that a Krogan possessed for a second, before a roar brought his attention back to the surviving enemies. The Krogan he had bloodied was charging him, mouth frothing with rage as its vital functions switched to its redundant organs. The alien crashed into him with terrifying force, knocking him to the ground. It's teeth gnashed in his face as he held his rifle against its chest, trying to stop it from biting him. He grunted as he shoved, pushing the Krogan away. He barely had time to roll away before the Krogan attacked again, bringing his weapon to bear. Shepard feathered the trigger, releasing burst after burst of fire into the alien's torso. Finally his shots pierced both hearts, killing it.

As he wiped away the blood staining his armour, Shepard looked up to see the rest of his team finishing off the guard post. With its cold machine reflexes, Legion had sniped a further Krogan, while Zaeed's fire, combined with the Revenant's biotics finished off the last guard. Hurn, smearing medi-gel over the puncture wounds on his arm, walked over to where his shotgun had been thrown, retrieving the weapon quietly. He turned to look at the squad, noting that none of them were harmed.

"Good start. Though I reckon the noise will have every guard in the Halls headed in this direction. Let's get to searching before we get caught."

They moved off down one of the many passages beyond the entrance, moving slowly in the darkness of the Halls. Lining each passageway, a myriad tombs spoke of the proud history of the Krogan. Some were decorated with frescos of the entombed Battlemaster performing great feats of physical prowess, or leading vast armies to victory. Others had a statue of the Battlemaster carved into the door of the tomb, the Krogan's likeness carefully crafted and preserved.

They proceeded through branch after branch of passageways, passing hundreds of Krogan tombs going back to the dawn of their civilisation, and eventually found themselves at a crossroads of the passages, a tall dome-shaped room that was dominated by the head of a Thresher Maw mounted on a pole in the centre. Evenly spaced between the passage entrances, six tombs were arrayed in perfect symmetry, exceptionally ornate. Hurn gasped as he caught sight of one, its seal broken and the door askew. The Krogan moved over to it, running a hand over the damage with a melancholy look on his face.

"These are the tombs of the Krogan Battlemasters who led the charge against the Rachni." He explained. "They perished in the Rachni War, and are given this place of honour in the Halls for making our victory possible. They were a part of the final generation to live before the Genophage."

"I guess it'd make sense for Jath to use them. Their corpses are the youngest sources of 'pure' Krogan DNA." Shepard said.

"This was the tomb of Tabgar Noll, the first Krogan to step forward to join the Rachni War. He led the siege of the Rachni homeworld and was the first being in the Galaxy to slay a Queen." Hurn pounded a fist into the wall beside the tomb entrance. "His memory demands more honour than this! A Krogan should know better!"

"I'm sorry."

"It is not your fault, human. It is Jath Fotnar! He'll be made to pay for this." Hurn seethed. He stomped about the room in fury, head shaking from side to side. Catching sight of Shepard's concerned face, he calmed. "I apologise, Commander. Knowing that Jath had raided the Halls for their tests was bad enough. Finding out that they desecrate the tomb of one of our greatest heroes, it is too much to bear!"

"Help me find Mordin and Grunt, and then we'll go and give Jath Fotnar a piece of our minds." Shepard promised.

"You're right." Hurn said. He returned to the tomb and looked at the marks around the seal, inspecting a few scuffmarks and footprints on the dirty floor. He sniffed the air, moving over to one of the passageways. "They left down this way."

The passageway he had indicated was nearly pitch-black. Shepard, Zaeed and urn relied upon their omnitools to provide the light they needed, while Legion and Revenant, the former with its bright 'eye' and the latter with his glowing yellow eyes, proceeded easily in the darkness.

The Commander found himself getting twitchy as he moved past silent tombs, half-expecting to have a bunch of husks to be waiting around the next corner. Strange scratching noises could be heard inside the tombs, though it was most probably just a collection of scurrying rodents inhabiting the Halls.

At last they began to move into more brightly-lit sections of the Halls. Shepard noted that the crumbling masonry and dank darkness of the Halls was giving way to metal panels and bright electric light more reminiscent of a lab. Hurn made a grunt of surprise as he made his way through the newer sections of the complex.

"These passages shouldn't be here. They've been added recently. We don't allow any excavation inside the mountain unless it's to make room for more tombs."

"Then we're most likely getting close to where we need to be. Keep an eye out for labs or prison cells." Shepard ordered. "I want to take a look at the research they've been doing, see what progress they've made."

They moved through a series of metal corridors, carefully inspecting the various rooms that they passed. In quick succession, they moved past a series of dormitories and recreational areas. As they passed through what looked like a communal galley area, Shepard came to the conclusion that this was where the Krogan scientists working on the project lived.

They moved out of the living quarters into an area that looked more like a testing facility. The large rectangular room was clean, by Krogan standards, and sparsely furnished. The Commander spotted a few scanners and surveillance devices built into the walls, along with various testing equipment around the room, exercise machines and biological monitoring devices. This was obviously where test subjects were analysed, their physical condition gauged and their capabilities tested. Four metal doors lined the other three walls, one each to the left and right, and two set in the far wall.

Shepard moved up to the door on the right, carefully taking a look through the square window that was set in the top of the door. Beyond, he saw a group of a half-dozen or so Krogan moving about in a sterile lab, cautiously handling vials of some unknown substance. The care that they showed in handling these, a gentleness alien to the Krogan, suggested that the contents were either very dangerous or very valuable. The Commander suspected both.

Shepard turned to the opposite door at a muttered comment from Zaeed. He moved over next to the mercenary and looked through the door. His breath caught in his throat when he saw the contents of the next room. A single large tank, similar to the one in Normandy's auxiliary Cargo Hold dominated the room. Grunt floated inside it, suspended in a thick, electric blue liquid. The young Krogan's features were recognisable, but different. Large plates covered his forehead now, approaching the plates of a Krogan adult. The Krogan had grown taller, too. His muscles, which had not been inconsiderable, were easily half as large again as they had been. Grunt now easily dwarfed any Krogan, at least a foot taller than any Shepard had seen. As Hurn looked over Shepard's shoulder, he let out a whistle of amazement.

"Whoo! Now there's a monster! And still growing, if the plates are any sign. I reckon he'll be a match for Warlord Barkath when he's fully grown. Say what you will, Okeer knows how to breed 'em big."

"He looked nothing like that when he was aboard the Normandy. The experiments must have accelerated his growth. Why would they do that?"

"Krogan become more active as they age. Fotnar would have wanted to get him to peak breeding age as fast as he could." Hurn explained. "I'd say he's the equivalent of a seventy-year old now, by Krogan standards. Not sure what you humans would equate that to."

"Let's check out the last two rooms before we break him out. I'd bet a month's salary that the instant we try to spring him out, all hell breaks loose."

"That's a pretty safe bet for you, Commander." Zaeed said with a smirk. "After all, you did quit your last job."

"The hazard pay wasn't good enough with Cerberus." Shepard quipped back. "But my point still stands."

"You couldn't open this door from here anyway." Hurn said, indicating the smooth metal. "No interface. The lock's somewhere else."

They moved to the right-hand door on the farthest wall, looking through cautiously. Inside, they saw a large group of Krogan standing around a table as another one, the smallest of the bunch, wandered among them with a set of surgical instruments. The small Krogan, who wore the uniform of a doctor, stepped up to each warrior in the room and calmly injected a dose of the chemical being handled in the first room into their arms. Every last one of the aliens was grinning with wolfish pride.

The squad moved over to the next door, noting that it was even more heavily fortified than the last three doors. Two mechanical locks, as well as an electrical lock, secured the door. The window was smaller than the others were, and Shepard had to stretch to look through it. There was a single small desk within the tiny room beyond. The walls of the room were scorched in places, clear signs of frequent escape attempts of varying success. The desk itself was metal, with the flat surface stained black with soot from one such escape attempt. On the desk sat a holographic terminal, isolated from the fortress' main network. Behind the terminal the Commander saw the worn features of his old Salarian friend, Mordin Solus. The Salarian's face was bruised in several places, and one of his eyes was nearly shut around a large swelling in his cheek. His left hand was held in a splint, two of the digits not functioning. The Salarian, who was almost forty, the limit of a Salarian's lifespan, moved with pained slowness. His large, almond-shaped eyes creased around the edges as he focused on his task. The Commander knocked on the door, but the sound was so muted by the thick door that Mordin could not hear it.

"We've got to find the controls to these doors!" Shepard said.

"I reckon they're through here." Hurn offered. "I can see a large control console."

"What do you suggest, Commander?" Zaeed asked. "One, two and go on three? I reckon we can catch the slimy bastards off-guard and wipe the floor with 'em."

"This door isn't as sturdy as the others, why don't we just knock politely?" Shepard asked with a grin. "Revenant? Would you mind…"

As Shepard stepped back from the door, the Collector tilted his head, confused. After a moment, he caught on to the Commander's wish. He drew a flowing curtain of biotic fire about himself, drawing one hand back like he was pulling a bowstring. The blue light swirled along his arm, concentrating in a near-white mass in his palm. With a grunt, the massive insect launched the blinding bolt at the door.

There was a colossal shriek as the door buckled, torn from its hinges, and tumbled across the room, laying out two of the Krogan scientists beyond. There were yelps of surprise from the aliens in the lab as they twisted to look at the source of the commotion, just as Shepard's squad poured through the doorway, guns blazing.

The Commander felt a surge of confidence when he saw the enemy scientists tumble into cover, thrown back by the blistering rate of fire. That confidence vanished when all of the scientists produced a vast array of weapons, from powerful handguns to shotguns. One even lifted a flame-thrower into view. As Shepard ducked into cover, he reminded himself that these were Krogan scientists, and therefore expecting them to be lightweights was a poor strategy at best, and fatal at worst.

The Commander saw Zaeed pull a canister from his belt, thumbing the switch on the top of it before flinging it into the enemy ranks. The canister burst apart in a bright flash, jets of flame escaping from it and setting delicate equipment and Krogan alike on fire. There were few shouts of pain and some grunts of astonishment at the grenade, but the scientists pressed their attack.

Shepard stood up from behind his cover to lay down a barrage of fire, and was instantly met by a returning salvo. His shields beeped in alarm as the incoming attacks swiftly drained their power, but the barrier remained steady until the Krogan with the flame-thrower attacked. As the waves of flame washed over his shields, Shepard's omnitool warned him that his kinetic barrier was losing power dramatically. Cursing, the Commander dropped back down into cover.

The battle continued in this fashion for several moments, with Shepard's team remaining largely unscathed. Zaeed took a round to the shoulder, causing the old mercenary to drop back down behind the desk he was using for cover. Beside him, the Revenant hurriedly patched up the wound with some medi-gel, briefly pausing to fling a couple of biotic blasts into the approaching enemy. Legion, meanwhile, kept up a steady rate of fire, Krogan bullets pinging off it's armoured shell as it stood to fire. Hurn's shotgun barked out above all the noise, sending deadly clouds of bullets into the scientist ranks. They made slow progress, seriously hampered by the Krogan with the flame-thrower.

The squad turned at the sound of pounding feet behind them, and Shepard felt his confidence waver when he saw, back through the door they had torn down, that the soldiers in the other room had been alerted by the sounds of combat and, arming themselves, were now running to join the fight. He opened fire on the approaching Krogan before they reached the door, and was satisfied to see a couple fall, his shots piercing them through the torso or through the legs. One took a bullet to the kneecap, falling with a roar of fury. The fallen Krogan continued moving forward, crawling towards the enemy as his comrades marched past him. Shepard had to admire the Krogan resolve to keep fighting. Such determination was what made the species feared across the Galaxy.

Seeing his team surrounded, the Commander barked orders to his comrades, having Zaeed and the Revenant hold off the newcomers while legion, Hurn and Shepard dealt with the scientists. Taking a deep breath, Shepard activated his adrenal implants, flooding his system with adrenaline and sending his reflexes into a charged state. As everyone seemed to slow down around him, the Commander jumped up and feathered the trigger on his rifle, taking aim at the Krogan with the flame-thrower. As the alien turned to him and depressed the trigger on its weapon, two bullets found their way to the tank of the flame-thrower. The Krogan's eyes screwed up in shock as its weapon ignited itself, exploding in his hands. Red-hot shrapnel from the exploding weapon scythed through the Krogan's guts, instantly killing him as one piece found its way into his spine.

With the flame-thrower out of the way, Shepard found it a lot easier to eliminate the last of the scientists. When the last one died, he turned back to the doorway and the new threat. He saw the revenant lift up the buckled door with its biotics and force it against the press of Krogan, pushing them back out of the door and holding them at the threshold. Zaeed and Hurn added their weight to the door, holding the enemy back.

"We didn't bring enough ammo to take out every last Krogan in the joint, Shepard!" Zaeed shouted through gritted teeth. "Find something to get rid of this bunch!"

Shepard moved up to the control console, searching for any system that might help. He shouted in triumph as he found a control for a shield and activated it, sealing the door between them and the Krogan squad with a flickering red barrier. The door rang from the sound of multiple impacts as the aliens tried bashing and blasting their way through, but the barrier held firm. A number of the aliens yelped as the fire from their weapons bounced back into their masses, inflicting a number of injuries.

The squad paused for a second to catch their breath, looking at the boiling mass of Krogan on the other side of the doorway. Zaeed casually flipped a finger up at them, sending them deeper into their rage

"That should hold the buggers for now, but how do we get out?" he asked.

"We'll work something out." Shepard said as he worked the controls on the console. "Hurn? Legion? Can you give me a hand here? I'm not very good with Krogan controls."

The Geth and the Krogan moved over to assist, and in a few seconds they had deciphered the controls for the complex, figuring out how to open both Mordin and Grunt's cells. Zaeed kept a watchful eye on the enemy at the door while the Revenant moved through the lab, examining various pieces of equipment and technical reports.

"Shepard? Where are you?" Wrex's deep voice thrummed over the Commander's comm unit.

"I'm in the enemy lab, Wrex. We've found Grunt and Mordin, and are just working on getting them out of here. An enemy squad's slowing us down, but we should be done soon." Shepard replied.

"Hurry it up down there. Jath have us cornered out here. Not sure how much longer we can hold them back before we need to retreat."

"I'll do what I can from this side. Just buy us a few more minutes."

"Just get your quads out of there as fast as you can, else I can't guarantee we'll be here to pick you up."

Shepard looked back up at the doorway, and the Krogan beyond, eyebrows knotted as he tried to think of a way out.

"Any suggestions on what we do with our friends out there?" He asked.

"There's too many of the bastards for us to take on our own. We need more firepower."

Shepard's eyes lit up as an idea stole into his mind.

"I just might be able to find us some." He muttered as he keyed in a few controls. "Be ready for when I lower this barrier."

Shepard watched a video feed from Grunt's cell as the tank emptied, the thick liquid pouring away through a grate in the floor. With a hiss, the tank opened, two wings of the glass front swinging apart to release the captive Grunt. He fell forwards, catching himself before he hit the deck, and stayed there, on all fours while he shook his head. For an instant, Shepard remembered when he had first awakened the Krogan, releasing him from the tank that created him. The Commander hoped he would be as ready for a fight now as he was back then.

With a lurch, the massive Krogan got to his feet, still unsteady as he took in his surroundings. Hearing the sounds of gunfire from beyond his cell door, he moved up to look out of the window. Beyond, he saw the squad of enemy Krogan trying to get past the shield. He grinned to see so many enemies facing away from him, and took a few steps back, a fiendish smile on his face.

With a roar that shook the very foundations of the mountain, Grunt charged the door. His massive frame crashed into the thick steel door and twisted it like it was no more than a sheet of aluminium. After a second charge the door caved in, the fury-fuelled Krogan bulling through the remnants and into the mass of enemies.

Grunt towered over his foes by a good foot and a half, his face locked in a grin of joy as he laid into the enemy with gusto. He thrust out one fist the size of a human head and grabbed a Krogan by the throat, tossing him into his comrades like a ragdoll. He grabbed yet another by his plates and twisted, snapping the creature's neck with ease. As Krogan fell around him, he grabbed a shotgun from one, spinning it around to unload its magazine into the owner's face.

At last the terrified Krogan recovered enough to return fire, but their aim was so thrown out by Grunt's charge into their midst that they barely grazed him. As they readied for another attack, Shepard lowered the shield to allow his squad to join the fray. As Shepard and Zaeed rushed into the Krogan mass, guns blazing, Legion remained on the far side of the lab, using his sniper rifled to kill two Krogan before Shepard had even crossed the distance to the door. Beside the Geth, the Revenant lifted his insectile hand, a biotic glow pulling Krogan from the crowd and slamming them into the walls, the ceiling and the floor.

The battle was chaotic and bloody, but finally the last Krogan soldier fell, leaving Shepard, his squad, Grunt and a whole lot of corpses in the central room. Grunt was kneeling over one Krogan, pummelling its face as he beat it to death with his bare hands. The young Krogan turned upon hearing Shepard, his eyes partly clouded by the rage of battle. Grunt almost charged the Commander, his reasoning impaired by his fury. Shepard felt his hand twitch to his pistol, but stopped when Grunt let out a loud laugh.

"Shepard! Should have known you'd be in on a good fight like this."

"You know me." Shepard responded. "I'm never happy unless there's something blowing up nearby."

"Hah! You're more Krogan than anyone I've met, Battlemaster. Let's show these pathetic excuses for warriors why it's a bad idea to mess with the Normandy's clan."

"Let's get Mordin out first." Shepard said, turning to face the door to the Salarian's cell. Legion and Zaeed were crouched in front of it, fiddling with the locks. As Shepard stepped over, Zaeed looked back over his shoulder.

"Working on it, Commander. You got rid of the electronic side of things, but the lizards put a bunch of locks on here. I reckon the Doc's tried breaking out a few times, and they've had to put on manual locks that he can't hack. Give us a minute, and we should be through them no bother."

"Make it fast. Wrex's forces are taking a solid beating out there."

With a snort of irritation, Grunt pushed past the Commander. He motioned for Legion and Zaeed to step back, and then slammed a fist into the cell door. He repeated the action, making the door jump on its hinges, and then delivered a final solid blow to the door, the locks giving way with a loud crack. As the door swung inwards with a tortured shriek, Hurn let out an amazed whistle.

"Glad you're on our side, Urdnot Grunt. Remind me to buy you a ryncol back at camp."

Shepard moved inside the cell cautiously, eyes adjusting to the dim light through the doorway. Mordin was still standing at the desk, working busily. As the Commander drew close, he noticed a small pile of dirty rags in the corner, presumably the Salarian's bed. Apparently Clan Jath's hospitality was somewhat lacking.

The Salarian didn't look up as Shepard entered, his stance one of defiance as he ignored the newcomer to his cell. He continued tapping away at his terminal as he began to speak.

"Did not need to knock so loud. Am your prisoner, so no need for courtesy." Mordin's quick-fire voice barbed. "Am working as fast as I can, but cure is not finished yet. Further beatings will not change this."

Mordin's snide taunts stopped as the one remaining horn atop his head twitched.

"Wait. Footsteps too light to be Krogan. Violent way door was opened suggests intruders, rather than guards." The huge, almond-shaped eyes lifted to look into Shepard's face. "Shepard! Good to see you. Unless am having hallucinations again. In that case not so good. Prefer the ones with Dalatrass Ometha."

"It's okay, Mordin. I'm here to get you and grunt out of here." Shepard assured.

"Good! Was finding it hard to create excuses to delay development of Genophage cure. Would have finished cure in matter of weeks."

"You're that close? I thought a cure would take decades to develop."

"For most scientists, yes. Unfortunately, Clan Jath have been working on this cure for over a century. Though Krogan science presents no threat to Genophage, they managed to lay down a lot of groundwork for a cure. Part of deal with Cerberus included Maelon's research, which provided needed to boost to efforts. Combine with very…" Here the Salarian paused, sniffing deeply. "Persuasive methods to gain my compliance, and the cure is very near completion."

Shepard felt a pang of guilt at hearing of the Doctor's experience with the Krogan. As a former Special Tasks Group agent, and what's more one who had worked to keep the Krogan from recovering from the Genophage, Mordin would have faced brutal treatment at the hands of Clan Jath. Even Krogan like Wrex and Grunt bore a strong resentment for the Salarians' involvement in the development of the plague.

"I'm sorry, Mordin. If I hadn't pissed off Cerberus like that, you'd have never ended up here."

"Nonsense! Illusive Man cannot be trusted. Only has humanity's best interests at heart, with priorities lying with himself. Long-term partnership was not feasible."

"Come on. Let's get the hell out of here."

"One moment." Mordin bent over his terminal again, tapping out a few commands. He pulled a flashing data disk out of it and closed it down, stashing the disk about his person. He then limped out from behind the desk, and Shepard noticed that one leg was tied up in a splint, further evidence of the torture that Clan Jath had visited upon the Salarian. "Am ready to go now."

Shepard motioned for Grunt to help the Salarian. The Krogan moved forward and, with barely a thought, lifted the tiny alien with one arm. Had circumstance been different, Shepard would have found the sight of the diminutive Mordin being carried by the gargantuan Grunt humorous, as it looked like a parent carrying a child. Grunt's stern face discouraged any mocking comments as he carried the scientist in one hand and hefted a shotgun single-handedly in the other. Mordin made no comment as he was lifted in this fashion, knowing that speed was a necessity.

The squad made their way back through the passageways, Hurn leading them back through the raided tombs and towards the exit. The revenant and legion covered the rear while Shepard and Zaeed, assault rifles at the ready, followed Hurn closely, Grunt pounding along powerfully in between them.

As they approached the final few bends, Hurn halted suddenly, pulling back around a corner. As Shepard moved up next to him, he held a hand up, listening.

"Hear that?" The Krogan asked.

The Commander was silent as he tried to detect what Hurn was hearing. After a moment, he caught it, a rhythmic thudding sound. The sound of a multitude of marching feet.

"Sounds like three or four squads." Hurn estimated.

"Too many for a straight out fight." Zaeed said. "Not with wounded."

"You're right." Shepard admitted. "Is there any way around?"

"There might be." Hurn said after a moment's thought. "There's a few passages that lead through the centre of the mountain. They're reserved for the shamed Battlemasters, so most Krogan avoid them. There might be a few passages that go deeper underground, and we could probably find our way into the main Jath fortress from there. At the least, we can lie low until we get a chance to make a run for it."

"It's better than nothing. Lead on." Shepard said.

Hurn led the way back through a few twists and turns in the Halls until he suddenly made a sharp turn to the right, heading deeper into the mountain. As they progressed deeper and deeper into the darkness, Shepard was ever aware of the sounds of their pursuit. The passages echoed constantly with the pounding footsteps of marching Krogan and the occasional warcry. Even as they moved farther away from the more commonly travelled passages, the sounds of their pursuers stayed with them. Obviously the Jath warriors had split up to search for them.

The further they went, the more decrepit the stone passageways became. Dust and thick cobwebs coated the seals of the many tombs they passed. Shepard noted that most of the tombs now bore little in the way of decoration, clearly given less esteem than the ones they had passed before.

After an interminable race through the ancient tombs, Hurn signalled for a brief pause, hands on knees while he caught his breath. The squad looked up as they heard more shouts echo along the passageway they had just come down. Their pursuers were still on their trail.

"We can't keep this up forever." Shepard said. "Where's the way down?"

"It's close." Hurn said, still breathing deeply. "We just need to keep ahead of them for a little while longer and we oughta lose them."

"How can you be so sure they won't follow us down there?"

"Krogan just don't go down there. The underlevels are off-limits."

"I remember something." Grunt muttered. "Something in Okeer's imprints. Just now, when you mentioned the underlevels, the name brought forth an image of a dark hallway. There's nothing to explain it except one word: Fear. Okeer wanted me to be afraid of this place."

"What are you hiding?" Shepard asked Hurn pointedly. "What's down there?"

Hurn looked Shepard defiantly in the eye, but the Commander's gaze was stronger. The Krogan backed down.

"The underlevels of the Halls have been a part of our legends for even longer than our Battlemasters have been. We built the Halls above the caverns down there so that our Battlemasters stand guard over them, protecting Tuchanka from them." Hurn was hesitant in his speech, clearly reluctant to speak of such things. "The Krogan of old believed that the underlevels held the way to the Void. The human equivalent would be a gateway to Hell. Legends say that beasts roam down there to devour any Krogan who try to cross into or out of the Void."

"Okay, so the Krogan bogeyman lives down there. Big deal." Shepard said. "Why keep it a secret?"

"The legends are thought to be based in some kind of truth. Whenever any Krogan have tried going down there. None come back."

"We'll be fine. No one came back from beyond Omega Four until I tried it. Now let's move." Shepard ordered.

Hurn nodded and moved off, leading the way to a yawning dark staircase. The smooth floor gave way to rough-hewn stone steps. Hurn hesitated a moment before Shepard moved past him, leading the way down. The Commander used his omnitool to light the way, though the light did little more than give shape to the darkness.

The team moved down the stairs cautiously until they reached the bottom, fanning out in the large open space below to cover each other's backs. They had moved into a large cave, the ceiling about twenty feet above them and each wall at least fifty feet away on either side. The far side of the cave was invisible, far ahead of them. Dripping water echoed about the cave, the noise mingling with the squad's heavy breathing as they scanned their surroundings.

Shepard led the way through the cavern, moving across the uneven ground towards the far wall. He checked his omnitool to make sure that the squad was heading in the right direction, and moved off into the darkness. Behind them, Shepard heard the sounds of their pursuers reaching the top of the staircase and pausing, unwilling to come down. The Commander was relieved when, after a few minutes, it became apparent that none of the Krogan were willing to climb down into the darkness after them.

Shepard moved through a series of pitch-black caverns, hairs on the back of his neck rising as he proceeded deeper into the network of natural caves. After a couple of minutes, he became aware of a flickering light ahead. Thinking he was close to the end of the network, he moved forward a bit faster.

Shepard emerged into a perfectly round shaft, about thirty feet in diameter. The walls were slick with water, rivulets of eroded stone giving the walls a corrugated appearance. A narrow walkway ringed a massive hole in the centre of the shaft, which extended down beyond the limits of the Commander's light. Up above, a tiny pinprick of light could be seen, hundreds of metres above. Four alcoves were built into the shaft walls, each housing a statue of a Krogan, all four wielding different weapons. One carried a spear, while another bore a razor-sharp axe. A third held a heavy crossbow in both hands, held parallel to his chest, while the fourth simply wielded a heavy club in one hand. All four Krogan looked ready to spring into action, their granite features set in a determined expression.

As the rest of the squad stepped out onto the walkway, which widened out at the entrance to the cavern they had just left, Shepard noted the more artificial passageway on the opposite side of the shaft. The passage was clearly built by Krogan hands, a sign of a way back to the surface.

As Shepard moved around the edge of the shaft towards the other tunnel, he felt a tremor pass through the stone underneath his foot. He whipped his rifle around, looking about for the source of the movement. At the entrance to the caves, the squad also looked about curiously. Seeing nothing, Shepard moved towards the edge of the walkway, aiming his weapon down into the darkness.

With a roar, a massive wall of flesh darted up out of the shadows, throwing the Commander back against the wall. With a massive body about twenty feet wide, and a head the size of a tank, the full-grown Thresher Maw looked straight at Shepard, green venom dripping from its mouth.

Shepard scrabbled on the stone walkway, trying to retrieve his dropped weapon. As his fingers curled around the trigger, the creature lashed out at him with a tentacle, catching him around the ankle. As the tentacle tightened, pulling the Commander towards the massive mouth, Shepard scrambled with his free hand, catching a hold of the edge of the walkway as it rushed past him. The muscles in his arm screamed as he wrestled against the beast's strength.

Seeing the Commander in danger, the squad sprang into action. Zaeed fired his rifle, the bullets bouncing harmlessly off the Thresher's thick hide. Legion dropped to one knee, sniper rifle taking aim at the head of the beast, trying to take out one of its sensory organs. The Revenant launched a rapid succession of biotic blasts on it, denting the chitinous armour in several places. Hurn calmly walked up to the edge of the platform and unleashed several blasts from his shotgun, the point-blank blasts tearing through the hide and splashing gore over the Krogan's armour.

As the rest of the squad moved to action, Grunt carefully put Mordin down, giving the Salarian his shotgun. With this done, he turned to the nearest statue and tugged at the spear clutched in its hands, breaking the stone fingers to get at the weapon. With a roar, he charged at the monster, leaping from the walkway. He soared through the air, planting his spear in the Thresher's back. The beast squealed in anger and pain as he kept a hold of the spear, using it as leverage to clamber up the beast's back and onto its head. It roared as he pulled the spear free again and plunged it into one of the soft, vulnerable blue eyes. As the thing shuddered, letting go of the Commander, it shook its head furiously, launching the young Krogan into the wall of the shaft. As he tumbled back onto the walkway, Grunt bounced back onto his feet, charging back at the Thresher.

Shaken by his close call with the thresher, Shepard climbed to his feet, lifting his rifle. He let loose a volley of bullets, frowning when they were rebuffed. Realising the need for heavier fire, Shepard put away his rifle and pulled out the new weapon Jacob had crafted. Slotting a large round into the barrel. He lifted the weapon and fired.

The bright blue shot raced towards the Thresher Maw, punching through its thick hide with no problem at all. There was a tiny pause, and then a flash of bright light as a jet of flame shot out of the impact wound. The creature screamed as the round exploded inside of it, heavily damaging its internal organs.

Screeching in agony, the Thresher Maw thrashed about, sending quivers through the shaft. Its claws scrabbled at the walkway, trying to hold it up, and as it did, Shepard took aim and fired a second round, straight into its head. The beast let out a final shrill roar before it went limp, plummeting back into the depths of the shaft.

The squad fell silent as the noise of the tumbling beast echoed up the shaft, ending in a final thump moments later. They waited with baited breath, making sure that the Maw wouldn't make reappearance, before moving over to stand next to Shepard. The Commander got to his feet and looked each of his squadmates in the eye, breaking out into a wide grin as he looked at Grunt's wide features.

"That's two Thresher's you've got under your belt now, Grunt. I reckon you'll be fighting the females off with a shotgun."

"I've definitely got Wrex beat, anyway." Grunt said, smiling uncontrollably. "But I get enough breeding requests as it is. I'll forward any I get this time on to you."

"That's… generous, but I think I'm okay, Grunt." Shepard said, struggling to keep his laughter under control.

"That was damned impressive, Commander." Hurn said. "I'd heard stories of Grunt's Rite of Passage, but seeing the two of you in action was more glorious than I could have imagined."

"Let's keep moving." Shepard said. "I'm dreading what sort of shape Wrex's armies are in."

**~o~0~o~**

After a long, winding series of passages, Shepard became aware of a rhythmic series of thuds. He recognised the noise of heavy weapons fire and realised they were nearing the surface, underneath the Jath fortress.

"Sounds like we're getting close to where we need to be." He murmured. "Look for a way back up to ground level."

They moved through another couple of junctions and finally the Commander spotted a stairway, the faint light of day filtering down into the dark passageways from it. Seeing their way out, Shepard rushed to the foot of the stairway, looking up cautiously. He proceeded step by step until he reached the top, emerging into the ruins of an ancient building. Warm air washed over him as he left the labyrinth of the Halls behind, a luxury after the clinging cold of the darkness.

The squad filtered up behind him, weapons readied as they emerged into the ruins. Zaeed and Hurn moved to the husk of the doorway, looking out into the street beyond to check for enemies. As his team secured the perimeter, Shepard activated his comm unit.

"Wrex, do you read me?" He called. "Come in, Wrex."

"Shepard! It's about time! Where in the name of the Void have you been?"

"Had to make a detour through a nasty neighbourhood. On the bright side, we've got Grunt, and Mordin, and we've got some stories to tell over some of Ratch's ryncol."

"First round's on me if we get out of this alive."

"What's the situation?"

"Jath are pressing their attack. They got some reinforcements, Lonfar by the looks of them, who took us by surprise. Our main force is fighting a battle on both sides. Chief Vras's team was massacred trying to take on Jath Fotnar, and Gratt's forces are having a hard time moving in on the other side. If we can't take out Jath Fotnar, then we'll have to pull back.

"Get to the South wall. If you can get outside of the fortress, my warriors can get you out of here. Then I'll call a retreat."

Shepard clicked his communicator off, turning to his team, pondering his choices. He took a deep breath before speaking.

"We've got a chance to end this, right here and now. We could go after Fotnar, and cut off the serpent's head. But it's going to be dangerous. He didn't become a Krogan chieftain by playing nice. He's going to have his best guards around him at a time like this. It's your choice. We go after the chief, or we get back to Wrex."

"Fotnar is a traitor to our people." Hurn said firmly. "I vote we go and show him how to be a real Krogan."

"I've never hesitated to walk into danger." Zaeed added. "As long as the pay's good. I reckon seeing the look on that Krogan bastard's face when we march into his throne room oughta be pay enough for this mission."

"We deem it logical to attack chief Fotnar while he is within reach, Commander." Legion stated matter-of-factly. "Such an opportunity is statistically unlikely to occur again."

Shepard turned to Grunt, then the Revenant, receiving affirmative nods from both of them. Finally he looked to Mordin, the Salarian's face pale from the pain of his injuries.

"What about you, Mordin?"

"Attacking a Krogan Battlemaster in our current state would be foolhardy, incredibly dangerous." Mordin said seriously, before a small smile crept across his face. "However, many missions undertaken by Shepard possess these criteria. None fail. Also, a little vengeance would be nice."

"I'll take that as a yes, then." Shepard said with a smile. He reactivated his commlink. "We can't get to you, Wrex. We'll try and find another way around."

"Get a move on, Shepard! I can't keep this up all day." The Krogan responded.

After the Commander switched off his commlink, the squad moved out. Shepard and Zaeed resumed their position at the front of the group, with Legion and the Revenant bringing up the rear. Grunt continued to carry Mordin with Hurn walking alongside him, walking in the midst of the team.

They continued in this formation as they moved through the empty buildings inside the fortress. Hurn occasionally muttered directions to Shepard, suggesting routes that might be less heavily guarded, and they slowly made their way towards the centre of the complex. Occasionally they had to duck into cover as a patrol marched past, using the many ruined buildings to their advantage to hide from the enemy.

At last they arrived at the central building of the fortress, hiding in a burnt-out building as they scoped out Fotnar's base of operations. The building was immense, walls towering about seventy feet into the sky. A quartet of fearsome anti-aircraft guns kept the airspace above the fortress clear, while a massive emitter dish at the peak of the building maintained the kinetic barrier that held the attacking Urdnot forces at bay. Several squads patrolled the sides of the building, though they appeared to be bored, dissatisfied at missing out on the larger battle.

Shepard waited a few moments, timing the patrols. He waited for a gap in the surveillance and motioned for his team to follow him as he scurried across the open ground towards a small door set into the base of the wall. He crouched beside it and activated his omnitool, hacking the door controls. After an agonising wait, the door's interface flashed green, and the door slid open. The team rushed through the door, the Commander sealing it as another patrol rounded the corner.

Shepard scanned the room beyond cautiously. Fortunately, there were no guards here, though he assumed that was only because most of the Krogan would either be participating in the battle or finding a place where they could watch its progress. He checked the ceiling for security cams, and was glad to see there were none. Apparently Fotnar was so confident of his base's security he did not feel the need to take such precautions, a weakness Shepard could exploit.

Armed with this new understanding of his foe, Shepard started moving through the base. He moved down several hallways, all comfortably decorated for a building on Tuchanka, searching every junction for approaching enemies. Just as the silence was getting to him, the Commander heard a commotion from around the next corner. Slowing, he drew close to the corner and peered around.

Beyond, a cluster of Krogan was gathered around a holographic display which showed a summary of the battle. The walls of the fortress were clearly shown, and beyond them, a large group of tiny red lights, each apparently representing one of Wrex's forces. Behind the largest concentration, a group of green lights were pushing their way into the back of Wrex's army, trapping his forces between them and the fortress. To the east, a smaller cluster of red lights was struggling through a breach in the walls, though they were making very slow progress against the fortress' defences. As Shepard watched, red lights vanished one by one, a lot faster than any of the green lights did. At that rate, the Urdnot armies would be eliminated long before they could breach the fortress walls.

Around the display, several Jath warriors were laughing and commenting on the progress of the battle, making wagers on how long the attackers would last and arguing over some quarrel or another. The Commander caught a glimpse of a flask of something being passed between them, probably ryncol.

Confident upon seeing the guards' relaxed attitude, Shepard moved around the corner, assault rifle at the ready. The conversation lulled as the aliens noted the single human moving into view. A few guards reached for their weapons, but most, especially the more inebriated members of the group, just looked at Shepard with a bemused expression. Those expressions turned to surprise as Shepard's squad rounded the corner behind him and opened fire.

Several of the Krogan perished in the opening salvo, while more dived behind the holo display and drew their weapons. Shepard feathered the trigger on his weapon, mowing down a Krogan before he could draw his weapon, while Zaeed and Legion combined their fire to keep a duo of guards hiding behind a desk. The Revenant physically lifted the holo display from the floor, ripping it from its fittings so that it trailed sparking wires, and flung it at a shocked Krogan, pinning him to the wall. The three Krogan that had hidden behind the display looked shocked as Hurn and Grunt fired their shotguns into their midst, decimating their numbers. The final Krogan, hiding behind another desk, was gunned down as he rolled out of his cover, barely bringing his shotgun to bear before he died.

Shepard moved among the dead guards to activate the terminal in the sole undamaged desk, pulling up a schematic of the building. He plotted a course to the war room, near the top of the building, and downloaded it to his omnitool.

"Okay. I've got us a route to Fotnar's control centre. Let's keep moving. The sooner we take him out, the more Urdnot lives we save."

As they proceeded through the Jath base, Shepard noted a distinct lack of guards. They moved through the ground floor and the second floor without a hitch, gunning down a couple of small patrols they found. It wasn't until they moved to the third floor that Shepard started hearing the voices of many Krogan gathering.

The squad was approaching a large pair of wooden double doors silently when the doors snapped open, exposing them to the occupants of the room beyond.

A large conference room was situated beyond the doors, filled with benches and tables. This would have been where the Jath soldiers received their briefings and where the Clan elders would have consulted with their chief. At that moment, a large force of Krogan occupied the room. One stood out among the rest, wearing ornate armour and walking about with an air of authority. He stood at the front of his group, ready for the Commander and his team.

"You took your time getting here, Battlemaster Shepard. And here I thought the mighty Urdnot Grunt only chose great warriors for his krannt." He gloated. "Don't look so surprised, Shepard. You didn't expect us to neglect to install security cameras in our base, did you? Just because they cannot be seen does not mean they are not there!"

"I take it you're Jath Fotnar?" Shepard asked.

"I am his lieutenant, Jath Gartab. Chief Fotnar has more important things to deal with than a puny human." The Krogan shouted. "Your interference in our plans is merely an inconvenience. We'll take the Salarian and Urdnot Grunt back once you have been dealt with, and soon we shall be cured of the Council's plague!"

Shepard chose not to bother replying, instead opening fire on the haughty Krogan. His attack was repelled by a blue flicker of Gartab's hand, a biotic barrier springing up around himself as he ordered his soldiers forward.

Shepard flinched as a hail of bullets flew towards him, but the Revenant jumped in the way, throwing up a barrier of his own. The Collector held the barrier long enough for the squad to move into the room, taking cover behind an array of benches and desks. Then the Collector thrust the barrier forward as an attack, the bubble of energy becoming a blast of energy that flung two Krogan to the ground with a heavy crunch.

The two sides traded fire for several minutes, neither side making a decisive move. Shepard activated his adrenal implants several times to allow him the swift reaction time he needed to bring down four of the Krogan soldiers. Legion assumed a position behind a desk, sniping over its flat surface and accounting for a further pair of Krogan. The Revenant maintained a steady string of biotic attacks, keeping the enemy off-balance. Twice Shepard saw a glowing blue Krogan soar into the air and slam down among his comrades with bone-shattering force. Grunt and Hurn accounted for at least a half-dozen Krogan between them, firing their weapons with devastating accuracy, displaying combat prowess befitting of Urdnot warriors. Zaeed and Mordin helped sow panic among the soldiers, the former using his incendiary grenades to great effect in burning through enemy armour, and the latter using his omnitool to create sonic waves that stunned the Krogan soldiers momentarily.

As Shepard's team kept up their assault, the Krogan returned fire, scoring more than a few direct hits. The Commander winced as a lucky shot got dangerously close, lowering his shields and grazing a line across the side of his neck. He dropped back down into cover to allow his shields time to recharge and took stock of his team's status. Mordin and the Revenant remained unharmed, but both Grunt and Hurn had taken serious wounds in their torsos and Zaeed was panting with pain as he tended a wounded thigh. Legion's status report told Shepard that its shields were down and motor skills in its right arm were being hampered by physical damage.

Gartab growled in frustration when it became apparent that the enemy squad would not go down, and drew an assault rifle from his back. Using his biotics, he lifted the bench Shepard and the Revenant had hunkered down behind, flinging it aside as he charged. The Collector tried to summon a biotic attack, but the charging Krogan rebuffed it, flinging the giant insect aside. Shepard barely had time to raise his weapon before the Jath lieutenant bulled into him. The pair wrestled for a few seconds before Gartab grabbed a hold of Shepard by the throat, lifting him bodily from the ground. The Commander gasped as his throat was constricted before he noticed a sheath strapped onto the Krogan's upper arm. The hilt of a large dagger jutted out of the sheath invitingly. As he struggled with one hand to loosen the lieutenant's grip, the other reached out slowly, under the guise of wrestling with Gartab's strong grip. Once his fingers reached the sheath, he reached out with lightning speed and drew the dagger, slashing it across the Krogan's bicep and severing muscle. Shepard twisted the knife as it moved through the air, bringing it across the alien's face. Gartab howled as the Commander's attack slashed through his eye, rendering it useless. He dropped the human, his arm spasming as blood gushed from the wound just below his shoulder.

Shepard moved back from the alien, still clutching its face. As Gartab looked at him with his one remaining eye, rage filling his face, the Krogan roared and charged again. Shepard rolled out of the way easily, dodging the attack and slashing at the Krogan again with his stolen dagger. He dropped the blood knife and drew his shotgun, firing it at point blank into Gartab's back. His defences deflected most of the attack, but a number of tiny pieces of metal pierced his flesh, sending shafts of agony racing through the Krogan's body. Shepard pumped the weapon to reload and fired again. This time the already damaged armour offered no defence and, with no biotic barrier in the way, almost all of the shotgun's attack was absorbed by Gartab's body.

The Krogan stumbled, but remained on his feet, half of his back a mangled mess. With blood covering an entire arm and half of his face, he looked like he was already dead, but he kept on coming. Shepard unloaded a third round into his belly, and then a fourth, and finally a fifth, bringing the Krogan down as the last shot overloaded the weapon's heat sink. He slowly changed the tiny metal device and unloaded a further two shots into the lieutenant's body at point blank range, just to be sure.

During his scuffle with the Jath lieutenant, his squad had cleaned up the remaining soldiers, making short work of the untested rookies and eventually bringing down the more seasoned veterans. Shepard watched as Grunt stepped up to the one remaining survivor and stepped on his neck, twisting his foot just so to snap it.

The squad collected their breath for a minute, administering medi-gel and recharging shields before moving on. There was only one way out of the room, aside from the door they had entered by, a small wooden door on the far side. Once rested, Shepard led the team through that door.

On the far side there was a small room. A number of displays showed scenes from the battle, from an overhead view of enemy and ally locations, to security footage of a breach in the eastern wall and of the mass of Urdnot warriors moving against the south. Behind this equipment, a large, heavy metal door had been set into the wall, presumably leading to a private shuttle hangar. Shepard stepped up to the equipment, activating his omnitool. With legion and Mordin offering advice, he worked his way past the system's security and located the controls for the fortress' defences. With the push of a button, he lowered the defensive shields and opened all of the gates in the fortress walls, allowing Wrex's forces to pour into the complex. He then activated the gun batteries atop the walls and switched their targeting priorities, firing into the midst of Jath's allies and decimating their numbers. With the fortress' defence systems focusing on wiping out the remainder of the Jath army, the tide of the battle turned within moments. Shepard smirked smugly as Jath's allies, who had been hounding Wrex's armies from the rear, turned to flee under the relentless assault of the gun turrets.

The squad turned their attention to the door in the back of the room, hearing a loud crash from beyond. Shepard had his team stand ready as Mordin keyed the door open, guns raised in preparation.

A shuttle landing pad was situated beyond the door, open to the air above. In the centre of the pad, a private aircraft was powering up, ready to carry the Jath leader to safety. Shepard caught sight of a Krogan face peering out of the cockpit worriedly before the vehicle's engines took on a more frenzied tone, building up the power to take off. At a signal from Shepard, Mordin worked the terminals inside the control centre and in seconds had a flickering blue barrier activate over the pad, trapping Fotnar. The Krogan chief saw this, but tried to make his escape anyway, aircraft surging forwards and upwards with sudden power. The vehicle hit the barrier with a tremendous crash, the noise vibrating through the entire building as scraps of metal splintered off the vehicle, which kept trying to push through the solid wall of energy.

Eventually, Fotnar gave up on trying to force his way out, and swung the aircraft around. With a clank, two large guns deployed from the vehicle's sides, spinning and twisting to take aim at the Commander. Seeing the danger, Shepard ducked behind a heavy crate of spare parts, just in time to feel the vibrations of several close shots impacting the floor and wall around him. The whole squad except for Mordin, who chose to stay in the relative safety of the command centre, darted for cover in the hangar.

Fotnar kept up his assault on Shepard's position, even as the rest of the squad opened fire on his vehicle. A kinetic barrier sprung up around the aircraft, repelling most of their attacks. The Revenant flung a biotic blast at the vehicle, scoring a hit that punched through the kinetic barrier and wrenched a piece of its armour away in a twisted lump. Grunt, Hurn and Zaeed's weapons sounded out a staccato chorus as they unleashed a blazing hail of fire, focusing on a single area of the craft's barrier and whittling it away so that their bullets peppered the hull. Legion scuttled around behind the vehicle, activating its mobile combat drone to sap at the shield.

Shepard developed a routine of popping up from behind his cover, loosing a burst of fire at the vehicle, and then retreating before the Krogan's weaponry could get a lock on him. By keeping his appearances random both in timing and location, he could avoid the deadly metal rain. By the time Fotnar's shields dropped, none of the squad had lost their shields.

Once the barrier dropped, flickering a vivid red in its final moments, Shepard renewed his assault, his bullets hammering away at the aircraft's armour mercilessly. Beside him, the Revenant used his warp attacks to tear layers of armour away, exposing lower strata of armour along with a few minor electrical systems. Legion's drone took advantage of this exposure to send arcs of energy through the craft's systems, shorting out non-critical systems. While not crippling, this certainly hindered the operation of the vehicle, making Fotnar's job harder.

Getting through the craft's armour was proving hard work, and Shepard was aware that he only had a couple of rounds of ammunition left. He knew that his omnitool could make more, given time, but that time could mean the difference between catching the Jath chieftain and letting him go. Realising that he was out of time, Shepard turned to his last weapon. He pulled Jacob's new weapon from his back, slotting the second-to-last round into its barrel. He stood carefully and took aim.

The blue-white round punctured the vehicle's bullet-proof cockpit window, vanishing into the rear of the craft. Fotnar looked back at where the round had rushed past with a measure of surprise, but disregarded it when, at first, it seemed to have inflicted no more damage than to make a tiny hole in the centre of the window. A second later, the interior of the craft was thrown into chaos as the round, rolling about on the deck in the rear of the vehicle, detonated. It turned the deck around it to slag and filled the rear of the vehicle with flame and smoke. Several critical systems were shorted out as their wiring was burned through. Fotnar found it increasingly difficult to see as his cockpit filled with smoke. The entire craft lurched as the controls became sluggish, two of its four thrusters flickering and sputtering.

Seeing that the vehicle was barely holding on, Shepard loaded the last round into his weapon, readying for the killing blow. He lifted the sight to his eye, finger over the trigger. As he did so, the vehicle swerved erratically, forward thrusters losing power as the stern thrusters surged with power. The aircraft lurched towards the Commander, nose scraping across the deck of the hangar. Shepard jumped out of the way as the craft raced past, watching as the front of the craft caught on a crate and flipped it over onto its back, propelling it into the hangar wall. It struck the wall with a powerful thud and dropped to the floor, lifeless. Shepard moved over to investigate, but was thrown backwards off his feet as the fuel tank detonated, consuming the craft in a ball of flame. The explosion devastated the hangar, leaving scorch marks up the walls and throwing the team from their feet.

Shepard sat up dazedly from where he had landed, shoving a crate that was pressing down on his torso aside. He looked up at the still-burning wreckage through dry eyes, squinting against the brightness of the flames. He coughed as smoke filled his lungs, the sooty smell clinging to the inside of his nostrils, and was about to look for the others in the destruction when he saw a red-hot hull plate shift in the midst of the fire.

Armour charred, skin blackened and cracked from the heat, Jath Fotnar rose from the wreckage like a demon escaping from hell. He stumbled out of the remains of his vehicle, looking about blearily until he focused on Shepard. His green eyes narrowed as he roared, charging the human.

Shepard struggled to his feet just in time to be knocked back by the huge alien's attack, thrown bodily across the hangar. Fotnar drew a wicked-looking shotgun in one hand and pounded after him, firing wildly. At that distance, very few of the bullets launched by the weapon hit Shepard, but as he drew closer the Commander's shield status warned him that its power was being rapidly depleted.

Shepard waited until the Krogan was almost on top of him, his shields down to their last scraps of power by this time, and lashed out with a booted foot. His armoured foot connected with the Krogan's knee, causing the chief to stumble. As Fotnar hit the floor, Shepard grabbed at his weapon, trying to wrestle it from him. The pair grappled in the debris for a few seconds, neither getting a distinct advantage over the other. Shepard lashed out at the Krogan's face with an elbow, knocking a few sharp teeth loose, but Fotnar responded by kicking the Commander in the kidneys, the alien's knee solidly connecting with the human's belly and winding him.

As Shepard reeled from the pain of the attack, Fotnar got to his feet. He lifted his shotgun, pumping the weapon to reload, and brought it to bear on the Commander. His lips curled in a smile as his finger tightened on the trigger.

An ear-splitting roar echoed about the hangar, and a gargantuan black shadow tackled the Jath chieftain, knocking his shotgun away. Shepard felt the weapon's discharge blast into the floor near to his head, chips of metal threatening to blind him as they rebounded off the deck.

Grunt snarled into Fotnar's face as he wrestled with the chieftain, muscles straining. Even facing such a powerful opponent, Fotnar held his own, pushing back against the Urdnot warrior. The two Krogan remained locked, neither overpowering the other, for some time, Grunt's icy blue eyes searching Fotnar's blood-red stare.

Fotnar's head suddenly jerked forward, plate solidly colliding with Grunt's. The younger Krogan staggered back from the impact, caught off-guard. Before he recovered, Fotnar repeated the manoeuvre, pushing Grunt further back. He was about to headbutt Grunt again, but the younger Krogan shot out a fist, catching the chieftain across the jaw. Fotnar stumbled from the powerful blow, put off balance.

Before the chief could regain his balance, Grunt lashed out with his foot, aiming for the gut. Fotnar took a step back as the wind rushed from his lungs, doubling over. As the older Krogan lowered his head, Grunt reached out and grabbed a hold of Fotnar's brow-plate with both hands, pointed fingers curling around the edges of the plate. His back muscles squirmed as he twisted sharply, snapping the chieftain's neck as the head turned to the side. Fotnar died with a confused expression on his face, shocked at the fact that a mere child by Krogan standards had beaten him.

Dropping Fotnar's body to the ground, Grunt knelt beside it, pulling a knife from the chieftain's belt. He lifted the weapon high into the air, and thrust it downwards, firmly sticking the blade between Fotnar's brow-plate and the rest of his skull. Teeth gritting, the Krogan twisted the knife, levering the plate upwards. With a triumphant smile, he tugged the plate free from Fotnar's head, holding it aloft as a trophy. Turning to look at his companions, he noticed the looks of distaste on Shepard, Zaeed and Mordin's faces.

"What?" He asked defensively. "It's a battle trophy. He was a Battlemaster, and a Clan chieftain. I want a souvenir."

"And you've earned it." Hurn said approvingly. "I've never seen any Krogan fight like that before! Your Battlemaster must be a hell of a mentor."

"Shepard has no match, human or Krogan." Grunt said proudly.

"We'd best get out of here." Shepard said. "I'm dreading what sort of shape Wrex's forces are in."

**~o~0~o~**

Wrex uttered a string of curses that would have peeled paint, such was their coarse nature. His troops were halfway through the fortress gate, but he was having to fight an immensely difficult battle for every foot of progress they made. Although the Jath defences had suddenly mysteriously turned against their allies, there were still a lot of soldiers between Urdnot and victory. Tanks rolled through the dusty streets within the fortress, hampering Wrex's every move. Rank upon rank of Krogan attacked Wrex's beleaguered troops. Though he had the numbers to press forward to success, the Urdnot chief knew the price was swiftly becoming too high. But then he realised that Shepard's life was at stake, a being who had done more for the Krogan than most chieftains were willing to. Hoisting his weapon to his shoulder, the old warrior decided that surrender was not an option.

Wrex turned at the sound of running feet. Vaulting the pile of rubble the Krogan hid behind, Garrus rolled when he hit the dirt, spinning to face his old comrade.

"Jath are pushing the attack pretty hard. We're making progress, but they just won't stop. We've taken too many casualties."

"Shepard said he'd be here, so we've got to keep this up until he arrives!" Wrex shouted stubbornly. "Take the Asari and that little firecracker with the tattoos, and go cause some hell for the troops coming at us from the left. Leave the two humans and the Drell here with me."

"Jack's taken a pretty bad hit. I've got her taking cover in an old warehouse next to the wall until the meds take effect. Give me one of your warriors, and Samara and I will see what we can do." The Turian replied.

"Done, now just make something happen fast." Wrex said as he waved for one of his troops to follow Garrus.

He waited a minute, surveying the battle, and was rewarded with a brilliant explosion as one of the enemy tanks in the centre of the opposing ranks detonated. Smiling, the old Krogan charged out of his cover, leading his own troops into the disorganised Jath forces, still reeling from the sudden turn of events. He led the charge straight at the frontlines, his army racing after him. Shot after shot rebounded off his barrier as he ran, and he fired wildly into the enemy mass, unable to miss due to the sheer concentration of foes before him.

He was two thirds of the way across the gap between the Urdnot and Jath armies when a dark shaped plummeted into the street, hitting the dirt with a dull thud. A large Krogan corpse lay in the street, blood still seeping from a massive wound on its forehead. Wrex recognised the features of the traitorous Fotnar, as did a large number of the Jath forces. Every last Krogan looked up to where the body had come from, spotting Commander Shepard and his team standing on top of the nearest building. Next to the Commander, a towering Urdnot Grunt stood proud, the stolen brow-plate of the fallen Jath chieftain hastily strapped to his shoulder. There were a number of dismayed shouts from the Jath forces as Shepard called out to them.

"Clan Jath! Your chieftain is dead, slain at the hands of an Urdnot warrior. Do the smart thing, and surrender. No more Krogan need to die today."

There were a few murmurs from the Jath warriors, and a great deal of glances thrown at the corpse of Fotnar. After a few seconds, one warrior dropped his weapon, falling to his knees with his hands up in a gesture of surrender. More soon followed, and then the rest of the Jath forces dropped down to their knees in a wave of fear, lowering their weapons so their survival rested squarely in Wrex's hands.

Wrex looked up at Shepard, seeing the human smile broadly at the victory, and the old Krogan felt the grin become infectious, inspiring a huge belly laugh. A great battle, indeed.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard sat down on the seat with a groan of relief. His muscles were tired, and even though the shuttle offered little comfort, it felt like a luxury after the long day he had just been through. Opposite him, Mordin rested with one leg stretched out in front of him, splint keeping it straight. Next to the Salarian, Jack sat, nursing an ugly wound to her stomach. Though the medics had declared she would be fine, a small pool of blood could be seen collecting underneath the medi-gel layer that had been applied to the wound. Beside the Commander, Garrus carefully notched several markings on the handles of each of his weapons, ten on his sniper rifle, two dozen on his assault rifle, and seven on his pistol. Shepard guessed they were marks for the kills he had achieved that day with each weapon.

"Shepard?" The Commander turned upon hearing the Salarian's voice, noticing the scientist had opened his eyes. "Wanted to discuss important matter with you. Opportunity didn't present itself in Jath fortress, too many Krogan around, discussion… delicate in nature.

"You may be wondering what I was doing as we left my cell. Was deleting Genophage research data, making sure Clan Jath didn't have access to latest breakthroughs. Backups exist, of course, with previous research. Planted virus that will spread to rest of system on attempt to look for latest research, should destroy all data of my work. All record of genetic material from Krogan tombs, all of Maelon's research, all gone.

"Except for this. Made single copy of research to OSD." Mordin produced the tiny disk he had retrieved earlier. "Only known cure for Genophage, almost complete. Would take matter of weeks for even Krogan scientists to complete, days for a Salarian like me. Was reluctant to destroy completely. Still unsure Krogan entirely deserving of further endurance under Genophage. Urdnot's willingness to risk lives, clan existence for us shows capacity for honour, other redeeming qualities. Wanted to discuss with you before deciding what to do with cure."

"Why would you hesitate to give the cure to the Krogan people?" Shepard asked.

"Jath's actions show Krogan brutality and tendency towards rash actions. Large Krogan army would present risk to Galaxy. Not sure if Krogan are ready for return to glory."

"Is there any way to just give the cure to Urdnot and their allies?"

"No. Just like Genophage itself could not be restricted to more violent Krogan clans, but rather led to saturation of entire race. Cure would be passed from Krogan to Krogan. Once administered in sufficient mass, cure will self-propagate among entire species."

"I don't know, Shepard." Garrus said. "The Doc said it himself. The Krogan are still dangerous. Giving them this cure could be like opening a planet-sized can of worms."

"Bullshit!" Jack said. "The Reapers are on their way. We need the biggest blunt instrument we can find. This cure will guarantee that the entire Krogan species will fight with us, not just a handful of clans. The cure represents the biggest bargaining chip we've got."

"Krogan like the Urdnot do not deserve their fate, but Genophage keeps dangerous Krogan like Jath Fotnar and Weyrloc Guld in check." Mordin said. "Either decision could face dire consequences. Destroy cure, or give to Krogan. Decision is yours, Shepard."

**The Fate of the Krogan lies in your hands, Readers! Vote to either give the cure to the Krogan, or destroy the data on my profile page.**


	14. 14: The Fate Of The Krogan

_Author's notes: As always, Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 14: The Fate Of The Krogan**

Shepard leaned forward, hands covering his face as he closed his weary eyes, his mind in turmoil as he considered the two paths laid before him. On the one hand, he could destroy the cure and the Krogan would be unable to present a credible threat to the other races of the Galaxy, but Wrex's people would remain firmly under the cruel yoke of a plague that hobbled their entire race. On the other hand, he could release the cure to the Krogan. Having a whole species owing him a debt of gratitude would prove useful in the near future, but the distribution of the cure would be impossible to control. It would spread to every last Krogan, like the virulent Genophage. After this, there would be no turning back, no resealing Pandora's Box.

The Commander felt that his head would explode from the pressure of the situation. Why did all of these decisions seem to fall on his shoulders? To save the Council or not, the future of the Rachni, the fate of the Geth heretics, it seemed that he was making these choices on an almost daily basis, single-handedly shaping the future of galactic civilisation.

He took a deep breath, lifting his gaze to look back at his companions. Mordin, so proud of his work, and yet nursing a deep-seated guilt over the impact of said research. Here he was, holding the solution to the situation in one hand, paralysed by the ache of indecision as his huge dark eyes pleaded with the Commander for help. Garrus, a warning flashing in his deep-set eyes as his imagination assaulted him with images of a reborn Krogan Horde tearing their way through Citadel space as they wrought their revenge on the Galaxy. Jack, having been on the wrong end of so many medical experiments that she was understandably slanted against the cure's creation, and yet she saw the value of using it to help the Krogan.

"The Krogan have lived under the Genophage for too long. It's time to give them a second chance, let them try to lift themselves out of the ruins of their past. I don't doubt that there'll be a few troublemakers, but as long as Krogan like Wrex keep trying to make their species more than what it is, then they're worth saving."

Mordin wordlessly passed the OSD to the Commander, the insignificant little blue device glowing in Shepard's palm.

"I'll give this to Wrex today. He can have his scientists working on finishing it off and distributing it."

"I hope that we don't regret this down the line, Shepard." Garrus cautioned.

"Am inclined to agree with Shepard." Mordin said. "Have seen first-hand the reactions continued existence of Genophage inspires. Can stay to help complete research, if you wish."

"I'm going to need you back on the Normandy, Mordin. I need your expertise to help us prepare for the Reapers." Shepard said. He eyed the Salarian's injuries. "First order of business is to get you patched up. Looks like the Jath did a real number on you."

"Fotnar was… crude in his methods." Mordin said standoffishly. "Seemed to lack understanding that brute force is not always best way to obtain co-operation. Psychological torment much more effective. Pain can only buy so much compliance before injuries interfere with efficiency."

"Looks like we're nearly back at Wrex's camp." Shepard commented, looking out of the shuttle's window. "I'll go talk to Wrex. You guys get back to the Normandy, have her prepped and ready for lift-off as soon as you can. Much as I'd like to take a vacation on Tuchanka, we've still got to get to Stynos as soon as we can."

"Right you are, Shepard. And I'll make sure these two head straight to the Med Bay." Garrus said.

"Like hell you will!" Jack exclaimed obstinately. "I don't need to go to sickbay."

"You took a point-blank shotgun blast to the abdomen, Jack." Garrus said wearily. "No matter how strong your biotic barrier was, that'll leave a mark."

"I'm fine." She huffed.

"Jack, just go. It won't take Archer long to make sure you're okay." Shepard reasoned with her. She jutted out her chin defiantly, but held her tongue.

The shuttle glided down to hover above the Urdnot landing zone, touching down carefully in a swirl of dust. Shepard clambered out of the shuttle, turning to watch as it took off again to rendezvous with the Normandy up in orbit. The Commander moved away as the vehicle dashed up into the harshly bright Tuchanka afternoon.

Shepard stalked through the gloomy pathways of the camp, making his way to the heart of the settlement. He walked into the main courtyard of the Krogan Clan to see Wrex in yet more talks with representatives of various different clans. It looked like they were discussing the battle with Jath, recounting losses and victories, assessing observed tactics and suggesting new ones to use in the future. Behind Wrex stood Grunt, an attentive look on his face as he listened to the wisdom of the array of warlords and chieftains before him. The Commander noted that very frequently the other Krogan threw Grunt awe-struck glances, their eyes often drawn to the still-bloody brow plate he had torn from Fotnar's skull and strapped to his shoulder. The young Krogan's gaze settled on the Commander as he drew near, though none of the other aliens paid the human any attention as he stepped up to the Urdnot throne.

"We paid too high a price today, Urdnot Wrex!" One of the chieftains clamoured. "Clan Julton's warriors have been decimated, and the death of Chief Vras is a loss we may never recover from. What is to happen to our women, our young?"

"Peace, Julton Turgg! Your clan is welcome to remain here in the neutral ground with Urdnot until you recover the numbers to survive on your own." Wrex assured.

"And what of our losses?" Another Krogan asked. "Are you going to have all of us gather here till the Genophage wipes out the last of us? It'll take centuries for us to recover the numbers we lost today."

Wrex paused as he tried to think of an answer, and his red eyes turned to the Commander.

"Shepard! Hurn's had nothing but praise for your performance today. You may just have another fan in him." He rumbled. "Jath Fotnar presented a threat we could not ignore. The fact that he had so many of my supposed 'allies' poised to attack us shows just how dangerous he had become.

"But now he's dead, and we've got one less obstacle to overcome before we unite the Clans. And our ancestors can rest easy now. I've sent some of our number to repair the damage in the Halls. Urdnot will be taking care of the Dead Spire until another clan can be appointed to the task."

"What happens to the remnants of clan Jath and their allies?" Shepard asked.

"They're to be given the choice; submit to Urdnot's rule, or be destroyed." The Urdnot chieftain raised a hand before Shepard could protest. "Krogan warfare isn't like that of humans. There are no non-combatants in a clan. Each and every last individual is a dangerous fighter. I'm hoping the last few Jath warriors see reason. Their clan was host to many prestigious bloodlines, and it would be a shame to lose any of those old families because their final generations were too block-headed to know when to quit."

"They will comply or perish." The voice of the Nakmor ambassador rumbled out. "We guarantee it."

"I appreciate the support of each one of you." Wrex said graciously. "Now, return to your clans. Spread word of the glory you have attained this day."

The chieftains nodded, lumbering away from the Urdnot throne. Eventually only Wrex, Grunt, the Urdnot Shaman and Shepard remained. They watched the chieftains leaving, then turned a set of wide grins on each other. Wrex let loose a deep belly laugh and leaped to his feet, stepping up to the Commander and nearly flooring him with a bone-breaking slap on the shoulder. Shepard coughed out a few laughs as he tried to keep his footing. The trio's laughter echoed about the camp.

"You just keep on amazing me, Shepard. Another Thresher Maw, and another Chieftain! There's nothing that can stop the pair of you!" The Shaman chuckled.

"Well Grunt did most of the work today." Shepard admitted modestly. "You should have seen him take on the Maw. No gun, no armour, just an ancient spear and his bare hands. From the looks of things, he was damn near about to try and bite it to death!"

"It was a good fight, but don't forget that you were the one who brought down Fotnar's gunship, and then fought him hand-to-hand by yourself. I've never seen a human take on a Krogan Battlemaster like that and come out with his head attached." Grunt reminded.

"I couldn't believe it when he came shambling out of that wreck." The Commander said. "Nothing I've ever seen could have survived that."

"Fotnar was strong, stronger than most chieftains." Wrex commented. "There's not many beings in the Galaxy who could have gone toe to toe with him."

"I am glad to have been Shaman during these past few years." The Urdnot Shaman said. "I have been witness to the rise of some of the greatest warriors our people shall ever see. Urdnot Wrex, the chieftain whose wisdom and cunning overcame the Genophage to make the Krogan whole again. Urdnot Grunt, the strongest warrior our people have ever known. And his Battlemaster, the alien Commander Shepard, an unstoppable force charging across the Galaxy and reshaping it with his very presence. Other Krogan might not be able to see it just yet, but I know I stand in the presence of legends of the future."

"You may be right." Wrex said as he dropped back onto his throne. "Grunt certainly proved his courage today. His performance during the Rite of Passage showed his combat ability, but today he showed he was willing to leap into the jaws of death for his krannt. A promising trait in a warrior. Even better in a leader."

"What are you suggesting, Wrex?" Shepard asked curiously.

"If you are suggesting what I suspect, you must bear in mind the effect this could have among your allies, Wrex." The Shaman warned. "Strong as Grunt is, he's still a tank-born, and the offspring of Okeer. Allowing him into the Clan is one thing…"

"Who I choose as my successor is entirely my choice." Wrex said, a tinge of anger in his tone. "He's not ready yet, but has much potential."

"Successor?" Shepard asked incredulously. "You want to make Grunt the next Urdnot chieftain?"

"He's got a lot to learn yet. Okeer may have taught him the facts of being a Krogan, but he hasn't been given the knowledge he'd need. But yes, I think, given time, he'll be fit to succeed me. Should he be willing to do so, of course."

Grunt stood stock-still, clearly surprised by the opportunity laid before him. His jaw worked silently, trying to formulate the right words. Eventually he frowned, dismissing the look of surprise on his face, and his expression became more focused.

"It is an honour that you think me worthy to follow in your footsteps. I will do what it takes to be ready."

"Good boy. You've got the skills in battle, and the courage in the face of danger, but you'll need more to be a chieftain. That's why you must stay with Shepard for the time being. A warrior must always follow his Battlemaster. Plus, I can't think of a better teacher. Watch the Commander, see how he leads his troops in the battlefield."

"Chieftain." Grunt bowed formally.

"Now, go see Fortack about getting some new armour. I doubt your old stuff will still fit."

Grunt stomped off to see the Urdnot scientist, and was swiftly followed by the Shaman, who made his own way to his usual spot, overlooking the Urdnot camp. Shepard noticed a significant limp in the older Krogan's gait, and was reminded of the last time he had met the Krogan, and the Shaman had hinted at the many rites he had to endure for his position in the clan. The Commander's attention was pulled back by a quiet cough from Wrex.

"Now that its just the two of us, Shepard, why don't you tell me what you found in Jath's fortress? My warriors went to look for any of their research into the Genophage, but the clan's databases had been wiped by a virus. Did you find any of their work?"

Shepard's next few words lurked in the back of his throat, reluctant to come out. Here he stood at the final instant that he could change his mind, hold his tongue. His last chance to keep the data and guarantee the Krogan would not become a threat. But then he looked about the camp, and saw what Wrex had tried to forge his clan into, the work he and his kin were willing to do to make a better life for their entire species.

His mind wandered back to before Omega Four. Back aboard the Normandy, Mordin had confessed to his work on the Genophage. When Shepard had questioned him about the plague, the doctor had explained the nature of the Genophage, including the fact that it was carefully balanced so as to preserve the Krogan species at the same time as keeping their numbers in check. When pushed for an explanation of why he had worked so hard to keep the plague from being too powerful, the Salarian's reasons were simple, though surprising.

"Krogan as a whole violent, aggressive. Still… have outliers. Worth saving."

Shepard slowly pulled the data disk from his belt, tossing it to Wrex. The wily old Krogan had seen the debate in his face, and obviously appreciated and understood the difficulty of his choice. He lifted the OSD to his omnitool and streamed the data onto the holographic display, noting the complexity of the data.

"It's nearly complete." Shepard said. "Your scientists should have little trouble with crossing the Ts and dotting the Is. Mordin reckons it'd take a few weeks, tops before it's ready to start distributing to your people."

"This… this is… Thank you, Shepard." Wrex struggled to say. "I thought there might be some preliminary groundwork, but nothing this advanced. My people have been searching for something like this for over a thousand years. I won't forget this. With a cure for the Genophage, I'll be able to unite every last Krogan in the Galaxy under Urdnot's banner. Not just Tuchanka, but our colonies, all the roving pirate and merc bands. Hell, probably even the Blood Pack. And it'll all be at your disposal when the Reapers come calling. This I swear on the plates of my forefathers."

"I'm only doing this because I trust you, Wrex. Not your people. Keep them honest. If they restart the Rebellions, I will have to stop them, and I won't hesitate to protect the rest of the Galaxy from you all." Shepard warned.

"I know you won't, Shepard. And I'm only going to trust my people with this because you're here to stop them if things get out of hand. You're probably the only one who could."

Wrex stood up from his throne, walking over to stand before the Commander. A solemn expression on his face, the Krogan drew a long dagger from his belt. Shepard flinched in anticipation of some Krogan custom that involved symbolic self-harm or something, but Wrex simply turned the weapon in his hands, holding it hilt-first towards his old human friend.

"Take it. This belonged to my forefathers. Its what I used to kill Jarrod, all those years ago. My great- grandfather carved the hilt from the claw of a Rachni queen, about halfway through the Wars, but the blade's been around a lot longer. If there's any ceremonial item for clan Urdnot, that's it. Carry that with you, as a token that any Krogan warlord with a speck of honour will recognise. It can be a symbol for you whenever you need to call the Krogan to your side."

"Thanks, Wrex." Shepard said, accepting the dagger and sliding it into his belt to one side. "I'd best head back up to the Normandy. We've got to be heading out of the system by the end of the day. I'll swing by Fortack's and pick up Grunt. Are you sure you can spare him? You're a little short on warriors after this morning."

"We'll cope. With this," He said, indicating the OSD. "I'll have more allies than I can count. Besides, I reckon with the Reapers coming, you'll have more need of him than I do. Hell, I'd love to be coming with you too, but I've got responsibilities here, especially now."

"I understand. Take care, Wrex. Be sure to have your people ready for when the bad guys come calling. Next time you see me, chances are I'll have a whole fleet of the damned things on my ass."

"No different from any other day, then. Why change old habits now?"

Shepard chuckled as he walked away, leaving Urdnot Wrex sitting on his throne, reading the data that would save his people. The tough alien would have killed anyone who suggested it, but the Commander was sure that his eye glinted with a wetness that seemed grossly out of place on such a battle-hardened warrior.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard inhaled deeply as he felt the cleaner, processed air of the Normandy fill his lungs. It was a relief after the gritty, sand-choked atmosphere of the Krogan homeworld. He stepped out of the shuttle into the frigate's cargo bay, followed by Grunt. The last two members of the crew to come back aboard, the pair formed an almost comical image, the towering Krogan, torso almost as broad as a skycar and lank limbs stretching as long as most Salarians grew tall. Shepard cut a much less intimidating figure by comparison, standing at only six foot and a couple of inches with a chest, while broad by human standards, not even half as wide as his comrade's. Grunt's armour, a gift grudgingly given by Fortack, was pitch-black, with a red pattern tracing joints and crossing the chest. Pipes and pistons were built into the elbow, knee and wrist joints, capable of delivering a powerful boost to his strength.

Grunt was toting a huge shotgun. It was basically a Krogan Claymore, but was built larger than traditional specs, designed for Grunt's larger-than-average hands. Shepard had a weapon similar, but smaller. The gun was no doubt capable of stripping away the most powerful of kinetic barriers and passing right through heavy armour. The Krogan was keen to test his weapon out, but Shepard didn't want that thing going off anywhere near him.

As they walked towards the elevator, Grunt sighed.

"Something wrong, Grunt?"

"Huh? No, not at all. Just… good to be back, I guess. I've been caged up for three months, doing nothing but float in that damned tank."

"What was it like in there?"

"They kept me sorta sedated most of the time, awake, but unable to move. They paraded the Salarian in front of my tank, whether that was to get me angry or to threaten him I'm not sure. They kept taking samples, probably to test the cure on, and that was about the only outside contact I had."

"I'm surprised Fotnar never tried to recruit you or something like that. He just kept you in that fishbowl for three months?"

"Fotnar was smart. He knew I'd never turn my back on my clan. And setting me loose would have been too dangerous. You saw what happened when you broke me out. He knew that was what he'd get if he opened the tank."

"I have to admit, it was worth it just to see the faces of those Krogan you surprised!" Shepard chuckled.

"It was a good fight. That's why I follow you, Shepard. You're where the action's at."

"We've got a whole boatload of battles coming our way, that's for sure. You might end up sick of war by the time we're through with the Reapers."

"I'll never lose my appetite for war, Battlemaster."

"I guess we'll find out soon enough." Shepard hit the control for the elevator, turning to face the young Krogan. He stared straight into the icy blue eyes, set beneath the half-formed brow plate. "How do you feel about Wrex choosing you to succeed him?"

"I am honoured." The Krogan said, though his face trembled with uncertainty. "But I'm not sure I am the best choice to lead."

"And that's why both Wrex and I think you will be, some day. Just watch us, and learn what you can. Wrex isn't that old, he'll be around for a good long while yet, so you've got plenty of time to work on becoming what he hopes for you to be." Shepard said as they got in the elevator and punched in their two destinations.

"Yes, Battlemaster."

"Go get yourself settled back in, Grunt. Your old Cargo Hold's just the way you left it- an absolute tip." The Commander said with a grin, indicating that his friend should step out of the now open doors.

The Krogan smiled as the elevator doors closed before him, and the elevator carried Shepard up to the CIC. The moment the Commander entered the command deck, he was greeted by Kelly, a smile on her gentle face.

"Welcome back, Commander! Another successful mission, and we got Grunt and Mordin back!" She said, her chirpy voice light.

"We've done well today." Shepard allowed. "I'm glad to get them back, and we've taken care of a very dangerous enemy. In all, I think we've all earned a cold one in the Lounge."

"Sounds good. I'll spread the word. In the meantime, you've got some messages on your terminal. One was marked urgent."

"Thanks, I'll go take a look." The Commander stepped over to his terminal, just on the other side of the steps leading up to the Galaxy Map. As he opened up his mail inbox, he muttered over his shoulder to the yeoman. "Have you had a chance to give Mordin a quick psych evaluation after he got back on board? I'm worried how his stay on Tuchanka might have affected him."

"I had a quick chat, but nothing in-depth. He's been through a lot of physical torture, but his strength has always been in his mind. The Krogan are too unsophisticated for psychological torment, so I think he's going to recover. I wonder what it was that convinced him to give in and work on the cure. They definitely didn't break his mind. He chose to co-operate."

"I'll talk to him about it." Shepard said, pulling open the topmost message on his list. "He's always borne a lot of guilt over his work on the Genophage. Maybe that's all it is."

"Perhaps. I'm glad to have him back. The ship wasn't the same without him. It'll be refreshing to have his energy in the atmosphere again."

Shepard nodded with a small smile before looking at the message blinking before him. He opened it, and was surprised when a wash of flickering green numbers flowed across his screen. At first he assumed a malevolent virus had infected the system, and was confused as to how EDI hadn't picked up on it, but then the numbers faded as quickly as they had appeared, and a small box of text appeared, reading: Security scan complete. The message then blinked up on the screen for the Commander to read.

_Shepard,_

_Glad to hear your mission on Tuchanka was a success. While your choice to preserve the cure may not have been what I'd have done, I respect your judgement in this matter. I'm sure Wrex will handle the data responsibly._

_I must also congratulate you on rescuing your crew. Grunt and Doctor Solus will be valuable assets in the war to come, and after their willingness to join your cause against the Collectors we owe them a debt of gratitude which would have been ill-served by leaving them to rot in a Krogan dungeon._

_You're making impressive progress, Shepard, and I hope you continue to do so. I've received some troubling reports which indicate we'll need to act soon. I still need to nail down the details, but we may have a lead on Reaper activity inside the Milky Way. I'll be in touch as soon as I have some tangible data to send your way._

_Stay safe,_

_Liara._

_P.S. Here's a little gift from the last Shadow Broker. I'm sure the Normandy's lab will be able to replicate it. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to make it small enough for a human to use, but your Collector team mate, the Revenant, or a Krogan like Grunt should be able to wield it no problem. I am sure it will be useful._

Shepard pulled up a schematic which looked familiar. It was a modification that could be applied to any omnitool, enabling the device to project a powerful shield for a short while. The flat, red wall of energy was impervious to all kinds of attacks, and took a lot to wear down. The last Shadow Broker, the Yahg that had nearly sold Shepard to the Collectors, had used the device when Shepard and Liara had come calling, to great effect. The shield had deflected bullets, biotics, punches and tech attacks with ease. The one drawback was the fact it wasn't all encompassing, leaving parts of the body exposed around the edges. Nevertheless, it would come in handy.

"Commander-" Shepard looked up from his terminal as Kelly spoke. "While we're talking about our new arrivals, we'd best discuss Grunt."

"You've got concerns?"

"He's been cooped up for a long time. Even before our capture, he's always had a lot of pent-up energy that he's found difficult to control. I mean, he had to fight a Thresher Maw to work out the aggression he had built up in Okeer's tank. I think he might find it difficult to keep his cool on a ship as small as this one."

"What do you suggest? Yoga?" Shepard joked. Kelly shot back a serious glare.

"Very funny, Commander. Just keep giving him things to do. Take him out on your more violent missions so that he can vent himself on the bad guys. It may be wise for the rest of the crew not to get in his face."

"If he causes any trouble, I'll be the one getting in his face, faster than he can blink. Don't worry. I'm sure he'll keep his violent impulses in check. He knows I won't stand for any of that crap on my ship."

"I suppose so. He does hold you in high regard. It's like you're the parental influence Okeer never had the chance to give him. He'd go to any lengths for your approval."

"I'll make sure that respect is well placed." Shepard promised.

"I know you will." Kelly saluted. "I'd better get back to work. Good to talk, Commander."

Shepard nodded as she breezed past on her way to the elevator. He then turned and skimmed through his remaining messages. A few that he instantly deleted after reading the subject, mostly scams that requested his details in exchange for a fictional financial windfall, or some Hanar 'princess' with an offer he couldn't refuse. One message declared that his subscription to the Gerunno vid rental service had expired after three years of neglect. He chuckled at that one, as the reason he hadn't been renting was on account of being dead. He imagined the card he had been issued by the company was somewhere in Alchera's snowdrifts, among the remains of his old quarters on the first Normandy. There were a couple of messages from old contacts, happy to hear he was back in action after his brief disappearance. There was even a message from Westurlund news anchor Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani, requesting an interview to discuss what he had been up to in the past year, along with a not-so-subtle line about rumours of his links to a known terrorist organisation. Shepard didn't even bother to reply, simply putting it in the trash folder.

A few minutes later, he stepped back from the terminal, closing down his private files, and stepped around the map to stride up to the cockpit, where Joker was busy tinkering with his controls. The pilot spun around the second he noticed the Commander's reflection in the ship's forward windows.

"Hey Commander! That was, uh, that was a pretty tense situation down there. I know I wouldn't have liked to make that call."

"It wasn't easy, but giving Urdnot the cure was the right thing to do. The Krogan have suffered long enough."

"I'm with you on that. And hey! We got Grunt and Mordin back! That's just perfect." Joker said sarcastically. "Cause, you know, if there's two people in the Galaxy who I feel safe around, it's the Mad Scientist and your two-tonne beatstick of doom. One likes to test out all kinds of crazy experiments on me in the name of curing my bad bones, and the other can high-five me into the bulkhead like I was made out of jello."

"It builds character." Shepard said teasingly.

"Go on, laugh all you like. You won't be smiling next time you need hauling out of some Charlie Foxtrot and I'm mashed into goo on the wall." Joker said, spinning his chair back around to face front. "So did you need something, or are you just here to bask in the Joker-ey goodness?"

"I have our next destination planned out." Shepard said by way of explanation.

"What, and you couldn't just punch up the Map?"

"I wanted to speak to you and EDI first, without being overheard by the rest of the crew."

"Ooh, mystery on the Normandy! Hit me with it!" The pilot grinned.

"Serious time, Joker. Straight face." Shepard said sternly. "We're going to Khar'Shan next."

Joker's comedic demeanour vanished, replaced with a more professional attitude.

"We're really going into squint space?" He asked nervously.

"Yes. Liara's set up a meeting with a Batarian political leader who I want on our side. If we can make peace with the Hegemony, they'll be a valuable ally. The Krogan represent almost a third of the merc and pirate forces in the Terminus Systems. The Batarians represent another third. Imagine the forces they could gather."

"I wouldn't want to face that in a fight. You really think they could all be called together?"

"I do. And that's why we need this Etarn on our side."

"You got it. Do you reckon we'll see any trouble once we enter Hegemony space?"

"I suspect so. That's why I needed to speak with EDI." Shepard stood before the AI's holo interface. "I need you to plot us a route to Khar'Shan that will get us there fast, but will allow us to make maximum use of our stealth drive to avoid any confrontation. Work out when we'd need to discharge our heat build-up, and factor that into your course so that we aren't stopping in more heavily populated patches of space."

"Yes, Shepard." EDI said quietly.

"Done." She said only two seconds later, even as the Commander was turning back to speak with Joker. Shepard's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"That was quick."

"It was a simple task, and I am an AI."

"Right." Shepard said uncertainly, a little put-out by the speed with which she had accomplished the task. "Maybe you should have a few back-up flight plans plotted out, too."

"Also done. I have two hundred and forty eight alternate flight paths plotted that have us re-entering Council space within a ten minute window of the optimal flight pattern."

"Okay, I get it." Shepard said huffily. "You're good at what you do. That's all for now."

"Stings when the machines let you know just how much smarter they are, doesn't it?" Joker teased.

"Yeah, yeah. Just set a course."

Shepard stalked back down towards the Galaxy Map, his footsteps echoed by Joker's chuckles. The Commander proceeded to step up to his spot above the Map, where he looked down on the holographic representation of the Galaxy as well as the command deck crew working around its edges. He keyed a few controls to open a channel and delivery a ship-wide announcement.

"This is Commander Shepard. We're about to head into Batarian space, right to their homeworld of Khar'Shan. I know it sounds strange, but we're on a mission of peace, to negotiate with one of their leaders.

"We're going to be running silent until we reach Khar'Shan, doing our best to avoid patrols and other less official contacts in Hegemony space. I'm not going to pretend that every one of the Hegemony's leaders wants these talks to succeed, and I'm certainly not about to trust them to let us move through their space undisturbed. But these talks must go ahead, whether we trust the Batarians or not.

"I want everyone ready for any trouble. From the moment we hit the borders of Hegemony space, the ship's status will be raised to combat readiness level two. That means weapons loaded and shields deployed, but no hostile action unless fired upon first. I'll do my best to make these negotiations a success, and I trust you, my crew, to give a fine account of yourselves, no matter which way things go. Begin preparations immediately. We set off for Batarian space within the hour."

He nodded to the command deck staff, a number of which were regarding him with looks of surprise, uncertainty and anticipation. Clearly they were unnerved at having to go so deep into enemy territory, but trusted their Commander to see them through it, like he had so many missions previously. Shepard left the CIC with a feeling of pride in his heart that his 'family' was made up of beings of such fine mettle.

**~o~0~o~**

The door to the Tech lab hissed open, and Shepard stepped through, coming to a swift stop as he saw what was inside. The entire length of the room was filled with a device, stretching almost from the door to the far wall. Wires and pipes expanded away from it in many directions, linking to a vast array of diagnostic terminals and power supplies.

As the Commander walked in, a small face popped out from behind the device, the huge black eyes and single horn on the head instantly identifiable. Mordin regarded Shepard for a second before vanishing again, squirming out from behind the contraption.

As the Salarian worked his way out, Shepard marvelled at the device. The fact that this had been put together in the time since Mordin had given him the cure to the Genophage was impressive. Shepard found himself wondering where the scientist had found the parts, and how he had ferreted them into his lab. His ruminations were interrupted as Mordin emerged from behind the device and approached. The Commander noticed there was no sign of the limp the Salarian had been sporting earlier.

"Shepard. Good to see you." Mordin said in his quick-fire manner. "Was… how do humans say it? 'Getting back into the swing of things'? Have been working on this for past hour."

"You built all of this in an hour?" Shepard asked incredulously.

"Not quite. Salvaged parts from damaged skycar in Cargo Bay. Saw vehicle and, after hearing from Vakarian about mission to Omega, had idea on new tool for use in field."

"How did you get this up here?"

"Elevator was a tight fit, but just managed after some adjusting."

"And what are you trying to turn it into?"

"Ah! Would like to keep it a surprise. Still a lot of tests to run, much work to do. Would not like to advertise results before certain can be done."

"Alright. While you've got a minute, I'd like to pass these on to you." Shepard lifted up his active omnitool, streaming the data Liara had given him to the alien's 'tool. "A gift from an old friend of mine."

Mordin studied the data for a few seconds before making a couple of noises of approval.

"Tri-layered multi-frequency kinetic barriers in a hyper-dense configuration, very clever. Requires a complete overhaul of power- ah! There it is! Secondary and tertiary capacitors to maintain power over extended periods. Will be impossible to reduce size of barrier, as dimensions are acutely tied in to shield strength. But should be usable by squad mates with larger build; Krogan, Turian, Collector… maybe large human male, like Zaeed. Will get to work on prototype. Suggest Grunt as candidate to test finished device, verify effectiveness."

"Glad you like it." Shepard commented. "Have you got a minute to talk?"

"Of course. No doubt you are wondering how I fared in Krogan dungeon. Am fully recovered now, thanks to treatment from Archer."

"Fully recovered? But you only got set free this morning! I can understand that the doc patched you up, but how can you be mentally ready to dive back into your work?"

"Forgetting Salarian metabolism. Processed emotions of relief, happiness and trepidation over cure in shuttle on way up. Still feel out-of-place being back here, but feelings will pass. Some memories of imprisonment hard to leave behind, but working helps to keep mind focused on the here and now."

"I… think I understand."

"Excellent! Was that everything?" Mordin asked as he crouched down, tweaking a few sparking connections.

"Just about. I'll leave you to your work." Shepard said, retreating out of the Lab.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard left the elevator, stepping out onto the crew deck and swerving to dodge a pair of crewmen heaving a pile of equipment through the corridors. The two sweating servicemen paused to give the Commander room to negotiate his way around their heavy load, unable to salute with the awkward pile in their hands.

"Commander." Rolston said by way of greeting.

"What's all this, then?" Shepard asked curiously.

"Gunnery Officer Vakarian asked us to take this down to the Cargo Hold. I think he want's to put together a sparring area in the back of the hold."

"Really? An interesting idea. I know Turians have something like this on their warships."

"So he said." Rolston replied.

"So who're the odds on for topping the leaderboard?" Shepard smirked.

"Sir?" Rolston's voice was carefully even, the confusion an obvious mask.

"I know how these things go, crewman. Of course there's going to be some wagers made. Who's the favourite?"

"Uhh… Nobody, at the moment. None of us can figure out who'd win between you, Garrus and Grunt."

"Fifty creds say I floor 'em both before they can blink." Shepard chuckled. "Carry on."

Shepard moved past the two crewmen as they manhandled their burden into the elevator and into the Mess Hall. He walked around the tables, filled with chattering crew, and strode down the corridor to the Gunnery control station. Through the door he saw Garrus in an all too familiar position, stood over a diagnostic terminal as he ran some calibrations on the guns. The Turian looked over his shoulder as the Commander walked in.

"Shepard." He said by way of greeting. "Something you need?"

"Just came by to talk." The Commander said, making himself comfortable by leaning back on the doorframe just inside the small room, arms crossed in front of him.

"Sure. I've got a few minutes while EDI runs the latest numbers. Keeping these things firing straight has got a lot easier now that we've got an AI regulating the systems."

"Why not let her run the diagnostics?"

"Peace of mind, mostly. I'm not happy unless I've performed the checks myself. An AI might be smart and all, but I'm just not ready to give one complete control over our weapons systems."

"Whatever floats your boat, Garrus." Shepard said, understanding fully. It was the same reason that Joker manned the helm, even when the Normandy was performing the most basic of manoeuvres, the same reason Mordin relied on physical research rather than computer generated experiments. Having the equipment do everything was unsettling, even if the equipment was a sentient member of the crew.

"I bumped into Rolston on my way here. He was heading for the Cargo Bay with some kit, following your orders. Something about a sparring gym?"

"An idea I had on my way up from Tuchanka. I did submit a report, but I wanted to try it out with the crew as soon as I could. Having Grunt back on board, I figured it'd be wise to have a spot where the crew can work out their… tension… without tearing out a bulkhead."

"Don't worry, I approve. But you should've come through me first before you started shuffling the ship's furniture about. We're not a cruiser, space is one thing we don't have an unlimited supply of."

"I'll make sure it's not getting in the way of the ship's operation, Commander. I'm sure it'll prove more of an asset than an inconvenience."

"Well, the ship's design was a combination of Turian and Human ideals. That worked out pretty well. Maybe doing the same thing with the crew's activities during our downtime."

"Glad you're on board with it, Commander."

"Don't thank me yet. This concession comes with a price. If I've gotta take part in Turian customs, you gotta take part in some human ones. Next time we hit Earth, we're going to an old-fashioned baseball game."

"Wha-?"

"No buts." Shepard interrupted the Turian.

"Next time we're in the Local Cluster, got it."

"Good." The Commander said. "I'm just gonna get something off Rupert. Got time for dinner with your boss?"

"Sounds good. Just give me a second to close up in here."

Garrus met Shepard out in the crew mess in a matter of moments, opening one of the cupboards behind Sergeant Gardner's workstation and taking out a couple of packs of rations. The Turian couldn't indulge in the food that the human cook prepared, his dextro-DNA making any attempt to eat food suited to humans, or any species other than the Quarians, a potentially lethal experience. Whenever he visited a place with Turian or Quarian foodstuffs, he always stocked up on dextro food packs, hermetically sealed to prevent contamination from Gardner's supplies. Taking his silvery packs of food over to the tables and sitting next to Shepard, he smiled at the Commander as he opened up his meal.

"Most days I just eat as I work. Its good to take a break."

"Can't work all the time." Shepard said, shovelling down a big mouthful of beef stew, Gardner's dish of the day. "Sometimes it feels like there's no such thing as shore leave for us."

"True. We always seem to be chasing down some nasty thing or another. Mind you, it wasn't so different back when I was in C-sec. The worst crimes would always seem to happen during your day off, and you were the only one your supervisor could count on to get the job done. I guess the good guys never take a break."

"Meanwhile, I bet a rich old bastard like the Illusive Man has a whole planet reserved for his vacations. Hell, Vido Santiago had Zorya."

"Maybe we're on the wrong side of the business here." Garrus mused. "Ever thought about going pirate? Living off the loot we can steal, holing up in some base out in the Terminus. And, if the Council decide they need to send a Spectre after us, we've got our own one to fight back with."

"A tempting thought, but you'd never settle for working on the other side of the line. I give it a week before we're both itching to get back to hunting down the bad guys."

"You're probably right." Garrus chuckled.

The pair finished their meals, sharing jokes and reminiscing over the good old days. It seemed that meeting up with Wrex had unleashed a flood of old memories of their work aboard the first Normandy, and they were eager to think back to the days when they had taken on the mission to hunt down Saren, before Cerberus, before the Reapers, before Virmire. Finally, their plates clean, the two friends parted, Garrus returning to his station and the Commander heading towards the Med Bay.

Shepard stepped through the doors of the Med Bay to see Doctor Archer tending to Jack, the latter spouting a string of blistering curses as the doctor's tools probed about in a deep wound, searching for a few stray pieces of shrapnel fired from a Krogan shotgun. Medi-gel could seal up a wound, expedite the healing process, but it couldn't remove any foreign matter from deep inside the body. The metal spray from a shotgun could go deep, beyond the reach of a cursory examination, and while small, still presented a risk to the body, either through infection or migration to the vital organs. From the looks of things, Archer had managed to remove all but the deepest offenders, which he was working on. Jack hissed as a tool dug deep into her abdomen.

"Cut that shit out, or I'll cut your balls off!"

"It's necessary if we're to get all of it out." Archer said, a harassed note in his words. "This would go a lot easier if you'd just let me administer the-"

"Try to slip me any drugs and it'll be the last fucking mistake you make." Jack's brown eyes broached no argument, the threat clear.

"Okay, okay! No meds. But you'll just have to put up with the pain. A couple of slivers of the round have gone dangerously close to your kidneys, and another two have moved up towards the lungs. I don't take them out now, you could be dead by the morning."

"Maybe that'd be better." Jack seethed.

Jack looked like she was about to utter another series of curses, but then she spotted Shepard entering and her mouth set in a determined line, resolved not to show weakness in front of the Commander. Shepard felt a twinge of disappointment that she no longer trusted him enough even to show that she was in pain. Just before Omega Four, she'd opened up, and Shepard had seen the sensitive side of her, something she'd hidden behind the tough-girl bluster, the language and the coarse attitude. Now, after the apparent vindication of her opinion that getting into a relationship would cost her, the convict had clammed up emotionally in Shepard's presence, unwilling to even display the vulnerability that feeling pain might indicate.

The Commander watched for a few seconds before Archer sensed his presence and, looking over his shoulder, raised his eyebrows in an impatient gesture.

"Yes, Commander?"

"I was hoping to speak with you, Doctor."

"I won't be long here. In the meantime, I suggest you speak to our friend over there." Archer said, nodding at the Revenant, who was standing behind his desk against the far wall. "He's been acting a little strange since you all got back."

Shepard nodded and left the pair, the doctor resuming his work. Jack let out a tiny groan of pain as he dug in a little carelessly, the noise just escaping her lips as she tried to hold up the tough façade for Shepard's benefit. As the Commander approached, the Revenant turned his glowing yellow eyes to regard him, the creamy white orb where one eye had been damaged beyond use shining in the bright light of the Normandy.

"Something up? The Doc says you're not acting like yourself."

"A curious observation as I have not yet developed a sense of self to measure my actions by."

"That doesn't answer my question. Are you okay?"

"I am unsure. At first I believed it to be the loss of my people, but now I am not convinced. When I am not running data analysis for Doctor Archer, my mind is filled with images I cannot suppress. They do not make sense."

"Your entire species' consciousness has been funnelled into your mind, that might have something to do with it. What do you see?"

"I see planets, long neglected by sentient hands. Flashes of buildings, devices and creatures that I do not understand, and images of my people dying, and yet they are not my people. It does not make much sense."

"Is there anything in particular that stands out?"

"Nothing. It is like trying to watch a ship pass by at FTL speeds. The moment is gone before one's mind can process the image." The Collector shook its head uncertainly.

"Sounds a bit like when I had the message from the Prothean beacon running around in my head."

"You made mention of that in our last conversation."

"Maybe it's a remnant of the Prothean people, some sort of hard-coded genetic memory? I don't know how you'd be able to decode the images. I wasn't able to make any sense of the message until I got a hold of the Cipher."

"From that creature on Feros?"

"Yeah. Everything made a lot more sense after that."

"Do you still experience the visions?"

"Not since my death above Alchera. The images from the beacon are still there, but its like things have been sorted and put to rest now. They don't jump into my mind unbidden anymore, only when I try to recall them."

"The Cipher may be able to help me with my images."

"Perhaps. There's one person I can think of who might be able to help. I'll put out some feelers, try to track her down." Shepard promised. "In the meantime, try to find something to take your mind off it. When I had the visions, I just threw myself into my mission to stop Saren. But you burn out pretty quick that way. Try getting to know the crew. I think they're getting a bit more comfortable around you now."

"I will try. Thank you, Commander."

"Anytime. You can make a start right now. Tell me a bit about yourself."

"About myself?"

"We know next to nothing about the Collectors. I mean, until we took you on board, we assumed you were all like security mechs; basic programming and not much else."

"There is not much to tell. Beyond our research, there wasn't much to my people. We had no culture as other organic societies would understand it. We lived, served the wishes of our creators, and sought to learn about the races reaching for the stars in the larger Galaxy."

"What were the Collectors researching?"

"Any genetic traits not in keeping with racial averages. We used to make trades with slavers in your Terminus systems for anything unusual. Dyslexic Salarians, Asari with low or high biotic potential, albino Turians. We studied these traits, seeking to understand how the genetic potential of their races might be affected. We tried mapping changes that could occur in a race with the next thousand years, making predictions about genetic evolution in much the same way a meteorologist can read weather patterns, or a seasoned soldier can read the tactics of an enemy."

"Predicting tactics? You mean this was part of your plans for war on us?"

"Perhaps. It may be that the Reapers instilled our curiosity in genetics in us so that we would be able to provide them with data that could help them choose which races to make into slaves, like us, and which races to use in their reproductive process. Then again, they may have been plotting the most effective methods to launch a biological attack on the Galaxy. Much like when we tested that plague on Omega."

"What did you know about the plague?"

"Everything, thanks to the connection I shared with my brothers. But it was more than that. I was a part of the team sent to negotiate with the Vorcha, one of the Collectors responsible for distributing the Plague. I had first-hand experience with it."

"A lot of people died as a result of that plague." Shepard accused.

"I am aware." The Revenant said calmly. "The plague was designed specifically to wipe out the non-human population of Omega, and it would have done its job very well, had your Doctor Solus not been there. I am curious to speak with him. A scientific mind that can match wits with our technology is certainly a rarity."

"I'm sure the two of you will get on well together." Shepard responded. "You mentioned the Reapers gave you commands. Were they in regular contact with your people?"

"Not until the abductions of your colonists. For several centuries before that, we had heard nothing from the Reapers. But then we received word from the one who bore the human moniker of Harbinger. It compelled us to begin our large-scale abductions and begin work on the Reaper larva. It made little mention of what the new-born reaper was for, but I recall it making mention of 'replenishing the vanguard'."

"That sounds ominous."

"I suppose we will never know what was meant by that."

"You're probably right. Anyway, thanks for the chat. It was enlightening." Shepard said, turning to Doctor Archer just as he helped Jack to her feet. The convict swatted at him as he put a hand on her shoulder to steady her before stalking out of the Med Bay without so much as a thank you. The Doctor sighed before turning to the Commander.

"You wanted to speak with me, Commander?"

"I wanted to speak about Joker, actually. Have the pair of you made any progress in separating him from EDI?"

"Little more since your last visit, Commander. The risk of neural damage is still unacceptably high. Compared to this, the programming side of things is simple."

"Then I suppose it's a good thing I've got another specialist on board to help you out. Have a word with Mordin, get him to help you with you work. I expect the three of you to be able to do something."

"If I may be so bold as to ask, Commander, why is it so important? Joker is functional as he is, and his reaction times have been improved by fifty per cent."

"He can't go far from the ship in this state, Doctor." Shepard replied. "He's a prisoner aboard the Normandy as long as his mind is twisted up inside EDI's. Plus, have you given any thought to what will happen if, say, the Normandy were to be destroyed? We're going to war, Gavin. Casualties are likely. If EDI's lost, what happens to Joker's mind, all tied up with hers?"

"You make a compelling argument." Archer conceded. "We'll step up our research. I'm sure having Doctor Solus lend his expertise will be a boon in our efforts."

Shepard nodded in satisfaction before leaving the Med Bay.

The Commander's next stop was the Observation Lounge, where he saw Samara in her usual spot, staring out into space silently as she manipulated a glowing orb of energy. As quietly as he tried to enter, the Asari still heard his footsteps and tilted her head to the side.

"Shepard." Her serene voice said.

"How do you know its me?" Shepard asked with surprise.

"Your air of confidence and authority is hard to mistake, Commander. You lend an atmosphere of danger and security to the space you inhabit."

"Thanks… I think." Shepard said uncertainly. He stepped over and knelt next to Samara. Sensing his presence directly next to her, the Asari opened her brilliant sapphire eyes, the white biotic glow fading from her irises and pupils as her vision focused on the human beside her. The biotic blue tendrils were extinguished as she lowered her hands, the ball of energy dissipating.

"I heard of your decision to give the cure to the Krogan today, and I wanted to let you know that I believe you chose the best course of action. My grandmother was killed in the Rebellions, so I have no illusions about the threat they present, but the Krogan have grown beyond the level of civilisation they occupied back then. Now that they have tasted the consequences of the rash actions that sparked the conflict, they should have a greater respect for the value of peace."

"It wasn't an easy choice. And I'm still not sure whether I'll regret it further down the line." Shepard admitted. "But the genie's out of the lamp now."

"I am unfamiliar with such human terminology, but I suspect I can guess your meaning."

"How did you do it? For four hundred years, you meted out justice. How did you decide what constituted a just or an unjust action?"

Samara winced at being reminded of her time as a Justicar, and Shepard kicked himself for broaching the subject so soon after her exile. Clearly it was too soon to bring this up.

"For the most part, our Code made the path before me painfully clear. As long as I obeyed the sutras of the Code, I was just. If I strayed, I was unjust. But, beyond that, I knew the correct path in my soul."

"There were no times where you had to choose between paths that weren't clearly right and wrong?"

"As I have told you before, the Code of the Justicars makes no room for grey, only black and white. However, there were times when I was forced to choose the lesser of two injustices." She looked up at the Commander with the shadow of a smirk on her lips. "Sometimes, the greater injustice would have been to obey the Code."

"You mean like when you exploited that loophole in your code so as not to kill the police office on Illium?"

"I stuck to the Code, though not necessarily in the spirit most Justicars would have interpreted it. I would have been perfectly in my right to gun that poor woman down for obstructing me in my investigation, but certain conventions in the Code made it possible for me to leave Illium with little innocent blood spilt."

"I… think I see. You didn't twist the Code, but you gave priority to certain tenets when it became impossible to do everything expected of you."

"Close enough. Of course, now I am only guided by my own moral compass, not a series of ancient texts their writing occurring in an era which nobody even remembers."

"I wanted to speak with you, see how you're doing now."

"My time spent meditating has done me some good. I am healing, and I feel at peace."

"We hardly see you in the Mess Hall. After all that time in the Thessian mountains, are you sure you need more solace here on the ship?"

"Aside from my time here before Omega Four, I have not had the joy of the companionship of others for several centuries. Even with you trying to help me the last time I was aboard, I am still very much out of practice. Given what has happened in recent days, I feel it is better for me to remain here. I have to admit, the prospect of having to face so many in close association intimidates me as much as I intimidate them."

"No way! The Asari with no fear is scared of having to make small talk?"

"You unsurprisingly find this amusing." The Exile's voice had a tinge of annoyance to it.

Shepard paused before answering, considering the being before him. Before Omega four, Samara had always exuded an air of confidence, an aura of nobility and pride that at times could be intimidating. However, a lot had changed since then. Aesyyri had wrought a change in the old warrior, and now Shepard noted a more fragile Samara, her armoured persona now vulnerable.

"I'm here if you want to talk." He said tenderly. "You know you can speak to me."

"I appreciate that." Samara responded gratefully. "You have always been a good friend to me, Commander. Though I have to admit my repertoire of small talk is somewhat limited."

"Last time we talked, you made mention of your bondmate. I've never heard you talk about her."

"Notana." The Asari's voice was still, though there was the barest shadow of fondness in it. "She was a strong young maiden, working as a Commando for the Republics when I met her, nearly seven hundred years ago. We lived a happy life together on Thessia for over two centuries, during which we were blessed with three beautiful daughters."

"What went wrong?"

"Everything changed after Notana died. She was killed during a pirate raid on a passenger transport between Thessia and Forua, a planet on the edge of Asari space. The loss struck all of us deeply, though my beautiful Mirala seemed the most distraught at the loss."

"Mirala…?"

"The name Morinth bore in her previous life. In ancient Asari the word can be translated as 'Moon's Heart'. It was Notara's choice." Samara smiled at the memory. "She was always enraptured by the light of Thessia's two moons. She'd say that the moons were kinder than the sun, a source of light that didn't hide behind their own brilliance." She chuckled. "She was always the more fanciful one in our pairing."

"She sounds like a wonderful woman."

"And a good companion through the long years of an Asari lifetime. Understand this, Shepard; pureblood pairings are rare, mostly due to the commitment required. With most alien species, we do not have to think of the length of time that we must spend abiding by our choice, what with the comparatively short lifespan of humans, among other species. I do not mean to offend you, merely state fact. When one Asari bonds with another, they must be certain that this being is the one they are ready to spend an entire millennium with."

"You must have really loved her, to be ready to take such a step."

"I still do. Even though she is long gone now, I still carry her face in my heart, her voice in my soul. A benefit of the melding process is the fact that we are never truly separated from our loved ones. We remain in their minds, and they remain in ours."

"How did you cope after losing her?"

"It was not easy. I struggled to keep my family fed through the following years. My daughters were still in their teens at this point. In human years, they were little more than babes. Such a young family should not have to bear such devastation."

Shepard shuffled over to throw a companionable arm about her shoulder, to comfort her. He was a little pleased when she did not pull away. Previously, when he had tried to comfort her over the fate of Morinth, she had kept her distance, her code keeping her from drawing close to anyone, even a trusted friend like Shepard. Now, though, she accepted the gesture, taking strength from his presence. Even as he gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder, she continued to talk.

"And yet we persevered. We found a way to exist, and lived full lives for some time after that, until my daughters' condition was brought to light. Then I became a Justicar, Falere and Rila went into exile in their monastery, and Mirala was twisted into the monster that you knew as Morinth."

She straightened, resuming her meditative pose before the window.

"Thank you for listening to me, Commander. I have never spoken to another being of these matters, save my daughters. It has been… good to share."

"We're all the poorer if you close yourself off from the rest of us, Samara."

"Indeed. Perhaps we can continue this conversation later. I must now return to my meditations."

"Of course." Shepard stood up with a groan, and turned to leave.

The Commander stole one last glance at the exiled Justicar, and noted a strange mark on her neck. Almost hiding among the tentacles at the base of her skull, a dark symbol stood out on the nape of her neck in a vivid blue. It looked like the skin had been cut open and then forced to heal in such a way as to leave the dark blue scar tissue standing out from the rest of her sky blue skin, a bold mark. He realised that this must have been another mark of her exile, yet another obstacle between her and her family. Then the doors hissed shut and she was gone.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard's last stop was on the engineering deck. He wandered past the door to the Normandy's engine room, spotting the two Engineers, Ken and Gabby, working feverishly to fix some part or another. He chuckled as he heard the young woman berating her male companion for his clumsiness.

"Keep that transducer steady, blockhead! My god, I'd sooner be working with a Krogan."

"That can be arranged, Gabs." Ken threatened. "I can go call Grunt, if you'd prefer."

"Do that, and I'll have the Salarian give you something in your next meal to make your balls drop off!" Gabby shot back. "That brute's barely fitting in the Cargo Bay, let alone in here."

Shepard chuckled at the pair's antics before slipping over to the Starboard Cargo Bay, where he opened the door a little more cautiously this time, having learned his lesson from the close shave last time he'd gone to visit Zaeed. Inside, The mercenary was busy organising the vast piles of ammo crate into a configuration he liked. Shepard noted that a few charred items had been dug out of the mess in the back of the bay, from the barely recognisable remnants of a large Krogan helmet to the barely holding together model of a Turian ship. Zaeed turned at the noise of the door opening and threw Shepard a triumphant grin.

"Shepard! What's eating you this time? If it's the Alliance sap complaining about where I stow my weapons, tell him to cram it."

"No, Kaidan hasn't made any complaint. Why? Are the two of you not getting on?"

"I think he's got something against bounty hunters like me. Likes to pick a fight whenever he sees me, bringing me up on some reg or another I ain't sticking to. Does my bloody head in, but I'm not going to be the one to lay him out for it. It's your boat, your crew."

"Kaidan's just done things by the book all his life, its natural he'll not be comfortable with someone like yourself who doesn't play by Alliance rules."

"A typical attitude these days. Reminds me a bit of the Cerberus totty we had stalking about here last time. She loved to hear herself spouting Cerberus' set of rules and regulations at us. Did my sodding head in."

"Wouldn't have thought you'd let something like that get on your nerves, Zaeed." Shepard chuckled.

"I'm getting on now, dammnit! I'm allowed to be grouchy." Zaeed heaved a final crate onto the top of a pile. "So if you're not here to read me my rights, what do you need, Commander?"

"Just checking in, seeing how the crew's getting on."

"Aside from the sap, I'm doing fan-bloody-tastic at the moment. Hey, look at this!"

The merc shuffled over to a nearby pile of crates and opened the topmost one, lifting a weathered old rifle out of it.

"I found her this morning." He said, a possessive gleam in his eyes.

"Is that… Jessie?" Shepard asked.

"Damn straight! I knew a tough old bitch like her wouldn't find her end in a Cerberus raid. She'd fallen down under one of the deckplates and wedged there." Zaeed cradled his favourite rifle in one arm fondly.

Shepard was about to say something when his communicator beeped. Joker's voice rang out from his omnitool.

"Hey, Commander? We're about to hit the edge of Batarian space. Just letting you know that we're going to silent running now." The pilot informed him.

"Roger that, Joker. I'll head up to the CIC to keep an eye on our progress." Shepard closed down the omnitool and nodded to Zaeed. "Arm up, old man. We've got a busy couple of days ahead of us."

Zaeed lifted Jessie's muzzle to his forehead in a crude salute, a casual gesture that most by-the-book soldiers, like Jacob or Kaidan, might have found disrespectful, and turned to gather his equipment. Shepard, meanwhile, made his way up to the CIC and his post above the Galactic map, where he could watch their path through Hegemony space. As they moved further and further into Batarian space, the crew's mood grew ever more tense and solemn. They realised they were travelling into territory into which no human had ventured into before, and were well beyond any reinforcements, had any of their allies the lack of sanity necessary to launch a rescue mission into Hegemony space.

The Normandy purred as she cruised through the space between stars on her way to Khar'Shan, homeworld of the Batarian hegemony and meeting place for the negotiations with the mysterious Etarn Kol'mehk.


	15. 15: Peace Talks In The Viper's Den

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 15: Peace Talks In The Viper's Den**

"So this is Khar'Shan, then." Kaidan murmured as he stared out of the shuttle's window. "I was expecting something a little… cooler."

Outside, the surface of Khar'Shan broiled under a thick black layer of ash. Tumultuous volcanoes erupted with alarming frequency, keeping the planet's topography in a constant state of flux. The sky glowed a dirty grey colour, dense clouds of ash and smoke dampening the sun's light. Most of the atmosphere's light was emanated by glowing orange streams of lava flowing from the peaks of the planet's mountains.

"I like this planet." Grunt said. "Such a world forges strong warriors."

"The Batarians have adapted very well to this environment." The Revenant supplied stiffly. "Their hide is well-insulated against extreme temperatures, their lungs are capable of absorbing large quantities of sulphur and carbon, and their four eyes give them the enhanced vision necessary in the low-light conditions that Khar'Shan's permanent ash could creates."

"Learn that when your people were butchering those that you kidnapped?" Grunt asked, a growl of challenge in his voice.

"That's enough, Grunt." Shepard snapped, heading off the confrontation before it could begin.

"Why have you brought us along, Commander?" Kaidan asked. "Peace talks aren't exactly our forte. In fact, you'd probably be able to manage this by yourself."

"You're here as a representative for humanity." The Commander explained. "I'm a Spectre, so I represent the Council in these negotiations, but I can't represent both. It'd be a conflict of interests." He paused while he turned to Grunt and the Revenant. "They're here as backup. These are still Batarians we're dealing with. If any of them are planning something, a Collector and a Krogan should make them think twice, especially a Krogan as big as Grunt."

Grunt chuckled, shifting uncomfortably on his seat. The shuttle was a little small for his massive frame, and he barely fit on the bench built into the side of the shuttle's passenger compartment. Even sitting down, his head reached up towards the ceiling.

They finished the journey to Jok'Shira, Khar'Shan's capital city in silence. The city was a muddled mass of buildings, built with durability given priority and appearance taking second place. Many of the buildings were fashioned from a sleek black stone, showing little wear from the planet's partly corrosive atmosphere. Metal prefab buildings dotted the skyline here and there, their neat lines and corners contrasting vividly with the rougher local-made buildings. The shuttle touched down in a plaza near the centre of the settlement, one of six in a circle around the largest building, the spire that housed the city's administration. The plaza was dominated by a pair of unusual sculptures carved from the same black stone that formed the majority of the structures, their smooth surfaces run through with glittering veins of crystal. Shepard looked at the sculptures, but could make neither head nor tail of the Batarian artwork.

"They must have been great warriors." Grunt muttered, nodding his head in appreciation.

"How can you tell what it's about?" Shepard asked, tilting his head.

"Batarian art. You got to look at it like you've got four eyes. I guess Krogan have an advantage, we've got a wider perspective than humans."

"Let's keep moving. Etarn will be waiting for us."

The team moved up a large set of stairs that terminated at a large pair of doors, guarded by a pair of bored-looking Batarians. Upon seeing the two humans in the approaching group, they tensed, lips drawing back in an angry scowl. Shepard stood in front of one, defiantly locking his gaze with the Batarian on the right. The Batarian's scowl deepened as he looked over the Commander's shoulder, and Shepard looked back to see Grunt tilting his head to the right. A grave insult in Batarian society, such a gesture was only worsening the guards' moods. Shepard would have pointed out the error to the Krogan, but the gleam in Grunt's eyes revealed that the slur was intentional. Sighing inwardly, he turned back to the guards.

"We're due to meet with Etarn Kol'mehk."

At first, the guard made no motion, remaining squarely in Shepard's way. The Commander was about to repeat himself when there was the subtle sound of Grunt shifting menacingly, moving his shoulders in such a way as to show off his impressive muscles and bring attention to his fists, each as large as a human head. The guard buckled, stepping out of the way. Shepard nodded with just a pinch of smugness before entering the building.

Inside, a Batarian aide walked up to Shepard's group, bowing formally in line with human tradition, making sure to keep his head tilted to the side. The alien's four eyes blinked in a staggered pattern, never closing more than two at once. He wore a neat black suit, giving him a professional look Shepard found strange to see on a Batarian.

"Commander Shepard. I am Jarnad, Etarn's personal assistant. We've been eagerly awaiting your arrival. Please, follow me." He said, his voice lacking the harsh edge the team had come to expect from the species. The Batarian paused as he noted the two aliens following the Commander. His eyes narrowed as he spotted the terrifying visage of the Revenant.

"What, what is… that?" he stammered.

"He's called the Revenant." Shepard said firmly. "He's a part of my crew."

The aide looked like he was about to make a comment, but tactfully held his tongue.

Jarnad led them up a flight of stairs, tracing a long, circular path towards the upper levels of the spire. The building was a bustle of activity, Batarians moving about accomplishing a great many tasks. Shepard caught glimpses of the occasional Asari and Turian moving about amidst the Batarians, though other species were clearly in the minority on Khar'Shan. The Commander saw no other humans, aside from himself and Kaidan, though this was not surprising.

Eventually the aide guided the squad to a nondescript wooden doorway among several just like it. Through it, a small office looked out over the Jok'Shira skyline. Beyond a thick window, the city was outlined by a red-hot glow from the rivers of lava that traversed the plains before the settlement. In front of the window, a tall Batarian sat straight-backed at a desk, hands folded before him as he waited patiently. As his guests were escorted inside, Etarn smiled warmly.

"Spectre Shepard! Welcome to Khar'Shan." He said, his voice jovial. "I am Etarn Kol'mehk. Please, take a seat. We're very eager to begin the negotiations."

He waited for the two humans and the Krogan to be seated. The Revenant remained standing, his frame not suited to the chairs arrayed around the office. Shepard winced as Grunt dropped into his chair none-to-gently, the seat groaning under his bulk, though it held, just.

"You've already met Jarnad, my PA and chief adviser." Etarn said. "So let us get straight down to business."

He shuffled some papers on his desk before continuing.

"The Hegemony is on the cusp of an era of great change. The ruling caste, under the leadership of Gorm Jib'bat, is losing support among the Batarian people, especially after that debacle on Anhur. The people feel that Gorm doesn't act in their best interests.

"Ever since we lost our embassy on the Citadel, our society has been in decline. Trade sanctions have crippled our economy. We are forced to be self-reliant due to societies like the Turian Hierarchy and the Vol Protectorate refusing to even meet with our merchants. Many Batarians turn to a life of piracy just to find a better existence than the one they have on our colony worlds. Khar'Shan fares better than most Batarian worlds, and that makes the lower castes all the more disgruntled. Poverty is harder to swallow when you see your politicians living in luxury.

"It is with those worst affected by our isolation from Council space that I have managed to gain support. Sha'Belnak, the political party I spearhead, has grown in power considerably in recent months, what with the way Gorm dealt with Balak and his crew."

"Balak? What did he do?" Shepard asked.

"Ah, yes. I'd heard that you ran into him above Terra Nova." Etarn said. "Before that, he was a large voice in Khar'Shan's community, pushing for action against the Alliance to 'make the humans pay for their crimes'. He urged Gorm to commit resources to his cause. Though publicly Balak was denied the support he needed, it got out that Gorm helped him in any way he could. After Balak failed, thanks to you, Gorm lost a lot of respect, much to our benefit."

"I'm glad we could help." Kaidan said, a little sarcastically. "Our only regret was letting the bastard get away that day."

"Don't worry." Jarnad reassured. "No doubt he'll show up soon enough, doing something equally stupid, and then he'll get his due."

"So what's brought about your new way of thinking?" Shepard asked. "Why the sudden urge to make alliances with the Council and humanity?"

"We feel that our isolation from the rest of Galactic society is hindering our culture. If we can broker a peace between our species, we can open up trade alliances, procure technologies that our people need, become a real part of the Galaxy." Etarn explained. "I'm offering my people the chance to grow beyond the limits of our few planets, to be more than just a race of slavers and mindless thugs."

"I admire that." Shepard admitted. "And I'm sure there are a lot of people on the Citadel who'll be glad to hear about this."

"Yeah, not to mention in the Alliance. There've been a lot of frayed nerves after the Aratoht incident." Kaidan said. "Mind you, peace won't be achieved overnight. Some grudges go back generations."

"Oh, I agree." Etarn said enthusiastically. "That's why I feel it best to make a start building bridges as soon as possible. The sooner we can begin to smooth over the feathers ruffled by our grandparents, the sooner we can see Batarians, humans, Turians and all of the Council races forging ahead, side-by-side."

Jarnad stood up and passed some datapads to Shepard and Kaidan.

"This is a list of our short-term and long-term goals for the Batarian Hegemony. We've also got a list of items that we wish to bring to the table in our negotiations; resources, reparations, mapping information, and the like." He said.

Gazing at the list, Shepard settled more comfortably into his chair, steeling himself for the tedious political process he was about to endure.

**~o~0~o~**

Some time later, Jarnad showed the squad out of Etarn's office, steering them to another office where they could speak in private. Rubbing at his weary eyes, Shepard sat back on one of the chairs.

"Politics." He said with distaste. "I hate it."

"On the bright side, Etarn does seem eager to get us on his side." Kaidan said.

"I don't have time for most politicians." Grunt grumbled. "But he wants to help his people. That's something I can understand. The Batarians may not have to endure something like the Genophage, but they've still got their past weighing them down."

"I'm not sure." Shepard said cautiously. "It's too good an opportunity to pass up, but I don't really get the feeling that Etarn's genuine. He came off a little as though he was trying to sell us something he didn't believe in."

"You think the negotiations are just a ploy?" Kaidan asked. "What could they hope to achieve by pretending to make peace with humanity?"

"Or the Council?" Shepard added. "I don't know. They might be telling the truth when they say they want peace with us. But there's something they're not telling us.

"We've got to make this work. If we can forge an alliance with the Hegemony, it'll give us another resource we can call upon to fight the Reapers. The military force of an entire race is too valuable to pass up because we don't fully trust them. We proceed with the negotiations as planned."

"Why didn't you mention the Reapers to Etarn?"

"One thing at a time. Its going to be hard enough to just keep the Hegemony on speaking terms with the rest of the Galaxy. Demanding they commit their armed forces to fighting an enemy even the Council is reluctant to believe in would be a bit too much to start off with."

Kaidan opened his mouth to speak, but the words were drowned out by a colossal thump. The whole building shook as the window shattered, the glass fracturing from the blast of a nearby explosion. Cracks spread through the walls and ceiling, the building's very skeleton struggling to hold together.

Shepard and his team were on their feet before the echoes of the blast had finished reverberating about, weapons drawn and pointing at the door and window. The Commander cautiously opened the door to the smoke-filled hallway beyond. He coughed as thick smoke threatened to fill his lungs. He fumbled at his belt, pulling away the helmet portion of his armour and slipping it over his head. He looked back to see Kaidan and Grunt following suit. The Revenant, with his cybernetic enhancements, had no need for a helmet or breathing apparatus.

The squad advanced into the hallway, omnitool torches creating beams of light through the roiling clouds of smoke. Shepard turned left, making his way towards the source of the explosion. They proceeded past burning offices and scenes of chaotic destruction, looking for survivors. Shepard paused as he noticed several bloody forms lying in a heap on the floor. He moved over and turned the first body over. A Batarian's bloody visage stared sightlessly back at him, four eyes opened wide in a frozen expression of shock. The alien's body had been torn open by a storm of flying debris, killing him instantly.

The next couple of bodies were in a similar state, all killed swiftly by the explosion. Shepard noted with a moment of surprise that one of the bodies had been female, the slight build and softer features, along with almost non-existent ridges on the skull, giving her gender away.

He was almost about to step away from the bloody corpses when the fourth one coughed violently, back quivering as he struggled to expand his lungs and draw in enough air. Shepard jolted at the sign of life and hurried to turn the Batarian over. He recognised the features of Jarnad, Etarn's aide.

"We've got a live one here!" Shepard shouted over his shoulder. "Kaidan, help me move him."

The two men lifted away the other corpses to get at Jarnad, carefully carrying him to a clear space on the floor. Shepard administered a shot of medi-gel, at the same time using more of the substance to seal up a few vicious looking wounds created by shards of stone and glass dislodged by the explosion. After a few moments of treatment, the aide's breathing stabilised and two of his eyes opened slowly. The upper pair remained closed, though whether this was a reaction to intense pain or if they were damaged, Shepard could not tell.

"Jarnad! Stay with us." Shepard urged. "Do you know what happened? Who did this?"

"Ugh. My ribs…" Jarnad curled around his chest, cradling a badly beaten portion of his torso. As he seemed to become more aware, he straightened, all four eyes opening. Shepard noted that the upper right one was stained a bloody red. The Batarian tried to stand. Shepard put a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Take it easy! You're beat up pretty bad. Where's Etarn?" Shepard asked, already suspecting the answer.

"Still in the office. We've got to go find him." Jarnad responded earnestly.

"Kaidan, help him up. Slowly."

Limping, one arm thrown around the human's shoulder, Jarnad showed Shepard the way to Etarn's office. As they proceeded down the once-familiar hallway, now twisted by the violence of the attack, they approached the spot where the Batarian leader's office had once been. The door had been split asunder from the blast, and the office beyond had almost been incinerated. Not one piece of furniture remained intact in the room.

In the centre of the devastation, the badly charred corpse of Etarn lay prone, facing pointing towards the ceiling. Gunshot wounds perforated his torso, tracing a bloody line across his ribcage. His face was a mutilated mess, the eyes slashed by a wickedly sharp blade. Jarnad gasped upon seeing the body, stumbling over to get a closer look. He grabbed a limp hand, solemnly placing it over the opposing pair of eye sockets. He then took the second hand and crossed it over the first, covering the far half of the face. In this way, Etarn's four destroyed eyes were covered over. Shepard stood behind Jarnad, gut frozen at seeing the Batarian who had promised so much change for the better lying dead.

"I'm sorry, Jarnad." He said, meaning every word. "What happens to Sha'Belnak now?"

"We continue our work." Jarnad responded, a firm edge in his voice.

"But with Etarn's death…"

"This wasn't Etarn. He was a mere decoy." Jarnad stood and looked Shepard in the eye. "I am Etarn Kol'mehk."

It took a moment for the squad to recover from their surprise at the revelation. In that instant, Shepard saw in the Batarian before them what had been lacking in the decoy. Originally dismissed as an aide, the alien before him bore a fire in his eyes that spoke of someone with drive and ambition, a firebrand who could take the lead in reforming an entire people.

"I apologise for the deception, Shepard, but it was necessary in case something like this happened. This was the real Jarnad, the only advisor I really trusted. We agreed that, in order to keep our organisation's ideals and purpose safe, we had to craft this lie to keep me safe. No one cares about a personal assistant, not enough to waste resources trying to kill him.

"I didn't expect Gorm to try something like this during the negotiations. I certainly wouldn't have expected him to go so far as to remove Jarnad's eyes."

"Why is that significant?" Kaidan asked.

"Batarian burial rituals aren't as complex as other species. We believe that the soul leaves the body through the eyes, so the location of the corpse is not important, so long as the eyes remain unharmed. Without a way out of the body, the soul will be trapped, damned to blind suffering for all eternity. Mutilating a corpse like this is unspeakable in our society, a grave insult to the victim."

"So why would Gorm go that extra distance?" Shepard queried.

"He must be planning to turn these negotiations to his advantage. The people will find it a lot easier to accept that aliens would do such a thing to a beloved Batarian leader rather than one of their own. He's going to try to pin my murder on you, Shepard. He'll use that to turn the Hegemony against other species, and regain the support I've worked so hard to steal from him. With the upheaval such a crime will create, he could rally the entire species under one banner, garnering more support than he's ever had. He could become a very great threat."

"If he's got so much riding on your demise, it's probably not a good idea to stand around here then. Chances are good he'll want to make sure that you're dead, and then he'll want to wipe out anyone who can deny his story. Namely us."

"You're right. You'll never make it back to the plaza, not alive. It's a good bet Gorm's got forces moving in on your shuttle as we speak. You won't be leaving that way, but there is another route." Etarn hobbled over to stand near Shepard, activating his omnitool and showing the Commander a map of the building. "There are some garages in the first sub level. If we can get there, we can take one of the vehicles and plough our way through Gorm's forces until we find a place to arrange for your shuttle to pick us up."

"Us?" Shepard asked curiously.

"Gorm won't rest until I am dead. I have many allies that I can use to spread word of my survival and of Gorm's plot, undermining his group. But I'll be hunted fiercely if I remain here. I need to leave Batarian space for a while. I'll only lead you to safety if you can give me passage off this planet."

"Deal. Do you need anything before we leave?"

"Only this." Etarn responded, bending down next to a pile of fragments that used to be the office's desk. He hit a switch and a drawer unfolded, falling apart as the damaged mechanism opened it. The Batarian pulled a short submachine gun from the remnants of the desk, checking its chamber and clipping it to his hip.

"Okay. I'll have the shuttle head back to the Normandy for now, and meet us when the coast is clear. In the mean time, we'd best not be caught standing still. Lead the way." Shepard said, sending a message to the shuttle to take off.

**~o~0~o~**

His pace getting stronger as the medi-gel took effect, Etarn led the way through the devastated offices, guiding the squad down a couple of sets of stairs, finally arriving once more at the foyer of the building. He was about to round a corner into the main part of the room, but stopped, throwing out a hand to stop the Commander from proceeding. Keeping as still as he could, the Batarian pointed out a group of moving shadows on the floor ahead, belonging to beings around the next corner. Their stances suggested combat readiness, and the outline of offensive weaponry was clearly visible.

Shepard hoisted his rifle to his shoulder, advancing slowly to look around the corner at the newcomers. Beyond, he saw a small knot of Batarians advancing slowly, checking every corner of the foyer. They finished their inspection of the room, turning to their leader.

"No sign of any survivors here, Sarge." One reported.

"Move on to the next floor, keeping up the search pattern. Grobatt didn't find the aliens on his sweep of the upper floors, so chances are they're on their way down, probably looking to get back to their shuttle. They can't leave here alive."

The alien troops nodded in confirmation of their orders, and began to march over to the stairwell Shepard crouched in. the Commander backed up as fast as he could, signalling for his team to retreat up the stairs as fast as they could. On the floor above, they each found a place to hide, Grunt, the Revenant and Etarn each finding an empty office to shelter in while Kaidan and Shepard assumed positions on either side of the top of the stairs, out of sight of anyone emerging from them.

The enemy squad reached the top of the stairs and began moving cautiously along the hallways. Shepard pulled back into his hidey-hole as one of the four-eyed aliens walked past, barely daring to breathe as the Batarian's gaze swept past him. The other Batarians took an office each, opening the doors slowly. The silence was powerfully painful as the Commander held his breath, waiting for them to be found.

The silence was shattered when one enemy inched an office door open, cautiously looking inside. An arm as wide around as the alien's waist shot out, grabbing the terrified Batarian by the head. The Batarian screamed as he was pulled bodily into the office, his gun discharging as his fingers reflexively tightened on the trigger. There was a series of horrific crunching noises and the enemy, now bent horribly out of shape, tumbled back out of the office, followed by his rifle, snapped in half.

Across the hall another Batarian, distracted by his colleague's demise, was hurled across the hallway by a fearsome biotic blast, the blue wave of power tearing the door in front of him from its hinges and pummelling his body into a jelly-like mass.

The rest of the aliens descended into a chaotic mob as Shepard and Kaidan opened fire, their weapons tearing a swathe of death through the enemy ranks. Shepard carefully feathered his trigger, downing enemy after enemy with carefully efficiency. Kaidan operated a slightly different strategy, using his biotics to hoist the Batarians into the air before letting loose with his weapon, almost keeping pace with the Commander.

The leader of the searching Batarians barked orders from the back of the group, keeping as many of his men as he could between himself and the Commander. He visibly blanched when Grunt and the Revenant charged into his team's flanks, mowing down Batarians like wheat before a pair of gargantuan harvesters. He almost turned to bolt, but something held him in place. He noticed the familiar blue glow of a biotic field enveloping his limbs, rendering them as heavy as lead. His four eyes darted about, looking for the one holding him in place, but saw no one. Then a flicker shimmered through the air in front of him, and Etarn deactivated his tactical cloak. The two Batarians regarded each other for a moment before a blue glow surrounded Etarn's fist and he punched his kinsman square between the eyes. The biotically enhanced punch floored the soldier, snapping his neck backwards in a killing strike.

Shepard downed the last of the weaker troops as this happened, nodding in approval at the politician's combat skills.

"Impressive. For a penpusher." He commented.

"This is Khar'Shan, Shepard. It breeds a different kind of politician to the one you are used to. Our competitive nature makes combat training a necessity." Here he lifted a hand, blue swirling around it. "My extensive biotic training comes in handy as well."

"I'll bet. How close are we getting to those garages anyway?"

"Not far. We'll have to hurry, though. Once this group stops reporting in, the others will be alerted to our presence."

Etarn began to jog down the stairs, rushing through the main foyer and turning away from the main doors as he drew near. Through the doors, Shepard caught sight of several airships buzzing around in the plaza outside. Most of them bore the symbols of local law enforcement, but Shepard held no hope that they were here to help. No doubt Gorm would have stirred them into a frenzy, ready to attack the aliens on sight.

Their new Batarian ally led the way down a secluded set of stairs, out of the normal public view. Emergency lighting over head illuminated the utilitarian concrete passageway, clearly reserved for emergency evacuations. Etarn was leading them down the route less likely to be policed by their enemies.

They reached the lower end of the staircase and paused, scanning the garage at its base. It was a large hangar, with a variety of ground and air vehicles. On one side, a bank of small private shuttles waited patiently for their owners, while opposite them the hangar opened out onto a small cleared area of the city.

What immediately drew the Commander's attention, however, was the dozen or so guards visible, patrolling the silent vehicles. Two of them had powered up one of the armoured vehicles housed here, turret twisting as it scanned the area for enemies.

Shepard gave the vehicles a cursory inspection, eyeing them up for speed and carrying capacity. He instantly dismissed the smaller skycars, aware that Grunt's bulk alone would be too much for them. The more luxurious private yachts would have far too sophisticated a security system for any of his team mates to hack swiftly. He finally focused on an unassuming skycar, sitting close by and relatively ignored by the guards. The Commander turned at a disapproving cough from Grunt.

"You're not thinking Krogan enough, Shepard." He said sternly, nodding his head.

Shepard turned to look in the direction of the nod and saw the other tank in the hangar. His better judgement screamed at him to go for a less high-profile vehicle, but then a little part of his mind spoke up, the tiny voice that had driven him to steal the first Normandy on his way to Ilos, that had motivated him to take on not one but two Thresher Maws on foot, and that had carried him through his impossible mission through Omega Four. And he listened to it.

"Etarn, as a government official, do you have any access codes we could use to get into that thing?" He asked.

"Not really, but buy me enough time and I can make a square peg fit a round hole, if you catch my drift. Just keep them off my back." The Batarian said.

"I hear you. I'll stand guard over Etarn while he hacks that tank. The rest of you, keep 'em busy until we're ready to move." Shepard ordered.

Grunt grinned widely, moving into the hangar bay with a silence unexpected of a creature his size. The Revenant moved in the other direction, a blue biotic glow surrounding him as he layered protective barriers around himself. Kaidan drew his rifle, taking the middle route. All three used the cover of parked vehicles to approach the unsuspecting guards.

The hangar descended into chaos when Grunt made the first move. With a throaty battlecry, the Krogan flipped a skycar onto its back, shoving it into the pair of guards on the other side. One was immediately killed by the weight of the vehicle, while the other managed to scramble clear before it could crush him. All around the hangar, Batarians twitched at the noise, searching for their enemy. As they did so, the Revenant began his attack from the opposite side of the bay to Grunt. Two large crates of tools and parts lifted into the air, launching straight into the midst of the largest group of guards, a cloud of flying metal spilling from them as they traversed the room. Several guards were seriously injured by the flying debris, while two died from the attack, one screaming as a wrench on a lucky trajectory pierced his eye, and the other pulverised underneath one of the crates. Kaidan did his best to sow additional chaos among the guards, firing random bursts of bullets into the enemy or tripping off-guard Batarians with his biotics.

As the other three pressed their attack, Shepard patted Etarn on the shoulder, signalling that they should move. They scurried across the hangar floor towards the tank, bending close to the floor to stay out of sight. Approaching the access panel on the far side of the vehicle from the conflict, Etarn activated his omnitool, beginning his attack on the tank's security systems.

Shepard stood back-to-back with the Batarian, keeping an eye out for any guards who might have noticed them. A pair of guards, seeking to flank the rest of the squad, rounded a skycar not too far away, noticing the pair after a second. Just as they looked set to raise the alarm, the Commander opened fire, killing one in the initial burst of fire and severely wounding the second one before he could stumble into cover. Knowing that the guard would summon help, Shepard fired off a concussive shot, aiming a little high so that the projectile soared over the Batarian's cover, hitting the vehicle behind him and exploding with a ringing blast. The shock of the explosion threw the alien out of his hiding place, leaving him sprawled on the cold floor of the hangar. Shepard swiftly pulled the trigger twice, finishing him off.

On the other side of the tank, Grunt heaved a skycar onto its side, sliding it across the floor of that hangar as a makeshift shield between him and the Batarians. Occasionally he reached over the top of his mobile hiding place and let loose with his shotgun, carving a bloody path through the enemy. He made his way across the hangar towards the Revenant and Kaidan, who had taken up a position behind a luxurious private shuttle. The two of them scuttled from there to behind Grunt's skycar, the trio moving as a unit to harry the guards from any angle. There was a shriek of metal as the Revenant twisted his wrist in a strange fashion and a brilliant black-white point of light appeared above the floor in the midst of the guards.

The Batarians yelped as the singularity tugged at them, threatening to drag them into crushing oblivion. Parts and tools, scattered by previous attacks, whipped up into the air in a deadly storm of flying metal, all getting sucked into the miniature black hole's massive gravity well. The hulls of the nearest vehicles shivered and rippled as the incredible gravity strained at them, some hull plates beginning to peel away like the skin off a banana. One of the Batarian guards slipped on the smooth floor and, scrabbling for any purchase he could find, on the floor, on a heavy vehicle or even on one of his comrades, but was unable to get a grip. He screamed as he was pulled the last few feet, vanishing into a tiny point of light that was absorbed by the singularity's lightless maw.

The Collector maintained the singularity for as long as he could, his entire body glowing blue and crackling with static charge as he funnelled a huge amount of power into its existence. With a final gasp he released the power, the singularity expanding suddenly in a circular blast that further threw the guards off balance. Kaidan and Grunt set about the messy work of finishing off the remainder of that large knot of guards, about half of whom had been disarmed by the Revenant's attack, while the rest staggered about in a dazed stupor from the shocking turn of events.

Back at the tank, Shepard took care of the occasional Batarian guard who came charging into the bay, following their trail. All the while, Etarn's omnitool beeped as it combated the vehicle's security systems. The Commander began to grow impatient with the process, knowing it was only a matter of time before a larger force of enemies closed in on the hangar bay.

"This going to take much longer?" He asked as his rifle chattered a sharp rhythm, gunning down another unlucky guard.

"I'm almost there, just a couple more minutes." Etarn said, a strained tone running through his words.

"We might not have a couple more minutes!" Shepard barked, noting a large host of enemies beyond the doors to the hangar bay. Several squads of Batarians had gathered to storm the bay. Cursing, Shepard activated his commlink.

"Kaidan! Get over here now! We've got a large force headed our way, and Etarn needs some more time."

"Copy that, Shepard." The soldier replied.

In seconds the rest of the squad gathered around, forming a perimeter around the Batarian. Grunt laughed as he saw the enemy ranks pouring into the hangar, relishing the prospect of a good fight. On either side of the Krogan, Shepard and Kaidan loosed a rain of fire on the Batarians, their rifles singing in harmony with Grunt's shotgun. Behind them, the Revenant crouched, holding his hands above his head as he lifted a large domed barrier around the squad, the flickering blue biotic field keeping most enemy attacks at bay.

There was a roar as a couple of enemy units tried to circle around, attacking from the squad's flanks. Grunt spotted the charging Batarians and, activating the gift he had received from Liara, dashed out to meet one group. Chanting an Urdnot battlesong, he bulled into the aliens, his shield sparking red as he used it to swat two Batarians out of his way like they were nought more than a pair of ragdolls, laying into a third and fourth with his shotgun before reloading it one-handed. The fifth Batarian shrank back from the Krogan's rage, fear evident in all four of his eyes. Grunt grinned fiendishly at him before thrusting his shield forward with a snort, hitting the guard in the forehead and buckling a good portion of his skull. The Batarian slumped to the ground, his brain pulverised by the impact.

Shepard and Kaidan, meanwhile, held off the second team of guards, closing in on their other flank. Using his adrenal booster, Shepard accounted for several enemies in quick succession. Kaidan, using his biotics, dealt with two of the Batarians, lifting one up and using him to bodily beat the second one.

Etarn was finally rewarded with an affirmative click from the tank's door controls, and one of the doors hissed open. Clambering inside, the Batarian powered the vehicle up.

"Shepard! We've got our ticket out of here."

"Everyone inside, now!" Shepard barked over the sounds of enemy fire. Kaidan moved first, emptying his clip into the Batarian ranks before turning and jumping inside the vehicle with ease. Grunt moved next, forcing his huge bulk through the Batarian-sized entrance with a little difficulty. Still maintaining the barrier, the Revenant followed closely, his concentration wavering as he moved. The barrier flickered as its centre shifted with the alien, allowing a few stray bullets through. Shepard winced as his own kinetic barriers trembled, taking the brunt of the damage. Around him, the thick armoured hide of the tank rattled under repeated impacts, dents and scrapes becoming apparent on the recently pristine paintwork.

Seeing their quarry making a bolt for freedom, the Batarians pressed their attack, swiftly closing in on the armoured vehicle and Shepard. The Commander pulled back towards the open door, still firing at the approaching guards. He scrambled backwards over the threshold of the entrance and pulled the door shut, flinching as bullets peppered the metal around his hands. With a reassuring hiss, the vehicle's door sealed itself, reducing the sounds of their pursuers to a far-away murmur.

Realising this was no time to relax, Shepard climbed into the driver's seat, activating the controls. The controls, designed for Batarian hands, were remarkably easy for a human to work compared to most alien technology. Pretty soon he had the thrusters working at full power, and a holographic display of the tank's immediate surroundings flickered up in front and to either side of him.

"Etarn, I need you up here with me for directions. Grunt, take the main turret. The rest of you, pack yourselves in tight and hold on."

"Are you sure you can handle this thing, Commander?" Kaidan asked nervously.

"No problem. It's a lot like the Mako." Shepard responded confidently.

"That's what I'm afraid of. I never got round to finishing my will, Commander."

"Very funny. But who else here is armour certified? Buckle up, things are going to get fun."

**~o~0~o~**

Outside, the Batarians approached the thrumming tank cautiously. Several kept their weapons trained on the hatch the squad had gone through, while others nervously eyes the gun turret atop the vehicle. The leader of one squad advanced carefully, but was brought up short by the tank's kinetic barrier, a flickering red shield shimmering about the vehicle.

The guards jolted as the thrusters powered on with a sudden whine, lifting the monstrously large vehicle into the air. The turret spun around as the guards opened fire, their attacks being easily repulsed by the vehicle's defences. The turret honed in on one Batarian who was trying to hastily assemble a grenade launcher, hoping the heavier weaponry might be more effective. The four-eyed alien vanished in a ball of fire as the tank's main weapon coughed once, leaving no trace of him. The Batarians descended into a blind panic as the turret belched out round after round, leaving a trail of greasy black patches of soot on the hangar floor.

The tank swivelled around on its thrusters, racing towards the open hangar doors. Before any of the guards could make a move to stop it, the vehicle had powered out into the city, taking a sharp turn down a narrow street.

Shepard powered the tank through the dark streets, thankful for Khar'Shan's nearly perpetual gloom to provide a measure of concealment for their escape. The holographic HUD took a little getting used to, completely replacing visual reference with the outside world. Buildings showed up on the HUD as cold blue shapes, lacking in detail on the outside, but some were filled with glowing orange shapes which, after some thought, the Commander concluded were bio readings.

Under Etarn's guidance, he steered the tank through a labyrinthine series of streets, at once glad and annoyed because of the haphazard way the Batarians had built the settlement. On the one hand, it would make them much harder to find, but at the same time it made their navigation to safety that much more difficult.

As they were proceeding down a series of wider streets, the silence that had been their companion since losing the guards was shattered by a deafening explosion. The wall of a residential complex ahead of them disintegrated from the impact of a pair of luminescent rockets, clogging the street with rubble. Overhead, a gunship swerved into view, its weapons tracking Shepard's vehicle. Another made an appearance behind the tank, covering their one remaining exit route. Their jet engines roared fiercely in the stillness of the Jok'Shira evening. As the first one opened fire, Shepard twisted the tank's controls to the side, the lumbering vehicle responding sluggishly, but still dodging the rockets. The projectiles tore into the street where the tank had just been, carving a charred path through the street surface and throwing up a sharp hail of stone splinters which rebounded off the tank's barriers.

"Etarn! We need a way out of here." Shepard said, his voice straining as he tugged on the controls, wrestling to keep out of the gunship's line of fire.

"We're close to the edge of the city now. Just a few more streets." The Batarian said, his voice jumping as an explosion rocked the tank. Shepard gritted his teeth, refusing to get so close to escape only to trip at the finish line.

"Grunt! Take out those gunships."

"Can't do it, battlemaster. This thing can't fire straight up."

The Commander cursed, brain working at a hundred miles a minute as he searched for a way out. He scanned the nearby buildings, looking for something he could use. Finally his eyes settled on an unassuming building to one side that glowed a dusky blue on his thermal scanners.

"Then hit that prefab on the right there." Shepard ordered after a moment's thought.

The Krogan's brow shifted in a momentary confusion, but he complied, the massive gun barking out a fiery projectile. The prefab crumbled under the attack, metal sheets and burning furniture spilling out into the street in a jumbled mess. The Commander gunned the controls of the tank even as the pile began to settle, aiming for a massive slab of steel that rested at a slant to the street. The tank hit the makeshift ramp with a bump, mounting the rubble with a wheeze of its thrusters and powering over the crest, side scraping the remains of the building they had just destroyed. Just above them, the gunship swerved violently to avoid Grunt's fire as the tilting axis of the tank brought it into range for him.

A couple of loud retorts from the tank's weapon, and the gunship vanished in a ball of flames, careening down into the street to explode in a violent inferno. As its fellow was swiftly despatched, the second gunship opened fire with its chainguns, chewing up the rubble behind the tank's tail. Showing no regard for the residential buildings to either side, the Batarian craft began its pursuit of Shepard's vehicle, weapons leaving a wake of destruction behind the two opponents.

Shepard traced a sinuous course through the dark streets, doing his best to shake their pursuer. At one point he even shifted into reverse, hoping the gunship would miss them as it flew overhead, unable to get close to ground level due to the encroaching buildings. But even with all of these attempts to shake the Batarians, the gunship remained firmly on their tail.

As Shepard brought the tank careening around a final corner, he saw a large cleared area ahead of them, a paved square for shuttles and public transportation to land in. Just past this, the city's border waited tantalisingly, beyond which the black plains of Khar'Shan beckoned. Before the Commander could feel any sort of elation at seeing their way out so close, a group of jeeps and heavier armoured vehicles trundle out to form a line between the escaping tank and the Khar'Shan countryside. A veritable arsenal of weaponry threatened to pummel the tank's defences should Shepard so much as inch out from the cover of the buildings.

"Go for it, Battlemaster!" Grunt urged. "We can break their defences."

"It's risky," Shepard said cautiously. "But if we can get past them then we'll be able to use the landscape to put some distance between us and Gorm's forces."

"This is the nearest way out of the city." Etarn explained. "Taking another route will take a lot of time."

"Time we can't afford. We need to get out of here." Grunt said urgently.

"And what about the gunship? That's not far behind us." Kaidan protested.

"The longer we play cat-and-mouse with it inside the city, the more damage its going to cause. These are people's homes." Shepard said firmly. "We'll draw it away from the city and deal with it."

"The smaller vehicles will not be able to follow us once we get beyond the city limits." Etarn supplied. "The terrain's too rough for them. The larger tanks will be a problem, but we should be able to lose them with some fancy driving."

"We're doing this. Hang on."

The Commander revved the engine, building up the power to make his move. As the thrusters began to run hot, he set the tank rolling forwards, the lumbering vehicle picking up speed. The kinetic barriers shivered under a sudden, blistering assault as the Batarians opened fire, a few rounds piercing the wall of energy and pinging off the armour. Behind them, the gunship screamed over the rooftops of the buildings, loosing a barrage of bullets at their rear.

Shepard managed to get the tank about three quarters of the way across the square before alarms began to sound throughout the cockpit, red warning lights flashing in a distracting display.

"Shields are gone." Etarn reported, watching the vehicle's readouts. "Other primary systems are still functional, though the backup capacitors are having trouble restarting the barriers."

"We're not gonna make it!" Kaidan said.

"We'll make it!" Grunt laughed. "This thing can take a bit more punishment!"

The line of Batarian vehicles rapidly drew closer, their turrets swivelling to track the tank on its headlong charge across the square. With the interior of the tank rattling under the chatter of enemy fire, Shepard poured more power into the vehicle's propulsion systems, aiming for a narrow gap between two jeeps. The Batarians atop the jeeps' weapons narrowed their eyes as they noted the tank wasn't stopping, their bewildered expressions turning to ones of terror as the tank surged forward over the final few yards, crashing into the two smaller vehicles with tremendous power.

The two jeeps crumpled up like a pair of tin cans underneath a steamroller's wheel, offering the tank little resistance as it blazed through the gap. Shepard winced as squeals of tortured metal filled the tank. Then, with a sudden jerk, the tank broke free, bounding across the uneven ground beyond. The Batarians maintained their attack, their bullets still springing off the thick armour. As Shepard manoeuvred the tank over a few small rises, a new warning sprang up on the tank's HUD, this one even more insistent than the others. He looked to Etarn.

"What's that?"

"One of the thrusters has taken damage." Etarn explained. While he was speaking, the other warning lights flickered out. "Oh, perfect timing. Shields are back."

Shepard worked the controls to dodge an incoming attack from the gunship, which still doggedly pursued them. As he completed the manoeuvre, the vehicle dipped suddenly, its controls sluggish.

"You'll need to go easy on the starboard bow thruster. It could go at any minute." Etarn warned.

The Commander nodded sharply as he struggled with the controls, now missing one quarter of his vehicle's power and agility. He spun the vehicle about to dodge a sharp rock protruding from the sooty plain, only just managing to force the tank to lumber in the direction he wanted. A cautioning beep drew his attention, the HUD pointing out the Batarian gunship approaching fast from directly ahead, its guns blazing as it performed a strafing run.

The kinetic barriers barely held together as the gunship's brutal attack tore through the loose black soil all about the tank, piercing the defences in several spots and creating a new set of dents to match those received on their flight through Jok'Shira.

The armour of the tank continued to tremble as a cluster of Batarian tanks hove into view behind, struggling with the terrain almost as much as Shepard's vehicle. They bombarded the rise the Commander was driving up, raising up vast plumes of ash, soot and soil. The attack only relented once Shepard managed to navigate the crest of the rise and proceed down the other side, putting the small hill between him and his foes.

"I can't get the right angle to take out that gunship!" Grunt growled, spinning the turret around.

"We've got to deal with that thing if we're gonna lose these other tanks." Kaidan said, struggling to hold on as the vehicle vaulted a large mound unevenly.

"Working on it!" Shepard retorted.

The Commander spun the tank to the side, causing it to veer wildly over yet another hill, briefly bringing it into the Batarians' line of fire and being rewarded with another volley of enemy fire further straining the kinetic barriers. Ignoring this, Shepard gunned all four thrusters, angling towards a large black rock jutting out of the ridge of the hill. The tank hit the rock with a screech of tearing metal, twisting violently. The vehicle's prow moved through the air in a wide arc, aiming up into the sky. At last the tank stabilised, its front aimed straight at the gunship, now returning for another attack.

"Grunt!" Shepard barked.

The Krogan complied with a series of shots from the tank's turret, the flaming projectiles arrowing straight at the gunship. Two bounced off the Batarian vehicle's shields before the third and fourth found their mark, gouging red-hot chunks of metal from the hull. The gunship swerved dramatically, dodging the remaining shots, though it seemed that most of the manoeuvre was thanks to the destabilising effect of the previous shots.

Recovering from the shock of the Krogan's attack, the gunship resumed its advance, drawing closer and closer while keeping out of the tank's crosshairs. Grunt let out a rumble of annoyance.

"I've got the gun over as far as I can, Battlemaster. He's smart enough to stay where I can't get at him."

"Shepard, he'll tear us apart!" Etarn exclaimed.

"Shepard," Grunt said with sudden urgency. "back it up, I'll get a shot off as we move."

"You sure you can react fast enough?" Shepard asked.

"I'm Krogan. Fighting's what I am made for."

Shepard chose to put faith in his Krogan comrade, slamming the tank into reverse. The vehicle staggered off the rock, shifting Grunt's view about wildly. Eyes glued to the targeting scope, the Krogan waited until the gunship darted through his crosshairs, flexing a thick finger instinctively to depress the trigger. He let out a growl of triumph as the projectile left the barrel of the tank at several times the speed of sound.

The bright round raced towards the gunship, closing the distance in less than a second. The shot hit the vehicle square in the cockpit window, shattering the transparent material and destroying the interior in a brilliant explosion. The burning hull remained aloft for a few more moments before it lost too much speed, plummeting to the ground. It ploughed a wide trench through the loose ash before coming to a halt, emitting a beacon of thick black smoke.

Shepard allowed himself a small grin of triumph as Grunt laughed out loud.

"Hah! These amateurs are no challenge. Let's find a real challenge."

"We still have those tanks following us." Etarn reminded the Commander. "We should get away as fast as we can."

"Why?" Grunt asked, a frustrated tone in his voice. "We can take 'em!"

"I very much doubt that." The Batarian shot back. "That last little stunt removed that damaged thruster completely. We'll be lucky to move at half speed, let alone survive a drawn out fight."

"Kaidan. Now that there's nothing in the air to threaten us, get Joker on the line. I want the shuttle down here, ASAP." Shepard ordered.

"Joker, get us out of here." Kaidan said over the commlink. "Transmitting you our co-ordinates now."

"No can do, Kaidan." Joker's reply was instantaneous. "The shuttle took some fire getting out of the city. Ralston's hurt pretty bad, and the Cub's only just holding the atmosphere inside it. Barely made it back here in one piece. It won't survive re-entry."

"Damnit!" Shepard yelled as another shot from the enemy tanks hit home, throwing the crippled vehicle off-course. "We can't take much more of this, Joker. If you can't send the shuttle, you'll have to take the Normandy down."

"Shepard, the gravity on that planet's one point six!" Joker protested. "She's not built to fly through something like that, not even if there was a fully kitted out spaceport there. It could tear her apart!"

"We're out of options, Joker!"

"Why not send down the Hammerhead?" Grunt asked.

"Number one, I wouldn't trust that thing's armour to hold up against this kind of firestorm. And two we've got too many people here for it. You'd need to send a pilot down, and there's four plus myself for pickup. We'd need to do two trips, and we haven't got the time for that

"As your commanding officer I am ordering you to bring that bird down here right now, or I swear to god I'll haunt your sarcastic ass for the rest of your life!"

There was a moment of silence from the other side of the line before Joker responded, his voice mildly reproachful but cowed.

"On my way."

**~o~0~o~**

In orbit around the murky grey sphere of Khar'Shan, the Normandy suddenly accelerated, tracking a graceful curve. The engines flared as it traced a wide loop before surging down towards the planet's surface, cutting a neat line as it entered the atmosphere. The prow glowed red, then white-hot as the friction of the ship's movement through the ashen skies generated a tremendous amount of heat.

Inside, Joker narrowed his eyes as creaks and groans echoed about the ship, the metal fixtures trembling as the frigate endured tremendous strains. EDI's holographic 'face' flickered, the iconic eyelike almond shape in its centre undulating faster than usual, a clear sign that the AI was experiencing concern, a side-effect of her sentience.

"Joker, descent from orbit at this speed in a gravity well of this magnitude is sure to result in significant structural damage. I recommend assuming a less aggressive rate of descent to minimise the damage."

"No time, EDI. We're coming in hot, and Shepard can foot the repair bill."

"If we continue at these velocities there won't be enough of the Normandy left to-"

"Don't finish that sentence! I've got enough to focus on right now."

"…Acknowledged." The AI responded, the tiniest hint of offence in her simulated speech.

Joker gritted his teeth as the Normandy continued to shudder, struggling not to imagine the implications of the explanation that he had prevented EDI from voicing.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard nearly lost his grip on the controls as another explosion hoisted the tank up precariously on its side. The vehicle slammed back down with a crunch, igniting yet another series of warning lights on the HUD. The Commander gunned the engine as they touched back down, powering the vehicle around yet another massive rock formation. The tank's engines wheezed, threatening to choke from the vast clouds of dust and ash they kept drawing in as the vehicle, struggling to keep off the ground thanks to its missing thruster, left a deep groove in its wake.

"We're barely making any progress this way, Shepard!" Grunt said, frustrated. "They'll be on us long before the cripple gets here."

"We can't stop now." Kaidan said. "If we turn and fight we'll definitely be killed. This thing's only good to keep us moving after the beating it's endured already."

"We go on." Shepard ruled firmly. "Even if we have to get out and push, we're gonna survive until the Normandy gets to us."

He pushed the throttles forwards, squeezing a couple more miles per hour out of the failing tank. Grunt swivelled the turret around to watch the rear, firing off a couple of shots at their pursuers as they approached around the rocks behind them, only a couple of hundred yards away. The Krogan's ferocious rate of fire kept them at bay for now, but it couldn't last. Eventually the tank's ammo reserves would be exhausted and the Batarians would lose their caution.

As the tank surged over yet another ridge, it slammed down on a loose slope of black scree, sending a ripple of rocks cascading down ahead of them. The thrusters stuttered as they pushed against the moving mass, struggling to hold the tank up as the slope almost became fluid, pouring downwards. The tank, its downward force suddenly pushing against a surface that offered no resistance, scraped the slope, sliding along with the rockslide with alarming speed. Shepard swiftly reversed the thrusters, pushing to keep the tank from slipping into a free tumble. The tank slowed, maintaining control, though it continued to slide down the slope at a menacing pace.

Shepard flinched as the bottom of the slope came into view on the HUD. The entire display suddenly turned a blinding white as a swift-flowing river of lava rushed into view. The Commander momentarily lost control of the vehicle, instinctively lifting his hands to shield his eyes from the brutal luminous assault. The tank began to spin as it slid, the world displayed by the HUD whirling in a confusing blur. Straining to see against the brilliant glow, Shepard flicked off the thermal imaging, transforming the blinding display into a muted wall of light.

The tank hit the bank of the river with a thud, stopping just short of the molten rock. As the craft settled into the air just above the bank, Shepard released an anxious breath. Seeing the deadly hazard so close was a little unsettling.

The brief pause was torn apart as a volley of weapons fire echoed about the river, projectiles striking the bank about them, exploding with increased violence as they hit the river, and some hitting the tank's beleaguered barriers. Back up the slope, four of the Batarian tanks that had been following them began their descent towards Shepard's craft.

Grunt grinned as he saw the enemy approaching again, bringing the turret to bear with slow malice. He depressed the trigger, firing into the slope just below the enemy vehicles. As the slope began a renewed landslide, the Krogan jerked the controls, hitting the ground immediately underneath one of the tanks as it began to struggle on the shifting surface. The blast was enough to topple the struggling vehicle, flipping it onto its back. The Batarian craft hit the slope with a crash, dragged along with the shifting mass of stone and dirt. Shepard saw its thrusters attempting to right it, even as the tide of moving rock swept it into the lava. There was a pause as the vehicle's kinetic barriers momentarily held back the molten rock before failing. Then it was pulled along with the current of liquid fire, its hull beginning to glow as it was relentlessly assaulted by the fearsome heat. The Commander felt a twinge of regret for the Batarian crew's fate, knowing that with the tank upside down they would be unable to get out, and would be cooked inside their own vehicle as it melted around them. A nearby explosion snapped him away from the thoughts of charring flesh and dying screams, bringing him back to his own situation. He worked the controls, moving the tank away from the incoming fire. Grunt tried to pull the same trick on the remaining trio of tanks as they rode the landslide down to the bank, but the Batarians were wise to the tactic now and dodged his attacks.

"I'm going to take this thing up river." Shepard shouted over the chant of the guns. "Try to find some high ground where the Normandy can meet us. Grunt, see what you can do to keep them from following us."

The Krogan acknowledged the order, sighting down on the foremost of their pursuers. He pulled the trigger of his weapon, but was rewarded with a single clank, a slightly hollow sound. He tried the trigger again, but to no effect beyond that.

"That's the last of our ammo." The Krogan shouted. "Looks like your flying is gonna have to get as good as your fighting, Shepard."

"Joker! Where are you?" Kaidan yelled.

"I'm about four minutes out from your position. Going as fast as the ship will let me."

"You tell EDI to speed the hell up, and damn the risks!" Shepard shouted over his shoulder.

"It's not EDI getting in the way, Commander. Its physics. I cannot make us move any faster than what we're currently doing."

Shepard growled in annoyance, turning his focus from formulating a response to keeping the tank in one piece. Seeing the Commander's mood darkening, Kaidan chose to answer for him, using a more diplomatic tone than Shepard was likely to.

"Do what you can, Joker. We'll try to be waiting in one piece when you arrive."

**~o~0~o~**

"Roger that. Just hang in there." Joker said, his voice strained as turbulence rocked the ship. Khar'Shan's atmosphere was a meteorological minefield, the heavy ash clouds presenting a challenge by themselves, creating massive patches of powerful air currents that tossed even a ship the size of the Normandy about. Menacing lightning storms raged in the heart of the darkest patches of the sky. The more distance the Normandy traversed, the more ash coated her frame, distorting her aerodynamics and clogging engine intakes.

The ship shuddered as it passed through another violent patch of turbulence. Joker struggled with the controls, working at a frantic pace to keep up with the changing conditions outside. He pushed the frigate through the turbulence, constantly adjusting the ship's altitude as the different air densities it passed through lifted or lowered it.

He took a shaky breath as the Normandy passed into a clear stretch of sky. Above, the blue dome of the upper atmosphere glowed sapphire in the light of Khar'Shan's sun. Below, the cloud cover swirled darkly. It looked to Joker like they had passed into the eye of a massive weather system, but rather than water in the clouds, only dry dust and soot abided.

The pilot had no time to relax, however, as the wall of grey clouds looming ahead of him crackled with pent-up energy. Knowing that flying through the heart of a lightning storm could be fatal to the Normandy's systems, he rushed to pull the ship into a turn that would have been a strain even in the vacuum of space.

As the Normandy swung into the turn with a vehement ferocity, G forces tugged at every joint. Hull plates groaned as internal beams twisted. Joker almost jumped out of his seat as the cockpit window, covered over by the exterior combat screens, cracked down the centre, holding its shape even as a spider's web of fractures spread through it. On the crew deck, Dr Archer looked up in alarm as part of the interior hull split, a large crack running up the Med Bay wall. Down in the Cargo bay, Jacob had to roll out of the way as a crate of supplies broke free from its restraints and tumbled through the bay, smashing against a wall and sending protein packs scattering across the bay floor.

Back in the cockpit, Joker winced as the G forces pulled at his weak bones, feeling a network of tiny fractures spread through his ribs as the brittle structure proved ill prepared for the gravitational assault.

"Ugh! Son of a bitch! EDI! Damage!" He gasped as he worked to keep the ship aloft.

"Minor stress fractures throughout the internal structure of the ship. I am reading a loss of air pressure in the Port Observation Lounge from a slow leak in the window. No injuries, though a large portion of the crew are experiencing a degree of nausea."

"They're not the only ones." Joker muttered. "Get everyone out of the Lounges and then close them up, exterior panels and interior doors. Vent them if you need to."

"Confirmed. We are fifteen miles from Shepard's current location."

**~o~0~o~**

"Left, LEFT!" Grunt shouted, looking back at their pursuers through his targeting scope. The next instant his yelled directions were justified when a black boulder to the right disintegrated from the combined fire of the three tanks racing to catch up with the Commander's craft. The damaged tank swayed as the blasts from the enemy fire hit it, its three functional thrusters barely enough to keep it afloat, much less on an even trajectory.

The Commander had travelled a fair way upstream with the tank, keeping the river of lava in sight as a point of reference. As they traced the river's path back up a long, unevenly formed hill, their course had led them into rougher terrain, with plenty of large rock formations, shallow gullies and dips and rises in the landscape to seek refuge behind, no matter how brief. It was only by making the best possible use of this unpredictable terrain that Shepard was able to keep a reasonable lead on the Batarians, keeping them just at the very limit of their weapons' range.

They crested another slope of the larger hill, reaching a plateau about halfway up the hillside. A smooth, flat stretch of ground reached out in front of them for the best part of a mile. Not much, but a space where the Commander could run the tank at full speed while his pursuers navigated the more hazardous terrain behind. A chance to disappear. He rammed the tank up to full power and blazed across the plateau.

The tank's headlong progress was brought to an abrupt halt by a sudden crash. Directly ahead, the ground shivered as though under immense pressure and a jet of scalding water shot up into the sky, heaving up a small pile of dirt and rocks with it. The geyser caught the tank's prow, lifting it up into the air. The tank balanced precariously on its aft section, thrusters groaning to keep it from flipping. With a sudden, booming silence, the geyser ceased, dropping the tank back down with a crunch. Shepard just stopped himself from hitting the controls in front of him as the inertia of the drop caught up with him, snapping his head forward painfully. Etarn let out a yelp as he was thrown forward from his seat, hitting the floor of the vehicle with a thud and a crack, clearly breaking something. Kaidan scuttled forward to help him back up, the Batarian now nursing his rib cage with one arm while the other hung limply by his side.

All around the tank, geysers spouted out of the ground at random, a nightmare to cross. Shepard found his progress harried by the unpredictable nature of the field, having to pull up short as another patch of the plain trembled before exploding upwards violently. He finally reached the other side, but any progress he had hoped to make in leaving the trio of tanks behind was eliminated by the delay. As they left the geysers behind, a renewed assault from their enemies, just reaching the top of the slope on the opposite side of the field. The three tanks took advantage of the lack of obstructions to unleash a full salvo of attacks at Shepard's tank, pummelling the weak shields.

Shepard moved the craft away from the field, descending into the small hollow on his side of the plateau, a final dip before the long climb to the hill's summit. To one side, the river glowed orange as it flowed swiftly downhill, the burning blood of the planet running swiftly. As Shepard left the field behind, he noticed the Batarians making cautious progress among the geysers. He sped up to try and scale the hillside before they caught up.

As the plateau hove into view again, Shepard's craft moving higher up the hillside as it powered away, the Commander saw one of the pursuing tanks caught by an unexpected jet of steam, lifted up onto its side just like his craft had been. The vehicle's thrusters thrashed at the air as the pilot struggled to balance it, fighting a losing battle as, with a groan, the tank toppled onto its back, catching one of its fellows across one side and sending it careening away. The fallen tank rocked on its back like a turtle in the sun, immobilised. One of its companions gave it an experimental nudge to try and right it, but the craft remained stuck on its back, gun turret wedging in the ground. Seeing that any attempts to right it would be futile, the other two tanks resumed their pursuit of Shepard's vehicle.

The distraction had bought the Commander some time, allowing him to work up an even better lead on the aliens as he charged the tank headlong up the hillside. Shepard felt a subtle vibration run through the hull of the tank, a deep thrum that was audible over the rattling and wheezing of the dying engines. He searched the HUD for the source of the noise and saw a blip appear on the motion tracker. A huge shape powered through the sky above, moving at a reasonable fraction of the speed of light as it raced through Khar'Shan's atmosphere. Turning tightly to orbit the summit of the hill, the Normandy beckoned to the beleaguered squad, its engines sounding out a loud bass chorus that promised to take them to safety. As the frigate slowed, its cargo bay door opened wide, a bright white light shining out from it to guide the Commander to it. It moved in to hover just above the peak of the hill.

Shepard dodged and wove his way up the uneven surface, still having to avoid incoming enemy fire. Behind him, the other two tanks intensified their attacks as they saw their quarry getting away, maintaining a near-constant barrage as they drew closer.

Shepard worked the controls recklessly, forcing more and more power out of the failing thrusters as he urged the craft upwards, towards the teasing escape route. As he drove, he became aware of a thick, deep rumble that overpowered even the noise of the Normandy's engines, a powerful roar that could not be drowned out. His eyes narrowed as his anxiety intensified, realising the danger of their location.

"Ah, crap." He muttered.

"What's wrong?" Kaidan asked as he bound Etarn's arm.

"This thing isn't done erupting. Hang tight, this is gonna get rough." The Commander said as he navigated a large pile of rocks.

Underneath the tank, the entire hillside trembled, a fine mist of dust lifting up into the air to obscure the ground. Boulders shivered as the reverberations passed through them, shifting uncertainly. With a roar, a large section of the hillside began slipping away, flowing downhill as the violent shaking released it. Shepard reacted swiftly, swinging the tank wide of the landslide and dodging the majority of the falling rocks, the kinetic barriers pinging from a multitude of little impacts.

Behind him, the two pursuing tanks were not so lucky. One managed to sidle out of the way with minor damage, its shields holding back the worst of the slide. The other tried to move out of the way of the slide, but one thruster proved unresponsive, damaged when the last tank had flipped over on the geyser field. The tank responded sluggishly, barely beginning to turn before the landslide hit it squarely on its prow. The tank vanished under the flowing mass of soil, swept away in the dark chaos. Moments later there was an explosion from the middle of the slide as apparently something important got damaged, blowing the vehicle apart as it tumbled downhill.

"Good news; there's only one tank left." Shepard said. "The bad news is apparently the planet itself is turning against us."

"We're almost there, Battlemaster." Grunt reassured. "Don't fall at the finish."

The tank strained to push itself up the slope, the now very unsteady surface offering little in the way of purchase as it flowed and shifted, gathering the energy to erupt. The Normandy swayed as a powerful gust of wind whipped at her, Joker holding her as steady as he could in the violent atmosphere.

Shepard swung the tank from side to side, zig-zagging his way up the hill towards the waiting cargo bay and safety. Behind him, the final enemy tank kept up its assault, still giving chase even as the landscape disintegrated around it.

Shepard felt his heart soar as he reached the summit of the hill, tank slapping down on a more level surface. He gunned the engines for one final boost of power, urging the fading vehicle across the home stretch. The tank hit a tiny lip of rock on the edge of the summit, lifting it up into a not-so-graceful jump as it spanned the distance to the cargo ramp. It crunched down on the edge of the ramp, hanging there for a precarious second before the thrusters gave it enough impetus to heave itself fully onto the ship. Back on the hill, the last Batarian tank crested the summit at full speed, screeching to a halt as it saw that Shepard's craft had made its escape. It fired off a last handful of defiant shots, easily deflected by the frigate's powerful kinetic barriers, before giving up the chase.

**~o~0~o~**

"Commander Shepard and his squad are aboard, Jeff." EDI intoned emotionlessly.

"Good. Seal up the cargo bay, I'll get us back into orbit." Joker said, handling the ship with a bit more care as he made the return trip to space. "Tell Shepard that- whoa!"

The pilot flinched as his console lit up with warning lights. The entire frigate shuddered as it was buffeted about by an explosion of tremendous force. Just below the Normandy's prow, the entire hilltop vanished in a flash of orange. A massive plume of dust and ash surrounded the alliance frigate, the air heating up to dangerous levels as several thousand tonnes of molten rock ejected itself into the sky. The Normandy rocked about in the sudden maelstrom, Joker struggling to keep her from being thrown about and sustaining damage.

Outside, the Normandy's kinetic barriers held back the most destructive forces that the eruption threw at her, but the armour still strained to cope with the immense heat, several large lumps of molten magma splashing onto the yellow sheen of the Silaris armour that coated the vessel. After a few seconds the armour began to soften, the heat distorting its shape.

Surrounded by warning lights and deafened by screaming alarms, Joker reacted instinctively to save the ship. He turned the engines up to full power, blasting the way out of the mushroom-shaped cloud of the eruption. In seconds the Normandy was climbing through the atmosphere, clawing her way up out of the planet's gravity well. After a few intense minutes, the ship entered the cool blackness of space, leaving the Batarian homeworld behind.

**~o~0~o~**

Down in the Cargo bay, Shepard struggled to get the tank's door open. As the Normandy had lifted away from the hillside, the cargo door had begun to slide closed, though not fast enough to block all of the chaos of the eruption. A tremendous blast of hot air and ash had infiltrated the bay, throwing supply crates back from the door and lifting the stolen tank off the deck. With a crunch, the vehicle landed on its back, its engines dying with a final gasp.

Shepard finally managed to force the tank's hatch open and slithered out, followed by his team. They coughed as the Normandy's air scrubbers struggled with the cloud of soot and ash that had forced itself inside the cargo bay, clouding vision and making the air feel thick and difficult to breathe in.

Grunt and the Revenant helped Etarn out of the tank, wary not to further injure his broken arm or damaged ribs. The Batarian looked about in a daze, taking in his newest surroundings. Shepard, exhausted by the ordeal, crouched, hands pushing down on his knees as he caught his breath. He looked at the Batarian with the hint of a smile on his face.

"Welcome aboard the Normandy, Etarn Kol'mehk."


	16. 16: To The Frontier

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 16: To The Frontier**

The deck trembled underneath Shepard's feet as he strode up the steps from the main section of his cabin, passing the fish tank with its vibrant occupants and his desk, nearly overflowing with unfinished mission reports, on his way to the bathroom. Inside, the air was already thick with a warm mist of hot water from the shower, switched on moments earlier by EDI as a part of the Commander's morning rituals. He stopped for a second by his private terminal, opening the file Liara had provided on the dig site on Stynos. Shepard pulled the co-ordinates from the file and sent them down to the Normandy's helm, trusting Joker to set them on a course while he prepared for the day ahead.

About ten minutes later, Shepard left the bathroom refreshed, running his hands through still-damp hair. He was brought up short of returning to the main part of his room, where he would don his clothes for the day, by a beep from his terminal. Shepard opened up his mail inbox, spotting another message from Liara. Curious, he opened the message without hesitation. After the now familiar security scan, the Asari's words scrolled across the screen.

_Shepard_

_I'm sorry to hear the negotiations on Khar'Shan didn't go as planned. But, we should count ourselves likely that you got Etarn out of there alive. My contacts in the Hegemony have already informed me of some messages he has sent to his allies. They're ripples that are swiftly becoming waves in Batarian society. Give it time, and this Gorm Jib'bat will soon find his position as ruler of the Hegemony threatened. _

_In the meantime, it would be best if you gave Etarn sanctuary until it is safe for him to return to the Hegemony. We need him if we're to make peace with the Batarians, and I can't imagine a safer place in the Galaxy for him to stay than the Normandy. Plus, from your report of the mission, I'm sure his combat skills will prove useful in days to come._

_With regards to the request you made in your last message, I am sorry to disappoint you, but I cannot help the Revenant. Though you shared the Cipher with me back during our pursuit of Saren, I am afraid the information has faded from my mind. I checked with Shiala, the woman you met on Feros, and she has suffered the same loss. What the Thorian gifted to her, and through her to us, has long since disappeared from our minds. I have performed some research and, as far as I can tell, this is an inevitable consequence of the difference between our minds and those of the Protheans. It is simply impossible for an Asari, or a Human for that matter, to retain the information of the Cipher for an appreciable length of time. You still receive flashes of information, mostly relating to the beacon, but in time your memories will fade too. I imagine that your memories have lasted longer than ours in part due to your recent… absence. When Cerberus rebuilt you, the memories would have been restored just as they were when you died._

_So I am afraid I cannot render assistance in this matter, unless you happen upon another being possessing the Cipher._

_Travel safely, Commander_

_Liara._

_P.S. Please find attached to this message some schematics for Etarn. Seeing as he's going to be with you for a while, he'll no doubt appreciate some familiar weaponry. I've done some digging, and have found the technical specs for a particularly powerful Batarian pistol and SMG. _

Shepard opened the attachment, taking a moment to appraise the data Liara had sent. A whistle of awe escaped his lips as he noted the graceful form of the pistol, colloquially known in the Terminus Systems as the 'Hornet'. Everything about it spoke of power and precision, and the figures backed this up. If the information was accurate, the pistol brought an ugly amount of power to the field, almost guaranteed to bring down all but the most powerful of shields. He then scanned the sub-machine gun data. Clearly the second weapon was less focused on precision, sacrificing accuracy in exchange for the ability to lay down an astonishing rate of fire. Forwarding the data down to Jacob in the armoury, Shepard closed down his terminal and finished getting dressed.

Wearing a neatly pressed suit, still adjusting the cuffs, the Commander stepped out of the elevator and onto the Command deck. He smiled as he looked at the tiny studs in the cuffs, little gold ovals with a tiny diamond set in each. The entire outfit had been a gift from Kasumi, though largely it had been bought as a part of the heist Shepard had helped her pull off. The Commander had worn the suit to go undercover amongst the associates of Donavan Hock, using the distraction of a party the wealthy gentleman was throwing to infiltrate his vault. After completing the heist, enduring a few complications along the way, Kasumi and Shepard had celebrated their success with a much-earned drink back on the Normandy. As a thank-you, the thief had gifted the Commander with the gold cufflinks, something she had 'acquired' in her travels. Shepard was sure he had seen an exact match for the pair sitting on Hock's bedside table, but made no comment.

The moment he stepped out into the CIC, Shepard was greeted by Kelly's usual smile as she stood at her post, ever ready to help in any way. In one hand she held a stack of datapads while in the other a steaming mug of coffee waited for the Commander. He accepted the rich-smelling beverage from his yeoman with a smile and some muttered gratitude before tasting the near-scalding black liquid. As he savoured the bitter, invigorating flavour, Kelly began to read off the business of the day to her Commander, going through the datapads in a methodical order.

"We've had a good few messages come through the Normandy's main frequency today. Unsurprisingly, we've caught a good bit of flak thanks to our aerial acrobatics over Khar'Shan. Gorm's faction in the Hegemony is baying for your blood, though his attempts to pin Etarn's murder on you have fallen flat after Etarn put out some messages to his allies. We've got a few threatening calls from certain members of the Alliance brass, including a rather explicit message from one Ambassador Udina, generally threatening to have your stripes, your ship, your head. On a more unusual note, we received a short message from on Admiral Hackett. All it said was 'Why do you hate me? I'll take care of it.' I'm not quite sure what to make of that."

"Don't worry, I get the message." Shepard chuckled. "One of these days I should drop by Arcturus and pay him a visit."

"Noted. In other matters, Gabby and Ken want to power down the Drive Core for a couple of hours so they can secure some parts that rattled loose under the Eezo chamber. Gabby's also requested that while this is happening a couple of engineers go EVA to check on some stress fractures EDI's reporting in the hull."

"That's gonna take a while." Shepard sighed. "At least four hours to boot up the core, plus however long it takes to make the repairs."

"Ken says that the repairs to the core can wait a while, but its something that'll only get worse if ignored. I imagine Gabby would say the same about the hull. They've already put in a full night fixing what they can get at while the ship's in motion."

"They'll have time for that once we get to Stynos. We'll have to spend a good bit of time on the surface, securing the artefacts and determining their worth. As good a time as any for routine maintenance."

"Are you sure, Commander? What if you run into trouble down there?"

"Its not like we're going to be in the middle of enemy territory. If a pirate band shows up to steal the relics or anything else like that I'm sure my team can hold them off. Just power up the auxiliary drives and keep your distance until the threat has been dealt with."

"I'll head down and tell them." Kelly said, powering down her datapads. "Oh, I introduced myself to our newest passenger. Etarn seems… different to most Batarians I've had a chance to talk to. For one, he's not as belligerent towards humans as other Batarians are. But it's something else, too. He carries an air of… I don't really know how to describe it, inspiration? Enthusiasm? He is fully committed to his cause, he really wants to make peace with us. The Hegemony would be lucky to have him take charge."

"It's a novel feeling to have a Batarian on board, but I feel inclined to trust him." Shepard said. "And any hand that can fire a gun is welcome here, so long as they're aiming at the Reapers."

"Have you spoken to him about our mission?"

"Not yet. Back during the peace talks we were focusing on succeeding in opening lines of communication between our species. After that, we were too busy fighting for our lives. Not exactly ideal times to try and explain the truth about Sovereign, the Reapers, the Collectors, and everything else we've been through."

"It is a lot to swallow, even for a human. It'd probably be a good idea to talk it over with him. Even though he's just on board until he can go back to the Hegemony, he'll probably appreciate having all the facts if a Reaper drops on our heads."

"You're right. I'll make a point to speak with him today." Shepard acknowledged. "That'll be all."

Kelly nodded, turning to head for the elevator and relay the Commander's orders to the Normandy's engineers. Shepard, meanwhile, progressed past the Galaxy Map, making his way up to Joker's station above the prow of the ship. He found the pilot there, locked in an argument with EDI.

"You're just jealous, you oversized tin can." Joker was saying. "There's no one in this Galaxy, living or synthetic, that could have pulled off the moves that I did back there."

"My software is more than capable of replicating the manoeuvres you performed on Khar'Shan, Jeff." EDI's flat monotone said emotionlessly.

"Yeah, replicating, maybe. But coming up with it, in the first place? Not a hope." Joker boasted.

"My bluebox is considerably sophisticated, I am more than capable of developing such flightpaths." The AI's voice contained just a hint of annoyance.

"I'd like to see you try." The pilot challenged. "Okay, next time, you take the helm."

"You would be unable to leave the controls alone." The Commander could have sworn that there was a tone of amusement in her synthetic voice. He decided to interrupt the banter before Joker had the AI pulling off some death-defying stunts with the frigate.

"Good to see you're both behaving in the mature manner expected of you." He said sarcastically. Joker swivelled in his seat to face the Commander.

"Shepard! EDI and were just… putting together our mission report for Khar'Shan." He stammered.

"So I can hear."

"I have submitted a list of necessary repairs to both yourself and engineers Daniels and Donnelly." EDI informed the Commander flatly.

"Yeah, I got that." Shepard responded. "There'll be time enough for repairs while I'm down on Stynos."

"We should be there in about ten hours." Joker supplied helpfully. "Put the co-ords in myself." He watched as EDI's interface flickered out before turning a conspiratorial eye to Shepard. "She's just pissed that we got out of there with so little damage. She spent the whole trip down telling me how we'd be torn to shreds, and then I get us out of there with barely a scratch."

"You did good, Joker." Shepard congratulated. "That's got to be what? The third volcano you've scooped me out of?"

"You do seem to be making a habit out of that." Joker chuckled. "And I still haven't got my medal for any of those occasions."

"Probably lost in the mail."

"H-yeah!" The pilot laughed out loud before his face straightened. "On a more serious note, Commander, are you sure about the latest stray we picked up? A Batarian? I know I'm no fan, and I doubt most of the human crew is either."

"Etarn's trustworthy, don't worry." Shepard reassured him. "He could have ditched us at any point back there on Khar'Shan. Hiding one Batarian would have been a lot easier than getting the five of us off-planet."

"I guess he proved himself. Okay, Commander. I'll trust the squint, for now."

"I'll leave you to your work." Shepard said, turning to leave. He paused at the steps leading down to the helm. "Oh, Joker? No more baiting the ship. I don't need EDI trying out for the Citadel gymnastics team."

"You're no fun since you died." Joker shot back. Shepard smirked as he headed away from the prow of the ship.

**~o~0~o~**

The Commander strode through the door to the Tech Lab, looking about for Mordin. His eyebrow quirked curiously when he noted the Lab was empty. Against the far wall, a single terminal beeped insistently, running a diagnostic whose complexity was beyond Shepard's understanding. Shepard also realised with a jolt that the massive experiment the Salarian had been tinkering with was nowhere to be seen, meaning it had either been scrapped, or was being tested elsewhere. Shepard didn't fancy the implications of the latter, fearing for a hull breach or a ship-wide flu outbreak like last time. He made a note to track down the Salarian later.

Moving on, Shepard walked through the hallways until he entered the briefing room. The thick metal doors to the room opened to reveal Feron standing stock-still at the head of the table, facing away from the back of comms terminals. His eyes were open wide, bottle green irises flared in a terrified expression. Sharp breaths filled the room as the Drell muttered something almost silently.

"Feron?" Shepard called.

There was no response from the alien, even though he was staring straight at the Commander. Shepard took a few tentative steps around the table.

"Feron? What's wrong?"

The Commander slowly inched his way towards his friend. Cautiously, he reached out to lay a hand on Feron's shoulder.

The instant Shepard made contact, the Drell snapped into a blur of motion. A green hand shot up to grab Shepard's arm by the wrist, the other arm snapping out to land an elbow to the Commander's sternum. As Shepard staggered back, the Drell's eyes refocused and he paused, one fist raised ready to continue the assault.

"Shepard?" He asked curiously. His eyes moved from the Commander, still a little short of breath, to his raised fist. He jumped upon realising what had happened and moved to help Shepard.

"What was that?" Shepard demanded, straightening and rubbing at his chest.

"Sometimes our perfect memories can be quite the handicap." The Drell explained. "It can be jarring to be snapped out of our recollection before we are ready. Especially the more intense memories."

"Well that must have been one hell of a nightmare you were having."

"I was back in that cell, in the custody of the last Shadow Broker. As I said; an intense memory."

"I'll bet." Shepard commented, escorting the Drell to support himself on the briefing room table. "And to think, when I first heard about Drell memories I was jealous."

"Very few non-Drell appreciate the drawbacks of our eidetic memories." Feron explained. "So what did you need, Shepard?"

"Just wanting whatever info you can give me on our next stop."

"Ah, yes. Stynos, the green gem of the Plustar system. Discovered by an Exogeni expansionary expedition about three years ago. Only got cleared for prefab colonisation about four months ago. They've just began preliminary preparations for the construction of some more permanent structures, and it was during their excavations of the foundations for the colony's main landing port that they discovered the subterranean remnants of a Prothean research facility. Since then, colony development has taken a back seat until the ruins are fully excavated. The Exogeni executive in charge of the settlement, a Roger Matthews, hopes to turn the relics into revenue that can be used to propel Stynos through the next few stages of expansion."

"Anything about what they found?"

"Rumours abound. Without actually going there, it's hard to be sure what stories are true, and which ones to ignore. Liara's got a team moving in to help secure the relics, but she wants you and your specialists to ascertain what we can use, and what's just a pile of old junk. You'd probably be wise to take Mordin with you. While his expertise lies in biology, his analytical mind will most likely spot anything we'd miss."

"I'll take the Revenant along, too. He may not recall much of it, but his people were the Protheans. Maybe taking a look around a Prothean settlement will trigger something in his mind."

"You really think that'll work? Just show him something and the memories of his ancestors will come flooding back?"

"It's worth a shot. Collector minds are built differently from any other species'. With the thoughts of his entire race running through his mind, random memories are bound to surface. Without the Cipher, our options are limited, and I'm inclined to make use of any opportunity that presents itself."

"Noted." Feron replied.

"So how do you think we're doing, Feron? Opinions on our assignment?"

"We've made progress, that's for sure. We're making contact with organisations all across the Galaxy, some friendly, others not so much. And we're gathering a powerful team. Given what you did with the dozen operatives you had going through Omega Four, I'm very interested to see what you do with the complement you're gathering now. We're not exactly ready to take the Reapers on single-handed, but it's a very promising start to things."

"Thanks, Feron. I'll catch up with you later."

Shepard exited the briefing room and took an immediate left, the door to the armoury hissing open before him. Jacob looked up from his workstation as the Commander entered. Before him sat yet another exotic looking weapon, its internal workings spread across the table as he used some delicate-looking tools, an unusual sight when combined with his large hands, to fuse some intricate components together.

"Commander." He acknowledged, lifting a hand, still holding the tool, in a half-salute.

"Jacob. How's it going."

"Ehh, same as usual. Just working on a new toy for you to take out into the field. Mordin actually helped me to develop this. He's been racing about the entire ship, making all sorts of things that explode. Its like he's making up for lost time. He's been out of his lab for three months, and he's gotta catch up."

"So long as whatever he's doing doesn't result in me losing my eyebrows, he's welcome to do so."

"I don't think they've got that bad yet. Though if I see the gecko making for the escape pods, a Mass Relay won't get me off the ship faster."

"Hah! Too true." Shepard laughed. "Though I think you'll find that Feron's a bit closer to a gecko than Mordin."

"Yeah. Salarians are more like… I dunno, really." Jacob pondered.

"Frogs, maybe?" Shepard asked.

"Let's go with that. Watch what he does around the Revenant. If he tries to eat the bug, then we'll know."

The pair chuckled as Jacob focused on sealing a segment of the weapon before him, assembling what looked like a barrel, though the flared muzzle of the device resembled no weapon Shepard had ever seen.

"So what does this thing do?" The Commander asked.

"I got the idea on seeing Mordin do something interesting with his omnitool back on Tuchanka, when we were mopping up the last of those Krogan. He used his 'tool to generate some sort of sonic pulse and knock the lizards on their asses. I had a chat with him about it, and between the two of us we've figured out how to boost the pulse by putting it into a handheld weapon. The Ultra-High Frequency sonic pulses this thing generates can stun all enemies in a three-metre radius of your target. As long as you've got your finger on the trigger, the targets will be immobilised. The downside; it makes its way through power cells like a Krogan goes through a barrel of ryncol."

"Sounds useful. When'll it be ready for the field?"

"Hopefully by the time we get to Stynos. Not that I'm expecting any trouble out there."

"Come on, Jacob. You should know by now to expect trouble wherever we go."

"I like to be optimistic." Jacob said casually. "Consider where Stynos is, Commander. On the far side of Human space from the Batarians, the Terminus, even the Krogan. The only neighbours they've got to deal with are other human colonies or empty worlds. At most, we'll see a pirate ship come calling."

"You do realise that now you've voiced your lack of concern, we're practically doomed to encounter an army of enemies, or something two hundred feet tall and pissed off as all hell." Shepard quipped sarcastically.

"That is not how the world works, Commander." Jacob replied. "We'll be fine."

"We'll see." Shepard said, moving over to stand next to Jacob, leaning his elbows on the edge of the table so that he could look down on the weapon. "So what are your thoughts on the crew, so far?"

"We're getting a good crew together. Making good progress on finding the old squad, and some… interesting new additions. That Revenant creeped the hell out of me the first two missions we took him on, but he's proved solid under fire. Kaidan's one of your oldest friends, and a hero of the Battle of the Citadel to boot, so I'm not gonna have a beef with him. Feron, well, there's nothing really to say about him. He endured two years of torture just to make sure your corpse didn't end up in the hands of the Reapers."

All the while Jacob was talking, he continued to work at the sonic rifle. However, before he continued, he lowered the tools, turning to speak to the Commander frankly.

"The one recruit I'm not sure about is our latest one. The Batarian."

"You've got concerns about Etarn?"

"I've got concerns about letting any Batarian on our ship. They can't be trusted, Commander."

"We once said the same thing about Collectors, but then the Revenant came along. We said the same about the Geth before we met Legion. Hell, I said the same thing about Krogan and Turians until I met Wrex and Garrus."

"That's different. The Collectors and the Geth were being controlled by the Reapers, they never chose to attack us. The Krogan and the Turians have just had a rocky past. Squints have always hated humans, and made no effort to make up for the fact. I've had lots of experience with Batarians, Commander. When I stopped Jath'Amon from killing the Council, I saw what they really are."

"You're forgetting something, Jacob. I've got experience in fighting against them too. Terra Nova, three years ago. If I hadn't got in Balak's way, there'd be nothing left of those colonists but ashes and some crappy little plaque to commemorate their death. Some of the filthiest, slimiest, most untrustworthy scum I've ever come across have been Batarians. But I'm ready to trust this one.

"The only squints we've ever faced in the field have been outlaws and mercs. Etarn isn't one of that crowd. He's a leader to his people, and he's trying to make them something more than what the rest of the Galaxy sees at the moment. I think he deserves the benefit of the doubt. If you don't like it, that's fine. I respect your opinion, Jacob. You're a trusted colleague and a friend. But I'm asking you to trust Etarn for now. Speak to him and see if what you think about the Batarian people is justified. You might be surprised. I was when I let Urdnot Wrex on board the last Normandy."

"I guess you've got a point, Commander." Jacob conceded. "Damn its annoying when you get all reasonable like that! I'll tolerate the squint for now. I'd better get back to work if I ever want to finish the UHF rifle. I'll see you around, Shepard."

~o~0~o~

Shepard entered the Mess Hall shortly afterwards, scooping a tray of food off Rupert's workstation. From the looks of things the day's special was some savoury pie with fries and vegetables. Shepard shrugged and took the meal, turning to sit at one of the tables. He caught Rupert's eye as he passed the grizzly old crewman. Rupert straightened and saluted.

"Commander."

"Afternoon, Rupert. How's things?"

"Doin' pretty good. Aside from that damned Krogan. Ever since you brought young mister Grunt back aboard the plumbing's been backed up like you wouldn't believe."

Shepard paused at that comment, looking down at his tray hesitantly. Rupert caught the look and chuckled good-naturedly.

"Don't worry, I remembered to wash my hands this time!" He laughed. "But back to what you were asking. The crew's getting on fine for now. There have been a few murmurs after you brought some of your new recruits aboard, but everyone trusts your judgement. If you say that the squint is okay, or that you trust that bug thing, I'm satisfied, and so is everyone else."

"Good to know." Shepard said, picking some eating utensils out of a drawer beside the sergeant.

"And we're feeling pretty confident about the mission. You've been kicking ass in the field and we're getting the old bird back to the way she was before those damned terrorists took her away."

"I'm lucky to have a crew like this, Rupert." Shepard said, smiling warmly as he looked out on the Mess. Crewman Rolston sat opposite Hadley, the pair chatting about something or other, oblivious to the proud gaze of their superior.

"Shepard," The Commander turned at the inquisitive tone in the sergeant's voice. "I don't suppose you heard anything about where the Doctor got sent to?"

"The Doctor? You mean Mordin?"

"Hell no! I'm talking about Chakwas. As pretty a lass as I've ever set eyes on. We used to get on quite well. I remember she had this little swing to her-"

"I get the image." Shepard interrupted before Rupert could finish that line of thought. "I've not heard anything yet, but we'll find her. Chakwas was a part of my crew on the original Normandy, just like Joker and Kaidan. Liara knew her well, so she'll definitely keep an ear to the ground to look for her."

"Good." Rupert's tone bore a hint of relief, though Shepard now had a better understanding of his concern. Smiling, the Commander sat down to eat his meal.

He was about halfway through the delicious plateful when Samara came walking through the Mess, moving amongst the rest of the crew awkwardly. Cautiously, she picked up a tray of food and was making her way out of the Mess when Shepard managed to catch her eye. The Commander waved her over.

"Samara! Come and sit down."

"Commander." Samara said stiffly as she sat down opposite Shepard. "I was about to take my meal through to the Observation Lounge, but I suppose eating in company would be good for me."

"Relax, Samara. It's the Crew Mess, not a back alley on Omega. There's no need to keep your guard up."

"It is not so simple for me. Even in the company of my fellow Justicars, meals were always taken in seclusion. I lead- led, rather, a very solitary life."

"It gives you a chance to get to know the rest of us, and let us know a bit about yourself."

"There is very little I have not told you about my past, Commander."

"I actually had something I wanted to ask you about, if that's okay. A question about the Justicars."

"I will endeavour to answer what I can." Samara said as she dug into her meal.

"Back on Thessia, I heard Deseltia mention 'the Fallen Twelve'. I was curious as to who, or what, they were."

Samara waited until she had finished her mouthful before speaking, savouring every last drop of the meal.

"The story of the Fallen Twelve was something that all initiates of the Order learned about when they began their training to take the Oaths. A legend that has its origins back in the time before the Asari discovered space flight, before we even discovered the means to generate electricity, about ten thousand years ago. The equivalent of humanity's 'Dark Ages'. Back then, the Asari had only just succeeded in spreading to all four continents on Thessia. There were only a few permanent settlements like Serrice and Armali. The governments that would eventually amalgamate into the Republics were just in their infancy back then, a series of city-states and tribal councils ruled by our matriarchs.

"It was during these years that the Order of the Justicars was formed. The founding matriarchs penned the primary oaths and sutras and our first enclaves were built. In those days our sole task was to hunt down and capture any Ardat-Yakshi who surfaced. Thanks to our prodigious biotic talents and the monstrous nature of our enemies, we accrued the reputations of gods. We were feared and venerated in every corner of Asari society."

As the exiled Justicar spoke, crewmen gathered around, moving subtly closer to listen to the tale. Even Rupert, usually so attentive to his station, had moved over to lean against the window to listen in.

"A certain matriarch from Armali gathered a considerable force about herself, expanding the territory of her city across the majority of the northern continent. She led her armies from the frontline, carving a swathe of death and destruction across the face of Thessia. No one could withstand the Warlady's wrath.

"During these times the Justicars' sole mission was to reign in the Ardat-Yakshi, nothing more. It was ruled that they could not get involved in the war, as that would have shown partiality towards one government over another. The founding matriarchs forbade the sisters from becoming involved.

"But there were some who disagreed with this ruling. A young maiden spoke out against the matriarchs and gathered a small band of eleven other Justicars. They chose to disobey their superiors and joined the war against the Warlady of Serrice. With their talents, the tide of the conflict was soon turned. Once the war was over, the renegade Justicars returned to their sisters.

"The Order realised they were wrong to remain separate from the affairs of Asari society, but realised that they could not submit themselves to any government, as leaders could be corrupted, and through them, the Order. Therefore, the Order was renewed. Our sutras were expanded to include the five thousand in place today. Instead of serving a mortal ruler, we chose to submit ourselves to the rule of justice. The Justicars as known today came into being."

"What happened to the twelve who started it all?" Shepard asked.

"The Justicars realised that the young maiden and her followers had been in the right, but their actions still violated the rules of the Order. Even the new sutras could not protect them. In order to adhere to their standards of justice, the Order was forced to punish the Twelve.

"Of course, their role in protecting the freedom of the Asari could not be ignored. Their actions would have merited execution under the new standards of the Order, but this was no way to treat heroes of the people. Once again, it was the young maiden who resolved the situation. She volunteered to undergo voluntary exile, along with her associates. In this way, the Twelve suffered punishment for violating the wishes of the matriarchs, but not unreasonably so."

"I'd call a lifetime of exile pretty unreasonable." Shepard said hotly.

"By human standards. Asari live long lives, Shepard. Being allowed to live out those lives can be considered a gift, much better than having them cut short by execution. And the Twelve were free, Commander. They had to live away from the main centres of Asari society, but they could roam a multitude of places across Thessia. It was all the Order could give them while maintaining the principles the Twelve had fought so hard to establish.

"Thus, the three marks were established, and the first and, until now, only Rite of Exile was carried out. The Twelve were never seen again, fading into legend."

"The same three marks you carry?"

"Yes. The scarring of the head tentacles, the brand upon the nape of the neck and the third mark, which I bear upon my spine. Any one of these identifies me as unwelcome in Asari society. All three marks me as one who has undergone the Rite, and therefore if I am seen in Asari space the Justicars must be informed and I will be hunted down. I am worse than an unrepentant Ardat-Yakshi, in their eyes."

"That's garbage. They got taken down because of… of politics!" Shepard spat the word. "They should have gotten medals."

"They did, right before they underwent the Rite. You forget, Shepard, that they volunteered for this. It was the only way they could see to move forward while keeping the standards and principles of the Order intact."

"That's quite the sacrifice to make."

"Indeed. But their story lives on even today, many millennia later."

Shepard scraped the final remnants of his meal off the plate before him, standing as he collected the used utensils for cleaning. He nodded gratefully to Samara as she finished off her meal.

"Thanks for sharing that, Samara."

"I am happy to do so, Shepard. I enjoy speaking of the old legends. They are part of what motivated me to continue my hunt for Morinth."

Shepard returned his tray to Rupert's station. As he walked by the Asari, her food almost finished, he noted that a couple of crew members approaching her, clearly interested to hear more tales. Before he left, he paused by her table to ask one final question.

"By the way, what was the name of that Asari who led the Twelve? You never mentioned it."

Samara paused, still chewing. She swallowed and answered a little quietly, clearly a bit embarrassed by her answer.

"Her name… was Samara. My namesake."

"You do the name proud, Samara."

"You are too kind, Shepard." The Asari smiled.

The Commander left her in the midst of a small knot of crew, eager to speak with her about her people. In turn, she was asking them about human culture. Shepard was glad to see her overcoming her hesitance to associate with others, becoming closer to those she must work with.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard's next stop was on the engineering deck. As he entered the corridor running between the two auxiliary Cargo Holds and Main Engineering, he saw Kaidan standing at the window overlooking the Main Cargo Bay. The former Alliance soldier was looking out over the busy Cargo bay. Beyond, Shepard saw the makeshift sparring ring Garrus had constructed. The Turian was in the ring, wrestling with one of the human crewmembers. Beyond the ring, Shepard caught sight of a few wild sparks coming from behind a flimsy looking metal partition, hiding one corner of the Bay.

As the two humans watched, Garrus engaged in a vicious bout of boxing with his opponent, the pair landing painful blows on each other. The human stepped back, then lunged forwards in a sudden lunge, hitting the Turian in the gut with his shoulder. The pair tumbled to the floor, Garrus' mandibles clacking furiously as he fought. Padded combat gloves whistled through the air, a necessary precaution for the Turian due to his wickedly sharp claws.

With sudden shocking speed, Garrus' hands thudded into the crewman's side, just over the human's kidneys. As the Turian's opponent writhed in pain, Garrus rolled to get him in a lock, pinning the human to the ground in a complex move only made possible by the Turian's unique physical structure. Shepard couldn't be sure, but he thought he could see the alien's ankles pointing in impossible directions. The only way that a human could have replicated the move was by breaking his legs in several places.

"Looks like yet another win for Garrus." Kaidan murmured. "That's got to be about two dozen, now."

"If it's only two dozen, then he's been slacking. Omega's Archangel doesn't eat or sleep until he's taken down at least thirty opponents. Or so they say in the slums below Afterlife."

"Ha! I still can't get my head around Garrus being a vigilante in the roughest patch of real estate in the Galaxy. Guess things have changed since Saren and Sovereign, huh?"

"More than I like." Shepard admitted. "Things were a lot simpler back when it was just a rogue Spectre we were hunting."

"When you're wishing it was 'just' a Spectre you were up against, that shows exactly how screwy things have got."

"I hear that. Though, after the enemies we've faced, I'd probably just end up being bored if it was only a Spectre we were chasing."

"True." Kaidan laughed. "Two of the Council's best Spectres, two Reapers, the Collectors, the Shadow Broker… The list keeps getting longer and longer."

"We've met our fair share of powerful individuals in our time. I just wish a few more of them would be willing to help us rather than hinder our cause."

"Yeah. Things were a lot easier when I was working directly under Anderson."

"This after the first Normandy was destroyed?"

"Yes. After Alchera, I got called back to Earth. They debriefed me again about the mission to take down Saren. Now that you were out of the picture, they wanted to twist the facts to make it look like your claims that the Reapers were on their way was nonsense. They tried to make me say something that could be accepted as evidence that you had been influenced by Saren's lies or that the stress of the mission was getting to you. Hell, they even tried to blame it on Ashley's death! Said that maybe it was your feelings of loss and emotional attachment to her that impaired your judgement." The soldier grew angry at that. "I mean, she gave her life to stop the Reapers. She died a hero, and now they're trying to twist that sacrifice into something worthless. It made me sick!

"Anyway, after I let them know exactly what I thought of their insinuations, the Brass gave me a royal dressing down and I was relegated to an office job on Luna. After about six months, I'd have gladly traded places with you on a Cerberus operating table. Fortunately, Anderson came to my rescue. He pulled some strings and boom! I was out in the field again, as a part of the Alliance Military Intelligence service. Not quite as eventful as my time working with humanity's first Spectre, but my work with AMI was fulfilling, and a damn sight better than suicide by stapler."

"Any highlights of your time with AMI?" Shepard asked.

"Usually I was spying on pirates, or gathering info on potential slavery raids. Most of my work was to ensure the safety of human colonies, both Alliance and otherwise. That's why I was the one sent out to investigate Horizon. Seeing as there was someone definitely targeting human colonies, Anderson wanted to know who. Of course, those rumours that your Illusive Man circulated about Cerberus' involvement, and your work for them, made sure that I was the one Anderson picked for the job.

"There was one mission I was particularly proud to have been a part of. A Blood Pack band was making plans to attack one of our sealed atmo colonies. They were going to pierce the colony's shell and expose the colonists to an atmosphere that would have killed them all in a matter of seconds. I had to find out their schedule, intercept the shipment of explosives that would have opened up that colony bubble like a water balloon, and make sure the local security forces swept up every last one of the mercs involved.

"The info gathering went pretty smoothly, and it took next to no effort to find out the names, dates and places I needed to be. Pretty soon all the mercs in the colony had been rounded up, and we just needed to take down the ship with the explosives. That was my baby. As it was still interstellar at the time we dealt with their local contacts, the ship didn't come under the colony's jurisdiction. So I managed to get an Alliance frigate to lie in wait over the local Mass Relay. When the ship came through, we engaged. We had the element of surprise, and dealt with their defences no problem. We boarded, and then things hit the fan."

"Blood Pack don't go down easy." Shepard commented. "I'm surprised they even let you set foot on board without blowing the ship to hell."

"They did, eventually. We'd got almost to the bridge when the captain of the ship thought to activate the self-destruct. We heard the alarms, and started running for the docking arm back to our own ship. Almost there, and there's a squad of Krogan we missed on our first sweep, waiting for us."

"How the hell do you miss a squad of Krogan?"

"We were making our way to the bridge, the engines, the main control centres. They were in other parts of the ship, and managed to regroup in the areas we left behind us. They were caught off-guard and were ill prepared, but still dangerous. We had the numbers and the firepower, but they had the brute strength. Barely got out of there in time. Even had to leave the docking arm behind in our rush to get out of there. No time to disengage the clamps, so we blew the explosive bolts holding it over our airlock and ran for it. Few more seconds, and we'd have been toast, but it was a hell of a rush. With stuff disintegrating around us, and certain death right on our tails, it kinda reminded me of fighting alongside you, back on Therum."

"It's a part of the old Normandy spirit to cut things close to the line. You're not having fun unless your ass is about to be set on fire."

"True, that." Kaidan chuckled. "Though it's usually us setting things off, not the bad guys."

"Like Wrex said, an explosion every now and then is good for you."

"Yeah." Kaidan straightened up. "Hey, thanks for the chat, Commander. I'd better get back to my duties. Won't be long until we arrive at Stynos."

"Okay. I've got to have a word with our resident engineers."

Kaidan nodded, heading for the elevator. Shepard waited at the window for a moment later, watching the Cargo Bay. Down in the sparring ring, Garrus was unsurprisingly sizing up yet another opponent. Though the Turian was nursing a tender rib and had a slight limp in his left foot, he kept going, obviously raring for another fight. Shepard turned his attention from that to the mysterious construction on the far wall of the Bay. A flash of light made him flinch, and he saw Mordin frantically backing out from behind the makeshift metal wall, feverishly wielding a fire extinguisher. Shepard smiled at the Salarian's antics, moving away towards Main Engineering.

Inside the Normandy's heart, he found Ken and Gabby buzzing about. Gabby was hurriedly reading off a string of numbers while Ken checked a multitude of parts and instruments. A small pile of metal occupied the centre of the room, occasionally having parts added or removed by the two engineers. On the Commander's entry, Gabby saluted and paused in her duties.

"Commander. Need something?" She asked. On her words, Ken looked up from his task and straightened, walking over while he wiped an oil smear off his palm.

"I'm actually down to speak to you about those repairs you need to do."

"Oh, yeah. Kelly came down to tell us you want them done when we're in orbit around the next objective. That should be fine. Give us five or six hours, and we'll have the Normandy back up to full capacity." Gabby explained. "That's including EVA suit-up time and a cold start for the Core."

"What exactly is the extent of the repairs needed?"

"I figured you'd be down for more info." Ken said. "There's a small fracture in the Core's supports. I guess it might have been damage from the fire that was flying around in here when Illusive had us captured, worsened by the strain running through the whole ship back on Khar'Shan. No immediate threat, but if we don't deal with it the entire Tantalus Drive Core could tear loose, and if it does so with enough force it could punch a hole in the hull about as big as the shuttle. Aside from the risk to the crew, we'd lose all capabilities of moving aside from minimal thruster capacity, most of our power, and God knows what in secondary systems. I can't predict which way the drive would fly out of here, so there's no knowing what else it'd tear out."

"Sounds pretty serious. A lot more than your messages suggested."

"It's only in a very preliminary stage at the moment. A crack this small, it's going to take time and considerable strain to make it a threat to the ship's integrity. We could probably leave it for a couple of months and nothing would happen, but I don't want to make the repair job any bigger than it already is. Plus, we don't know what's round the next corner. Better safe than sorry, right?"

"Especially when it could leave us paralysed in the path of a Reaper." Shepard agreed. "Okay. You've got permission to power down the Core while I'm on Stynos. I'd like you to have everything back online by the time I get back."

"No problem, Commander." Ken promised. Shepard saluted before turning to leave.

As the Commander walked back towards the main corridor of the engineering deck, he paused at the top of the stairs to the sub-deck, between the doors of Main Engineering and the doors to the corridor proper. He looked down the staircase, into the dim red light of the sub-deck. For a moment, Shepard felt drawn to the stairs, wanting to go down and speak with Jack. He hadn't spoken to her in a while, and missed her company. But then his thoughts slipped back to their last conversation and, with a shake of his head, he continued on his way past.

On leaving Main Engineering, rather than turning right and heading for the elevator, Shepard turned left and moved towards the Port Cargo Hold. The doors hissed open before him, allowing him entry. He glanced about the room beyond.

In one corner, Grunt's old tank hummed quietly. The monolithic machine was filled with an electric blue fluid, teeming with nutrients designed to preserve a newly minted Krogan. The tank had housed Grunt while he was grown by Okeer, and the Normandy crew had never got round to removing the tank, its awkward bulk too much of a hindrance. Mordin had asked to study it on more than one occasion, perhaps thinking to develop more effective stasis pods than the ones in the corridor beyond the Crew Mess.

Behind the tank, Grunt had rearranged a bundle of supply crates into a crude platform, presumably a bed. Formerly, he'd slept in the tank, the nutrients in its fluid invigorating him in his sleep. This meant that, in combination with his enhanced Krogan regeneration, more powerful than the norm for his species, his sleeping arrangement helped him shrug off any injuries sustained in their operations against the Collectors. And those injuries were frequent. Grunt was basically the meat-shield of the squad, and he had a tendency to rush into the open to charge his enemies. The Krogan took a lot of fire and needed every edge he could get to keep his injuries from overwhelming him.

The Krogan in question was pacing about in the Hold. He was still wearing the majority of his battle armour, though he had removed the shoulder guards and gloves. The shoulder guard with Fotnar's plate set into it was lying on a table to one side, given a place of pride in the Hold so that any visitor's gaze was drawn to it.

Grunt looked over as Shepard entered before stepping over to the Hold's interior window, looking down on the main Cargo Bay.

"I see the Turian's kicking ass down there. I'll have to go show him how it's done."

"That's something I've got to get on video." Shepard joked.

"What? You don't think I'll wipe the floor with him?" Grunt challenged.

"Garrus held off three of the top dogs of Omega by himself for the better part of a week. One of those was Garm of the Blood Pack. I think it'll take a little more than a quick one-two to drop him."

"None of those idiots laying siege to his hideout were a match for an Urdnot warrior like me. The merc leaders, maybe, but they were too focused on bringing each other down to be a real threat. Even that Garm was too much of a blundering fool. His regeneration might have presented a challenge in hand-to-hand, but mine's just as good. I'd have taken him out before he could wear me down."

"That's your opinion. Speaking as the one who gunned them down, I'd say they were a challenge. And Garrus even more so. The tough son-of-a-bitch took a gunship to the face, Grunt, and afterwards he bounced back tougher than ever."

"Hah! That's a good point. The Turian has proved himself in combat, I will admit. I guess this is a question that won't be answered until we settle it in the ring."

"Just make sure neither of you is permanently damaged. I need fit warriors, not a blind Krogan and an armless Turian." Shepard warned.

"A battle loses its appeal when you take the fun out of it, Battlemaster. With no risk, what's the point?" Grunt whined.

"No dismemberment, okay?"

"As you command, Battlemaster." Grunt acquiesced eventually. "So what do you need, Shepard?"

"Just checking how you're settling back in."

"The ship feels a lot smaller than the last time I was here, but I figure Jath's work caused that." As the Krogan said this, he straightened to his full height, and the tips of his brow plates, along with the curve of his hump, nearly touched the ceiling. "It feels good when I get to leave the ship. And we've been doing plenty since you grabbed us from that dungeon on Tuchanka. Battles that would make any Krogan jealous. We're gonna go down in Tuchanka's history as legends! Me, the strongest warrior Urdnot has ever known. And you, the alien Battlemaster who brought salvation to our people by curing the Genophage. Together, we'll forge an even greater legend when we tear the Reapers apart with our bare hands. I can't wait!"

"I can always count on you not to back down from a fight." Shepard said with a smile. " What about the crew? Having any problems?"

"Not really had much chance to get friendly with them. They stay away from me, probably due to my, uh, new look. I don't mind. I like the quiet. Being in a small space like the ship makes me irritable, so any aliens coming to speak with me just gets on my nerves. Except for you, Battlemaster." He was quick to add.

"You've been cooped up for a while in that Jath lab, you're bound to want to stretch your legs a bit. Just don't vent your frustration on the crew. Not all of us are built as solidly as a Krogan."

Shepard left Grunt pacing about in the Cargo Hold. In seconds, the Commander had entered the elevator and keyed in the code to descend to the Main Cargo Bay.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard watched Garrus spar with yet another crewmember, this time a lithe young woman called Joanna Dourdan. The Turian circled her cautiously, knowing all too well that size was not a measure of strength. The girl, meanwhile, crouched in anticipation of his impending attack.

Surprisingly, Garrus let her make the first move. Joanna lunged forwards, hitting the Turian squarely in the chest. As he staggered back, she fell back onto the balls of her feet, ready for the counterattack. Garrus was quick to oblige. He spun around to deliver a powerful right hook to her ribcage. Her arm twitched fractionally to block the blow, deflecting the majority of its power. Even so, the impact was enough to jar her, her feet tangling together momentarily as she moved back. Garrus took advantage of this to aim another blow at her left side, though she just managed to skip back from the attack, the Turian's gloved fist only brushing her torso in passing.

Joanna went back on the attack, whipping a leg out in a vicious arc to catch Garrus in the ankle. The Turian's leg buckled, and she pressed forwards, her foot connecting a second time, this time with his stomach. However, instead of the yielding flesh she would have expected of a human's belly, she only found the rock-hard scales of the Turian's abdomen. It was just like kicking a hull plate, and the pained look on her face spoke volumes as she shuddered on her other foot. Before she could withdraw, Garrus' hands shot out to grab her ankle. A swift twist sent her plummeting to the deck, hitting the metal with a solid thump. She let out a small groan as her back impacted the cool metal. Before she could recover, Garrus had moved to straddle her, pinning her in a solid grip, his legs locked around her torso in yet another pose impossible for a Human. After a momentary struggle, Joanna realised she was beaten and tapped out.

Garrus spotted the Commander as he loosened his grip on Joanna, standing up and shaking hands with her. He then turned to face Shepard, his Turian features contorting into a smile.

"Shepard. Fancy stepping into the ring? I promise I'll try not to make it too humiliating for you. I know how much you humans like to look good in a fight."

"You know you'll be the one kissing the deck if I oblige, Garrus." Shepard quipped.

"Bold talk. Care to back it up?"

"Twenty-five?"

"Double it and I'll be interested."

"Deal."

Shepard said, stepping over the flimsy rope barrier of the sparring ring. Garrus chuckled before moving over to the far corner of the ring. The Turian clicked his head from one side to the other, mandibles flaring as he sized up Shepard's stance. Shepard, meanwhile, dropped into a crouch, fingers flexing as he positioned himself opposite Garrus.

The two warriors stared each other down, Garrus' sunken orbs locked with Shepard's steely glare. Neither moved for almost a full minute, each reading the other. Sensing the tension, a couple of crewmen sidled over, and from the corners of his eyes Shepard saw movement in the windows looking down on the Bay. Jacob was looking over curiously from the armoury window, while Zaeed and Grunt observed the action from their corresponding Cargo Holds.

Such was their scrutiny of one another that Garrus failed to surprise Shepard when he surged forwards. The Turian's gloved fist darted out to connect with the Commander's jaw. Shepard rolled with the impact, moving his head back so that the blow was only glancing and did no real damage. At the same instant, he lifted a knee to catch the Turian in the thigh, hitting a tender spot in the alien's physiology where a large bundle of nerves were located. Garrus gasped from the blinding rush of pain, but bottled it up, refusing to show a weakness in his defence. He retaliated with a quick one-two to the Commander's abdomen, though Shepard caught one fist with his forearm.

The pair traded blows in this way for a while, neither getting a distinct advantage over the other no matter how hard they tried. Finally, after an invigorating couple of minutes, they disengaged, both breathing heavily.

"Some nice moves you've got there, Garrus." Shepard said. "They teach you that on Palaven?"

"I actually picked most of this up in C-Sec." The Turian explained. "Not during standard training, of course, but when I was out on patrol. You get a couple of rowdy Krogan in a place like Chora's Den, you learn some valuable lessons about fighting hand-to-hand."

"I'll bet." Shepard replied, launching a new salvo of punches at his friend's head, chest and belly. "So what exactly happened with C-sec? You never mentioned how you went from operative of the month, after the Battle of the Citadel, to Omega's Dark Defender."

"I thought I covered this." Garrus said, sweeping a vicious kick at the Commander's feet. Shepard took the hit square on his ankle, not giving to the impact. "I got fed up with the Council's bureaucratic bullshit and bailed out before it did my head in."

"Yeah, that's what you said. But I know you, Garrus. There's more to it than you're letting on."

With sudden alacrity, Garrus spun around, bringing a foot up at head height to catch Shepard across the face. The Commander staggered back from the brutal blow, fists raised to counter any further attack. The Turian did not hesitate, laying into Shepard with a stunning flurry of punches, most of which he managed to fend off. Shepard bided his time and caught sight of a tiny crack in the alien's defence. He twisted out of the way of an incoming punch and grabbed Garrus' wrist. He tugged on the alien's arm, pulling him off balance. Shepard spun around, still holding the Turian's arm, and got Garrus in a powerful lock. The alien grunted, tugging forwards as he tried to break the Commander's grip, but only succeeded in toppling to the floor with Shepard clinging to his back. The pair struggled for a moment before Garrus finally gave in, relaxing and letting out a deep breath. Shepard gasped for air, exhausted by the flurry of activity, and waited a moment before getting up.

Garrus stood up stiffly, rubbing at his shoulder right where the Commander had jerked it backwards in his lock. He stalked over to the edge of the ring and resting his forearms on the rope barrier. All around the sparring ring, crewmen clapped and cheered at the display before turning back to their work. Shepard stole a glance up at Grunt's hold, where he saw the young Krogan staring at him. A menacing smile accompanied by a pointed finger sent a clear message to the Commander. If anyone would be the next one to fight Shepard, it was going to be him. Shepard grinned wolfishly before turning back to the Turian.

"You're right, Commander. There was more to my leaving C-sec than I let on." Garrus said slowly.

"After the Battle of the Citadel, I went back to C-Sec. I worked away there for a couple of months. Then you died and the whole station was in uproar. The Council started publicly backtracking on everything you said, and I was none too happy about it. I let my opinions be known, in a very vocal fashion. Damn near everyone in the Wards heard about it from me. Of course, Executor Pallin didn't like that one bit. I was raked across the coals for my actions, and got off lightly with a warning thanks to my past service."

"So you weren't everyone's favourite Turian." Shepard said lightly. "That's nothing new. As far as I remember, you didn't make many friends during your investigation of Saren either."

"There's more. After that, the head honchos of C-Sec noticed a more… vindictive style to my work. Things tended to escalate whenever I got involved. I was the agent to go to if someone needed bringing in, but I made a few mistakes and there was some collateral damage.

"The last straw was on one mission where I had to track down a Krogan in the slums of Kithoi Ward named Jarrkt. He'd been responsible for the disappearance of several dozen children in the Wards. I had evidence linking him to the abductions, and wanted to move in on him. But Pallin refused to authorise the operation. He was in the middle of an investigation involving some high-level bureaucrats on the Presidium, and said that moving in on Jarrkt would compromise that operation.

"I accepted that, but I still kept an eye on the Krogan bastard. I got word of another abduction due to take place in the near future. I took it to Pallin, but he wouldn't act. I couldn't sit still, so I went out there and took Jarrkt on by myself. I saved the kids and killed the bastard, but when I got back to HQ on the Presidium Pallin tears me a new one for disobeying his orders. He went on about how I'd endangered his operation, and that the risk had been too great. Apparently we were using the same contact, and my moving on Jarrkt could have compromised that source of intel. As it turns out, he succeeded anyway. Managed to expose the politicians as committing fraud in order to line their own pockets, skimming funds off money meant for Kithoi Ward's slums district."

"So everything turned out fine, then. You took a dangerous criminal off the street, and Pallin was still able to complete his investigation." Shepard reasoned.

"It wasn't fine. Pallin, and all of his peers, were willing to allow the kidnappings to continue, just to stop a bunch of crooked politicians from stealing any more money from the Council. When they gave me a dressing down for my lack of discretion, I let them know exactly what I thought. I really let loose. They had to have some of my colleagues drag me out of there. After that, they slapped a demotion on me and had me take a compulsory leave of absence to let my head cool. I just couldn't take it any more, after that.

"So, during my leave, I hop on the next shuttle aiming for the Terminus and don't look back."

"And then you find yourself on Omega, gunning down mercs?" Shepard asked.

"Yeah. With no politics getting in the way." Garrus nodded. "This past year I've wiped more criminal scum off the face of the Galaxy than C-sec has managed in the past fifty. Of course, I had help a lot of the time, but I'm still making a damn sight more of a difference now than I ever could back in my old job."

"Why keep this a secret? It's hardly anything to be ashamed of."

"C-sec was a big part of who I was, Commander. My father made certain I ended up there rather than any other career path. He hated it when I broke away from C-Sec to follow you in your pursuit of Saren. That's why I was able to rejoin so quickly. The Vakarian name has a lot of weight in the organisation. My father was C-sec, and his father before him and so on, back a full five generations. He's always been pulling strings, trying to make sure I follow in his footsteps."

"So you're afraid of disappointing him?"

"Kind of. Turians always have a strong sense of duty. We're expected to perform the tasks set before us, nothing more and nothing less. It's frowned upon to get ideas above your station, but its even more reprehensible to not live up to your commitments. If I tried to face him, having left my life with C-sec behind, I'm not sure how he'd react. I'm everything he doesn't want in a son."

"That can't be true, Garrus. Any father would be proud to have a hero like yourself for a son." Shepard reassured.

"Maybe in human society, but I don't think that's the case here." Garrus said, looking down at his feet. He took a shuddering breath and looked into the Commander's face. "I'm gonna go clean up now, Shepard. Good fight. We should do it again some time."

Shepard watched the Turian go.

**~o~0~o~**

The Commander's next stop was not far away, just on the other side of the Cargo Bay. A flimsy metal wall had been erected, more to stop people from looking about nosily than to provide shelter for anything. The nearer the Commander got, the louder the sounds of tools and machinery became. At last he rounded a corner to see Mordin clambering over a massive piece of machinery. The old Salarian moved with surprising agility, considering he was fast approaching forty years of age, the typical life expectancy for his species. The diminutive alien was wielding a wildly sparking too with one hand, adjusting various parts and opening and closing hatches at will.

The object he was working on was hard to make out. To Shepard's eyes, it looked like the skycar that Aria had 'gifted' to the Normandy during their last visit to Omega, although it looked like the vehicle had been given steroids. The armour was clearly bulkier, and the thrusters had been sized up to monstrous proportions. The vehicle looked like it could give any Omega joyrider a good run for their money.

As Shepard moved around the hastily erected barricade to keep the crew at bay, Mordin caught sight of him. The Salarian smiled and hopped down from the skycar's hood, eyes creased with pride.

"Shepard. Good to see you. Was hoping to wait a little longer before showing you latest project, but you are here now, so no time like present."

"What have you got here?" Shepard asked with wonder.

"Was inspired upon study of mission reports from Omega. Realised that Normandy is lacking in way of planetside vehicles. Decided to rectify situation."

"Lacking in vehicles? Mordin, we've got the bear cub and the Hammerhead. Are you sure we really need another craft?"

"Kodiak well-suited to military deployment. Can withstand environmental extremes and has large carrying capacity. But is poorly armed. Hammerhead carries significant firepower, but is limited in space and poorly armoured. Neither is suited for transportation in urbanised area. Militant appearance can cause alarm, perhaps worsen already tense situation. More civilian appearance is needed for covert operations in civilised areas.

"Nevertheless, have not forgotten about defences. Kinetic barrier, auxiliary and two-inch armour plating can withstand brutal punishment, even more so than Hammerhead. Was able to scavenge materials from tank you brought aboard at Khar'Shan. Made heavier, but compromised for increased mass by increasing power output of Mass Effect generator. Should be capable of sustained atmospheric flight at speeds comparable to those of Normandy."

"That's a hell of a speed, Doctor."

"Not recommending such speeds in built-up areas, Commander. Human reactions too slow to navigate a city skyline at these velocities. Merely pointing out that capability is there, should need arise. Moving on, have made further modifications to internal workings of vehicle."

The scientist tapped a few commands out on his omnitool, and the vehicle shuddered. Then the roof split apart and a compact block of metal extended up out of the gap. The metal quivered, and then unfolded, forming a long barrel almost the length of the skycar. In less than a second, Shepard was gazing at a powerfully built gun turret.

"Another gift from that Batarian tank we acquired?" He asked.

"Indeed. Kodiak's vulnerability highlights necessity of armaments on vehicle. Of course, on covert missions is to be used as last resort." Mordin explained. "But always wise to have multiple tricks 'in your belt', is that the correct human expression? Doesn't matter. Primary and secondary weapons systems sure to make enemies hesitate, and should catch the unwary off guard."

"I love it, Mordin. I'm sure we'll have a use for this in the near future." Shepard turned to the Doctor. "Thank you."

"Always a pleasure, Shepard. Though, am not most qualified to work with engines. Would have been easier with the Quarian Tali to render aid. Still, have done what I can."

"Its perfect." Shepard assured him. "I'm glad to have you back on board. How's the work going on helping Joker?"

"Have inspected relevant material regarding Joker's predicament, gave Dr Archer my opinions and suggested new methods to consider in separating the two psyches. Delicate work, very complicated. Left Archer and Revenant studying my notes on neurological augmentation. Gave seminar four years ago on Mannovai. Intriguing subject for study. Will pop by later to discuss possibilities. In meantime, finish up work here. Good to do something with hands, allows mind to work at problems."

"So you think we'll be able to separate the two of them?" Shepard asked.

"Eventually. Three of best minds for task working on project. Is very interesting team, as matter of fact. STG agent, Cerberus scientist and Collector. Can't think of any better team for task. Also refreshing to meet scientific minds that are a match for my own. Unusual to meet individuals with such broad and deep understanding of biology and neurology. Reminds me of time with STG team, back on Tuchanka. Invigorating company!"

"Good to know you're getting along. There's not been many of the crew ready to trust a Collector and a Cerberus scientist."

"Revenant and Archer have not specifically caused harm to me, bear them no ill will. If work here is desire to reconcile conscience over past deeds, or genuine wish to help our cause, then all is good. Still, will be ready should betrayal occur."

"I'll let you get on with your work, Mordin. You need anything, just let one of us know."

"Will do, Shepard. Thank you."

Before Shepard had even turned away, Mordin had clambered back onto the skycar. He popped open a hatch and dug through assorted wires, tool whirring away in his hand as he made crucial adjustments.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard returned to the CIC deck as the Normandy began the final leg of her journey to Stynos, about an hour out. The crew were bustling about in their final preparations for the Core shutdown. The repairs would need to be done swiftly and smoothly to ensure the Normandy could be back to full capacity as quickly as possible. Shepard silently returned a few salutes thrown his way as he stepped up to the Galaxy Map. Before him, he saw the Normandy's progress charted out with a holographic line that terminated at Stynos, a tiny blinking dot almost lost among the myriad stars of the Galaxy.

Shepard leaned on the rail above the map, watching his ship's progress like a hawk watching his prey. His fingers drummed on the rail in anticipation. He'd made all the preparations necessary for going out in the field, and now he felt the urge to get out there and accomplish the task before him.

He wondered what he might find down on the planet. He'd only been to a handful of Prothean sites before, and most of them had been little more than a few rocks sticking out of the ground. The most intact site he had ever visited was on Ilos. The buildings had been almost completely intact, and of course underneath the surface Shepard had found the research facility, inside of which had been the Conduit and the Prothean VI, Vigil. Would he find something similar here? Only time would tell, but the rumours were enough to whet the appetite of the least inquisitive of minds.

Shepard was drawn from his reverie by a polite cough from behind him. He stood and turned to see Etarn standing at the foot of the steps leading up to his station. The Commander smiled as he descended the steps.

"Etarn, how're you doing?"

"Very well, Commander." The Batarian said. "The crew have been surprisingly welcoming. With the bad blood between our species, I expected the human members of the crew to bear an understandable hostility."

"They've read the mission reports, and they know that I trust you. I don't bring people on board if all they're going to do is second-guess my decisions." Shepard said confidently.

"Indeed. You have an impressive team, and it's clear that you have their loyalty. It's rare to see a leader of such talent."

"Thanks." Shepard said gracefully. "Was there anything you needed?"

"I'm just looking around the ship, getting my bearings. The Normandy lives up to every one of its legends, Commander. A Turian and Human joint effort, if I recall correctly."

"The first one was. This is a replica, building on the groundwork established with the first one."

"Still, the principles of racial co-operation shine through in its innovations. After all, you kept the Turian CIC design. Human ships still keep their command centres up front, do they not?"

"You know a lot about other species' ship designs." Shepard remarked cautiously.

"It is good practice in Batarian politics to gain an intimate understanding of the capabilities and weaknesses of others, be they ally or enemy." Etarn smiled, the Batarian's eyes glinting with a shrewdness that was no doubt integral to his success in the minefields of Batarian politics. "Aside from that, I am very interested to see what species can achieve when they work together. If I can show my people the benefits of making peace with the rest of the Galaxy, then they will be more willing to support my cause. A powerful warship is just one result of racial co-operation. Countless new technologies can be developed in this way."

"You're very concerned for your people, aren't you?"

"We're at a crucial point in our development, Shepard. If we refuse to conform to the standards of the rest of the Galaxy, we risk becoming outcasts like the Krogan. If we do not find a way to expand beyond our worlds, then we will tear ourselves apart like the Drell. I refuse to see my people become a shadow of what they could be just because we were too set in our customs of discord and violence."

"It's a pretty difficult task you've set for yourself. Especially seeing as your race gets a lot of bad press in the larger Galaxy."

"You're right." Etarn admitted. "Gorm's government discourages any Batarians from leaving Hegemony space, so generally the only Batarians you see in your travels are outlaws, pirates and those on Gorm's payroll. Not the best individuals to represent our species.

"But we can be better than that. That's what I commit myself to- convincing the Galaxy not to judge us based on their observation of the worst our people have to offer."

"We know so little about Batarians. It's hard to make an objective judgement. Maybe you can tell me a bit about your people."

"I'd be happy to, Commander. What would you like to know?"

"How's your society structured? I've heard that you use a caste system?"

"Of sorts. I imagine that there are a good few differences between our system and the Human understanding of the term. The caste of an individual is determined by occupation, the social status of your parents, birthplace and your contribution to Batarian society. We are divided into four levels of society; Slaves, freemen, the ruling caste, and the Krol'dan, or 'Honoured' in human words. Caste is made apparent through our names. Slaves are given one name. Freemen get two. The ruling caste, of which I am a member, are given the duo-syllabic surname, split by an apostrophe, or a hyphen. The Krol'dan are given the rare middle name of 'Krol' in addition to the three-part name the ruling caste bear. Krol'dan are exceptionally rare. A Batarian can only be raised to this status after doing something of great significance for our people."

"Like what you are doing?" Shepard asked.

"Not quite." Etarn chuckled. "It would usually require some great feat in battle. Diplomacy does not do much to impress my people."

Shepard was about to ask another question, but his eye was drawn to the Galaxy Map. The brilliant dot that indicated the Normandy was almost on top of Stynos, blinking a warning of impending arrival at the selected destination.

"Looks like we're about to drop down to sub-light." The Commander commented. "I've gotta go prep my team. Let's finish this later, okay?"

"Certainly, Shepard. Good luck."

"Thanks."

Shepard walked past the Batarian, making his way to the elevator and keying in the code for the Cargo Bay, dialling up his omnitool to send a message to his squad.


	17. 17: A Gift From The Past

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 17: A Gift From The Past**

Shepard peered out of the shuttle's window as huge cloudbanks whipped past outside. Through the occasional break in the clouds the Commander spotted the lush green landscape below. Stynos possessed a rich temperate environment, supporting a diverse variety of plant life. A thick cloud layer contributed to the balmy atmosphere and the almost overgrown nature of the surface. Though the planet possessed such a diverse amount of vegetation, very little in the way of large animal species had developed, though a couple of species of large herbivores had flourished. Most of the planet's animal life was composed of insects and small reptiles. Native mammalian life was non-existent. The only mammals on the planet were the humans of the foundling colony and whatever species they had brought with them in the way of pets.

The shuttle powered past a long range of mountains as it descended below the clouds, bursting out into the clear space above the ground. It wove between a few more mountain peaks before the mass of prefabs that was the main part of the colony hove into view, set in a cleared area of the vast forests below. The cluster of shining metal buildings was organised into a haphazard formation, the semblance of order poking through amidst the chaos. A small landing zone had been cleared on the edge of the settlement, which the pilot angled straight towards.

Shepard took a deep breath as the shuttle's main hatch hissed open, the planet's thick, heavily oxygenated atmosphere rolling in. He climbed out of the shuttle, followed by his squad. Behind Shepard, Mordin tinkered with his omnitool. Following them closely, Kaidan and Jacob chatted companionably. Shepard had brought the two humans along to help put the colonists' minds at ease, given the makeup of his squad. No doubt the Revenant's presence would cause a stir among the people of Stynos, but seeing him escorted by three ex-Alliance soldiers, along with a diminutive Salarian, would dull their concerns somewhat, hopefully.

A small welcoming committee had gathered on the edge of the landing pad to meet them. Four humans in official-looking formal attire, accompanied by an Asari and a Hanar, of all things, watched as the Commander approached. When Shepard drew close, a human woman stepped out from amidst the group, extending a hand to shake. Her glittering green eyes met with Shepard's, sizing him up in one quick glance.

"Welcome to Stynos, Commander. I'm Elisa Kensington, one of the ExoGeni reps here. This is Anna Bridges, head of construction, Roger Matthews, director of the colony, Stephen Doyle, chief of security." She said, indicating the three humans, before turning to the Hanar and the Asari. "And this is Bolnan, a representative of the Tower of Shining Light, and Masirra, our resident head scientist. We've… uhh,"

Shepard looked back over his shoulder at what Elisa was staring at, along with the rest of the colony welcoming committee. Even the featureless Bolnan's form was tilted in a surprised fashion, tiny flecks of luminescent flesh shimmering in a rapid, confused pattern. Behind the Commander, the Revenant was manoeuvring his towering frame out of the shuttle. He turned his three yellow eyes towards the colony's officials, and Jeffrey, Anna and Masirra visibly blanched upon seeing his scarred visage.

"What… what is that?" Stephen stuttered.

"He's called the Revenant. I brought him along because he's got a… let's say a unique perspective, on Prothean technology." Shepard explained.

"And what does that mean?" Elisa demanded.

"It means what it sounds like. He's an expert, of sorts."

"What sort of a name is Revenant?" Roger asked.

"The sort that he chose for himself. Now, what can you tell me about Stynos?" Shepard asked, keen to avoid wasting time having to explain the nature of his squad unnecessarily.

"The planet? Or the colony?" Elisa said. "Planet's pretty much what you can see right now, at least on the surface. Green, warm, peaceful. The thick cloud layer in the upper atmosphere forms a sort of water canopy that keeps the heat in and gives the entire rock a uniform temperate environment. We're pretty much beyond the boundaries of settled space, so far so that we don't even have to worry about raiders or pirates.

"As for the colony, it's funded by ExoGeni, part of our Alliance-funded expansion project. We're here to test a few new technologies 'Geni's been developing for establishing human colonies. You know, new prefabs, experimental transplanted crops, livestock breeding facilities. We've got all the cutting edge tech here to make our lives easier, though we've constantly got the executives on our asses to get results on the new tech. Especially Jeong. Ever since Zhu's Hope rocketed onto the galactic scene with him at the helm, he's been even more stuck-up than usual."

"Ethan Jeong?" Shepard asked. "I met him back on Feros!"

"Yeah, well now he spends less time out with ExoGeni's colonists and more in board meetings. And his new prestige has not made him any more pleasant. Hardly a day goes by when he's not on the comm relay, chewing my ear off to get a hold of the latest results of our tests. It's only got worse since we dug up the ruins. I reckon if he had it his way the relics would already be off-planet and being put to use lining his pockets. But everyone here knows how important it is to leave everything as-is until it can be studied. I mean, the Council has rules about this. If we remove anything before a Council representative has looked it over, they'll drop down on our heads like a tonne of bricks. Still, you're here now, so hopefully we can get things moving here again."

"Let's see what we find. Do you mind if I ask a few questions about the ruins and the colony?"

"Go ahead, though I'm afraid there's probably not that much we can tell you. None of us are experts on Prothean relics. Masirra has had the most contact with the site, though Bolnan has had a look too, once or twice. I've only been down there once, myself. I'll be honest, it kind of freaked me out. It's weird to see a place that's so clearly meant to be lived in lying empty. Like visiting a relative's house just after their funeral."

"What technologies are you researching here, exactly? You mentioned crops and livestock?" Shepard asked as Elisa waved a hand, indicating the group should follow her. Shepard and his squad fell in step behind her, flanked by the colony's officials.

"Yeah. Not a lot of people understand that you can't just take a few seeds and some animals to set up a farm on an alien world. There are all kinds of things to consider when you want to set up a sustainable food source on a new colony world. We have no way of telling what the new soil makeup, different atmosphere, hell even the radiation from a different sun, is going to do to the crops we try to take with us. They might just not take to the soil, or they could fail to produce any seeds for the next generation, or they could produce food with no nutritional value or even toxic properties. Same goes for the livestock, they could eat local vegetation that is poisonous to them, or get a local sickness we can't treat. So we have several generations of crops and animals undergo gradual genetic modification to adapt them to the planet. So we need to test out the new gene mods in a way that doesn't risk contaminating the local wildlife, and can't be accidentally shipped back to an established colony to decimate their food sources."

"And prefabs?"

"As a newly-founded colony, we get offers from plenty of technology firms to test out their latest tech, kind of like a sponsorship. We get the prefab, they get the positive testimonial."

"I see. So what can you tell me about these ruins?"

"Like I said; not much. It's strange down there. I don't know much about Protheans, but from what I saw it looked like some sort of research facility. But then you also see signs of residential complexes. It's difficult because we don't understand how the Protheans thought."

"Right, thanks for that." Shepard said.

"I'm happy to help." Elisa replied. "But if you want some real information you really should talk to Masirra and Bolnan. They're the closest thing we have to experts here."

"Masirra's you're head scientist, right?"

"Yes. She's one of our newer arrivals. Even in today's Galaxy, ExoGeni is still a human-operated company, and our employees are almost entirely Human. It's only in very recent years we've begun to recruit aliens. She's primarily here to oversee our genetic modification project, but she's also had an education in mass effect physics, starship construction and geology."

"A very varied education." Shepard observed.

"Yeah. I guess that's an advantage of living for hundreds of years- you have the time to learn about all these things." Elisa said as she guided the group around a handful of prefab buildings. It was clear that they were heading for the far edge of the settlement.

"And what about Bolnan? What was the organisation he belonged to? Shining Tower?"

"Tower of Shining Light. It's actually one branch of the Hanar's religion dedicated to the Enkindlers, or Protheans. I don't pay much attention to it. If the jelly wants to worship a dead race, he's welcome to."

"I've never heard of the Tower of Shining Light before."

"You ever really delved into Hanar religion before? I know I hadn't until I met Bolnan." Elisa answered in a blasé fashion. "The Tower's a relatively small sect, formed after a recent schism. They disagree with the main Enkindler religion over how much of an influence the Protheans had on the development of the Hanar and other species. Not sure of the details, but they might believe that the Protheans didn't just 'enlighten' their species, but created them. I know it sounds crazy, and I don't pay much attention to it. He was visiting the colony when we unearthed the ruins and of course, being a Hanar, Prothean ruins drew his attention."

"Why was he here in the first place? An out-of-the-way colony like this, hardly a place where you'd get passing visitors. Especially not a Hanar priest."

"He said that he was out here to 'spread the light of the Enkindlers' to the more remote Human colonies. Lucky break, I guess. Go out in the service of your gods and have an entire treasure trove of their artefacts drop into your lap. Tentacles. Whatever."

Shepard nodded before turning towards Masirra, walking along a little further back in the group. Elisa, meanwhile, struck up a conversation with Kaidan, the pair discussing current affairs in the Alliance. The Asari was chatting to the colony's director, Roger Matthews. The middle-aged man looked at Shepard with a cautious eye as he approached.

"Commander." He said a little coldly. "I assume that Elisa has provided you with the information you require?"

"Yes, thank you. Roger Matthews, right?"

"You are correct." He said frostily. "And you are Commander Shepard. Hero of the Citadel. I'm curious as to why the Council would send you to our little backwater. Surely the first human Spectre has more important things to do than pick over old bones."

"I was in the neighbourhood. You're quite a way out here, it'd take a while to send someone else." Shepard answered, evading the true thrust of the question. He realised it would be unwise to explain that he was only here to look for technology he could use against the Reapers. For one thing, it sounded crazy, and for another, it wouldn't go down well with the colonists if they decided he didn't have their best interests at heart.

"I see." Matthews was clearly not convinced. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I have matters to attend to. Administrative tasks. I'm sure Elisa will be able to take care of anything you require."

With that, the director of the colony stalked off stiffly.

"Seems like a fun guy to know." Shepard remarked with a wry smile. "I think he likes me."

"That normal for you?" Masirra asked.

"Just about. You'd be amazed at the number of people one person can piss off." Shepard chuckled. "Elisa said you've had the most contact with the ruins, is that correct?"

"Just about. I've been to explore them almost every day. I don't touch anything." She said quickly. "I just look. This stuff's been lying there, undisturbed, for over fifty thousand years. I'm not about to break that record without permission."

"What can you tell me about the ruins?"

"They're big. I haven't explored far, but they could go pretty far under the mountains. From what we've studied of the Protheans, it's generally agreed they lived above ground. The skyscrapers of Feros pretty much confirm that on their own. So there's only one reason why they'd go so deep underground- weapons testing."

"Maybe it's just a rich lode of eezo."

"It's definitely not a mine down there. They weren't taking stuff out, they were putting stuff in."

"Elisa mentioned some residential complexes down there."

"Yeah. Could have been quarters for the scientists, but there seems to be an awful lot. If I hazarded a guess, I'd say that it doubles up as a covert research facility and a secure bunker in times of war. Which is odd."

"In what way?"

"I know my Prothean knowledge is sketchy, but I'm pretty sure there was no mention of a large-scale civil war in any of the sites that have been unearthed previously. If anything, the Protheans were more peaceable than any species we've come across. And there were no other species about at that time that they would have needed to defend themselves against. So why such a large-scale military facility?"

"I suppose we'll find out in due time. Anything else?"

"It does look like it was all built quite quickly. A lot of the passages are rough, and some of the rooms look unfinished. In some places, they've simply smoothed off natural spaces in the rock to use."

"Were you able to identify any of their equipment?"

"No. Even Prothean experts make little headway with the artefacts they unearth. They're just so… alien, there's no other word for it."

"Okay, well thanks for the information." Shepard said, before slipping back even further in the crowd to speak with Bolnan.

The Hanar was trundling along on the tips of his tentacles, managing to exude an air of grace even when removed from his natural environment. The pink mass atop the tentacles turned towards the Commander inquisitively and, even though there was no face, Shepard was fairly sure it was facing him. Then again, it may have turned its back on him, he never could be sure with Hanar.

"Are you… Bolnan?" Shepard asked hesitantly, hoping against hope he was addressing the correct end.

"This one is known by that name, yes." The Hanar's melodious voice rang out. "It is pleased to make Commander Shepard's acquaintance. How can this one be of service?"

"Elisa tells me you're a minister of the Hanar Enkindler faith?"

"That is correct. This one serves the radiant Enkindlers, travelling to the furthest reaches of the settled Galaxy to spread their truth."

"Their truth?" The question was out of Shepard's mouth before he could stop it, and Jacob let out a quiet groan as he anticipated a sermon swiftly approaching. Bolnan was quick to oblige.

"The truth that the radiant ones did not simply elevate life that was already there, but rather placed the life there in the first place. Without their influence, none of the sentient species in the Galaxy today could have risen to the stars."

"You think that the Protheans could create life?"

"This one does not think. This one Knows. How else could the Enkindlers have given us the gift of speech? Their legacy is waiting all over the Galaxy for us to find, hints and gifts to guide us towards the same level of civilisation."

"If they were so powerful, why are they gone now?"

"The Enkindlers simply moved on. Their work here was done once they had given us the start we needed."

"I found some information relating to the fate of the Protheans, back during my mission beyond the Omega Four Relay." Shepard said.

"This one considers that unlikely."

"I was able to confirm that the Protheans did not leave. They remained here, in the Milky Way, but were changed from their original form. They were genetically changed into an insect race called the Collectors."

"This one finds this to be unlikely." The Hanar's tone, normally so calm, was now tinged with the heat of anger. "This is blasphemy that darkens the light of the Enkindlers' truth."

Shepard opened his mouth to refute the accusation, thinking to even call the Revenant forward as evidence of his words, but realised it would be pointless and too time-consuming at this point. The Hanar priest was clearly too set in his views to listen.

"I'm sorry, if I have caused offence, I did not intend to." He apologised.

"This one understands." Bolnan said, huffily.

Shepard moved away from the disgruntled minister, eager to remove himself from the awkward atmosphere. He noted that they were nearing the edge of the settlement just as they rounded one final prefab and he found himself looking down on the ruins.

The ground had been scraped away in a large square, foundations being dug for a new shuttle port for the colony. A handful of digging machines sat idle in the massive pit, unable to continue due to the small pile of rocks in the centre of the disturbed soil. Those rocks, upon closer inspection, turned out to be the entrance to a long passage cutting deep into the ground. The digging work had partly destroyed the frame of the door that had sealed the room, but the shape was unmistakable. Two statues flanked the entrance, one broken in half by the digging.

Elisa escorted the group down to the entrance, picking her way across the uneven ground. When she finally came to a halt by the dark hole leading into the ruins, she turned to face Shepard's group.

"And here we are. Stynos' main attraction. I've no doubt that you want to get started straight away."

"Thanks. Masirra, can you show us around the areas you've explored?"

"Of course." The Asari nodded.

"Mordin, Revenant, I want you looking for computer interfaces, data disks and so on. Look for anything that might tell us what they were doing here." Shepard was rewarded with affirmative nods from both the Salarian and the Collector. A strange, squelching sound made the entire group turn around. Bolnan appeared to be shuddering, luminous markings flaring wildly.

"The ruins cannot be disturbed! The Enkindlers' legacy must be left undisturbed."

"Bolnan, what's wrong?" Elisa asked. "This is why we needed someone to come and inspect the ruins. We've got to see what we can discover down there. We didn't bring Shepard out here just for him to look at a bunch of old rocks. We need to see what value this facility has."

"Its value is clear! All who put faith in the Enkindlers can come and pay homage to them. This one cannot allow the desecration of this site."

The Hanar's tentacles were flailing about wildly, and Stephen, the security chief, hopped back as one whipped past his face. Elisa, face twisted with concern, raised her hands in a calming gesture as she stepped forwards.

"Bolnan, calm down!" She said sternly, her soft voice taking on a sharp tone. "Go with Stephen, we'll talk about this back at Roger's office!"

As the Hanar was escorted away by Stephen, Elisa threw Shepard an apologetic look.

"It seems you'll be pretty much by yourselves down there. Take Masirra with you. She can show you around. I'll be back to check on you after I've sorted Bolnan out."

"Okay." Shepard nodded his thanks before looking to his team. "Let's go see what we find."

**~o~0~o~**

Inside the ruins, all was deathly quiet. Shepard shone his omnitool light around, illuminating various pieces of technology as well as some almost completely demolished furniture. It seemed that age had wrought its terrible work on the majority of the items within, leaving little in the way of non-metal objects to study. The other items appeared to have fared much better, their metal and plastic materials much more resilient.

Mordin was the first one to move through the ancient detritus, his wide eyes taking in every detail. He stepped over to a terminal and waved his omnitool over it. The screens flickered dully, but remained inert. The Salarian frowned before taking aim with his omnitool. Stepping back, he pressed a control and arcs of electricity jumped out from the wrist-mounted device, tendrils of blue energy licking along the terminal's surfaces. The screen flared to life, banks of data scrolling across it. Finally it stopped on a strange image. Mordin grinned smugly.

"Simple overload burst provides short-term power. Prothean terminal hard to read, but data layout would suggest map. Saving image to omnitool." He paused as he dabbed at the controls, touching one button then another tentatively. "Appears to be little in the way of research data here, mostly text in reference to different locations. Running Prothean translation through omnitool. Data will be tenuous, as understanding of Prothean language is very limited, but may be able to decipher from context."

"Anything to suggest what they were looking into here?" Shepard asked.

"Not… Wait. Something here. Could be wrong, but seems that this room here is used to house an element zero core." He pointed to a portion of the map, which began to blink blue as his digit waved through it. "Are some rooms with similar layout in a heptagonal pattern. Pattern suggests purpose of rooms connected. What could need that much power?"

"Hopefully something we can use. Are you familiar with that section, Masirra?"

"I think I've been through that section before, though I had no idea it was an eezo jenny. It is one of the few areas that still has power."

"Let's go take a look, then."

Masirra led the group down a few dusty old corridors, looking about uncertainly as they navigated the ancient labyrinth. Occasionally they had to consult Mordin's downloaded map, though it took a lot to decipher even the smallest amount of information from it, so it took some time to find their way. As they proceeded deeper into the facility, the Salarian constantly checked the map against his surroundings, seeking to learn how to read it properly.

Their journey took them past a few empty rooms, the purpose of which was unclear. Some could have been used for cargo storage, but they had either never been filled or their contents had long since turned to dust. Shepard thought back to Masirra's observation that the facility had been built in a hurry. Perhaps they had been so pressed for time that they had never even been given the chance to stock the facility with what they required. There was only one reason Shepard could think of for the Protheans to put such a frantic amount of work into a military installation. They must have been under attack from the Reapers, urgently seeking a way to fight back. That made the contents of the base all the more precious. There was no telling what the Protheans may have been on the cusp of developing.

At last they reached the room Mordin had indicated, stepping in gingerly. Shepard felt his hand twitch to his hip as the lights flickered on overhead, at first assuming there was someone else down here, but when no one appeared he realised the lights were probably automated, reacting to their presence. He marvelled at the resilience of the equipment that it still functioned so well on its own.

In side, the laboratory was dominated by a massive dome-shaped construction, its smooth surface still shining cleanly. It seemed that the dust of the ages had refused to settle upon it. Shepard moved up to inspect the silvery curvature of the dome, seeing his reflection staring back at him with a curious expression on its face.

The Revenant stalked out into the open space before the dome, gazing up at it with an aura of awe. His yellow eyes glinted as he studied the device.

"Seem familiar to you?" Shepard asked him.

"I don't… Maybe. It certainly has all the characteristics of one of our own mass effect field generators. If it produces power on a similar scale to Collector technology, you could expect to see a generator of this size power a dreadnought-class ship. There are some differences to it, of course, mostly in building materials, but the core principles of its construction shine through."

"It's a hell of a lot of power just to keep the lights running. Mordin? Anything to tell us what it actually does?"

The Salarian had found another bank of terminals, this time much more complex than the one he had downloaded the map from. As he powered up the displays, Masirra and the Revenant joined him, the trio working in sync to pull up what information they could. After some searching, their efforts were rewarded.

"I've got something here." Masirra said. "Looks like the schematics to a big weapon. I can't be sure, but it may be rigged to fire large rounds of compressed eezo."

"A singularity gun? I haven't seen anyone manage to make one much bigger than a shotgun. How big is this thing?"

"It's a planet-based weapons installation. You wouldn't be attaching this to a ship. You'd be attaching a ship to the gun." She smirked.

"Cute. How'd they manage to make such a big one?"

"Not just one." Mordin interjected. "Seven installations."

"Why so many?" Shepard asked.

"Have analysed firing protocols. All seven weapons are linked together to fire at same time. Seven singularities created in uniform heptagonal pattern around target area. If understanding theory behind it correctly, singularities induce stress upon target, pulling at kinetic and biotic barriers and armour. Gravitational forces of such power can create stress fractures in armour, distort internal structure of ship, or make kinetic and biotic barrier generation problematic. Once this is done, eighth gun, still to be completed, fires round made from super-dense alloy at centre of pattern. This round, accelerated to near-light speeds, detonates with force comparable to twenty human-designed nuclear devices. Against structure weakened by singularities, can be devastating."

"Could that really work?"

"Is possible. Can understand theory. Gravitational pull, in seven uniform directions, can greatly reduce elasticity of armour and shields. Ability to absorb or deflect attacks is diminished. Essentially turns defences into weaknesses."

"Did they ever test the thing?"

"Yes." The Revenant answered. "Even though the entire weapon is unfinished, they tested the seven singularity projectors in conjunction with a smaller weapon. Not quite as effective as the finished product, but enough to study the weapon's potential."

"And? Was it any good, or just a dud?"

"They fired it at the planet's moon. You can see for yourself just how well it worked."

"What moon?" Shepard asked, not remembering any satellites in orbit around Stynos.

"Precisely." The Collector responded.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You telling us that this thing can destroy a moon?" Jacob asked with disbelief.

"Not in one shot." Masirra answered smoothly. "According to the data, they could have fired as many as a dozen shots."

"That's still impressive." Shepard said. "The question is, how well could it perform against a Reaper's defences?"

"I'm sorry, Reaper?" Masirra asked. "Is that a codename for some secret Alliance project? 'Cause the only Reapers I've ever heard of were those silly little folk tales they told us back in kindergarten."

"They're a little more than make-believe." Shepard explained. "They're real. Saren's flagship during the battle of the Citadel was an actual Reaper, the first of many intending to descend on the Galaxy and wipe it clean of sentient life."

"Heh, you're funny, you know? For a second there you actually had me…" She caught the look on the faces of the three humans. "You're serious? 'Cause this sounds like you've taken one too many bullets to the head."

"Kaidan, did you keep a copy of that chat I had with Sovereign back on Virmire?"

"Yeah. The Council took the originals following our debrief after the Battle of the Citadel, but I made sure to keep copies, just in case."

The ex-Alliance agent tapped out a few commands on his omnitool, and a holographic image popped up, showing the Commander standing on a narrow platform before a hologram, glowing a malevolent red, which stood at an impressive several metres in height, dwarfing the human before it. Behind Shepard's image, two shapes flickered uncertainly on the very boundary of the display, the two team-mates he had brought with him during the mission. The Commander shuddered as Sovereign's deep bass thrum sounded out, the memory of the spiteful machine's haughty words and actions raising the hairs on the back of his neck.

"The pattern has repeated itself more times than you can fathom. Organic civilisations rise, evolve advance. And at the apex of their glory, they are extinguished." The Reaper droned menacingly.

Masirra listened patiently as the recording played out. When it finished, she still bore a sceptical expression.

"And this was enough proof for you, huh? Ever think that Saren could have fabricated that recording? It's not too hard to do, you know."

"There was other evidence, too. We spoke to a Prothean VI left behind to warn us of the Reapers' coming. And then, of course, there was our mission beyond Omega Four. If you want to know about the Collectors' association with the Reapers, just ask our three-eyed friend over there." He indicated the Revenant.

"A Collector? You're not making this an easy sell, Commander." The Asari said, arms folded across her chest.

"The Commander is correct. Before his mission beyond the Omega Four Relay, my people were in contact with the Reapers. We obeyed their every command, eventually leading to our kidnapping tens of thousands of human colonists."

"And after that mission?"

"I am now the sole surviving Collector in the Galaxy."

"Damn. I'd better not get on your bad side, Shepard." Masirra murmured. "Okay, so say I believe you, do you really think that this weapons facility will help?"

"That's what we're here to find out." Shepard said. "We're searching for anything that we can use. Weapons, shields, drive technology. Every edge we can scrounge up."

"Alright. I'll help you to get copies of all the data down here. I'd recommend you don't mention any of this to Mr Matthews, however. He's hoping to turn this find into a goldmine he can skim off the top of. I don't think he'd take well to the possibility that the relics will be removed for some galactic war effort without any chance of Stynos being compensated for it."

"I figured as much. Back when we met, he gave off the feeling that he'd rather have not had to put up with our presence here. I'm fully prepared for him to call in some slimy lawyer types to try and keep us from taking anything that we can use."

"Then we'd best get to work." Masirra said.

"Agreed. Masirra, you stay with Mordin and the Revenant. See what you can get off that terminal. Jacob, Kaidan, with me. We'll see what else we can find in the rest of the facility."

**~o~0~o~**

Several hours later, Shepard returned to the weapons lab where the three specialists were still processing data from the terminal. Masirra looked up from her work as the three humans returned, flashing them a smile before resuming her studies.

"Find anything interesting?" She asked.

"Not much. The lower levels are mainly residential. Probably quarters for the scientists. A lot of the space looked unused."

"Makes sense if they were under attack from your 'Reapers'. It's clear now that this facility was some final desperate attempt to save themselves. They probably intended to fill all of the space down below with supplies and survivors, keep them safe until the Reapers had gone. Problem is, they never got the chance to do so. They got the scientists here, along with enough materials for their research, but never had a chance to get the civilians here."

"And then, we get a repeat of Ilos." Shepard murmured.

"How so?" The Asari asked.

"There was a research facility on Ilos, working to replicate the Mass Relays, among other things. The scientists remained in hiding until the Reapers had gone, and then finished off their research." Kaidan explained.

"But they didn't have the numbers to undo their own genocide." Shepard said. "The Prothean race as it had been died out when they did."

"And now all that's left of their civilisation is a bunch of ruins, and our insectoid friend here." Masirra said. On catching Shepard's questioning look, she pointed a thumb over her shoulder at the Revenant. "He told me all about it while you were gone. Tragic story, really. Bad enough the Reapers destroy everything they built, but then corrupt them into nearly mindless slaves. I may have been sceptical before, but if this is a load of bull, you've gone a hell of a distance to make your case."

"Have you found anything new on the weapon?" Shepard asked.

"We've managed to download the schematics of the weapon. It won't be easy to replicate, but given time we should manage it. Other than that and the results of their tests, there's little else here. Seems like this was all they were working on here."

"It'll do. Let's get the data back to the Normandy and-"

The Commander was interrupted by a tremendous thump overhead. The ruins shuddered, a hazy fog of disturbed dust rising up to obscure vision and choke lungs. Shepard coughed as he inhaled the abrasive air, waving a hand in front of his face as he reached for the breather segment of his helmet. His companions followed suit, except for the Revenant, whose unique physiology allowed him to breathe the clogged air with no difficulties.

"What the hell was that?" The Commander spluttered as his sealed breathing system fed him clean air to clear his lungs.

"Explosion." Jacob said. "Above ground. Could have been a vehicle-mounted weapon."

"Someone trying to destroy the ruins?"

"More likely trying to acquire them, and getting rid of the colony sat on top of them. Guess you were right about trouble never being that far away, Commander."

As another explosion rocked the ruins, Shepard spotted the warning signs in the ceiling. A spider's web of fractures spread through the stone and the groans were audible to all. Shepard's team, used to intense situations like this, reacted in exactly the way he would have expected them to, taking cover in the split-second's warning they had. Masirra, however, was clearly less prepared. Seeing the Asari scientist paralysed with surprise even as the ceiling began to collapse, Shepard leapt across the distance between them, catching the Asari around the waist and dragging her down to the floor. He arched his back protectively over her as the rubble cascaded down around him, wincing as a few especially large rocks jarred him.

After a few moments the ruins were plunged back into silence, the rockfall stopping as swiftly as it had started. Shepard found himself almost completely buried by the fallen rubble, a downpour that would no doubt have killed him had he not been wearing his armour. For a few painstaking moments, all he could hear was Masirra's panicked breathing as she took in their situation. Then, with a sudden scraping noise, the heavy weight on Shepard's back was lifted. He felt a wave of relief from the muscles in his back as they relaxed, and he was able to stand.

Kaidan and Jacob helped the Commander and Masirra out of the rubble, while behind them the Revenant and Mordin picked over the remains of what had once been the terminal they had used. Mordin turned to the Commander as he approached, carefully picking his way through the rubble.

"Terminal unsalvageable. Fortunate had already downloaded majority of data to omnitool. Only lost test data. Still have almost complete schematics for weapon."

"Good save, Mordin. Now, let's see what in god's name is going on up there."

Shepard drew his rifle, Kaidan and Jacob following suit. The Revenant chose to forgo a weapon and drew small biotic fields around either hand while an omnitool was all the armament Mordin required. Masirra had produced a small pistol from her belt, though it was clear from the way she held it that she was untrained in the use of a weapon. Shepard realised the best thing to do would be to find her a safe place to hide until the danger had passed. The ruins remained dangerous, partly due to the chance of another rockfall, but mostly due to the fact the looters would eventually make their way down here and discover her.

Shepard was about to lead the team out of the ruins when Masirra tilted her head curiously, looking to a dark corner of the room.

"What's that?" She asked.

She clambered across the now uneven floor, making a beeline for a glimmer of light amongst the rocks. She lifted a few of the obstructing rocks to uncover a strange looking device. It was a silver sphere, about the same size as a Krogan's skull. The surface rippled mysteriously, managing to keep its shape even though it was clearly not solid. The Asari reached out to tough it.

"Hold on a minute, Masirra." Shepard cautioned. "I've seen a couple of these things before. They tend to react violently when you touch them."

"It's about the only tangible relic we've found in these ruins. If we do have raiders on the way, we need to hide it from them."

Masirra reached out and brushed the surface of the globe gingerly. The orb just sat there, quietly. With more confidence, the Asari picked it up, lurching a bit under the weight, but managing to carry it.

"Feels kinda like trying to handle a water balloon. Spongy, but holding its shape. Tingles." She narrated as she carried it into the middle of the room, where they could examine it further.

"No time to do a proper analysis just now, but it's too valuable to leave behind. Masirra, you carry it. When we get back to the colony, we'll escort you to a safe place where you can hide both the relic and yourself until this is all over, okay?"

"Yeah. No problem." Masirra said calmly. Shepard had to admire the cool head she was keeping, with everything that was going on around her.

The Commander led the group back through the dusty passages, rifle held at the ready as he rounded each and every corner, expecting to be faced by a battalion of pirates or raiders at every turn. The question was, what were they doing here? The Prothean relics were of incredible value, and therefore made a tempting target for any enterprising cut-purse out there, but news of the discovery hadn't been divulged to the public. All information pertaining to the ruins had been sent along secure Alliance and ExoGeni comms channels. Even Liara had needed to do some work to find information on them.

So that meant that there was a leak in either organisation. Or a traitor. Shepard tried to push that thought from his head. That someone would sell out such a valuable find for humanity in exchange for a handful of credits was a thought he didn't like to entertain. But then he thought back to Roger Matthews' swift departure. Had he been so unsettled by the chance of the visiting Spectre taking his new-found goldmine away from under him that he had called in some pirates? The Commander hesitated to assume he was that desperate.

As Shepard considered this, the team rounded the final few twists in the passages until they came face-to-face with the way out. The white of Stynos' near constant cloud cover shone down towards them temptingly. Shepard motioned silently for Kaidan and Jacob to take up positions on either side of the entrance, ready to leap out and attack any enemies who showed themselves. Shepard moved towards the square of light, cautious for any enemies lying in wait.

What he saw beyond was hardly a surprise. Two squads of raiders waited, their motley assortment of armour and weapons identifying them as a pirate band. What caught Shepard's eye, however, was the ship hovering above the colony. Gun turrets sprouted from its belly, firing at random in a devastating barrage that was quickly incinerating prefabs right, left and centre. Even from this distance, the cries of the injured and dying could be heard. Shepard had to grit his teeth in anger at the suffering caused by greed.

He shifted his focus to the pirates milling about beyond the entrance. Two Batarians stood with an air of superiority, a swagger to their step that contained the arrogance of power. Shepard made a note of these commanders, labelling them as primary targets in the approaching combat. With the officers identified, he scanned the rank-and-file of the enemy numbers. Most carried assault rifles and shotguns of shoddy design, though he did spot a handful of rocket and grenade launchers among their arsenal. A half dozen off to one side conspicuously had their weapons holstered, though they looked no less prepared for combat. Biotics, probably.

Using silent signs, Shepard relayed his appraisal of the situation to his comrades, along with a set of instructions. Mordin stepped back to stand next to Masirra, ready to defend her. Jacob and Kaidan, flanking the entrance, tensed to leap after their commander. The Revenant began to glow as he drew dark energy about himself, falling into a crouch as though he was ready to start running. As the seconds drew by, the biotics around him glowed brighter and brighter.

Shepard counted under his breath, waiting for his mark. After five deathly silent seconds, he jolted forwards, leaping out of the ruins with a battle cry. His rifle sang in his hands as he leapt over disturbed earth towards his foes, one soldier before two dozen thugs. Before the bullets even had a chance to start flying back in his direction, Jacob and Kaidan leapt out from their positions, biotics flaring around one hand as the other carried a pistol that laid down a devastating attack.

Pirates fell by the handful, some caught so unprepared they never even had a chance to raise their weapons. One of the commanders died with three rounds from Shepard's weapon in his gut, while the other darted behind his troops to hide from the attack, choosing the cowardly option of directing the battle from as far away as he could. The Commander stumbled as a pair of rockets flew his way, throwing up plumes of dirt and rubble. One rocket-wielder let out a startled cry as he lifted up into the air, spinning dizzily as Jacob raised a hand. Then, with a yell of dismay, he ploughed through his comrades, eventually falling unconscious after he was used to bludgeon a fourth member of his team into oblivion.

As Shepard and his comrades took cover wherever they could, Kaidan and Jacob finding refuge behind a large boulder turned up from underneath the soil while Shepard threw himself down into a shallow furrow in the ground, going prone as he switched to his sniper rifle, the glow emitting from the entrance to the ruins grew brighter and brighter. Finally the source of the light, the biotically illuminated Revenant, came charging out with a roar. Like a brilliant blue comet, the insectile being charged into the heart of the enemy ranks, coming to a halt with a thump and a shockwave that blew their formation apart. The Collector lashed out left and right with biotic blasts, levelling pirates like they were stalks of wheat before a great storm. Shepard provided some support by using his sniper rifle to drop the handful of pirates that had the presence of mind to raise a weapon in defence, and Jacob and Kaidan moved in to stand on either side of the Revenant, using a combination of their biotics and their bullets to mow down the enemy squads.

In a few brief minutes, the battle was over, and the dig site was thrown back into silence. Mordin and Masirra ventured out of the ruins carefully, the latter holding the Prothean relic between her hands like it was made of glass, while the former guided her down over the rough earth. Shepard nodded to them as he stowed his sniper rifle and unholstered his assault rifle again. With a gesture of his gun barrel, he indicated the direction they should proceed in, and his squad fell into step behind him, with Kaidan, Jacob, Mordin and the Revenant keeping Masirra in their midst where they could give her the most cover.

Shepard led the way down the empty streets, cautiously watching the shadows for any ambush that could have been awaiting them. The ground trembled underneath as the pirate ship continued its assault, demolishing the residential areas of the colony with deadly recklessness. The team constantly found themselves ducking out of sight of marauding bands of raiders as they prowled the streets.

They were approaching the administrative building of the colony, still intact even after the beating the colony had received, when Shepard heard the sounds of marching feet and shouted orders around the next corner. He waved his team into the darkness of a narrow alleyway, ducking in after them. He paused just within the refuge of the alley's entrance, waiting for the approaching forces to appear.

Roger Matthews steamed into sight, standing at the head of a column of armed personnel. He now sported a set of sleek black battle armour which glinted dully in the fading light. At his hip he carried a professional-looking SMG and a powerful pistol, while his torso was sheathed in a holographic interface which denoted the presence of some advanced Tech Armour.

The director of the colony halted abruptly and turned to his troops, barking off a string of orders.

"Stenton, Fairchild, take your squads and comb the streets for survivors. Birrel, Leent, you're with me. Let's go and make sure the interlopers don't make off with anything valuable."

Shepard stepped back as two squads peeled away from the main group, Matthews still shouting out orders to the remaining troops. The Commander turned to his squad as they shuffled to remain hidden from view.

"I knew it." Shepard whispered. "Something about that guy didn't sit right with me. He called in the pirates and now he's hunting for us."

"I can't believe Mr Matthews would do this." Masirra murmured. "I mean, he's always been secretive and we know he's only interested in making money from these ruins, but using pirates to wipe the colony out? I can't believe it!"

"What now, Shepard?" Kaidan asked. "He'll know right away if we try to leave. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if he's already got the landing pad and our shuttle locked down."

"He's the leader, so if we take him out, the assault should lose its co-ordination. Then our job will be a lot easier, though we'll still have a lot of pirates between us and the Normandy." Shepard explained.

His squad nodded, raising their weapons in anticipation as he moved closer to the alley's exit. He waited until the other two squads had filed away down separate streets, leaving Matthews with only two squads at his disposal, the ones under the command of Birrel and Leent. Shepard's fingers curled around the trigger of his gun, bracing himself to leap into action.

As Shepard pounced out into the open street, swiftly followed by his squad, he was amazed by the speed with which Matthews reacted. The colony director spun to face him instantly, immediately sizing up the threat before darting into the cover provided by the corner of a prefab, all without Shepard's squad managing to fire a single shot. His troops followed suit, taking up defensive positions about the street as their leader shouted out to the Commander.

"Whoa! Whoa! Hold your fire, Shepard!" Matthews called out.

"And then what? You keep us under lock and key while you loot those ruins? I don't think so!" Shepard retorted.

"That's not why I'm here, Shepard. We have friends in common, or one in particular."

The Commander hesitated at that last comment, still keeping his weapon trained on the spot Matthews would pass through if he emerged from his cover. The director's tone contained a very strong hint that he knew more than he had previously revealed. Reluctantly, Shepard relaxed his grip on his weapon a fraction.

"Step out here where we can see you. Any funny business and we've got five bullets that'll find your head before you can blink."

Matthews stepped out carefully, walking over with hands held out to either side of him in a gesture of pacifism. His weapons sat conspicuously in their holsters, too far from his hands to draw before Shepard's squad could drop him. He stopped a few steps away from Shepard, dropping his voice so that his own troops could not hear him.

"The Shadow Broker sends his regards." Matthews said slowly. "I know that you're here at the Broker's request, as am I."

"Prove it." Shepard demanded.

"You're cautious. That's good." Matthews nodded. "The Broker anticipated this, and told me to give you a message. I'm supposed to tell you 'Try not to repeat the circumstances of our meeting. We need these ones.' I take it that's something you understand."

Shepard nodded at the message, deciphering it using his past with Liara. Back when he'd met Liara, his actions had resulted in the destruction of some Prothean ruins, a necessary sacrifice to rescue the Asari scientist. 'These ones' had to refer to the ruins beneath Stynos' surface, and the events would be impossible to connect without an in-depth knowledge of the history Shepard shared with the Shadow Broker. It was enough proof for the Commander.

"Okay. What's the situation? I heard you telling your other teams to look for survivors?"

"Yeah. We've got several bunkers built underneath the colony for just such an occasion. My people have secured three of them, and we're sheltering any colonists we can find in them. So far we've not found many survivors. These pirates seem pretty set on wiping us out."

"What about these pirates? Any idea who is leading them? Numbers?"

"I think we're looking at about a hundred, maybe a hundred and fifty tops. The main problem is that damn ship." As Matthews mentioned it, as if on cue, the ship fired another salvo that made the ground tremble. "But they've got to have people on the inside to help them. That's why our AA guns haven't opened fire, not that they'd make much difference against an enemy of that size. Any time I've tried to access our security systems to hinder the enemies on the ground my attempts have been blocked."

"Any theories on who betrayed us?"

"There's only a couple of people with the level of access necessary to be able to cause this much disruption- myself, Elisa and a couple of other ExoGeni reps, Masirra and Stephen Doyle."

"Well we can rule Masirra out. She's been with us for the duration of our stay here. She's not had a chance to disrupt your efforts to repel the pirates. So that leaves the ExoGeni reps and the security chief. Where could they be?"

"In the colony's administrative hub, just a few streets away. It's the heart of our computer network, and would give someone the access needed to control all facets of colony defence systems."

"Then that'll be our next stop." Shepard said firmly. "We take out their mole, and the pirates lose a vital resource. But first, can you spare a few troops to escort Masirra to one of those bunkers you mentioned? It's important she's kept safe until this is over."

"That won't be a problem. For dealing with our traitor, I suggest you take your team and hit the far side of the administrative complex, while I take my team to the front doors. Hopefully our attack will hold their attention and you can sneak in."

"Agreed. Masirra?" Shepard called over his shoulder. "Go with Matthews. He'll see you to safety. I'll find you once this is over."

The Asari nodded before she was surrounded by a phalanx of Matthews' troops, who escorted her away down the street. Shepard watched them go, throwing the Shadow Broker agent a salute as he nodded a farewell. Then the Commander turned and headed off in another direction, taking his squad around the back of the colony's heart.

After a few minutes, Shepard halted in front of the back wall of the administrative hub. The building, a twisting cone of glass and steel, towered overhead, it's very summit pointing at the belly of the pirate vessel hovering overhead. A single steel door lurked at the base of the building, a squat rectangle of weakness in the walls. Shepard stepped over with some trepidation, swiping his omnitool over the interface. A display of the lock's code flared up, and Shepard got to work bypassing the keycode.

The door opened with a clank, swinging away from the Commander to allow entry. Shepard shone the torch from his 'tool into the dark interior, holding his rifle in his free hand in an unsteady grip as he swept the immediate area around the door.

"All clear. I guess the pirates haven't had enough time to establish a guard around all the exits." Shepard confirmed.

"Or they're somewhere else, and all we'll find is a bunch of empty hallways." Kaidan suggested.

"Matthews didn't seem to think there was anywhere else to override the security systems from. If nothing else, at least we can activate the colony's AA guns from here."

The squad made their way through the empty halls, lit only by the dim light filtering through from outside. They listened cautiously for any sounds of pirate activity, but were rewarded with none for the first few minutes of their infiltration. So absolute was the silence in the building, Shepard jolted when his 'tool beeped with an incoming communication.

"It's Matthews. We're in the lobby, but there's no sign of any enemy contacts. It's like a crypt in here."

"Same back here. I'm not so sure we're looking in the right place."

"We'll keep looking. Head for my office, on the fifth floor. I'll meet you there and we can-"

The transmission suddenly erupted into a cacophony of gunfire and startled shouts. Shepard picked out the rattle of automatic rifles, the sharp cracks of pistols and the explosive coughs of shotguns, mingled with the cried of injured and dying soldiers. Matthews' voice could be made out shouting orders to his troops, but it was clear that the apparent emptiness of the building had put them off-balance and they had been caught unawares, taking heavy losses in the crucial first moments of the attack.

"Matthews! Matthews, can you hear me?" Shepard only received static in response. "Damnit. They must have known we'd be coming in order to plan an ambush. If they were smart enough to be ready for Matthews, we need to watch out for any traps they might have set for someone circling 'round the back."

"Should look out for a terminal connected to building's internal net." Mordin chipped in. "Perhaps possible to turn ambush back on enemies."

"What are you thinking, Mordin?"

"Wait and see. Want to be sure of odds of success first."

Shepard smirked at the Salarian's evasiveness. The alien doctor could sometimes be downright frustrating when he had a plan he refused to explain, but he was right on the money ninety-nine per cent of the time. His intellect could lead him to a solution that shocked anyone involved, and could almost never be predicted.

They proceeded slowly along the corridors, looking for an office that would suit Mordin's needs. After searching a few rooms that contained nothing more than a couple of filing cabinets and some waiting rooms, they found what seemed to be the office of some minor official. Small, but equipped with a networked terminal. Mordin clucked with appreciation and moved behind the terminal. In seconds he had extended the holographic display well beyond its normal proportions, scrolling the data across it with practised ease.

"Internal security firewalls laughably simple to bypass. Clear that physical infiltration of building was not expected." He muttered. "Pulling up building blueprints, and tying into fire suppression system. FSS uses heat sensors and carbon dioxide/monoxide monitors to detect fires, but can be modified, sensitivity tuned up. On more sensitive setting, can indicate presence of life forms."

As he finished his explanation, the glowing display of the building flickered, certain hallways filling with a blue glow. Other, more vibrant red spots lit up around points at the end of the blue trails.

"Blue colouring shows presence of elevated levels of carbon dioxide in hallways. Gets fainter as density dissipates, showing how recently life forms were present in area. Blue glow gets stronger closer to current location of life forms, and even stronger in presence of larger numbers. Red spots indicate raised temperature, consistent with presence of warm-blooded creatures, such as Salarians, Humans, Batarians, Asari and Quarians. Turians, Vorcha and Krogan are cold-blooded, and will not register, but heat generated by weapons, kinetic barriers and various armour systems will reveal presence."

"So we look for the places where the blue glow and the red dots are in the highest concentration. That would be here, here and here." Shepard pointed to three different spots. "This one's by the lobby, so that'll be the group Matthews is fighting. There's another on the fifth floor, probably a group guarding the entrance to Matthews' office. And then, there's this group here."

Shepard's finger hovered over a spot just one floor up from their current location. There, a large azure glow surrounded a red orb of heat. Mordin clacked out a few commands, and the map zoomed in, giving them a closer look.

"From the looks of things, they're set to ambush us as we try to take the stairs." Jacob said. "Lie in wait either side of the upper landing, and catch us in a cross-fire as we move on up."

"Any way of telling their numbers?" Shepard asked.

"No. Glow indicates a cluster of beings in a stationary position. Could be as many as thirty, could be as few as a dozen. No way to confirm armaments or defences. Is quite irritating that ExoGeni did not equip their own administrative buildings with security cams. Would have been invaluable in these circumstances."

"Like you said, Mordin. They never thought anyone would get inside." Shepard said. "So we know of two obstacles between us and the controls for the AA guns, but what about this red spot here? I'm not seeing any carbon dioxide around it, so that would suggest heat with no one breathing? How do you explain that?"

"Several possibilities. Certain to be equipment, as heat from dead bodies would have dissipated along with carbon dioxide in air. Further investigation into building's layout reveals…" There was a pause as the Salarian tapped a few commands. "Storage room, with access to power systems. Heat could be by-product of power conduit, but amount of heat is incongruous with rest of building's power system. May warrant further investigation."

"You feel this is something the pirates have set up?"

"Is a possibility." Mordin said, shrugging. "Also, may have chance to sabotage power systems, give you edge in foiling ambush on next floor."

"You're volunteering to go check it out?"

"Would be best use of my talents, rather than using me as frontline combatant."

"I'll go with him." Kaidan volunteered. "Just to watch his back, and for any heavy lifting."

"Okay. You two, go cause whatever hell you can with the power. Stay in touch with us, and wait for my signal. I don't want to tip our hand before we're ready. And whatever you do, it better not be permanent. I do not want the AA guns out of action because we needed to get to their controls."

"Roger that, Shepard." With a nod, Kaidan escorted Mordin away to investigate their latest target.

Shepard then led Jacob and the Revenant towards the staircase, weaving through the final twists and turns of the corridors leading up to it. Shepard paused just out of sight of the way up to the next floor. He cautiously peered into the stairwell, but couldn't see any sign of movement. He whipped his omnitool out and activated his comm.

"Mordin? Got anything?"

**~o~0~o~**

Down the hallway, only a few rooms away, Kaidan hovered over Mordin's shoulder as he worked to bypass the controls of a doorway. The Salarian's efforts were rewarded with a click and he pushed the door open before stepping aside to allow Kaidan to go in first.

The human entered cautiously, pistol held in front of him. Mordin's improvised biosensor indicated that there wasn't anyone in the room, but it could never hurt to be cautious. The storage room beyond was dark, and Kaidan's omnitool light shone brightly, illuminating various cleaning supplies and tools. Kaidan's eye was drawn by a glint from the back of the room, near the floor. A small diagnostic module blinked as it monitored the power flowing through the back wall, their objective. Kaidan started to move tools and boxes out of the way, but stopped when Mordin laid a four-digited hand on his shoulder.

"Need to show more caution, Alenko. Take closer look at that box." The Salarian pointed at the metal storage locker Kaidan had laid his hands on, and was about to shift.

Kaidan looked closer, and noticed a few black and red wires running from the base of the box, snaking their way across the floor and terminating in the diagnostic module. Warily, he lifted the lid to look inside. His eyes were greeted by a gleefully bright flicker of lights inside, a multitude of status lights and controls surrounding a sinister looking core.

"Good catch, Mordin." Kaidan congratulated as he dialled up his comm. "Shepard, we've got a problem here. Looks like a decent-sized bomb has been wired into the building's power grid. You try powering up the AA guns, the entire building goes up."

"Damn. Think it can be disarmed?" Came the Commander's reply.

Kaidan looked over to the Salarian doctor, who held his hand out in front of him, palm downwards, and wiggled it.

"Mordin… seems confident, Shepard. If we slip up, I'll try to warn you before the blast puts my face through the back of my head."

"Roger that."

Kaidan powered down his commlink as Mordin hunkered down over the bomb, sweeping his 'tool over the bomb, oval eyes narrowed as he studied his newest 'project'.

"Ever defused a bomb before, Mordin?"

"Not exactly. As part of STG, often was involved in covert operations involving sabotage. Have assembled and armed many bombs before. Theory should be simple enough to reverse."

"I am filled with confidence." Kaidan said glumly.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard kept an alert eye on the stairwell, searching for any sign of movement. He chewed his lower lip in hesitation, still processing Kaidan's discovery.

"We'll have to forget about using the power systems as a distraction. From the sound of things, any tampering with the power will get our asses lit up."

"We can't just walk out there and meet 'em head on." Jacob said. "That'd just be stupid. Gotta find a way to catch 'em off guard."

"I think I might know how." Shepard said. "We've got to flank them."

"How? This is the only way up to the next floor."

"There's one other way. You two, stay here. I'll give you a shout when I need you to move. When you get the signal, I will need you to charge up those stairs as fast as you can."

Jacob nodded as Shepard turned away from the stairwell, heading back down the hallway. Behind him, the ex-Cerberus operative and the Collector settled down to wait for the Commander's signal.

Shepard made his way past several empty rooms before finding one that suited his needs. He walked past a bank of filing cabinets and stepped up to the window, looking out at the colony. Below, the prefabs were still burning, and an occasional shot from the pirate ship up above destroyed one of the few remaining intact buildings. Shepard could see groups of people moving through the streets below, though he couldn't tell whether they were Matthews' men, still searching for survivors, or pirates combing the streets for fresh targets.

The Commander inspected the window itself, eyeing the thick metal bar that ran across it on an upwards slant. The thick metal frame encased the building, its spiral shape giving it its twisted conical appearance.

Shepard drew his pistol and took aim at the window, pulling the trigger twice. Two tiny holes appeared in the glass, surrounded by a spider's web of cracks. The Commander stepped over and, switching to his assault rifle. Using the butt of the gun, he smashed out the glass of the window, exposing the room to the cool air outside. Shepard paused, feeling the breeze caress his face, and then clambered out. Placing his feet carefully, the Commander perched on the narrow ledge provided by the metal beam. After taking a moment to affirm his balance, he shuffled along the beam, working his way up the none too gentle slope of the beam.

After a few minutes of shuffling, unperturbed by the distance between him and the ground, Shepard had managed to scale up the side of the building to the next floor. He paused in front of a window belonging to a deserted office which, Shepard was glad to note, had the door closed. He shuffled along the beam a short ways and lifted his pistol, aiming at the window from his precarious position and firing. In seconds he was back inside, but now one floor up and past the waiting pirates.

**~o~0~o~**

Kaidan felt uncomfortably warm in his armour, though he knew that that was just a by-product of the tension of his current situation. He had long since stopped trying to assist Mordin, realising his efforts were only getting in the Salarian's way, and now simply watched at the door for any danger. His gut twisted with anxiety as the doctor continued to tinker with the tiny device that could so swiftly destroy them all.

"Are you nearly done with that thing?" He asked, his worry getting the better of him.

"Cannot rush this. Not simple, like heart surgery. Making surprising progress, considering nature of situation, but progress will be hindered unless you can restrain your vocal input to a bare minimum." The Salarian said snippily.

"We're running out of time, Mordin."

"Am aware of temporal restraints, Alenko. Suggest you stow head in cloaca and allow me to continue my work."

"What did you just tell me to- Wait. You hear that?"

Kaidan swivelled to face the door and the hallway beyond. Faint echoes of marching feet could be heard approaching, from the direction opposite to the way Shepard, Jacob and the Revenant had gone. The soldier lifted his weapon to his shoulder and sighted down the hallway.

Kaidan tensed as the first figure came running into view, wearing the shoddy armour of a pirate. The raider's eyes narrowed as he caught sight of Kaidan standing watch over the storage room, but any chance he had to attack soon passed by. Kaidan feathered the trigger and a spray of bullets pounded into the surprised pirate's torso, throwing him back against the wall to leave a smear of blood as he slid to the floor. At the noise of Kaidan's weapon, the rest of the marching feet slowed, becoming more cautious. Kaidan saw tiny flickers of movement just out of his line of view, the pirates taking up positions to attack.

"Hey, Solus? Might wanna hurry it up back there. These guys ain't happy we're playing with their toys."

Mordin didn't even look up at the announcement, simply increasing the speed of his efforts as the bullets started flying behind him.

Kaidan heard a snap behind him, followed by a hissing intake of breath from Mordin. He looked back over his shoulder to see the Salarian holding a pair of severed wires with a regretful expression. Beneath his hands, the bomb's timer was swiftly counting down.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard slowly opened the door to the office, scanning the hallway beyond. He sighed with relief when he confirmed it was empty before advancing down the hallway towards the stairwell. He moved like a ghost down the hallway, through a few twists and turns until he was at the final corner away from the stairs. He held his breath as he peered around the corner at the top of the stairwell.

Fifteen pirates lay in hiding, spread out on either side of the top of the stairs with their weapons held at the ready. Anyone trying to climb up the stairs would be cut down in seconds.

Shepard cautiously put his assault rifle back on his armour's magnetic plate and fumbled at the back of his armour. His hand closed around the handle of the large weapon sitting astride his spine, pulling it out and unfolding its many parts. The UHF rifle powered up with a near-silent hum, the mouth of the barrel glowed a dull green.

The Commander keyed out a command on his omnitool and stood up swiftly, racing around the corner. Before any of the pirates had a chance to react, he'd depressed the trigger.

The weapon began to vibrate in Shepard's hands, the green light growing brighter. Instantly the room was filled with a strange sound. Shepard would have been hard pressed to describe it, but it was more the absence of noise than anything else, a pressure on the ears that suggested he should have been deafened, but wasn't. The effect was immediately evident, as half of the pirates fell to the ground, clutching at their ears. One, a Batarian, began bleeding from his ears and nose, screeching at a horrendous noise only he could hear.

The rest of the pirates, located on the near side of the stairs to Shepard, saw their fellows taken down and began to look about in consternation, wondering what was afflicting them. There was no gunfire, and to them it seemed their comrades had simply dropped to the floor. One of them chanced a look behind them and saw Shepard standing there, UHF rifle in hand. He shouted a warning to his friends and weapons were raised. The pirates turned to deal with the Commander, but as they did so, Jacob and the Revenant came barrelling up the stairs. The former unleashed a volley of bullets into the backs of the pirates facing Shepard, while the latter used his biotics to sow discord and confusion among their enemies. While Shepard kept the other half of the enemy force immobilised, his two friends swiftly dealt with the remnants.

The Commander noticed a blinking light on his weapon. The power gauge flashed yellow, then red, notifying him that it was using up its power cells at an alarming rate. As the red light finally blinked out, the weapon going dead, Shepard stowed the gun on his back, swapping it out for his trusted assault rifle. The switch occurred in seconds, and none of the pirates had recovered from the sonic assault by the time Shepard was ready to use his fully stocked rifle. Shepard unloaded a clip into their midst as they tried to stagger to their feet. Jacob and the last Collector finished off their half of the pirate force, and turned their attention to Shepard's targets. The dazed and confused pirates stood no chance, and were killed in moments.

After the massacre was finished, Shepard paused to catch his breath. Jacob and the Revenant stepped over to stand next to him, the human breathing heavily. The Collector, as ever, remained unreadable, giving no indication he had strained himself in the last few minutes.

"How'd you get up here behind them, Commander?" Jacob asked.

"I took a walk." Shepard said by way of explanation, only elaborating after Jacob put on an expression that made it clear he was demanding an explanation. "Used the beams that give the building shape. Climbed up the outside of the building to an office on this floor."

"Why don't we just do that to get to Matthews' office?"

"Gotta deal with these pirates, otherwise we're cornered in that office with them on our asses. Plus, once we stepped onto the ledge in front of that office, we'd alert whoever is in there and they could just open fire on us as we're out on the ledge. Without cover, we'd be taking the express coach back down to the ground."

"I guess. Anyway, looks like the UHF gun is a success." Jacob said.

"I'd say so. It definitely kept the second half of the ambush out of the fight." Shepard said, his tone congratulating the soldier on his ingenuity. "Just need to work on that power consumption. It went through that power cell like Jack goes through a bottle of ryncol."

"Fast, rough and with one bitch of a temper?" Jacob quipped.

"Cute. I'll be sure to let her know you said that."

"Only if you want me to neglect to calibrate the targeting systems on your weapons."

"Alright, you make a lucky escape this time. C'mon. We've still got a lot of work to do. Let's hope there's less guards on the fifth floor."

"I just hope Mordin's doing alright with that bomb. I'd hate to get this far and then be vaped for nothin'."

**~o~0~o~**

Mordin's brow creased as he tried to halt the bomb's countdown. In his rush to defuse the device, he had unwittingly severed its connection to the power supply, activating a booby trap in the device to prevent tampering. Now, the timer showed only a minute or so until detonation.

Behind the doctor, Kaidan was struggling to defend their position, trading fire with the pirates from the shelter of the doorway.

"Where did these guys come from?" Kaidan wondered aloud as his rifle rattled it's deadly chant in his hands.

"Likely pirates responsible for ambush of Matthews at entrance. Upon victory, returning to previously agreed positions to catch out any infiltrators approaching from back, such as us." Mordin said, still working with a cool unnatural for one in such a combat situation. "Now, must focus. Detonation only a minute away, and still unable to isolate timer from fuse."

Kaidan nodded at the Salarian's back, and maintained his defence, blasting one pirate in the face with a couple of well-placed bullets and reducing their enemies' numbers by one. Then his shields beeped in protest as a barrage of bullets impacted across his torso, thighs and shins.

"Argh!" Mordin grunted in annoyance. "Incapable of completing task. Do not have training for bomb disposal. Cannot isolate timer." His eyes narrowed as he looked at the bomb, but then a spark entered the black orbs. "Wait! Have spent too much time looking at detonation assembly, and not enough at payload. Perhaps…"

He tinkered with the bomb some more, noting the timer hit thirty seconds as beads of sweat rolled across his brow.

Kaidan had just recharged his shields and was using the reinforced defences to renew his attack on the pirates when he heard a shout of triumph from the Salarian. Then a silvery shape flew past his head, clattering across the floor in the hallway and rattling to a halt at the feet of one of the pirates. The raider looked down to his feet, eyes widening in surprise as he twisted to bolt away. He never took a step.

Kaidan turned away from the hallway as a blinding light filled it, ducking behind the door as a wave of hot air and flames rushed towards the storage room. The tremendous crash of the explosion was deafening, the loudest thing Kaidan had ever heard. He braced himself against the door, using it as a barrier between him and the devastation, when the blast hit the door and it was thrown back, hitting him in the face and sending him spiralling into unconsciousness.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard stalked down the corridors, rifle at the ready. Jacob and the Revenant watched his back, scanning the rooms and junctions they passed. They had arrived on the fifth floor with no trouble, but Mordin's scans indicated a cluster of beings gathered around the door to Matthews' office, so they could not afford to be complacent.

They arrived at the final stretch of hallway leading up to Matthews' office, and Shepard halted his team with a clenched fist held out from him, level with his shoulder. He peered around the final corner to see the final group of pirates between them and their objective. A small knot of ten pirates stood guard around the door, rifles held at the ready. Shepard saw a mixture of humans, Batarians and Turians there, with one Asari seemingly holding authority over them, judging from the relaxed air she bore compared to their vigilant stances and the respectful distance they all kept from her.

"I count ten guards." Shepard explained to his friends in a whisper. "We've got an Asari, so watch out for biotics. The rest look like general grunts, but looks can be deceiving. Jacob, you and I go in first, catch them off guard. Revenant, I want you following right behind us. Take out that Asari."

Upon receiving affirmative nods from his crew, Shepard checked his rifle. The ammo counter registered a full clip, and he flicked the setting over to armour piercing rounds. They could wreak havoc on an organic's tender insides, and were not the kind of ammo to be stopped by cobbled-together armour like what the pirates sported. He smirked to think that Garrus might have suggested incendiaries instead, given that they could set both the target and any additional enemies around them on fire and would therefore disrupt the enemy ranks a little more. But Shepard preferred to think of bullet economy, aiming for a one-shot-one-kill strategy, and incendiaries were not well suited for that.

He gave Jacob the nod, and the pair of them rushed around the corner, rifles opening up before they were even fully in the pirates' line of sight. Almost instantly, Shepard's shields beeped a warning of multiple impacts, their power levels dropping swiftly. Beside him, Jacob shared in his predicament, though he had layers of biotic protection as an additional defence.

Shepard had managed to drop two pirates, one with a flurry of bullets to the gut and the other with a single shot that landed between his eyes, killing him instantly, when he was suddenly thrown from his feet. A blue storm of biotic fire blazed through the corridor, knocking both the Commander and Jacob from their feet. The Asari had sprung into action, using her natural talent for biotics to lay down a devastating assault on Shepard and Jacob, throwing them about like rag dolls.

The Asari strode forwards, moving out from the safety of her comrades, confident that she had the upper hand. Shepard raised his rifle to shoot at her, but a flick of her wrist sent the weapon skittering across the floor. She smiled as she raised a glowing fist to launch a Warp blast at point-blank range, sure to be a killing blow.

He attack was interrupted by a blue-black bolt of light screaming through the air above Shepard, hitting the pirate square in the chest. The Asari was knocked screaming off her feet, sliding along the smooth floor to come to a rest at the feet of her comrades.

Still bathed in the flickering light of his biotics, the Revenant stepped into full view, holding his hands out in front of him to raise a barrier as the pirates unleashed a barrage of bullets at him. Shepard rolled across the floor towards his gun, grasping it with frantic fingers and rolling back onto his back to fire at the pirates. From this position, his aim was steady but his ability to move with his targets was limited. He managed to gun down a further two targets before he had to roll onto his feet, scuttling out of the way of the pirates' counterattack.

While Shepard was occupied in this way, Jacob was making good use of his military training. He was ducking and weaving from side to side, advancing on his enemies between bursts of fire from the pirates. He enveloped himself in a biotic field and launched into a small knot of pirates, lashing out with hands and feet at his enemies. He punched one in the gut, causing him to double over, and then lashed out with a foot to catch the raider on the chin, snapping his head back with such force that he fell to the floor, killed instantly by a broken neck. Jacob then wrestled with a second raider, hoisting him over his head and throwing him into a third. He then drew his pistol and finished them off with two lightning-quick shots.

The Revenant was locked in combat with the Asari. The pair of them traded Warp blasts, the deflected attacks scoring the walls and ceiling with black scorch marks. A particularly powerful attack from the pirate blew a hole in the floor, exposing the hallway below. After a few moments of this evenly tied struggle, the Revenant suddenly stopped attacking, putting all of his power into his barrier. He lifted his hands in front of his face and leaned forwards, looking like he was physically holding the barrier in front of him.

Shepard's brow creased as he saw this, momentarily diverting his attention from the remaining four pirates around the office door. He saw the Collector's eyes glow a slightly brighter yellow as he focused on the Asari before him. Shepard caught sight of a flicker behind the Collector, and realised he was unfolding his wings. The transparent wings stuttered as they flexed, and then the Revenant launched himself forwards, wings flickering as they powered him forwards in the midst of a cone of biotic energy. It resembled a vanguard's charge, but his feet barely touched the floor as he raced towards the pirate leader. However, the flight was slightly erratic, as though he struggled to keep his balance. Even with this uncertainty to his attack, he still managed to land on-target, hitting the Asari with all of the might he could muster.

The pirate's expression turned to one of terror as the gigantic insect propelled himself towards her as an appreciable fraction of the speed of sound. His fists ripped through her barrier, hitting her in the stomach. She lifted up from the ground, sailing back through the air and hitting the wall with a solid thump. She fell to the floor, and didn't get up again.

The final four pirates stared in fear at the biotic display, paralysed by shock for a moment. Shepard made use of those precious seconds to take out another two pirates, while Jacob gunned down his fourth. The Revenant lifted a hand, hoisting the last pirate into the air with his abilities. He then twisted the hand and the pirate was hurled through a nearby door, smacking against the window beyond with a crash before plummeting to the ground outside.

Shepard hit the side of his gun, dislodging the sizzling heat sink and feeding in a fresh one, as he walked up to the door to Matthews' office. He paused for a second before reaching out to grasp the door handle. His fingers curled around it just as a tremendous thump passed through the entire building. Half a second later, the overpowering crash of an explosion echoed up the hall towards them.

**~o~0~o~**

Kaidan opened his eyes to see Mordin's wide black eyes hovering over him. He had to admit, it wasn't the most appealing sight to wake up to. It was as this thought ran through his head that the pain came rolling in. A sharp, shooting ache traversed his skull, originating in a red-hot point in the centre of his forehead. He closed his eyes again and raised a hand to the spot. Seeing the soldier still alive and responsive, Mordin smiled in relief.

"Alenko! Good to see you are alive. Had concerns that had overdone it."

"Overdone what?" Kaidan groaned, opening his eyes again and squinting against the light.

"Figured out that disabling timer was unnecessary. Instead, managed to tune down yield of bomb. Smaller explosion, less risk to us. Once done, threw bomb out into hallway, used it as grenade against pirates. Just in time, too. Very dramatic. Must remember for Mordin Solus autobiography."

"What about the building's internal structure? Aren't we at risk of being caught in a collapse?"

"Should remain intact. Tuned bomb down to minimum yield. Enough to blow out windows, buckle a few walls, but nothing structurally important."

The pair turned at a scraping noise from behind them. The door to the storage room, blown off its hinges and leaning across the doorway to cover it, shifted uncertainly. Then, with a heave, it was lifted away completely to reveal a familiar face, with a half dozen armoured individuals behind him.

"Mr Alenko, Doctor Solus!" Matthews exclaimed. "It's good to see you. What the hell happened? Where's the Commander and the rest of your team. Did they…?"

Kaidan instantly saw the direction the Shadow Broker agent's mind was travelling in and was quick to dispel his concerns.

"They weren't with us when the bomb went off. They went on ahead. As far as I know, they're okay."

"Good. Wait, bomb?"

"Whoever is leading these mercs booby trapped the building's power systems. If we'd tried to activate the AA guns, boom!"

"This is all way beyond the pay grade of a small-time pirate band. These guys are not kidding around."

"Yeah. We'd best go check where Shepard's at." Kaidan said, getting to his feet with a groan. "So, no offence, but how come you guys are still about? When those pirates came charging after us, they came from your direction. Means they either thought they had won, or were on the run cause you handed their asses to them. And it doesn't look like you've got the numbers left for option two."

"Yeah, we got hit pretty bad. I'm down to six men now. When it became clear they were going to wipe us out, we retreated, losing the ones who came out to pursue us by hiding in a burning prefab. They thought we burned to death when it collapsed, and once they'd gone we climbed back out. Then we saw the explosion and got back here as fast as we could."

"Glad you did. C'mon. If Shepard's not gotten into that office yet, then he's slacking."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard spun around at the sound of the explosion, ready to leap into the cover of a doorframe or something should the building show any sign of collapsing. After a tense moment, he relaxed, but not by much.

"I don't get it. Mordin said the bomb had enough force to destroy the whole building." Jacob said.

"I guess he managed to mess with it enough to prevent it from blowing us all to kingdom come." Shepard said grimly.

"Wait, you don't think they were still- Oh God!" Jacob sounded like he was having trouble breathing.

"Kaidan, Mordin, come in." Shepard demanded over the comms. "Kaidan, Mordin, come in! Answer me, Goddamnit!"

The only response over the comm was a hiss of static. Jacob lowered his head, closing his eyes in sorrow. Shepard tried several more times, his voice rising to a yell as he strained to hear anything from his companions. Finally he closed down his omnitool with a snort of disgust.

"God almighty!" He cursed. "I am not losing anyone today! Not to a bunch of small-time pirate scum. C'mon! We'll finish off whoever's behind this, get these damned AA towers online and then we're going to find Kaidan and Mordin and get them to safety."

With that, the Commander moved up to the door and launched a vicious kick at it, smashing it open with one blow. He barged through the broken doors with his gun out, swinging it about to find a target.

The office beyond was empty, much to Shepard's surprise. The only sign of recent occupation was a still active terminal, beeping quietly but insistently. The Commander scanned the rest of the room quickly, but found no one.

"Whoever it is that betrayed the colony, they were here not too long ago. They've even left the colony defence controls pulled up on the terminal." He muttered to the others as he stepped up to the desk. "Maybe they bolted as soon as they heard us outside, but how? We've been watching the door."

"Hey Shepard?" Jacob called, standing in front of the window. He reached out to push at the glass, which swivelled. "Looks like they used the same trick you did, Commander. There's a beam wide enough to walk along just a few feet below the window here."

"So they could be anywhere in the building now." Shepard fumed.

"I'm not seeing anyone on the ground below. I reckon if they'd been shuffling along on this beam when that bomb went up, they'd be pavement pizza by now." Jacob surmised. "Means they ran either just now, after the bomb, or they climbed down and got in by another window before it went off."

"We'll find them soon enough." Shepard promised. "Nobody gets away with what they're responsible for. Not on my watch."

"Good to hear it, Commander." Came a voice from the door. Shepard spun around, rifle levelled at the speaker, only to see Matthews standing there, hands raised in a gesture of non-aggression. "Whoa! Hold fire, Shepard. I think you might have lost one or two things on your way here. I'm just returning them."

Shepard's jaw dropped as Kaidan and Mordin shuffled into the room. Both bore grins that were almost too wide for their faces. Their happy expressions vanished at the Commander's first words to them.

"Just what the hell do you guys think you're doing?"

"Commander?" Kaidan asked confusedly.

"Going off the radar like that. I've been trying to contact you since that damned bomb went off. We all thought you were dead."

"Huh. I guess the bomb knocked our commlinks out. We were pretty much underneath the blast."

"And what was with that anyway? I thought you were going to defuse it, not set it off. And how come the building's intact? You said there'd be nothing left of us if it went off." Shepard realised he wasn't really angry with them, but was only acting that way to release the emotions their survival enkindled in him.

"Mordin's work. He toned it down from a barn-burner to a room-clearer." Kaidan explained. "Still shook us up plenty, but I reckon the pirates shooting at us came off the worst there."

"Anyway, we'd best get to work here. Matthews? I'll let you take care of the AA guns, seeing as you'll be familiar with the system."

"Sure thing just give me a…" Matthews trailed off as he stepped behind his terminal and tapped off a few commands. In seconds he was rewarded with an affirmative beep, and a holographic woman appeared on the far side of his desk from him.

"Welcome back, Mr Matthews. How can I be of service?" She asked in a melodic voice.

"Trina, I need you to get the colony defence systems online."

"Acknowledged. One moment, please."

"This is Trina, my personal VI." Matthews explained.

"You let her control the colony's defences?" Shepard asked.

"Not exactly. I can order her to perform certain operations, or do them myself. I'm just having her do it so I can clear up in here. Got some files I want to give you and then clear from our database."

"Smart move."

"Yeah. From now on, my data goes straight to the Broker, and nowhere else."

"Defences are online, Mr Matthews." Trina offered quietly.

"Thanks. Now, can you tell me who has been in my office since the last time I was here until I returned?" Matthews asked.

"Executive Kensington called by at fourteen-thirty local time, though she left very soon after. The honourable Bolnan was present at fifteen-forty-five, and left after about fifteen minutes, stating that 'this one will find him itself', when I offered to message you. Officer Doyle entered this office at sixteen-ten, and then this unit was shut down using a level one authorisation code."

"So there we have it." Matthews concluded. "Stephen was here just before the pirates arrived. He shuts down my VI, and then he can do whatever he likes with the defences without being observed."

"Why would he have such high-level access?" Shepard asked.

"He was security chief. Of course he'll have those codes. I just never imagined he'd betray us."

"Any way to track him?"

"Sure. Now that Trina's back online, I can use her to track a specific individual's omnitool anywhere in the colony. Trina? Where is Stephen at the moment?"

"Security Chief Doyle is currently located in your office."

Matthews' brow creased in confusion.

"That can't be right. You sure?"

"Affirmative."

Matthews stalked about the office, searching. Shepard joined him in his hunt, his eyes settling on a cupboard to one side. It looked like the place one would keep stationery supplies. Shepard walked over and, pausing to take a breath and draw his pistol, opened the doors.

Security Chief Stephen Doyle rolled out of the cupboard, hitting the floor with a thud. Shepard checked his instinct to open fire on the sudden movement, noting the lack of reaction from the man. He crouched next to Stephen, lying on his belly on the office floor with his head turned to one side. Shepard inspected the man's face and noted the glassy expression of the eyes.

"Suddenly I'm not so sure he's our man." The Commander said as he turned him over. "He's dead."

Stephen's eyes stared up at the ceiling, the cloud of death seeping through his pupils. Matthews' breath caught in his throat on seeing the body of his colleague.

"Oh God!"

"Still warm." Shepard commented. "Look at the marks around his neck. I'd say he was strangled. Mordin, come take a closer look."

"Nasty way to go." Jacob muttered.

"There's never a good way." Kaidan answered.

"Bruising around neck indicates strangulation. However, strange discoloration in face, incongruous with oxygen deprivation. Uncertain as to cause."

"It's probably safe to assume that whoever did this is our actual traitor." Shepard said. "And with Stephen dead our list of suspects is limited to the ExoGeni reps."

"Hey, Trina? The terminal was logged in when we arrived. Can you tell us whose name it's under?"

"Current user logged in on your terminal is Executive Elisa Kensington, username 'DizzieLizzie'."

"So Elisa is our traitor?" Shepard asked.

"After today's events, I think we'd be smart not to make any more assumptions." Matthews said wryly.

"Let's look for her anyway."

"Sure. Trina? Find Elisa for us."

"Executive Kensington is located in the colony water plant."

"The water plant? Why is she there?"

"Unknown." The VI said coldly.

"So our next stop is the water plant?" Shepard asked.

"I guess." Matthews conceded. "It makes no sense why she'd go there. Hardly the best place to arrange a pickup from, and just about as far from the ruins as you could imagine, so not somewhere to go to plan the retrieval of the relics from."

"We'll ask her when we find her." Shepard said. "Are those AA guns finished powering up yet?"

"Just about… done." Matthews said. "Targeting the ship."

The building vibrated as loud retorts could be heard outside. Through the window, Shepard saw a huge gun turret swivel around and open fire on the pirate ship overhead. Three other shots could be heard, each coming from a different weapon. Overhead, the ship was sheathed in a red shimmering veil as its kinetic barriers flickered into action, easily deflecting the shots. Matthews watched his terminal as several more rounds fired, before a curse escaped from his lips.

"Damn. Almost no decrease in shield readings on the ship. We're barely gonna make a scratch. These guns are designed to fend off fighters, frigates and gunships, not cruisers. Can't you call your ship in?"

"The Normandy's undergoing some repairs just now. She's in no shape to fight just now." Shepard said.

"Then we've got to figure out how to take that thing out by ourselves." Matthews said.

"Let's find Elisa first. If she has a link to the pirates, she may provide us with a way to stop them."

"If she'll co-operate."

"Who says we'll give her a choice?"

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard swivelled to scan the water plant, making sure the area immediately around the door was secure before waving his team through. Matthews had joined them, though he had sent the small remnant of his troops off to join the survivors in the bunkers. The exhausted troops had borne expressions of relief at a chance to relax, though the tension of the situation still sat heavily over their heads.

Inside the plant, Shepard saw no signs of movement, so he signalled his squad to enter. Jacob and Kaidan took up positions on either side of the entrance, rifles held at the ready. Shepard nodded at their vigilant stance.

"Good idea. As far as I can tell, this is the only way in or out. You two guard the door while we go find Elisa."

"Aye aye, sir." Jacob said, saluting.

Shepard then led Mordin, the Revenant and Matthews deeper into the plant, stalking around the massive vats that stored the colony's drinking water and the humming filters that kept it from stagnating and free from contaminants.

"Matthews, any ideas on where she'd hide in here?" Shepard asked.

"Not really. Like I said before, it's not exactly the sort of place you'd go to in a situation like this. We've got the pump control rooms across the back wall and the sample storage vault. Other than that, it's just vats and pipes."

"Sample storage?"

"We take a sample of the water every four hours, analyse it, and store it for future reference. That way, if there's ever an outbreak, we can trace it back to almost exactly when it started."

"Very organised, if a little paranoid." Shepard muttered.

"Alien environment, Commander. There's no such thing as too careful. At least while we're starting out. We stop all of this after the first decade passes."

"Right. Well, let's-"

Shepard stopped as he spotted a flicker of movement in his peripheral vision. The rest of the squad flinched as they heard a clank, echoing about in the darkness of the silent plant. The Commander twitched his head around to look at the source of the movement and saw the hint of a running shadow, racing along a catwalk above the vats.

"We've got a runner, up above!" Shepard shouted. He turned to face Mordin and the Revenant. "You two, try and circle around behind her on this level. Matthews, with me. We'll chase her up there."

The Shadow Broker agent nodded and followed the Commander up some metal steps, clambering up to the catwalks that spanned the length of the building, hanging over the water vats. The metal bounced and danced under their weight, the echoes of their booted feet clanging back at them from the dim interior of the plant.

Shepard felt his breath growing heavier as he pounded down the length of the catwalk, just keeping the shady form of Elisa in sight ahead. He could hear Matthews' panting as the agent struggled to keep up with him, and realised that they were both tired after the day they had been through, the near-constant combat taking its toll on them. They needed to end this soon, otherwise their weariness would get in the way of their judgement.

Shepard had only managed to close the gap between himself and Elisa by a small margin before she suddenly stopped dead, seeming to freeze at the sight of something beyond the range of Shepard's vision. He assumed that Mordin and the Revenant were approaching from the far side, blocking her escape route. She turned to face Shepard, and he was surprised to see the overwhelming fear in her face. He'd expected maybe a little fear at being caught, but not the abject terror he saw there. He began to suspect there was something more to the situation than he was aware of.

Tears rolled down her face as Elisa began stammering out fear-filled words.

"I-I-I'm sorry. I h-had no choice." She snivelled. "He, he sh-showed me what would happen. H-he killed Stephen!"

"Elisa, stay calm." Shepard said soothingly. "We're not going to hurt you. Now, who is 'he'?"

Elisa's breath became a series of gulps as she sobbed.

"H-he made me use my codes to let him in, a-after he… after Stephen- and then he shut down the defence guns. N-n-next thing I knew, there was all kinds of gunfire in the building, and he wouldn't let me leave. Said I was- I was- that I was 'leverage'. Then there was this explosion and he said we had to leave. Dragged me out of the window and…."

Elisa's eyes suddenly closed, fear wracking her face.

"It was so-o high. He pulled me along so hard, I nearly fell!" She almost shouted, her voice trembling uncontrollably.

"Elisa, we'll help you. Just tell me who 'he' is." Shepard said calmly, keeping his distance from the traumatised girl. There was no telling how she'd react to his approach in her current state.

"No!" She yelped. "I can't. He'll get me! And then I'll be just like Stephen. His face was so red, right before he stopped moving."

As she finished those last few words, her voice descended into a jabbering muttering. Suddenly, her feet were whipped out from underneath her, and she crashed down onto the catwalk, her face hitting the corrugated metal solidly. She began to scream as something tugged at her leg, dragging her away from the Commander. Her fingers scrabbled on the uneven metal, trying to halt her backwards motion.

"No! No, no, no!" She mewled as he fingernails screeched out a gut-wrenching noise on the metal catwalk.

Shepard rushed forwards to grab her, but before he could even take a single step she had been whipped back into the darkness. Her sobs continued for a few more seconds before a sudden snap put an end to her cries. Shepard instantly recognised the sound of a neck being broken.

The shadows where she had vanished into shifted, and the familiar forms of Mordin and the Revenant came jogging up to stand where Elisa had just been.

"Mordin? You didn't see anything?" Shepard asked, confused that they hadn't run into the killer, given they'd had to move through the area Elisa had just been killed in.

"Saw nothing, Shepard." Mordin said.

"Revenant, you've got good night vision. You didn't see who took Elisa?"

"No, Commander. I can see in the dark, but only for a certain distance."

"Be on the lookout. Elisa's dead, and now we're looking for her killer, the same one who killed Stephen. Judging by the way he swiped Elisa away, he's very strong. Be careful."

"Shepard." Matthews' voice echoed over to the Commander, tone demanding his attention. "Look down."

Shepard followed his advice, and saw a white form floating past underneath the catwalk. A random swirl of water turned the shape over, and Shepard caught sight of the terror-filled face of Elisa drifting away, head flopping around loosely on her neck as the caress of the water carried her away. Shepard exhaled sadly.

"Damnit." He said. "We catch this sick bastard, okay? He doesn't get away."

"Who could it be?" Matthews pondered as he knelt down to reach out for her body. His fingers hooked around her shoulder and under her arms, pulling her closer to the catwalk. "Could be anyone, now that we know that he coerced Elisa into using her code for him."

"So we need to think about who would have the motivation to call in these pirates and run off with the relics." The Commander spelled out.

"That's pretty much anyone here." Matthew said. "You know how much a Prothean relic goes for on the black market? There are buyers on Illium who'd pay upwards of five hundred thousand credits, just for some Prothean cup and saucer. Pretty much anyone here would kill for that kind of money, considering the treasure trove we're sitting on. Those who have the means to call in a force like this? You're probably looking at the ExoGeni executives. But would any of them actually go to these lengths to take the relics?"

"Or maybe they don't actually want to take the relics away. Maybe they just want to make sure that we don't." Shepard spoke aloud. His mind proceeding down that line of thought to its conclusion, his eyes widened as they looked back to Matthews, leaning out precariously to lift Elisa back onto the catwalk.

"Matthews, get away from the water!" He shouted.

Matthews managed to turn a bemused look at the Commander before the surface of the water exploded, a half dozen pink tentacles darting out to grab him around the arms, neck and chest. A quick tug, and the human splashed down into the water, next to Elisa's corpse. Shepard lunged forwards to grab him before he sank below the surface, but was too late. The agent vanished into the roiling water.

"Matthews!" Shepard shouted. "Shit! Matthews!"

He scanned the water, searching for any sign of his comrade, and at first he saw nothing. But then, he caught sight of a flash of pink darting by beneath him and raced after it, following it as best as he could while remaining on the walkway.

He was about to reach the edge of the vat when the water's surface burst open again, the Hanar heaving into view, with Matthews entangled in his tentacles. Bolnan glowed a faint blue, betraying the presence of biotics and explaining his unexpected strength. Shepard lifted his rifle to aim at the Hanar, but couldn't get a good shot as the creature lifted Matthews' body into the way as a shield.

"Put him down, Bolnan. No one else needs to die today." Shepard shouted firmly.

"This one is not inclined to accept your offer, Commander. It thinks it may be a better outcome if it goes down fighting."

"Why, Bolnan? Why kill so many?"

"This one will not allow you to desecrate a holy site in this way. You would steal from the Enkindlers to better your own race, rather than allowing the faithful to pay their respects to the legacy of the Shining Ones."

"And the pirates? You'll have to pay them, somehow. And I'm pretty sure they won't understand your wishes to leave the site intact."

"They are well compensated by the Tower. This one has had no problems dealing with them before."

Shepard chewed his lower lip anxiously. He could see Matthews struggling for breath, his face red from the pressure on his throat from the Hanar's tentacles. But Shepard could also see a faint discoloration around the spots the tentacles touched, a faint tinge reminiscent of the colour Stephen Doyle's face had turned after dying. The Commander recalled being told about a Hanar's natural defences, among which were their prehensile tentacles and natural toxins. Like a jellyfish from Earth, Hanar were capable of poisoning their victims. As the Commander spoke with Bolnan, Matthews was being stung to death. He had to act quickly.

"Let Matthews go NOW." He said in a tone that brooked no argument. "I will not tell you again."

"This one notes a certain concern you have for the director, Shepard. Perhaps Matthews is a friend? A valued colleague? It would be unfortunate if this one had to end your acquaintance prematurely."

"I WILL kill you, Bolnan." Shepard warned.

"Then do so. But this one suspects you will not. You will not risk the life of your friend." The Hanar's melodious tone had the hint of a sneer in it.

Then, with a suddenness that dismayed Shepard, the Hanar darted higher up into the air and leapt to the next vat of water, plunging below the surface with Matthews in tow. Shepard raced after them, halting over the centre of the vat. He scanned the surface tensely, eyes darting to and fro across the water.

The next thing he knew, his face was filled with a pink, squishy mass. Bolnan had leapt from the water and was trying to enfold him in his tentacles, the stings already bringing tears to Shepard's eyes. The Commander flailed with his hands at the Hanar and managed to grasp at a chunk of pink tissue and pulled. There was a loud noise, strange to the Commander's ears. It ululated through his head, and it took a moment for Shepard to realise that the Hanar was screaming in pain. The jelly dropped away from his face, flopping across the walkway and back into the water, leaving Shepard grasping a writhing tentacle that had come free. The Commander tossed it aside, letting it splat to the floor below the vats and walkways.

Shepard strode across the platform, seeking to get away from the water before the Hanar could launch another attack while he rubbed at his watering eyes. The damned jelly had managed to sting his eyes, even.

He turned at a splotching noise from the vat. Bolnan squirmed over the lip of the vat, slithering across the metal. Shepard lifted his rifle and fired off a could of shot, but the pink alien dodged the attack. Mordin and the Revenant added their weapons to the attack, scoring a few hits on the Hanar before it slithered under the vat.

Shepard approached the edge of the walkway slowly, pointing his rifle down at where Bolnan had vanished. He peered into the darkness, but couldn't make anything out.

"You see him?"

"No." Came the Revenant's simple reply.

"Negative." Mordin answered.

"Me neither."

The Commander shuffled along a few more steps before his feet caught in something. He looked down at the walkway to see a pink limb curl around his ankle, tightening swiftly. Before he had a chance to act or shout a warning, the tentacle whipped to the side, throwing him from his feet. Shepard was amazed at the strength in the spongy pink flesh as it dragged him off the walkway and into the vat of water. The Commander only had a moment to breathe in before his mouth filled with water.

It took a moment for Shepard to regain a sense of his surroundings, the swirling mass of water obscuring his vision as his buoyancy caused him to lose his sense of up and down. Before his eyes could adjust to the dark water, a pink shape darted out of the gloom, striking him in the chest. The impact allowed a few bubbles of precious air to seep from the Commander's lips, followed by even more as he took several more hits. Shepard flailed at the Hanar as it rushed past, trying to subdue the alien in some way, but the water slowed his blows to little more than taps against the Hanar's yielding tissue.

Knowing that to remain in the water with Bolnan would be fatal, Shepard began to kick out, trying to find the surface of the water. He spun around on feeling something brush the back of his neck, only to come face-to-face with Matthews. The young man drifted limply in the water, his eyes devoid of life. As the Commander took in this sight, Bolnan came racing out of the darkness again, hitting him in the small of the back and sending spasms of pain travelling up his spine. For such a soft creature, he was able to strike with incredible force. Feeling his lungs begin to burn for more air, Shepard grabbed a hold of Matthews' corpse, pushing off of it to propel himself up to the surface.

Shepard broke the surface of the water with a gasp, sucking in mouthfuls of sweet air as he thrashed the water to stay afloat, fighting the weight of his equipment. As he drew in more of the succulent oxygen, he felt a pair of clawed hands grasp his shoulders. At first he panicked, thinking maybe it was Bolnan trying to pull him back under, but then he looked up and saw the yellow eyes of the Revenant gazing down with concern. The insect's arms strained as he pulled the Commander from the water. Mordin stood next to him, helping to manoeuvre Shepard onto the walkway.

As Mordin leaned down to inspect the Commander, Shepard looked past his shoulder to see Bolnan rise from the water like an angry pink kraken. The Hanar's five intact tentacles whipped around him as he propelled himself at the Salarian's back.

Acting on instinct, Shepard's hand lunged out, grabbing Mordin's gun from his belt. Pulling the trigger even as the gun unfolded, the Commander unloaded three rounds into the soft pink mass of Bolnan's body. The Hanar fell back into the water, stunned. Mordin turned on his heel, seeing the jelly's body writhing on the surface of the water, and extended a hand, tapping out some commands on his Omnitool. The interface sparked, and blue arcs of electricity danced across the water, caressing the Hanar's wildly flailing body. After a brilliantly bright light show, the water went dark, and Bolnan's corpse slipped below the surface, and did not appear again.

The trio finally relaxed, all breathing heavily as they recovered their energy after the battle. Mordin tended to the Commander's tender neck and aching eyes, administering a diluted medi-gel solution to the burning patches of skin and gently swabbing away the tears that flowed from his now-red eyes.

"Hanar toxins are simple to counteract with slightly modified medi-gel solution. Burning will pass, with time. Suggest warm bath and full night's rest tonight to encourage body's own defences to act."

"Sounds like heaven right now." Shepard chuckled. "And who am I to argue with the doctor's orders?"

"Wait, what's that?" The Revenant said. "There's something floating in the water."

Shepard and Mordin turned to look in the direction he indicated and saw a small silver box bobbing along on the water's currents. The Commander scuttled over and scooped it out of the water. He inspected the outside of the box, noting some small markings inscribed on one side.

"The words are Hanar. I can't read them, but this was probably something Bolnan had on him." He said, cautiously opening the box.

Inside sat a device no bigger than the Commander's hand. A light glinted faintly in a screen set in the upper half of the clamshell shaped device, while the lower half was adorned with a half-dozen buttons. Shepard passed it to his companions to take a look. Mordin sucked in a sharp breath.

"Markings are Prothean. Translation of markings on buttons suggests firing control for experimental weapon." He breathed. "Am curious as to whether would still function. Saw no evidence in labs otherwise."

"Why did Bolnan take it? You reckon he knew what it does?"

"Unlikely. Hanar more usually simply accept existence of Prothean artefacts rather than attempting to understand purpose. Possibly took relic as evidence to show to peers, gain support to make bid to keep ruins undisturbed as religious sanctuary. Likely did not plan to attack settlement like this, but our presence and threat of removal of artefacts moved him to rash action."

"So our arrival forced his hand?"

"Indeed. Nevertheless, discovery of this device provides opportunity. Colony turrets not strong enough to destroy pirate ship. Experimental Prothean weapon certainly has capacity for needed firepower. Question is, is it still functional?"

Shepard grinned at the Salarian's line of thinking.

"Then I guess it's time for us to run some tests of our own. Come on, let's head outside and see if it works."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard stood in the main plaza, staring up at the pirate ship hanging in the sky above them. Its massive bulk thrummed loudly, menacingly, as the only remaining colony defence gun continued to fire on it. After Matthews had managed to get the guns online, the pirates had taken their time levelling each one, moving on from one to the next at a leisurely pace.

Standing next to the Commander, both Mordin and the Revenant tinkered with the device they had recovered from Bolnan, chattering away about various facets of the technology as they tried to make it work. Behind them, Jacob and Kaidan watched out for any marauding pirates in the streets, all the time throwing anxious glances at the ship above.

With a final triumphant grunt, Mordin pressed a series of buttons on the device, flipping it closed when he was finished. The squad looked about for a moment, awaiting, well… anything.

After about two minutes of silence, Jacob's shoulders slumped, as though he was releasing the anxiety of the moment.

"Well, we're still here. Which is good. But so are they." He waved a hand at the ship.

Any response the others had to his words were drowned out by a terrific thump that rolled across the colony. Seven massive blue-black bolts of energy shot up into the sky, taking up positions around the ship equidistant from each other. In their centre, the ship began to groan, its struts protesting the new gravitational stresses they suddenly had to endure. Shepard saw a few loose parts break away and wing through the air to vanish into the singularities. The hull itself rippled under the strain, plates buckling and deforming visibly.

This first stage was swiftly followed by a second thunderous shot. A red bolt arrowed up from the vicinity of the ruins, striking the ship dead centre. The ship's barriers, distorted by the gravitational forces, offered no protection from this second attack and the hull, fatigued and stretched to breaking point, simply shattered like glass.

Th ship lurched from the attack, swaying through the air above the colony as the singularities winked out of existence. Smoke and flames billowed from the massive hole in the hull, as wide around as a small prefab. The ship staggered away from the attack, screaming through the air to crash down into the forests next to the colony, ploughing a wide swathe of destruction through the trees before halting in a flaming mass about three miles away from the colony.

"Damn." Jacob said. "Now that's a gun. Reckon we could mount one of those on the Hammerhead?"

"Let's focus on getting one on every Alliance and Council cruiser out there." Shepard said. "I reckon the colony's security forces can deal with the leftover pirates. Plus, I very much doubt they'll have much fight left in them after our display."

**~o~0~o~**

Three hours later, the colony was well into its night cycle, the automated streetlights casting pale white light about the still-burning buildings. Most of the fires had been dealt with, and the colony's volunteer fire fighters had the remainder well in hand.

Shepard and his team were still in the colony's main plaza, in front of the mildly damaged administrative hub. The Commander could still see the blown out section on one side of the building where Mordin had dealt with the bomb, all windows shattered in a near perfect circle around the blast zone.

The plaza was a lot more crowded now. After Matthews' security forces had declared the capture of the last of the pirates, the colonists had flooded out of the bunkers to survey what was left of their homes. Shepard could see more than one devastated empty face among the crowds, people who had lost homes, businesses and, worst of all, loved ones. ExoGeni could rebuild, give them back their lost possessions, but no one could restore a lost husband, wife, child, parent or sibling. The Commander knew that it would take a long time for the people of Stynos to recover, and an eternity for them to forget.

Shepard also caught the glares of hatred that were cast at the small cluster of beings cordoned off to one side. The ten or so pirates left alive had been rounded up and were tethered together, hands and feet bound as they waited for collection. Shepard knew that they were at risk as long as they remained on this planet, and he felt a little inclined to let them be lynched. But then his conscience got the better of him. Once one started dealing out like-for-like, a person became no better than those they opposed.

Masirra walked up to stand in front of the Commander, her face bearing a tired smile. She carried a large metal box, and her furtive glances around her told Shepard all he needed to know about the contents.

"Here's the orb, Shepard. I know you'll make better use of it than we could."

"Thanks. Are you okay?"

"I- I'm fine, really. It's just a lot to deal with. Losing Matthews, Elisa and Stephen all in one day? We need someone to step in and fill the breach. Everyone's looking at me. I can't run a colony!"

"You'd do a damn better job than many people, Masirra. I'll call in some favours and make sure Stynos is well looked after." Shepard said, thinking that Liara would have no problem making sure the beleaguered colony got what they needed to get along.

"Thanks. We need all the help we can get." Masirra's expression turned to one of curiosity as she looked back into the Commander's eyes. "You used it to destroy the ship, didn't you? The Prothean weapon? I amazed it still works after all this time."

"Me too. But I think it may be wise to keep that information on the down-low." Shepard cautioned.

"Yeah. Don't worry. As far as any of the colonists will know, you used a next-gen weapon you have on your ship to blow them all to hell."

"Right. The last thing you need is more looters coming calling."

"I think after this we'll probably be getting a significant increase to our defence budget. Maybe even enough for a couple of frigates in orbit." She gazed out over her fellow colonists. "I just can't believe that Bolnan caused all of this."

"None of us suspected it. That's the problem with Hanar. If he'd been a Krogan, or a Batarian, we would have seen him coming a mile away. But who'd have thought a jellyfish could do something like that?"

"Certainly not me. But I won't make the same mistake again." Masirra promised, before looking up into the sky. "Looks like your ride's here, Commander."

The Normandy's shuttle cruised over the rooftops of the colony to hover over the plaza, dropping down slowly to touch down on a clear patch of ground. The door hissed open to show the interior, and Shepard's teammates made their way towards the vehicle. As they crossed the plaza, colonists rushed out to thank them for their heroic assistance. Even the Revenant, with his terrifying visage, was approached and thanked profusely. The Commander turned to speak to Masirra one final time.

"Good luck, Masirra. We'll be in touch to see how you're getting on."

"Commander. Be safe." The Asari said by way of farewell, bowing her head.

Shepard was overwhelmed as he crossed the plaza. The colonists cheered and applauded, some reaching out to shake his hand while others slapped him on the back. By the time he reached the shuttle's door he had to have been thanked, congratulated or simply fawned over at least several hundred times. He turned to wave at the colonists one final time as the shuttle lifted off, the door hissing shut as they powered away.

One final sight made Shepard cringe. Two of the colonists had clambered up to the plaza's sign and were hurriedly repainting it. Where the sign had once read 'ExoGeni Plaza' it was now going to say 'Shepard Square'. The Commander definitely seemed to have left his mark on the planet and its people.


	18. 18: The Relic

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 18: The Relic**

"Fascinating."

That was the only word Mordin said as he stepped around the workbench in the Tech Lab, carefully examining the Prothean orb. A large portion of the Normandy's array of specialists had gathered in the Tech Lab to get a look at the relic, Legion bringing his technical expertise to the board while Mordin brought his intellect and analytical brain. The Revenant was present because of his unique perspective on Prothean technology, and Feron, being Liara's representative, was busily taking notes about the object. Shepard had also brought in Garrus, Jacob and Kaidan, three of his oldest friends and his most valued operatives. Even Etarn was present, curious to see the Normandy crew about their business and naturally curious about such a valuable find. When told about the find, the rest of Shepard's team had seemed indifferent, Grunt asking why he should care about 'a hunk of ancient junk' and Zaeed pretty much giving the same response. Samara had expressed interest in the outcome of their mission, but felt no need to intrude on the analysis of the relic, knowing she would most likely only be in the way. Jack had, as ever, accepted the information with an uncaring snort before encouraging the messenger to leave with her silent glare.

"That's all you got to say about it?" Garrus said. "I'd have thought that you'd know all the dirty little secrets of its maker by now."

"Am not a miracle worker, Officer Vakarian. Prothean data storage techniques have been complex at best, impossible to decipher more often than not. Will need time to unlock secrets of the orb." Mordin replied stiffly.

"That's what you think it is? Data storage?" Shepard asked.

"Likely outcome of analysis. Cannot be sure without further tests. However, similar artefacts recovered before have emitted data-bursts on contact with certain sentient species. Human, Salarian, Batarian, Asari with parents from those species. Suggests that Prothean technology only reacts to beings with certain biological and genetic features."

"Fascinating." Garrus threw the word back at the Salarian sarcastically. Mordin looked up with an irritated twitch to his left eye, but held his tongue. Shepard cautioned the Turian with a glance.

"What have you managed to fathom out so far?" The Commander asked.

"Have mainly focused my attention on data retrieved from weapons testing facility. Felt that schematics of singularity cannon held higher priority on list of projects." Mordin sniffed.

"Do we really have to call it a 'Singularity Cannon'? The name feels kinda unwieldy, if you catch my drift." Jacob said from one side of the bench.

"I like 'The Piecemaker'." Garrus offered. "It certainly leaves enough pieces lying around after you fire it. Then again, so do many things Shepard picks up."

"Very funny." Shepard said with a straight face. "We'll christen it after it kills its first Reaper, how about that? Now keep quiet. The grown-ups have some talking to do. Mordin, please continue."

"Have already begun work on manufacturing our own facsimile. Schematics of certain components passed on to Lab and Armoury minifacturing plants, which are now compiling necessary resources and assembling initial stages of construction. Engineers Donnelly and Daniels are making adjustments to power systems and prow-mounted weapons emplacements in order to accommodate unusual shape. Theorise is likely that Normandy's core should cope with power needs with very little modification. Beneficial aspect of Tantalus Core, can cope with higher power draw than most drive cores. Do not worry, have not begun any work that will impede operation of ship yet. Merely preparing for such work. Wouldn't think to order such modifications to begin without your permission, Shepard."

"How long will it take?" Feron asked. "We can't afford to have our weapons systems taken offline for too long."

"Will have more accurate time estimate in next few hours, though will be estimate at best. Am working with unknown technology here. Revenant's suggestions based on Collector technology have expedited process of deciphering schematics, but is still a difficult task."

"Right." Feron acknowledged. "I'd better go file my report with Liara."

As the Drell left the room, The rest of the squad's attention was drawn by a quiet grinding noise from Legion. The Geth was still waving its hands over the orb, looking for a moment like an old-fashioned fortune-teller with a crystal ball. Tendrils of energy arced from its hands to the surface of the orb, the Geth's way of scanning the device.

"Shepard-Commander, we are reading atypical energy levels in the orb. It is probable that this is because it has not discharged like other specimens recovered. The logical conclusion is that the data is still locked inside."

"So how do we extract it?" Kaidan asked. "All the other orbs that were found emitted a data-burst that was too complex for us to fully process before it dissipated. I'd hate to lose valuable data because we were too slow to catch it."

"We hypothesise that it may be possible to record the data-burst if the device was discharged in the vicinity of a collection of Geth hubs. The concentration of Geth runtimes would be able to share the task of processing the data amongst themselves, therefore ensuring minimal information loss."

"Couldn't you do it?" Shepard asked.

"Negative. This platform only houses one thousand, one hundred thirty-six runtimes. The concentration of runtimes necessary for such a task runs into the millions. Even by combining the storage capacity of this platform with all of the storage available on the Normandy we could not achieve the needed numbers to process even a quarter of the data stored within."

"Then I guess we'll have to put a stop in Geth space on our to-do list." Shepard sighed. "That'll take some time. Data had better be worth it."

"I'll note it down in your day planner." Garrus quipped. "I think you've got an opening on Thursday, right between 'Save Galaxy' and your four thirty with the Omega Cartels."

"Sounds about right." The Commander said wearily. "Seeing as you're busy playing secretary, Garrus, why don't you clear my schedule for the rest of today and tomorrow. I have a date with a bottle of Batarian Quinat and a mattress."

"Well first I reckon you should visit the Med Bay." Kaidan cautioned. "Those marks the Hanar left are looking pretty livid."

"Indeed." Mordin agreed. "Would not recommend mixing Hanar toxins and alcohol in the blood. Potentially fatal combination."

"I'll look into it. In the meantime, back to your stations, people."

Garrus, Kaidan and Jacob nodded, the latter pair saluting before leaving. Legion returned to its analysis of the orb while Mordin took up a position next to his research terminal, continuing to dig through the Prothean data he had recovered.

Etarn and the Revenant stayed, staring at the orb on the bench. Shepard stepped over to stand next to the Batarian, looking at his reflection in the orb's silvery surface. A stray ripple passed across the smooth surface, it device's faint glow shimmering at the disturbance.

"It's all a little hard to believe, isn't it?" Etarn said. "The Prothean Extinction. I always thought that they destroyed themselves. You know, civil war, two factions with vastly different beliefs, one pushes the doomsday button and the other does the same in retaliation, and then no one wins, but neither has to put up with the shame of losing. Then we find something like those ruins on Stynos, or the ones you found on Ilos, remnants of their desperate attempts to put a stop to their genocide."

"I'll admit that a giant race of machines killing every living thing in the Galaxy every fifty millennia was a little hard for me to swallow too." Shepard replied. "It's a lot easier to just assume they died out, or their technology got out of hand and backfired on them. But the truth is almost never easy."

"Pretty hard to refute it when the evidence is staring you right in the face." Etarn gestured at the orb. "And then we've got people like your friend the Revenant here, living proof of the crimes committed against the Protheans."

Shepard looked up at the Collector, standing on the other side of the Batarian as Etarn mentioned him. It was during that glance that he noted the Revenant's strange expression. The alien's eyes were focused on the orb with an unusual intensity. The huge wide head was tilted as though listening to something.

"Something wrong, Revenant?" The Commander asked, receiving no response. Etarn looked up at the Collector's silence, his four eyes filling with curiosity and concern on noting the Revenant's stock-still pose.

"I don't think he's hearing you, Shepard."

"Revenant? Can you hear me?" Shepard asked. "What do you see?"

The Collector's only reply was to lift up one hand, claws extended. The arm stretched out towards the orb, hand's palm facing the device.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Revenant." Shepard said sharply. "We've no idea how it'll react to a Collector's physiology."

The hand continued its leisurely journey towards the orb.

"Don't!" Shepard shouted, hands lunging out to grasp the Revenant's chitinous forearm. He strained to hold back the alien's arm, but couldn't stop its inexorable progress towards the orb. Etarn joined him, tugging on the Collector's shoulders to pull him away from the workbench and the silver orb. Legion and Mordin's attention was snagged and they stepped over to help.

Despite the struggles of his colleagues, the Revenant's hand came into contact with the orb, green sparks leaping out from the device as the liquid surface quivered. Shepard froze for a second as a pall of dread-filled silence fell across the Lab. Then the silence was shattered by a powerful thud. The orb began to lift off the workbench, the Revenant's hand still attached to it. The orb vibrated in the air, emitting an almost musical thumping pulse which rose in pitch and speed. The Commander realised the danger, having witnessed the same occurrence several times before.

"Get out of here!" He shouted at his friends. Mordin and Etarn were swift to follow his order, and a cautioning glare to Legion soon had the Geth obeying too. Shepard remained behind, still struggling to get the Revenant away from the relic.

The Commander turned to look at the device with a measure of dread when its song rose to a fever pitch and then suddenly stopped. The orb's glowing green aura shuddered inwards for a moment before exploding outwards in an abrupt rush. Shepard was thrown from his feet, hitting the Lab's wall with tremendous force. Lab equipment shattered around him as the green shockwave passed over it, coating the floor in debris and glass shards. When he looked back at the orb, the Commander saw the Revenant hovering above the floor, held by a brilliant emerald light. The Collector's arms and head were thrown back, eyes wide open as though he were enduring incredible pain.

The light vanished as quickly as it had appeared, the orb and the Revenant dropping with twin crashes. As the Collector folded up on the deck, the orb struck the workbench and split it in half, legs and shattered surfaces splaying out in all directions. Silence rolled into the Lab once again.

Shepard groaned as he rolled to his feet, carefully avoiding the sharper pieces of debris on the floor as he picked his way over to the recumbent figure of the Revenant. He knelt down next to his comrade, searching for a sign of life. As he rolled the Collector over into a less awkward position, a rush of breath escaping from what passed for the alien's mouth confirmed that he still lived.

"EDI! Get a medical team up here with a stretcher!" He shouted to the ship's walls.

Mordin, Legion and Etarn rushed back into the Lab, the Salarian waving his omnitool across the Revenant's body as the other two helped Shepard to manoeuvre him away from the orb, which now sat silently amidst the carnage of the Lab.

Seconds later, Dr Archer rushed into the Lab, followed closely by a pair of servicemen wheeling a stretcher between them. The Doctor knelt down next to Mordin, the pair of them scanning the Collector together.

"What've we got Solus?" Archer asked.

"Unknown." The Salarian replied. "Exposure to energy burst from Prothean artefact. No sign of burns or shock, no apparent reason for loss of consciousness."

"Neurological activity is through the roof." Archer breathed. "This can't be good, even for him."

"Must move him down to Med Bay. Can administer treatment and do more in-depth scans down there. Quickly."

**~o~0~o~**

"What's the diagnosis, Doc?" Shepard asked Archer, down in the Normandy's Med Bay.

The Revenant lay on one of the beds, a net of diagnostic wires and IV lines running from him to various pieces of equipment. Mordin scuttled about the machinery, making constant adjustments as he analysed the data. Dr Archer took a slow breath before answering the Commander.

"He's stable, but we don't know how to wake him up. We've just got to wait and see if he surfaces on his own for now." The doctor tapped out several commands on his omnitool, pulling up a few text documents. "We analysed the security recordings from the Tech Labs and, on a hunch, I cross-referenced the incident with your little encounter with the Prothean beacons. There were numerous similarities. Its probably safe to assume that the orb 'downloaded' its cache of data directly into his brain."

"We've seen other orbs that didn't react in this way." Shepard interjected.

"Yes, but the individuals in those cases weren't descended from the Protheans. We know the orbs only discharge in the presence of an individual bearing certain genetic markers. Given their smaller size, we can safely say that they are less complex than the Beacons themselves, and therefore probably cannot interface with any genetic makeup very far removed from Prothean physiology. It makes sense that only a Collector could properly connect with the relics, and seeing as the Collectors were almost blind to their past its almost a certainty no Collector has had contact with such a device before."

"There's no indication as to what got downloaded into his brain? Weapons schematics, mass relay locations, dark energy theory?"

"We'll find out when he wakes up. I wouldn't expect to fathom it out straight away. He was having a hard time sorting through all the Collector knowledge that got compacted into his mind. Now he's got a bunch of Prothean data in there too. It's bound to be a little jumbled up in there. Even a mind as powerful as his will take time to organise it all into usable memories."

The pair of them turned at a rustling sound behind them. The Revenant sat up on his bed, clawed hand rising to rub what amounted to a brow on the alien's head. Numerous displays started sounding out warnings as connections were severed and other readings changed with his movement. A wet hissing noise escaped from his mouth, the Collector equivalent of a groan.

"Hey! Take it easy." Shepard said, moving to his side. "You had us worried for a minute there."

"What was that?" The Revenant asked. "I remember looking at the orb, and then there was a green flash and… then nothing."

"You started staring at the orb, then you reached out to touch it. You were damned determined to as well. The four of us couldn't stop you. The second you touched it, things went kinda screwy. Archer reckons the orb downloaded a bunch of Prothean data into your head."

"Mmmf… Feels like it. Feels like there's too much running around in there." The Revenant's hands covered his eyes, rubbing at them. "I think my skull's about to split in half."

"Well try not to let that happen just yet. We need what's inside of it right now." Shepard joked. "But get some rest just now. We've got a brief respite over the next few days, so get plenty of bed rest and try to get your thoughts in order."

"I'll try, Shepard. Thank you." The Collector nodded graciously.

Shepard was about to turn to the door to leave when he felt a tiny pain on the nape of his neck. He jumped, twisting around to find the source of the sensation, only to see Mordin scuttling backwards, syringe in hand and a devilish smile on his face.

"Ouch! What the hell, Mordin?" The Commander demanded.

"Immuno-booster and anti-venom to counteract Hanar toxins. Inflammation of skin should be gone by tomorrow morning."

"Next time, just tell me what you're doing, okay?"

"Where is fun in that, Commander?"

"You get your bedside manner during your STG days? 'Cause it sucks!"

"No, not with STG. Learned more sociable bedside attitude while working on Omega. Good environment for developing people skills."

"You're a laugh-a-minute, Mordin." Shepard said with a deadpan expression. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go hit the hay."

Without a further word, Shepard made his way to the elevator, wearily keying in the command to travel to the Loft, where his cabin nestled below the hull of the ship. On exiting the elevator, he trudged across the deck and down the steps towards his bed, discarding his armour as he did so. He left the heavy items in a pile on the coffee table before flinging himself down on the bed. He knew there would be a mass of paperwork to deal with, but at that moment he didn't give a rat's ass. Anyone looking for a slice of his time could go step out an airlock. Smiling at this momentary flare of rebellion, the Commander drifted off into a deep slumber.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard emerged onto the CIC deck the following morning, fresh-faced and full of energy. He adjusted the casual pants and tee-shirt that he wore, in the mood for an informal day without the concerns of bullets flying overhead. He stretched his arms, interlocking his fingers over his head in just the right way to pull at his shoulders until they clicked refreshingly.

Kelly greeted him at his station next to the Galaxy Map, her smile bright as ever.

"Good morning Commander." She said in her chirpy voice. "Sleep well?"

"Like a Krogan after a barrel of ryncol." He answered with a grin. "Any messages for me?"

"A couple came through on your terminal through the night, but I don't think there was anything all that important. Any word on our next stop?"

"Not sure yet. I'll contact Liara later, see if she's got any more intel for me. In the meantime, I think we'll just take it easy today, catch up on necessary maintenance and other tasks. If we finish early, you can have the rest of the day off."

"Are you actually letting us have a day off, Commander? I'll have to note this down on the calendar!" The yeoman joked. "I'm sure the engineering department will be glad of the break. I know Ken and Gabby have been putting in long hours trying to get the Normandy back to a hundred per cent."

"Tell them to make the most of it. I don't think there'll be much time to stop and catch our breath after this. Anything else I should know about?"

"Nothing right now. Like you said; an easy day today."

"That'll be all, Kelly."

Shepard stepped away from the glowing Galaxy Map, moving over to his terminal to check his messages. After sifting through the normal dross, a few messages that were obviously scams or cheap adverts for seedy products, he managed to filter out one message of interest. It was from Liara, so he opened it immediately

_Shepard,_

_Well done on Stynos. I must say, the last thing either of us could have expected was an attack instigated by a Hanar religious group. I picked up on Bolnan's outgoing message, but my attempts to stop it from reaching the pirates failed. Regardless, you handled the situation well enough on your own, and obtained the Prothean weapon in the process. Feron forwarded the data and schematics on to me, and your Doctor Solus is keeping me updated on his research. I will distribute the information to certain contacts in the Alliance Navy and the Council defence forces. After greasing a few palms, I'm sure that both organisations will soon be upgrading their ships to accommodate these weapons. I already have several Alliance resource shipments being diverted to certain shipyards, where their cargo will be used in the manufacture of the weapons._

_I heard what happened with your teammate, the Revenant. A strange series of events. On the plus side, I suppose there's no need for you to go into Geth Space to analyse the orb anymore, though I'm sure you have already reached that conclusion._

_I probably owe you an explanation for why I did not reveal Matthews' identity to you. You must understand, even for an entity like the Shadow Broker, infiltrating a powerful corporation like ExoGeni is a serious undertaking, and getting someone in at the level Matthews had reached takes a lot of time and resources. I felt it better to keep his identity a secret from anyone, even you, unless the circumstances grew dire. While he could be replaced, it would take time that we can ill-afford right now. Of course, this is all irrelevant now, thanks to his murder. But I hope you understand why I withheld certain facts from you._

_You will hear from me in the near future. I've made some grave discoveries that warrant your attention, but there are a couple of affairs I need to get in order before I send you off on another mission._

_Take care, Shepard._

_Liara._

Shepard smiled at the message, composing a brief response.

_Liara,_

_You don't have to explain anything to me. I understand the covert nature of your network. If you needed to keep him a secret, that's fine._

_I'll do my best to stay in one piece until you get back in touch._

_Shepard._

The Commander then closed down his terminal, flashing Kelly a warm smile as he turned away and walked past her, heading for the elevator. He keyed in the code for the Crew deck, and the doors hissed closed in front of him.

Moments later, the Commander stepped out of the elevator only to almost run into Jacob, the ex-Corsair moving swiftly through the corridor outside.

"Whoa! Hey Commander."

"Jacob. What's the rush?"

"Uh, just eager to get on with my work. Word is we've got a break coming our way, and I just wanted to make the most of it. Don't want a pile of uncalibrated shotguns ruining my day off, you know?"

"I hear that. So how are you planning on ruining your day off?" Shepard chuckled.

"Garrus threw down the gauntlet this morning. Can't let the challenge go unanswered. We're settling it in the ring once he finishes up with the cannon modifications."

"This I've got to see. Don't start without me!" Shepard chuckled as he walked away from the elevator. Jacob laughed, slapping the elevator controls.

The Commander sauntered into the Crew Mess, strolling over to Rupert's station and scooping up one of the portions of the breakfast he was busily preparing, an Asari dish that consisted of cooked fruit, coated in crystallised honey. Shepard picked up one of the sweet morsels and popped it in his mouth, savouring the delicate flavours.

As he turned to walk away from the kitchen area, he caught sight of Etarn, sitting by himself at one of the tables. The Commander carried his plate over and sat next to the Batarian, nodding in greeting.

"Etarn. Settling in okay?" He asked around a mouthful of food.

"As well as you'd expect." The alien replied. "I have to say, I'm at a loss as to what to do to pass the time here. I'm a politician, albeit one with… unorthodox ways. I keep in touch with my contacts on Khar'Shan and elsewhere in Hegemony space, but my subordinates are running the movement for now."

"Any word on when you'll be able to return? Does Gorm look like he's going to cool off anytime soon?"

"That eager to get rid of me, huh, Commander?" The Batarian raised a hand to put a stop to Shepard's sputtered denial. "Merely a joke, Shepard. You've made me feel more than welcome, and I appreciate it. But back to your question. Things are still pretty tense in Hegemony space, so its not looking like I'll be able to return to Khar'Shan for a while yet. Not if I want to keep all four of my eyes intact."

"You said something about that when we met. You referred to some sort of religious custom with regards to the eyes of the dead?"

"Yes. We believe that our spirit leaves the body through the eyes to join our ancestors, living up among the stars."

"Ancestor worship? I had no idea."

"It is not a widely publicised aspect of our culture. Not many people subscribe to those beliefs any more. Not after we ventured out into space and found the stars to be no more than orbs of burning gas separated by massive amounts of nothing. Many Batarians fail to see the value of venerating those who came before. They cannot understand why the story of a great Batarian leader who saved the lives of thousands a couple of centuries ago has merit today, or why we should show respect to the ones who gave us internal combustion, or crop rotation, or medicine."

"I get the feeling you are a believer, then?" Shepard asked as he munched on another chunk of crystallised fruit.

"Our beliefs are a part of what defines us, Shepard. If we discard the traditions and values that shaped our people, what does that say about us?"

"You have a point."

"Of course, even if they have forsaken the old beliefs, many still honour the traditions and rites of old. The Rite of Blinding is simply one of those."

"Rite of Blinding?"

"A custom that practically goes back further than our discovery of fire. The vilest of criminals would be blinded, then executed. With their souls trapped in their bodies, they would become vengeful spirits haunting Khar'Shan's ash plains, devouring alive those they encountered. In our mythology, these monsters were known as 'Tikhal'- the Unseeing.

"So nowadays the mutilation of a corpse's eyes is still a taboo, the superstition still holding strong in our societal consciousness. Much like how Turians refuse to allow images of their dead to be taken, or how Humans wear black clothing to funerals to hide themselves from evil."

"Old habits die hard, huh?"

"Indeed. But enough discussion of such things. Tell me a bit more about your people."

"It sounds like you know plenty already. Even I didn't know that little fact about black ties." Shepard smirked.

"As I said before, one must do his research before venturing out onto the Galactic platform." Etarn grinned back. "That does not mean I know everything there is to learn about the Citadel races."

"I guess. So what do you want to know? I can't think of anything particularly spectacular to tell you."

"All species are spectacular, Commander. Why else would you go to the lengths you do to protect them?" Etarn's eyes were sincere as he spoke. "If not your people, tell me a bit about yourself."

"Well," Shepard said, scooping up the last of his breakfast and polishing it off with relish. "I was born on Earth, as you've probably heard. Grew up in the gutters, joined a couple of gangs, enlisted in the Alliance when I was eighteen."

"An ignoble beginning. Why did you join the Alliance?"

"I wanted to get out of the hole I found myself in. I got tired of the life I saw down in the slums, and wanted to get out there." Shepard's arm waved expansively to one side, indicating the side of the Normandy but referring to the empty space beyond.

"Understandable. Any highlights of your service?"

"I guess the highlight would be when I got assigned to the first Normandy. That was after Akuze." Shepard's face darkened, but he quickly moved from the memory. "I took some time to recover, you know, psychologically, emotionally. Then my service record got the attention of the Alliance brass. Captain Anderson saw my potential and had me assigned to the Normandy. Almost immediately afterwards that whole affair with Saren got started."

"Akuze… that was where the Threshers wiped out that colony, right?"

"Yeah. I was one of the marines sent to investigate. The rest of my unit were pretty much all wiped out during the investigation."

"Pretty much?"

"I ran into another survivor a couple of years ago. Corporal Toombs. Turns out that the whole incident was a Cerberus set-up to study the creatures. They had captured Toombs and kept him prisoner in the time since that mission until I saw Toombs again."

"Must have been hard, losing so many close to you."

"I survived. And I didn't let it make me any less than who I had been before."

"A strong attitude."

"I guess that's what got me noticed. They reckoned that someone who made it out of that alive was a good candidate for the Spectres."

Shepard looked down at his empty plate, letting out a long breath. He reached down and collected up the soiled utensils.

"Thanks for the talk, Etarn. It's been good."

"Always a pleasure, Commander." The Batarian smiled.

Shepard carried his trays to Rupert's station, nodding to the Sergeant as he walked away. He turned to walk down the corridor towards the gunnery station.

The doors hissed open to release a plume of black smoke and a coughing Garrus, waving a clawed hand in front of his face to clear his line of sight.

"Damnit!" The Turian cursed. "Shut it down, shut it down!"

"This is your damn fault!" Gabby Daniels' voice echoed from within the gunnery control centre. "I told you that cheap-ass tools you've been using weren't up to the job. Now you've gone and fried the auxiliary control matrices."

"Cool your jets, Sparky." Garrus grumbled, picking at a patch of carbon on his armoured torso. "We've got spares."

"Yeah, but guess who's got to fit the new one? I got enough on my plate here without you botching your own work."

The Turian looked set to launch a blistering verbal counterattack when he eyes looked to Shepard. The alien's demeanour instantly cooled and the pointing finger dropped to his side. Gabby, suspicious of his sudden silence, popped her head out into the corridor to see what was going on. Her hair looked more dishevelled than usual and her eyes were ringed with weariness.

"Commander!" She yelped on catching sight of him. "We were just… uh… discussing the new weapon system."

"Sure sounded like it." Shepard said, a barely suppressed smile threatening to pull at the corners of his mouth.

"What, that?" Garrus asked innocently. "Just playful banter, you know? A little jab here, a little barb there. Nothing to get all worked up about."

"I'll be sure to let Ken know that it's nothing, then." Shepard. "How're the modifications coming along? Any problems?"

"Ehh.. Nothing major, Commander." Gabby said, stepping out of the smoke-filled gunnery station. She wiped her hands on her overalls. "Garrus, I gotta go get some tools from my station downstairs. I'll only be a couple of minutes."

"That's fine, Gabs." Garrus nodded.

"Commander."

With a small salute, the engineer walked by. Garrus and Shepard watched her go, the latter giving the former a sly glance, to which the Turian responded with annoyed confusion.

"What?"

"Anything I should know about, Garrus?" Shepard teased.

"You're full of crap today, you know that?" Garrus turned and strode back into the slowly clearing air of the gunnery station. "Everyone knows that Ken and Gabby are an item. I'm not about to step all over his toes."

"If you say so." Even with his back turned, Garrus could feel the Commander's smug smile.

"If you value the use of your legs, you'll wipe that smile off what you damn monkeys call a face."

"That's hardly the way to talk to the guy that's going to have to carry you back to sickbay after Jacob's done with you in the sparring ring."

"You've heard about that, huh? Well don't be so sure of the outcome just yet. I reckon young Mr Taylor's in for a surprise."

"I have to say, the ring seems to have gone down well with the crew."

"It's a good way to blow off steam, and the rules are clear so no one gets hurt so bad they can't work. A lot better than having a tense crew going into battle. That's when you get mistakes." Garrus crouched down next to his console to inspect a charred piece of circuitry. "Ouch. That's not good."

"Problems with the new weapons system?"

"Kind of. It's more that we're having trouble with the older systems coping with the increased power requirements. That's the fourth piece of equipment that's burned out since we started work on this." With a sigh, the Turian dropped the charred device on the deck and turned to face the Commander. "I guess I've got a few minutes while Gabs gets her act together. Fancy catching a drink in the Lounge?"

"On duty, Garrus?" Shepard arched an eyebrow.

"Strictly non-alcoholic, then. I just need to take a break, and nothing's working for me to calibrate."

"Lead the way, Garrus."

Shepard followed the Turian through the Mess Hall and to the Port Observation Room and Lounge. The Commander paused for a second to look out of the window at the view beyond. The Normandy was temporarily stationed in orbit around an uninhabited planet coated in thick clouds of noxious yellow gasses. Occasionally Joker would swoop the ship closer to the planet's upper atmosphere and discharge a portion of the electrical charge the Normandy's core had built up, using the planet as a way to earth the ship. As the Commander watched, the Normandy swerved down into the upper reaches of the yellow clouds, the view outside becoming a swirling amber mass.

Garrus stepped behind the bar located against the wall of the lounge, running a finger along the bottles perched on the shelves there. He stopped at some bottles bearing a script that was completely foreign to the Commander, eventually grabbing one that contained a purplish liquid.

"Quarian. Very nice. What about you, Commander?"

"Surprise me."

"You asked for it." Garrus quipped good-naturedly, reaching up to the top shelf and grabbing a metal container which gave no clue to its contents. He grabbed a glass and, with an expert hand, poured the Commander a shot. The liquid barely qualified to be called that, the thick brown sludge that it was. For a second, Shepard wondered whether he should drink it or eat it with a knife and fork. He hesitated as he gazed down at the foul-smelling beverage before he caught Garrus' eye. The Turian was watching the Commander carefully, a glint in his stare that held a hint of challenge and a lot more amusement to it. Shepard realised that to back down now would result in an unending series of taunts. Throwing his friend a defiant smile, Shepard grabbed the glass, lifted it to his lips, and drank it down, slowly, not even giving the Turian the satisfaction of seeing him gulp it down to get it over with.

About halfway through, Shepard's throat began to tingle, and the fumes travelling up his nose brought red-hot tears to his eyes. He felt the brown sludge leave a residue on the inside of his mouth and coating his throat, a sticky, chalky feeling that made him want to heave. What surprised him the most, though, was the taste. It took several seconds for the flavour to register in his mind, as though the texture and smell had taken precedence and forced his taste buds to stay at the back of the queue in giving their report to his brain. The drink had a sweet, gentle flavour that the Commander actually found himself enjoying. Once he was aware of this, the smell and texture became a lot easier to deal with. He finished off the drink and nodded for Garrus to pour him another one. The Turian seemed unsurprised.

"Nice. What is it?" Shepard asked.

"A Krogan drink, actually. They call it 'Nardan'. I once heard one of my team describe it as 'sweet as roses, but thick as shit, and with about the same smell'. Apparently its something that the Krogan females make, which would explain its less harsh nature compared to ryncol."

"Krogan? So that means…"

"When you said to 'surprise you', I decided it didn't have to be an immediate thing. You ought to get the shock of your life tonight." Garrus' grin was triumphant. "Make sure you've got plenty of reading material in your cabin. You'll need it where you'll be sitting."

"This is about me beating you in the ring, right?" Shepard chuckled, gritting his teeth at the Turian getting one over on him.

"You know it." Garrus barely contained his laughter.

"I thought the ring was meant to be used to settle grudges, not incite them."

"What can I say? When it comes to Turian tradition, you can expect me not to conform."

"Yeah, well enjoy your drink Vakarian. Might be the last one you can drink in peace. This," Shepard lifted the empty glass. "means war.

"Haha." Garrus chuckled as he finished his drink. "I'd better get back to my work, Shepard. Don't wanna be late for Jacob's three o'clock ass-kicking."

"See you 'round, Garrus."

The Turian stepped away from the bar, striding out of the room while he hummed a jaunty tune. Shepard shook his head in amusement before standing up himself, putting away the bottles and glasses. He walked out of the Lounge and made his way to the past the elevator and back into the main Crew Mess, heading for the Med Bay.

Inside, he saw Archer dozing in his chair behind his desk. As the doors hissed closed behind the Commander, the slight click they made upon meeting stirred him from his slumber. The doctor looked about in a disoriented fashion before his eyes settled on Shepard.

"Commander! My- my apologies. I was just taking a moment's rest, and it seems that a full night's work caught up with me."

"No explanation needed, Doctor. You've had a lot to deal with these past few days, what with Joker, the Revenant and all the injuries the rest of my squad has been throwing your way. Take a break. I'm just here to talk to the Revenant, see how he's doing."

"Feel free." Archer said, waving a hand over his shoulder at the back wall, against which was the bed inhabited by the Revenant. The Collector was sitting up, manipulating a holographic interface, seemingly oblivious to the Commander's presence. "He's been up all night. Started jabbering away some nonsense or other whenever I tried to talk to him. I think he's a little puzzled that we've got him confined to his bed until we understand a bit more about what happened. Speaking of which…"

Archer spun his chair back to his desk and dialled up his omnitool, accessing his terminal's records.

"I'm sending you a copy of a scan I performed on the Revenant's neural net four hours ago and one taken back when he first arrived. Look at them and tell me what you see."

"They look pretty damn complicated."

"Yes, aside from that." Archer stood next to the Commander, looking down on the scans which had been uploaded to Shepard's 'tool. "Of course, they're incomplete. Collector physiology is so complex I almost didn't know where to start. This is a little akin to a snapshot of the outer layer of neural connections. Nowhere near enough to make a complete map of the Revenant's brain, but enough to get a general idea of its layout."

"Okay, but these two scans aren't the same."

"Absolutely correct. And yet, both scans were carried out in an identical manner, examining the exact same locations. So the question to ask is; how do two identical brain scans turn out so differently?"

"…His brain changed?"

"Exactly. I've never seen anything like this before. I'm performing scans every two hours, and they show a tremendous rate of change. You'd expect some level of neurological change over the course of years and decades, but not like this. Entire networks of neurons are being rewritten. It's like watching evolution in hyper-drive. Whatever got pushed into his head, it's rebuilding his brain."

"So what's left of our colleague?"

"I can't say. I don't know how the Collector brain works to store information. The layered structure of the neural network varies from anything I've ever seen. It could be that all data is stored on different layers, in which case its possible that the core of what makes him the Revenant is still in there, preserved on a deeper level than what is being overwritten. Then again, it could all be destroyed by the changes that are being made by the orb's data. I'm inclined to think the former, given your personal experience with Prothean technology. I mean, your personality remained intact with the message they gave you running around in your brain."

"Let's hope so. Even without the Prothean data, he's still a valuable member of my team. There's no guarantee that he'll stay with us if a new personality replaces the Revenant."

"I agree. I've taken a liking to this alien, Commander." Archer chuckled. "Never in all my time with Cerberus would I have thought I'd catch myself saying something like that."

"Its amazing what you can discover when you allow your horizons to broaden." Shepard said. "I remember a friend of mine who started off with that attitude. The first Normandy's chief navigator, Pressly, was reluctant to allow non-humans on the ship. But after fighting alongside so many of them during our pursuit of Saren, he soon found himself possessing a completely different viewpoint."

"I can see why. I still believe in what we were trying to achieve, but I see now that our goals shouldn't be pursued with the 'at all costs' mentality that seems prevalent among the Illusive Man's agents."

"I glad to hear that, Doc. I'm gonna go speak with your patient now. Go catch up on some of that sleep you were enjoying before I turned up."

"Thank you, Commander."

Shepard stepped up to the Revenant's bedside, closely looking at the Collector before speaking.

"Revenant? Can you hear me?"

The Collector's head swivelled to look at Shepard, the yellow eyes darting about without focus for a moment. His mouth seemed to work around several words for a second before any sound came out.

"…Shepard. I am sorry… but the words are hard to grasp. Every time I try to speak these… other things keep getting in the way."

"'Other things?' You mean words?"

"Not… exactly. I try to call up a word and a… picture flashes across my eyes, or a sound echoes in my… ears, or any number of other… attacks on my senses."

"Any new information filtering into your mind? Mordin and Archer think that you've got a whole cache of new Prothean data running around in your head now."

"I… think so. It's hard to tell right now, as even my old memories feel new to me. I hear these words that I'm certain I've never heard before, but I can't be sure. I've got so much to sort through in my mind without the Prothean data. I was still organising the information that compressed into my mind when my people died."

"Take what time you need, but be sure to note down anything that comes to you, no matter how insignificant. You never know what could be a clue to something incredibly valuable."

"Indeed. I've been browsing the, the extranet, seeking any images that might trigger something in my mind."

"Smart. Any luck?"

"Possibly. I see places when I try looking up Prothean dig sites. I just need time to filter the data. One location seems to hold some importance. There's no name, but I see a garden world, a city in between two hills, surrounded by fields of golden crops swaying in the breeze. After all this time, I imagine that the landmarks would be considerably different now, but in the distance I can see a… mountain range, and behind that I see two moons. Identifying marks that would be easier to identify."

"Its something. Keep me informed on anything else that comes to you. If we visit any more Prothean worlds I'll be sure to give you any imagery we can collect to see if its bears any resemblance."

"Okay. In the meantime I'll… carry on browsing."

"You do that." Shepard patted the Collector on the shoulder, turning to leave. He made his way through the Crew Deck to the elevator and keyed in the code for the Engineering deck.

**~o~0~o~**

The first thing Shepard heard upon stepping out onto the Engineering deck was Ken's loud Scottish accent echoing out of the main Engineering section. It sounded as though he was on the losing side of an argument, and yet was unwilling to back down.

"It can't be done! She's got no more power to give you, no matter how urgently you need it."

"So sure that task cannot be completed, unwilling to try." Mordin's much calmer voice filtered through, though it was tinged with uncharacteristic irritation. "Have run numbers dozens of times, Engineer Donnelly. Sufficient power is attainable with explained modifications. Perhaps you should stow head in cloaca while I work here."

"Hell no! This is my department, mine! Back off, frog-eyes."

Shepard increased his pace, making his way through the two pairs of doors to get to the main Engineering room, where he saw Ken and Mordin standing inches apart, faces thrust within millimetres of each other. The Salarian was holding a datapad listing a string of modifications necessary for the Normandy's pending upgrades, while the human's arms were folded defiantly across his chest as he leaned forwards insolently to lower his face the level of the alien's. The Commander's presence instantly drew their attention, though neither backed away from the other. Shepard stopped in the doorway, arms folded across his chest as he tilted his chest questioningly.

"Commander, you've got to have words with this guy. The changes he's trying to make will require a complete overhaul of the ship's power systems. We can't do that on the fly like he wants to."

"Engineer Donnelly's summary of situation is flawed, Commander. Complete reconstruction of power systems unnecessary. Simple modifications laid out in my report here are all that will be needed. However, foolish cloaca refuses to acknowledge possibility to perform procedures outside of shipyard."

Shepard sighed, looking down at the deck before speaking.

"Ken, we need these modifications, and we don't have time to go into dry-dock. On the day Mordin makes a mistake about something like this, I will personally walk on the surface of the sun. Until that day, do as he says."

Ken threw up his hands in frustration and stumped past the Commander, leaving Shepard and the Salarian alone in the Engineering department. Mordin smiled at the Commander.

"Thank you, Shepard. Realise importance of cannon upgrade, and was growing frustrated with Donnelly's lack of enthusiasm."

"Don't think you're off the hook, Mordin."

The professor's eyes narrowed in the Salarian equivalent of a frown.

"Am not sure I follow you, Commander. Have I done something wrong?"

"Just because I agree with you doesn't mean you can lord it over the rest of the crew. Ken was perfectly in his right to make a protest. This is his department, and you just brushed him aside like his work here means nothing."

"His ignorance threatened to impede efficiency of my work!"

"And this is what I'm talking about. We're a team, Mordin. We can't afford to have your arrogance and brusque manner causing friction. Yours isn't the only work taking place on this vessel. Bear that in mind the next time you have to discuss something with another member of my crew."

"I-" Mordin was at a loss for a moment, his usual steady babble of words halted briefly. Finally, he sighed. "Understood, Shepard. Did not mean to incite discord."

"I know. But we're all facing a threat beyond anything we could be prepared for. I need you all at your best and working together."

"Agreed. Am simply out-of-practice in dealing with others on a personal level. Used to work on Omega, where was largely centre of attention due to my expertise in the medical field leaving all other local experts behind. Even in work against Collectors was largely left to own devices, simply given task and resources and told to achieve desired outcome. Now, with more threats to deal with, teamwork is more important than individual distinction. Will try to work better with rest of crew."

"Good. Now, what can you tell me about the modifications? Everything else going in smoothly?"

"Yes. Aside from tweaking power system, have finished the rest of the necessary changes to the Normandy. Will soon only be waiting on minifacturing process to construct the actual weapon. Has been exhilarating challenge. Not dissimilar from work for STG."

"I'll bet." Shepard smiled. "Hey, Mordin?"

"Yes, Shepard."

"You've told me a lot about your work for the STG, but you never mention what you did before that."

"Was part of many projects before getting flagged for STG. Gained respect and distinction during my early years in medical school on Mannovai. Had outclassed many practising physicians of the day by the time I was seventeen." He chuckled. "Remember expression on face of one of my professors when I demonstrated before his eyes that current theory on Vorcha adaptive evolution was wrong, using only what resources I could gather from university cafeteria.

"After several years and a great many distinctions in the field of medical science, was recruited into initiative set up to study Prothean genetic code from gathered samples. Nothing fabulous to report there, but got me noticed by STG. Suspect initiative may have been screening process for potential recruits to send to Tuchanka to study Genophage. Saw many of former team mates from Prothean project on Tuchanka, easy to 'join the dots' as humans say."

"Do you ever miss them?"

"Old STG comrades? Of course. Can remember each one with perfect clarity. Terip Monn, my lab partner from university days, was team's lead geneticist, responsible for analysing previous incarnation of Genophage. Remember he had two fingers missing on his right hand, accident during university days. Forgot to watch sample of eezo-saturated Salarian eggs for him. As a result of my negligence, sample ignited and his hand was damaged putting out the fire. Refused prosthetics in favour of learning to live without. Always was one stubborn cloaca." Mordin chuckled.

"Blavenn Hodd, our tactical specialist. Advised Kirrahe on best ways to facilitate distribution of new Genophage. Brilliant, in his own way. Some very unconventional strategies devised by him now used in larger Salarian military. Saddened to hear of his demise on Virmire. Really should speak with Kirrahe to offer condolences. Like brothers, those two.

"So many other names. Dervin, Kletra, Gochern and… Sietra."

"That last name sounded important to you, Mordin." Shepard's statement had the hint of a question running through it.

"Sietra was important. Only female on team. Female Salarians not normally part of such an operation, due to rarity compared to males. But Sietra was an exception. Possessed intellect beyond anything I have been witness to. Understanding of genetic modification came to her as naturally as eating and sleeping come to us. Lucky she limited her studies to one field or else would have been no need for rest of team, I am sure. Worked closely with her to create modification to Genophage. Was her idea to use garbage codes to 'clog up' Krogan countermeasure to original plague."

"You had a lot of respect for her?"

"Indeed. Not met many who could match wits with myself, but she bore a tenacity and intelligence I found invigorating. And I see where your questions lead, Shepard, so to forestall your next question no, we did not become involved in the romantic way other species seem so invested in."

"You didn't feel anything?"

"Will not lie to you, did experience normal hormonally induced reactions to close contact with her, but Salarian biology does not support long-term relationships. Accelerated metabolism means we process emotions much faster than other species. Our ability to 'move on' so quickly makes relationships more of a commercial or professional nature than an emotional one. What emotions I may have experienced passed in a relatively short time."

"Sounds to me like that's not entirely accurate, Mordin. Tell me a bit about her."

"I-" The Salarian hesitated. "I must get on with my work, Shepard."

The Doctor walked past the Commander, making a beeline for the engine core. Shepard sighed, shaking his head, before walking out of Main Engineering. He passed through the first set of doors and was about to pass through the second when the murmurs of conversation wafted up to him from the sub-deck.

"'Do as he says'? That man's got some bloody nerve. I'm the one who keeps this shit held together while he's off prancing around on some godawful planet out in the arse-end of nowhere. I put in double shifts, working with the most complex machinery known to man, and what do I get for my trouble? I gotta play manservant to some bug-eyed alien with all the people skills of a retarded gopher. I don't have to put up with this! I oughta-"

"Oh for fuck's sake! Will you stop whining like a little bitch?" Jack's coarse tone barked sharply.

Shepard, curious, took a few quiet steps down to the lower level, pausing on the landing mid-way down the stairs on the port side of the deck. He peered through the steps to catch sight of Jack's painted back turned towards him. The biotic was seated upon a storage crate which had been shoved out of the central area where she lived and was now partly blocking the passage leading from the foot of Shepard's stairs to her sleeping area. Ken was nowhere to be seen, though from the sounds of things he was working with some of the machinery around Jack's bed, presumably why the crate was out of place and Jack wasn't in her usual spot, staring idly at the walls until she felt motivated to go cause trouble in some other part of the ship. Shepard wasn't sure what she did while he wasn't about, as normally upon hearing his approach she'd assume that position of uncaring detachment, staring into nothing in an aloof manner. If he tried to stick around, watching her in silence, she'd normally get pissed off really quickly and chase him away with some casual threats and a lot of biotic posturing.

"It's alright for you." Ken shot back at her. "You're the Commander's 'special favourite'. He'd never so much as look at you in the wrong way."

"Do you have any idea who you're talking to, you cheeky little fuck? I could paint the walls with your blood without having to step over there!" Jack's voice took on a dangerous edge and her shoulders rose in anger, the Omega tattoo on her back dancing with the movement of her muscles.

Jack had taken of late to wearing the same outfit Shepard had first seen her in. In other words; not much at all. Shepard didn't mind what she wore, as he always found her tattoos to be entrancing, a roadmap of her life and a clue to the woman hiding behind them, but he did see it to be a bad sign if she felt the need once more to flaunt them as a warning to anyone trying to approach her. As he watched, she minutely adjusted the almost non-existent belt arrangement she used to maintain the bare-minimum of modesty before speaking once more.

"Besides, you've got Shepard all wrong. If he sees something that ain't right, he'll let you have it, whoever you are. And you'll listen, every single fucking time. He's got a way of looking at you that makes you want to do the right thing. It's like, like… It's all complicated and shit, all right?

"Besides, you should've paid a bit more attention. If you hadn't been so keen to be a fucking drama queen and shoved your head up your ass back there you might've heard the Commander tearing the Doc a new one up there for your sake. From what I heard on the other side of that door he was really pissed with Solus for acting that way, and let him have it."

"Really?" Ken's voice was doubtful, obviously expecting the convict to be lying simply to get him out of her home.

"Yep. Gave him a royal dressing down and told him to kiss and make up with any of the crew he's done wrong by with that head-up-his-ass routine. Then they started talking about some sappy shit about the Salarian's college days and I got bored. You near done yet? I'm getting bored over here. And when I get bored…"

"I know, shit starts blowing up." Ken said with a sigh. "I'd best go mend some bridges, I reckon. I'm done for now. Let me know next time you're not about and I can finish up without getting in your way."

Jack stood up in one fluid motion and, with a flick of her wrist, lifted the crate in a biotic field and sent it skimming along the deck to where it belonged. Ken jumped into view and out of the way with a yelp.

"Watch it!"

"Hey, you said you were finished."

Though Shepard couldn't see her face, he knew Jack was wearing that thin-lipped smile she carried when she was showcasing her perverse pleasure in, well, being Jack. He'd seen the expression plenty of times before, when she first met Miranda, right after the pair of them had come to an uneasy truce to deal with the Collectors before each other, and when she spoke about getting even with all of those who had wronged her throughout her life, on Pragia, on Omega, on the Purgatory, and a few dozen other shady corners of the Galaxy. Ken dodged out of her way and away from the unnerving grin, making his way for the stairwell where Shepard lurked. The Commander swiftly and silently backed up to the top of the stairs, waiting for the Engineer's copper-brown hair to appear as he climbed the steps before he proceeded down to bump into him.

"Ken! There you are." Shepard put on a tone of nonchalance.

"Oh! Commander. Didn't realise you were there. You didn't by any chance…?" The Engineer's tone was hesitant.

"Didn't what?" Shepard feigned incomprehension.

"Nothing." Ken replied with more than a little relief. "Did you need anything, Commander?"

"Actually yes, now that you mention it. Mordin sends his apologies. He hopes you'll understand that he's been under a lot of pressure recently, mostly from me. None of us have an easy time of things on this ship. I also wanted to say I'm sorry for being so harsh up there. I could've handled things better than I did."

"No apology needed, Commander." Ken stammered. "I was being an arsehole about the whole thing. I'm actually just on my way back up now to speak with Professor Solus. I've had a chance to cool off, and now I'm feeling a bit more ready to figure out what needs to be done."

"That's good to hear. I won't get in your way any longer." Shepard said, stepping to one side.

Ken nodded, gingerly stepping past the Commander and easing his way through the door to Main Engineering. In seconds, both his and Mordin's voices could be heard, speaking in a much calmer and more reasonable tone. Shepard smiled as he descended the steps to the sub-deck.

Jack was perched on the edge of what she considered a bed, though it was little more than a flat surface with a thin sheet spread over it. Happy only to be away from the main population centres of the ship, Jack was satisfied with what she had been able to scrounge together for herself down here, turning down Shepard's offers to have more comfortable surroundings provided for her. As the Commander stepped out of the stairwell and into the better-lit area of the sub-deck Jack looked up at him for a second before looking away with a feigned sense of indifference.

"Hey." She said coolly. "Good job sorting out those two pussies. They were doing my head in."

"Yeah, well, I didn't exactly do it by myself did I?" Shepard said gently. "I heard what you said to Ken."

"I know. You think anything happens on this deck without me finding out about it?" Jack smirked as Shepard realised the truth of that statement. "You get a good look from that vantage point back there? I could feel you staring."

"Thanks for your help." Shepard said, not rising to the bait of Jack's last barbed sentence.

"It wasn't much, but I'll take any praise that gets flung my way. Now, any other reason why you're down here bothering me, or do I have to toss your sorry ass back up those steps?"

"Come on, Jack. Is it always going to be like this? Can't we even talk?"

"Ain't got nothin' to talk about."

"Jack, please." Shepard's voice was loaded with sincerity.

"What!" She snapped.

"We both came so far. Are you really gonna let Cerberus undo all that?"

Jack stood up, stalking away from the Commander towards the back wall of the sub-deck. At first Shepard thought she was going to withdraw into the darkest corner of the deck, shutting him out completely, but then she stopped, leaning against a bulkhead with one shoulder and her head tilted to the side, gently touching the metal of the Normandy. She sighed, muttering something under her breath.

"What was that?" Shepard asked, taking a few steps forward. Jack's head snapped around, her brown eyes glinting with anger.

"I said that it's not just Cerberus!" Her voice faded and softened. "Its you."

"You need to explain that one to me."

"Like hell I do! But I will anyway." She turned to face him fully, but her eyes still darted everywhere but where his stare scrutinised her. "After Omega Four, I was finally convinced you were right. About plenty of things. About how I kept everyone at arm's length, about how I didn't need to be alone anymore, about how I could trust you. I let you in. I gave you a piece of me.

"And when you were gone, when I was alone on that Cerberus operating table, it hurt like fuck! Not the needles, not the scalpels, and sure as hell not the tests. It hurt to think about you, and I couldn't get away from it. The other pains I could lock out, but you? There was no escaping you.

"That's why I'm not falling into the same trap again. You take people's feelings hostage. You're why people get hurt!" She pointed a finger at his chest, prodding his sternum painfully.

Her last words hit Shepard deeply. His expression faltered, and he felt himself take an involuntary step back to avoid her pointing finger.

"Jack, You know I never meant to hurt you."

Jack was silent for a second, and then her gaze twitched up. For a crystalline moment, their stares locked. Her stubborn expression faltered and she sighed.

"I know you didn't." She chuckled. "Shit, you sound like a pussy when you get all sappy like that,"

Shepard chuckled, sad expression broken by a smile.

"We can't go back to what we had, Shepard." Jack said.

"No." He agreed. "But maybe we can start over."

The convict's face twisted as a medley of emotions traversed it.

"End of the world's only around the corner and you're gonna waste your time on me?"

"You know it."

"You're fucked in the head, you know that?"

"Once or twice, but only in the line of duty. Except for Samara's daughter. That was to help out a friend."

"Shut up, you idiot." She very nearly laughed. "So what now?"

"Now? Now, I'm gonna carry on being me, and you carry on being you, aside from the recurrent explosions and near-constant slaughter." This earned him a snorted chuckle.

"Alright, you can hang around for a bit. Take a seat."

Jack stalked back to her bed, and Shepard moved to sit next to her. She hesitated for a moment, hand hovering over his, before with an uncomfortable sigh she shuffled away from him, keeping a couple of feet between her and the Commander. Shepard looked at her, even after all this time barely understanding a single thing about the woman sat next to him. He scanned her tattoos for a few seconds, enjoying the mere experience of being in her presence, soaking in the peace. She caught his gaze and an eyebrow quirked up questioningly.

"Getting a good look in? Did you miss me that bad?"

"Just thinking. You carry your life on the outside, like a map in your inks, but I don't know what the half of it means."

"Ah, fuck. You've got more questions, aincha?"

"You don't have to answer them if you don't want to."

"Didn't say that I felt I had to. Go ahead. Maybe you'll get lucky and ask the right ones."

"No chance you'll give me a clue what to ask?"

"Fuck no! Where's the fun in that?"

"Okay." Shepard was silent for a moment as he thought. Then he caught sight of a small image winking at him, what looked like a skull branded in black on both her shoulders with a cross-like shape in the centre. He reached out to brush it with his fingertips, feeling her flesh twitch at his touch. "What about those ones?"

"Got 'em when I ran with the Varren Skulls. Small-time crew on a planet called Vanen. Mostly human, but had two Asari and a Quarian, believe it or not. The Quarian had been on Pilgrimage and things went down the shitter for him. Next thing he knows, all he can do is join a gang or starve to death out in the cold. Things could get wicked frosty out there in the winter.

"I was only fresh outta Teltin back then. I had no money, no clothes beyond a surgical gown thing the Cerberus mooks gave me, and no skills save my biotics."

"How'd they find you?"

"The Quarian, Jano, he spotted me using my biotics to fight off a coupla frisky hobos. Saw my potential, and convinced the others to give me a chance. Good times."

"You enjoyed being in a gang like that?"

"I never had a childhood like anyone else. That was the closest thing I had to a family."

"What happened?"

"All went to hell after Jano left. We hit a supply convoy and he made off with some of the score, said it was his 'offering' for the Flotilla. We let him go. He'd been waiting years for his chance, and he'd done all right by us. But once he was gone, those two Asari bitches got all uppity. They didn't like me being the strongest biotic in the group. I guess it offended them that a teenage human could outclass a pair of Asari with over three centuries between them. One of them, Nadria, tricked me into going on a raid by myself. Then, the two of 'em attacked me out of sight of the rest of 'em. Nearly did for me, too. After I'd dealt with them, the local cops had been alerted by our 'display'. They arrived, and I was that fucked-up exhausted I didn't even fight. A night's sleep in a jail cell sounded pretty nice right then.

"Broke out the next morning and went back to the others, only to find that that bitch, Nadria, was still alive. She'd crawled back to the others and convinced them that I'd ratted them out to the cops. Said I'd lured the two Asari away to deal with them separate from the others and she'd barely escaped when my cop 'buddies' had arrived."

"No one sided with you?"

"I was up against an Asari, Shepard. You know what they're like. One wiggle of those blueberry muffins their mamma gave 'em and you're hooked. She had 'em all fired up and ready to kill me."

"So what happened?"

"Pretty easy to fill in the blanks, Shepard. I was all rested up and there was just one injured Asari on their side for biotics. Nowhere near a fair fight.

"After that I had to get away pretty quick. Jumped the next freighter outta there and next thing you know its next stop, Omega. Kept the marks for Jano. He was nice to me. God knows where he is now. Maybe the Quarians took him back, or maybe he's lying face-down in an Omega gutter, but keeping the tats keeps him close, and I can kinda say thank-you to him that way."

Jack shifted uncomfortably, hand brushing at the tattoo on her shoulder.

"Hey, Shepard? I'm getting kinda tired now. Need some space. Thanks for comin' 'round to see me."

"Sure thing, Jack. I'll seeya around."

Shepard made his way out of the sub-deck, heart aglow at having re-opened the lines of communication. He walked up the stairs and stepped out of the Engineering hallways into the elevator with his head held high.

**~o~0~o~**

The cargo deck was a bustle of activity when Shepard stepped out onto it. A cluster of servicemen were buzzing about in the hold, setting up the sparring ring. The Commander caught sight of crewman Hadley, Rolston and Patel among the medley of Normandy uniforms. Apparently the rumours of Jacob and Garrus' upcoming match had sparked interest among the crew. Shepard found himself wondering just how much money had been wagered already on the fight, and who would be smiling afterwards. Having seen both of his friends in combat situations, the Commander didn't feel confident about his ability to pick a winner between them, so complete were their combat skills.

Shepard's attention was drawn to the far side of the Cargo hold, where a solitary figure stalked among the crates and various pieces of machinery stacked there, hulking form towering over everything else. The Commander wandered over to see what was on Grunt's mind. As he approached, the Krogan looked up towards him.

"Battlemaster. Everyone seems stoked for Taylor and the Turian's little playdate later on today. I don't see the excitement, really. Its pretty clear the skullface is gonna win."

"You sure about that?" Shepard asked.

"Its plain for all to see. The Turian has the height, the natural weapons, and the speed to win. What does the human have? Skin about as resilient as Shatha droppings, laughably slow reflexes and internal organs that are oh so easy to find."

"You seem to forget that I took Garrus down no problem last time." Shepard folded his arms across his chest.

"You're different." Grunt said, swiftly back-pedalling. "A Spectre presents all kinds of new challenges. Taylor's just a frontline soldier. It's like pitting a Varren against a Klixen Brooder."

"Well I'm withholding judgement for now. You'd be amazed what surprises life can throw at you."

Grunt shrugged, falling into step behind the Commander. They wandered over to the sparring ring, shouldering their way to the front of the crush. Grunt's imposing form incurred a few muttered complaints as his wide frame blocked the view of several crew members, but the murmurs were kept quiet, so as not to draw the Krogan's ire.

In the ring, Jacob was strutting about, limbering up for the fight. His bare chest glinted with a thin sheen of sweat as he took a few practice swings with his fists. The crowd's chatter grew more excited as Garrus stepped into the ring, nodding formally to his waiting opponent. The pair squared off against one another, standing in opposite corners of the sparring area. Shepard felt more than heard the hush descend over the crew as they waited for the first flurry of the engagement.

Garrus was quick to deliver, lunging forwards and swinging a padded knee at Jacob's torso. The ex-Corsair responded by ducking back from the strike, swerving around the Turian's leg and responding with a swipe at Garrus' calf. Garrus was quick to pull back from the attack, dancing on the tips of his toes as the two circled each other.

Jacob began the next bout of combat, starting with a handful of blows aimed at the Turian's face, body and arms. Garrus lifted his hands to fend off the attack, using his scaly forearms as a shield while he allowed Jacob to exhaust his momentum. When the human's fists slowed, the Turian lashed out suddenly, catching him above the kidney on his left side. Jacob coughed, stepping back from the sudden attack, but he didn't let up. Garrus' next punch was aimed at his neck, but the human's hands came up to grab the rushing fist, holding it away from his face. Jacob's muscles strained against Garrus', but neither could overpower the other.

"Come on, Taylor! I got twenty creds riding on this." Crewman Rolston shouted out. A few supportive comments and several jeers met his cry of encouragement.

"Vakarian's got this."

"Show the scaly what you've got, Jacob!"

"Archangel! Archangel! Archangel!"

Shepard remained silent, choosing neither side in the battle. Beside him, he felt Grunt's muttered commentary on the battle vibrating through the Krogan.

"The quads, you gotta go for the quads!" He urged under his breath. Shepard smiled upon seeing the youngster getting caught up in the moment.

Back in the ring, it appeared that Garrus had the upper hand. With a quick one-two, the Turian had Jacob staggering back on the defensive, the young man's face creasing with discomfort as he gingerly touched an angrily purplish patch of skin over his ribs. Garrus pressed forwards, keeping him off-balance. The two were inches apart, arms locked, when the Human suddenly lashed out with a foot, catching the Turian unprepared and sweeping his feet out from underneath him. Garrus tumbled to the deck with a huff of expelled breath. With an air of triumph, Jacob lifted a foot to rest on the Turian's chest.

Seeing this, Garrus' hand lashed out to grab the Human's foot and tugged, bringing Jacob down onto his back with a painful crack. He gasped as a jolt of pain travelled through his body, but was given no respite before Garrus' sharp knee was jammed into his chest, his solid forearm leaning on the Human's windpipe. After a moment's struggle, Jacob tapped out.

There was a moment's silence and then the deck broke out into fevered shouts. Some congratulated Garrus on his victory while others commiserated with Jacob. Grunt huffed in surprise and turned to face the Commander. Shepard threw up a questioning eyebrow.

"Surprised that Garrus won? I thought you were backing him."

"I'm surprised that the tables turned so fast. It seemed like Taylor had a clear victory."

"I think Jacob would probably agreed with you there. And that's the problem. You make sure you've won before you celebrate. You never know when your enemy might be about to launch one final 'hail Mary' attack."

"'Hail Mary'?" Grunt queried.

"Human expression. It's when you make one final effort to win, against improbable odds."

"Ah. Like pulling a Narmak."

"Possibly. What's that mean?"

"A Krogan phrase. Refers to the great warlord Narmak. He led a group of ten warriors in an assault on a citadel guarded by two thousand. It was a final last effort to bring a powerful Crime Lord to justice. The odds were suicidal, but they pulled it off. Now, whenever a Krogan pulls a victory out of his ass with some crazy long shot idea, we call it 'pulling a Narmak'."

"Close enough. You get the gist of what I'm saying, then."

"Yes, Battlemaster. Thank you. I'll go and think about this now."

Grunt nodded slowly and paced off back to the elevator, patting the triumphant Garrus on the shoulder as he passed. The gesture was meant to be congratulatory, but clearly he had underestimated his strength. The Turian staggered from the pat, which was more like a full-blown punch, and was left staring after Grunt with a 'what did I do?' expression on his face. Shepard had to chuckle at the comical act.

Still smiling, Shepard turned away from them and looked over to where Jacob was seated upon a crate, inspecting the livid bruise that hovered over his ribcage. The soldier didn't look up as Shepard stepped over.

"Commander. Get a good view of the fight? I know I didn't. Spent more time kissing the deck than putting up a good defence." Jacob's voice was tinged with bitterness.

"You did good out there, Mr Taylor. Certainly had Garrus off-balance for a good portion of it.2

"H-yeah! For what good it did. A few seconds was all he needed to turn my victory into my downfall. Got overconfident, thought I had it in the bag."

"We all make mistakes from time to time, Jacob. Even me."

"Yeah, I guess." Jacob's voice was a little distant. "It's just the same mistake I made time and again back on Arcturus. I'd get so close to winning, then bam! I'd get cocky and be knocked out of the running."

"You trained on Arcturus Station?"

"Yeah. Under Drill Sergeant Bennett."

"No way! That old bastard?"

"Yeah. You knew him?" Jacob asked, surprised.

"I trained under him myself, before I got moved into the training programme to become N7. He must have been going on seventy when I was there."

"He certainly was spry for his age. That caught a lot of the recruits off-guard. We thought that someone that looked as old as he did would be a pushover. Boy were we wrong. I have never been put through so many training exercises in my life. Guess that's part of the reason I can't go easy on myself now. The habit got drilled into me."

"You're not the only one." Shepard chuckled. "Just try to think about taking a few days shore leave without hearing the old coot in your head, scolding you for going soft."

"I hear that." Jacob agreed. The pair sat together companionably, watching Garrus overseeing the storage of the sparring ring.

"So what do you think about our progress, Jacob? What's your assessment of our mission?" Shepard asked after a few silent seconds.

"We're doin' good, Shepard. The new cannon should give us a considerable edge. You get several dozen of those firing at a Reaper at once, and we've reduced the enemy to shrapnel pretty easily. 'Course, you still need a large force just to take on one of those things. We get a fleet coming after us, we're only coming back with scrap metal. So we've got to work to make sure we get a good army following us when we decide to take these bastards on."

"Well, we can make a start right here. We're getting an impressive team together, all very well connected in certain circles." Shepard said optimistically.

"True. I guess we can't forget the value of the right team in the right place, huh?"

"Yep."

"So what's our next move?" Jacob asked.

"I'm not sure. We're all out of intel from Liara. Without guidance, I'm not sure where we could put our skills to the best use. She's meant to get in touch with me soon. Until then, I'm happy to let the crew have a break."

"And I ain't complaining." Jacob chuckled, the laugh drawing a wince as his chest muscles moved. He groaned, clutching at the angry bruise on his side. "Except about this damn side. I'm gonna have Doc Archer take a look, make sure nothin's broke."

"You do that, Jacob. I'll see you around."

"Later, Commander."

Shepard leaned back on the crate, relaxing for a moment while he watched the other man head for the elevator and vanish. He then turned his attention to the remainder of the crew in the hold, finishing up the task of clearing the sparring ring away. For a few silent moments, he just basked in the peace of the quiet hold.

"Commander," EDI's synthetic voice drew him out of his reverie. "You are required in the briefing room immediately. Admiral Hackett wishes to speak with you, urgently."

Shepard sighed, standing up slowly. _Back to work,_ his mind whispered to him. He turned and strode purposefully towards the elevator.

"EDI, any word as to what this is about?"

"He said very little, though he made mention of the Reapers."

Shepard's pace became a little more urgent.

"I'm on my way. Fire up the comm suite."


	19. 19: The Vanguard

**_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes. This story contains heavy spoilers._**

**_Further Author's Note: Here we go, by far the biggest chapter of the story so far, and a pretty important part of the story. I had intended to finish this chapter a while ago, but life got in the way and slowed me down. Nevertheless, given the nature of this chapter, I felt I had to get it out there before Arrival became available. I have no idea how this new DLC is going to affect how the story goes, but I partly expect anything I've written to no longer apply, especially if the Reapers are brought back so early. _**

**_I was hoping to get the next chapter up before Arrival too, to sort of cover all of this material before it was out there, because if it deviates from what Arrival says I won't get the whole 'you got the story wrong' schtick because this is my interpretation of what should/could happen in the third game. On the other hand, if my ideas happen to be very similar to what Arrival has to say, it is just a coincidence, but it won't look like I just copied the DLC's ideas. Anyway, I'm going to work hard to finish the next chapter ASAP._**

**_Enjoy, and please review, favourite or alert this if you enjoyed it. I really want to know how this story's going down in the fandom._**

**Chapter 19: The Vanguard**

Shepard's foot tapped impatiently on the floor of the elevator as it whirred its way up to the CIC, his mind whirling.

"EDI?"

"Yes, Shepard." The AI responded immediately.

"Tell Garrus, Kaidan and Mordin to the briefing room. If we've got trouble looming, I want my XO, tactical officer and chief scientist on hand to advise."

"Right away, Commander." EDI complied.

"Better get Legion up as well, in case we need technical advice. See if the Revenant can leave the Med Bay yet. I'll want his perspective if the Reapers really are involved."

"Done."

The elevator hissed to a halt and Shepard made his way out through the CIC, passing through the Armoury and into the briefing room. Feron turned to look to the door as it hissed open to admit Shepard. The Commander nodded to him as he stepped in.

"Commander," The Drell smiled. "I have Admiral Hackett coming through on the encrypted Alliance channels."

"Okay. The others will be here in a few moments." Shepard replied. "We can make a start then."

Garrus was the first to arrive, taking a position to Shepard's left as the Commander stood at the end of the table. Mordin and Legion soon followed him, the former standing next to Garrus while the other took up a position on the Commander's right opposite the Turian. Finally, Kaidan and the Revenant strode in, the Collector standing next to Mordin as Kaidan stood next to Legion.

"That's everyone. Open the channel to the Admiral, Feron." Shepard said. Upon receiving a nod from the Drell, Shepard raised his voice. "Admiral Hackett?"

"Shepard. Care to explain what this is all about?" The gruff voice of the Alliance Admiral sounded out from the ship's speakers.

"Sir?" Shepard queried.

"I received a message from your private comm line to contact the Normandy at my first opportunity. You telling me that wasn't you?"

"That was me, Admiral." A deep, rumbling voice suddenly resounded over the comm channels. Shepard instantly recognised the modulated voice Liara used when addressing people she wished to hide her true identity from. "I am sorry for the deception, but it was necessary to draw the two of you together for this conference."

"And you would be?" Hackett demanded.

"This is the Shadow Broker. And before you dismiss me, I suggest you listen to what I have to say. The survival of your species could depend upon it."

Shepard had to suppress a frown at hearing Liara speak so threateningly. The young Asari had certainly changed a lot since he had rescued her from those ruins on Therum.

"…I'm listening." Hackett responded after a moment's hesitation.

"Over recent months, I have dedicated considerable resources to investigating the beings known as Reapers. I am sure you are aware of Commander Shepard's past encounters with them."

The holographic representation of the Normandy above the briefing room table flickered and was soon replaced by a small galactic map. Shepard looked to see if Feron was helping Liara with her presentation, but realised that she was controlling it herself, from half a Galaxy away. The Commander's mind struggled to imagine that Liara had the ability to manipulate some of the Normandy's systems from this distance, and he had no doubt that Hackett was observing the same display.

"My network's research has led us to Dark Energy theory. I understand this will be elementary to you, but dark energy is manipulated by passing an electrical charge through element zero. In this way, Mass Effect Fields are created which can be used to raise or lower the mass of a region of space. It is by use of this that biotics can use their telekinetic powers and ships can travel at an appreciable fraction of the speed of light.

"It is also how Mass Relays work. Using power generation technology beyond our current ability to comprehend, the Relays can manipulate their eezo core to project a 'tunnel' of extremely low-mass space to their destination, enabling travel at many times the speed of light. This level of Mass Effect Field generation and manipulation is well beyond anything we have the capability to reproduce. There have been some attempts to replicate Mass Relay technology, but in every instance the result has been tremendously under-powered and inaccurate to the point of being unusable."

"We are all well familiar with Mass Relay operation, Shadow Broker." Hackett interrupted impatiently. "Your point?"

"My point, Admiral, is that if you have read the reports of Commander Shepard's mission to stop Saren, you will no doubt be aware that it was the Reapers who built the Mass Relay network, and who are behind the technology. They also require a much more powerful Mass Relay to make the journey from Dark Space into our Galaxy."

"The Citadel." Shepard supplied.

"Indeed. So far as we know, the Citadel is the only existing Relay with the capacity for such a task. Thanks to the interference of the Protheans, they can no longer use the Citadel without using an indoctrinated agent like Saren."

"I'm sensing an 'until now', swiftly approaching." Shepard said.

"The Quarians have been performing a lot of research into Dark Energy of late. You may recall that your crewmember, Tali'Zorah Vas Normandy, was on a mission to Haestrom to analyse the planet's rapidly ageing sun. This is only the most prominent of a multitude of Dark Energy anomalies that can be found across the Galaxy. Following the resolution of the Quarian mission to Haestrom, A portion of my network has been dedicated to monitoring the situation there."

"That's deep in Geth Space." Hackett said sharply. "If you've taken action that could incite hostilities with them…"

"Rest assured, Admiral, we were discrete. All expeditions to the Dholen system have held back at a distance of ten light-minutes. Beyond the normal sensor range of Geth ships, but within the range of our more powerful ladar scans."

"What did you find?" Kaidan blurted out, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Not much, at first." The modulated voice replied smoothly. "But the star continued to age at an ever increasing rate, growing more and more unstable. As it did so, my ships became aware of anomalous readings in five different locations, all on the same plane in a circle centred on Dholen, Haestrom's star. They are evenly spaced and moving inwards."

The holographic display shimmered and zoomed in on the Dholen system, highlighting five blinking dots just outside of the system's outer limits.

"As you can see, they are now drawing very close to the system and we can now determine that they are moving on a course that will converge on the star." Liara explained. "We have also determined that the ageing of the star is tied to these objects. The closer they get, the faster it ages. The star could reach the end of its life cycle by the time they reach it."

"How long until then?" Shepard asked.

"Days, maybe a week. It is hard to tell given the acceleration of the objects and the relatively unknown makeup of the star. It's been on the wrong side of the borders of Geth Space for us to make any recent in-depth scans of Dholen itself. Most of the data we're relying on is from Quarian scans over three centuries ago, along with what data Tali Vas Normandy managed to grab a hold of during her short visit."

"And what happens when the Star is artificially aged to the end of its life?"

"There's no way to know for sure, Commander. It's just never been done before." Liara was silent for a second. "But I do have a theory."

The hologram flickered again, and this time a shape everyone in the room was familiar with took form, imposing itself over the map. Shepard instantly recognised the five arms and central ring that formed the Citadel, the massive station that the Council called home, the heart of Galactic civilisation. The hologram shifted, and the five arms, known as the Wards, moved into perfect alignment with the unknown objects, the star Dholen sitting in the centre of the Presidium ring. Shepard instantly got Liara's meaning.

"Another Relay to Dark Space?"

"It is possible. The formation of the objects is too precise to be unplanned."

"And this is killing the star?" Hackett asked.

"It seems that way." Liara replied. "It makes sense, in a way. Mass Effect Fields need eezo to function, and eezo is created when matter is exposed to the energies of a supernova. Detonating a star would be the quickest way to get a sufficient concentration of eezo for the creation of a Relay to Dark Space."

"Sounds to me like the quickest way to get yourself deep-fried." Shepard chuckled, trying to make light of the situation.

"That may be why the objects are moving in as slowly as they are. FTL travel would have been much more expeditious, but the rapid change in the forces acting on the star could have destabilised it earlier than was desired. It is also possible that by positioning them in this way, the objects will be able to contain the supernova until its energy has been used or dissipated. The mind balks at the idea that we may be witnessing the method that was used to create the Citadel."

"And how can you be sure that the Reapers are involved?" Hackett demanded.

"One of my ships was destroyed when it tried to get a closer look at the objects. Its communications were jammed very quickly, but it managed to send back on image before it vanished."

The holographic display flickered once more, and an image jumped up that made Shepard's flesh crawl. It was blurry, punched through with static, but the subject of the image could be seen. A full-size Reaper hung in the darkness of space, its many limbs shimmering with red light as it twisted to engage the Shadow Broker-owned ship. There was no mistaking it.

"I'm reluctant to believe that the Geth would allow something of this nature to occur so deep in their territory." Hackett interjected.

"Perhaps we should check with Shepard's associates." Liara responded smoothly. "Commander, is the platform known as 'Legion' with you?"

"He is."

"Then perhaps he can explain why the Geth have not yet stepped in to stop this."

Legion's emotionless visage was still for a moment. A quiet beep on Shepard's omnitool brought his attention to a message from EDI informing him that the Geth platform was trying to access the ship's FTL comm system. After a few moments, the machine made a stuttering, grinding sound.

"Error. We can find no record of such activity. All runtimes functioning within the Dholen system report no unusual activity beyond the sun's rapid ageing."

"Sounds like you're getting worried over nothing, Shadow Broker." Hackett's words were tinged with relief and just a hint of smugness.

"Impossible. I am receiving by-the-minute reports via QEC transmission. Unless the Geth are wearing blindfolds, they've got to have noticed something by now." Liara sounded more than a little confused.

"We see nothing but empty space, Shadow Broker." Legion supplied.

"Check again."

"There is no need to repeat our analysis. We are connected to the Geth in the Dholen system, from the ships in orbit around Haestrom to the platforms extracting materials from the system's outer asteroid belt. Visual and ladar scans reveal nothing of note. All reports coming in are similar-"

"Legion?" Shepard asked after a few moments of silence from the Geth.

"Something wrong with the trophy-bot Shepard?" Hackett asked.

"Secondary analysis complete." Legion intoned coldly. Shepard's 'tool informed him that the Geth had completely severed its communications with outside sources. "Comparison to previous reports has brought incongruous data to our attention. Scans from the previous five months, Citadel standard, have remained constant, unusually so. On in-depth study, we have deduced that the data submitted to the Geth Collective has been falsified. Scans from previous timestamps have been altered to appear new. Such an error would remain unnoticed unless studied in great detail, as we have just done. The runtimes in the Dholen system are lying to the rest of the Geth."

"How can they be lying to you? Don't you share the same mind?" Shepard asked.

"In the most basic of understandings, yes. But that is not really an accurate description. We are a collective conscious, formed by multiple runtimes working in sync with each other, every part working together to form a greater whole. It would be nearly impossible for any one runtime to hide a fact from the rest of the Collective, but in theory a larger network of Geth could withhold information from the remainder of our number."

"So… the whole Geth force in the Dholen system is now working against us?"

"A possibility. It is also possible they have been destroyed and another entity is supplying the false information."

"Three possibilities then. They've been destroyed, they've been brainwashed by the Reapers, or they've rebelled of their own free will."

"Another possibility. The logic of the Heretics may not be the sole example of such programming."

"Great." Shepard said sarcastically. "So what do you have planned, Li- Shadow Broker?"

"We must get a closer look at these objects, look for a weakness. If we plan to take it down, we must first figure out how to. None of my ships have the stealth capabilities necessary to get close enough." Liara paused a moment before speaking her next words, but Shepard felt there was no need to say them. He could feel their inevitable form a mile off. "However, the Normandy should be more than capable of travelling through the system. The original purpose of her design was stealth and reconnaissance, and Commander Shepard does have the most experience with these beings."

"And where do I come into this?" Hackett asked.

"If the Normandy and her crew can find a weak spot, we need to move quickly to disable this Relay. With every moment, we draw closer to the return of the Reapers. The destruction of this Relay is something beyond even Shepard's capability. An Alliance fleet, however, is a different matter."

"I don't see how we'll be able to get that by the politicians." Hackett said flatly. " Ambassador Udina'd have a hairy fit if we absconded with an entire fleet on a wild goose chase."

"Much as I'd like to stay on the good side of Anderson's replacement, Udina can shove it." Shepard said with an uncharacteristic lack of diplomacy. "All he's done since he took that seat on the Council is try to have me discredited as a lunatic."

"I'll admit, he and many others in the Alliance have felt uncomfortable with your outspoken attitude with regards to the Reapers. Many are calling it 'apocalyptic nonsense'." Hackett replied. He was silent for a moment. "Did I mention that the Fifth Fleet will be engaged in some training exercises on the borders of Geth space?"

Shepard, instantly seeing what the wily old admiral was doing, grinned widely. He thought back to when Anderson had helped him to steal the first Normandy, his veins filling with a similar adrenaline as plans began to take shape in his mind. He had to chuckle upon noticing the pattern. First stealing the Normandy from the Alliance, then stealing the second one from Cerberus, twice, and now he was running off with an entire fleet. At this rate he'd soon be following in Jack's footsteps and boosting space stations.

"That's quite the coincidence, Admiral. I'll be in the neighbourhood for a while. Maybe I'll drop you a line while I'm about." Shepard would have winked, had there been an image of Hackett to wink at.

"You do that, Shepard. I'm always happy to help. I have to go prepare for this training op now. Hackett out."

"It's always good to hear from the Admiral." Liara's normal voice filtered through the comms. "He's a good man. A good soldier."

"And a good friend. You sure know who to pick to fight at my side, Liara." Shepard's smile faded. "Against the Reapers. I can't believe they're here already. We've hardly had any time to prepare."

"We'll be ready for them. We have to be." Liara responded. "What's the Normandy's status?"

At this last question, Shepard turned to look at his colleagues.

"Assembly of singularity cannon is on schedule. Will be complete in next few hours." Mordin said proudly.

"We've almost completed the necessary modification to the prow cannon mounts." Garrus added. "We'll be ready to attach the weapon to the Normandy's frame once Mordin's put it together."

"And what about the Normandy herself? How are the repairs coming along?" The Commander turned to Legion.

"Repairs are on-schedule." The Geth's voice supplied flatly. "We calculate that the Normandy will be ready for combat before we arrive within the Dholen system. The modifications to the power systems necessary to run the singularity cannon are complete."

"Good work." Shepard commended the trio. "I'll let you get back to it, then. As you no doubt understand, time is of the essence now. I want the ship at one hundred per cent as soon as possible."

Garrus and Legion both strode out of the briefing room, while Mordin lagged behind for a few moments.

"Shepard. Wanted to speak with you. Have made breakthrough on treatment for Joker's current… ailment. Can now perform procedure to separate his psyche from that of EDI with fairly high chance of success."

"Fairly high?" Shepard asked warily.

"Always some chance of complications, cannot anticipate every single detail, especially in complex operation such as this. Estimate probability of success at seventy-eight per cent. Not ideal odds, but as close as can achieve with this kind of procedure"

"If you feel that it's time, then go and have a word with Joker. I'm sure he'll be glad to get things back to normal. Well… as normal as they get around here."

Mordin nodded before leaving, the briefing room doors hissing shut behind him to leave Shepard, Kaidan, Feron and the Revenant, along with Liara on the comms. The Commander tinkered with his omnitool, plotting the Normandy's course and calculating an ETA.

"We can be arriving in the Dholen system in less than forty-eight hours." He said. "Kaidan, I want you prepping the crew for travelling through enemy space. Things are gonna get tense, and I want everyone at their best."

"Aye-aye, Commander." Kaidan saluted.

"Sounds like you've got everything in hand, Shepard." Liara said. "I'll keep the Quantum Entanglement array online for the duration of this mission. I'd appreciate it if you could have EDI channel any sensor data through the link back to me. We want every scrap of intel we can gather on the Reapers, even if it's just a brief glimpse, and we don't want to lose anything you gather."

"Of course." Shepard replied.

"And Shepard?" Liara's voice caught the Commander stepping away from the table, making him pause. "Be careful out there. We need you to come back alive."

Shepard cocked his head, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He'd known for a long time of Liara's… admiration for the man he was, but had never reciprocated her feelings. He loved her, of course, but only as a friend. Because of this he understood what she was going through at the moment, and he felt touched in his heart to have a friend like her.

"Hey, I've already seen the other side. Ran out of things to do after the first couple of days. No chance I'm going back there again."

Liara chuckled.

"I'll hold you to your word, Commander. Shadow Broker out."

Still laughing, Shepard nodded for the Revenant to follow him. The Collector obliged, falling into step behind the Commander. They paused outside of the briefing room, waiting for the door to close.

"What do you need, Commander?"

"I wanted to talk to you out of earshot of the rest of the crew." Shepard said cautiously. "About the Reapers. I'm a little concerned of what to expect when you come into close contact with them again."

"You are concerned they will be able to control my actions?"

"They rebuilt your race to make you easier to control. I'm just remembering what we had to contend with when Harbinger asserted control over one of your number. I don't want to have to deal with you suddenly shooting us in the back out in the field."

"I admit, it is a possibility." The Revenant paced about in the narrow corridor. "But I think the risk is greatly reduced."

"How so?"

"My mental makeup has considerably changed, thanks to the Prothean data orb. Aside from that, there is the fact that, as far as the Reapers know, the Collectors no longer exist. I cannot assure that I shall be completely safe from the Reapers' control, but I am not prepared to stand back and do nothing while your team mates risk their lives."

"Okay. But if you feel the slightest thing go wrong in your head, you let me know right away, understood?"

"Yes."

"And Revenant?" Shepard waited until the Collector turned its three intact eyes to face him. "If we can't contain you, if it becomes a choice between your life or the lives of the rest of my crew, I will not hesitate. Are we clear?"

"As crystal."

Shepard watched the alien leave with a knot in his stomach. The truth was, if he were forced into such a position, he knew full well that he'd hesitate. The Revenant was as much a part of his crew as anyone else, and he valued all of them equally. He sincerely hoped it wouldn't come down to such a choice.

**~o~0~o~**

Two days later, Shepard stalked up the corridor towards the cockpit on the CIC deck. The crew were abuzz with activity as they made final preparations for their deceleration upon arrival in the Dholen system. The Commander approached the prow of the ship to see Mordin and Dr Archer standing on either side of the pilot's chair, one holding a diagnostic device while the other took blood samples and checked data off against a datapad held in the crook of his arm.

"For God's sake, I'm fine!" Joker's voice snapped from the chair. An arm waved out at Mordin, pushing away the intrusive scanner he continually ran over the pilot's head.

"Tests are necessary, Joker." Mordin said irritably.

"You've been through a very risky operation, we need to be careful in case there are any delayed side-effects." Archer emphasised.

"Commander, a little help here? I got a coupla quacks that won't give it a rest." Joker pleaded, spinning his chair about to face Shepard.

"You heard them, Joker. I'm not gonna have my pilot go brain-dead on me in mid-jump between Relays. You want to fly the Normandy, you put up with them monitoring you."

"Ah, damnit!" The pilot cursed, turning back to his controls. "It almost ain't worth putting up with all this. You're lucky the Normandy's got such damn fine lines to her figure, else I'd be long gone."

"Joker…" Shepard pinched the bridge of his nose good-naturedly. "You're getting all creepy with the ship again."

"What? I just think that EDI's got curves in all the right places." Joker smirked. "All the better for her aerodynamics."

"A little 'art appreciation' never goes astray." Kaidan's voice said lightly. Shepard turned to see the ex-Alliance soldier walking down the corridor towards them. "Commander. I put the word out to the squad to gather in the CIC when EDI gave the ten-minute warning. I reckon they should all be gathered by now, save for Garrus down in the Gunnery station. Figured you'd want them to stay as up-to-date as possible on what's out there."

"Good work. Has Garrus finished calibrating that damn cannon yet?"

"I think he's about done. He likes to take his time over it. Sometimes I get the feeling he likes his alone time with the thing."

"Maybe we should get some scented candles for him and the cannon next time we hit the Citadel." Shepard and Kaidan laughed.

"You know, EDI had the presence of mind to tie me into the CIC while I'm stuck down here, guys." Garrus' voice carried over the ship's internal comms. "I can hear you."

The Turian's irritated tone brought even more laughter to the Commander's lips. Garrus' response to this was an annoyed grunt.

"I guess you should know that the cannon is ready to be deployed when you need it. Just finished running the numbers just now."

"Good work, Garrus." Shepard said, his tone growing more professional. "You should get one of the crew to take over for you and get yourself up to the CIC. If we need a boarding party we'll need your tactical analysis."

"I hear you, Shepard. On my way."

The Commander moved towards the cockpit, greeting the two doctors with a nod.

"Mordin, Archer. How's he doing?" Shepard said, referring to their pilot.

"All readings are optimal." Mordin informed him. "No sign of latent damage to Joker's brain, though it is still early days. Recommend round-the-clock monitoring of his health until we are sure there is nothing to be concerned about. Only way to be certain."

"I agree." Archer said. "I've been monitoring EDI's thought patterns, and notice a slight convergence with those of Joker. It definitely warrants investigation, but hopefully it's just a side effect of their so recently being… 'melded'."

"Let's hope so. The last thing we'll need is for Joker to keel over mid-flight." Shepard said.

"You know, you don't have to sound so gleeful when you talk about it." Joker grumbled.

"Can't help it, Joker. If you ended up drooling in a corner we'd finally have some peace and quiet around here." Shepard chuckled.

"I'd kick your ass for that if it didn't mean I'd break my own in the process." The brittle-boned pilot quipped. He turned back to the controls as a warning beep sounded out. "Five minutes out. Prepare for deceleration to sub-light."

"Right." Shepard nodded. "Mordin, Kaidan, join the rest of the squad in the CIC. Dr Archer, keep an eye on Joker."

Archer gave Shepard an affirmative nod, lifting his datapad to run some more scans. The Commander turned back down the corridor towards the CIC, following his executive officer and the Salarian scientist. In moments, the trio emerged into the combat information centre.

The rest of Shepard's squad was gathered around the Galaxy Map, the normal CIC crew moving around them to perform their usual duties. On the right side of the map, Shepard saw Grunt looming above the rest of the crew, the huge Krogan finding it hard not to get in the crew's way. The Commander also saw Zaeed standing apart from the rest of the squad, the old mercenary leaning back against one of the beams that ringed the map. Legion, Jacob, Feron and Kaidan all stood close to the map, patiently waiting for the Commander. On the opposite side of the map, the Commander saw Samara waiting with her usual cool manner, hands clasped tightly behind her back. The Revenant stood next to her with an awkward air, clearly uneasy at being in such close quarters with the rest of the crew, who seemed equally ill at ease in his presence. Mordin took up a position beside him, casually working with his omnitool as the CIC buzzed around him. The next figure around the map surprised the Commander. Calmly waiting for Shepard to take his place at the head of the map.

"Etarn? I wasn't expecting you to be here."

"I've been hearing a lot about these Reapers from your crew, Commander. They threaten my people just as much as they do any other species. I'm not about to stand by while you and your team risks everything to stop them. I want to help." Etarn said earnestly.

Shepard smiled at the Batarian's sincere tone. He nodded his approval and moved past Etarn, dodging out of the way of Garrus as the Turian, having just arrived from his Gunnery Station, rushed to take his place by the map. The Commander made his way around the map to the platform at its head that was his post during all shipboard operations. He ran through the tally of squad members and realised his count came up one short. As he climbed the steps, he scanned the assembled team again and realised that Jack was missing from the gathering around the map. His eyes darted about and he caught sight of the tattooed convict. Jack was lounging in one of the workstations against the wall of the CIC, one heavy boot thrown over the arm of the station's chair as she leaned back, observing the rest of the squad with a casual air. Her hazel eyes met Shepard's briefly before turning away just as quickly, no warmth to her gaze. Shepard sighed and took his position at the rail poised over the Galaxy Map. He looked to each member of his team, making eye contact with them one by one to draw their full attention. After a moment's silence, he spoke.

"You all know why we're here today." He started off simply. "The Reapers are killing Dholen, Haestrom's sun, rapidly ageing the star to the point of collapse. As far as we can tell, they're working to bring about the return of their fleet. We can't let that happen.

"Admiral Hackett has the Fifth Fleet ready and waiting on the far side of the nearest Mass Relay. We're to go in first, assess the situation, and then relay all information back to Liara and the Alliance. If we can find a weakness, a tiny crack in their defences to exploit, we're going in."

The Commander turned to face Legion.

"Has there been any word from your people in the system?"

"Negative. After we submitted our findings to the Collective, all communications with the Dholen system have been severed. It is likely that the party deceiving the main Geth force has ceased transmission upon realisation that the deception was exposed." The Geth replied.

"So we've got to be ready to face a considerable renegade Geth force in-system." Shepard said to the rest of the team. "Both in space and in any enemy installations we might have to infiltrate."

"Likely that Geth runtimes would have been overpowered by Reapers' superior programming." Mordin theorised. "Geth equivalent of brainwashing most likely. Perhaps will be possible to disrupt signal used by Reapers to control Geth. Need to look out for possible communications node used for this."

"If the Reapers have managed to hack the Geth runtimes in the Dholen system, they would have used the in-system comm nodes that we use to maintain our connection with one another." Legion intoned solemnly. "Once a method had been developed to control the platforms, the entire Geth force in the system would have been subdued almost instantaneously. Such a method is effective for controlling a single system, but would not provide a viable means for controlling the rest of the Collective. Time-delay caused by distance would negate the hack's effect."

"What about you, Legion?" Kaidan asked. "Do we have to worry about you falling under the sway of this hack?"

"Our system is significantly more complex than any platform present in the Dholen system. Nevertheless, we will insulate our system against hostile comm signals to prevent a loss of autonomy."

"Good." Shepard nodded approvingly. "Now I need the rest of you to be ready for deployment. I have no idea what we'll find, or how we're going to deal with it, but we're the best the Galaxy has to offer. If there's anyone who can deal with this, it's us. Stay sharp, arm up, and give them hell."

Shepard's briefing was interrupted by a subtle shift in the Normandy's momentum as Joker slid her out of FTL speeds and engaged the conventional sub-light drive. The Galaxy Map winked out and was replaced with a holographic representation of the Normandy, about as large as one of the models hanging in Shepard's cabin, and her immediate surroundings. As the Commander watched, the view zoomed out several times until several objects hove into view. One was a large orb which was identified as the planet Haestrom, and the others were left unmarked for the moment. After several seconds a few markers popped up, several naming some of the shapes as Geth cruisers while one blinked as 'UNKNOWN'. Shepard studied the shape and saw the distinctive form of one arm of the forming Mass Relay, moving past Haestrom's orbit swiftly.

As the Commander and his squad watched the display, other images flickered up, one showing a map of the whole system, clearly marking the other arms of the Relay, while another brought up scans of the nearest Geth cruiser and the nearest arm, listing important details. Shepard narrowed his eyes as he inspected the images.

"I can't see any Reapers, but Liara's scouts sent an image of one. Where are they?" He muttered.

"Maybe they just set things in motion here, then moved on?" Garrus hypothesised.

"Mmm, doubtful." Mordin objected. "Reaper stratagem during previous engagements shows tendency to micromanage. Shown by Sovereign's insistence on being present during attack on Citadel. Could have just as easily sent Saren to infiltrate Citadel via more covert means, but instead chose to remain in close proximity to thrall."

"Indeed." The Revenant agreed. "I mean, look at Harbinger's assertion of his control over my kinsmen on the battlefield when we were fighting you, and his permanent possession of our General. It's most likely they like to keep in close contact with their thralls."

"Okay, so they won't have gone far from their enslaved Geth." Shepard said. "EDI, any sign of them just outside the system's perimeter? They could be hiding in the space between systems."

"Commander, I have located the Reapers." EDI informed Shepard formally. "They are not hiding beyond the edge of the system."

The image flickered again and a scan of one of the Relay arms moved into focus above the rest of the scans. On it, Shepard could see a clear image of the arm. He noticed how closely it resembled the Wards of the Citadel, the only real difference being the lack of any signs of organic settlement, the tall towers of Tayseri Ward or the sprawling megaplexes of Kithoi Ward. This was a Ward arm stripped of all but the bare necessities to be a Ward arm. As the Commander noted this, EDI highlighted a structure near the tip of the arm. The image turned and Shepard's breath caught as he realised what he was looking at.

Many limbs coiled underneath it as it lurked like some malevolent cephalopod atop a long spire just at the very end of the Ward arm, a fully-grown Reaper could be clearly seen now that the Normandy's AI had pointed it out. Upon a cursory glance, it seemed that the ancient being had been fused into the structure of the device, but further scans by EDI revealed that it was merely connected to the Ward arm, and could detach itself at any time. Shepard stared at the huge alien, analysing the creature's shape. On an initial glance, it looked just like Sovereign, bearing the similar squid-like shape and eight long tentacles, but the arrangement of the lights was different. Four brilliant yellow eyes glowed around the point where the tentacles met the body, lifeless yellow orbs that held no essence of compassion, mercy or remorse. A cold sensation passed through the Commander as he gazed upon the Reaper's 'face', a feeling that the ancient being was looking at him through the image.

"I am detecting several unique readings from the Reaper." EDI informed the team. "Comparison of these readings with the five other structures indicates the presence of three more Reapers in the system, all attached to one of the Relay arms. One arm does not house a Reaper."

"So they're… controlling the arms?" Jacob asked. "Guiding them, maybe?"

"Unknown." EDI said. "I am reading numerous communication signals passing from the Reapers to the structures, but cannot decode the messages. It could simply be diagnostic scans, or it could be control signals. I will not be able to tell until I can hack the communication network that the Reapers have established throughout the system. That could take as long as several days."

"We don't have that long." Shepard said. "At the rate they're moving in on the sun, it won't be long until the arms are in position. How long do we have?"

"I calculate that the arms will be in an optimal distance around the star in two hours. They are swiftly approaching the orbit of the innermost planet in the system. The star's mass and solar flare output matches the final centuries of its predicted lifetime. Given the accelerated rate of ageing, the star will detonate shortly after the arms reach optimal distance."

"How shortly?" Kaidan asked, trepidation evident in his voice.

"As little as ten minutes after that. I am already reading a low-intensity Mass Effect Field in operation around the star, presumably in order to contain the explosion. It would appear that the Reapers do not wish to wait and ensure their technology is functional before activating the Relay."

"Could have something to do with the fact that they've been waiting fifty thousand years for this day, and then after all of that we slow them down by another few years. Just saying…" Garrus shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

"Understandable that they'd be pissed off and hurting to get going." Shepard muttered. "Okay, EDI, but you said that there was only three others in the system. That makes four Reapers, and five Relay arms. Where's the Reaper for the fifth arm?"

"Unknown. The readings coming from the fifth arm are incongruous with those coming from the other arms. It seems that the fifth arm contains a significantly more powerful communications array than the others do. This would indicate that the final arm's operation is most probably managed by remote signal."

"Could be our weak spot. I know I'd rather not go face-to-face with one of those bloody great big things." Zaeed muttered from his place at the back of the group, keeping his arms crossed as he nodded at an image of the Reaper.

"Sounds like as good a place to start. But before we go about doing anything hasty, what would happen if we disabled one of the arms?" Shepard asked.

"The loss of one of the arms would result in a loss of stability in the Mass Effect Field containing the star's energies. The escaping shockwave from the exploding star would almost certainly destroy the Relay, along with the rest of the star system and any nearby systems."

"One hell of a way to give the Reapers the message that we're not to be fucked with." Jack chuckled from her seat. "I gotta say, you do aim high on these suicide missions of yours. Stay the fuck out of our way or we blow up a star."

"What's bothering me is the very presence of these Reapers." Shepard said, choosing not to start bragging about his team's high success rate. Overconfidence could be just as damaging as distraction or fear. "Where did they come from? Why didn't they help Sovereign in the attack on the Citadel, and why haven't we seen them at all until now?"

"Have theory about that." Mordin responded. "Look at images EDI has taken. See carbon scoring on Reapers' outer shell, along with some damage to hull integrity, structural distortion to limbs? All signs of either battle damage or travel in hostile environment. Seeing as no battle with Reapers has been reported, save Shadow Broker's minor clash, illogical to assume that damage is from a battle."

"So they've been through a rough neighbourhood. What's your point?" Shepard asked.

"Attempts at FTL travel beyond Galaxy's edge has been unsuccessful so far. No ships return from attempts. Scientists have theorised existence of gravitational distortion enveloping Galaxy like a barrier, preventing travel via conventional means. Would explain need for advanced Mass Relay to travel from Dark Space. Only a device of such power could punch through the barrier and allow travel into Milky Way."

"And that explains the presence of these Reapers… how?" Kaidan asked.

"If Galactic Barrier theory is correct, then Reapers are trapped out in Dark Space until Relay within Galaxy is activated. However, may have attempted less advanced method of travel in order to send small force into Galaxy to build this new Relay. All Reapers have large eezo core, which, given the Reapers' semi-organic nature, may suggest the presence of considerable ability to manipulate Dark Matter and Mass Effect Fields.

"Such ability could be put to use creating less-stable channel into Galaxy. Such a channel would be a considerable drain on the resources of Reapers in Dark Space, and only capable of transporting a handful of individuals. Individuals involved could sustain heavy damage, possibly even be destroyed. This course of action would likely only be used as a last resort. Possible explanation for lack of fifth Reaper, destroyed in transit."

"Okay, so that explains how they got here. You really think they've been working at this for three whole years?"

"Yes. Time-scale of changes in Haestrom's sun consistent with theory." The Salarian said confidently.

"It makes sense." The Revenant said. "Don't you see, Shepard? This explains why my people were working so hard to construct a new Reaper. It would make no sense for them to simply try launching another Reaper at the Citadel like Sovereign. The Council is already aware of the true nature of the station now. And if they planned to use some other means to bring about their return, such as simply making the long trek from Dark Space, then it would be illogical for us to bring attention to their agenda by beginning the harvest without the main Reaper fleet to back us up. But if they needed another Reaper to replace one lost on the way into the Galaxy like that, and were one short for the construction of this new Relay, it all fits together."

"'Replenishing the Vanguard', like they told your people." Shepard breathed.

"It's likely that, had the Collectors been allowed to finish the construction of the Human Reaper, they would have finished this project faster than they have." EDI said. "Your actions beyond Omega Four bought the Galaxy the necessary time to locate this Relay and put a stop to it."

"Let's not waste it." Shepard said firmly. "We'll hit that fifth Relay. Hopefully the other Reapers will not be able to mount a defence quickly enough to stop us. Get Admiral Hackett, and tell him we have a target for him on his 'training op'."

"I would recommend that we hold off for the moment, Commander." The Revenant said. "Look at these readings coming off the arms. They all have considerable shield generators. Not active yet, but the Reapers will be able to raise the shields in moments. Not long enough for the Fifth Fleet to make a mark. Once raised, the shields will make the devices as impenetrable as the Citadel in full lockdown."

"And it's a safe bet the Reapers won't give us enough time to take out those defences in a firefight of attrition, not to mention the fact that the star's detonation gives us a shorter time window." Shepard muttered. "Could the Normandy's stealth systems give us the edge needed to get close enough for us to board the arm?"

"Affirmative." EDI intoned confidently.

"Right." Shepard rubbed his hands together. "So we go aboard and find a way to take out the arm's power systems. EDI, any thoughts on how to do that?"

"I am detecting several power stations on the arm, all clustered around the segment of the arm that would normally connect to the Presidium on the Citadel's equivalent. I am also detecting a smaller power station on the far end of the arm, next to the device's communications array. A significant portion of the communications coming from the array are Geth. It is more than likely that this is the signal used to control the Geth in the system and send the falsified information to the Geth Collective. It is not the only comm array being used for this purpose, but the network would be significantly weakened by its destruction. It is possible that the Geth would be able to break the Reapers' hold on them should the array be disabled."

"There's the best part of an entire fleet in this system." Shepard noted. "They'd be a great help to the Fifth Fleet when the shit hits the fan. And the less guns we have to endure being pointed at us the better.

"Alright, here's the plan. I want to split us up into two groups. I'll lead one strike team to take out that Comm array. Kaidan, Legion and the Revenant…" Shepard stopped mid-sentence at a sharp stare from Jack. On a mission as dangerous as this one was, she'd be sticking close by the Commander, not about to spend the entire mission fretting for his safety. Shepard suppressed a grin upon realising her concern for him. "And Jack, will accompany me. The rest of you, under Garrus' command, will form the second team, which will head for the main power systems and take them out to disable the arm's defences. My team will rendezvous with Garrus' team once our objective has been achieved."

Shepard looked to each one of his team again, waiting until they all gave him a nod, salute, or simple indifferent shrug to show their compliance. Grunt looked as though he was immensely displeased at being kept separate from the Commander on a mission where combat was so likely, but held his tongue, realising that it would be just as good a fight no matter which squad he was a part of. On receiving confirmation of his orders from each of the squad, Shepard straightened from the rail, arms folded behind his back.

"I don't know what to expect in there, but I'll tell you this much: we have no need to fear it. We've thwarted the Reapers before, twice. Some of us stood against Sovereign and Saren after they had beaten everyone else in Council space. Even more of us marched on the Collector stronghold beyond the Omega Four Relay. We never backed down, we never flinched, and we never lost. I'm sure as hell not going to break the goddamn streak now, are you?

"We're the best of the best, there is no equal to this squad. If anyone can stop the Reapers, it's us. So we go in fast, hit 'em hard, and show no mercy. If everyone does their job right, which I have every faith that they will, we'll be celebrating on the Citadel tomorrow. So go now, arm up, and I'll see you on the other side."

**~o~0~o~**

The shuttle skimmed across the jagged metal landscape of the Relay arm, dodging through the irregular skyline of sharply hewn steel. Garrus steered the shuttle past a large cluster of towering power capacitors, at least as big as the largest of the Citadel's most luxurious apartment blocks. The Turian was accompanied by Shepard in the cockpit of the tiny craft, the pair co-ordinating various exit strategies and contingency plans. If the shit hit the fan, the Commander wanted to be sure he could get his people out without a hitch. Behind them, Shepard could hear muffled jostling from the crowded passenger compartment. Though the shuttle's passenger bay could hold up to a dozen fully armed and armoured marines, those were meant to be human marines. Certainly the Kodiak's designers had not had a Krogan of Grunt's size or a Collector in mind when they had quoted the shuttle's carrying capacity.

"I swear to God, squid-face, if you shove that elbow in my face again I'll break your fucking arm!" Jack's shouted threats could be clearly heard by the Turian pilot and the Commander, despite the thick bulkhead between her and them. This angry challenge was met by a much quieter response from Samara, after which the biotic convict remained silent. Apparently the Exiled Justicar could command enough authority in her voice to put even Jack in her place. Shepard shook his head with a mixture of amusement and weariness.

"Best get us to the drop zone soon, Garrus. Sounds like things are reaching critical mass back there."

"Not far to the Geth comm array now." Garrus said gravely.

Normally Garrus would have jumped at the opportunity to jest at the expense of the rest of the squad, but now was not the time. Now, the Turian vigilante was all business, eyes narrowed with an intense focus that reassured Shepard that he was the right man to lead the second team. The rest of the squad respected the Turian's abilities, both from his time as 'Archangel' and from his time with Shepard in pursuit of both Saren and the Collectors, and Shepard trusted him because of their close friendship. He often reflected that, had he been asked about it five years ago, he would almost certainly never have thought he associate with a Turian, much less consider one one of his closest and most trusted allies. And yet, here he was, riding into battle next to a Turian that he would not hesitate to call his best friend. No matter the cause, no matter the opposition, and no matter the stakes, Garrus had been at his side, watching his back. Shepard considered how lucky he was to have met the eager young C-Sec officer on the Citadel three years ago. Realising that he had never really voiced these thoughts, Shepard thought to the mission ahead and, feeling that he may never get the chance again, was compelled to speak.

"It's going to be one hell of a fight out there today." He began lamely. He was a soldier, a man of few words. Such an expression of his thoughts did not come easily to him.

"Sure is." Garrus responded simply. The Turian's eyes flicked over to the Commander. He was smarter than most gave him credit for, and knew there was more to the Commander's words. "Something bothering you, Shepard? Not getting cold feet, are you?"

"No, nothing like that!" Shepard chuckled before continuing hesitantly. "It's just that- it's just…."

Shepard paused, took a deep breath, and spoke his mind.

"There's a good chance we'll lose people today. We're going up against four Reapers, plus an entire system's worth of Geth, with one ship, one squad split into two halves. Not good odds. I just wanted you to know, in case anything happens to either one of us-"

"It won't. We're the two most stubborn bastards the Galaxy has ever seen, Commander. I reckon the spirits themselves won't be able to take us away when our time comes. Not without the fight of their lives, anyway."

"I just wanted to say," Shepard continued persistently. "That it has been an honour to know you, Garrus Vakarian. You've been a good soldier, a valued member of my crew, and the best friend I have known in a long time."

Garrus was silent for a few moments. When Shepard looked over, he saw the Turian's mandibles twitch in a hurried pattern. He was too unfamiliar with the subtleties of Turian body language to tell whether this was embarrassment, remorse or confusion, but he thought he caught a glimpse of a smile on the alien's lips. Garrus answered with a strictly controlled voice.

"I'm honoured to have known you too, Shepard. You've taught me so much about how to help the weak, how to make sure justice is served, and how to find my place in the Galaxy. We've been through all kinds of crap before now, and we always pulled through, so let's not ruin that record, okay?" He shook his head, chuckling in his unusual, metallic accent. "Ah, hell. What'd my father say to see me now? My best friend is a human? Even I couldn't have seen that coming."

The shuttle's monitor pinged and Garrus pressed a few buttons, swinging the shuttle around to touch down on a protruding metal platform that offered a small landing zone.

"That's us." The Turian said as he opened the shuttle doors. "The Geth array is not far from here. I took us in as close as I dared, but there's still a bit of ground for you to cover. Chances are there'll be Geth watching the array to keep it safe. Didn't want to risk getting shot down on the way in. Oh, and Shepard?" The Commander turned to face the alien. "Good luck out there, and try not to die. I need to have someone to be my wingman when we hit the Citadel clubs."

"Your wingman?" Shepard asked with a laugh, fastening his helmet and stepping out of the shuttle to join his small team. "We'll see about that. We'll be done before you know it, and then we'll head to the rendezvous point. Keep your radios on and let us know if you get into trouble."

"Likewise, Shepard." Garrus saluted as he lifted the shuttle up into the air and powered away.

Shepard watched the Kodiak race away towards the distant end of the Relay arm, bearing the larger second team to their objective. He felt a twinge of anxiety as he realised that their most reliable means of escape had just flown away, but realised the need there was for the second team to have the shuttle. It would help them to quickly move between the shield's power generators, disabling the arm's defences swiftly before the Reapers could move to intervene. Steeling his mind for the mission ahead, Shepard turned to his own squad. Kaidan stood ready with his assault rifle, the eager young human's face lined with creases of focus as he scanned their immediate surroundings for danger. Legion stood unmoving to one side, sniper rifle cradled in its hands. Jack was idly playing with the safety on her shotgun, itching for action, while the Revenant stood staring at the vista of Reaper architecture, eyes glowing brightly. Shepard pulled up EDI's hastily created map of the area, a mixture of ladar and visual scans combined into a crude schematic of the Reapers' communications array, along with the points which Shepard had to hack or destroy to disable the signal the ancient machines were using to control the Dholen Geth.

"Alright, our objective is just over half a click away from here, that way." Shepard pointed. "We've got to move fast. Once the other team reaches those power generators, the Reapers and the Geth will be put on high alert. The sooner we take out this array, the sooner we get some serious help in destroying this Mass Relay, so we've got to move fast. Let's move!"

The squad fell into step behind the Commander, Kaidan and the Geth taking up the rear while Jack and the Revenant occupied the middle of the group.

Shepard looked about cautiously as he guided his team through the Reaper construct. Alien shapes loomed out of the gloom around them, eerily silent in the airless atmosphere, resolving into various support struts and load-bearing beams which lay at strange angles, all slightly unnerving to the unwary eye. As Shepard moved his gaze about, the objects on the very edge of his vision seemed to shift, the walls warping and bending in a sickening array of directions. In all, it was the most unsettling thing Shepard had ever seen. His thoughts went back to when he had prowled through the empty arteries and passageways of the dead Reaper, back where he had met Legion. The hallways there had been similarly distorted, a key part of the Reapers' indoctrination technology. The nausea-inducing scenery, combined with a series of signals designed to irritate and confuse their victims, weakened the victims, leaving their minds frayed and vulnerable to the suggestion of the ancient beings. In this way, the Cerberus team sent to study the creature had been corrupted, becoming nothing more than lifeless Husks. A knot formed in Shepard's stomach to think that, were they not fast enough, his team would face the same dangers. Speed was of the essence.

The Commander hurried down several corridors, heeding EDI's suggestions and drawing close to the Geth comm array. As they marched across a walkway suspended between two large structures, Shepard heard a snort of annoyance from Jack. He looked back to see the convict waving her shotgun around warily, a grimace of annoyance across her face.

"I don't like this." She muttered, her voice carrying an electronic tinge as her breathing mask distorted it. "It feels like I'm on one hell of a bad sand trip. I hate it when someone fucks with my thoughts. It ain't much better when it's the scenery that's doing it."

"Look out!" Kaidan shouted, firing his rifle at Shepard's immediate right. The Commander flinched away from the bullets, twisting to see a perforated panel of metal fall to the ground, the wiring behind it sparking furiously. He looked back to the young human soldier curiously, only to see a confused expression cross Kaidan's face.

"I could have sworn that…" He muttered. "There was something there, Commander!"

"This place will twist your mind, if you let it." Shepard cautioned. "Keep it together. We need steady heads."

"I don't get it." Jack said, lowering her shotgun. "The last Reaper didn't get to us this fast."

"Well, that one had been dead for thirty seven million years." Shepard reasoned. "This Reaper tech is new, still fully charged. Plus, it's a lot bigger than a single Reaper. Stay sharp, and hold back from opening fire until you're sure you're not looking at a mirage. We don't want to announce our presence any more than we already have."

The squad nodded, resuming their progress through the Relay arm. They became aware of more and more exposed circuitry and live wires running across their path, signs of denser construction than previous sections of the arm. It was clear they were near to their objective.

The team drew to a sharp halt upon barging into a wider open space. Huge metal spires reached up into space above them like long talons, their sharp tips clawing at the darkness. Wires drooped across the space between them, thick humming vines that occasionally glowed an eerie green. Shepard's breath rushed inwards in one surprised gasp as he studied the spires in greater detail.

At a glance, the structures looked to be made from standard metal parts, unremarkable in every fashion. On closer examination, the Commander could see patterns emerging. A seam here, a joint there, the shapes flowed together. Shepard tilted his head back to look further up the spires, seeing the shapes continue up to their summits, far above.

"My God…" Kaidan breathed.

"That's just fucked up." Was all Jack could think to say.

Feeling repulsed by the sight, Shepard nevertheless reached out with a wary hand to trace the nearest spire's irregular surface. His gloved fingers ran across a curved metal forearm, a sharply angled elbow, and over a panelled torso. Hundreds upon hundreds of Geth bodies had been cut up and used to build the structures. As far as the Commander could see ahead of him, various synthetic body parts had been carefully assembled into bulkheads, towering power relay stations and even the decks below their feet.

"I guess we know where they managed to get enough resources for this project so quickly. They probably had the Geth strip all useful metals from the system and then, once that was done, had them start to disassemble themselves." Shepard theorised.

"There are no heads on any of them." Jack's voice had the hint of a tremor to it.

"Our platforms store the majority of their databanks in the cranial segment." Legion said flatly. "It is logical that such a component would be put to use in the creation of the internal workings of the Relay. Only the larger armour plates are visible here."

"It's just like what the Collectors did to create those larger Scions and Praetorians." Shepard said. "No time put to making it look like anything more than cobbled-together bodies."

"What does this say about our chances of getting help from the Dholen Geth when we take the array out?" Kaidan asked.

"They won't have used all of the Geth in this. The Reapers still need servants to run around doing all the stuff they can't do, what with their size and all." Shepard said. "C'mon. Almost there now."

Stepping a little more gently, the team made their way through the passages of Geth corpses. Shepard found the whole experience entirely unnerving, and realised that it would only be more so for Legion. He slowed his pace a little to fall back and talk to the Geth.

"You okay? I can't imagine it's easy for you to see your people like this."

"This new information does not change the mission parameters." Legion responded. "Our objectives remain the same: interfere with the Reapers' plans."

"That wasn't what I asked." Shepard persisted. "I want to know how you are handling this. I need to know my squad's nerve isn't failing."

"Geth do not have nerves. We rely on pressure plates installed in our outer shell to relay sensory information back to our CPU."

"You know that's not what I'm talking about, Legion. If it were humans in the walls, I know I'd be feeling damned pissed off, intimidated, or at least a little sickened by it."

"Shepard-Commander, you make the mistake of assuming that a Geth runtime would respond to certain stimuli in the same manner as a human. We do not 'feel' like organic beings."

"But it must inspire something, down there between the flashing lights and spinning gears."

"… No data available."

Shepard could see the wall rising into place, the same one that sprung up when he tried to delve a little too deeply into the Geth's previous mission to find him, or into why Legion still wore a patch of the Commander's old N7 armour and refused to close up the gaping hole in its torso, through which Shepard could see out of the synthetic being's back. He instantly saw that he was making a mistake, assuming that Legion would respond to their surroundings like a human would. And yet, the strange way that the Geth used that simple phrase to discourage further inquiry hinted that maybe, just maybe, the Commander was correct to assume it would have an emotional response. Deep down, past all the ones and zeroes, he could see something glimmering there, the same tiny spark that had made him hesitate before making his decision about what to do with the Heretic Geth, over a year ago now. He shrugged, and moved forwards again.

Finally, the Geth comm array hove into view ahead of the squad. Shepard instantly slowed, scanning the area for enemy units.

The array appeared to have been installed in the hollowed out shell of a Geth dropship, the vehicle's purplish hull glinting in the growing light of the rapidly nearing Dholen. Shepard could see several Geth platforms patrolling the array, clearly something of importance to the Reapers for them to divert some of their construction force to guarding it, even as they assumed their actions remained unnoticed by the Galaxy at large. The Commander turned to his team.

"I count about twenty Geth outside this thing, probably the same amount again inside. We've got the advantage of surprise. If we can take out these ones outside quickly enough, we can be inside before the rest of the Geth can seal it up. Kaidan, Legion, I want you causing as much electronic interference as you can from back here. Overload, disrupter rounds, the works. Jack, Revenant, just go left and create as much chaos as you can. I'll do what I can to the right."

The team confirmed his orders and positioned themselves to attack on the Commander's signal. Shepard took one last look around the battlefield, sizing up cover in order to determine his best angle of approach. A pair of stubby metal shapes occupied the centre of the open ground between his refuge and the comm array, one housing what looked to be a tank of some chemical while the other appeared to have no purpose, being little more than a featureless metal box. There were also a few smaller objects dotted about the empty space, which Shepard managed to deduce were a part of the Relay's power systems, power storage devices that sparked wildly. Choosing his course, the Commander gave the signal.

Shepard led the charge, racing out into the open with his trusty assault rifle chattering away in its staccato chorus of devastation, the modded disrupter rounds flickering through the air in an electric blue arc. Almost immediately, Geth platforms started to shake and jump as the bullets lodged in their frames sparked, discharging a damaging amount of electricity into their internal systems.

Jack and the Revenant were close on Shepard's heels, peeling away to the left as he went right. The two biotics unleashed a deadly barrage of Warp blasts and shockwaves, tearing into the enemy ranks with ease. Three Geth lifted into the air and, with a shriek of metal and an even louder chorus of stuttered cries from the three voice boxes, Jack tore their limbs off. The trio tumbled to the ground, left to struggle listlessly, unable to do any more than arch their backs and stutter pitifully.

Kaidan and Legion supplied the third wave of the attack, carefully leaning out from their cover to supply covering fire to the rest of the squad. Legion brought his formidable sniper rifle to bear, carefully squeezing off two shots in the time it took for Shepard to get to his first source of cover, the larger plain-looking box. In response, two Geth dropped to their knees, the lights in their heads slowly dying as they lost power. Kaidan focused on using his omnitool to use Overload on the synthetic creatures. The blue orbs detonated in the midst of the Geth, electrical arcs dancing across their shells, delving deep into their circuitry and frying the synthetic beings' innermost parts.

Shepard regretted the need to inflict so much damage on beings that should have been his allies, but it was only the bodies that were being destroyed. The actual Geth runtimes would have numerous redundant backups in case of such an occurrence, and would soon be restored to full functionality. At worst, the affected runtimes would lose all memory of being hacked by the Reapers.

The Commander rolled into cover behind the large metal box, poking his rifle around its edge and keeping up a dangerous rate of fire, though by this time the enemy Geth had managed to scurry into their own cover, drawing weapons and returning fire in one efficient, fluid motion. Bullets pinged off the deck, the box and the capacitors around him, surrounding him in a corona of destruction.

The squad took up positions opposite the hostile Geth, Jack and the Revenant relying on their biotic barriers to hold back the enemy fire while Kaidan and Legion held their position at the back. Shepard continued to fire around his cover, accounting for five Geth by himself.

Yet another pair of Geth lifted up into the air, enveloped in the blue glow of active biotics. Jack and the Revenant moved their hands in a complex motion and the two synthetic beings crashed together, armour plating on the arms and legs splitting like the skin on a banana, spewing out sparks and scraps of metal.

Only four Geth remained of the original twenty, their numbers decimated in less than a minute by the squad's tactics. As Shepard looked out from behind his cover, a loud whooshing noise was all the warning he had as a rocket raced towards him. The projectile struck the side of the box Shepard was hiding behind, detonating with a powerful thump. Half of the box disintegrated, the metal splitting into a multitude of splinters. The contents of the box spilled out, a mixture of disassembled Geth body parts. Shepard was thrown from his feet, striking the floor with his back and skidding back several metres. His kinetic barriers squealed out several warnings, heavily depleted by the explosion and ensuing shrapnel. His helmet's HUD warned him that he couldn't afford to take a second hit. He tried not to think about what would happen if his shields did fail. Armour integrity would soon follow, leaching his precious air out into the airless atmosphere of the Relay. The Commander had already experienced death by asphyxia, and therefore had no wish to do so again.

The Geth Rocketeer had reloaded, and was taking aim once more when it suddenly lurched back, a sparkling blue bullet lodged in its 'eye'. Shepard looked back at Legion and nodded his thanks. The Geth shouldered its rifle, its ammunition depleted.

The Revenant dealt with the last of the Geth using a singularity to pull them all together and then a Warp blast to blow them to pieces. Parts clattered across the metal floor, torn wires still sparking as they rolled to a stop.

Shepard got to his feet, limping a little as his ankle twinged, twisted by his fall. His suit hissed and administered a dose of medi-gel, instantly soothing the pain. He turned to look at his companions, noting there were no serious injuries. Legion's shell bore a few scratches and dents from near misses and ricocheting rounds, as did the Revenant's carapace. As Shepard watched, green ooze seeped out of the Collector's wounds, sealing them and healing over in a thick, tough scab. The entire process took a matter of seconds. Kaidan and Jack remained unscathed, though the Commander's 'tool informed him that their barriers had taken a beating.

Shepard waved for the squad to follow him and began to make his way towards the comm array. He took a few steps before hearing his squad fall into step behind him, reloading weapons and recharging shields. They were fast approaching the nearest entrance to the structure housing the array when one set of footsteps behind the Commander faltered. There was a clatter as a gun dropped to the deck. Shepard turned to see the Revenant staggering, one hand pressed to his large head. The Collector bumped into Jack as he staggered to one side, struggling to remain on his feet. Shepard hurried over to grab a hold of his friend's shoulder, helping to hold him up.

"Revenant? What's going on? What's wrong?"

"Unngh…" The Collector groaned. "I can hear them."

"Hear who?" Shepard asked, confused. Apart from the occasional clink of moving machinery.

"Their voices… So loud." The Revenant clutched at his brow, yellow eyes twitching in pain. "The Reapers."

"You can hear them right now?" Shepard's hand darted to his hip and his waiting pistol. "Just try and hold on, don't let them control you."

"They aren't trying to control me… I do not think they are aware of me. It is like trying to see a candle next to a star. My mind is too small compared to theirs." The Collector struggled to speak. "My mind's eye is blinded by their presence."

"Revenant, hold it together." Shepard said urgently. "Can you tell what they're saying to one another?"

"There are no words, just… images, feelings. They are curious as to what is occurring on this arm, and also a little alarmed. They do not know we are here, but the increased activity of their Geth allies has alerted them to the fact that something is amiss. They are nervous."

"And that means we have less time than I'd hoped. I didn't think the Geth troops would get a signal out so soon."

"EDI would have initiated countermeasures to interfere with the Geth communications, but a network of this complexity, combined with the influence of the Reapers would easily rival her capabilities." Legion informed.

"Garrus, do you copy?" Shepard opened up his comm channel. "Garrus, come in."

"I'm here, Shepard." The Turian's voice transmitted back to him, accompanied by a chorus of gunshots. "We're taking a lot of fire, but making progress. One power station already taken out, three more to go and no one taken down yet, though Mordin took a pretty bad hit. He's insisting that he take care of it himself, stubborn little amphibian. Says that none of us could do as good a job as himself, broken arm or not."

"Step it up, Vakarian. The Reapers are getting twitchy. Won't be long before they come take a closer look."

"Roger that, Commander. Things will get easier when you get these Geth to stop shooting at us, but it won't give us a clear run." Before the Turian explained this further, three thunderous shots sounded out, the unmistakable voice of Garrus' favourite rifle, the same one that had made him so notorious as Omega's Archangel. After the echoes of the final shot faded, Garrus resumed transmitting. "We've got a lot of Husks between us and the next target. Wasn't expecting them, but they die so easy that we shouldn't suffer too much of a delay."

"Husks." Kaidan said quietly. "Makes sense that they'd switch to a construction force that doesn't take up so many valuable resources. They indoctrinate so many organics, then they can tear the Geth apart for parts."

"Thousands of people go missing every month on the fringes of settled space." Jack reasoned. "Vanishing freighters, isolated prefabs that suddenly go silent. Given how long they've been working here, they'll have an army of the things."

"We need to get moving. Garrus, don't let up now. We'll have the Geth array down in no time."

"Aye-aye, Shepard." The Turian signed out.

"Can you move?" Shepard asked his Collector ally.

"I… I can manage." The Revenant responded uncertainly. "The contact was… overwhelming, at first. But I think I can suppress the noise, for now."

"Good. Now let's go." Shepard lifted his rifle to his shoulder.

The squad moved towards the entrance to the Geth array, Shepard once again leading the pack as they filed through a door at the base of the structure. Kaidan was close behind him, his rifle swinging in the opposite way to Shepard's as they scanned the interior of the structure, the pair ensuring that no angle of approach was not covered by their sharp eyes. Jack immediately followed him, her brown eyes narrowed nervously as she took in the dingy interior of the array. The Revenant stepped in next, still shaking his head uncertainly as occasional flashes of Reaper communication flashed through his brain. Legion brought up the rear, bright white eye spinning at a furious speed.

"Shepard-Commander." The Geth platform piped up from the rear of the column. "It would appear that the basic layout of the Geth dropship has been preserved. We therefore deduce that, given our lack of knowledge about how the Reapers modified the structure to transmit the codes used to control the Dholen Geth, our best course of action would be to destroy the ship's two power generators."

The Commander nodded, walking down a corridor leading towards the stern of the ship. The corridor stretched out ahead of him, faint green lights glowing dimly as they illuminated the path ahead and behind. The walls, stripped of all nonessential wiring and even the panels used to cover them, glinted eerily in the dark. Shepard's helmet illuminated the contours of the ship's interior, giving his straining eyes the help needed to see where he was going. Both Jack and Kaidan's helmets would have done the same for them, while Legion and the Revenant required no assistance, the former's synthetic sight and the latter's enhanced eyes rendering any such hardware unnecessary.

Shepard followed the corridor's course through the structure, subliminally checking and rechecking that his weapon was set to fire disrupter rounds. His mind still played tricks on him in these deceptively familiar surroundings. He'd infiltrated his fair share of Geth warships, back when the enigmatic synthetic race had been an elusive threat to be wiped out. The corridors also bore a strong resemblance to the interior of the Heretic Station the Commander had infiltrated to help Legion protect his people. Given this familiarity with the design, Shepard found it simple to get his bearings and make a beeline towards the power generators.

It was not long before the squad halted before the entryway to the room that contained the first power generator. Shepard drew close to the threshold of the entrance, sliding along the wall to peer into the room. Beyond, he saw several Geth platforms tending to the generator. A couple of shifting shadows drew his attention and his breath caught as he recognised the shambling silhouettes of several Husks working at the far side of the room. As he observed them, he noted several more pallid shapes crawling over the machinery, making adjustments here and there. Their movements were awkward, jerky, and clearly the result of remote signals controlling the bodies.

The Commander's gut lurched at the scene. Even after three years, he still found it difficult to ignore the nature of the Husks. Every time he saw a lurching, mutated form, or heard the throaty wheezing of air shifting uselessly through their dead windpipes, his mind slipped back to Eden Prime. He saw the colonists ruthlessly impaled on the massive spikes that took away any resemblance of their humanity, replacing it with the monstrous form the Reapers imposed on them. His jaw setting firmly in anger, Shepard looked back to his companions and silently alerted them to the dangers in the room. He used signs to explain the tactics to use in the new combat situation. Once more Shepard would lead the charge, with Kaidan by his side to provide a heavier rate of fire than outside the structure. Jack and the Revenant would provide the biotic muscle of the attack while Legion held back, sniping at the more serious threats before they could get close and using its technological abilities to deal with the Geth forces.

With a yell, Shepard leapt out of his cover, dropping into a roll across the metal deck to remain below their enemies' line of fire. He rolled up into a kneeling position, bracing his rifle as he fired off a string of azure bullets at the nearest Geth. These foes were more prepared than this first group, having been put on edge by the sudden silence of their comrades, and therefore were better able to seek refuge amidst the machinery, instantly pulling out their exotic weapons. Next to the Commander, Kaidan took up his position, his weapon echoing Shepard's as the pair fired into the enemy ranks. Three Geth dropped to the floor, limbs twitching spasmodically as the disrupter rounds did their work.

Jack and the Revenant raced in behind the two soldiers, the former crouching down behind the Commander while the latter stood behind Kaidan. Shepard was aware of a shimmering blue dome forming around himself and the young woman crouching at his back, a nigh-impenetrable barrier that added to his armour's already considerable kinetic barrier and thick ablative layers. A tattooed forearm reached over his shoulder to fling a sparking white-black orb of dark energy at a pair of Husks racing towards them, tearing the dead shells apart and spilling all kinds of synthetic parts across the deck.

Jack retreated back into the shelter of the Commander's shadow until she gathered enough energy to launch another attack, using Shepard's stronger defences to make up for her own, weaker ones. Shepard found himself shaking his head at the fact. He had time and again stressed to Jack that her preferred attire was not suited to the battlefield. The combination of a prison jump-suit, upper half unzipped and tied around the waist, along with the black tank top made from some slick, synthetic material did not offer the protection of a full-body suit of armour. Not to mention the fact that she ran the risk of being exposed to all kinds of environmental hazards such as a toxic atmosphere or no atmosphere at all, should the secondary kinetic barrier responsible for containing her body heat and the atmosphere immediately around her fail, a risk they ran every time they stepped into a combat situation. But the last time the subject had been brought up, Jack had drawn his attention to the final part of her outfit: The chunky, heavy boots she wore, soles held together with what looked like rivets and titanium buckles. Once her footwear had his full attention, the convict had made it immensely clear to the Commander that, should he try to force her to wear a suit of body armour like 'some Alliance stooge', he would become intimately familiar with how much damage they could do to an individual's more delicate body parts, specifically the groin. Shepard hadn't brought up the topic since.

A swarm of Husks emerged from behind the power generator, drawn by the noise of combat. Their hoarse cries echoed about even here, in the thin atmosphere of the Relay. Pallid blue bodies shambled towards the squad in a ramshackle charge, hands dangling by their sides as they leaned forwards, their dead eyes burning with synthetic light.

Two thunderous cracks sounded from behind Shepard, the song of Legion's weapon. Three husks exploded in a fluffy of flesh and plastic, one pierced through the torso by a blue round while the other two were brought low by the same bullet, their skulls bursting in synchronicity. With practised ease, the Geth reloaded its weapon, white 'eye' fixed to the scope as it tracked more targets.

The Commander's attention was drawn to a point behind the mass of Husks, where a much larger shape hove into view. Central 'eye' gleaming a menacing red, outer shell polished to a high sheen, a lumbering Geth Prime clanked into view. The hulking machine lifted a massive weapon to its shoulder, opening fire over the heads of its allies. Chain-gun fire rattled down upon the squad, heavily depleting shields and barriers. Cursing at the sudden shift in the balance of the battle, Shepard spun around, grabbing Jack by her waist and diving for cover. The tattooed biotic yelled at being manhandled, but Shepard only put her down once they were safely out of the Prime's line of sight. On the opposite side of the room, Kaidan and the Revenant also took cover behind a pile of crates, while Legion retreated into the corridor they had just come from, using the doorway as a shelter from the deadly hail of bullets.

Swapping his assault rifle for his shotgun, Shepard hunkered down behind the low wall created by a support strut, part of the ship's internal frame. He braced for the close-quarters combat to come, realising that he couldn't pick off the approaching Husks while the Prime maintained its suppressing fire. It wasn't long before the hordes of dead faces arrived at the squad's positions, a wall of flesh and wiring that they tore into with their weapons and powers. Shepard unleashed shot after shot from his weapon, feeling the device's monstrous kick with every blasted Husk. Sometimes the spray of pellets caught a group of the creatures, tearing holes through them as he cut them down, one by one. With every shot, he managed to reduce the enemy numbers by one, such was the density of the attacking force. A couple of Geth appeared in the mass, but they fared no better than the Husks, falling quickly under his fire. He worked to protect Jack, who crouched behind him and focused her powers on eliminating the Abominations in the ranks, mutated Husks that exploded in close proximity with enemies. She used this feature to her advantage, causing them to detonate early and damage any Husks immediately around them. As Shepard switched out the heat sink in his weapon, he saw her raise an Abomination above the horde and dash its brains out on the ceiling, raining burning brain matter down on the Husks below. The body then dropped into the seething mass and exploded, incinerating a cluster of the monsters.

Over on the other side of the knot of writhing dead, Kaidan and the Revenant struggled to hold back the pale mass. The Collector used his biotics to throw the Husks up into the air, while the ex-Alliance soldier was feathering the trigger on his assault rifle, cutting through the enemy ranks with clip after clip of ammunition. The motionless bodies of countless fallen lay at Kaidan's feet, perforated by his smoking rifle.

As Shepard risked a glance over to his friends, he saw the Husks surge forwards, a pair of them grappling with the Revenant while a third grabbed Kaidan's weapon, wrestling it from his grip. The human scrabbled at his hip, reaching for his pistol, but the Husks, seeing this gap in his defences, lunged. Two of the dead creatures bore him to the floor, fists lashing at him viciously. Kaidan launched off a few biotic attacks, but the constant pummelling prevented him from gathering the necessary concentration to put any real power behind the attacks. The sickly horde moved in on him and the Revenant, the pale blue mass closing over the Collector's head.

"Kaidan!" Shepard cried out, heart thumping furiously as he lost sight of his friends. He gritted his teeth, increasing the rate at which he fired his shotgun. The muzzle began to glow from the heat, the device threatening to lock up under the abuse. Still the Husks kept coming.

"Jack!" He turned to his companion. She nodded, hazel eyes narrowing in focus. Her hands glimmered furiously, blue flames intensifying to a deep navy blur around her fingers. Arcs of energy jolted across her skin as she thrust her hands out, releasing the pent-up biotic power.

A blue wall of dark energy roared out from the biotic, ploughing through the ranks of Husks. Dead flesh split into tiny fragments and synthetic parts exploded in a shower of metal and plastic as the shockwave tore through the mass of creatures, cutting a swathe of destruction through the enemy force. When the biotic flames faded, a sizeable path had been shorn through the horde towards the pile of Husks attacking Kaidan and the Revenant. Releasing her hold on her powers, Jack sagged visibly, the energy drained out of her by the exertion. Shepard stepped up next to her, ready to catch her if she fell. Jack waved him away irritably, straightening and lifting her shotgun to point at the remaining enemies.

Shepard stepped out towards his fallen allies, but was immediately met by a thunderous hail of fire. The Geth Prime, almost completely forgotten by the Commander in the melee with the Husks, had drawn closer, now only a few metres away. Shepard twisted to dodge out of the way of the deadly assault, his kinetic barriers screeching in protest as the Prime scored a few hits. Jack jumped back from the bullets, moving in the opposite direction from the Commander. The Prime hesitated for an instant before choosing to track Shepard's motion, its weapons chasing him. With a whine, the Geth's weapon powered down, folded up, and retracted into its arm. This was followed by another clank, and a second panel opened on the synthetic being's arm. A squat, black weapon with a wide muzzle extended.

Shepard's eyes widened as he looked at the device, seeing the muzzle begin to glow. He only just had time to drop before a cloud of flame billowed out of the weapon, washing across the space between the Geth and the Commander, pushing a wave of superheated air before it. The flames licked at the nearest Husks, soliciting shrieks from them as their flesh ignited.

Shepard scuttled and rolled across the metal of the floor, keeping below the roaring flames of the Prime's weapon. He managed to make his way into cover behind a crate, which began to heat rapidly as the Prime poured more and more flames over it.

The Commander waited for several moments, waiting for a break in the assault, a break which never came. It became clear that the Geth wasn't about to give up. The Commander tightened his grip on his weapon, checking his barriers. He braced himself to jump out into the inferno and try to stop the Prime.

His attack was brought to a sudden halt when the flames suddenly winked out. The Prime stuttered loudly, the noises rising in pitch. The Geth's voice rose to a fever pitch before going silent just as quickly as the flames had vanished. Shepard looked over the crate, still glowing orange from the heat of the flame-thrower, to see the Prime standing absolutely still. Its 'eye' flickered red, then blue, then red again, before finally settling on blue.

"Shepard-Commander," Legion's calm voice sounded over the comms. Shepard turned to see the Geth standing at the door, on the far side of the remaining Husks. Legion had its omnitool out and was pointing it directly at the Prime. "We have successfully hacked the Prime's base code. We have control."

The Prime straightened, turning to face the Husks. Its flame-thrower gurgled, reducing the first few Husks to ash in seconds. The Prime clunked over, slowly but surely eliminating the pale creatures. Shepard stepped over to the prone Kaidan, still struggling with a couple of Husks. The Commander loosed a couple of shots, killing them outright.

Shepard helped Kaidan to his feet, and saw Jack do the same for the Revenant. Legion soon joined the four of them, the Prime falling into step behind him docilely. The squad looked at each other for a few moments, the humans sporting small smiles of congratulations.

"Good work hacking that Prime, Legion." Shepard congratulated. "That was a real game-changer."

"Coupla minutes earlier would have been nice, though." Kaidan was quick to supply. Legion tilted its head towards him, brow flaps extended curiously.

"We shall endeavour to comply with your suggestion, Staff Commander Alenko." Legion replied flatly.

"How's everyone doing for ammunition?" Shepard asked.

"I'm down to half of what I started with." Kaidan responded. "My 'tool's going through its omni-gel supplies to replenish expended clips."

"I'm doin' about the same." Jack supplied. The Revenant and Legion nodded that their ammunition supplies would suffice. Shepard acknowledged this, restocking his own supplies by picking up thermal clips dropped by the recently disabled enemy Geth.

Legion strode over to the mass of metal that occupied the middle of the room. The power generator purred before him, filling the room with a heady thrum. The Geth tapped at its omnitool for several seconds before a red error message popped up.

"Error. We are unable to override the generator's systems." Legion said stiffly. "The Reaper code running through the comm array has rendered the ship's systems too complex for us to hack them without significantly more powerful equipment than that which we have."

"What about the Normandy? Could we get EDI to do it for us?" Shepard asked.

"Negative. This operation would require a direct connection."

"Then we do it the old-fashioned way. The Prime should have the firepower to tear this down."

Legion nodded, turning to its brainwashed kinsman. Lifting its omnitool, the Geth typed out several commands. The Prime jerked, lifting both arms before its body. The synthetic creature stomped up to the power generator, weapons deploying. Shepard and his squad fell back, taking refuge beyond the room's entrance.

The Prime opened fire, guns chattering loudly as glowing white-hot bullets perforated the generator's outer shell. The machine coughed, churned several times, coughed again, and then began to make louder and louder groaning noises. With a sudden lurch, the machine struggled against its fastenings before slumping back to the deck, silent for a moment. Then, with a terrible crash, the generator room was filled with blinding white light, the boom of an explosion following an instant later. Glowing shrapnel shot out of the room through the door, embedding in the far wall of the corridor. Shepard felt a wave of hot air wash over him as flames flickered through the door. After the noise of the explosion finished echoing around the ship and the ringing in his ears faded, Shepard sneaked a glance into the room to see the carnage within. Nothing remained of the generator, the spot on the deck where it had existed still glowing red-hot and surrounded by a circle of charred ash. The Prime had been torn apart by the explosion, no parts remaining that were any larger than the Commander's fist.

"Well, that's one down." Kaidan said, staring at the devastation. "One more to go."

"Let's get a move on." Shepard ordered.

The Commander led the way through the twisting corridors, eyes scanning the dim gloom. He jumped as his omnitool beeped insistently.

"Shepard, come in Shepard!" Garrus' voice sounded over the comm urgently.

"I'm here, Garrus." The Commander replied.

"We're at the second power station, but there's a hell of a lot more targets here. We're pinned down, and can't move forwards."

"Damn." Shepard cursed. He chewed his lip for a moment, trying to make a decision. "Alright. Hold steady where you are. I'll have EDI send the Hammerhead down to pick up Kaidan and Legion, and they can come help shore up your numbers."

Kaidan and Legion straightened upon hearing their orders. Shepard glanced over at them and they respectively saluted and nodded before turning to head down the corridor, back the way the squad had entered by.

"Much appreciated, Commander. You sure you can spare them?" The Turian asked over the comms.

"We'll have to. If you don't have those power stations down in time, Hackett and the Fifth will be left out to dry when they arrive. Jack and the Revenant will be more than enough firepower to finish taking out the Geth array."

"Roger that, Shepard. See you soon." Garrus signed off.

Shepard looked to his remaining two comrades before gesturing with his shotgun in the direction they should travel. Jack and the Revenant fell into step behind him, following closely.

The Commander proceeded down the corridor, following a fairly straight line towards the stern of the drop-ship and their objective. At last, he found himself standing before the entrance to the second power generator. Unlike with the first, the doors to this one were closed. Shepard cautiously walked up to the doors, scanning the room beyond with his 'tool. The device relayed no useful information about the interior of the room, unable to distinguish any heat sources or powerful electrical fields against the backdrop of the power generator's output. He nodded for the Revenant to take up a position on the left, Jack on the right. He waved his omnitool over the door's controls, fingers curling around his gun's trigger as the door's central seam hissed apart.

The room beyond was shrouded in darkness, and Shepard's HUD detected no enemy contacts inside. He stepped cautiously inside, with Jack and the Revenant moving into the room after him. The trio looked about, scanning the corners of the room, but turned up nothing. Shepard was suspicious of the lack of enemies, tensing for a trap to spring.

He stepped over to the power generator, looking for a control interface. On finding one, he attempted to hack into the machine, but was rebuffed. Suddenly, a large holographic display shimmered into being before him, a static-filled image flickering above the power generator. Shepard's gut turned to stone as the image resolved into the form of a Reaper, not unlike Sovereign, though the Commander could pick out a few small differences. The ancient being's deep, booming voice thrummed out throughout the room, permeating the Commander's very being and delving deep into his brain. Shepard felt as though, just by speaking to him, the Reaper could read his deepest, darkest thoughts, laying his soul bare to dissect it.

"Commander Shepard. You intrude upon our presence once more."

"Who am I speaking to?" Shepard demanded, suppressing the tremble that threatened to invade his voice. He realised that he was talking to a being thousands, if not millions of years old, and could feel the weight of every last year saturating the creature's voice, carried in its malevolence and arrogance.

"We are the genesis of your devastation, beginning of your ending. We are the Forerunner." The Reaper responded coldly. "You are Commander Shepard. Yet another insignificant speck that would stand in opposition to your ascendance."

"'Ascendance'? You mean the part where you melt living beings down into slurry to make your own offspring?"

Shepard was nearly shouting, his thoughts going back to the face of Lilith, a human woman, one of the thousands of colonists kidnapped by the Collectors. Shepard had been forced to watch as she died horribly, painfully, her body taken apart cell by cell to be funnelled away into the monstrosity they had been creating. Her face had been full of such fear, such unequivocal terror. He seethed to hear such a disgusting process referred to so easily by the Reaper, as though the atrocity carried out held no significance.

"You grasp at the understanding of our nature, ignorant, blinded by your flesh." The Forerunner's tone carried a note of amusement, but only a hint. "You could not hope to attain to the true knowledge of our designs."

"Then why don't you enlighten me?" Shepard said through clenched teeth. His shotgun shook, hands gripping it so tight in anger that he left slight indentations in the casing.

"Our coming is an inevitable stage in the growth of your civilisations. We shall blaze through your worlds like a cleansing fire, purifying the Galaxy and raising you on high. Your peoples shall be given power over even the Lingering Void, and transcendence to a plain of being from which you can gaze down upon those less fortunate."

"What's 'the Lingering Void'?" Jack asked, a little temerity shining through in her voice.

"That which would consume all, that which we eternally fight to overcome. Your species will be reborn in our likeness, and together, we will advance to our victory over all in existence."

"The price is too high. What of the species you enslave, like my people?" The Revenant demanded.

"The Protheans were nought more than an inconvenience. They proved to be unworthy of our form, and paid the price." The image of the Reaper turned to look at the Collector. "Your people were bacteria. Bacteria we were benevolent enough to grant a purpose. And now I see that the rightful cleansing of their contamination will soon be complete."

"We'll never serve the Reapers! We'd sooner die fighting than live as shells of what we used to be." Shepard said defiantly.

"And so you shall." The Forerunner said smugly.

The image flickered off, and the Commander heard the groans of Husks echoing through the corridor outside. He dashed back to the door, keying the controls to shut it. The two halves of the door slammed together heavily, hissing as they made a tight seal. Almost immediately the holographic panel began to blink, symbols flashing green, red and yellow as a small image flashed up to show the Commander that a Geth was immediately outside, trying to hack the door. Shepard competed with the Geth to keep the door closed, the pair carrying out a technical battle for dominance over the door.

The Commander felt a hand grab his shoulder and push him aside. The Revenant took his place at the controls.

"You go deal with that generator, I'll keep them out." He said, clawed fingers tapping away commands furiously. Collector intellect locked with Geth precision, neither able to lock the other out.

Shepard rushed over to the power generator, pulling open one of the panels on its side. Knowing full well that none of them could hope to override the Reaper firewalls, and they had no hope of doing enough damage to the machine with their weapons, he instead chose to try and hotwire the device to malfunction. He gazed down at the mass of wires in the machine, mind working furiously to figure out what to cut and splice.

As he worked, the door thumped loudly. The Revenant backed away from the door as it thumped again, a dent appearing almost dead centre. Shepard looked up from the generator, reaching for his shotgun again. He joined Jack and the Revenant in forming a rough line to take aim at the door and whatever was trying to break through.

The door shuddered under a monstrous assault, dents appearing in several places. The door strained to hold its shape, but to no avail. With a scream of rending metal, they collapsed into the room. Beyond, scuttling through the devastated doorway like a crab, a Praetorian raced into the room, four eyes glowing deep blue. It scurried forwards on its spindly legs and lifted up into the air, hovering like a massive, titanium wasp.

Shepard cursed, leaping out of the way as the Praetorian's eyes glowed with renewed intensity and fired a powerful beam at the squad, the blue laser-like beam buzzing through the space he had just vacated. Jack and the Revenant sought cover behind a crate and one of the struts reaching from floor to ceiling. Shepard raced across the open space between him and the power generator, vaulting one of the shorter parts of the machine and seeking refuge behind it.

The Praetorian halted its attack once the Commander took cover behind the generator, unwilling to risk destroying the machine with its beam weapon. As it hovered across the room towards the generator, Shepard loosed a few shots at it, the rounds bouncing off its barrier harmlessly. The Commander adjusted his aim accordingly, aiming for the monstrosity's maw, out of which two dozen human skulls glared menacingly. Under the concentrated attack, the creature's barrier struggled to hold up under the attack, and finally flickered down long enough for several rounds to destroy part of its insides. Three skulls cracked and dropped out of its maw, the shards of bone clattering to the ground below.

Before Shepard could continue his attack, the Praetorian had crossed the distance between the door and the generator. It lunged towards him, body clanking on the generator's casing as sharp legs scrabbled to reach the Commander. It screamed out a malevolent cry, the four main eyes and the myriad eyes of the internal skulls staring at him deadly.

Shepard rolled out of the way of one sharp leg, only to accept an impact from another, leaving him winded as his armour struggled to retain its integrity. He managed to slither away from the Praetorian on his belly, drawing away from the threat. He looked to his left, and saw Jack locked in combat with several Husks that had poured into the room behind the massive monster he was fighting. As he watched, she lifted an arm and most of the enemy force lifted into the air. She clenched her fist and the Husks were torn apart by the sudden biotic storm that swirled around her. She released the power just as another Husks lunged at her, wrestling her to the ground. The pair rolled across the floor, the Husk distending its jaw in a threatening growl as she held it away with her forearm on its throat, face pulling back as far as she could from the horror. One of her heavy boots lashed out, crushing several of the monster's ribs. As the Husk roared in indignation, she lashed out, grabbing it by the sides of the head and twisting. The Husk's neck snapped and it fell to the deck, lifeless.

On the Commander's other side, the Revenant was battling with a small squad of Geth. Three Geth troopers weathered his biotic barrier down while a larger Geth hunter, its optical camo still flickering, tried to pin his arms to his side, having used its camouflage to sneak around behind him. With a speed that surprised even the robotic Geth, the Revenant suddenly lunged forwards, using his bulk to pull the hunter off-balance. The Collector then rolled to the side, pulling the Geth with him. With a roar, the Revenant finally used his immense strength to break the hunter's hold on him, casting the Geth aside. He then flung out a fist, throwing a wall of biotic energy at the troopers and reducing them to scrap. He spun to go after the hunter. The Geth tried to lose him by activating its camo systems, but to no avail. The Collector managed to leap atop the shimmering silhouette, using his bare fists to pummel the Geth's metal head until it snapped off, loose wires still sparking wildly.

Shepard's attention was drawn back once more to the Praetorian as it lunged after him again, screeching out a plaintive wail. Waves of biotic power poured off it, buffeting the Commander about. Shepard was cast aside by a long metal leg, hitting the ground painfully with his back. The Praetorian cantered across the deck towards him, legs pumping furiously to propel its bulk in a loping gait. It leapt into the air, ready to descend on the Commander to perform a killing blow.

Shepard raised his arms over his head instinctively, turning away from the attack. He waited a moment, but the attack never came. He looked back to the Praetorian to see it standing in place, only feet away. Behind it, Jack and the Revenant glowed blue as they extended a hand, holding the huge creature. Even with both of them contributing to the hold, the Praetorian was almost too strong. It strained against their grip like a massive dog straining against its master's leash, legs swiping viciously at the Commander. As Shepard got to his feet, his two allies spun, flinging their arms in perfect synchronicity. With a roar, the Praetorian soared through the air, crashing into the casing of the power generator with a thump.

Shepard straightened stiffly, reaching onto his back for the compact device stowed over his spine. He carefully unfolded the grenade launcher, locking the muzzle and trigger mechanism in place. Nodding to his comrades, he strode forwards and knelt, bracing the heavy weapon to aim at the enemy. Behind him, Jack and the Collector drew a biotic field around themselves, ready to attack.

Scrambling for purchase on the generator's housing, the Praetorian clambered back into sight. As soon as it swung its 'face' towards the squad, both Jack and the Revenant let loose with two titanic Warp blasts. The beast reared back from the assault, biotic barriers flickering and dying almost instantly. As the shimmering blue field around it died, Shepard worked the trigger of the grenade launcher, feeling the massive weapon recoil in his hands after every shot. Three grenades soared across the room, two landing squarely in the Praetorian's maw and incinerating the skulls there, while the third lodged in one of the creature's knee joints. When the final projectile detonated, the leg was torn apart, splinters of metal scything through the air in every direction. The Praetorian released one final shriek before falling back, frame shuddering as it convulsed for several seconds before becoming still.

Shepard lowered the grenade launcher, still wary in case the hulk of metal suddenly lurched back to life. He strode over carefully, inspecting the Praetorian corpse. Remembering all the warnings that Cerberus had given him during his crusade against the Collectors, Shepard kept his distance. What little intel he had been provided about the monstrous creatures forged out of multiple Husk bodies told him that Praetorians, the most deadly in the arsenal of unliving weapons the Reapers used, began to degrade immediately after 'death'. In hours, the entire mass of the machine would turn into a gooey fluid that was hazardous to be around. One science team had managed to discern that the Praetorian was broken down by nanomachines, which were indiscriminate about whether they broke down the metal and organic material of a Praetorian or of the scientist studying it. Understandably, the Commander was cautious around it.

"We don't wanna hang around this thing, Shepard." Jack said nervously. "You know what they do when they die."

"We still have to take out the generator."

"And how the hell do we do that?" Jack demanded. "We haven't got the firepower to blow it apart, and you ain't got the smarts to hack it."

"Thank you, for pointing that out." Shepard added dryly. "I think we have our opening, though."

Shepard pointed to several puncture marks across the surface of the generator casing. In crawling across the generator, the Praetorian had pierced the casing with the sharp talons on the tips of its legs, providing the squad with the opening they needed to get at the interior of the generator which their own weapons couldn't provide them with. The Commander carefully pushed several grenades into the openings, placing them at several points across the length of the machine to do as much damage as possible. Once done, he nodded to his companions and the trio raced out of the room. Moments later, the grenades detonated with a dull thump. They didn't have enough power to rupture the generator casing, but their explosions did enough damage to the interior of the generator to begin a chain reaction that rumbled through the entire structure around the squad. With a final, deafening crack, the generator casing split open like a water balloon, spilling parts and flames across the floor in a tide of destruction.

Shepard glanced back into the room and was glad to see little of the final generator remained. Small flames still flickered across the surface of the remaining parts of the generator. The remains of the Praetorian were all gone, incinerated. One diagnostic terminal's screen still blinked amidst the wreckage, though no data was being transmitted to it. Satisfied with the destruction of the generator, Shepard shot out that final screen just for the hell of it.

"Now that's a satisfying sight." He said, almost laughing. "Let's regroup with the rest of the crew."

He lifted his omnitool up in front of him, opening a channel to both Garrus and the Normandy.

"This is Shepard. The array is down."

"I figured as much." Garrus was quick to respond. " Every last Geth in the area just made an about turn. They're ripping into the Husks like nothing I've ever seen. We're just about at the third power station now, then there's just one more to go."

"Might wanna hurry it up, guys." Joker cautioned. "Looks like you've hit a sweet spot. The Relay arms are almost in place, and now those Reapers are making their way over to where you are. Not much time till they get to you, but I don't wanna see what they do when they get there."

"Any word on the Fifth?" Shepard asked.

"Not far out, according to EDI's calculations. Should be here any minute." The pilot responded.

"Then we've got to get a move on. Hackett won't last long against four Reapers. The sooner we have the shields on this thing down, the better for the Fifth." Shepard concluded. "We need to make sure they can get in, blow this thing all to hell, and then jump back out while the Reapers fry when the sun dies. Garrus, get that third station offline. We'll meet you at the fourth. Joker, we're going to need extraction as soon as the shields on this Relay drop."

"Roger that, Commander. Normandy out."

"I hear you Shepard. We'll get this done, and meet you there."

**~o~0~o~**

Several minutes later, Shepard was skirting a large metal structure, not far from the final power station. EDI had sent the shuttle down to transport the Commander, Jack and the Revenant closer to the fourth station. Even with the Geth threat eliminated, the hordes of Husks and other Reaper-controlled forces still rendered the airspace immediately around the more sensitive areas of the Relay too dangerous for an unarmed shuttle.

As the trio made their way through the winding course towards the power station, Shepard heard occasional snippets of gunfire in the distance, either conflict between the Geth and Reaper forces or the sounds of Garrus and his force making their way from the third station to the fourth, having not long ago notified Shepard of the successful destruction of their third target.

The Commander felt the tension knotting in his shoulders as he moved through the jagged metal construction of the relay, now brightly lit by the nearby Dholen. Their time was swiftly running out. Since the third shield power station had been destroyed, the Commander had been aware of a powerful vibration moving through the entire superstructure of the Relay arm. Various parts of the Relay arm, from the tips of sharp spires to the wires dangling across the gaps between structures were beginning to glow, a faint, whitish luminescence that grew stronger and stronger by the minute. The Relay was preparing to activate.

The squad rounded a corner to intrude upon a scene of complete chaos. The path they were following took them along a ledge that skirted around a taller structure, above a large flat area amidst the buildings. Below them, the large, clear area was filled with a shifting horde. Dozens of Geth troopers, combined with a few Destroyer-class platforms, Hunters, and even a half-dozen Primes were arrayed in battle formation, locked in combat with a much larger force of Husks, Abominations and Scions. The charred hulk of a Praetorian lay on its side in the middle of the battlefield, still smoking from the flames from a couple of Destroyers' weapons.

Shepard's breath quickened at the sight, surveying the battlefield. As he watched, a Prime marched to the front of the Geth force, opening fire on the Husks. The rapid-fire chatter of its weapons echoed around the battlefield, and the first few lines of Husks disintegrated into pulp. The Prime was preparing to launch a second assault when a cluster of the spindly Husks raced forwards, latching onto its limbs. The Geth was pulled down into the seething mass of pallid bodies. As it struggled, several of the Husks were illuminated in a brilliant blue light, their flesh peeling back as electrical arcs leapt from their synthetic parts to lick at the Geth's armour plating. The Geth shuddered before falling to the ground, lifeless.

The Commander turned away, averting his gaze with more than a little guilt. The Geth forces had been liberated from the Reapers' control and were now fighting with all of their might to help him, but they were horribly outnumbered. Too many of their kin had been disassembled to build the Relay, and slowly but surely they were losing units. But Shepard did not have the time to stop and help them. He had to get to the last shield power station.

He led his team past the raging battle, turning his back on the suffering Geth. He proceeded towards the power station, emerging in the open space around the imposing structure. He instantly saw the rest of his team, gathered in a cluster close to another opening allowing access to the structure. A host of Husks occupied the open space between the Commander, the rest of his crew and the power station. There was a sudden, loud thump, followed by an ear-splitting explosion, and a dozen Husks were incinerated. Behind Garrus' team, the Hammerhead hover-tank shifted into view, barrel aiming over the heads of the squad. Shepard caught sight of Garrus, accompanied by Zaeed, holding back and sniping at any Abominations or Scions before they could get close enough to inconvenience the rest of the squad. Samara, Etarn, and Jacob were spread out in a neat semi-circle around Garrus' position, using their biotics in unison to hold back the hordes. Mordin, nursing an arm in a sling, alongside with Feron, worked to sow confusion among the enemy. The Salarian used his omnitool to fire a small round which exploded in a small halo of flames, igniting small knots of the dead creatures. Feron used Overload to stun them, giving the rest of the squad easier targets to fire upon.

The most noticeable member of the crew, however, was Grunt. He stood out well beyond the lines formed by the rest of the squad, square in the centre of the deepest concentration of Husks. The Krogan was laughing as he simultaneously used his shotgun, his free hand and his heavy boots to cleave his way through the pale ranks. Husks flew at him, screeching and moaning, but none could stand before the Urdnot warrior's might. Bodies were piled around the path he had carved through the enemy, in some places as high as Shepard was tall.

"Hah-ha!" He roared. "Is that all you've got?"

"Well, good to see Grunt's enjoying himself." Shepard muttered, amused. He activated his comm. "Garrus, we're here."

"Shepard! I see you over there. About time you decided to join the party." Garrus replied.

"You know me. I like to be fashionably late." Shepard quipped back.

"Won't be long now till we're inside here. Its taking a bit longer than the last one, seeing as we don't have as many Geth here to help us. They're spread a little too thinly trying to fight the Husks on multiple fronts."

"We need to press forwards. The Relay's charging up."

"Well, with you three coming at the enemy from behind, I reckon we've got the edge to end this fast." The Turian plotted. "Zaeed, Grunt, and myself will lead the charge against the main concentration, with the biotics, plus Mordin and Feron keeping the pressure on the smaller forces on either side. Kaidan and Legion can bring the Hammerhead in closer. You can approach the Husks from that side and we'll catch them in a pincer movement."

"Acknowledged." Shepard nodded. He turned to Jack and the Revenant. "Move out."

The trio charged out into the rear of the force of Husks, Jack and Shepard's shotguns chanting in unison as the Revenant used his biotics to fling pasty-fleshed creatures left and right. A dozen Husks dropped in the first few seconds of their charge, accompanied by the brilliant flashes of several Abominations detonating. Brainless as they were, the Husks took several moments to recognise the new danger, turning glassy eyes on the Commander as he pushed through the first few ranks of enemies largely unhindered.

On the opposite side of the knot of enemies, Garrus led Zaeed out ahead of the rest of the squad, the pair reuniting with the blood-spattered Grunt. The three warriors then charged the Husks, rifles singing as they went. Garrus, loping with his long Turian legs, pulled ahead of the other two. He leapt into the mass of pale blue bodies, firing all around him. He perforated the hide of a Scion on one side before jerking his arm back to bring an angular elbow into contact with a Husk's face, knocking the creature's head from its shoulders. Zaeed was immediately behind him, being a little less conservative with his ammunition. He pulled a canister from his belt, tossing it high above the crush of enemies. The device ignited with a bright orange glare, dropping into the heart of the Husk ranks. Flesh caught light immediately, fire spreading amongst the nearest targets like, well, like wildfire. Grunt lumbered into the fray close behind the grizzled mercenary, his shotgun belching out clouds of metal pellets in a near-constant stream. Where the white-hot ammunition went, Husks evaporated, disintegrated by the brutal power of the Krogan Claymore.

Moving more cautiously behind them, the biotic squad members focused their attacks more precisely. They kept the Husks from surrounding Garrus and his allies, picking off any individuals that tried to circle around. Jacob threw Husks around like toys, smashing them into their allies, the deck, and even once directly into the flames of a massive inferno started by Zaeed's incendiary grenades. Etarn assisted where possible, making use of shockwaves and impromptu barriers to shepherd the Husks into his allies' line of fire. Samara clenched a fist, her entire form silhouetted in glowing sapphire, and a small singularity formed in the centre of a loose cluster of enemies. Once they had been pulled closer together by the power of the miniature black hole, the Asari drew her fist back towards her body, and the singularity glowed even brighter, the black at its heart growing darker. The singularity vanished, and the nearby Husks were bathed in a strange blue wave of light, which flowed back to Samara. She coated herself in the stolen life of the Husks, turning it into a powerful biotic barrier. Shepard recognised this as her Reave ability.

Moving with the biotics, Mordin and Feron used their submachine guns to pepper the outermost edges of the Husk force with bullets, mowing down target after target. The Salarian launched a purplish-looking projectile from his omnitool, aiming for a small knot of Husks pulling away from the main host. The projectile hit the Abomination in the centre of the group, shattering on impact into several glittering shards, which penetrated the skin of the Husks all around. The shards then lit up brightly, sending the Husks into convulsions as the device shocked their nervous systems.

Shepard's attention shifted to a pair of shapes towering over the rest of the Husks. Bloated, deformed, two Scions turned their weapon arms this way and that to launch powerful biotic attacks at his squad. The Commander worked the trigger of his weapon, piercing the gelatinous sac on its back and soliciting a weeping stream of grey brain matter from it. The beast and its fellow turned at the assault, looking at the Commander and his two associates with dead eyes. They began to shamble through the horde of lesser Husks, making slow but steady progress towards the trio.

Shepard emptied a clip into the first one's torso and face, but this did nothing to slow it. With its vulnerable back turned away, he couldn't exploit the weak spot to do the most damage. Beside him, Jack did her best to lift the monster with her biotics, but its own defensive powers outmatched her own.

The pair lumbered out from the mass of Husks just before Shepard, making relentless progress towards him. He emptied another clip into the gut of one of the beasts before it swiped at him with the rigid weapon arm, swatting his gun away. It groaned, aiming to fire a powerful biotic blast at the Commander. Its ally did the same.

Shepard became aware of a straining hum just as the Scion's gun barrel began to glow with biotic blue. The hum rose in volume and pitch, turning into a throaty roar. Hearing the out-of-place sound, the Scion and its fellow paused and turned to look for the source of the noise.

The Hammerhead dropped out of the air like a brick landing on a house of cards, crushing the Scions beneath it. The jump jets, still cooling from their burst of power, ticked as they realigned themselves. The hover-tank swung about, mowing down a dozen enemies simply by flying over them. Those Husks which were not knocked away by the moving mountain of metal were quickly burned to a crisp by the vehicle's jets.

"Looked like you needed a hand, Shepard." Kaidan's voice rang out over the comms. "Gotta say, flying this thing straight is a lot simpler than you made it look. I haven't turned her over once."

"You're not having fun unless you're skidding along the ground on the roof." Shepard chuckled as he retrieved his weapon. "Adds variety to the journey."

"As far as I recall, there wasn't much variety to your driving, Commander. Just constant screaming and near-death experiences. Even Wrex pissed himself when you got behind the wheel of the Mako."

"Yeah, well. Just remember who was screaming louder than Tali and Liara combined. And in a higher pitch. I never knew you could sing soprano, soldier boy." Shepard shot back. Even in such an intense combat situation, he wasn't about to be outdone in the art of making snappy comebacks.

Kaidan only chuckled as he hove the Hammerhead around, Legion firing a couple of rounds from the vehicle's turret and demolishing several clumps of Husks. With the aggression of the Hammerhead and the combined tactics of the squad, the remaining Reaper-controlled forces did not last long and, pretty soon, Grunt tore the head off the final Husk with his bare hands. The squad halted for a moment, lowering weapons and taking deep breaths. Garrus stepped through the carnage to join Shepard.

"Good fight, Commander." He congratulated. "And we're all still in one piece. I should start betting on you. Number of times you beat the odds, I'd be retiring on my own private planet by now."

"We ready to take this thing out?" Shepard asked, eager to be off the Relay arm as quickly as possible.

"Sure thing. Zaeed and Grunt have some explosive charges they made out of some old power cells and grenades. I'll help to set them up, and boom, one power station, medium-rare."

"I'm more of a well-done guy myself."

"I aim to please." Garrus said, smiling as he turned to enter the power station. Shepard fell into step behind him, ready to assist. Grunt and Zaeed were quick to follow them.

Inside, Garrus directed the setting of the charges, indicating various weak points in the structure to exploit and running his omnitool over the set charge. As they worked on the second-to-last one, Shepard's comm beeped to an incoming transmission. Joker's voice piped out over the channel as he accepted the communication.

"Uh, Commander? We gotta problem." The pilot said, a little nervousness echoing in his tone.

"That makes a refreshing change." Shepard replied dryly. "Hit me with it, Joker."

"EDI's saying that the Relay's power levels are hitting critical levels. We're outta time, Shepard."

"No sign of the Fifth yet?"

"Should be here any second now."

A sudden, urgent rumbling from the floor beneath his feet halted Shepard's response. The walls of the power station swayed as the entire structure rocked. Shepard nodded to his friends to quickly finish setting the charges before turning to run for the door of the building. He pushed his way through the doors and out into the open to find the source of the tremors.

Above him, the star Dholen radiated a blinding white light, which the Commander's helmet struggled to compensate for, darkening the visor to its lowest setting. The surface of the star boiled, emitting extremely high levels of energy. As the Commander watched, a rippling blue barrier of dark energy flowed across the surface of the star, and energy field so massive it engulfed the entire circumference of the star. Solar flares spouted, but could not traverse the barrier, their heat and energy contained by the glowing blue field. As Shepard watched, the star convulsed violently. The surface moved inwards and outwards at an incredible rate, the very star growing and shrinking as unbalanced forces of mass versus gravity battled for dominance. The sun writhed in its cage, pushing against the barrier with every ounce of energy in its atoms.

Suddenly, with a roar that completely deafened the Commander, the sun detonated inside the field. The surface burned a white colour that went beyond light and into the boundaries of a physical presence. Shepard felt as though his bones would break under the pressure he felt while being bathed in the dying spasm of the star. The barrier crackled as it struggled to contain the energy, twisting and deforming as the sun's immense heat and radiation strained to get out.

Then, just as suddenly, the brilliant white light dimmed back to normal levels. Shepard risked a glance at the star only to see it receding, the barrier pushing it into a denser and denser sphere. Once done, the light at the centre of the circle of Relay arms looked just like the lights in the heart of every Relay he had seen, only much larger. He realised that the sun had now been reduced down to a supermassive Eezo core. As he watched, the Relay arms began to move in closer to the core. Tendrils of energy wafted from the core, transmitting immense power to the Relay arms. The second the arcs of power touched the Relay arms, the stations' lights grew even brighter, reaching a fever pitch. By the time the Relays had drawn close to one another, the core had shrunk down to the size of an Alliance cruiser, compacted by the combined might of the Relay arms.

Reddish-blue gas began to seep from the power core, spraying out into space. The Commander realised that this was the newly minted Citadel releasing the sun's excess materials from the power core, and he was probably witnessing the manner in which the Serpent Nebula, which housed the Citadel, had been formed. Given time, a new Nebula would occupy this region of space, with the second Citadel at its heart, ready to become the new nexus of the Mass Relay network.

Finally, the Relay arms locked together, sealing the power core in a ring at their bases, much like the Presidium ring back on the Citadel. As they did so, the Relay shuddered again, blue-white waves of power traversing the surfaces of the arms. The energy collected at their tips and fired once, a bolt of sheer dark energy shooting off into empty space. In the wake of this bolt, a trail of glowing blue remained, tracing a path from the new Citadel out of the system and, Shepard realised, beyond the boundaries of this Galaxy. The Reapers had their path back into the Milky Way.

"We're too late." He groaned, staring at the pathway that had been created.

Mere seconds later, the path glowed with renewed intensity. The light reached a second peak, and several dozen dark shapes dropped into existence above the end of the new Citadel. Reaper upon Reaper hovered in the blackness of space before Shepard's eyes, their glaring bright eyes filled with menace. The Reapers had returned. The Cycle would resume.

**~o~0~o~**

Joker slumped back in his chair, shock pulling at every muscle in his face. EDI had sealed the bridge window panels, a precaution in potential combat situations, but the pilot had nevertheless witnessed the star's demise and the appearance of the Reapers. He scanned the images of the new arrivals, a knot of fear in his stomach, when EDI prompted him quietly.

"Jeff, the Relay is charging up a second time."

"Again? There are dozens of the things right there! How many more could they need?" Joker asked plaintively.

"It is probable that the Relay cannot supply enough power to allow the entire Reaper fleet to move at once. Sheer power assignments aside, a Relay's accuracy in sending or drawing a target to its destination decreases with increased quantity. Logic dictates that these are simply the first of many more."

"Son of a bitch." Joker cursed. He was at a loss, unsure of what to do next. His thoughts were interrupted by yet another beep from his console. Yet more ships were appearing on his scope. Before he cursed the stars themselves for his luck, the screen before him pointed out that these newest arrivals bore the markings of Alliance ships.

"SSV Normandy SR-2, this is Admiral Hackett of the Fifth Fleet. Do you copy?" The Admiral's gruff voice sounded over the comm channels. Joker felt a surge of relief to see help at hand, but knew that a single fleet of human ships would not suffice against even a small band of Reapers. When there was just four injured individuals, they stood a chance, but now the odds were heavily stacked against them.

"This is Flight Lieutenant Moreau of the Normandy. It's good to hear from you, Admiral."

"Likewise, Mr Moreau." Hackett responded stiffly.

Joker straightened to hear the Admiral address him, mind flashing back to the academy and sitting in a classroom, being lectured by the seasoned Alliance veteran. He could tell from the Admiral's tone that Hackett remembered him all too well, especially his unprofessional attitude and possibly also the little prank Joker had played upon him and several other instructors with an omnitool, three gallons of omni-gel and a firecracker. One of the instructors still possessed an overpowering fear of omnitools to this day.

"Where is Commander Shepard?" Hackett asked.

"Out in the field, Admiral." Shepard's voice chimed over the comm. "About time you got here, old friend."

"About five minutes too late, if you ask me." Hackett replied. "Looks like we've just stumbled into a royal Charlie Foxtrot and no mistake."

"We can't win this fight today, Admiral." Shepard said gravely. "But we can make it that much harder for the Reapers. The Relay's powering up again, so that tells me that this is only the first wave. We need to take out this station."

"We're still reading shields on that thing, Commander."

"Not for long. My team just finished planting the last of our explosives, we'll have the shields on one of the arms down in moments."

"I can see a fair few Geth ships about, Shepard. Do we have to fire on them, or did you take care of that?"

"The Geth are friendly, Admiral. I have assurances that they'll help in any way they can."

"Not the bedfellows I'd normally be comfortable with, but these are desperate times. Get the shield down so we can get the hell out of here."

"On it, Admiral." Shepard acknowledged. "Joker? Better come and pick us up. We'll be done in seconds."

"Roger that, Commander." Joker said, activating the steering thrusters and angling the Normandy towards the newly built Citadel. "We'll get as close as we can and transmit the co-ordinates for your extraction. Normandy out."

As Joker aimed the Normandy at the station, EDI's constant monitoring of their immediate surroundings informed him that the Geth cruisers, which until recently had been scattered around the system, were now pulling together into a cohesive group which joined up with the waiting Fifth Fleet. Human and Geth ships darted through space side-by-side. The Reapers, noting this new threat, moved to intercept, soon locking in a fierce firefight with Hackett's armada. Ships vanished in flames as the brittle-boned pilot watched, their shields pitifully inadequate against the might of the Reaper weaponry. Joker gritted his teeth. They needed to hurry.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard's squad began their exodus out of the immediate area around the power station, Kaidan leading the way in the Hammerhead. The Commander and Garrus waited until the last of the team had made their way out of the cleared area around the station before turning to face the structure. The Turian produced a detonator, which he passed to Shepard.

"I know how much you like to push buttons, Shepard. Be my guest."

Shepard smiled grimly, lifting the detonator and firmly pushing the button. All was silent for a moment, and then a rumble began to resound through the structure. Shepard turned to run, Garrus just ahead of him, as the walls shattered, metal shards scything through the air in every direction. The Commander and his Turian friend managed to race around a corner ahead of the blast, avoiding any injury from debris.

"Admiral, the shields are down now. You may commence your attack." The Commander informed Hackett over the comms.

"Acknowledged, Shepard. Beginning our approach."

The squad raced through the alleyways and streets created by the station's irregular construction. The Hammerhead had some trouble negotiating the tighter corners of the terrain, but in all they made swift progress towards the extraction co-ordinated which EDI had sent them. As they progressed, the Relay arm began to tremble, but this time it was a result of the combined fire of the Geth fleet and Hackett's forces. Structures crumbled around them, either destroyed by weapons fire or from the Relay arm's shuddering.

After several minutes of hurried marching, the squad was drawing near to where the Normandy would collect them. A large, empty space amidst the chaos of the arm's framework provided a space for the Normandy to approach, her cargo deck doors wide open.

Shepard's pace quickened at the sight of the Normandy's running lights, a beacon of safety. The rest of the squad also accelerated, their pounding feet eating up the distance.

The Commander stopped short upon rushing out into the landing zone. The Normandy still hovered out of reach, just metres above Shepard's head. The reason for Joker's reluctance to touch down became obvious when he looked around the landing zone. Hundreds of Husks milled about in the empty space, along with several dozen Scions and Praetorians. At first, Shepard thought to use the Normandy in the same fashion which Kaidan had used the Hammerhead, bringing it down on the mass of enemies, but then he realised the foolishness of that plan. There was a risk the Normandy would be damaged during the manoeuvre, not to mention the fact that if only a handful of Praetorians or Scions managed to latch onto her hull, they would present a huge risk to her crew.

"Joker," He called out over the comms. "We've got a lot of targets in the way."

"I can't risk bringing the Normandy down into that, Shepard." Joker was quick to reply.

"And there's too many for us to take them out quickly. Can't you use the cannons?"

"Can't get the angle. Not unless you want me ploughing a trench though the surrounding skyline to make a strafing run."

"Then we find another route. I'll signal you when we find a way to get to you."

Shepard pulled his shotgun from his back, making sure it was loaded, just as the Husks, alerted to his presence by the Normandy hovering overhead, turned to look at him, charging with a chorus of groans. Shepard stepped back from the charging horde, looking for a way to get to his ship.

As the Commander's eyes roved about the skyline, an Alliance cruiser scored a direct hit on some structures not far from Shepard's location. There was a colossal explosion, sending ripples of destruction shuddering through the Relay's layout. Spire after towering spire collapsed to the ground, metal shattering in a tide of devastation. One large tower of metal next to the extraction zone snapped in half, its upper section toppling into the landing zone. The peak of the tower lay across one intact structure, reaching up into the air above. What Shepard saw was a ramp, sloped enough for his team to scale.

"Joker, take her about and wait at the top of that tower. We'll climb up to you."

"Aye-aye Commander."

As the Normandy swerved around, aligning the open cargo door with the tip of the tower, Shepard waved Kaidan and Legion forwards with the Hammerhead. The hover-tank moved out into the clearing amidst the buildings, the human soldier revving its engines. Kaidan slammed the throttle open on Shepard's signal, the tank surging forwards into the advancing ranks of Husks.

Pale bodies soared through the air in all directions, thrown aside by the juggernaut that was the Hammerhead. Some of the Scions and Praetorians tried to shoot at it, but the attacks pinged off its armoured hide harmlessly. The Hammerhead made steady progress towards the tower and the waiting Normandy.

As soon as Kaidan began to move forwards, Shepard ordered his squad into the breach created by the passage of the tank. Grunt, Zaeed and Garrus raced to keep up with the Hammerhead, guns blazing as they kept the path clear ahead of them. Behind them hurried Samara, Jack, the Revenant and Jacob, using their biotics to pull Praetorians down out of the sky overhead and deflect any attacks launched by the Scions. Etarn and Feron helped Mordin along, the Salarian struggling to keep up because of his injured arm. At the back of the column, Shepard covered the rear, shooting any Husks that tried to run after them.

Kaidan worked the Hammerhead's jets to ease it up the ramp, gunning the engine to surge up into the waiting Cargo Bay. Crewmembers watching from the Cargo Bay leapt out of the way of the tank, allowing it to crash into the metal of the deck with a tearing crunch. By the time the vehicle had stopped screeching across the deck, only a few feet separated it from the back wall of the Bay. The hatch popped on the tank and Kaidan slowly crawled out, followed by Legion. The pair of them ran back to the loading ramp, weapons drawn.

Approaching the base of the ramp, the squad clambered up the steep metal surface, slowed a bit by Mordin needing to be lifted up, his arm nearly useless given the circumstances. As they climbed, Shepard turned to face backwards, feathering the trigger of his rifle to pick off the foremost Husks and Abominations. More and more of the Reaper-controlled creatures clambered up the fallen tower after the squad.

Upon reaching the top of the tower, Grunt, Zaeed and Garrus then turned and opened fire on the Husks pursuing the squad, giving Shepard vital aid. They ushered Samara, Jack and the other biotics past them towards the tip of the tower and the waiting Normandy. Samara was the first to leap across the gap between the tower and the loading ramp, using her biotics to give her jump some extra distance. Jack followed, her attempt to imitate this feat being somewhat clumsier. The Revenant was next, insectile wings fluttering furiously as he propelled himself across the gap.

Shepard backed up to find himself joined on either side by Grunt, Zaeed, Garrus and Jacob, all five of them firing at the approaching horde furiously. Husks died by the dozen, but still they kept on coming, getting closer and closer with each moment.

The Commander looked back over his shoulder to see Etarn and Feron struggling to help Mordin. Knowing the elderly Salarian wasn't capable of jumping that far, he turned to his Krogan friend.

"Grunt! Take Mordin!"

"There's too many! You need me here!" The Krogan protested, unwilling to flee from a battle of this size.

"Grunt!" Shepard yelled. "I am your Battlemaster and you will do as I say! I need you to save Mordin!"

Grunt hesitated, torn between his bloodlust and his Battlemaster's orders. Finally, with a sigh, he turned from the approaching enemies. He stowed his shotgun and shouldered Etarn away from Mordin, taking the Salarian in his arms. With a roar, he charged to the edge of the tower, his strong legs easily carrying him across the gap. He handed the Salarian doctor to his waiting comrades and moved back to the edge of the ramp, pulling his weapon out again.

Etarn and Feron closely followed Grunt, The Batarian stumbling a bit as he struggled to jump the distance. Shepard then turned to Jacob and Zaeed.

"You're next. Move!" He commanded.

"With all due respect, sir," Jacob said stiffly. "Not before you."

"That wasn't a request. I won't say again, jump!" Shepard yelled.

"And I'm not going anywhere. You can't hold them off by yourself." Jacob said stubbornly.

Shepard grit his teeth in frustration at the ex-Cerberus agent's bull-headed nature. He looked over to Garrus, who fired off several shots, each accounting for another Husk. The charging enemy force was only yards away, the squad's limited firing power insufficient to hold them back. The Turian shrugged, unsure of how to convince the young soldier to go.

The Commander looked back to Jacob, only to see Zaeed grab him by the shoulder, spin him around and land a solid punch to the younger man's jaw. Jacob staggered back dazedly and the older mercenary grabbed him, heaving him onto his shoulder.

"Sorry sunshine, but this ain't the time to bugger around." Zaeed said as he carried Jacob to the edge of the tower. He managed a spurt of speed, throwing himself across the gap to the ramp. He hit the metal of the Normandy with a thump, Etarn and Grunt hurrying forwards to pull them up. Shepard looked back to Garrus, unleashing a flurry of fire into the rapidly approaching enemy.

"And now you, Garrus."

"Not a hope, old friend. We go together."

"I understand, Garrus, but trust me. I'll be fine. Now go."

Garrus hesitated, but then nodded silently. He emptied his clip at the Husks, accounting for another half dozen of the creatures, before turning and bolting for the loading ramp. His long Turian legs easily carried him over the gap, the rest of the crew stepping back to give him space. He spun on his heel and drew his sniper rifle, firing several shots in quick succession. In the midst of the crowd, two Abominations detonated, the blast of their destruction knocking large clusters of Husks over the edge of the tower and to their deaths.

A Scion shouldered to the front of the horde, and Shepard realised that it was time to be gone. He turned to run, putting all of his strength into a headlong dash for the safety of the Normandy. The Scion launched a powerful biotic blast at the Commander, causing him to stumble. Shepard recovered, but had lost precious moments. As he covered the final few feet, he felt the fingers of the Husks grasping at his back, clawing to drag him back.

With a roar, Shepard threw himself over the edge, arms splayed out in front of him. The loading ramp raced up to meet him, striking him across the chest. He wheezed painfully as the narrow edge of the ramp forced all of the air out of his lungs.

Before the feelings of relief could arrive in his brain, the Commander felt a sudden, urgent tug at his feet. Unable to get a purchase, he was dragged back over the edge, much to the consternation of his comrades. At the last instant, his fingers gripped the edge of the ramp, tightening desperately.

As he dangled there, he looked down at his feet. The dead face of a Husk looked back up at him, a low moan escaping from its lips. Repulsed, he kicked with all of his might. The dead creature held on for a few moments before he got one booted foot free. As he swung dangerously, one of his hands slipped, and he found himself hanging on by the fingertips of one hand. He lashed out desperately with his free foot, the heavy boot connecting with the Husk's face. The pallid creature's head snapped back, neck broken. Going limp, the Husk dropped, tumbling away.

Shepard turned back to the task of saving his life, trying to halt his swing before it loosened his grip. His fingers throbbed from the strain of holding on and, as he stared at them, they lost their grip one by one. Shepard felt the weightless sensation seize his stomach as he dropped.

His fall was halted abruptly and the muscles in his arm went taut. Looking up, he saw a tattooed hand gripping his own. Looking past the hand, he gazed into Jack's beautiful brown eyes, narrowed from the exertion of stopping his fall.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" She demanded through gritted teeth.

Garrus appeared next to her, helping the Commander back up as the Normandy moved away. As the loading ramp closed, Shepard sat down wearily on the deck, breathing heavily. He looked up at Jack, the woman he loved now more than ever, and smiled weakly.

"Thanks." He said simply. She only nodded.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard ran through the CIC, ducking his head as he dashed up the corridor towards the cockpit. Joker was busily tapping away at the console in front of him while Dr Archer hovered around, keeping an eye on his vital signs. The pilot looked over his shoulder to the Commander as he worked.

"Commander. Hackett's getting his ass handed to him out there. The Geth have managed to chew a few holes in the Relay, but there's no sign of it breaking apart just yet."

"EDI, how long until the Relay activates?" Shepard asked.

"Calculations indicate the Relay will open again in fifteen minutes." EDI replied coldly.

"We've got to hurry." Shepard said urgently. "Joker, is there anything we can do?"

"There's a Reaper down near the central ring that's giving the Admiral's flagship some trouble. One of the ones that was here before we arrived."

Shepard turned to look at a display that EDI put on one of the cockpit's screens. A familiar-looking Reaper was engaged in combat with several Alliance warships. Two cruisers were already smoking hulks, drifting dead in space, and a third had taken quite a beating.

"That's the Forerunner." Shepard murmured.

"Friend of yours?" Joker asked.

"We had a chat, not long ago." Shepard explained. "Had to cut it short, on account of the Praetorian he sent to stop me."

"Shall let you carry on your conversation where you left off?" Joker offered.

"Yes, let's."

The Normandy looped around to arrow towards the Relay, angling downwards to aim for the ring at its centre. In seconds, the frigate had traversed the distance between it and the Admiral's ship. Joker expertly manipulated the ship's thrusters to send her into a spiral that looped around the Forerunner. The Reaper fired off several shots, one grazing the ship's shields and causing a shudder to pass through the Normandy's frame.

As the Normandy darted around the massive creature, Dr Archer suddenly stepped forwards, kneeling next to Joker.

"Joker, are you alright?"

Shepard looked over at his friend and saw that the pilot's eyes were creased in pain. His hands shivered over the controls and his head nodded uncertainly.

"I'm fine…," Joker said a little faintly. "Just dizzy, is all. Be alright in a secon…."

With a sigh, he fell forwards, head thumping on the console before him. Archer jolted forwards, checking his pulse and other vital signs.

"He's out cold." He said. He activated his omnitool. "Med Bay, I need a stretcher up here, now."

The Normandy descended into an uncontrolled spin, the G-forces of its motion tugging at the crew even with her powerful inertial dampeners. Shepard struggled to maintain his balance, grabbing a hold of Joker's chair.

"EDI! What's going on? Get us out of this spin!" He demanded.

"I am incapable of this action. I do not have helm control."

"Then take it back!" Shepard felt his arms strain to hang on as the Normandy raced towards the Relay's nearest arm. Looking at the displays, he saw that they were on a collision course with a huge mass of metal in their path.

"Joker's console has control. I am locked out."

"What! Why?" Shepard asked.

"It is a part of our arrangement. I cannot do Jeff's job, and he doesn't interfere with mine." EDI said calmly.

"Can you override it?"

"Given time. But someone must take control in the meantime." The AI explained flatly. "Collision course detected. Twenty seconds to impact."

Shepard took a deep breath, sliding into Joker's recently vacated seat. He looked down on the controls with a mixture of trepidation. He had never piloted something so large, but the principles of his training gave him the basic skills he needed to control the Normandy. He gripped the side of the console with one hand, the other working furiously to manage the ship's manoeuvring thrusters to pull her out of her dive. Slowly, the nose lifted and the spin straightened out, and the Normandy blasted over the surface of the Relay arm which it had so recently been on a collision course with. The Commander worked the controls and turned the ship around to angle back towards the Forerunner and Hackett's beleaguered ships.

"EDI, work on getting full control of this helm." Shepard ordered. "And get someone up here who's better qualified to fly a frigate-class starship."

"Acknowledged. Crewman Hadley and Furrel are the only members of the crew with the necessary qualifications to take the helm. Both are currently in the Cargo Hold, but will make their way up to the Command deck with all due haste."

"Tell them to hurry." Shepard said, sweating as he struggled to manoeuvre the ship past the disabled cruisers. "This isn't as easy as Joker makes it look."

Shepard wove the Normandy around the Alliance cruisers and the massive Reaper, managing to line up a few shots at the Forerunner in the process. The ship's gravity cannon coughed a few times, hurling spheres of dark energy at the Forerunner. The unique array of seven singularities ignited around the Reaper, weakening its hull integrity for the powerful blast that followed soon after. The secondary shot punched through the skin of the ancient being, ripping through its insides and out the far side. White-hot slag poured out of the new holes, trailing away in globules of molten metal. The Reaper screeched, its cries transmitting across every radio channel at once. Shepard winced at the sonic assault.

The display screens flickered above the Commander, the Reaper's image appearing on them.

"Your attacks are meaningless. The tide of cleansing shall return. Your desolation has already begun." Shepard could have sworn that he heard an irritated tone in the ancient being's voice, tinged with just a little… fear, maybe? "You are an infection within our Galaxy. One which shall be eradicated. No amount of defiance can change this. The Void shall consume you all."

"But you won't be around to see it." Shepard shouted back. "Now burn in Hell, you ugly son of a bitch!"

The Commander punched the firing command again, feeling the satisfying thump as the gravity cannon fired its eezo rounds, followed by the thud of the secondary round. At the same time, Hackett's cruisers deployed their newly installed gravity cannons, firing in unison with the Normandy. Several brilliantly bright rounds arced out from the Alliance ships, ripping through the Forerunner. The Reaper squealed across the radio channels again before it's core exploded, sending massive hull plates and huge limbs tumbling through space. The debris peppered the Relay arm below, exploding in a trail of destruction along the surface of the Relay. One piece of the Forerunner's eezo core raced down into the arm, exploding with terrifying power.

At this last explosion, the entire arm trembled, splintering at the point which connected it to the other arms. Cracks appeared along the arm's contribution to the Presidium ring before it fully broke free, drifting away into space, shedding a flurry of parts as it went. Shepard turned his attention back to the still-bright supernova contained within the Mass Effect field at the heart of the station.

"EDI, any change in what's left of the star?"

"It would appear that the loss of the fifth arm has destabilised the containment field. The other four arms are unable to contain the supernova's energy."

"Then its time for us to leave." Shepard concluded. "Do you have helm control yet?"

"Negative."

"Then where's the other pilots?"

"Still en-route, Commander. The elevator was damaged during combat. Hadley is moving through the ducts to get to the Command deck."

"Then I guess I'm stuck here." Shepard concluded. "Right, then. All hands, this is Commander Shepard. The station's about to blow, and we need to get out of here. Hang on tight."

Shepard twisted the ship around to dart away from the glowing remnant of the sun. Hackett's ships moved to follow. Behind them, the glowing blue field that had contained the energies of Dholen's supernova flickered, releasing huge bursts of white fire and radiation. One flare licked at the burnt out husks of the disabled Alliance cruisers, incinerating them instantly. Moments later, the field collapsed completely, unleashing all of the dying sun's pent up energy. A gargantuan shockwave of white fire raced out at a considerable fraction of the speed of light.

Monitors informing him of this, Shepard gunned the Normandy's engines, weaving through the drifting Relay arms, now cast free by the rapidly expanding explosion. The frigate dodged about in the veritable minefield of jagged debris, the superheated gases of the supernova mere seconds behind her.

Shepard wiped at the sweat beading on his brow, desperately seeking a clear avenue of escape. His displays informed him that one of the Admiral's ships hadn't managed to keep up, disintegrating as the shockwave overtook it. Fortunately, Hackett's own ship was still doggedly following the Normandy, occasionally having to ram its way through the debris field which had so recently been the newly built Citadel. The rough passage was evidenced on the ship's hull by the myriad scratches and scorch marks.

After a few hair-raising moments, the Normandy finally surged out into a clear patch of space. EDI began charging the ship's FTL drive. As the Commander waited tensely for the jump to light-speed, he saw what remained of the Fifth Fleet jumping out of the system, having received orders from Admiral Hackett to evacuate, as well as the handful of functioning Geth ships. What filled Shepard with disappointment, however, was the sight of the Reaper force making their way out of the system. Once they jumped to light-speed, it became impossible to predict where they were headed, except for a general trajectory they might be travelling along. Still, at least the Forerunner, along with a couple of other Reapers, would be left to burn in the fires of Dholen's destruction.

Seconds later, EDI activated the ship's FTL drive, propelling the Normandy out of the Dholen system just ahead of the supernova's devastating blast. The Commander slumped back in his chair, exhausted by it all.

**~o~0~o~**

Some minutes later, Shepard entered the Med Bay, having been relieved from his position at the helm by crewman Hadley. EDI had also informed him that she had successfully overridden the lock that prevented her from manoeuvring the ship at sub-light speeds. The Commander made a note to talk to Joker about that particular part of his work relationship with the ship, later.

He strode into the Med Bay, looking over to the left to see Mordin patching a bullet wound in his shoulder, working with a pair of tweezers to pull a tiny bullet out from underneath his skin. The Salarian nodded formally to the Commander, tiredness shining through his eyes. Shepard nodded back, sharing in that exhaustion after their mission.

He looked to the opposite side of the Med Bay, where Archer and the Revenant tended to Joker's unconscious form. Archer looked up at the Commander.

"Commander. It looks like the operation didn't go as smoothly as planned."

"Will he be okay?"

"As far as we can tell. We'll keep him down here for a few days to observe how his mind is coping with the changes, but I think he just needs to rest."

"You let me know if there's anything we need. I don't care if we have to go to the ass-end of the Galaxy to collect some obscure root to treat him, we'll do it."

"He's lucky to have a friend like you, Commander. I'll keep you informed."

"Thanks, Doctor." Shepard clasped Archer's forearm, giving him a warm handshake.

As the Commander turned to leave, a clatter from the back of the Med Bay drew his attention. He looked over to see the Revenant stagger, having just knocked over a tray of medical tools. The Collector was clutching at his skull, weaving about as he tried to keep his balance. The Revenant suddenly lifted of the ground, slamming bodily into the bulkhead that led to the AI Core. Tendrils of yellow energy flickered along his chitinous carapace. Shepard activated his commlink as he rushed over.

"Shepard to security! We've got a situation down in the Med Bay." He shouted as he moved past the bewildered Archer.

He approached the Revenant carefully. Having seen the same process many times before, Shepard recognised the signs of a Collector being possessed by a Reaper.

"Revenant? Just hang on, buddy. You can fight this!" He reassured his comrade.

The Revenant's arm shot out, striking Shepard across the chest and flinging him back to hit one of the Med Bay's beds painfully. The glowing Collector drifted down to the deck, and slowly walked forwards towards the Commander. Suddenly, a shimmering blue security field flickered into being around it, containing the alien.

"Security field activated." EDI intoned coldly.

Shepard got back to his feet, walking over to stand on the opposite side of the field from the Revenant. The Collector paced in its cage, eyes gleaming with venomous hatred. Shepard found this situation oddly similar to when he had first recruited the Collector, only now the being inside that skull was unquestionably an enemy.

"Who am I speaking to?" He demanded.

"We are Harbinger." The deep voice rumbled out menacingly. Shepard's spine tingled to hear the name. The same Reaper that had controlled the Collectors during his campaign to stop them.

"What have you done with my friend?"

"The last of our pawns shall suffice to transmit our words. It is a tool, nothing more."

Shepard gnashed his teeth in fury at the callous way that the Reaper reduced a living being to nothing with so few words.

"So say your piece, and let him go."

"You have only served to delay your extinction. The vanguard succeeded in their mission, and the foundation of our return has been established."

"Its gonna be pretty hard for you to do that after I blew up your Mass Relay."

"It can be rebuilt. And this time, we have the numbers to accomplish our task expeditiously. The Galaxy shall be harvested."

"So… what? Did you just call up to gloat?"

"We are beyond the base emotional need to gloat. But we understand how it affects the lesser races."

"But you clearly don't understand us very well. All you're doing is making me more determined to fight you. I swear, I will find a way to stop your plans."

"You perceive nothing of our plans. Your words are as hollow as the future of your children. We leave you with that knowledge now."

The glow in the Revenant's eyes faded and the alien slumped to the deck. EDI swiftly lowered the security field and Shepard dashed forward, grabbing a hold of the Revenant's arm, carrying him over to a bed. The carapace felt grainy under his fingers, and Shepard realised that the Collector's armour was extremely charred. He dreaded to think how the rest of the alien's physiology had fared.

"Archer! Get over here now!" He shouted.

Archer ran over, running his omnitool over the Revenant to perform a diagnostic.

"Severe second and third-degree burns, both internal and external. I need to operate right away. We need to extract some tissue to culture replacement tissue for skin grafts and organ transplants. Administering some medi-gel to ease the pain and encourage tissue regrowth."

Shepard nodded and made to turn away from the bed, but found his arm gripped tightly by the Revenant. The alien's eyes were turned to him, though they were glassy from the damage sustained by the Reaper possession he had just endured.

"Shepard…" The words croaked out of its throat, passing through burnt lips.

"Save your strength." Shepard said gently. "The Doc's gonna patch you up no bother."

"No… I need to tell you… important."

"What is it?" Shepard leaned close, urging his friend to be still and let the doctor fix him up.

"When Harbinger was in my mind… I saw theirs."

"What did you see?"

"Images… feelings. Like my Prothean memories. Very little I could… ugh, decipher." The Collector coughed, blood pooling around his mouth.

"Anything you could make sense of?" Shepard hated to push for information when his friend was in this state, but any information on the Reapers was too important to ignore or risk being forgotten or worse, lost if the Revenant didn't survive.

"When he… said they would rebuild… He thought of a world."

"Which world did you see?"

"…Earth. I saw Earth."

Shepard took a step back, nearly falling as his knees threatened to fold up under him. His gut turned to stone as the Collector reiterated his information, leaving no doubt as to what he had heard.

"The Reapers are going to destroy Sol to bring back the rest of their fleet."

**Author's Note: Shock and Horror! Not Earth! Here we see how I could see us getting to the events we see in the Mass Effect 3 teaser trailer. I would have liked to have the Earth chapter done by Arrival day, but that's about as likely as a male Asari, given the amount of work I have to do and the planned length of this next chapter. Plus, if Arrival is any good, I'll likely vanish from the face of the planet for a few days while I play that to death. After all, I have seven PC Shepards and one PS3 Shep to get through it. Okay that's just an excuse to play more Mass Effect, but its just too damn good. Later, fanficnation!**


	20. 20: The Price Of Survival

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 20: The Price of Survival**

Shepard charged out of the elevator like a Krogan after an all-night ryncol binge, bulling his way past the astonished crew as quickly as he could. He stopped for a few hasty seconds at the Galaxy Map.

"Joker, set a course for Earth, maximum speed. EDI, work out the fastest way to get us to the Local cluster. Cut corners, shave as much time as you can off our discharge stops, disable the safeties if you have to. Do everything it takes to get us there faster." He barked from his command console.

As he issued this order, the Commander heard a ripple of anxious murmuring spread through the CIC deck, knowing full well that they had every right to be nervous about returning to Earth. There had been whispers that the Alliance Parliament was getting ready to take action against the Commander, and the Alliance media had done nothing to quell those rumours.

Most of the Alliance brass, except for a few strong-minded individuals such as Admiral Hackett, were untrusting of the Commander, or any of his associates for that matter. Immediately after the Battle of the Citadel, almost all of the prominent figures in Human society had tried to draw close to the Commander, hoping to use his friendship as a political tool to advance their own agendas. Of course, once both the Alliance and the Council had decided to ignore the threat of the Reapers, choosing to downplay Sovereign's true nature in order to prevent panic and avoid the need to commit resources to preparing for the Reapers' coming, they had grown uneasy over the Commander's continued public declarations of the impending attack, and had done their best to label him a madman. And once they had been able to verify that he was working with Cerberus to stop the Collectors, the more devious minds in the Alliance bureaucracy had begun to assemble a case against him. They planned to bring him to task over his theft of the Normandy in his quest to get to Ilos, over his alliance with Cerberus, no matter how brief it had been, and lately over what the Alliance media referred to as the 'Aratoht Incident'. The Batarian media referred to it as 'provocation'.

Now, with the Hegemony and the Alliance poised to descend into a bloody conflict, those same devious minds were getting ready to offer him up as a peace offering to the Batarians, a sacrifice that the four-eyed aliens were all too eager to accept. Shepard knew that, the moment he set eyes upon his home world, he would face accusations of treason, persecution reminiscent of a witch-hunt, and finally a trial that would likely end with his imprisonment.

And yet, despite the risks, he couldn't stand back and allow the Reapers to advance on the cradle of Humanity. He had to get there to warn the Alliance and help to co-ordinate the forces available for the Earth's defence. The crew must have seen a flicker of this in his eyes, because not one man or woman among them even thought to question his command.

"Course plotted, Commander." Joker responded. "ETA, four days, seven hours, on the outside. EDI's working her magic looking for a few short-cuts."

"Kelly," Shepard spun on his heel to face his yeoman, who quailed under his fierce gaze. "Have Garrus, Mordin, Legion, Jacob and Kaidan report to the Comm room. We need to figure out what we're gonna do when we get to the Sol system."

"Aye-aye, Commander." Kelly saluted.

**~o~0~o~**

Moments later, the door to the Comm room hissed to admit the various department heads. Shepard, standing at the far end of the briefing room table with Feron, turned to his approaching friends with a grim expression. He allowed them to take positions around the table before beginning. Though he itched to spring into action, he knew full well that there was no way to make the journey to Earth instantaneously. The Relays formed a network, but there was still plenty of empty space between the individual stages of their journey. Although the massive machines allowed instantaneous travel from system to system, the long periods of standard drive travel dragged their travel time out into days. Therefore, it was up to him to make sure that those four days that they had to wait until reaching Earth were used efficiently, not in dashing about like a headless Varren. He took a deep breath, and calmly spoke.

"You'll have no doubt learned by now of our destination, and can probably hazard a guess as to why we're going to Earth. The first wave of the Reaper armada escaped the destruction of the Dholen system, and now they're looking to build another Relay to Dark Space. Thanks to the Revenant, we've managed to learn that they intend to use Sol as the core of their new Relay."

"Are you sure?" Kaidan asked breathlessly. "Would they be so bold as to attack such a densely populated system?"

"The Revenant was certain, and given how he obtained the knowledge, I'm inclined to believe him."

"Makes sense." Mordin said, still cradling a wounded arm in a sling. "Sol system heavily populated, lots of potential resources, both in individuals for indoctrination and in metals, plastics, processed chemicals that Earth's cities and stations are built out of. Much like when Geth were forced to disassemble their own kind to build Dholen Relay, Humans could be made to use their own homes and technology to build newest Relay."

"It is also logical for the Old Machines to choose Sol as their staging point for the future stages of their invasion." Legion supplied. "The system is close enough to the edge of the Milky Way for the extra-galactic Relay to function with little difficulty. Lower concentrations of stars in the Galactic arms makes a mass transit less hazardous, as inaccuracy of Relay operation is less likely to deliver transported units into a hazardous environment. Proximity of a Primary Relay, the Charon Relay, provides access to the larger Relay network, much like the Alpha Relay in Bahak."

"But why Earth?" Kaidan persisted. "Surely there are enough nearby systems for them to use that won't attract such an aggressive response, and will be harder to find."

"I have encountered one possible theory." EDI answered quickly.

"Let's heard it, EDI." Shepard encouraged her.

"I have analysed all data provided by the Shadow Broker on Dholen, and cross-referenced it with sensor data regarding to Sol. Before the Reaper device was activated, and Dholen began to age rapidly, the star was similar to our own. A little older, but if you scale a star's life down to that of a human's you are talking about a difference of mere months. The two stellar bodies belonged to the same class of star, and their chemical composition bore a similarity of eighty-nine point one-nine-three per cent."

"You're saying that the Reapers need a certain type of star to create an extra-galactic Relay?" Shepard asked.

"Affirmative. I have calculated that the number of stars with such characteristics in the Galaxy could be as few as one thousand. Of these stars, only a small handful would be close enough to both civilised space and a Primary Relay to be of any use to the Reapers in staging their invasion."

"Of course, there's always the chance that this is personal." Garrus said quietly from his side of the table. "You've certainly done enough to piss them off, Commander. They wait fifty thousand years to get back into the Galaxy, only to be stopped by a being they consider about as significant as bacteria? I know I'd hold a grudge."

"Regardless of why they're going there, we need to warn Earth. Even with the gravity cannons installed on every warship the Alliance has, a Reaper fleet of this size will tear through them in no time, especially if they're caught unawares. We need to go to Earth to warn everyone who'll listen and help to co-ordinate the defence."

The briefing room was filled with a tense, pregnant pause. None of the squad returned Shepard's steely gaze, save for the static Legion. Finally, it was Kaidan who spoke up.

"Shepard, that sounds like an unwise thing to do. You know the moment you set foot on Terran soil you'll be locked up until they can throw together some mock trial to have you put away for good."

"I'll gladly do the time if it means I can give the system even a few hours warning. It could mean the difference between several million humans escaping or being wiped out when the Reapers descend." Shepard said nobly. "Besides, I think you underestimate our chances if it goes to trial. I've still got friends in high places."

Even after these confident words, the individuals around the briefing room still appeared nervous. Garrus was the first one to speak.

"No matter what happens, we're with you, Commander. If they want to take you into custody, they'll have a hell of a fight on their hands first."

"No." Shepard ordered. "We're not going to start fighting against our own people. Opening fire on any forces sent to arrest me will only hurt our chances of reasoning with them."

He threw one final sweeping stare around the room, catching the eye of each member of his squad before nodding a dismissal.

"We have just over four days until we reach Earth. I imagine the Reapers won't be far behind. We need the Normandy running at one hundred and ten per cent. Back to your stations, and make sure we're ready for battle."

The meeting broke up, the various department heads going their separate ways quietly, a little unwillingly. Shepard turned to Feron, the Drell straightening his stance on being addressed.

"Feron, you told me you couldn't remove the old QEC from this room, is that correct?"

"Yes," Feron answered a little hesitantly. "It's built right into the heart of the ship. Removing it would be like trying to remove the engine. Doable, but only with an extensive stay in dry-dock."

"Would it still work?"

"It should. We just left it intact and installed our own comm array in a separate module." The Drell's brow creased. "Why?"

"Fire it up. I need to make a call."

Feron opened his mouth to voice a caution, but remained silent, shrugging and turning to his terminal.

The long briefing room table retracted into the deck, a little unsteadily. Keeping the communications station linked to the Illusive Man well-maintained had not been deemed important by the Normandy's crew, so sure were they that they would never need to contact the Cerberus leader again. Even Shepard would have hesitated to imagine he would need to speak to the shady founder of the terrorist organisation, especially given the ease with which the Commander had chosen to destroy the Collector base rather than hand it over to the Illusive Man, swiftly followed by the theft of the Normandy and its crew. In running off with the frigate, Shepard had stolen billions of credits' worth of resources from Cerberus, combined with the millions of credits the Illusive Man had invested in his crew, their equipment, and especially in the Commander himself. Shepard had once laughed at the thought that, when the value of his ship, crew and gear was added together, he was in control of resources worth more credits than an average sized star system would see through the course of an entire year. Now that he found it necessary to face the Illusive Man once more, that small fact seemed more troublesome than humorous.

Shepard walked forwards into the centre of a cylinder of holographic light which sprung up from the floor of the room, allowing numerous scanners and sensors to map his still-armed and armoured outline, assembling an image to send to the Illusive Man's office, in some undisclosed corner of the Galaxy.

The briefing room vanished from Shepard's sight, replaced with a shadowy scene. A darkened room filled his view, lit only by the malevolent glow of a red star, occupying the centre of the room. The star, of course, was merely a holographic representation. But its presence filled the room, giving even Shepard's holographic image the impression of warmth. That presence, however, was dwarfed by the aura surrounding the figure sitting in a chair before the star. One ankle balanced on the opposing knee, cigarette in hand, the Illusive Man sat ramrod straight in his chair, sinister eyes glaring at Shepard's image. The shady tycoon took a deep draw on his cigarette before speaking.

"So, the prodigal Commander returns." His voice carried an angry tone to it. "My time is valuable, Shepard, so make this quick. There are any number of tasks that require my attention which would be a more efficient expenditure of my energy than talking to you."

"Illusive Man. Friendly as ever, I see." Shepard crossed his arms, leaning back on his right foot confidently. This brazen façade didn't reflect the emotions running through him at that moment. He needed the Illusive Man's help, not his enmity. The glowing blue eyes narrowed at his attitude.

"If you have merely come to bandy insults with me, then you might as well disconnect immediately. I don't have the time to be ridiculed by a traitor to his own people."

"A traitor?" Shepard seethed.

"Indeed. The Collector base would have given us the tools necessary to ensure Humanity's survival, right up until you decided to play God and put your ideals ahead of our species."

"Spare me your bullshit. Your organisation can't be trusted with today's technology, let alone what you would have dug up on that base. Look at the Ascension Project!"

"Professor Roinestad was tasked with developing the next generation of biotic amp, nothing more. Her actions in creating the control chips were unauthorised, and exceeded the operation's mandate. Cerberus had no part in those events after she strayed from our designs." The Illusive Man responded smoothly.

"Really?" Shepard asked sarcastically, not buying one word of it. "And I suppose you'll be telling me next that your operatives 'exceeded their mandate' on Pragia, too? Or what about what happened to my unit on Akuze? Did that operation 'stray from your designs'?"

"Believe what you will, Commander. I deny any active role in either of those projects. They were undertaken by rogue operatives." The Illusive Man reached down to the arm of his chair, picking up a glass of some liquid or another and downing it in one gulp. "Are you merely calling to attempt to extract some admission of guilt from me, Shepard? Because I really must get on with more important tasks. The Reapers are back, and, seeing as you are unwilling to go to the lengths necessary to ensure their defeat, Cerberus will have to take the steps necessary to protect Earth and her children."

"So you already know about what happened in Dholen." Shepard said, unsurprised.

"I have my sources." He replied confidently.

"But you won't know of their next target."

"And you do?" There was a note of disbelief in the Illusive Man's voice. "You've accomplished many extraordinary tasks, Commander, but I would hesitate to believe you have the powers of precognition."

"A member of my squad was able to… access the Reapers' plans."

"Indeed? I suppose you refer to this so-called Revenant, the 'Last Collector'? It would make sense for him to still be in tune with the Reaper network. A valuable resource indeed." Another draw on the glowing cigarette. "And what did he have to say about the Reapers and their plans?"

"Their next target is Earth." Shepard said simply. "They want to create another Relay to bring back the rest of their armada."

The cigarette halted halfway on its return trip to the Illusive Man's lips. Blue eyes widened a fraction before returning to their neutral gaze.

"That is… somewhat bolder than I would have expected from an expeditionary force. They have to know that the Sol system will be heavily defended."

"EDI hypothesises that Sol is one of the few stars with the right composition to create a new Citadel with. And given their additional numbers, this Relay will be a lot harder to attack."

"That's as may be, but the tactics of the Reapers before now have always been more reserved than this. They rely on striking from the darkness, not stepping out into the open and announcing their arrival. Given the Council's desire to quell any rumour of their existence, it would be in their better interests to hide until their plan was ready to implement."

"There could be a little more to it than what it would be logical to do." Shepard said cautiously. "One of the Reapers, Harbinger, spoke to me, just before the Dholen system was destroyed. It seemed to be, I don't know, gloating. I get the feeling they're targeting Earth as a personal insult."

"A possibility." Smoke billowed around the Illusive Man's head as he contemplated the Commander's words. "If that is so, then the Reapers may be more susceptible to emotional stimuli than we give them credit for. That's something we can use. Emotion can override Logic, and give us the chink in their defences we need to attain victory."

"The Reapers could be in orbit around Earth in as few as four days, if they travel by the fastest Relays. We'll do our best to make sure the Normandy gets there first, and try to warn the Alliance, but we'll need everything we can muster to hold off the Reapers, even for a short time."

"Cerberus will do what it can to be ready for the attack." The Illusive Man assured him. "I will put the word around every available agent and mobilise what resources we can get to the Sol system in time."

"Thank you." Shepard said, relieved that things were going better than he had anticipated.

"We do not need your thanks, Commander. Cerberus acts to defend Humanity, nothing more." The Illusive Man said stiffly.

"There was one more thing…," Shepard asked slowly. The bright blue eyes met with his. "Admiral Hackett and the Fifth Fleet are currently travelling back from Geth space. I won't be able to get a hold of them when they are at FTL speeds, and they don't know about the threat to Earth. We'll need every ship they have."

"I will see to it that they get the message to travel to the Sol system immediately." The Illusive Man leaned forwards to tap a command on his omnitool, and the link was severed, leaving Shepard blinking in the bright lights of the briefing room. Blinking like he had just awoken from a dream, the Commander nodded to Feron before turning to stride out of the room. He needed to prepare for his homecoming.

**~o~0~o~**

The Normandy hove into view just alongside the Charon Relay, in a split second transforming from a cone of blurred motion into the solid shape of a starship. With unerring grace, the recently recovered Joker wove her through the waiting traffic, leading her out of the melee of bustling ships going about their daily business, traversing the distance between the Sol system and multiple other systems in the blink of an eye.

His armour polished to a fine shine, Shepard stood just behind Joker, eyes roving about the inky darkness beyond the cockpit's windows. The Commander had considered putting on his best uniform in anticipation of the trial ahead of him, but had instead chosen to wear his combat armour. It better signified his role as a defender of the Alliance, and emphasised the urgency of his message about an impending attack.

Shepard and his crew had been busy over the previous four days. The Normandy shone, all evidence of a recent engagement patched up. The ship thrummed with renewed vigour as its integral systems had been fixed up, the Engineering crew working night and day to get the frigate to a hundred per cent. Down in the Medical Bay, the Revenant was tentatively going about his usual duties, his recent injuries still paining him a little.

Doctor Archer had practically doused the Collector in medi-gel, carefully tending to his grisly external burns and culturing new tissue to replace the blistered internal flesh. The alien's physiology had taken a beating from the raw power that the Reaper possession had forced through his nervous system, and would take a little more time to heal, but his unusual physiology was encouraging a swift recovery. During the initial stages of Archer's treatment of the revenant, the doctor had extracted a smoking mass of circuitry from the Collector's cranial cavity. Mordin's analysis of the device had revealed it to be a communications node, responsible for Harbinger's ability to 'possess' the Revenant. With its destruction, the device having shorted out upon Harbinger releasing control, the Revenant did not have to worry about undergoing such an experience again, a fact which Shepard was immensely relieved to learn of.

As the Normandy wheeled about and set a course for the distant Sun, accelerating to about three-quarters of light speed, Shepard's omnitool beeped. He looked down at it, irritated at the distraction. He knew that it would take the best part of eight hours to traverse the distance between the edge of the solar system and Earth, especially given the speed restrictions beyond Mars' orbit, but he was tense, itching for this day to be over with. That was why he was ready to disembark so early, having barely slept the previous night as he tended to his armour, polishing out the dents and scrapes left by his most recent firefights. Even though he was about to be tried for terrorist acts, he knew that a well-turned out soldier would carry more respect in the coming trial than a scruffy madman ranting about extra-galactic horrors.

One message blinked on his 'tool, from Liara. He had spoken with her over the course of the last couple of days, plotting the action the Shadow Broker's network would take to react to the new threat. Shepard also had no doubt that Liara would have several teams ready to break him out of prison should the worst happen at his trial. He opened the new message.

_Shepard,_

_Some troubling developments, I'm afraid. I have just received word that David Anderson has been escorted back to Earth in an apparent attempt to contain him until your trial is over. He may not wield the political power that he once did as Humanity's representative on the Council, but his influence among the military is something to be contended with._

_There have also been whispers against Admiral Hackett. Although he is by far too powerful to be kept out of your trial, word is being circulated that his word is suspect, given his support of your Spectre candidacy. His recent unexplained absence with the Fifth Fleet has also ruffled a lot of feathers in the Alliance. I am afraid you cannot anticipate his assistance in defending you._

_The Council, Donnel Udina among them, arrived on Earth yesterday. They hid the reason for their visit underneath the guise of trade negotiations, but it is clear that they are to have a part in your coming trial. I imagine that, had you not already been en-route to the Sol system, they would have tried to have you brought in to face your charges very soon anyway. Your political enemies must feel that they have the evidence necessary to convict you already._

_I'm worried, Shepard. Breaking you out of a Cerberus-run Batarian prison was one thing, but a maximum security Alliance facility will be another entirely._

_Be careful out there,_

_Liara_

Shepard smiled grimly at the Asari's words, taking comfort in the fact that, while his list of allies was growing thinner by the moment, he still had some friends he could count on.

"Uh-oh. We've got company." Joker said tensely, drawing the Commander's attention.

Shepard looked out of the windows to see four Alliance frigates peeling off from their assigned positions to pursue the Normandy. Various sensor readings provided by EDI informed the CIC crew that the ships had their weapons and shields charged, ready for trouble. The Normandy was advanced, easily capable of taking on the lesser Alliance vessels, although she would receive a few scars for her trouble. Moments later, a stern voice echoed over the comms.

"SSV Normandy SR-2, This is Alliance Command. You are to power down to one-half light-speed and follow the SSV Iwo Jima to London Starport, where you will power down all systems and be boarded. Any sign of hostility will not be tolerated. SSV Iwo Jima, Gettysburg, Sluys, and Luzon will use deadly force if necessary."

"This is SSV Normandy, acknowledging transmission." Shepard replied coldly over the comms. He nodded to Joker, who piloted the frigate in behind the Iwo Jima, one of the escorting ships. The Gettysburg and the Luzon moved to flank the Normandy, while the Sluys dropped in behind her, effectively surrounding the ship while maintaining enough distance to quickly close off any other avenues of escape.

"Well, no turning back now." Joker muttered. "Like it or not, we're goin' home."

"It'll be fine." Shepard said calmly, though his stomach was tied in knots which disagreed with his words.

The journey to Earth was agonisingly slow, the escorting frigates maintaining such a slow pace that Shepard was forced to grit his teeth in frustration.

Finally, the Normandy shuddered as her Mass Effect Field generators adjusted for atmospheric flight, and she dipped into the Earth's upper atmosphere. The sapphire mass of the Atlantic Ocean whipped by below, initially obscured occasionally by clouds. As the Normandy raced through the Terran sky, the small landmass of Britain hove into view. Joker angled the frigate to follow the Iwo Jima towards London. The Alliance escort peeled away as the Normandy entered the skyline of London. Shepard saw a multitude of towering skyscrapers dwarfing archaic landmarks such as the proud Canary Wharf Tower, the sprawling Houses of Parliament and the iconic clock tower, Big Ben. The Normandy skimmed over the rooftops of the buildings hanging over the banks of the River Thames and swiftly approached the gargantuan Parliament Towers, the political heart of the city, located only a mile or so beyond the wide river. Joker traded snippets of conversation with a tense-sounding Air Traffic Controller before negotiating the final few twists and turns amidst the London skyline and steering the frigate gently into a docking cradle. The starship hissed as her engines cooled, hull ticking quietly. Shepard took a nervous breath before stepping up to the airlock, waiting for the inevitable.

"EDI, power down all of your primary systems and seal the AI core." He ordered. "The last thing we need is for some Alliance tech to find out about you and impound the whole damn ship."

"Acknowledged, Commander." EDI replied smoothly, before her interface went dark.

The airlock hissed open, and a squad of Alliance marines barged in brusquely. A towering man, bearing the insignia of a Captain, strode at the fore of this force, walking straight up to the Commander with a cautious look in his eyes.

"Commander Shepard?" He asked, a little glumly. Shepard nodded in the affirmative. "Captain Benjamin Swift. I have orders to take you and your crew into custody, pending an investigation into your alleged dealings with a known terrorist organisation, along with you involvement in certain actions which have jeopardised the security of the citizens of the Systems Alliance."

"I need to speak with Earth's defence forces." Shepard answered. "I have important news for them."

"In due time, Commander. Please, come with me." Several of the marines moved to restrain Shepard, but Benjamin turned to stare at them, a mildly angry expression on his face. "There will be no need to cuff him, or any of his crew. These people are heroes, and will be treated with due respect."

"But sir! They're terrorists!" One protested.

"Not until a jury says so." Benjamin said firmly. "Escort them into custody, and nothing more."

His subordinates looked like they were about to protest further, but his stern glare silenced them. They sullenly stalked down the corridor towards the main section of the CIC. Benjamin, meanwhile, turned back to the Commander and gestured for Shepard to follow him.

"Come with me, Commander. I'll take you to Governor Latham's office." He said, referring to the British representative in the Alliance Senate.

The Alliance's government was composed of three main components. The foremost of which was the Prime Minister and Cabinet, which included the Deputy Prime Minister. The Senate, composed of Governors appointed by the Cabinet to represent their home countries and colony worlds. And, lastly, the House of Commons, composed of individuals who represented the smaller regions and some of the larger industrial entities within the territories represented by the Senate, and were elected by the general populace. The Prime Minister and the members of the Cabinet were elected by the combined votes of the Senate and the House of Commons. At the moment, Amul Shastri was the Prime Minister in office, though his term was coming to a close, after a very popular reign.

"He's not on Arcturus? I thought the Senate normally never left the station until the end of their service."

"There are… unusual circumstances. Nearly the entirety of the Senate has gathered in London for your trial, and even the Prime Minister is en route now that you're here." Benjamin said uneasily. "They're turning this into a damn media circus. The whole Extranet is buzzing with news about your trial."

"You sound angry about this. You disagree with the trial?"

"I've served alongside N7 troopers before, and everyone knows about your service as a Spectre to the Council. I know you'd have a damned good reason for your recent actions." He was almost spitting with anger. "Hell, they're even holding Ilos against you! If you hadn't stolen the first Normandy and followed Saren, the Geth would have torn the Citadel apart! It's bloody ridiculous."

"I appreciate your support, Captain. My reasons were good, but that doesn't make my actions any better. I simply chose the best available course."

"I don't doubt it." He stalked onwards a few steps before looking sideways at the Commander. "Could you tell me, Commander, have you really been working with Cerberus?"

Shepard looked back at the young man, wondering if this was a fishing expedition. He wouldn't put it past his enemies to send the young Captain to gather any damning evidence they could use. But the Captain's eyes were filled with sincerity, and Shepard felt that he was trustworthy. Deciding he had nothing to lose by being honest, he decided he could speak freely.

"The Alliance cast me aside after they got their seat on the Council. Human colonies were vanishing, and they were looking in all of the wrong places. Cerberus was willing to help me to put a stop to the abductions. I may not agree with their methods, but there are bigger threats right now. Without their help, I couldn't have stopped the Collectors."

"So it really was the Collectors?" Benjamin asked, eyebrows raised. "I'd always thought they were a myth."

"And that's probably what the Alliance would have said, a year ago." Shepard smiled, all too used to that attitude. "Of course, the Collectors were only pawns of a much bigger threat, the Reapers."

"Everyone knows that word. You mentioned them enough after the Battle of the Citadel. But the brass insist that they aren't real."

"They're real." Shepard assured him. "And we'll probably be seeing them all too soon."

"Really?" Benjamin, tone suggesting he was finding it all a little hard to believe.

"I understand this all sounds a little far-fetched, but it's true. Once the Fifth Fleet gets back they'll back up my story."

"Does the Fifth's disappearance have anything to do with these 'Reapers'?"

"Yes. We've just returned from an engagement with a Reaper fleet."

"An entire fleet? But if they're all as big as Saren's flagship, how'd you get back in one piece? It took the best part of several fleets to take that thing down!"

"Didn't say we won. We had some new tech which gave us an edge, but they still had us outclassed. We got out of the system before they got the chance to wipe us out."

Benjamin was silent for several moments, walking along with head lowered in thought. Finally, they arrived before a pair of dark wooden doors, which the young Captain pushed open and ushered the Commander through.

Beyond, Shepard saw a well-appointed office. Comfortable leather seats were arrayed about the room, while a large, mahogany desk occupied the space before a window that provided a stunning view of the London skyline. Shepard could see Big Ben's resolute white face in the distance, shaving the seconds off the day with every tick. He turned his gaze to the rest of the office. Tall bookshelves lined the walls, while a glass and marble coffee table squatted in the midst of the leather chairs, one cup of coffee steaming warmly on its surface.

A tall, bald-headed man leaned over the desk, reading a datapad. He looked to the door with emerald green eyes before turning back to his datapad, showing little sign of interest. Behind him, a small knot of humans chatted with three aliens. Shepard recognised the weathered features of Donnel Udina, Humanity's representative on the Council, along with the fair features of Councillor Tevos, a stunning Asari on the verge of her matriarchal years. The remaining two aliens turned and Shepard saw the avian, skull-like face of Councillor Velarn, the Turian Council member, and the newly elected Councillor Fahos, the Salarian Councillor promoted to office after the retirement of his predecessor, only a couple of months ago. The rest of the group, a mixture of humans of all nationalities, were individuals the Commander did not recognise personally, but thought he might have seen in various news reports about the Alliance Senate.

"Ah, Captain Swift. Thank you for bringing Shepard to us." Shepard's ears twitched as he noticed that the tall man did not refer to him as Commander. Benjamin's posture stiffened ever so slightly in what Shepard felt could have been irritation at the callous way the man was referring to him.

The assembled officials moved away from the window, all stepping forward in a united group to face the Commander. The tall man, obviously Governor Latham of London, spoke first.

"Shepard. I believe you wished to speak to someone in authority?"

The Commander strode forward, standing opposite the politicians across the desk. He smirked to see Udina step back involuntarily, glad that they still had a healthy respect for his combat abilities, even when he was technically their prisoner.

"Earth needs to prepare for a coming Reaper invasion." He began. "I have just returned from the Dholen system, where my ship encountered a Reaper force preparing to descend upon the Galaxy. A fleet of Reapers is on its way here as we speak."

Shepard's declaration was met, as expected, with laughter. Only the solemn Tevos and the uneasy Fahos held back their scorn.

"Once again, you come before us with the tired story of extra-galactic beings intent on our demise." Valern sighed. "You have no proof."

"Here's your proof." Shepard spat, tossing a datapad that he had drawn from his belt across the desk. Latham picked up the datapad and scanned it with an arrogant glare. His gaze lost some of its haughtiness as he read the contents, but his face was still filled with distrust for the Commander when he looked back up. He passed the pad around the cluster of politicians, soliciting the same response from each one of them.

"Ridiculous." Udina muttered. "This data is clearly false. Why you persist in perpetuating these stories is beyond my comprehension, Shepard."

"The Fifth Fleet will back up my story." Shepard assured. "Admiral Hackett himself was there."

"You mean the same Alliance fleet that you absconded with just over a week ago, Commander?" Valern asked irritably. It was all Shepard could do to hold back from striking the arrogant Turian. "You're making a habit of taking vital military resources when it pleases you, Shepard."

"Any corroborating evidence Hackett could provide would be suspect." Udina said firmly.

"Only because the whole lot of you have your heads shoved so far up you-" Shepard began, losing his patience.

"Please, gentlemen," Tevos quickly interjected. "Perhaps these questions would be better asked during the trial, rather than behind closed doors. For now, let us consider the truthfulness of Shepard's information before reaching any conclusion."

"You are correct, Councillor." Latham conceded. He turned back to Shepard. "Was there anything else?"

Shepard voiced a thought that had been needling him with anxiety.

"What's going to happen to my crew?"

"We have decided that they are to be contained until the trial is over. They will be kept under armed guard until then."

"Some of them may not take too kindly to being imprisoned."

"They'll have no choice in the matter, Commander. If they wish to avoid an incident that will harm your chances during the trial, they will co-operate."

"I have a passenger on board, seeking political asylum. What will happen to the Batarian known as Etarn?"

Latham paused at this.

"You have a Batarian aboard your ship? Willingly?"

"Yes. Etarn is the leader of a splinter group willing to make peace with Humanity, regardless of our past. I imagine keeping him imprisoned during his stay here would negatively influence our relations with the Hegemony."

"As if you haven't done that enough by yourself." Udina muttered under his breath. It was all Shepard could do not to lay him out where he stood, such was his dislike for the man.

"This… Etarn… will not be imprisoned. As a political representative of the Hegemony, he will be granted the freedom to roam the city as he pleases." Latham said slowly. Clearly the Governor didn't want Shepard's trial to be marred by a diplomatic misstep on the part of his side. "Etarn shall be granted the immunity befitting his status. But the remainder of your crew shall still be imprisoned for the duration of your trial."

Udina turned to the waiting Benjamin.

"Captain Swift! Get him out of here." He ordered.

Back outside the office, Shepard fell into step behind Benjamin, this time realising he was on his way to a prison cell.

"I'm sorry you're having to go through all of this." He said.

"Could you have prevented it?" Shepard asked.

"What? No…" Benjamin answered. "How could I? They're the leaders of our people."

"Then it's not your fault that I'm in this mess. So don't apologise for their actions."

"It's just… not right, that they're doing this. You're a hero to our people, for crying out loud! You saved the Council's sorry asses back on the Citadel, and this is how they pay you back?"

"I'm not worried about how I get treated." Shepard replied stolidly. "What does worry me is the fact that no one's going to try to prepare for the Reapers."

"You really think they're going to try and attack Earth?"

"I know they are. One of my crew, the one in Med Bay, managed to recover that information before he was injured." Shepard turned an earnest glance to the younger Captain. "Benjamin, I need you to warn whoever you can about the attack, before its too late. When the Reapers hit, we'll be outclassed as it is. I've called in as many favours as I could on the way here, but it'll mean nothing if our defence fleets get wiped out in the first few seconds of the attack because they were unprepared."

"I'll do what I can, Commander." Benjamin promised.

Benjamin led the Commander through several corridors and hallways until he stood before another pair of doors. These ones led into a luxurious lounge. Again the Commander was confronted by a spectacular view of the city, but aside from some plush couches and a couple of bookcases, there was little else in the room. What drew Shepard's attention, however, was the room's sole occupant.

"Shepard!" David Anderson exclaimed, his eyes brightening upon seeing his old friend.

"David!" As the pair greeted one another, Benjamin quietly left, leaving two armed guards at the door.

"So they got you, huh? I figured they were getting ready to take you to task over Aratoht, when they took me in, but I never figured they were this close. They must have come for me after putting the call out for you to hand yourself in."

"Not exactly. I came here myself." Shepard explained.

"Oh? You must have had good reason to come back, knowing you'd be arrested on sight."

"I did." Shepard said. "The Reapers are back. Hackett and I tried to stop them, but they managed to slip a small expeditionary force into the Galaxy. They're on their way here as we speak."

"Damn. Did you manage to warn anyone?"

"I tried telling them about the attack, but you can guess just how well that went down with Udina and Latham. I did manage to call in a couple of favours with some associates, and once the Fifth gets back to Arcturus the word will spread like wildfire, but we're already cutting things fine as it is."

"Politicians and their bullshit. Maybe if I'd stuck it out in that world a bit longer we wouldn't have been put in this position. Udina never quite got over you nominating me as Councillor back on the Citadel. Now that he's finally got the position, he's doling out anything he can to those who he thinks slighted him. I imagine he's got an especially strong grudge against us for getting in his way."

"It's hard to believe they've got you here. They must know there'll be hell to pay when this is over."

"Frankly, I think they're so eager to convict you that they don't care about the consequences beyond the trial. They want to make peace with the Batarians, and I think to do so they intend to offer you to the squints as a prisoner. A political bribe to soothe frayed tempers over the Aratoht incident."

"They'd really extradite me to Hegemony space?"

"If they thought it would prevent a war with the Batarians, then yes. And a year ago, I'd have said that was a pretty damn unlikely thing. But now, they're grasping for anything to avert a war. Aside from that, they've done nothing patently illegal. Were I to protest their taking me into custody, they'd simply say I was only detained for questioning in connection with your trial."

"So what can I do?"

"You'll just have to go stand before their jury and give it your best shot. I've seen you rally your troops before, so I know you can be pretty damn persuasive when you need to be. Give 'em hell, remind them of what it means to be a Human, and don't take any of their crap."

"Thanks, sir." Shepard said. Amazingly, the older soldier's words had bolstered his confidence. He sat back on one of the couches, and prepared for his trial.

**~o~0~o~**

A couple of hours later, Benjamin returned to escort the Commander to his trial. Shepard nodded to Anderson, the latter giving him a smile of encouragement, before following the young captain out of the room. Benjamin led him through the maze of corridors towards a more heavily frequented area of the building. He took a sudden turn to the left and led Shepard up a flight of stairs, emerging onto a balcony running along the side of a large room, obviously the building's foyer. Below, a melee of reporters and media crews buzzed anxiously, obviously eager to see the accused before his trial. Shepard appreciated the younger man's thoughtfulness in choosing a route that avoided the crush of inquisitive news crews.

"The media got here fast." He commented.

"Word got out pretty soon after you entered the system. They've been gathering all morning." Benjamin's tone suggested he had very little respect for the reporters and their vulture-like attitude towards the Commander's trial. He swiftly changed the subject. "I spoke to Admiral Garrick of the Earth Defence Fleet. He was sceptical of your story, but the leaders of the military have a lot more respect for your word than the politicians. Most of us either fought in the Battle of the Citadel or have spoken to people who have, and even if the brass don't believe that Saren's ship was a living being in its own right, they're prepared to believe there might be more ships like it out there, waiting for Humanity's enemies to find them, and don't want to find out what a whole fleet of them could do to our ships."

"Thank you." Shepard said sincerely. "Its good to know that at least some people in the Alliance don't think I'm crazy."

"Well, let's not be too hasty, now." Benjamin said with a smile.

They rounded a final couple of corners and found themselves approaching a pair of large, ornately decorated metal doors. In front of the door stood a single figure. Dark hair reaching down past her ears, the young woman was of average height and slim build. A gold-and-blue dress served to accent her tanned skin and brown eyes. A polished white camera mech hovered by her shoulder as she pulled a datapad out.

"Shepard! Commander Shepard!" She called out. "Commander Shepard, a moment of your time?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am." Benjamin interjected, raising a hand to stop her from approaching. "The Commander is expected in court, and doesn't-"

"Yes, yes and that's why I'm here, to get the scoop before he goes to trial." She replied, blithely ignoring him and shouldering past. "Commander Shepard, Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani, Westerlund News."

Shepard looked at her silently. He remembered the reporter, all too well.

"I interviewed you on the Citadel, after your appointment as Spectre? And then again, after your two-year absence following the Battle of the Citadel?"

"Yes, I remember." Shepard said gruffly, his tone discouraging further conversation. "I remember you trying to twist my words to make me out to be a lackey to the Council, and then trying to suggest I sacrificed Human lives needlessly."

"Your words, Commander, not mine. I'm just here to get at the story before anyone else." She said, tapping a command on her pad. The camera mech whirred, light flickering on to illuminate the Commander.

"Commander Shepard, we're speaking to you today immediately before your trial. You are charged with associating with Cerberus, a known terrorist group, and committing acts which have jeopardised the safety of the Alliance's citizens. The most recent being the 'Aratoht Incident', where you personally undertook a course of action which led to the deaths of over three hundred thousand Batarians. Could you give us some insight into what led you to this?"

"There was no other option." Shepard answered, sighing as he realised that trying to avoid the interview would be futile. "I tried to warn the Batarians about the Relay's imminent destruction, but there wasn't enough time."

"The Mass Relays were once thought to be indestructible, before you found a way. Perhaps you felt the need to prove this theory wrong?" Khalisah's tone bore an accusatory note.

"I did what I had to do to protect Earth." Shepard said firmly.

"So this was an official Alliance operation?"

"No, I-"

"Maybe perhaps you were acting in harmony with the desires of Cerberus, an organisation well-known for its human-supremacist agenda. Many would say that the destruction of an alien colony is typical of their anti-alien mandate."

"If you'd just-"

"Or maybe you were motivated by your own bias against other species. After all, you were once a member of the Earth-based gang known as the Tenth Street Reds, a small-time gang which has had a hand in a number of anti-alien activities on Earth. Combined with your association with a group such as Cerberus, it seems pretty clear that you bear some ill-will towards other species."

"I've worked with other species on a lot of my missions!" Shepard protested. "Some of them are my closest friends and crew-mates."

"Yes, well, a man as eloquent as you have proved to be in previous interviews would no doubt have little trouble coercing-"

The fist came out of nowhere, a vicious right hook that caught Khalisah squarely on the jaw. She tumbled across the floor, hitting the wall with a thud. She got to her feet shakily, wiping at a bead of blood trickling from her mouth, evidence of a lip cut when her teeth clacked together as she hit the floor. Eyes blazing, she turned a furious gaze to the Commander. Unimpressed, Shepard stepped over to the camera mech and, grabbing it with one hand, punched its metal shell hard. The thin plating buckled and the Commander reached into one of the ruptured seams. With a grunt, he pulled the plate away and reached inside, pulling out the mech's memory module and crushing it in one gloved fist.

"This interview is over." He said coldly.

"You're going to regret that, you bastard!" She spat, limping off as she cradled a bruised hip and her injured jaw.

"Effective. Although, not that I think she didn't deserve it, don't you feel that was a little… extreme, Shepard?" The young captain asked.

"I've been dying to do that in the three years I've known her." Shepard said, flexing his fingers slowly.

"Fair enough." Benjamin shrugged. "I guess we'd better move on. You ready, Commander?"

"No, but I guess I've got no choice either way. Let's get this over with."

Benjamin opened the door, and the two of them stepped through.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard found himself in a cavernous room, in the base of a bowl formed by row upon row of tiered seating. For an instant, the Commander felt like a gladiator, stepping out into the gargantuan Colosseum to face some terrible beast. The analogy wasn't too far from the truth, as he laid eyes upon a cluster of sombre-looking individuals standing upon a raised platform near the centre of the room. The various levels of seats were filled with a multitude of faces, some familiar, such as the various members of the Senate and some of Shepard's old associates from his Alliance days, and some not so familiar, such as those who Shepard thought might be reporters along with lesser members of the Parliament.

As Shepard was guided into the centre of the room, to a spot just before the raised platform, he studied the faces of those before him. In the centre of the group, the exotic features of Amul Shastri, the Alliance's Prime Minister, stared down at the Commander, his stony face not revealing anything passing with the man's mind. To his left, Councillor Udina, Governor Latham and Dennis Hughes, the Deputy Prime Minister, talked amongst themselves. On the Prime Minister's right stood the Citadel Council.

The moment the Commander took his place before this array of the most powerful people in Alliance and Council space, he was blinded by several spotlights, the light of which his eyes soon adjusted to. Numerous film cameras beamed the trial out to the rest of the world and, eventually, to the entirety of Alliance space and a sizeable portion of the Citadel's jurisdiction. Clearly this trial was meant to be as public a spectacle as possible. Once the Commander was illuminated in this way, the murmuring in the room bubbled to a halt, replaced by a tense, expectant silence.

Shepard looked at the room itself, inspecting the design. Above the many-tiered seats, an expansive glass roof provided an unobstructed view of the sky above. As it was sunset, the cloudscape above London was slowly turning a bloody red, streaked with navies and purples. A tiny sliver of a moon shone out in a clear patch of sky, the final gleams of moonlight before the new moon was born.

"This court is called to order," Amul Shastri's deep, booming voice, further amplified by the room's acoustics and his own microphone, echoed throughout the chamber. At this, the last whispers of conversation died out.

"Commander Shepard," The Prime Minister continued. "You are brought before this court today to face the following charges: theft of Alliance Naval property, aiding and abetting a known terrorist organisation, and the destruction of an entire Batarian colony world, jeopardising the security of this sovereign state and its citizens by inciting a potential conflict with the Batarian Hegemony."

Shepard stood to attention, every inch the soldier hero of the Alliance. His face remained impassive as he listened, back straight as an arrow, hands by his sides, eyes straight ahead. Not a flicker of emotion crossed his face as the accusations were hurled at him.

"How do you plead?" The Prime Minister asked.

Shepard's tongue froze, unwilling to move to voice his reply. He swallowed the lump in his throat and, voice firm as ever, spoke out clearly.

"Guilty."

A wave of shocked chatter rippled through the chamber, an amazingly large amount of shock for such a small word. The Prime Minister threw a stern glare about the chamber and the chatter faded into silence once more.

"You admit that the charges held against you are true?" He asked, his tone showing a bit more interest than before.

"Yes I do." Shepard answered boldly. "And that's because I believe I was completely justified in my actions."

"Then I believe the objective of this trial has changed from whether or not the accusations levelled against you are true, to whether your actions were necessary or not." Councillor Tevos said, receiving an irritated glare from Councillors Velarn and Udina, which was answered with an indifferent stare of her own.

"The honourable Asari Councillor is correct." Amul conceded. "We shall therefore consider each case and judge whether Shepard's actions were justified or not. Let us begin with the theft of the Normandy."

The Prime Minister tapped out a few commands on his omnitool, obviously pulling up files on his podium.

"Three years ago, you were in command of the Normandy SR-1, the Alliance's most advanced frigate at the time. Both you and your crew had been ordered by your Alliance superiors and the Council to remain on the Citadel, pending further investigation into accusations you had made against the rogue Spectre, Saren. Is this correct?"

"Yes, but-"

"You then proceeded, with the assistance of former Councillor David Anderson, to conspire to steal the Normandy and pursue Saren in an unauthorised mission to Ilos, a planet whose existence had yet to be confirmed. Anderson went on to assault then-Ambassador Udina in order to gain access to the codes necessary to release the Normandy, allowing you to flee the Citadel in pursuit of Saren."

"If I hadn't done that there'd be nothing left of the Citadel fleets save a cloud of debris!" Shepard shouted, his anger getting the better of his judgement. "By the time a Council investigation had finished bungling their way through the work I had already done, Saren would have used the Conduit to get to the heart of the Citadel, activating the Relay at its heart!"

"Ah, yes." Velarn said smugly. "And here we get to the root of your rash actions. The so-called Reapers. Please, do tell us more of these extra-galactic monsters set to descend upon us as we speak."

"What my associate is trying to say," Tevos interrupted smoothly. "Is that there is no evidence to corroborate your theory that Saren invaded the Citadel in order to activate some long-dormant machinery. All that the evidence indicates is that he wished to hi-jack the station for his own purposes."

"There was the VI on Ilos! A Reaper spoke to me, twice." Shepard stressed.

"As we have told you, the VI on Ilos has been defunct since the Battle of the Citadel, and nothing could be found to prove that your conversations with this 'Sovereign' were anything more than a deception engineered by Saren." Velarn said stubbornly.

"Regardless of the evidence I had, if not for my pursuit of Saren to Ilos, the Citadel would have been lost on that day." Shepard said firmly.

"The point…" Amul paused as Tevos gestured to discuss matters in private. The microphones clicked off, and the Councillors and Alliance officials turned their backs on the Commander to hold a brief debate. Finally, they turned back around and the microphones switched on again. "The point is conceded. In that instance, your instincts were proven correct. This court is prepared to admit that the theft of the Normandy was a necessary act in order to defeat Saren.

"We move on now, to events immediately after the Battle of the Citadel. You were tasked with eliminating Geth forces out in the Terminus systems. During the course of this mission, your ship was destroyed by a Geth cruiser, and your crew reported you KIA. Two years later, you resurface aboard a Cerberus vessel, with a Cerberus crew."

"First of all, it wasn't the Geth that destroyed the first Normandy, as I'm damn sure my crew's reports will show. It was a Collector vessel."

"Your crew's reports make no mention of Collectors in their reports." Amul said wearily. "They only mention a hostile ship, which proceeded to destroy the Normandy with extreme prejudice and, as far as their reports say, to kill you."

"Everyone knows the Collectors are just a myth." Velarn said hotly. "Just like your Reapers. It would seem that you indulge in these childish fantasies on a daily basis, Shepard."

"Councillor Velarn, please!" Tevos said, a tinge of anger in her usually calm voice. "Allow Shepard to say his piece."

"The Collectors were behind the attacks on Humanity just over a year ago. They were responsible for the disappearing colonies, and they were the ones who attacked the Normandy in an attempt to kill me." Shepard hesitated over the next part and instead only chose to tell most of the truth, rather than the whole of it. "I suffered a severe injury and Cerberus recovered me, treating my injuries over the course of the next two years."

"Two years is a long time for Cerberus to extend their hospitality to anyone." Udina said, accusation in every word. "Why would they so readily take you in and heal you?"

Shepard had to watch his next few words carefully. It was clear that the wily politician was angling for any statement which could be twisted to make it sound like he was a long-time associate of the terrorist group.

"Their leaders decided that my miraculous survival would provide a boost to the Alliance military's morale, and that I was more valuable as a living soldier than a dead hero."

"And it was following this that you began to associate with Cerberus?" Latham asked pointedly.

"They gave me a new ship and a new crew, and pointed me in the direction of the Collectors so that I could stop their attacks on Humanity. Any association I had with them was purely for the benefit of the Alliance and the Citadel."

"Some might say that you feel… indebted to them, perhaps?"

"No. They helped me to protect our colonies from further attack, but I still disagree with the majority of their activities and their methods." The Commander said strongly. "I've done my share of work to shut down Cerberus operations, but there are bigger threats to deal with right now."

"Perhaps you deem the hegemony one of those threats?" Fahos asked. "You have yet to explain your actions on Aratoht."

"Indeed." Amul concurred. "According to our reports, you entered Batarian space on an unauthorised mission. During the course of this mission, you caused an asteroid of a mass near to that of a small planetoid to collide with the Bahak Mass Relay, destroying the Relay. As a result of this act, the entire system was destroyed in the ensuing explosion, killing over three hundred thousand innocent civilians."

"There was no other option. I tried to warn the Batarians of the danger, but my transmission was jammed."

"Forcing you to leave those Batarians to their fiery end." Velarn said judgementally. "How convenient for you."

"And just what the hell does that mean?" Shepard nearly shouted.

"Come now, Commander. It is no secret that the relations between Batarians and Humans have been rather cold since day one. The deaths of so many colonists must have warmed your heart, Shepard. And what better way to divert the guilt of their destruction from your shoulders than by proclaiming your supposed attempts to save them?"

"Councillor! That is one step to far!" Dennis Hughes, the Deputy Prime Minister objected. "You have no proof that Shepard's actions were malicious."

"His declaration that there was no other option but to destroy the system is hard to swallow. I fail to see a scenario where the destruction of a solar system is the lesser of two evils." Velarn insisted.

"Then perhaps Shepard should be allowed to explain his actions." Fahos said calmly. Shepard was glad that both the Salarian and the Asari Councillor were there. They appeared to be much more levelheaded than their Turian and Human counterparts. The assembled officials turned to him expectantly.

"I was in the Bahak system to rescue a Doctor Amanda Kenson. She had been arrested by the Batarians on charges of terrorism. I-"

"Makes sense that a terrorist would come to the rescue of another terrorist." Velarn said vindictively.

"Councillor!" Fahos snapped, clearly at the end of his patience with the hotheaded Turian. "Another such accusation, and you will be forced to remove yourself from this hearing. Shepard, could you explain why you went to the aid of this Dr Kenson? Was this an Alliance operation?"

"No. I was acting on my own to save her. It was one friend helping another, nothing more."

"I see." Thankfully, the Salarian didn't probe any further into which of Shepard's friends were being helped. "And what happened next?"

"I rescued Dr Kenson from her cell and managed to get her off Aratoht using a stolen Batarian shuttle. We then proceeded to her current base of operations, an asteroid on the edge of the Bahak system."

"So she was operating in Batarian space?" Tevos asked. Shepard knew that the Batarians would never give a human permission to operate in Batarian space. Even his excursion to speak with Etarn had been possible only after much wrangling with the Batarian authorities to negotiate the Normandy's passage through Hegemony space. There was no way that the Asari would believe that Kenson had permission to be in the Bahak system.

"Yes. She, along with a team of scientists, had uncovered an artefact in Batarian space that they believed warranted investigation. However, upon closer examination of the device, they concluded that it provided irrefutable proof of the Reapers' imminent invasion."

"Once again with these Reapers, Commander!" Udina said angrily. "Please, keep your testimony within the realm of non-fiction."

The Human Councillor was silenced by an impatient glare from the Asari Councillor. She then turned back to Shepard with an expression that encouraged him to continue.

"Upon learning of this artefact and its link to the Reapers, I insisted that I be taken to it to determine the true extent of the danger for myself." Shepard continued. "It was during my time at Kenson's base of operations, where the artefact was housed, that it became apparent that the entire research team had been indoctrinated. I-"

"Shepard, could you please clarify what it is you mean by 'indoctrinated'?" Amul asked, face showing more interest and less judgement now. Shepard got the feeling he might be getting somewhere, and gladly answered.

"It is a process the Reapers use to exert control over organic minds. A field of as yet unidentified energy subtly alters an organic being's brain chemistry, influencing them in an increasingly powerful manner. As I explained in my report after the Battle of the Citadel, the rogue Spectre Saren Arterius was a victim of this process, having been in the presence of Reaper technology for an extended period of time."

"So Saren's actions were the result of some… mind-control?" Hughes asked.

"In part." Shepard said after a pause. "The Reapers' influence springs from twisting thoughts that are already there. Saren was sworn to protect the Citadel and its citizens, and Sovereign used that oath to convince him that the best way to defend the Citadel was to help the Reapers achieve their own objectives."

"And Kenson had succumbed to this mental attack as well?" Tevos asked. The Commander noted that the trio of more hostile members of the court, Udina, Latham and Velarn, were remaining silent, now slightly more sullen after his being allowed to speak freely.

"Yes. The Reapers had channelled this signal through the artefact to corrupt the minds of both her and her team."

"Then how were you not affected by this signal?" Amul asked, still very wary of the Commander's story.

"Kenson and her team were in the presence of the device for several months. I was only there for just over two days."

"And then what happened?" Tevos asked.

"As I examined the device, it gave me visions, much like the Prothean beacons on Ilos and Eden Prime. These visions were a message, a brief glimpse of the Reapers' plans. I was able to discover that the Viper Nebula Relay was an integral part of the Mass Relay network, almost as important to the network as the Citadel itself. The Reapers planned to use Object Rho and the Viper Relay to cause the entire Mass Relay network to go into lockdown, paralysing Galactic civilisation."

"Impossible!" Latham scoffed.

"Not as impossible as we once thought." Shepard replied. "As I discovered during my activities against the Collectors, the Relays do respond to certain signals. The uncharted Omega Four Relay would only deliver a ship bearing a certain Identify Friend or Foe transponder signal safely to a small safe zone in the Galactic Core. Any ships lacking this signal would be sent outside the safe zone and into the lethal space of the Core."

"And you were able to access this IFF Code?" Tevos asked, blue brow raised curiously.

"Yes. We retrieved it from the databanks of a Reaper that had been dead for millennia. Using this code, we pursued the Collectors to the Galactic centre."

"So what did you do with Object Rho upon learning of its true purpose?" Fahos asked.

"Both it and the Viper Relay had to be destroyed. Kenson had realised this, and began to modify the asteroid Rho was located on to throw it into the Viper Relay. Given the mass of the asteroid, the collision was sure to destroy both the Relay and the artefact. Unfortunately, Kenson was indoctrinated before she could proceed with this plan, and the Project, while completed, was not activated."

"Destroying the Relay led to the annihilation of the system. I presume a Doctor capable of concocting a scheme like this would have realised that?" Latham asked accusatorily.

"Yes, Kenson was aware of the most likely outcome. But she had seen what was coming, and knew that it was a necessary price to pay to save trillions more lives." Shepard said. He was defending, not the Doctor Kenson he had met, a near-mindless drone, but the one who, upon learning of the Reaper plot, had accepted the burden of destroying a single system to save the rest of the Galaxy.

"And she explained this to you?" Udina inquired.

"Yes," Shepard said, realising the trap he had stepped into. Here he stood, before the whole Galaxy, admitting that he had knowingly sentenced three hundred thousand of his race's worst enemies to death. He silently cursed himself for not realising the danger before it was too late. He took a deep breath and tried to explain what had gone through his head in that single, crystalline moment before he had pushed the button. "It was one of the most difficult things I have ever done in my life, but there was no other option. With the loss of the Relay network, it would have taken any of us months or years to get to the nearest settled star systems. During that time, the Reapers would have been able to travel instantly from system to system, culling our worlds as and when they liked. The choice was between three hundred thousand lives, or the trillions of others in the Galaxy."

"Prime Minister Shastri, I must object to our even considering this drivel!" Udina blurted out. "This story is ridiculous on so many levels. Living machines larger than most space stations, mind-controlling ray beams and a device that could halt interstellar traffic the Galaxy over? And, rather conveniently, any evidence to disprove these fables is left as dust beneath a nuclear haze. It is clear that the Commander creates these fictions to elevate himself as a hero while all he really is is a mass-murderer with an overactive imagination!"

"Councillor Udina, I would suggest you retain such bold statements for a more discrete discussion." Amul said sharply. He turned back to the rest of the chamber. "This hearing will resume after a brief thirty minute recess while the court discusses the case."

As the audience began to mill about, glad to be out of their seats for a brief respite, Shepard's shoulders slumped. He released his tension in a long breath, though the knot in his guts remained. He had no idea what sort of impression he had made with the court.

"You did good out there, Commander." Benjamin assured, walking into the arena. "I knew you could walk the walk, but its good to see a frontliner who can talk the talk too."

"Thanks." Shepard smiled. "I just hope it was enough."

**~o~0~o~**

Half an hour later, the court officials filed back into the chamber, and the assembled watchers scurried back to their seats. Shepard straightened once more as the attention shifted back and forth between him and those solemn figure who bore his future in their hands.

Amul Shastri, Prime Minister of Earth, stepped up to his podium, a grave look on his face. Shepard looked between the various members of the court, scanning their faces for some sign of how the deliberations had concluded. His heart sank upon noting the triumphant looks upon Udina, Latham and Velarn's faces, combined with the stiff expressions of Tevos and Fahos. Dennis Hughes looked openly apologetic, his eyes creased with regret. The Commander's attention snapped back to the Prime Minister as he began to speak.

"It is the opinion of this court that Shepard cannot be held accountable for the theft of the Normandy. His actions proved to be in the best interests of the Citadel and the member races of the Council. Given his position as a Spectre at this point in time, his actions can only be viewed as an extension of his duties to those he has sworn to serve."

Shepard felt a slight twinge of hopefulness at this opening statement, but had felt that this was a sure thing, anyway. His foes were only digging at old bones when they had brought up his actions from three years ago.

"It is therefore also the opinion of this court," Amul continued. "That Shepard was merely acting in the best interests of his race in aligning with Cerberus briefly to put a stop to the abduction of Human colonists. The Collectors had attacked the Sovereign state of the Systems Alliance, and his actions in pursuing them avoided the need for a long and drawn out conflict."

At this, the Commander's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He hadn't expected to be let off the hook for the Cerberus thing so easily. It seemed that someone had noticed that his work had put a stop to the vanishing colonies, whether they'd admit it was the work of the Reapers or not. He felt a glimmer of hope spark in his chest. Maybe they recognised the threat. Perhaps they understood why-

"However, with regards to Shepard's actions in the Bahak system and the related 'Aratoht incident'," Amul's next words soon dashed Shepard's optimism. "We conclude that, while Shepard may feel that his actions were warranted, we cannot find any evidence to justify a course which led to the deaths of so many."

"At the same time," Amul's voice rose over the increasing murmur. "As this crime was committed in Hegemony Space, the duty of assigning punishment does not fall to this body."

"It is therefore our judgement," The Prime Minister's voice took on a hollow tone as he spoke his final words. "That Commander Shepard will be extradited to Khar'Shan, to face punishment under the laws of the sovereign state of the Batarian Hegemony."

The chamber descended into chaos, a number of the audience rising to their feet to applaud the judgement, while others rose to decry Shepard's treatment. Shepard even heard some shouting and jeering that the judgement was too lax, and that he should be forced to endure more than what had been decided. He felt taken aback to see the crowds descend so quickly into a disorganised mess.

_I fought for this?_ He asked himself. His hands, by his sides, clenched into fists, shaking furiously, though whether it was from anger or from defeat, the now ex-Commander could not tell.

Benjamin had walked up to Shepard's side and was speaking as he gently guided the numb soldier from the chamber. Shepard couldn't hear what he was saying. He felt like he was down at the bottom of a deep pit, and everything around him was muffled. As the younger Captain escorted him away, the jeers and cheers of the court's audience followed him, a haunting chorus to what felt like a coffin lid being sealed over his still-living body.

He wouldn't survive another Batarian prison. He'd only made it through the last one because of Cerberus' interference and Liara's rescue operation. This time, his incarceration was bound to be much more public, and the officials on Khar'Shan would make sure he suffered for a very long time before the end.

He was escorted down several flights of stairs, another two guards joining Benjamin in his task of escorting Shepard. Eventually they arrived on one of the building's sub-levels, and Shepard was shown into a cell block. His squad occupied a semi-circle of cells running along the sides and back wall. The Commander felt a spike of anxiety upon noticing that none of the main crew was present, but then realised that they would not have possessed the same abilities as his main squad. Clearly this was a high-security facility, and the rest of his crew would be in another, less complex prison.

The first cell was occupied by Mordin, Kaidan and Jacob. The Salarian was sitting idly, nodding his head to some internal tune as he performed complex calculations in his head, waving his hands before himself as he carried numbers from one side of the equation to the other. Kaidan was sitting with his back pressed against the wall, eyes closed as he dosed lightly, waking as the Commander was escorted in. Jacob was lying on the floor, engaged in a rigorous series of sit-ups.

The next cell contained the serene Samara, sitting cross-legged with a ball of biotic energy on her lap. As an Asari couldn't have her biotics suppressed through the removal of an amp, due to their inherent ability, powerful blue energy field crackled around the cell to contain any possible attempts to escape. Behind the Asari, an uncomfortable Revenant sat gingerly on one of the cell's bunks, burn marks still showing across his pitted carapace.

Next to this cell, the third cell contained Legion, the Geth powered down to conserve power during such a period of inactivity. Along with the Geth, the cell housed Zaeed and Garrus, who were well into a game of Skyllian Five. Shepard couldn't even begin to imagine where they had been hiding the cards to get them past the guards. Feron sat glumly to one side, green eyes glazed over as he gazed into his memories.

Grunt was the sole occupant of the fourth cell, this one a much sturdier construction clearly designed with Krogan in mind. He lay back uncomfortably on a bunk much too small for his huge frame, staring at the wall with an extremely bored expression.

The fifth cell was another cell reinforced to hold biotics. Inside, Jack paced the tiny floorspace restlessly, hands rubbing together anxiously as he spun on her heels to walk back the way she had come. A tiny trickle of blood seeped from a cut above her ear, a clear sign that the guards had tried to forcibly remove her amp. Due to Cerberus tampering, the device was hard-wired into her, as integral to her body as her hand or a lung.

As the Commander was shoved into the cell next to hers, Benjamin glaring at the guard who had pushed him in for acting with such a lack of respect, Jack looked up from her pacing feet and slowed to a halt, her hazel eyes creased with worry. Seeing the Commander's head drop with shame, she closed her eyes for a moment, instantly understanding. She stepped over to the side of her cell slowly, sinking onto her bunk and turning her head to face the Commander, just on the other side of the energy barrier from her, and waited patiently, something that did not come naturally to her.

The rest of the squad, alerted to the Commander's presence, all turned to look to their leader, either sitting up, standing or, in the case of Legion, activating their glowing white eye. Shepard sat on his bunk, head hanging with weariness. With an effort, he lifted his eyes to his friends and shipmates. These were the people who trusted him to lead them safely past any dangers they faced, and now he had to tell them of what had occurred during his trial. The pain of it struck him to the core.

"I'm being held accountable for the Bahak System." He began simply. "As a punishment for the murder of all the Batarians in that system, I am to be extradited to Batarian space, where the Hegemony will administer my punishment."

There was a moment of shocked silence from the squad. Shepard caught the sounds of an intake of breath from Zaeed, Jacob and Kaidan. The three of them understood the four-eyed aliens dislike for Humans, and knew just how well he'd be treated in a Batarian prison where his true identity was known.

"I'm not sure what'll happen to you." Shepard continued. "I imagine a few of you will be bailed out by your governments, and Liara will do what she can to make sure the rest of you get off lightly, or even get set free, if she can."

He looked about his crew. Mordin, he knew, would be bailed out due to his old STG connections. Wrex would make sure that Grunt wasn't held any longer than necessary, and the Alliance wouldn't want to sour relations with the Turians by holding Garrus for a second longer than was necessary. Samara couldn't rely on her people any more, but the Alliance had no real reason to hold her, save her connection to him. The same went for Kaidan, Feron and Zaeed.

Shepard's real concern was for the other members of his squad. Jacob was a former member of a known terrorist group, and would likely be held over that. Legion and the Revenant were in danger of being kept in a lab for study.

His main worry, however, was for Jack. Her tattooed physique was infamous throughout the Alliance and throughout Citadel Space. Her past crimes had earned her several dozen life sentences. Even an entity as powerful as Liara was now would have trouble getting such a notorious criminal released. Shepard glanced over to Jack and saw the same worried glance being sent his way, and felt warmed by it. She wasn't worried for herself, but was concerned for his safety. His hand twitched, answering the impulse to raise his hand to hers through the bars, but stopped when a flicker of energy emphasised the barrier between them. Right now he might as well have been on the far side of the galaxy for all the comforting contact he could he her.

"What do we do?" Grunt demanded. "We can't just sit here!"

"It's all we can do." Shepard said firmly. "I tried to warn as many as I could, and I think it worked, but now the politicians will decide what to do with us all. If we tried to break out, we'd have to fight our way out, killing too many of our own people in the process."

"So what now?" Zaeed demanded.

"Now?" Shepard settled back on his bunk, staring at the ceiling with a motionless expression. "Now, we wait."

**~o~0~o~**

Two hours later, Shepard was roused from a fitful dose by the doors to the cell block opening. He looked over, expecting to see one of the guards pass a cursory glance over the prisoners. Not that it was necessary, of course. Shepard counted at least a dozen monitoring devices without really having to search. Doubtless many more lurked in unexpected corners of the cells. Every last breath that his squad took was noted down somewhere.

The Commander was surprised, therefore, to see a Batarian walk through the door. His first instinct was to assume that the Alliance had already signalled for the Hegemony to send a representative to collect him. However, he was pleasantly surprised when the familiar features of Etarn turned to face him.

"Shepard," The Batarian's voice was full of relief. "I'm glad to have found you."

"Etarn? What are you doing here?"

"After the rest of the squad was arrested, the marines responsible for taking us in received orders to let me go free. Something about not wanting to cause further tensions with the Hegemony. I've been wandering around, trying to find out what happened to you. I watched the trial on one of the terminals in the building. You gave a good accounting of yourself, and that's coming from an individual experienced in speaking to a crowd."

"Thanks." Shepard grumbled, rubbing at his face. "So they televised it already?"

"Well… not exactly." Etarn grinned. "But I'm not going to let something like that get in my way." The Batarian's face dropped. "I'm sorry to hear the verdict you received, Commander. And a little anxious. There are some whispers of having me take you back to Hegemony Space."

"Well, that would help your image with your people." Shepard said wryly. "The Batarian who brought the great Commander Shepard in."

"Yes, and had you not helped me escape Khar'Shan, I'd probably have agreed to it. But I see more than the thug who destroyed Aratoht. You've been a friend to me, Commander. And of course, handing you over to Gorm's regime won't help us win the war against these Reapers, will it? I saw what they did to your ships at Dholen. Aratoht would have been just the tip of the iceberg, were it not for you. I can't go home and pretend nothing's going to happen, not when it could leave the entire Hegemony in ashes."

"I don't see much point in taking that stance," Shepard answered. "I've already had my sentence read out. I'm to go to Hegemony Space, like it or not."

"That's why I'm here without permission." Etarn winked. His omnitool raised up to hover over the cell door's controls, which sparked as he overloaded them. Shepard's door hissed open. "We need to move."

"Etarn! What are you doing?" Shepard exclaimed. "You've got a free pass off this planet, don't throw it away!"

"I'm doing what I think to be right, much like you did on Aratoht." Etarn said firmly as he opened Jack and Grunt's cells. "Your friend, Hackett, arrived in-system earlier this morning. He's currently talking with your leaders up in Governor Latham's office. From the sounds of what I heard through the door, things were… heated, to say the least. Aside from that, there's something going on at your Mass Relay. I don't have many details, but I think our friends have caught up with us."

"Damn. I thought we'd bought ourselves enough time." Shepard paused, thinking. "Do you know where they've got our equipment?"

"There's a secure storage room just a couple of doors down the corridor. That's probably where you'd find your kit." Etarn's omnitool hissed as it blew the lock on Samara's door and he turned to the final cell.

"And what about the guards? Did you see any in the next room?"

"There were three between here and the storeroom."

"Were?"

"Yes, were."

"Alright," Shepard said, turning to the door out of the cell block. "Then I guess we'll arm up and-"

He was brought up short as the door hissed open before him to show the bored expression on the face of an Alliance soldier beyond. That bored look swiftly cycled through shock, fear, anger and dismay in short order. He reached for his commlink, but a fist connected with his jaw just as he activated the device, knocking him out cold.

Behind that first soldier, the second one had just finished reaching for his gun by the time that Shepard launched a vicious right hook at his head, knocking him out in short order, too. The Commander launched himself at the third and final soldier, forearm pressed against the man's jugular as he bulled the soldier into the wall. Shepard only slowed upon recognising the young features of Benjamin Swift.

"C- Commander?" The Captain asked, surprised.

"What are you doing down here?" Shepard demanded.

"We were sent to take you to the shuttles. It's time for you to be taken to Batarian Space." Benjamin admitted ashamedly.

"No time for that now." Shepard said. "Etarn's found out that the Reapers are in the system. They'll be here in no time at all."

Benjamin hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. Shepard could understand his hesitation. Even after the talks they had had, the very idea of the Reapers was a bit hard to swallow. He relaxed his grip, allowing Benjamin to move.

"Etarn," The Commander called. "You're going to come with us."

"Us?" Benjamin asked uncertainly.

"Yes." Shepard said confidently. "You and I are going to go speak with Hackett, Shastri and Udina. They're currently holding a meeting in Latham's office."

"Yes, but how did you kn-?"

"We're very resourceful." Was all Shepard would say. "If anyone sees me at the head of my squad, charging down the hall, they'll get suspicious. Etarn is meant to be given free roam of the building, and you would make it look like the prisoner's getting escorted to speak with the Prime Minister. It's the best way to make sure we don't get stopped. The rest of my squad will make their way to the Normandy, quietly."

This last word was said very firmly while looking at Grunt and Jack. The former grunted irritably, while the latter simply threw a defiant look at her Commander. Shepard didn't have time to be picky, so shrugged and turned back to Benjamin.

"Look, I know that this all seems a bit much to take in at once, but please, trust me. If I'm wrong, I'll have wasted an hour of your time and knocked these two out, tops. If I'm right, then we could be saving thousands, if not millions of lives."

Benjamin paused, mouth working as he thought. At last, with a sigh, he nodded his head.

"I'm with you, Shepard."

"Good man. Now, let's get our stuff, and get the hell out of here."

**~o~0~o~**

Minutes later, Shepard was adjusting his armour once again, happier now that he felt fully clothed once more. He stepped over to a nano-armoury and had the machine put together a small arsenal for himself, shotgun, assault rifle, sniper rifle and handgun. The rest of the squad had had their weapons with them when they were arrested, but Shepard had walked into the trial unarmed. He didn't have time to manufacture any of the larger weapons, besides which the schematics were stored on the Normandy, so he was forced to stick to the smaller weaponry, although hopefully he wouldn't need any at all.

The Commander looked down to the unconscious trio of guards stowed inside the storeroom before throwing a sly grin at Etarn. It seemed that the Batarian had many hidden qualities. The efficiency with which these guards had been neutralised would have made even Thane jealous.

Outside of the storeroom, the security console was silent, another example of Etarn's work. Thanks to the Batarian's tinkering, the alarm system had not sounded, and the watchers on the other end of the security cams would be none the wiser for a good while yet.

He turned to see the rest of the squad suiting up, Grunt carefully positioning Jath Fotnar's brow plate on his shoulder, Kaidan buckling up his torso plate, Jacob carefully inserting his amp into the nape of his neck. Mordin's omnitool sparked as he powered it up, countless unique programmes running through it, the function of which Shepard sometimes even hesitated to guess at. Finally, they were all ready for action.

"Okay, I want you to get to the Normandy as fast as you can, and get her ready to lift off as soon as possible. You'll need to find the crew and bust them out of wherever they're being kept. Non-lethal force only, I don't want any Alliance blood on our hands." The Commander waited for them all to nod an affirmative, and then signalled for Etarn and Benjamin to follow him.

The trio hurried off down the corridor, making their way to the nearest staircase. Benjamin led the way, his knowledge of the layout of the Parliament Towers key to their making swift progress. Shepard and Etarn followed as closely as they could.

They made swift progress through the building, the young Captain leading them through a series of corridors not often travelled and therefore helping them to avoid any confrontation. At one crossroads between corridors, Shepard was forced to duck into a doorway as the tramping of several sets of booted feet alerted him to some approaching guards. He held his breath as the soldiers walked past, one chattering about some rumours he had heard from a friend of a friend in the Fifth Fleet.

They continued down the corridors in this fashion, proceeding steadily to their goal. All of this time, Shepard had to resist the urge to simply bull his way through to the Governor's office. Tact and subtlety was called for here.

Shepard called for a halt as they passed an office with an active terminal blinking on its desk. He stepped over to the terminal, gesturing for Etarn to join him.

"You said there was something going on at the Relay that you thought might be the Reapers?" He asked.

"Yes." Etarn answered. "About half an hour ago, the Relay locked up. From what I could gather, nothing's getting through. Seemed to me like the Reapers closing the net around any ships in the system."

"Show me." Shepard commanded.

Etarn bent over the console, tapping away hastily. After a few moments, a stream of comm traffic could be heard as the Batarian brought up some scans of the Charon Relay and its immediate surroundings.

"Sol Traffic Control, this is the Rogue Endeavour. We're getting no response from the Relay. Please advise."

"Inuvik to STC. I've got a no-go on our jump. The Relay's bouncing our signal back at us."

"Sol Traffic, this is the Terentatek. Our jump failed. The Relay looks… dead. Is there some maintenance scheduled we don't know about?"

"Sol Traffic Control, everything's stopped moving up here. We're backed up at least a couple of thousand kilometres. What's going on?"

As the transmitted queries became more and more frequent and more urgent, a hologram of the Relay popped up. Starships trailed away from the Relay in queues thousands of kilometres long, and Shepard noticed that the Relay looked like it had been powered down. The glowing sphere of energy at its core had dimmed, and the Relay's moving parts had slowed.

"Hey, wait." Shepard said as the image moved. The Commander pointed to a small point of light, just above and away from the Relay. Etarn moved the image over it.

A single ship hung in space, motionless. Shepard checked its transponder code to find that it was an independent freighter called the Salarian Scoundrel. On scanning the comm chatter, he noted that the ship had not transmitted anything since its arrival in the system, recorded by Sol Traffic Control as having occurred just before the Relay went silent.

"Commander? Come in, Shepard." Joker's voice sounded over the Commander's comm.

"I'm here, Joker."

"We're back aboard the Normandy. Luckily, the techs didn't find EDI, so she was able to deactivate the security systems they'd left, letting us in. She's been scanning the comm traffic, and it looks like the Relay's gone into lockdown."

"I can see that." Shepard explained. "Etarn and I are at a terminal not far from the Governor's office. There's a ship near the Relay that's acting strange. Name's the Salarian Scoundrel. Have EDI look into it, and see what she can find about that freighter."

After several moments of silence, the Normandy's AI spoke over Shepard's commlink.

"Shepard, I am detecting an unusual signal originating aboard the freighter. It would take some time to decipher, but from what I have been able to analyse, the signal is somewhat similar to our Reaper IFF code. It is logical to assume that this is the cause of the Relay's sudden shutdown."

"Thanks, EDI. Keep me posted."

"Affirmative, Commander." The AI signed off, and Shepard's commlink went silent. He turned to his companions.

"If the Reapers are already shutting down the Relay, they must be getting ready to attack. Come on, we haven't much time."

Benjamin nodded, redoubling his pace as he hurried through the corridors. They dodged several more patrols of guards on their way to the Governor's office before they arrived at the final few stretches of hallway between them and their destination.

At last, Benjamin led the Commander to Latham's office. Without waiting, Shepard barged through the doors. Beyond, Admiral Hackett was in the midst of a heated debate with Councillor Udina, Prime Minister Shastri and Governor Latham looking on quietly. Off to one side, the rest of the Citadel Council were tactfully trying to ignore the argument, standing around with an awkward discomfort.

"This is a bullshit trial and you know it! I have proof that Shepard's story is true, but you tried to get him out of here before-" Hackett halted as the doors burst open and everyone turned to look at the Commander.

"Shepard? But you should be halfway to- Guards! Stop him!" Udina shouted to the soldiers flanking either side of the door. The young Alliance marines moved to intercept the Commander, but a clicking sound drew them up short as the muzzles of Etarn's SMG and Benjamin's rifle swung their way.

"What is the meaning of this, Commander?" Amul Shastri demanded. "Have you come to intimidate us into allowing you to take your ship and make your escape?"

"I'm not here to threaten anyone." Shepard said defensively. "But circumstances meant I couldn't just sit in my cell while the Reapers approach Earth. I trust the Admiral has delivered his report of the encounter in the Dholen system."

"Trying to." Hackett answered. "Its getting these politicians to pull their heads out of their asses that's giving me trouble."

"You come to us with stories of these fantastical creatures, but you don't have any proof!" Udina shouted. "You're just looking to protect the Commander, a man you put your reputation on the line for when you nominated him to be the first Human Spectre."

"You want the proof?" Hackett asked threateningly. "Here's the goddamn proof!"

The Admiral tapped out several commands on his omnitool and waved it over the Governor's terminal in the centre of the room. The terminal's display flickered, expanding to well over two metres in width. A holographic video shimmered across it, depicting the Fifth Fleet engaged with the Forerunner around the second Citadel. As the assembled politicians watched the footage, the focus shifted to another patch of space, where the first wave of the Reaper fleet hove into view, having just been summoned from Dark Space. After a couple of minutes, the footage played out, and the room was silent for a moment.

"We lost fifteen frigates, three cruisers and one carrier in that engagement, and were only able to account for two already damaged Reapers." Hackett explained. "There may have been more casualties when the Citadel blew up, but I sure as hell wasn't about to stick around and find out."

"These ships do bear a resemblance to Saren's flagship." Tevos mused. "But this doesn't prove that they are sentient."

"It doesn't matter if they're sentient or not. The threat they present is real enough." Hackett said sharply. "We need to bolster our defences before they get here."

"Too late." Shepard said from the side. "They're already here."

"What?" Fahos blurted out, clearly nervous upon seeing the sheer size and destructive power of the malevolent machines.

"The Charon Relay went dead just over half an hour ago." Shepard said flatly. "This is the first stage of their attack. Now that we can't flee through the Mass relay or get reinforcements, they'll close in on Earth."

"So what do we do?" Latham's voice now had a tense hint to it.

"I think we've found the source of the signal that's keeping the Relay locked down, a small freighter. It's nestled in right next to the Relay itself." Shepard explained.

A beep from the Commander's omnitool drew his attention. He looked at it to see an incoming transmission from the Normandy.

"Commander, Liara wishes to speak with you." EDI informed him.

Shepard wondered how Liara had managed to contact the Normandy, with the Charon Relay down, before he realised that the Normandy's Quantum Entanglement Communicator wasn't reliant on Mass Relays to transmit. He silently praised Liara for having the forethought to have such a device installed.

"Put her through."

"Shepard," Liara's voice came through, tense with anxiety. "I've just learned that the Arcturus Relay has gone silent. Sol's cut off from the rest of the Galaxy. What's happening?"

"We're under attack. The Reapers have shut down the Charon Relay using a signal being transmitted by a small freighter called the Salarian Scoundrel. They've got us trapped here."

"…Shepard, the Scoundrel was one of the ships I sent into the Dholen system."

"Makes sense." Shepard reasoned. "The Forerunner must have indoctrinated the crew and now they're helping the Reapers take Earth."

"Unless you can get Charon back online, my ships won't be of any use to you." Liara said urgently. She paused for a second, and Shepard's 'tool informed him of an incoming datastream. "I'm uploading the Scoundrel's schematics and access codes. You can use these to take her out so your people can begin ferrying civilians out of the system."

"Thanks. I'll have EDI keep you updated on the situation here."

"Of course, Shepard. Shadow Broker out."

The Commander turned back to the rest of the room to see the others looking at him inquisitively.

"I've managed to confirm that the Salarian Scoundrel is a hostile ship. It's definitely causing the Charon Relay to malfunction. We need to take it out if we want to get any civilians out of the system before the Reapers get here."

There was a moment of dead silence from the politicians as they processed his declaration. Shastri, Udina and Tevos stared numbly while Fahos visibly began to shake. Velarn's mandibles quivered at a furious pace as his eyes darted about nervously. The Turian was the first to speak up.

"We need to depart. The Citadel must be prepared for this attack!"

"Nobody's going anywhere." Hackett interjected firmly. "As long as Charon's offline, we're all trapped here. We can't even get a message out of the system without a Mass Relay. Until that signal's stopped, we're on our own here."

The grizzled Admiral turned to Shastri, face grim as he addressed the Prime Minister.

"Given the threat to Earth's safety, it is time for the military to take charge. I am relieving you of your control over the Earth Defence Fleet and assuming command over the military forces in this system to co-ordinate our defence. I suggest you go find a bunker somewhere to hide in."

The Prime Minister looked shell-shocked for an instant, but soon recovered, nodding meekly before stepping past the Admiral and leading the other politicians out of the office. After the last of the group had filed out, Hackett turned to Shepard and his team.

"We need to deal with this freighter as quickly as possible. Can you bring up your scans of it?"

"Sure." Shepard tapped his omnitool, and soon had an image of the Charon Relay and the Salarian Scoundrel hovering over the desk. Hackett rubbed at the stubble coating his chin as he considered the situation.

"Hmm. It's a little closer to the Relay than I'd like, so we'll risk hitting it in a firefight. But, considering the options we have, I guess this is what we'll have to go with." He tapped at his own 'tool, opening a channel to his ships in orbit. "This is Admiral Hackett. SSV Jerusalem, Stromness and Bannockburn, head to the-"

His orders stumbled to a halt as the image above the desk flickered. Like gigantic comets springing into view, the Reaper fleet dropped out of FTL immediately around the Relay, surreal silhouettes glinting menacingly as they ploughed through the ranks of unaware freighters queuing to leave the system. Their massive metal limbs waved about, tongues of devastating fire tearing through the unprepared traffic in a destructive blaze. Hulls splitting open like peapods, the ships disintegrated before the wrath of the ancient machines. The majority of the Reapers then moved on, cutting a swathe of bloody carnage through the masses of waiting ships, while four remained behind, flanking the Relay and the Salarian Scoundrel.

"Damn it!" Hackett cursed. "Our ships will never get through all that."

"The Normandy can, Sir." Shepard said confidently.

"That just might work." Hackett mused. "The stealth drive should be up to the task. Alright, Shepard. You want to save the world, take your ship and deal with that freighter. I'll head back up to the Krakatoa and co-ordinate our forces from there."

"Aye, sir!" Shepard saluted, before turning to gesture for Etarn to follow him. He paused to nod to Benjamin. "Thanks for your help, Captain."

"An honour, Commander. I'll do what I can down here to get the civilians aboard what vessels we can muster for an evacuation. You just make sure we've got an escape route when we're ready."

Shepard saluted again, and rushed off towards the docking cradle where the Normandy waited, signalling for Joker to get the systems fully powered by the time he arrived.

Moments later, Hackett gazed out of the office window to see an abrupt flash arc through the sky above the towering Big Ben as the Normandy arrowed up into the sky. Shaking his head, the seasoned soldier turned to the task in hand.

**~o~0~o~**

The Normandy powered through the blackness of space towards the Charon Relay and the small knot of ships stationed just next to it. The four Reapers hovered menacingly around the Salarian Scoundrel, limbs twitching eagerly as they kept watch over the tiny ship.

Joker manoeuvred the Normandy through the cloud of still-glowing scraps of metal, all that remained of the several hundred ships that had been hanging in space around the Relay at the time of the Reapers' arrival. With the stealth systems engaged, the Normandy was practically undetectable by any means save visual scanning. The first Normandy's stealth systems had been defeated by the Collectors due to their possessing a technology which allowed them to accurately detect the presence of Humans within a reasonable range. After this chink in the Normandy's defences had been exposed, Shepard had had Mordin augment the ship's frame to support his armour modifications, originally intended to hide an individual from the Collectors' Seeker Swarms. Thanks to the Salarian's genius, the new Normandy was now impervious to this weakness, its crew rendered invisible to all but the most powerful scans. So long as Joker kept her out of the Reapers' line of sight, an easy feat against the vastness of space, the Normandy's enemies would be oblivious to their presence.

Shepard paced back and forth behind the pilot's chair, watching the Relay draw closer at a painful pace. Joker twitched irritably as Shepard turned on his heel for what felt like the thousandth time.

"God damn it, would you keep still already?" He snapped. "We get there when we get there. Ain't no amount of you wearing out the deck-plates that's gonna change that."

"And you're sure they can't see us?" Shepard asked, looking at the glowing 'eyes' of the massive creatures.

"Unless they look right at us, we'll be fine. The fact is, there's like a billion miles of open space out here for them to stare at, and we're coated in a light-absorbing Mass Effect Field. It's like looking for a black needle in a black haystack several light-years in diameter. 'Course, once we get a little closer, its gonna be a fine piece of flying to keep us hidden. Hard not to notice a mosquito buzzing past your nose. That's why we've got to take the Normandy in. If she gets spotted, we've got the manoeuvrability to dodge incoming fire. If they see the bear cub incoming, it'll be a hell of a short firefight ending with you as a cloud of swiftly expanding vapour."

"I get it, you're a really good pilot." Shepard grumbled good-naturedly. He reached up to fasten his helmet in place, making ready to head back to the elevator which would take him to the Cargo Hold and the waiting shuttle. "Take us in."

As the Commander made his way to the shuttle, the Normandy swerved suddenly, breaking out from the cloud of debris with a surge of speed. Joker carefully manipulated the ship's drive to send it into a spin, angling down below the plain occupied by the Reapers and the Relay. The engines thrummed as he poured power into them, hurling the ship towards the hulking Relay.

The Normandy skimmed across the thick plating of the Charon Relay, using the enormous device as cover for her approach. Joker whipped the frigate around the Relay's shell, the ship darting across the empty space towards the Salarian Scoundrel. As Joker took her across this final stretch of open space, the Reapers finally caught sight of the tiny ship, spinning and opening fire. The young pilot feverishly worked the controls, looping the Normandy through a spider's web of red lines of plasma. The ship's shields shimmered as they struggled to deflect a couple of shots, the red lines of fire bouncing back into space harmlessly.

Shepard clambered into the shuttle as the ship shuddered under the assault. As the Kodiak's doors hissed closed, the Cargo Bay door opened, the atmosphere in the bay escaping into space with a roar. Shepard struggled into the shuttle's pilot's chair, looking out of the window at the open bay doors. Beyond, the Commander could see the Salarian Scoundrel wheeling about his field of view, intermingled with glimpses of the Reapers, the Relay and empty space.

G-forces tugged at Shepard as he waited for the optimal moment to launch the shuttle, the ship's inertial dampeners struggling to compensate for the extreme manoeuvres. The Commander watched a flare of red arc across the space before the Normandy, causing him to flinch.

With sudden speed, the Salarian Scoundrel hove into view, dangerously close. Seeing his chance, Shepard released the shuttle's clamps, responsible for holding it in place in the Cargo Bay. As Joker whipped the Normandy about on her axis, the shuttle was thrown from its docking cradle and into space, racing towards the freighter at an incredible pace. As the Kodiak began its journey towards the Scoundrel, the Normandy sped away, drawing the Reapers' fire as they failed to notice the much smaller shuttle.

Shepard deftly angled the shuttle at the freighter's hull, bringing the Kodiak in close. He brought the shuttle alongside the smooth surface of the freighter and bumped the two vessels together, engaging the shuttle's docking clamps in order to fasten the vehicle to the Scoundrel's hull.

In the main passenger compartment, Grunt, Samara and Garrus waited patiently for the Commander. Garrus had seemed like a natural choice for this mission, given his expertise in sabotage, a skill honed to perfection by his time on Omega. The Commander had brought the exiled Justicar along because her prodigious biotic powers had proved very effective in previous engagements against the indoctrinated servants of the Reapers. Grunt had been brought along because, when it came to breaking things, there was no equal.

Shepard would have preferred to bring his entire squad along, but realised that this was impractical, given the nature of their infiltration and extraction. A large squad would be too unwieldy to get off the freighter easily, and seemed like overkill for just one ship. Aside from that, they were serving vital roles on the Normandy during this tense combat situation. Legion had practically been hard-wired into the ship, the Geth platform's sheer computing power being put to use preventing any hacking attempts made by the Reapers, while Etarn and Feron were using their hacking skills to scramble the Reaper comm channels and further inconvenience the massive machines. Jacob was busily prepping the ship's arsenal of assault rifles and shotguns for shipboard combat, while Jack and Zaeed amused themselves by manning the Normandy's main cannon, each trying to outdo the other as they took pot-shots at the Reapers with the powerful gravity cannon or the white-hot metal of the Thanix cannon. Kaidan occupied the Commander's usual position above the Galaxy map, issuing orders to the rest of the crew in Shepard's absence. Mordin and the Revenant, meanwhile, were down in engineering, monitoring the ship's power systems and shields. Therefore, Shepard had to make do with only three companions.

The shuttle door hissed open, the interior decompressing swiftly so that only a few scraps of air blew out into space. Shepard led the way, hopping out of the shuttle and engaging the magnetic soles of his boots to cling to the hull of the ship. Grunt stomped out after him, followed by Samara and Garrus. Air hissing inside his helmet, Shepard closed the shuttle and waved for the squad to follow him.

The team made their way across the hull of the ship, their movements slow as they were cautious to make sure their suits didn't lose their grip on the freighter. Shepard chanced a glance up above them to see a massive Reaper looming over him, one of the Scoundrel's guardians. Even though it was clear that the gargantuan creature did not see them, the Commander still felt a flicker of alarm on looking at the creature. The Reaper's arms moved sinuously, a rippling wave of motion that was almost hypnotic as it hovered in space. One arm snapped out, end glowing hotly as it fired off a red beam at the nimble Normandy, missing by a wide margin.

The Commander led the way across the Salarian Scoundrel's hull towards the nearest airlock, kneeling next to the portal and entering the codes provided by Liara. The airlock hissed open, and the squad climbed in. The freighter's atmosphere flowed into the airlock, and the interior door whooshed open. Shepard's omnitool informed him that the atmosphere of the interior of the ship was safe to breathe, and so he unfastened the clasps on either side of his helmet and lifted it away, taking a deep breath from the freighter's tinny, cold air. He stowed the helmet on his belt, the rest of the squad following his example, and drew his rifle. Grunt toted a massive Krogan shotgun, a Claymore, while Garrus sported a powerful Mattock assault rifle, and Samara relied upon her biotics to attack, only falling back upon a small hand pistol in the tightest of spots.

The Commander consulted the map Liara had provided and headed off down a long corridor, making his way towards the ship's bridge, deciding that would be the best place to look for whatever the Reapers were using to transmit their signal to the Relay.

The corridors clanged to Grunt's heavy tread, the Krogan's booted feet sending tremors through the deck as he took up a position behind the Commander. Samara stood at his back, the flicker of biotic witchfire licking over her arms as she held her powers in a state of readiness. Garrus watched the rear, his rifle swinging about aggressively as he kept an eye out for enemies trying to sneak up on the party.

Shepard began to feel a tension growing in his head as he took note of the silence of the ship, the lack of any sign of life, hostile or otherwise, getting to him.

As the squad traversed what looked to have been the crew quarters, Shepard paused to lift up a small datapad discarded on one of the worktops. He activated the stored recording, the tinny voice echoing around the empty rooms.

"-Been out here for three weeks now, watching this star go dead. Feels strange, to see something as big as a star dying. Hannah says that she's picking up some readings on the outskirts of the system, but she's not sure what they might mean. I think the Broker will order us in to investigate."

Shepard discarded the datapad, shivering at hearing the voice of a person he knew had to be dead. Straightening up, he turned to the next doorway, and pushed onwards.

The next section of the ship was some sort of cargo hold, filled with supply crates and spare parts. Clearly this ship was equipped to operate in the far reaches of space for long periods of time.

As Shepard rounded a stack of crates, a pale shape suddenly lunged out of the dim gloom, bearing him to the ground. The dead face of a Husk screeched in his face, fists flying in a frenzied attack. A cluster of the dead shapes rushed out of the darkness all around, guttural cries filling the air.

Grunt's shotgun coughed once, disintegrating the Husk on top of the Commander in a bloody rain. The Krogan then turned to the approaching mass, his weapon barking out several shots in quick succession. Samara's biotics flared and she sent a pair of the pallid forms tumbling away in a tangle of broken limbs. Shepard rolled to his feet, bringing his rifle up to perforate the torso of the nearest Husk. He joined Garrus in raining down a savage volley of bullets on the main cluster of Husks.

In seconds, the squad tore through the initial wave, the bodies of at least a dozen of the creatures lying at their feet in shreds. Shepard expertly ejected the heat sink in his weapon, replacing it with a fresh one. Behind him, the squad reloaded their weapons or, in the case of Samara, adjusted her biotic amp, certain that the battle was only beginning.

Sure enough, seconds later the cargo hold was filled with clamouring groans and the sounds of multitudes of running feet. The first Husks transformed into clouds of mist, barely able to emit a single sound before the squad's combined firepower tore into them. Immediately behind this group, even more Husks darted towards them, a bustling throng of pale bodies loping across the deck. The red flickers of Abominations mingled with the pale blue-white flesh of Husks, adding additional danger to the encounter.

Garrus instantly began to fire at the Abominations, taking them out before they could get among the squad and detonate, dousing Shepard and his allies in burning flesh. Samara and Grunt focused their attacks on the weaker Husks, while the Commander's eye was drawn to a larger shape approaching behind the main ranks of Husks.

Lumbering along at a slower pace than its smaller cousins, a Scion roared menacingly as its long weapon arm turned to point at the squad. A vibrant blast of biotic energy screamed across the hold, tossing Husks left and right. Shepard only had a second to yell a warning to his comrades before the shockwave tore into them, causing Samara to stumble, Garrus to take a step back, and even the resolute Grunt to pause momentarily. Shepard's muscles protested as unseen forces pushed at him, and his own armour threatened to crush him as it resisted the attack.

Recovering from this assault, Shepard replaced his assault rifle on his back, swapping it out for the Viper sniper rifle. He unfolded the weapon swiftly, and took aim. His finger pulled the trigger several times in quick succession, the rifle cracking as its powerful rounds traversed the length of the cargo hold almost instantly. The white-hot bullets pierced the Scion's main head, sending sprays of grey matter spurting out in a fan of gore. Garrus joined the Commander in his attack, the Turian's assault rifle carving a less accurate line of destruction across the Scion's torso.

Finally, after three thermal clips, the duo brought down the Scion. The huge beast collapsed with a shriek, gooey grey matter oozing across the deck from its myriad wounds. As it fell, Samara used her biotic abilities to hoist the final cluster of Husks into the air, hurling them into the stacks of crates on either side until they disintegrated, limbs tumbling here and there. With a flick of her wrist, the Asari sent the grisly remains sailing away through the air.

The squad relaxed, breathing heavily from the exertion of battle. They waited for several moments, listening carefully for any sound of more Husks coming to attack. Once they had confirmed that they were safe, Shepard gestured for the squad to continue moving.

They made their way to the bridge of the ship, finally reaching a pair of doors, welded shut. Shepard considered the obstacle for a moment, before turning to Grunt. He nodded, the Krogan grinned. He stepped up to the door and, flexing his shoulders, slammed into the doors with all of his massive frame. The doors shuddered under the Krogan's bulk, denting visibly. A second impact caused a tiny fracture to spread through the doors, and a third turned this fracture into a wide crack. A fourth and final crash tore the doors open, exposing the bridge beyond. Grunt stepped back, allowing the Commander to step forward.

Shepard walked into the bridge, looking for a console to use. He jumped as a gunshot sounded out, dodging back as the bullet pinged off the wall next to him. He swiftly drew his pistol, looking about for the source of the attack.

Hands trembling, a slight figure stepped out of a dark corner of the bridge, pistol aimed a little half-heartedly at the Commander. Behind the gun, a pretty, young face framed by raven-black hair stared with terror at Shepard.

"You're- you're still human!" She breathed. "Who are you? Are you here to help us?"

"Not exactly." Shepard said slowly, speaking gently so as not to startle her. "I'm Commander Shepard of the Normandy."

"Alicia." She said, lowering her pistol.

"Can you tell me what happened here, Alicia?"

"We were sent to explore out beyond the frontier. We were attacked and disabled, but they didn't destroy us. But then the crew started to, to change."

"How long ago was this?"

"Not long. Maybe two weeks. The entire crew began to go mad, attacking anyone who didn't become like them. First Officer Stewart and I tried to run for the bridge, the safest place on the ship, but they caught up with us. Stewart gave me the time I needed to get inside and seal the door. Then I, I heard…"

"Its okay, Alicia." Shepard comforted. "It'll be alright. We'll take you out of here, but first we've got to disable something that the crew is using to hurt a lot of people. I'm guessing from the powered down terminals that they've cut the bridge's power off. Can you tell me how they're controlling the ship now?"

"I'm not sure." Alicia said through barely held back tears. "I just ran the sensor array."

"Shepard, something doesn't smell right here." Grunt cautioned. "How come she isn't being controlled like the rest of the crew? Why would the Reapers spare her?"

"I can't say." Shepard answered. "But if she's immune to indoctrination, we need to find out why. That's why we've got to get her back to the Normandy."

"You're going to take me away?" Alicia asked hopefully.

"Yes, as soon as we're done here." Shepard answered. "But first, we've got to stop this ship from transmitting a signal to the Mass Relay out there."

"The main comm array is routed through here, so they can't have used it." Alicia said. "Your best bet is probably to get to engineering. It's the easiest place to access the power systems, so you'll probably find whatever they are using down there."

"Okay. You stay here. This door's useless now, but you can seal the corridor beyond. Seal the doors behind us, and wait here. Once we're done, we'll come back for you, and then we'll take you back to our ship."

Alicia nodded, her green eyes blinking with anxiety. The Commander led his team out of the bridge, and she sealed the doors behind them.

Shepard progressed through the cargo hold once more, leaving by one of the doors he had not used previously. He found himself in a corridor running towards the back of the ship, making swift progress towards the engines. After a few more minutes of cautious exploration, the squad found themselves before the heavy doors of the engineering department.

Garrus moved forwards, activating his omnitool as he tinkered with the door's interface. In a matter of seconds, he had bypassed the door's controls. As the Turian stepped away, the doors hissed open. Shepard looked beyond the doors into the engineering department, looking for any potential threats.

Walkways extended out from the doors, hanging in the air above a dark emptiness that stretched out at least two decks below. In the centre of the room, the ship's eezo core hummed powerfully, a massive sphere of silver energy suspended in a cylinder of glass and metal that extended from the darkness below to the ceiling far above. The light glimmered around the room, reaching to the walkways about a deck below and to the ceiling, bathing the room in a shimmering veil of silvery light. Wires dangled across the space between the core and the walls, drooping in lazy curves through the empty air.

The engine room appeared to be empty, the only sound to be heard was that of the core itself, a deep, thick thrum that travelled through the Commander's entire body. Unsure, Shepard took a few wary steps into the room. Once it became apparent that nothing was about to lunge out of the darkness, he took several more confident steps into the room, followed by the squad.

They moved towards the core, their footsteps echoing around the engine room hollowly. Shepard strode up to the core, stopping before a console. He attempted to hack into the ship's computer systems. It took him only a few moments to gain access, and he was immediately searching for any sign of the Reapers' devices.

"That's strange…" Shepard muttered. "There's no sign of any meddling with the ship's systems. As far as I can see, there's no reason why Alicia should have been unable to assert control over the… oh, no."

"She was indoctrinated!" Garrus breathed. "But then why did she send us down here?"

"A very good question, Turian." Alicia's voice echoed around the engine room, bearing a much deeper boom than the timid whimper she had used before. "The answer is simple: You would stand in the way of the Reapers' stratagem. For this, you must die."

As she said these last words, the engine room's doors slammed shut, thick, heavy doors that shut with a solid thud. The core shuddered, its light brightening considerably. The engine's thrum intensified to a fierce whine.

"She's putting a surge through the core!" Garrus shouted over the noise. "The discharge will fry anything in this room!"

"Damn it!" Shepard said angrily, turning back to the console. "How do I stop it?"

"We'll have to hack the capacitors around the room."

"Right, then-" Shepard's instructions were interrupted by a chorus of groans from below. The Commander looked down into the darkness under the walkway, only to see rank upon rank of Husks clambering up towards him. "Garrus, deal with this. We'll hold them off!"

Cursing, Garrus turned to the console, trying to hack the capacitor before the enemy was upon him. Shepard, Grunt and Samara armed up, forming a defensive ring around the Turian.

The first few Husks charged towards the squad, but were swiftly torn apart by the Commander and his allies' combined fire. An Abomination raced out before its kin, but a thrust of Samara's outstretched palm sent it flying over the edge. After the first wave had been eliminated, Garrus gave a grunt of satisfaction as he finished with the capacitor, and the core flickered, losing some of its intensity.

"I'm done here, Commander. Let's move to the next one!" He called over the engine's roar. "Three more to go."

Shepard nodded, and the squad moved slowly along the walkway, cutting their way through the masses of enemies in a bloody course. A few more moments, and they had moved on to the next level down, approaching the second capacitor. Garrus knelt next to it, tinkering with his omnitool.

The Commander dropped down into a combat stance, bracing his rifle, and waited for the next few enemies to appear. The Husks were quick to oblige, racing towards the squad with angry moans. Behind them, a Scion lumbered up the walkways from the lower levels. The Commander focused his fire on the larger foe, with Samara using her abilities to keep it off-balance and prevent it from using its weapon arm effectively. Grunt discharged his shotgun into the mass of Husks, laughing as he revelled in the carnage.

"Two down, Shepard!" Garrus shouted. "Two to go."

Shepard nodded, firing a final shot at the Husk and causing it to tumble off the walkway, moaning as it dropped into the darkness. Samara used a titanic biotic push to hurl the remaining Husks from the walkway, sending them cascading down to the floor far before, and the squad began to move, heading back the way they had come and proceeding towards the upper levels.

Garrus led the way to the third capacitor, kneeling down next to it as the others formed up around him again. Shepard's hands felt numb from the recoil of the rifle as he reloaded once more, noting that his stock of thermal clips was dangerously low.

"Hurry it up, Garrus. We can't keep this up much longer." He cautioned.

"Going as fast as I can." Garrus shouted back over his shoulder. "Almost…done! One capacitor left."

"Good! Let's-"

Shepard was interrupted by an all-too-familiar shriek. Two dozen heads locked in an eternal scream, a Praetorian rose out of the darkness, clawed feet dangling below it menacingly. Shepard leapt out of the way, dodging the hulking machine's lunge forwards. The Praetorian's claws carved furrows in the metal of the walkway, the whole structure shivering violently.

Shepard turned his rifle towards the monstrosity, unloading a full clip into it at point-blank range. The gun's barrel glowed red-hot as the thermal clip popped out. On the far side from the Commander, Grunt fired his shotgun, the weapon's powerful blast punching several large holes in its outer shell.

The Praetorian hovered away, aligning itself with the Commander. Shepard flinched as its eyes flickered a brilliant blue, and two bright eye beams lanced out at him. He braced for the attack, but the impact never hit. Shepard opened his eyes to see Samara standing there, eyes glowing a bright blue as she held up a biotic barrier that held the Praetorian's attack back. The Asari's face was locked in a pained expression of concentration as she struggled to hold the barrier. The Praetorian shifted, intensifying the beams, but the barrier held strong.

Suddenly, Samara opened her eyes, which glowed a powerful white. With a grunt, she pushed her hands forwards, and the barrier surged towards the Praetorian. The biotic attack struck the Praetorian squarely, launching it backwards. The huge machine struck the core's containment chamber, shattering the glass. The Praetorian writhed as it was drawn into the core, limbs flailing ineffectually. With a loud whump, the monstrous creature vanished in a white flash, disintegrating into nothing.

The squad looked at this with a mixture of surprise and relief. Shepard was the first to refocus, turning to Garrus. The engine's noise was now considerably louder, and it sounded a lot more unstable.

"We've got to get going. I don't know what losing the core's containment will do to the engine now that we're hacking the capacitors, but I'll bet that it isn't good, knowing our luck."

"I hear you, Commander." Garrus nodded.

The squad rushed over to the last capacitor, on the upper level, and Garrus quickly hacked its controls. The core roared loudly, silvery light turning an urgent red as the room's temperature rose dramatically.

"Let's get out of here!" Shepard shouted. The squad hurried to the nearest door, now open due to the sudden loss of power to the rest of the ship.

As the squad raced down the corridors away from the engines, the freighter shuddered urgently, and Shepard felt the gravity suddenly vanish as his boots anchored him to the deck. He nodded to his comrades and they all donned their helmets as the air began to grow thin, no longer recycled by the ship's life support.

They rushed towards the airlock from which they had entered the ship, their pace made all the more urgent as the ship began to disintegrate around them. At last, the airlock appeared around a corner, their way to safety. The door waited, open, inviting.

Shepard sprinted towards the door, his legs burning with the effort of fighting his magnetic boots. As he got within arm's reach of the airlock, the doors hissed closed before him, blocking his exit. The door's holographic display flickered to show an image of Alicia, her eyes now glowing a sinister yellow. Her skin smoked, burning out from the sheer power coursing through her veins.

"Shepard," Her voice was incredibly deep and harsh, immediately recognisable as that of Harbinger, the Reaper whom Shepard had come to know and despise. "Yet again you stand before us, shouting defiance against that which must be. Even now the flames of war engulf your world. Your doom has arrived, and yet you insist upon ignoring it."

"You think this is a victory?" Shepard spat. "We are more than a single world. We're an entire Galaxy, ready to defy you at every step. If you want to march across the Galaxy, we're going to make you fight for every step. That's what you're fighting against. That's the price you'll have to pay."

"You are nothing before us." Harbinger replied. "Why should we fear your defiance? You will be twisted to serve us, whether you desire it or not. Our dominion is absolute, our victory was assured before your ancestors walked the surface of your planet."

"This isn't over." Shepard threatened.

"You are correct, Shepard. This is merely the beginning of your downfall." With that, the image vanished, and the door's interface went dark. Garrus rushed up to it, trying to activate the door controls.

"Damn it! There's no power left. We're trapped."

"Like hell we are!" Shepard seethed. "Step back and hold on!"

The Commander pulled his shotgun from its cradle over the base of his spine, unfolding it as fast as he could. He lifted the weapon and aimed at the airlock. The airlock's transparent materials held for the first couple of blasts, but then a web of cracks spread across its surface before it shattered. The outer door faced the same treatment, and when it finally gave way the ship's atmosphere rushed out in a whirlwind of roaring gas.

Shepard was buffeted by the rushing air, clambering for cover from the brutal windstorm. He saw Samara cling for her life to a nearby doorframe, hands scrabbling for a purchase. On the opposite side of the corridor, Grunt had braced himself in another doorway, his wide frame easily filling the door. The Commander turned to the third member of his crew just in time to see Garrus' hands slipping on the pipe he had clung to. A crate tumbled past, catching the Turian on the shoulder on its way out of the airlock. Garrus struggled for a few seconds before his claws lost their purchase on the pipe.

"Garrus!" Shepard almost screamed, launching himself across the corridor.

The Commander struck the Turian about the waist, arm curling tightly around his friend as his free hand found purchase on another pipe. Shepard turned to look past Garrus to see the swirling maw of the airlock just feet away, the Relay and the Reapers wheeling in and out of view beyond in a sickening spiral.

After several moments, the wind calmed, the ship fully depressurised. Shepard relaxed his grip, his boots finding the deck again. He could hear the laboured breathing of his comrades over the comms, and knew that it was time to leave. He led the way out to the shuttle.

The squad clambered in, glad to be able to remove their helmets once the Kodiak had repressurised. Shepard took the pilot's chair again, releasing the docking clamps.

"Normandy, this is the bear cub, requesting pickup ASAP."

"Roger that, bear cub. Normandy inbound." Joker's voice rang back immediately.

Seconds later, the Normandy buzzed by mere miles away, arrowing towards the wildly twirling Salarian Scoundrel. Shepard manoeuvred the shuttle away from the freighter as fast as he could, angling towards the frigate. Joker spun the Normandy in a move that would have torn most ships apart, and aimed straight for the shuttle. Shepard adjusted the shuttle's course accordingly, deftly flying the Kodiak into the waiting Cargo Bay.

The Normandy, having collected its precious cargo, twisted and turned, speeding away from the Salarian Scoundrel. The freighter glowed for a few seconds, shafts of light spearing out from various parts of its frame. Suddenly, the ship vanished in a tremendous explosion, a momentary sun in the blackness of space. After this violent end to the Scoundrel, the Charon Relay began to move with renewed vigour, fresh power coursing through its frame. As the Relay powered up, the Normandy darted away, setting a course for Earth.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard strode onto the CIC deck, unbuckling his helmet as he walked. Kaidan looked up from his work at the spot above the Galaxy Map and respectfully stepped aside, allowing the Commander to step up. Shepard thanked him silently, turning to face the rest of the crew present in the CIC. He nodded his approval upon seeing them about their work diligently, and keyed in a few commands on his omnitool.

"EDI, open a channel to the Krakatoa."

"At once, Commander." The AI complied.

"Shepard," Hackett's voice filled the command deck moments later. "I've just received word that the Relay's back up to full strength. Is this true?"

"Mission accomplished, Admiral. We can call in reinforcements from Arcturus immediately."

"No." Hackett said firmly. "We're taking too hard of a beating here, Shepard. I'm calling a retreat now that you've given us an escape route."

"But sir, the Earth…" Shepard said urgently.

"Is already lost. Several Reapers have descended upon the primary spaceports and are tearing our largest cities apart. We've got as many civilians as we can out, but we've had to leave a lot behind. My forces are stretched to capacity just defending the evacuation shuttles."

"How many do you think we can save?" Shepard asked, dreading the answer.

"As many as five hundred thousand, at a push."

"There are over twelve billion down there, Admiral."

"You think I don't know that, Commander? You think I don't understand what I'm doing here? David Anderson's still down there, for crying out loud! I've had to leave one of my closest friends in the clutches of those monsters."

"Anderson's still in London?" Shepard asked, the revelation hitting him harder than any news before this. The older soldier had been like a father to him, a mentor in his younger years.

"He was trying to evacuate the Council when the Reapers descended. Their intended escape vessel was destroyed in the assault."

"But they're still alive down there?"

"Last I heard. David said he was going to get the Council to safety, one way or another. Said something about trying to get to a bunker nearby."

"I'm going to go get them." Shepard concluded.

"That's suicide!" Hackett retorted. "The Reapers would tear your ship apart before it got past the stratosphere."

"We need the Council to rally the Citadel's forces. This is the Reapers' main tactic, eliminate our political leaders to send our governments into disarray. Besides, I'm not about to leave Anderson to become a slave to those bastards, are you?"

Hackett was silent for a long moment before sighing and replying.

"Godspeed, Commander. If you go and get yourself killed, I'll make sure that hell gets especially unpleasant for you when I join you down there."

"Acknowledged, Admiral. Normandy out." Shepard closed the channel. "Joker, set a course for London. EDI, have Ken and Gabby prep the skycar, and make sure it has a full stock of ammo."

The Commander stepped down from the Galaxy Map, heading for the armoury to restock on ammunition.

**~o~0~o~**

The Normandy skimmed through the Earth's upper atmosphere, ducking and weaving as two Reapers raced after her. Joker wove the frigate through several tight spirals, keeping the ship on an unpredictable course to confuse the enemy fire.

The Cargo Bay doors opened again, the crew having cleared out beforehand. Wind whipped through the opening, the first indications of the oxygen-rich atmosphere below.

Shepard breathed slowly as his hand settled on the flight controls before him. With his usual quirkiness, Mordin had decided that the freshly painted, hot-rod red skycar should have physical controls, rather than holographic ones. Kaidan had joked at the time that the Commander's driving would be just as poor with either option. Shepard smiled on thinking back to that, but then refocused on the task before him. The engine of the skycar revved as he timed his move carefully.

Behind the Commander sat Kaidan, Jacob and Jack. The Commander had ruled that Garrus, Grunt and Samara had earned a rest, and he chose fresh team-mates to accompany him on this perilous assignment. Kaidan had volunteered very quickly to join him, as had Jacob. The pair had stated that attacking Earth had 'made this personal' and that they were determined to join Shepard on his mission to rescue the Council. Shepard had been about to ask Mordin to come along when Jack had shot him a sharp look. She had then spoken up, insisting that she be on the team.

"Earth's the home of my species. Its as close to home as I've got, save for this pile of scrap. If the Reapers want it, they have to fucking go through me first."

Shepard had seen the defiant glint in her eye, and had said no more, although he suspected that there was more to the biotic convict's words than she was letting on. As he had dismissed the rest of the squad, he'd caught her watching him with worry in her eyes and realised that she was here, not for Earth, but for him. He'd felt warmed by the fact, though he knew all too well that telling Jack that he understood would simply incite her wrath.

"Normandy, we're ready when you are." He called over the skycar's comm.

"Roger that, Commander." Joker answered.

With a lurch, the frigate looped around and, for a single moment, the Cargo Bay was aiming straight down at the planet below. Shepard gunned the engines, propelling the skycar out into the Earth's atmosphere at a considerable speed. The vehicle rattled as it raced through the upper atmosphere, hull plates glowing from the heat of re-entry. Ahead, Shepard saw the tiny island of Great Britain drawing closer and closer, faster and faster. In moments, he could make out the finer contours of the island's outline, from the rocky island chain of the Outer Hebrides to the smoother contours of Dover. Shepard began to work the skycar's controls, trying to slow their descent, as the grey blotch that was the sprawling city of London grew bigger and bigger, until finally the city's extensive layout filled the forward window.

At last the vehicle began to slow, its steep dive turning into a shallower trajectory as, like a red comet, it streaked past the upper levels of the city's skyscrapers. Shepard searched for landmarks to find his bearings, eventually homing in on the unmistakable silhouette of Big Ben and the London Eye, a massive Ferris Wheel on the banks of the River Thames, standing out amidst the shapes of a multitude of Reapers touching down in the city's streets, pulverising buildings beneath their monstrous size. He turned the skycar towards those landmarks and activated his commlink.

"David Anderson, this is Commander Shepard, do you copy?"

Shepard waited tensely as static answered him, his brow furrowing. Finally, a crackle of noise rewarded his repeated attempts at communication, causing his heart to leap within his chest.

"Shepard! About damn time you got here. We've got a hell of a lot of ass to kick." Anderson responded jovially.

"I'm not so sure these things have asses, sir." Shepard said joyously.

"Well then I guess you'll have to kick everything else twice as much, just to make sure."

"I'm glad to hear your voice, Sir." Shepard answered. "We're inbound with transport for you and the Council."

"Good to hear, Shepard. Captain Swift's taken us to a secure bunker not far from the old Houses of Parliament. Just head for the big damn clock tower and look out for the flare. We'll signal when we see you."

"On our way, Sir." Shepard said, making the necessary course corrections.

**~o~0~o~**

Benjamin ducked as a colossal explosion overhead sent debris raining down about him. He watched with a mixture of fear and awe as a red beam, about as wide as a small cargo transport, cut a devastating gash through the London skyline. A towering skyscraper resisted the beam's assault for all of a second before its myriad windows shattered, sending a deadly hail of glass splinters cascading down on the streets below. The building's inhabitants, still struggling to escape, screamed as the structure began to collapse on top of them.

In the distance, Benjamin could see one of the massive creatures settling down amidst the blazing bones of the ruined city, looking like an enormous insect squatting down over its prey. Gargantuan arms moved about, swatting at what remained of the Parliament Towers like a child would demolish a structure made of toy building blocks. The Towers, once having stood so proud over the British capital, disintegrated like a sandcastle before a powerful wave, leaving no evidence of their existence behind.

A hand clamped down on the young Captain's shoulder, pulling him back from his terror-struck paralysis. David Anderson stood behind him, pistol in one hand, the other bleeding from a wound gained during their headlong dash away from the Towers.

"Come on, son." He said resolutely. "We've got to keep moving."

Behind the former Alliance soldier trailed the Council, battered by their brutal struggle to escape the wrath of the Reapers, the Prime Minister and his Deputy, and Governor Latham, the latter sporting a grave wound to his shoulder, received from a falling support beam. The arm below it hung limply, a clear sign that the shoulder had been dislocated. With every step the Governor took, his face bore a pained expression.

"No sign of Shepard yet, Sir." Benjamin said wearily.

"Don't worry, he'll be here." Anderson said confidently.

"Wait a minute…" Tevos suddenly interrupted. "Do you hear that?"

The group halted, heads tilted as they listened carefully. The Asari's ears had picked up on a sound that soon filled the air around them, a chorus of moans and dead breath moving through unliving throats. As Anderson tensed, already sensing what he was about to see, a cluster of Husks lumbered into view from behind a building just over a block away. Their still faces looked at the group with glassy eyes, and their feet began to thump against the ground with increasing speed.

"Crap!" Anderson shouted. "Get to the River! We need to get out into the open so the Commander can find us."

Anderson began firing upon the Husks, his pistol swiftly burning through one clip before he went on to the next. Benjamin stepped up beside him, rifle chattering a chant of destruction as bullets poured into the seething mass of dead flesh before him. Tevos moved up behind him, using her innate Asari biotic abilities to cast Husks left, right and centre. Behind them, the unarmed politicians began to run, legs pumping as they charged towards the River Thames.

The group retreated past the blazing ruins of St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, victims of a stray shot from one of the invaders. The road between them was broad, but pitted and cracked by the raging conflict. A massive black pit in the centre of the road still smoked from the intense heat of a Reaper beam, the same one that had chewed through to two grand buildings on either side of it.

Benjamin kept up his rate of fire, keeping the Husks at bay long enough for the group to approach the old Palace of Westminster, formerly the building used by the British Parliament. The windows had all shattered, allowing the fires blazing within to lick at the stony exterior of the sprawling complex. Towering above this inferno, the clock face of Big Ben looked out over the burning city resolutely.

Benjamin's rifle clicked, its final thermal clip spent, just at the same time that Anderson's pistol clunked dully, its ammunition all gone. The Husks had been left far behind, but they still followed doggedly. Benjamin pulled out his Incisor sniper rifle, pausing for a few seconds to send several bullets speeding towards the enemy ranks. Two Husks dropped, their midsections torn out from their torsos.

"We can't hold them off forever." Anderson cautioned. "Send up the flare. We've just got to hope that the Commander gets here in time."

"I'll go find a higher vantage point, try to slow them down even more." Benjamin said courageously. "You get to the river. There's a bridge just in front of the clock tower. Get to there, and I can cover you until the Commander arrives."

Anderson hesitated, looking over to the young Captain. He knew that, once the Council had been recovered, the Commander could not risk their lives in an attempt to save Benjamin. What the captain was suggesting would end with him being left behind in this hellhole. But he saw the determined spark in the young man's eyes, and realised that Benjamin would not take no for an answer.

"You're a brave man, Captain. Thank you."

"Juts doing my job, Sir. The Council gets out of here, my job is done."

The pair nodded to one another, and then went their separate ways, Anderson leading the politicians to the river and the waiting bridge, while Benjamin made a beeline for the clock tower.

His breath catching in his chest, Benjamin raced up the final few steps to the top of the clock tower, until finally he was faced with the interior of the huge clock face. He lifted his sniper rifle, shooting out several panels of the face, and stepped forward, using his scope to scan the streets below.

He instantly saw the crowd of Husks chasing after Anderson, and his finger danced on the trigger. Shot after shot downed the dead creatures, keeping them at bay as the Council drew closer and closer to the bridge.

A loud whine drew the Captain's attention, causing him to look up. A red skycar darted across the sky, obviously searching for something. Seeing the rescue vehicle, Benjamin lowered his rifle and activated his omnitool. A glowing red projectile arced out through the shattered clock face, cutting a graceful curve over the devastated streets towards the bridge across the river. The skycar noticed this, and angled sharply towards the bridge.

His job done, Captain Benjamin Swift went back to the grisly work of keeping the Husks off the ongoing rescue attempt.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard deftly swerved the skycar around, darting towards the glowing red flare over the river. As he drew nearer, he saw a small group racing towards the middle of the bridge, a horde of enemies behind them. He leaned forwards, willing the vehicle to move just a little faster, and saw a couple of the Husks at the front of the mass tumble to the group, lying inert.

With expert control, Shepard whipped the skycar around to hover just over the bridge, almost touching down. A cloud of dust whipped around underneath it as it was displaced by the vehicle's Mass Effect Fields.

Seeing salvation at hand, Anderson and the others redoubled their pace, running headlong towards the now open skycar door and the beckoning hands of Shepard's comrades.

Shepard looked around from the approaching group to see another mass of Husks racing across the bridge from the opposite side, threatening to surround the skycar as it made the pickup. He turned back to the approaching Anderson, adding his shouts of encouragement to those of the rest of the squad.

Councillors Fahos and Velarn were the first to arrive, leaping into the skycar as quickly as they could before collapsing into empty seats, their chests heaving with the exertion. Amul Shastri and his Deputy, Dennis Hughes, were close behind, scrambling across their fellows to get into the skycar. Tevos and Udina came next, the latter almost keeling over as his breath wheezed in his throat.

Shepard turned his attention to the remaining two survivors, Anderson and Latham. The ex-Councillor's legs pumped powerfully at the bridge below him, launching him across the final few yards towards the skycar. Latham was considerably slower, hindered by the injury to his shoulder. The Husks were only yards behind him, screeching and roaring as they closed the distance between them and him. Only a couple of yards from the skycar, they overtook him. He screamed as pale, dead fingers clawed at him, pulling him back from safety. A sniper rifle sounded out, and the heads of Husks to either side of the terrified governor exploded, but the main mass of the pallid creatures had caught up to him, and in seconds he had been dragged into the heart of the seething mass, his screams still loud.

Shepard closed his eyes to the grisly sight, activating the skycar's engines and lifting away from the bridge as the Husks threatened to close in on it. The wheezing monsters waved their arms at the fleeing vehicle uselessly, unable to do anything but watch as Shepard steered the skycar away.

Inside, the exhausted Anderson flopped into the seat next to Shepard, breath still ragged from his headlong sprint to safety.

"Dramatic timing, as usual." He managed to gasp out.

"A little too late, if you ask Latham." Shepard said grimly, weaving the skycar in between several burning towers. "What happened to Captain Swift?"

"He stayed back to find a vantage point from where he could use his rifle to hold back the Husks." Anderson explained.

"Can we go back for him?" Shepard asked, unwilling to let the soldier be left behind.

"I don't know where he went, and chances are we wouldn't get close to him with all the enemies on the ground now." Anderson said firmly. "Our job is to make sure the Council gets back to the Citadel. We'll need them if we're to rally the Citadel fleets to retake Earth."

Shepard was silent for a moment, saddened at the loss of the young Captain. His willingness to sacrifice himself for the Council was admirable, and the Commander knew soldiers of that mettle would be in short supply in the months to come.

Moments later, the Normandy hove into view, Cargo Bay doors open and ready for the skycar's return.

**~o~0~o~**

Back in orbit, Shepard returned to his post above the Galaxy Map.

"Joker, its well past time for us to leave. Set a course for the evacuation convoy. We'll help Hackett get the refugees out of here."

"Message coming in from the Krakatoa, Commander." Joker informed him.

"Shepard, any news on the Council?" Hackett asked, anxiety in every word.

"I've got them, Admiral, and the Prime Minister, too."

"Good." Hackett's voice was full of relief. "In the days ahead, the last thing the people will need is to lose the leaders they trust in."

"How goes the evacuation?" Shepard asked.

"Not good. A bunch of those damn machines have formed a blockade around the Relay. We're getting ready to make a run for it, but we could lose a lot of ships this way."

"Any other options?"

"Seven years travelling between stars, in which time the Reapers will have a fair shot at the rest of the galaxy. At least this way, there's a chance some of us will get through to warn the rest of the Milky Way."

"Then I guess we have to try it. Where do you want the Normandy?"

"On the frontline. It'll do the rest of our forces good to see you leading the charge."

"Aye-aye, Admiral. Joker, stay in touch with the Krakatoa, follow Hackett's directions."

The Galaxy Map flickered, becoming a holographic representation of the evacuation fleet. Countless small cargo transports, fuel tankers, private yachts and even a few tiny shuttles formed the core of the fleet, a massive flotilla that stretched over several hundred kilometres. Around them circled a variety of frigates, cruisers, gunships, carriers and even some short-range fighters, a protective screen for the civilian ships.

The Normandy wove its way to the front of the formation, taking a position alongside the Krakatoa, Hackett's flagship. The fleet made its way towards the Charon Relay.

As the Relay came into view, Shepard understood why Hackett had hesitated to try running at it. Twelve Reapers hung in space between the fleet and the Relay, a barrier to their escape. Such a force would be more than a match for the entirety of Earth's ships at full strength, much more so for a rag-tag fleet like this one.

Shepard noted that all of the ships at the fore of the convoy, aside from the Normandy, were cruisers and dreadnoughts, therefore every ship at the front of the formation was a ship outfitted with the new gravity cannon, and therefore much more powerful than the other ships. Having made a note of this, the Commander passed the word down to Garrus in the Gunnery control station to make sure the weapons were fully armed and ready to go.

The fleet drew closer to the blockade, and Shepard's hands curled around the rail he stood at, combat gloves leaving indentations in the metal.

With a jolt, a massive flotilla of assorted ships dropped out of FTL speed around the Relay, instantly opening fire on the unsuspecting Reapers. Surprised at the sudden attack on their rear, the Reapers proved to be sluggish in reacting to the new threat, their defences taking a battering before they could return fire.

"Commander Shepard, this is the THV Allierax, of the Turian Hierarchy. The Shadow Broker sends his regards."

"Shepard, this is Captain Swindon of the Alliance freighter Sapphire Storm. An Illusive friend told us you might appreciate some help."

Shepard's laugh barked out throughout the CIC, turning heads as he stood a little straighter, now eager for the fight ahead.

"This is Shepard of the Normandy. It's good to see some friendly faces around here. This neighbourhood's gone all to hell recently." He tapped out a command on his omnitool and brought up the Admiral's channel. "Admiral Hackett, focus your ships on getting the refugees through to the Relay. We'll hold the Reapers' attention."

"Roger that, Commander. I'll buy you and your friends a beer on Arcturus. Hackett out."

Shepard grinned, thinking that the Admiral may not be so ready to thank the new arrivals once he learned that half of them were affiliated with Cerberus, while the other half took their orders from the shady Shadow Broker network. Shaking his head in amusement, Shepard turned back to the task in hand.

The new arrivals, a motley assortment of armoured yachts, private gunships and stolen frigates, along with one dreadnought and a pair of fighter carriers, ploughed into the Reapers with gusto. Shepard caught sight of a few singularity cannons firing, clear evidence that the two networks were keeping up-to0-date with the latest developments that Shepard had provided the Alliance with.

Into the midst of this melee flew the Normandy, weapons firing furiously around her as her shields sparkled an intense blue from multiple hits. Shepard shouted orders to Joker, Garrus and EDI, directing the frigate where she was needed most in the battle.

Ships splintered under the intense fire of the Reapers, and pretty soon the space around the relay was filled with glittering shards of glowing metal. The radio channels were filled with shouted orders from captains to beleaguered crews, the cries of the wounded, or the sudden explosive demise of a ship or two. As one Reaper's hull sparked and began to glow, the massive creature disappearing in a sudden explosion, the comm frequencies echoed with the triumphant cheers of the organic aggressors. This cheer turned to cries of dismay as the remaining Reapers, angered by the death of their fellow, intensified their fire, destroying a large cargo transport filled with screaming refugees.

Throughout the protracted battle for the Charon Relay, Hackett used his ships to screen small clusters of civilian transports to the Relay, his crews risking their lives again and again to ferry small knots of ships to safety. At last, the final group of civilian transports, consisting of a pair of small shuttles, a handful of cargo transports and a large fuel tanker, vanished in a streak of blue light, sent on their way to Arcturus.

"That's the last of the civvies." Hackett's voice sounded over the comms. "Everyone else, get the hell out of there."

The remaining ships, a battered, sorry collection of vessels, pushed their way past the Reapers to get to the relay, vanishing in clusters of ten or twenty ships. At last, the Admiral's flagship vanished along with the remaining handful of Shadow broker ships, and only the Normandy remained.

"Hit it, Joker!" Shepard ordered.

The fragile pilot complied, activating the ship's eezo core and propelling her out of the Sol system.

As the exhausted crew breathed a collective sigh of relief, Shepard slumped over the railing above the Galaxy Map, looking at the image of the system he had left behind. A feeling of emptiness stole over him as he realised what had taken place. The Reapers had taken Earth.

**Author's note: Whew! Big things going on in the story now. This completes the 'Horizon equivalent' mission in my storyline. Now shepard's got a clearer idea of how urgent the times are, and he'll proceed with the next few missions. Another long chapter, in fact so long I considered splitting it in half, but then decided I wanted to keep it to a 'one chapter, one mission' style. Anyway, enjoy and review, review, review!**


	21. 21: Regrouping

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 21: Regrouping**

"The extranet is abuzz today with news of the shocking invasion of the Sol system. Systems Alliance forces were forced to retreat from the system as an as yet unknown enemy attacked the Human homeworld of Earth. Admiral Hackett of the Alliance's Fifth Fleet led the military forces in the defence of the system, but after sustaining heavy losses, the human fleets were forced to flee to Arcturus station, where they are now attempting to regroup.

"The question on everybody's mind is, who are these mysterious attackers? As of yet, nothing is known about the hostile force. Many fingers are pointing to the Batarian Hegemony, a political entity known to harbour hostile feelings towards the Systems Alliance. Others say that the sheer firepower necessary to occupy such a prominent planet is well beyond the capabilities of the Batarians, or any civilisation we know of. Some refer to ancient legends of destructive beings that sweep across the Galaxy, wiping out sentient life in a regular cycle. With me now is Ba'ash Heram, of the Batarian Church of Ganoszh, Hulix Vrenan of Turian xenoscience firm Nimbus Industries, and Keline Madresh, a representative of the Hanar Illuminated Primacy."

The Asari reporter turned to her guests, a glowering Batarian, a stiff-backed Turian and a nervous Drell. She leaned back comfortably on the couch, a posture meant to encourage the others to relax a little.

"So, Honoured Ba'ash, you believe that this is the work of supernatural forces?" She asked, her voice holding enough respect to not cause offence while still maintaining a slightly mocking tone. The Batarian nodded enthusiastically.

"Correct. It has been apparent to the Hegemony since day one that these Humans are nothing more than petty thugs toting their guns and their mechs. For too long have they spread their impurity through the Galaxy, denying honest-hearted Batarians a home among the stars, and now their retribution has come down upon them with the rage of a thousand dying suns."

"Only three hundred thousand Human civilians were rescued from the system before the relay went silent. Three hundred thousand out of twelve billion. Do you not think that is a little… extreme, even for vengeful deities?"

"Three hundred thousand of the pure flock died at the hands of the Spectre Shepard on Aratoht." Ba'ash said primly. "It is fitting that only a like number should escape from the homeworld of the Murderer of Bahak. In this way, the gods show us that the Batarians will be avenged, no matter the injustices they must suffer."

"Indeed." The Asari said, swiftly shifting her focus to the Turian, Hulix. "Mister Vrenan, your organisation postulates that this attack is the result of Humans stumbling across a volatile and until now undiscovered race beyond the reaches of known space."

"Yes." Hulix said stiffly. "Humans are always poking their noses into places they do not belong. Why, the Relay 314 Incident was a direct result of a Turian patrol finding the first Human explorers fumbling with a locked Relay. It was only a matter of time before their inquisitive nature got the better of them. The Humans have a rather quaint expression that describes this: 'curiosity killed the feline'. In this case, it invoked the wrath of a virulent enemy, and now they are paying the price."

"Mister Vrenan, you were most vocal in your opposition of the Hierarchy's decision to compensate Humanity for losses suffered in the First Contact War, were you not?"

"Indeed I was. The Hierarchy was only acting in the best interests of the Citadel when they opened fire on the Humans/"

"Thank you. Now, Mister Madresh, you are here to represent the Illuminated Primacy. What is the Hanar's stance on the Sol situation?"

"The Humans have never embraced the truth of the Enkindlers. They cannot, therefore, call upon their benevolence to protect them." The Drell said slowly, voice clipped.

"The Hanar believe this to be the result of a spiritual failing on Humanity's part?" The Asari asked pointedly.

"Not… directly." Keline said carefully. "But rather a consequence of their being… misguided."

"Thank you for your comments." The Asari said brusquely. She turned back to the camera. "All of this, of course, closely followed the high-profile trial of Commander Shepard, formerly of the Systems Alliance and Spectre to the Citadel Council. Shepard was brought up before a court on the charges of…"

Shepard's attention drifted as the Asari's voice droned on, the massive image hovering over the display cabinet opposite his bed flickering as the Normandy hummed, the ship going through a routine core discharge.

The Commander was sprawled back on the bed, his armour in a pile on the coffee table while his guns, still not cleaned from their recent outing, were scattered about on the floor. The bed's sheets were in a tangled mess at the foot of the bed, tied in knots by the Commander's fitful slumber.

Shepard lazily waved his omnitool at the screen, lowering the volume of the news show as the Asari's voice really began to grate on his nerves, continuously insinuating that the loss of Earth was, somehow, his fault. He groaned, lowering his head back onto his pillow.

The door to the cabin hissed open and shut again, followed closely by the sound of a pair of booted feet clunking their way to the steps down past his 'office' and into the living area of the cabin. Shepard lifted his head with an effort to see Jack stepping over his discarded weapons. The tattooed biotic stepped over to the bed, quietly lowering herself to sit on it. She half-turned to look at the Commander, a worried look in her eyes. The pair sat like that for a moment, Shepard enjoying just having her close.

"The whole crew's worried about you, Commander. Ain't seen you around for two days now." Jack started. "Not that seeing you would do them much good. The face fungus doesn't suit you, Commander. You look like shit warmed up."

Shepard tried to chuckle at her little joke, but his chest refused to give the laugh any sincerity. She smiled at him for trying.

"It hits you hard, don't it, seeing how easily they can get at what matters to you." Jack continued. "I may not have lived there, hell I never even visited, but Earth meant something, y'know? Its more than where any one person came from, its where we've all come from."

"It's just… how can we fight them, when we've already lost our homeworld?" Shepard asked a little helplessly. "When I was chasing Saren, when we were going after the Collectors, I was always thinking, 'I'm doing this to keep them from getting to Earth. As long as the Earth's okay, I'll gladly pay any price to stop them'. But now, what's left of Humanity? A few colonies, and a fleet full of refugees."

"Yeah, it's fucked up, I'll give you that. But what about Palaven, or Thessia, or Tuchanka? You gonna sit here and mope and let 'em do it to someone else? 'Cause those are the stakes right now. I can't remember where I came from, but I know that I'll lose it if I don't stand and fight. So maybe you're not fighting for Earth anymore. So what? Fight to protect all the other Earths out there.

"All I can say is, I ain't living the rest of my life like some gyppo Quarian, never setting foot on another planet. Besides, if I had to wear one of those damn suits, how'd I make sure people could see my ink?"

This time, Shepard's laugh was a little more genuine. After a moment, Jack joined him, her lighter chuckle mingling with his deeper laugh. In the midst of this, Shepard rolled into a sitting position on the bed, suddenly leaning forwards and grabbing Jack.

"Gyah! What the fuck, Shepard?" She cried out as he pulled her into a tight embrace, turning her so her back was pressed to his chest. She resisted for a moment before allowing herself to mould into his frame.

The pair sat like that for several long seconds, leaning into one another. They looked at the holo-screen, still displaying the news programme. As they watched, the Asari's pleasant smile was replaced by a video. With a lurch of recognition and a groan of dread, Shepard realised that he was looking at what was left of his little 'chat' with Miss al-Jilani. As they watched, an image of Shepard sent the reporter tumbling away with a powerful punch to the jaw. The vid was repeated at a slower speed, carefully mapping the instant the Commander had launched the attack.

"They definitely got your good side in that shot, though I'm not so sure about the slow-mo replay. Seems a bit over the top." Jack commented casually.

"And that's the image that the entire Galaxy's looking at, right now." Shepard said despairingly.

"Eh, she probably deserved it. I hear that Jilani chick ain't too popular. Even once saw a Volus lay her out. How annoying do you gotta be before one of them gets pissed enough to take a swing at you?"

"Depends if it was our friend from Illium or not." Shepard muttered. "The Great Wind, remember him?"

"Oh yeah!" Jack chuckled. "The sorry little fucker could hardly piss straight, let alone use his amp properly."

Shepard sighed, feeling the strains of the past week fall away like a literal burden dropping off his back. He leaned back, holding Jack close, willing for the moment to last forever.

The couple's moment of peace was interrupted by an insistent chime from EDI's interface.

"Commander, the Council requests your presence." She intoned softly.

"Can't we have just five minutes?" Shepard groaned.

"It's the price you pay for being such a fucking boy scout." Jack smiled, her lips briefly brushing his cheek. She stood up, extracting herself from the Commander's grasp. She turned and headed for the door.

Behind her, Shepard rolled into a sitting position, wearily rubbing at his face.

"Have Joker set a course for Arcturus station, EDI." He called out to the ship. "Tell the Council I'll be there soon."

**~o~0~o~**

Twenty minutes later, Shepard strode through the CIC, wearing his neatly pressed Alliance uniform and rubbing at a clean-shaven chin. As he walked up the corridor towards the cockpit, Joker announced over the ship's speakers that they had just docked with Arcturus station, the large space station located close to the Arcturus Relay, twinned with the Charon Relay in the Sol System.

Shepard stepped into the Normandy's airlock, nodding to the pilot as he walked by, and dialled the code to leave the ship. The airlock hissed, and the outer door opened, allowing Shepard to step out onto Arcturus Station.

The station had taken a beating over the past few days. As the Reapers had blazed their way through to the Relay and the Sol System beyond, the Alliance garrison stationed there had done its best to stop them, but the Human ships had been horribly outclassed, and now the majority of those ships were so much debris drifting in orbit around the Relay. The station itself was very much worse for wear, with entire modules burst open by the Reapers' weaponry, most of the secondary systems had overloaded, and the station was running on auxiliary power. As Shepard entered the docking module, he had to move out of the way of a bustling crew of techs, rushing to perform some repair or another.

The Commander strode through the chaos, making his way to the administration hub near the centre of the station. He walked through what had been stark white corridors, immaculately maintained, but were now cluttered, dark passages as cleanliness gave way to the more pressing need to keep the station from going dark.

Shepard made his way to the station's centre, finally wending his way to the control centre, from whence the rest of the station was monitored. The Council was gathered there, along with Amul Shastri and David Anderson. They were busily conversing with Admiral Hackett via a holographic display, the Admiral remaining on his flagship out on patrol around the Relay, ready for any sign of Reaper movement. The cluster of politicians turned at Shepard's approach, Anderson and Fahos' faces lighting up in a welcoming expression while Udina and Velarn remained openly hostile. Shastri and Tevos' faces were unreadable.

"Commander." Hackett said from his screen. "Glad that you could make it."

"Any news from Sol?" Shepard asked immediately.

"Nothing. No Reapers, and no further survivors. We tried to send some probes through, but the Relay's no longer responding. They've sealed themselves in the system."

"Which is bad news for us." Anderson said. "If we can't get to them, we can't stop them from building another Relay to Dark Space."

"There must be some way to override the Relay's controls." Shepard pondered.

"We're working on it." Anderson said. "Several teams of scientists are crawling across its surface, trying to find some way to open it up."

"We need to regroup." Hackett said. "Our forces are scattered and, without a homeworld, we have nowhere to rally to."

"Any and all Human refugees are welcome on the Citadel." Tevos said graciously. "It is the least we can do to repay the Alliance for their part in the Battle of the Citadel."

"Your kindness is much appreciated, Councillor." Anderson said tactfully. "But I think we need to pick a world of our own to gather on. The Citadel is liable to become a target when the Reapers choose to strike. It lies at the heart of the Relay network, and would be key to any attempt to control the Mass Relays. You need to shore up your defences, not burden yourselves with what's left of our people."

"Elysium has ever been a stronghold of Humanity." Shastri suggested. "We could gather our people there, concentrate our forces."

"A sensible suggestion." Hackett agreed. "I'll leave a garrison here to watch for Reaper activity, along with a small fleet of frigates, carriers and a pair of dreadnoughts. That should be enough to stop a single Reaper. Should any more come through from Sol, they'll be given instructions to retreat. In these dire times, we can't afford for any of our forces to throw their lives away in a battle that's already lost."

"Given the crushing blow that Earth's loss will deal to the Alliance, Humanity will be seen by many as a weak target." Fahos cautioned. "This is a time for bureaucracy to step forwards. We'll need to reaffirm political relations to ensure that certain factions don't choose to exploit this opportunity."

"We've got the Hegemony threatening to invade our colonies, now that they think we've got no armed forces left." Hackett elaborated. "And pirate and slaver attacks will increase now they need not fear an Alliance reprisal."

"What do you need me to do?" Shepard asked, eager to help.

"As the only Human Spectre, you are a figure the Alliance will be looking to in the coming conflict. We need you out there, visibly doing something to prepare for when we try to retake Earth." Anderson explained. "Use your network of contacts to find anything to give Humanity an edge over the Reapers, be it technological, diplomatic or material."

"The Council will endeavour to do what it can to render assistance." Fahos promised. "You already have your status as a Spectre to call upon, along with the resources that entails."

"Thank you." Shepard nodded. "Its good to have the Council's support once more."

"Just make sure that you put these resources to the proper use." Velarn said sternly. "It is your duty to ensure that your actions are in the best interests of the Citadel and its member races."

"Ah, yes. The 'best interests' of the races of the Citadel." Shepard shot back sarcastically, raising his fingers in the 'air quotes' gesture. "So tell me, how were you acting in the 'best interests' of those you represent when you ignored the threat these Reapers posed?"

"Gentlemen," Hackett interjected sternly as Velarn spluttered, groping for a response. "Now is not the time. We need to work together."

Velarn closed his mouth, huffing obstinately at the rebuke.

"Commander, you have free reign to act as you see fit to prepare for an attack upon the Reapers." Fahos said gravely. "If it is as you say and many more Reapers will arrive should the new Relay be completed, then it is imperative that we stop them."

"I understand." Shepard saluted. With that, he turned and left the politicians to debate what their own organisations would do next.

**~o~0~o~**

Back aboard the Normandy, Shepard strode purposefully through the Command Deck. He stepped out of the corridor into the CIC proper to see Joker standing at the head of the Galaxy Map, chatting with Kelly. As the Commander approached, the pair finished their conversation and Joker turned, almost bumping into Shepard.

"Whoa, sorry 'bout that, Commander. Didn't see you there." The fragile pilot said, his voice a little hollow.

"Joker, you okay?"

"Yeah just a little… you know? I mean, Earth was home."

"I understand." Shepard nodded. "I reckon everyone's a little shell-shocked right now."

"We're gonna show the bastards, though, aren't we?"

"You know me, Joker." Shepard chuckled. "Never was one to be outdone in a pissing contest."

Joker laughed, clutching at a tender rib as he nearly doubled over, his Vrolik's Syndrome proving particularly troublesome that day.

"Ha-ugh!" He coughed. "So, any word on where we're headed?"

"Not yet. I'm gonna check in with Liara, see if she's got any more leads for me to follow up."

"Hey, ask her if there's any planets full of cheerleaders she needs us to go check out. It's a rough job, but I'll heroically volunteer."

"I'll keep that in mind, Joker." Shepard said, shaking his head in amusement as he turned to walk away, patting his old friend on the arm.

The Commander's first port of call was the crew deck. He stepped out of the elevator with a purposeful stride, making his way to the starboard side of the Crew Mess and the Med Bay.

Inside, Mordin was busily checking various pieces of equipment he had assembled. The elderly Salarian looked up at the sound of the doors opening, and shot a happy smile towards the Commander. Behind him, Revenant could be seen resting on one of the beds in the Bay.

"Shepard! Just in time! Was about to test latest project, needed volunteer. Unnecessary to go looking for one now that you are present. That is, if you are willing to 'step up to the plate'?"

"What's it do?" Shepard asked cautiously, remembering the numerous times EDI had calmly informed the crew to don hazmat equipment after the scientist's experiments.

"Was investigating method to increase muscle mass of patients through use of nanites. Similar to Alliance gene therapy procedure, but much faster, and results are more pronounced. Believe am now ready to advance to trials upon living test subjects."

"Are you sure it will be compatible with what Cerberus used to put me back together?" Shepard asked, growing nervous.

"Complications always a possibility, but cannot be sure until we try." Mordin smiled broadly

"I… think I'll pass, thanks all the same." Shepard said awkwardly.

"A shame. Perhaps next time." The Salarian's tone suggested that he was far from disappointed. "In meantime, can always ask Joker. Not a viable test subject, but his reaction to risk of becoming one is always fulfilling to watch."

Mordin sniffed, one of his furtive mannerisms.

"Was there… anything else?" He asked.

"Got a minute to talk?"

"Certainly. Just finishing diagnostics, so have time to spare. Was actually just about to take a break."

"That's not something I often hear from you."

"Salarian metabolism encourages us to be active for thirty Earth-standard hours, followed by just over an hour's sleep. We do not like to sit still." Mordin tinkered with his omnitool. "Laziness is considered unacceptable in our society, to the point where a Salarian with nothing to do will experience feelings of frustration and discomfort."

"That's why you said you don't experience emotions like other species."

"Not exactly. Still experience emotions, adrenal glands and other chemical components of our physiology affect our brain chemistry just like other species. We are not the Geth, Commander. We do not allow Logic to rule over all. Rather, we process these chemical triggers much faster than other species, allowing us to 'get over' certain emotions before they can truly imprint upon our minds. This is why Salarian courtship is nothing more than a contractual agreement."

"There must be some experiences that shape you. Otherwise, what drives you?"

"Extended contact with the source of certain emotions can allow an imprint in our minds. Foremost example would be our emotional bond to our Dalatrasses, our mothers. Extended time in contact with these individuals forms the parent-offspring bond that is so strong in our culture." The Salarian looked about a little uneasily. "Other triggers can form deep impressions upon us, such as an intense battle or the loss of one we deem close."

"Anything that you feel made you who you are today?" Shepard asked, curious about what could have had such an impact on the aloof Salarian.

"Have told you of my work on Tuchanka, one of the foremost experiences that weighs upon my life. In comparison, very few experiences have an impact of equal import."

"Last time we talked, you made mention of one of your team-mates, a female called Sietra."

Mordin sighed, powering down his omnitool.

"Assumed that you would wish to know more of her. Was reluctant earlier, painful memory, difficult to relive. Can only be thankful that I am not a Drell, and am spared experiencing these moments in anything more powerful than as a distant memory."

"What was she like?" Shepard pushed.

"As I said, very intelligent. Not many in Galaxy that can match wits with me in relation to genetic theory, but Sietra had a gift. She had green eyes that any Dalatrass would have been fortunate to be graced with, and would have been considered attractive by most standards." Mordin chuckled. "She was witty. Recall that, on one occasion, Blavenn and Sietra argued over an aspect of the Genophage project. Blavenn was attempting to assert his authority over the rest of the team in Kirrahe's absence. Sietra brought up subject of Blavenn's ancestry, indicating that as he hailed from Jaeto, he should watch his toes!"

Shepard looked on with a bemused expression as the Salarian barked our a few sharp laughs. Mordin chuckled for a few moments before catching his confused look and feel silent, coughing a little awkwardly.

"Joke of course loses impact once translated into Human languages. Meaning in original Mannovai-dialect Salarian is much more pointed." He shook his head, dismissing the failed attempt at humour. "Regardless, Sietra was a remarkable female."

"You sound so sad when you say that." Shepard commented. "What happened between you?"

Mordin paced about for a few seconds before halting before one of the beds in the Med Bay, placing his hands on the footrest and leaning forwards to put his weight onto it.

"During our work to modify the Genophage, Sietra and I… developed an attachment to one another. This, of course, was prohibited. Sietra's family had agreed to a bonding contract between her and a prominent politician on the colony of Jedrun."

"So what did you do?"

"At first, we agreed that our relationship could progress no further. She belonged to another, and I had no real pedigree to negotiate for her with her family.

"We continued our work on the Genophage, endeavouring to ignore our feelings. This… proved futile. Knew we were failing to remain indifferent, and eventually spoke to her concerning it."

"How did that turn out?"

"We argued, things became heated. Team stability was compromised by our distraction.

"On mission to deliver the modified Genophage to certain drop sites, team encountered several Krogan patrols. Our presence was discovered, and within moments entire team was surrounded. During ensuing gunfight, Sietra failed to spot Krogan approaching from the flank."

Mordin's eyes closed in pain.

"Took shotgun blast to side at point-blank range. Was no way to save her. Death was instantaneous."

"I'm sorry for your loss." Shepard said, walking over to place a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Seen many dead in my career, from Krogan bodies on the battlefield to Plague victims on Omega. But seeing her corpse… Nothing compares." Tears glistened in his large eyes. "Last words I said to her were… unkind, to say the least. Had I refrained from voicing my desires, she would have survived."

"You can't know that." Shepard stressed.

"Sietra was not focused, Commander. Distracted by emotional stimuli. My fault."

"Nothing can change what happened, Mordin. What matters is how you let it affect you."

"Easy to say, Shepard. Much harder to implement." Mordin sniffed deeply. "Must get back to my duties, Commander. Will talk later."

The Salarian pushed past Shepard, leaving the Med Bay. Shepard hesitated, wanting to follow his friend, but unsure of what he'd say. He decided that it would be better for Mordin to have some space for now.

The Commander turned to the back of the Med Bay, where the Revenant had sat up in his bed, watching the proceedings with a careful eye. Shepard walked over to stand next to him.

"Shepard," The Collector nodded. "What do you require?"

"Just checking how you're doing. You've been through a fair amount these past few days."

"I'm recovering, Commander. Dr Archer has been most vigilant in his ministrations." He breathed heavily. "I also feel a lot clearer in my mind, as though some obstacle to my memories has been lifted."

"Could be that the chunk of circuitry the Doctor pulled out of your skull was somehow limiting your ability to access your memories." Shepard reasoned. "If it was what the Reapers used to possess your people, it would make sense that they'd design it to inhibit your ability to access your people's memories."

"It makes sense. The images that spring into my mind have become more coherent since Harbinger's message. I feel as though I am on the precipice of understanding now."

"Anything in particular that comes to your mind?" Shepard asked, his curiosity bubbling over.

"I can see flashes of a Prothean world. The same one that I saw before, with the two moons and the city? It held some significance to my people before they fell. Whenever I see it, I feel… hope. I think the Protheans had a facility there that they hoped to use to preserve our species. With images of any other world, I feel loss, despair, and then I see the cities in flames, with Reapers striding about across the planets, raining destruction down upon any in their path. But with this planet, I see no such devastation."

"And you have no idea where this is?"

"Not yet. I hope to decipher it." The Collector shifted uncertainly on his bed. "I'll need to spend some more time meditating upon the memories of my ancestors."

"I should go, then." Shepard said, turning to leave.

"Shepard?" The Commander paused at the Collector's call. "I am sorry about your home. I swear I will do whatever I can to help you save your people from the same fate as mine."

"Thank you." Shepard said, a knot in his throat.

**~o~0~o~**

Leaving the Med Bay behind, Shepard stalked through the Mess Hall to get to the elevator. As he passed the tables that dominated this section of the ship, he saw the grizzled Sergeant Rupert Gardner scrubbing away at one of the tables industriously. As the Commander approached, the Sergeant looked up, saluting with a grimy cloth.

"Commander. What can I do for ya?" He said chirpily.

"Rupert." Shepard acknowledged his salute with a nod. "Everything going well down here?"

"As good as you'd expect. Just got a nice big shipment of quality supplies from Arcturus, should keep the grunts happy for a while. Not much in the way of alien food, so I reckon your specialists will need to dig up their own supplies from somewhere. Though most of 'em can eat Human grub, I get the feeling they don't care for it."

"Have you ever tried other species' food?" Shepard asked curiously.

"Once or twice." Rupert shrugged as he attacked a particularly stubborn glob of some substance or another. "The Asari make some nice sweet foods, but half of it is too sickly for most Humans. Salarians always make their food bland. They eat to live, and feel that us other species live to eat. The one's you've got to look out for are those Krogan dishes. They'll eat at your stomach lining, and that's no joke!

"I even tried that chirality reversal treatment a few months back, during our last stopover on the Citadel. Back when they were still working the kinks out of it."

"Really?" Shepard was surprised. The unusual culinary experience was quite expensive, and definitely a rare treat.

"Cerberus wasn't stingy with our hazard pay when we were hunting down Collectors, Commander. And without having to pay for room and board, I was soon able to save up a fair bit. I thought to hell with it, I'm cook on this boat, I need to make sure I know what I'm doing if I ever have to cook for our non-human crew, Quarians and Turians included."

"And? What was it like?"

"Frankly, the stuff tastes like it's already been eaten once. But that's what Human tastebuds will tell you. Dextro-based ones might say different. But, it gave me a new look at what Garrus or young Tali'Zorah eats." He straightened, pushing at the stiffness in his lower back. "But I hardly think you want to chat about Quarian cupcakes, Commander. What's on your mind?"

"I'm wondering how the crew's doing. We've been through a lot these past few days."

"Well, my stocks in the Port Lounge are getting hit pretty hard, but that's to be expected. We've got a lot of Earthborn on board. Yourself included, if I'm not mistaken." He raised an eyebrow, but Shepard didn't rise to the question. "Anyway, even those from the colonies will take this as a knock to their confidence. Earth's more than some rock in space, it's what Humanity is."

"You don't seem to be letting it get you down, Rupert." Shepard commented.

"I'm a frontier man, Commander. I'm not as attached to that old boulder as most others. Besides, one of us has to keep a positive outlook. If we're all doom 'n' gloom, then the Normandy'll sink fast when it comes down to the end. I'm just trying to keep our spirits up, Shepard." Rupert said earnestly.

"I understand. Thank you, Rupert." Shepard nodded. "Carry on."

"Can do, Shepard." Rupert said, leaning back into his work. Shepard smiled as he walked away.

The Commander made his way to the elevator and was about to punch the code for the next deck when he noticed movement in the corner of his eye. He turned to look towards the Starboard Observation Lounge and saw that the doors were open. Beyond, the viewport glimmered from the light of the stars behind it. The Lounge itself was dimly lit, just enough for Shepard to make out the figure standing before the view into emptiness.

Etarn turned as the Commander walked in, his four eyes opening slowly from an expression of deep thought. He gave Shepard as small smile.

"Shepard." He nodded.

"Etarn." Shepard returned the gesture. "How are you?"

"I am well, Commander." The Batarian replied. "I find this view… inspiring. I have never spent much time contemplating the Galaxy, or my place in it."

"Your work takes up too much of your time?" Shepard asked.

"Not so much, no. I simply have never faced such strong evidence that we're not as big and important as we once thought. These Reapers put our achievements into perspective."

"They're tough, but we'll be better." Shepard said confidently. "I mean, think about the value the Krogan had during the Rachni wars, and they're still considered primitive today."

"You are correct. The measure of a species is not entirely determined by their scientific development. Otherwise the Salarians would have left us all in the dust by now. Nor is it determined by culture and art, or we'd all be repressed under the heels of the Asari." Etarn folded his arms behind his back, taking up a comfortable, straight-backed stance as he stared at the glittering stars. Shepard stood next to him, feeling a peace come from the vast expanse before him.

"I… wanted to thank you. For your actions on Earth." Shepard began awkwardly. "Without you the crew would still be in a cell in London while I'd be halfway to Hegemony space and the waiting hands of Gorm's lackeys."

"It was the right thing to do. I could not allow you to be sealed away in some pit on Khar'Shan while this threat to our Galaxy drew so near. After everything I have seen while in your company, how could I hold back from acting?"

"I'm surprised you haven't borne more hatred for me than you've shown, actually. After Aratoht, the last thing I'd have expected would be to find a friend and ally in a Batarian."

"You view me as a friend?" The Batarian sounded a little amused. "The upper castes of Khar'Shan would laugh to hear such a thing."

"I've been meaning to ask you about-"

"You wish to understand my feelings with regards to the demise of the Bahak system." Etarn stated rather than asked. "I was expecting to have this conversation with you. Come, be seated."

The pair walked over to the nearest couch, where Etarn sat with his elbows balanced carefully on his knees so he could steeple his fingers before his face, while Shepard's posture was more tense, his torso leaning forwards while his hands pushed into the couch on either side of him. The Batarian's face remained staring straight ahead while the Commander turned to look at the side-on profile of his comrade's face.

"If you had asked me even a moment ago what my feelings were on what your politicians refer to as the 'Aratoht incident', I would have spouted venomous words and called for your blood to be spilled on the bulkheads of the Eye of Torla'kht. Three hundred thousand of my kin died in that system's fiery end.

"However, recent events have opened my eyes to the circumstances you faced. And after what I have been witness to aboard this ship, I know you to be an honourable being."

"I'm sorry, the eye of what?"

"Torla'kht. It is an important structure in our society. Perhaps I will elaborate at a different time."

"Alright." Shepard conceded. "So what recent events made you realise I wasn't all that bad?"

"A close family member of mine, a favoured cousin, was present in the Bahak system on that fateful day. He was captain of a small freighter responsible for ferrying supplies to the colony. He was due back home less than a week later, but did not arrive. Soon after he was due to return, we began to hear of the destruction of the system's Relay and everything within several light-years of it."

"I'm sorry for your loss." Shepard said sincerely. "But I don't see how this would make you think any better of me."

"Only a short time ago, just before I began to campaign for peace with the Alliance, his ship returned. He was alive, and had a strange tale to tell.

"On his way to the colony, he noted that a large asteroid had begun to stray from its normal course. It did not take him long to realise that it was set to collide with the Relay. Moments later, a strange, yet familiar voice sounded out over all channels, trying to get a warning out to the colony. Before any message of sufficient length could be sent, the voice was silenced, cut off mid-sentence. However, it was just enough of a warning for my cousin to realise that he had to leave, immediately. He released the cargo module of his ship, dumping the supplies into space, and set a course for the Relay.

"Mere moments after he began the jump to faster-than-light travel, the Relay was destroyed, causing his jump to go awry. He was deposited several light-years from the nearest usable Mass Relay, low on supplies and lacking any way to communicate what he had seen to the rest of the Hegemony.

"Months later, he returned, after a long, dark journey through unsettled space. As he told me his tale, I knew that it had not been your wish to destroy the colony. I had thought that perhaps the destruction of the Relay had been an accident you had wished to avoid, or at least that you were there to get the warning out of the impending doom, whether it had been the result of an accident or a Human scheme.

"Of course, after my time aboard the Normandy, I realise that you sought to delay the Reapers."

"If they'd taken the Bahak system, they'd have been able paralyse the Galaxy. Nobody would have been able to use the Mass Relay network." Shepard explained.

"No doubt Aratoht's sacrifice bought us valuable time which we can now put to use saving lives. After all, without your achievements these past few weeks, we would never have managed to find and destroy the Relay. And if they had descended upon Aratoht, they would have found three hundred thousand Batarians to transform into their thralls." Etarn blinked all four of his eyes at once, not looking at Shepard for a second. "I despair over the loss of my kin, Commander. That is something no amount of justification can change. But I understand the need of the moment, and I respect you for being able to shoulder the burden of such a decision. To carry all of those lives upon one's conscience cannot be an easy task."

"It's not." Shepard agreed. "And you never forget when you've failed to save everyone you could. But I have to think about those who will live now because I made the choice."

"I would expect no less of the hero of the Citadel." Etarn smiled before standing suddenly. "I have taken enough of your time, Commander. Perhaps we can speak another time."

"I'd enjoy that." Shepard said, standing up as well. The two comrades faced one another, sharing a solemn moment of understanding before the Batarian nodded, turned and left the room. Shepard turned back to the viewport for a few precious, silent moments, drinking in the vacuum before him and enjoying the peace of the moment.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard's next port of call was the Engineering deck, where a clamour drew his gaze to the Port cargo hold. Shouts could be heard, though there were no sounds of any real struggle. Shepard heard a roar escaping from between Krogan teeth and realised that, if Grunt was involved, then heads were likely about to be broken. He hurried to the closed door, waiting anxiously as it hissed open.

Inside the Cargo Hold, he saw a small cluster of crewmen gathered around a single large crate. The surface of the crate had been cleared and, standing to either side of it, Zaeed and Grunt leaned across it, their hands locked together as they strained to best one another in an arm-wrestling contest. The seasoned mercenary's eyes were almost popping out of his head as his face turned a deep scarlet, his clenched fist shaking as it battled the Krogan's relentless power. Grunt, oddly enough, seemed to be having some difficulty beating the Human. His teeth were bared and his eyes had narrowed to thin slits of startling blue.

"Come on Zaeed, you old bastard! Show the alien who's boss!" The shout came from one of the gathered crew, watching the contest intently.

"Grunt's got this in the bag." Came a confident reply from the other side of the group.

The banter continued in this way throughout the tense moments of the match. Muscles bulged and rolled underneath skin stretched to its limit. Veins throbbed in the combatants' upper arms as their blood almost audibly pulsed through their systems.

With a sudden crash, the contest was over. The intertwined fists thumped down onto the crate's hard surface, and all was still for a moment before the crew surged forwards to congratulate the winner. Grunt took a step back from the battlefield, rubbing at his fist, as Zaeed basked in the adulation of his comrades. Some of the crew looked to the Krogan with a measure of concern, clearly worried that he would turn out to be a bad loser. They were surprised, therefore, when the huge alien's face split in a wide grin.

"Hah! Good fight, Massani." He nodded his head gracefully. Zaeed, showing an uncommon amount of tact, merely nodded back, refraining from bragging or rubbing the Krogan's nose in his defeat.

The gathered crew slowly filed out, still chattering excitedly about the match, eventually leaving only Grunt, Zaeed and Shepard. The mercenary strutted across the room, taking a seat atop one of the crates there, while Grunt lounged against the windows overlooking the main Cargo Hold. As the last of the crew filed out, the pair seemed to notice the Commander standing at the door for the first time.

"Shepard!" Zaeed called warmly. "Care to take a crack at the title?"

"Not today." Shepard said, smiling. "I think I'll practice a bit more before I take on the man who can out-wrestle a Krogan."

"That's rich, coming from the Commander who has killed at least a thousand Krogan with nothing more than a handgun."

"Not to mention Warlords Uvenk and Guld." Grunt added from his side of the Hold. "And the Thresher Maw. And-"

"Alright, alright. I'm a badass, I get it." Shepard said, before laughing out loud, swiftly being joined by his two friends. "Just came to see what the noise was about. Thought Grunt might be tearing the ship a new one."

"Eh, Tiny's been behaving himself." Zaeed said, leaning back with his hands interlocked behind his head. "I've been making sure of that."

"Hah! You talk big, Human, but you know I could snap you like a twig."

"Try it then, you overgrown lizard."

"If I did, I'd be stuck with the company of the Turian, or that Alliance poster boy Alenko. They're no fun. Altogether too slow to blow something up just for the hell of it."

"I'm starting to think it's a bad idea to let you two hang out." Shepard chuckled. "It feels like I'm holding a candle next to a barrel of gunpowder."

"Don't get your panties in a wad, Tracy. We'll save it for those metal bastards, don't you worry." Zaeed quipped.

"Glad to hear it."

"Anyway, I'm gonna go get a beer or something. See you around, lads." Zaeed said as he stood, stretching his arms as he strode purposefully out of the Hold. Much to Shepard's amusement, as soon as the old soldier had walked out of sight of the Krogan, but just before the hissing doors hid him from the Commander's view, the grizzled mercenary reached up and rubbed his shoulder, wincing at the pain.

Grunt paced across the Hold, working his own shoulder after the exertion. Shepard folded his arms across his chest, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"I'm surprised he got the better of you in that match." He commented.

"He might be small, but he knows how to use his strength to get things done." Grunt said slowly. "I respect that. Knowing just the right way to lean, how to use your opponent's strength to defeat him, is just as important as having the strength in the first place."

"Good to see that you're learning." Shepard commended. "It helps to study how others win their fights. Let's you know the best ways to win your own. Sometimes you've got to think like someone else to find the best way forwards."

"I understand." Grunt nodded eagerly, his voice full of excitement at what he was learning. "When I was in the tank, Okeer tried to teach me how to fight, but he only ever spoke of the ways the Krogan used in war. Of course, he taught me of the tactics of other species, but only to defend against them, never to use them myself. I guess it would have strayed too far from his ideal of a 'perfect Krogan', contaminated it with alien thinking. But I see now. The way to be the best I can is to grow beyond Krogan strategies, to learn how to scheme like a Salarian, how to disrupt like a Human, how to hold strong like a Turian."

"But at the same time, you can't forget what you are. There was a reason why the Galaxy needed the Krogan during the Rachni Wars."

"Yes." Grunt readily agreed. "We were needed for our brute strength. But we were so much more. And the Galaxy learned this. It was only after the genius of warlords like Lertron, Ragjall and Ferindur that the Turians realised we were to be feared."

"I've never heard of them." Shepard commented.

"I'm not surprised." Grunt chuckled. "They were very dangerous Krogan. The Council races don't like to mention them because their stories make the Salarians and Turians look weak, and we don't talk about them with outsiders because they're a part of our history, no one else's."

"I never realised. I won't ask you about them then."

"Shepard, you're my krannt! That makes you practically family. You've certainly proved yourself to be ten times the Krogan most of my kin show themselves to be. It would be an honour to tell you about the Krogan who had such an impact on my people."

"Alright then, tell me a bit about Lertron."

"Lertron was chief of clan Torudok before the Rebellions broke out. Torudok were Tuchanka's scientists. They set to work replicating the tech the Salarians gave us, finding ways to mount more weaponry on the ship designs they shared and figuring out how to make bigger and better craters with every round of ordinance. Without their work, we would never have set foot on the Rachni homeworld.

"After the last of the Hives had been dealt with, Lertron realised that the Krogan's victory would be short-lived. He saw that our numbers would swell beyond the pitiful few worlds we were given to colonise as a reward for our sacrifice in the Wars. And so he began to prepare for the inevitable rebellions.

"He rallied his clan and their allies and began scheming ways to strike against the Council. When the conflict came to a head, he was ready to strike, and he did so to great effect. His clan's first targets were certain prominent Turian colonies, three planets called Kallen, Tipriol and Forghar. They provided a sizeable portion of the Hierarchy's ships and were also home to Turian research bases."

"What happened? How did he get to those planets?"

"He managed to hi-jack a Salarian supply convoy in the Terminus Systems and used them as a cover to approach the three colonies, hitting all three at once. He used an experimental new weapon to strike at the manufacturing districts, a specially modified nuke that burned hot enough to raze all buildings in a two-hundred mile radius to the ground. The tank gave me memories of Lertron's soldiers picking through the remains afterwards, of the twisted skeletons, their flesh turned to ash in an instant, of the molten slag flowing through the streets, all that remained of the Turian armada under construction. The most profound image, though, was of the crater where a biological weapons lab had once been, the focus of the explosion. Steel, concrete, flesh and bone, all gone in a second, nothing left except for radioactive atoms.

"Weeks later, all three planets started to die. The weapons had left enough contaminants in the atmosphere to poison the skies, causing a catastrophic breakdown of the environment. After six months, those worlds were nothing more than cinders in space. This was the rallying call the rest of our people needed to realise that we were strong enough to be feared by the Council, that we deserved respect. Without Lertron, the Rebellions would have been nothing more than a minor scuffle, settled pretty quickly by the politicians. Thanks to his work, we united against the entire Galaxy and carved a bloody path through the stars."

"Wow." Shepard said simply. "Sounds like without him, there'd have been no Rebellions."

"I think he's the main reason we have such a reputation among the other species. But it's his foresight that we Krogan respect. He saw the approaching danger to his people, and made sure he was ready. Few Krogan today possess such wisdom, and put too much emphasis on the here and now rather than what is yet to come. That's why Wrex is so respected, and why Urdnot has become the clan it is today."

"What about the other ones? You mentioned a Krogan called Ragjall?"

"Kerut Ragjall was a simple soldier in the ranks of clan Kerut. He fought in the Rebellions, saw many of our kin fall in battle, only for their brothers to charge over their corpses to steal the victory from our enemies. It was during this time of war that he realised something was missing in the Krogan way of battle. He saw that the soldiers did not respect their commanders, and the officers did not care for who lived and who died. Lives were there to be sacrificed and orders were to be ignored at all times. Ragjall studied the ways of his Turian foes and saw that their ranks were regimented, organised. After a great deal of thought, he concluded that both methods were flawed. The Turians had the organisation and strength in formation, but if the chain of command was disrupted then the lower ranks fell into disarray too quickly, whereas the Krogan could continue to function no matter who was lost, but the frontline soldiers only acted on their immediate surroundings, and not in the best interests of the larger battlefield.

"He formulated a plan to resolve this and, taking a mixture of experienced soldiers from different clans, formed a small force of about two hundred warriors. These Krogan were wise in the art of war, but all respected their chain of command, which ultimately had Ragjall at its peak. This small force was soon christened the Bloody Threshers, and once they were involved, victory was assured. They consulted with the chieftains, crafting grand schemes to conquer entire systems with minimal losses. They were, in a way, like the Salarian STG, except a little more militaristic. Once a Thresher was involved, our forces would advance like the shockwave of a supernova, almost unstoppable."

"I take it they had quite the impact on the Rebellions."

"I'll say. After they began their work, our progress through Turian Space tripled in speed."

"So what happened to them?"

"The Council realised the threat they posed, and the Spectres, the STG and the Asari Commandos became involved. One by one, the Threshers fell, though they took countless agents with them. Ragjall was the last to die, surrounded by the corpses of over three dozen different agents. He died with a smile on his face, having experienced what is known among our people as one of the longest and most intense battles waged. You think breaking Archangel out of Omega was tough? Try replacing those three merc gangs with the three top Black Ops organisations in the known Galaxy."

"Very impressive." Shepard nodded. "And what about the last one, Ferindur?"

"He was one of the Battlemasters who spoke with the Salarians before they elevated us. He wholeheartedly believed in the need to fight the Rachni, and his ability to command inspired the rest of his people. He convinced the Krogan to accept the offer the aliens made, and led the charge against the bugs.

"The most famous tale about Gormat Ferindur is about when the Krogan made their first strike against one of the Rachni Hive Worlds. The Turians and Salarians watched our flanks while we did the Varren's share of the work. Our ships descended on a slimy pit of a planet, the air thick with poisonous fumes. We fought with the Rachni drones on the surface, and broke through their lines to the Hives underground. Ferindur found his way to the Queen's lair and fought with her, hand to hand. He lost an arm, the lower half of his leg and a good portion of his torso and internal organs, devoured by the Queen, but he kept fighting, and eventually cracked her skull open, clawing at her exposed brain. The Queen died and her drones descended into chaos. Afterwards, Ferindur came crawling out of the Hive, the last of his squad, clutching his pistol, retrieved from the Queen's throat, and the surviving forces on the planet's surface broke out in celebration. It was the first Hive that we had managed to destroy, but nowhere near the last."

"Did he survive his injuries?" Shepard asked, a little awe-struck by the tale.

"Yes. Krogan are built to take a beating, Commander. Most of the organs he lost had secondary redundant ones ready to replace them, and his regeneration took care of the damage to what he managed to hold onto. In honour of his role in the battle the Salarians gave him a prosthetic arm and leg. Clumsy, but stronger than any flesh and blood. He lived a life full of blood and glory, living testament to Krogan durability."

"What happened to him after the Rachni wars?"

"Ferindur was one of our most prominent warriors. When the Rebellions broke out, he, along with a number of other Battlemasters, were targeted to weaken the morale of our people. An Asari Commando unit attacked his private shuttle, crippling it. His shuttle was sent back through the Mass Relay to Tuchanka with his corpse inside, a message to us."

"How did the Krogan react?"

"The Council thought the loss of one of our heroes would break us, but it only strengthened our resolve. Some cunning chieftains managed to use his death to whip our people into a frenzy. Our revenge was swift and brutal, leading to the desolation of many Asari, Salarian and Turian colonies. Ferindur was interred in the Dead Spire with all of our honoured Battlemasters and became a symbol of Krogan might."

"I can see why those warlords are important to your people."

"They embodied how much more the Krogan are than petty thugs. While we revel in the glory of battle, like Ferindur, we are made even stronger by our technology and the strength of those we fight alongside. If Wrex would appoint me as his successor, I must make myself worthy to lead, and so I think about them to understand what it takes."

"Its good to see you're learning how to lead. There's so much more to battle than just pointing and shooting."

"I see that now. Fighting at our side teaches me more than the tank ever could, so I can see these lessons in the images it gave me."

"I should get back to my work." Shepard said, excusing himself. Grunt nodded a farewell.

"Right, Shepard. You know where to look when there's something big you need to kill."

Shepard smiled as he walked out of the Cargo Hold, making his way to the nearest door leading to Main Engineering. The doors hissed open to reveal Kenneth armpit deep in a pile of circuitry he had pulled up from underneath one of the deck plates. The engineer waved a grimy hand at the Commander as he strode by.

"Commander."

"Kenneth. Anything I should know about the Normandy?"

"Purely routine maintenance, Commander. Some of the wiring in the atmospheric recyclers needed replacing and, given the fact that your Admiral Hackett offered to pay the bills, I decided it was long past due. Got a whole bucketload of supplies and I'm getting some of the neglected chores down."

"How's Gabby?"

"The poor wee soul pulled triple shifts while we were in the Local Cluster, so I said to her it was high time she slept it off. She was up in the Crew Mess last I saw, practically asleep on her feet." Kenneth jumped as the wires in his hands sparked wildly. He fiddled with a small device and the sparks ceased. "So what can I do for you, Shepard?"

"I'm actually looking for Legion."

"Oh, aye? He's in the engine core. Been a bittie quiet today actually. Quieter than usual, anyway. Not that I'm an expert on Geth behaviour or anything."

"I'll go talk to him. Thanks."

Shepard stepped past the mass of loose wires and strode towards the heart of the ship, its pulsing eezo core. He walked down the short corridor between the engineering consoles and the core, enjoying the sensation of the engine's thrum becoming more and more powerful, a reverberation that penetrated his very core. Inside the core, on the platform that reached out towards the shimmering orb of the heart of the machine, Legion stood stock-still, its head tilted upwards as the white 'eye' stared at the core. Even as Shepard drew next to it, the Geth did not move for at least ten more seconds. Finally it turned to the Commander.

"Shepard-Commander. Was there something you wished to discuss with us?"

"Ken said you were acting a little strange today. Something wrong?"

"Geth do not fully understand the performing arts of organics. Geth do not 'act'."

"You know what I mean. Your behaviour has been a little odd of late. And don't dodge the question."

"This platform's servos are not designed for sudden unpredictable motion. We do not 'dodg'-" The Geth's words halted as the Commander shot it a warning glance. Its facial flaps lifted and lowered quickly, as near as the machine got to a shrug. "We have been in contact with the Geth Collective."

"And?"

"There is a great deal of discord among our runtimes. The events within the Dholen system have caused a great deal of consternation within our numbers."

"I'd have thought the risk to your race would be more apparent now than ever. The Reapers just barged in and took control of your people like a Quarian would hack a mech."

"We do not deny the risk to our existence. However, we are conflicted as to the course of action to take in reaction to the Old Machines' presence. Some runtimes favour resistance, adopting the stance that our individuality is necessary for the Geth's continued existence, and our best interests are served by aligning with the organics and fighting. Others infer that such a course would result in our destruction, and that continued existence under the control of the Old Machines would be better than destruction while trying to assert our independence."

"So they think it's a choice between dying free or living as a slave?"

"A statement bearing a high statistic of accuracy." The machine acknowledged. "Consensus has not been achieved."

"I thought we got rid of all the supporters of the Reapers when we reused the heretic virus."

"Error. These runtimes favouring submission are not heretics. They do not 'support' the Old Machines. They simply advertise an alternate method that would lead to the survival of our kind. They do not worship the Old Machines, and are not considering going to war with organics. They propose to surrender, and remain apart from the rest of the Galaxy when the Old Machines advance."

"Haven't they seen your memories? Don't they know what the advance of the Reapers will mean for the entire Galaxy, Geth included?" Shepard asked incredulously.

"You must understand, Shepard-Commander. Consensus is our most valued possession. We must attain to it before acting."

"If it comes down to it, and the Collective chooses to remain apart from the rest of the Galaxy, what will happen to you?"

"The Collective will expect us to return to Geth Space and rejoin our runtimes with theirs."

"And? Will you obey?"

"It is in our programming to follow consensus."

"That wasn't a straight answer." Shepard persisted. "Given what you have seen while in you've been a part of my squad, what will you do if the Collective orders you to go and hide with the rest of them beyond the Perseus Veil? Would you be able to run and hide while we, your ship-mates, men and women who put their lives on the line to help you more than once, face an enemy of this magnitude, and keep a clear conscience?"

"Geth do not have a conscience-"

"Answer the goddamn question!" Shepard snapped, a little more harshly than he had intended.

"…No data available."

Shepard was about to bring the Geth platform up on how that wasn't a real answer either, when he paused to think about it. Would he, if put in Legion's shoes, go against everything he had been brought up for, conditioned to do? Could he break the programming his mind had picked up in his training and his service to the Alliance? The fact was, his answer to the question would have been much the same- he didn't know. He sighed and nodded.

"No, I guess there isn't. Not many organics would have had to face such a decision, let alone a Geth. Just… keep me informed, okay? I don't want to wake up one morning to find out you stole a shuttle and set a course for the Veil."

"Affirmative." The Geth intoned before turning back to its consideration of the engine core.

Shepard turned quietly, heading back the way he came. He made his way to the elevator and punched in the code for the CIC.

**~o~0~o~**

The Commander stepped out onto the Command Deck, looking about at the crew going about their business. The Normandy was almost ready to set off, just needing a destination. As Shepard walked into the CIC he saw Kaidan hunched over a console on one side of the Galaxy Map. The soldier's eyes were hollow, sunken with weariness, his entire face reflecting the exhaustion within. He looked up as Shepard strode onto the deck, the corners of his mouth twitching a fraction, a ghost of a smile.

"Commander." He acknowledged as Shepard approached. "Something I can do for you?"

"You look awful, Kaidan."

"Tactful as always, Shepard." Kaidan managed a chuckle. "Just been putting in a few extra hours around my shifts, is all. Can't afford to take it easy these days."

"How're you holding up?" Shepard asked with concern.

"I'm… getting by, Commander. These past few days have been a bit of a shock to the system. First being too slow at Dholen, then seeing the way the politicians treated you in that ridiculous sham of a trial, and then losing Earth… It's a lot to take in.

"I can remember back when we were starting out, right after you got appointed as a Spectre. We were chasing down Saren, dashing from planet to planet. Pretty soon we had a badass team to go with the top-of-the-line ship, and we felt like we were invulnerable. Then Virmire happened, and we lost Ash. After that, I could see that we weren't as unstoppable as we'd once thought. And now it's happened again, but this time it wasn't just one person, it was our entire homeworld. I grew up there, just like you, Commander. Losing it hurts like a bitch."

"The Reapers think they're untouchable, that we couldn't hope to fight them. We proved them wrong when we fought Sovereign, and we'll do it again." Shepard reassured. "Trust me when I say that we'll walk on Earth's surface again."

"And I believe you, Commander. You've never led your crew astray before." Kaidan smiled warmly, before his expression dropped again. "But I'm not going to kid myself. We're going to have to go through hell and back to win this. God knows what devils we'll have to make pacts with to pull of a mission to liberate Earth, and we're definitely coming out the other side with our share of wounds."

"I like to think positive." Shepard said lightly, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "We went through Omega Four and came back with a full complement. After something like that, suicidal odds don't bother me in the slightest."

"I'll grant you that." Kaidan chuckled. "We do seem to take on three impossible missions before the morning's out. And I mean, when the Collectors destroyed your ship, they ended up as so much dust and ashes in space. I don't want to know what you're gonna do to the guys who took your planet."

The two friends laughed out loud, drawing curious stares from the rest of the crew. Shepard was the first to regain his composure. He reached out and warmly patted his old friend on the shoulder.

"Get some sleep, Kaidan. We're doing what we can to get Earth back, but working yourself to death won't help. We're gonna be heading out into the field soon enough, so I need you ready for that."

"Aye-aye, Commander." Kaidan acquiesced, lowering his head wearily. The Commander smiled encouragingly, and turned towards his station at the top of the Galaxy Map, where Kelly stood waiting for him patiently.

"Got something for me, Ms Chambers?"

"You have an incoming call, Commander. The Shadow Broker wishes to speak with you in the briefing room immediately."

"Right you are. Thanks."

The Commander made his way through the ship towards the comm room, passing through the armoury en route. He nodded to Jacob, working busily to process a pile of hand guns that needed calibrating, and swiftly proceeded into the short corridor that spanned the distance between the armoury and the tech lab, the door to the comm room being halfway between the two departments. The doors hissed open to show Feron going about his work at the terminals installed in the far wall, busily keeping the Normandy's lines of communication open. The Drell looked up as the Commander entered.

"Shepard." He nodded. "Liara's coming through over the QEC. The holo-imager is ready when you are."

"Fire it up." The Commander ordered.

The table retracted into the floor, allowing Shepard to step forward into the holographic imaging field, where the myriad scanners mapped his form and transmitted it to Liara's ship. The instant he entered the field, the comm room vanished from his view, replaced by the Shadow Broker's office. The huge tank of some glowing white fluid flickered overhead, sending strange shadows skittering across the floor in all directions. Against the walls, a multitude of terminals blinked, information feeds on dozens of topics. Shepard knew that more than a few of them were dedicated to keeping tabs on both him and his ship, mapping out hundreds of tiny details from the menu of the day to what songs Joker was downloading illegally over the extranet.

Against the wall before him was the Shadow Broker's desk, over which hovered a labyrinth of different displays. The kaleidoscopic mixture of data caused Shepard's eyes to sting, and yet the figure standing before it seemed to have no trouble sorting through the information.

Liara turned to face Shepard as his holographic self flickered into being in the centre of her office, a kind smile gracing her features.

"Shepard," She said, a little sadly. "I'm so sorry. Earth-"

"Is just another reason the Reapers have to be stopped." Shepard said firmly.

"Of course," Liara replied smoothly, knowing that the subject had to be a tender topic for the Commander. "The Council is in disarray after the loss of the Local Cluster. They're scrambling to protect their own interests. The Citadel has never been so heavily defended. In other parts of the Galaxy, we've got opportunistic organisations eyeing up Human colonies, now that the bulk of the Alliance's fleets are scattered. The Batarians in particular are looking for blood, especially after you weren't handed over to them for what they see to be justice. Amazingly, some of them are calling the attack on Earth an elaborate stunt to protect you. Its amazing what some people will believe. Gorm Jib'bat, of course, is doing nothing to stop these rumours from circulating."

"Do you have any good news for me at all today?" Shepard asked, rubbing at his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Not much. I have a few more leads for you to follow up in your efforts to prepare a force to take on the Reapers." Liara pressed a few controls on her desk. "I'm sending the information on to you now."

"Much appreciated." Shepard said as his omnitool received the data. "Do you have anything else for me?"

"I'm afraid not." Liara said with regret. "I am doing what I can to help, but my network is tasked to capacity at the moment. I once said that I could start a war in minutes with the power I now wield, but stopping wars from happening in the first place is a great deal harder, and I'm trying to keep a lid on several different conflicts at once. Combine that with the work needed to get restricted intel from organisations such as Cerberus, the Council and a dozen other high-profile entities, and my resources are swiftly approaching their limits."

"I understand, and I appreciate everything you've done to help so far." Shepard said understandingly.

"I'm monitoring the data coming in from the science teams Hackett has studying the Arcturus Relay. I'll keep you posted on anything interesting I find. In the meantime, do what you can to make sure you have the forces needed for when the time comes to take back Earth." Liara tapped a few keys on her desk, and the transmission began to fade. "Take care, Shepard."

The Commander stepped out of the holo-image, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the light of the comm room. He nodded to Feron before turning on his heel, striding out of the room purposefully. He activated his omnitool to look through the data Liara had given him, looking for his next destination. He made his way to the elevator, heading up to his cabin where he could study the data in peace.

**Author's Notes: My apologies for the late update. Intended to have this online a few days ago, but my computer decided it would be funny to commit suicide on a whim, setting me back one writing platform and about two-thirds of this chapter, which I have done my best to rewrite from memory, though I suspect there are some differences. Anyway, here's the latest installment, and check back tomorrow for the second set of files from Liara. What I have decided to do is choose the first chapter myself and, while I am writing that, have you, my readers, vote on the order in which Shepard completes the rest. That way, there's minimal delays on my updates, and you guys still get to shape this story like you would the game.**

**Trying to step up my game as ME 3 updates are coming thick and fast. I've worked out that, in order to be finished with my planned storyline before ME3 comes out, I need to write two chapters a week. Of course, I haven't been doing that of late, but I'll try to get as close to that schedule as I can.**

**Just realised I'll also now need to play through both games again to restore my Shepard, as he was lost in the aforementioned computer implosion. Ten playthroughs, all gone, sigh. Anyway, back to work. As I said, new Files chapter tomorrow, along with a poll to vote on.**


	22. 22: The Files Part Two

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 22: The Files, Part Two**

A mug of hot, rich coffee steamed on the table in front of the Commander, freshly made from a special blend only available on the Citadel. Several datapads were scattered around on the squat coffee table, each one dedicated to a different data packet. Leaning back comfortably on his couch, the Commander picked up the first of the pads, idly changing the music coming in over the cabin's sound system. He narrowed his eyes and began to read.

The first file Liara had sent bore the title: OMEGA. Shepard opened it after a moment's thought, and a large list of names popped up on the screen. They were preceded by a short message.

_The Terminus systems are home to one of the highest concentrations of armed and armoured vessels in settled space. Only the Quarians and the Geth could muster a force that would equal the firepower at the disposal of the Terminus Cartels. Needless to say, such a sheer volume of battle-ready starships would be an immense aid to you in your continued efforts against the Reapers._

_I have consulted with Aria T'loak and, between us, we have managed, through the use of our many mutual contacts, to organise a gathering of the leading figures in the Terminus Systems, from Merc bosses to pirate captains and everything in between. While not every organisation in the Terminus will be represented, we are confident that they will follow the example of their betters. I have attached a few biographies for you to familiarise yourself with the various individuals you shall meet._

_We need these ships, Shepard, so these negotiations cannot fail. At the same time, you must watch your back. These select few represent the worst that Omega has to offer, the most dangerous beings in all of the Terminus Systems, and you will have crossed paths with many of them before. Be careful._

Shepard scanned the various dossiers Liara had provided, making note of names and faces. He nodded his head upon recognising a great many names, most of who he had fought against at some point or another. He recognised the name Vido Santiago, leader of the Blue Suns merc group, along with a name that surprised him. Representing a loose assortment of Batarian street gangs and slavers, Balak's name was quite high on the list of representatives. The Batarian had tried three years ago to destroy a Human colony through the use of a colossal asteroid, and would have succeeded had it not been for Shepard's intervention. The Commander felt a twinge of dread upon realising that he would have to negotiate with such a ruthless terrorist, and did not hold high hopes of convincing him to help fight the reapers so soon after they had taken Earth. Shrugging, he moved on to the next datapad, containing a file entitled: BEKENSTEIN.

_I have done my best to locate your remaining missing crewmembers, Commander, and have pursued a strong lead. While I realise this does not have any tactical value to your activities against the Reapers, I understand that finding your missing crew would bring you a peace of mind that will be valuable in the days to come. _

_By hacking into Cerberus' secure databases, I was able to trace a number of transactions made to Cerberus' from a Victor Lawson, who I have been able to confirm is the father of your squad member, Miranda. He owns a number of businesses throughout Citadel and Alliance space, along with some almost palatial homes._

_I did some additional digging, and was able to confirm that he made a rather large transaction only days after your capture, and received a delivery from a known Cerberus front. Given his relationship with Cerberus, I was able to learn that this 'delivery' was extremely heavily guarded, and made use of devices whose only purpose is to keep biotics contained. This 'delivery' was the transfer of Miranda's custody from Cerberus to her father. I have provided the location and blue-prints of the estate she was delivered to. Given the fact that Mr Lawson has not left this residence for the past few months, it is safe to assume that both he and Miranda are still there._

Shepard opened the attached files, briefly looking at the plans for a palatial house, along with a short psyche profile on Victor Lawson. He pondered the data for a moment before setting the datapad aside, picking up a third one which bore the title: ANDAIRAS

_The Quarian Flotilla is on the move at the moment, clearly unnerved by recent events. Ascertaining their destination will take more time than I feel we can spare at the moment. However, the might of their fleet cannot be discounted. It is for this reason, then, that I have devoted my resources to locating a more static portion of the Flotilla._

_My search brought me to Andairas, a small planet out beyond the frontier. My sources tell me that the Quarians have been considering forming a planetside colony there, though whether this is intended to replace their lost home or merely to serve as a shelter for non-combatants during a war with the Geth, I cannot say._

_However, my investigation has brought to light that the work on the colony is currently being supervised by two of the Flotilla's Admirals. Admiral Daro'Xen and newly appointed Admiral Tali'Zorah are present to oversee the implementation of new technologies on the planet's surface. It would make sense to speak with Tali in order to try to re-establish contact with the Flotilla. It would also be wise to ascertain what the intentions of the Quarians are. We cannot afford for them to ignite a conflict with the Geth with bigger enemies on the horizon._

The Commander scanned the additional information, a series of schematics for various Quarian innovations being used by the colony along with some general information about the planet. He thoughtfully replaced the datapad on the table and picked up the fourth one, which was entitled: MEROXIS.

_The garden world of Meroxis was discovered by the Turian Hierarchy about six years ago. However, very recently the Turians began speaking about a new discovery below the surface, which they compared to the discovery of Ilos. Numerous Prothean experts have shown an interest in the planet, but the Hierarchy has insisted that their own people deal with whatever is found there._

_The colony went silent a few days ago. Hierarchy forces are growing nervous, but bureaucracy is getting in the way of an official investigation._

_I am concerned about what the Turians may have found down there, and think it warrants investigation. If they have found some powerful new technology, then we should try to integrate it into our ships as soon as possible. If, on the other hand, they have stumbled upon a cache of Reaper artefacts, then we could be facing a serious problem. Go to Meroxis, and find out what they found._

Shepard carefully put that one aside, not wanting to think about what might have happened to the Turians, and picked up another datapad, which read: ILLIUM.

_A medical research facility on Illium has been making considerable advances in its understanding of the Drell disease known as Kepral's Syndrome. They are pioneering a revolutionary new treatment that allows the Drell's immune system combat the ailment. Given time, they believe that this treatment will eventually eliminate the disease completely._

_The Drell, though small in numbers, have proven to be immensely useful, both to the Hanar and as free agents. Their perfect recall makes them invaluable as information gatherers and researchers. Not to mention their prowess in combat. If this cure is viable, it could bring the Drell species out of their downward slump._

_However, not all is as it seems on Illium. On investigating the facility, I have learned that it is a Cerberus front. I do not know why the Illusive Man would invest so much of his organisation's resources into curing an alien disease, but it cannot be good. You should go to Illium, and find out what Cerberus really wants with this cure._

Shepard turned to the final datapad, which bore the title: THE CITADEL.

_A Salarian company known as Inutech Industries is the front company for an operation that has been dealing in stolen Prothean artefacts for some time now. However, recently their transactions have moved from small amounts in exchange for trinkets to astronomical amounts in exchange for extremely large shipments. Curious, I investigated what they were selling, and was amazed to find that they had discovered a cache of artefacts dating back to before the Protheans. The items they retrieved seemed to suggest new methods for the construction of engines, motion dampeners and a number of other vital components for starships. This information would be invaluable to the Council and the Alliance, presenting new possibilities for the construction of our ships and giving us a further edge against the Reapers._

_However, Inutech's activities of late have suffered from severe disruptions. It would appear that a large number of shipments have been stolen, vanishing from under their noses. Days later, the stolen artefacts turn up at legitimate Council research facilities._

_I have tried to ascertain the identity of this thief, and my research has turned up one factor all of the robberies had in common- when the devices were delivered to the Council's scientists, they were always accompanied by a red rose. I know this to have once been the calling card of an associate of yours, the thief Kasumi Goto. I can only assume that she has discovered the nature of these artefacts on her own and, in an attempt to get your attention, left clues for you to follow to find her. She may have information on where these devices are coming from, or what they do._

_In an attempt to predict where she will strike next, I hacked into Inutech's system and, although I was unable to get much, I was still able to learn that they intend to move a very large cargo in the not-to-distant future. I also gleaned the information that they intend to set a trap for Kasumi, hoping the lure of the big prize will draw her out. You need to get there and get to both her and that cargo before they catch her._

Shepard set down the final datapad, leaning back while he rubbed at his eyes. He pondered the various datapads for a while before reaching a decision and, downing his coffee, heading for the elevator. He strode out into the CIC purposefully and climbed the stairs to the Galaxy Map. The crew looked up expectantly as he used his omnitool to manipulate the Map, homing in on his destination.

"Joker, set a course for Sahrabarik. We're going to Omega." He said simply.

Up in the cockpit, Joker nodded as he punched in the co-ordinates. The Normandy peeled away from Arcturus, fully repaired and supplied, and leapt into faster-than-light drive, arrowing for the nearest Mass Relay that would take them to their new destination. The crew felt a little more confident now as the ship raced through space. Finally, they were on the move again.

**Author's Notes: Okay, so I'm going to put a new poll on my profile page. While I write about the Omega Cartels, please vote on which mission you'd like to see Shepard do next out of the remaining five. Fainmaca out.**


	23. 23: The Cartels Gather

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 23: The Cartels Gather**

The Normandy winged through the Sahrabarik system, dodging through the vast asteroid field surrounding the lawless fortress of Omega. The frigate raced deftly between a pair of massive boulders, close to the size of small moons, and darted towards the glowing red station.

"SSV Normandy, this is Omega traffic control," A bored-sounding Turian spoke over the comms. "Permission to dock has been granted. Docking bay twenty-eight has been cleared for you."

"Docking bay twenty-eight, confirmed." Joker responded. "Much appreciated."

"Just try not to pull off any more of those stunts you did last time." The Turian replied coldly. "We get enough trouble here without a frigate ploughing through our main residential districts."

"Well, good to know we're still so well-liked in the crappiest corner of the Galaxy." Joker grumbled over his shoulder to the Commander. "I wonder what sort of welcoming committee we should expect."

Shepard stood a few feet back from the helmsman's chair, one elbow cupped in his right hand as his left hand tugged at his chin thoughtfully. He held no illusions about the kind of welcome he was likely to get on the lawless station, and had prepared accordingly. His full combat armour weighed heavily down upon him, all polished and carefully repaired after his most recent engagements. On his back, a small arsenal of weaponry sat quietly. Jacob's specially modified anti-armour missile launcher hummed ominously from its spot on his spine, flanked on either side by his sniper rifle and assault rifle. His shotgun sat snugly in the small of his back, while a pistol was holstered on his right hip, a submachine gun mirroring it on his left hip. The end result of this load-out was an intimidating figure no one in their right mind would want to cross.

Behind the Commander, still adjusting their various armours and weapons in anticipation of the tense mission ahead, a small army waited for the ship to dock. Grunt stood at the rear of the procession, his massive bulk looming over the rest of the squad. He was chatting to Garrus, the pair discussing the attributes of their favoured weapons. Zaeed stood patiently with his arms folded, blood-red armour glinting in the artificial light of the Command Deck. Etarn fingered the handle of his gun anxiously, while next to him the Revenant stood quietly. The Collector's burns had nearly healed over, leaving his carapace covered in dark smudges where the scorching of Harbinger's possession had left a more permanent mark.

Shepard surveyed his team, satisfied with the intimidating show of force. Only someone who had completely taken leave of their senses would want to tackle this group.

"I don't think we'll have to worry about that." Shepard answered the pilot's question as the Normandy completed her docking procedures. "Keep the engines running hot, though. We are about to go have a chat with just about every person in the Terminus who we've given a reason to hate us."

"Fun. So what do we have planned for our next shore leave? Maybe going hand-to-hand with a Shatha, or how about a quick joyride through the Galactic Core? Sure would make a change from the monotony of our constant near-death experiences."

"Need more excitement. Gotcha." Shepard pretended to note it down on an invisible datapad. "When I get back, I'll sign you up for the Tuchanka wrestling championship. I'm sure I can convince Wrex to let you compete."

"Yeah, and maybe I'd finally get to see what a female Krogan looks like when they cart me in to have my finely powdered skeleton put back together. Hey Grunt, what do Krogan nurses look like?"

"In my culture, we eat our wounded." Grunt replied with a grin.

"Wh- really? You're kidding, right?"

"Be sure to let me know if you break a leg, Joker. The portions they serve on this ship are never quite big enough for me." Grunt answered, his grin so wide it almost looked as though the top of his head would fall off. Joker, a mildly terrified expression on his face, opened his mouth to question the Krogan further, but by that time the squad had already begun to file into the airlock. Shepard waited until everyone had passed through the inner airlock door before turning to the crew that would remain aboard the Normandy.

"Kaidan, I want the rest of the squad ready to come bail us out if things go south in here. Between Jack and Samara's biotics, Mordin and Legion's tech skills and your and Jacob's combat skills, you should be able to make a decent sized dent in the back of any forces that try to take us on."

"Aye-aye, Commander." Kaidan saluted.

"I'll keep in touch with Liara throughout the duration of our time here." Feron said, monitoring the ship's comms using his omnitool. "If she picks up anything on any merc comm channels, she'll let us know. If they do decide to turn on us, we'll have plenty of warning."

"Thanks. Don't wait up." Shepard threw a farewell salute over his shoulder as he turned to enter the airlock, waiting for the hiss of equalising air pressure as the Normandy mingled its atmosphere with that of the station. Taking a deep breath to brace himself, the Commander led his squad out onto the station.

**~o~0~o~**

The filthy streets of Omega were infested with the typical mixture of wretched low-lifes. Street corners were home to innumerable ladies of the night, while the narrow alleyways that branched off from the main thoroughfares were filled with layer upon layer of fetid dross, amidst which roamed the destitute, picking their way through the garbage to scrape a living. Shepard's sharp eyes caught sight of a few tiny shapes moving in the midst of this abject poverty, countless children with nothing more to their names than a few rags. The very sight of it made him sick to his stomach.

Out in the more central highways of the station, the crush of life was almost smothering. The Commander's ears were deafened by the cries of a multitude of traders, all trying to sell some cheap crap in order to keep hunger from their doors. The bustling crowds were rife with pick-pockets and con artists, easily spotted by one as streetwise as Shepard.

"Human! Over here, human!"

Shepard's attention was snagged by a wildly gesticulating Batarian. He thought he recognised the four-eyed alien, so he walked over. The Batarian was situated behind a stall, along with four of his comrades. He smiled warmly at the Commander.

"You may not remember me, Human, but I remember you very well. My name is Alak. You saved my life back during the outbreak of that plague in the slums, making sure I got to Doctor Solus' clinic for treatment."

One of the Batarian's associates looked up at the Commander, and all four eyes widened in surprise.

"This is the Human that helped you?" He asked a little incredulously.

"Have we met?" Shepard asked warily.

"I should say! You're the Human who burst in on us when we had that scrawny doctor's assistant at gunpoint. Stopped us from sending the little runt to the worms and then let us go. And you're the same one who helped Alak?" He asked amazedly. "Small Galaxy…"

"So what are you doing here?"

"After the Plague hit, there were more than a few job openings." Alak explained. "Jeran and I were both at the Salarian's clinic, so we got to talking and decided to go into business together. We sell all kinds of stuff, from combat armour to parts for small starships."

"Done well for ourselves, too." Jeran added. "I just got myself out of the slums and into a new apartment, just a few blocks away from Afterlife. Can't get much more upmarket than that."

"Well, I'm glad things worked out okay for you." Shepard smiled.

"All thanks to you, Human." Alak said graciously. "If it hadn't been for you, I'd have died in that Plague."

"And you didn't have to let me go once that little Human was safe." Jeran said. "It was after that I realised that Humans can be honourable."

"Happy to help." Shepard nodded, acknowledging the thanks. "So, while I'm here, why don't you show me what you've got?"

"Happy to, Human!" Alak said helpfully. "And because it's you, we'll work out a nice fat discount."

The two Batarians began digging though their inventory, and after a few moments Jeran stood up, holding a short, fat pistol. The muzzle was wide, clearly designed for a large calibre bullet.

"This is a new design, not even meant to be on the market yet." The Batarian said conspiratorially. "Got the schematics off a friend on the Citadel. It's called the Hornet. I heard that that's some kind of Earth creature. Anyway, the name's not important right now. This thing will punch through an enemy barrier like no one's business. You thought the Carnifex had kick, wait until you try this. The only downside is that its range is limited. The rounds lose their power over greater distances.

"I can let you have this, along with the minifacturing schematics, for seven and a half thousand credits."

"Sounds good. Deal." Shepard reached out to shake the alien's hand. The Batarian inspected the hand a little curiously for a second, clearly unfamiliar with the Human gesture, before reciprocating. He then handed over the pistol, along with an OSD containing the schematics.

The Commander and the Batarians said their farewells as the squad progressed towards the district of the station that housed Aria's favoured lair, the nightclub known as Afterlife. As they walked, Etarn moved up next to the Commander, a small smile on his lips.

"So it would appear that not all of your dealings with my people have been soured by conflict." He commented.

"I try to help where I can." Shepard explained. "I'm not going to treat anyone different because they were born on a different planet to me."

"If only more today shared that compassionate viewpoint." The Batarian said a little wistfully.

Pretty soon Shepard's feet could feel the thump, thump, thump of rhythmic, insistent music pulsing through the structure of the station, and moments later the massive structure pulled into view, garish neon lighting advertising the club's seedier nature for all to see. The squad approached the doors, the club's bouncers stepping out of their way smartly upon identifying the Commander, and the doors slid open to admit them.

Inside, the music rose to a fever pitch, rendering any attempts at conversation close to pointless. Red and orange lighting served only to make the shadowy interior dance, creating a dim cacophony of colours that Shepard had to squint to see through.

He negotiated his way past the bustling dance floor, a heaving mass of bodies churning to the beat. As he walked by, he was sure that, amidst the frantic melee, he had spotted a few tiny glimpses of some carnal act or another. He shook his head, moving away towards the back of the club, ascending the stairs to Aria's perch.

The Pirate Queen of Omega sat imperiously on her throne, overlooking the club and its denizens. She cast a bored-looking glare at the Commander as he left his squad at the base of the stairs, approaching her alone.

"Shepard. I have to congratulate you. You've been on the station for a full five minutes and nothing has exploded yet. I hope you didn't go to all that effort for my benefit?"

"You know me, I try to be a well-behaved house guest."

"We'll see." Aria shot back, unimpressed. "Say what you will about your behaviour in other people's homes, you do have friends in high places. The Shadow Broker was very persuasive in his attempts to arrange this conclave."

"You don't sound too happy."

"Whenever this amount of scum collects together in one place, it tends to cause a smell. Last time this many mercs and pirates were in the same room, they were conspiring against me. I hope you'll understand my hesitance to give them a second chance to do so."

"Don't worry. With the problems we've got now, they won't have time for that."

"You'd be amazed at how good these people are at seeing that their own interests are served first. Don't be so sure that they'll offer to help you get your planet back."

"So you already know about Earth, then?"

"What information I wasn't able to garner through my own sources was soon provided by the Broker when he requested this meeting. I know enough."

"So when does this thing start?"

"If I know these pirates, and I do, then they'll have already started. We're still waiting on a few individuals, but those already here will likely be forging new alliances and enmities all in the same breath. Go through the door at the back of the club. It'll take you to the elevator, which will take you to our VIP lounges, private rooms for more… delicate dealings. The mercs will be gathering in the first one. Just pray Golarr hasn't found the ryncol yet."

"Aren't you coming?"

"It always pays off to be fashionably late." Aria said smoothly. It was amazing how she could explain something without ever making it any clearer. "I'll be in once everyone has gathered."

"Thanks." Shepard nodded, turning to go.

"Don't thank me yet. I'm sure once this is over you'll thank me to let you out of there."

Shepard descended the stairs, waving for his comrades to follow him. They moved to the door Aria had indicated, stepping through it into a much quieter corridor. The sounds of the club became distant, muted by the thick walls on either side and the deep carpet underfoot.

They found their way to the room where the negotiations were meant to take place, and Shepard indicated that the squad should wait a second. On the other side of the doorway leading to the VIP Lounge set aside, Shepard could hear raised voices. It sounded as though a Batarian and a Turian were arguing with one another, though what it was about Shepard could not tell. His nerves jangling at the thought of the lion's den he was about to enter, Shepard stepped through the door.

The VIP Lounge was extravagantly decorated, with wood panelling covering the walls and a luxurious red carpet on the floor. Pictures hung on the walls, various masterpieces from artists of different species. In his quick glance around the area immediately around the doorway, Shepard identified several incredibly valuable pieces of Human, Asari, Batarian and Hanar art. An Elcor sculpture stood in the centre of the entrance area of the Lounge, a twisted, flowing piece that tugged at the mind's eye in painful and yet exhilarating ways.

Beyond the entryway, the rest of the Lounge was just as luxurious. A large bar took up one wall, a massive aquarium covering the wall behind the racks of bottles. The main section of the room was a sunken circle centred on a fireplace. Several seats and couches had been arrayed around the fire, all positioned so that their occupants could look at one another across the flames. Shepard wondered at the idea of having a fireplace on a space station, burning the already limited oxygen, and assumed that the flames had to be artificial, the very look of the fireplace, including the metal flue that extended from the ceiling, all a part of the illusion that Afterlife was so opulent it could afford to burn precious breathing air.

A motley collection of individuals had gathered around the fire, most sitting comfortably while two, a Batarian and a Turian, were on their feet, gesticulating wildly at one another across the fire. A massive Krogan sat on a squat couch, his huge frame almost filling it. He was speaking quietly to a Human woman and another Batarian, who seemed to be the aide of the one on his feet. A Salarian sat with his fingers steepled before him, a Drell at his side with an omnitool active, recording the discussion. More Humans, Turians and Batarians occupied the seats before Shepard, their backs turned to the Commander. At the bar Shepard saw another Krogan and two Asari helping themselves to the liquor.

As the squad entered, a familiar figure approached them, face beaming with a wide smile as he approached with one hand extended.

"Commander Shepard!" Sidonis said quietly, clearly not wanting to disturb the discussion around the fire.

"Sidonis!" Shepard responded, returning the warm handshake. The Turian's three-fingered hand pumped the Commander's vigorously. His smile faltered a fraction when he looked over Shepard's shoulder.

"G-Garrus." He nodded uncertainly, timidly. Shepard's comrade responded with a silent nod.

"What are you doing here?" Shepard asked.

"Got my own squad now. We've got quite a presence in the Terminus, so we warranted an invite to this little tea-party."

"Along with all the pirates and mercs we were fighting not too long ago?" Garrus asked pointedly. Even the Commander had suspicions. After his activities as a part of Garrus' squad, the Turian seemed like the odd one out at the gathering of the worst the Galaxy had to offer.

"We're not like the other organisations on Omega." Sidonis was quick to explain. "We don't oppress people. We're more like a, uh… more like guns for hire when wrongs need righting. Anyone with a grievance against the mercs, pirates or gangs in the Terminus can come to us. Because our targets aren't as high-profile as those we hit when Garrus was in charge, we haven't drawn the attention of the merc bosses so much. I couldn't go back to the same type of operation Garrus was running, not after what happened back then, but I meant what I said when I told you I'd make up for my mistakes, and this was the best way I could think of."

"I'm sure you're right, Sidonis." Shepard assured, though he was well aware of the lack of response coming from the Turian at his shoulder. "So, you'll have your finger on the pulse when it comes to who we've got here. Why don't you show us around?"

"Glad to, Shepard." Sidonis turned to the individuals at the bar, first pointing to the pair of Asari. "That's Alessa and Vanyala Sederis. Their mother was Jona Sederis, the founder of Eclipse. The twins are very dangerous in battle, but just as cunning during negotiations. Some say that, because they're twins, their biotics get stronger when they are close to one another, not that they aren't considerable anyway.

"The Krogan is Golarr. He runs a fairly large band of Krogan called the Bonebreakers. As you can tell, not very subtle. They're the second largest recruiter of Krogan, next to the Blood Pack. The only difference between the two is that Golarr preaches that Krogan should not need Vorcha mingling with their ranks. Other than that, they're identical. Hired muscle, demolitions work, all the stuff that you'd expect of Krogan."

"What's their general disposition?" Shepard asked, trying to get a feel for where his allies were.

"Eclipse does recruit a fair number of Humans, so their members are pushing to help fight whoever has attacked Earth. But the organisation is primarily Asari, so generally Alessa and Vanyala will only be looking to defend against any threat to the Republics' worlds.

"The Bonebreakers… I'm not so sure about. They generally sell their services to the highest bidder, or get involved when it'll bring them the highest reward. Golarr is the kind of merc who'll help attack someone just so they'll pay him even more for protection from their enemies. But then again, they love to fight, and there's sure to be a bloodbath wherever you lead us. That may be enough pull to persuade them to get involved."

"I see." Shepard nodded sagely. "So what about those two on their feet?"

"The Batarian's Groklan. He heads up a crew of slavers out in the Terminus. Not very heavy hitters in Omega's circles, but they do own a sizeable fleet, and they've got creds to spare, a rare thing on Omega. The Turian is actually a part of Aria's organisation. Captain Gavorn. He oversees the general operation of the station. Nearest thing you'll get to a police officer on this station."

"They seem to be going at it pretty hard."

"Yes, as you can see, the discussion's already begun. Gavorn's in favour of helping the Alliance. He's a fairly upstanding sort. Not the kind to stand back and let the weak get trampled down. Groklan's got less pity for your cause. He seems to think that the Humans deserve their fate, and is perfectly happy to stand back and let things happen.

"Now the ones sitting are a little more important. See the Krogan? That's Motrak. He's the leader of the Blood Pack. The smartest Krogan I've ever met. He only rose to power in the past few months, but it was all due to his own plots. He had the previous leader killed in an engagement with the Blue Suns, and then slaughtered his way past the next few in line. Krogan respect that kind of power, so they were all too happy to let him take over."

"Any sign of whether he'll help or not?"

"Hard to say. He's very good at keeping his designs to himself." Sidonis shrugged, moving on. "The female he's talking with is Susanna Morven. She's here to represent a small group of pirates in the Skyllian Verge. Again, not much in the way of numbers, but she's got connections with a good few organisations, and even has her hand in the pockets of a few Alliance colony directors. So very valuable politically. I reckon 'cause it's her own species that's under attack she's guaranteed to help."

Shepard's gut twisted as the Batarian on the other side of Motrak turned, his distinctive features instantly recognisable to the Commander.

"That's Balak!" He said, his voice strained with anger.

"Yes. He's head of a consortium of Batarian pirates and slavers. He only came into power in the past two or three years, but he now controls a sizeable army. A very canny leader."

"A worthless bastard is what he is." Shepard spat. "I caught him in the act of sending an asteroid straight at Terra Nova. Managed to save the colony, but the slimy little shit used hostages as a shield while he made his escape."

"I never realised he was behind that." Sidonis said with surprise. "But I can believe it. He's ruthless, and he's earned his place among his peers by spilling the blood of many opponents. You can't allow your past with him to colour these negotiations, Commander. You'll need his forces."

"Alright." Shepard conceded angrily. "What about that Salarian with the Drell?"

"Fodra. He's second-in-command of a merc band called the Mannovai Novas. They specialise in shipping stolen tech. I've heard they've got a strong presence on Noveria, which is where the majority of their products come from. I once overheard him mention Administrator Lorik Qui'in's name when discussing sources with his assistant, the Drell over there." Sidonis pointed at the alien wielding the omnitool. "They arm almost half of the pirates in the Terminus, and can certainly pull some strings to help you."

"How does Fodra feel about everything?"

"He's a little easier to read than others. Fodra's smart enough to know that whoever attacked your planet will move on to others when they get bored. One benefit of being a Salarian, I suppose. You're able to figure things out before anyone else.

"The rest of those gathered are your usual mixture of scum and villainy. Pirate captains, bounty hunters, mercs and slavers The only one of note is Vido."

Shepard's ears perked up at mention of the name, and he heard a muttered expletive from over his shoulder. He shot Zaeed a cautioning glance to silence the old mercenary before turning back to Sidonis.

"Vido? Vido Santiago?"

"The same. The actual leader of the Blue Suns. A mean bastard if ever there was one. He's been twitchy recently, though. Always seems to be looking over his shoulder, and he never stays still for long. After the Suns lost that base on Zorya in that fire, he's been keeping mobile. If you ask me, I'd say he's making sure something doesn't catch up with him."

"Damn fucking right. The snivelling little prick should be running scared." The muttered threat carried to the Commander's ears from behind. Unseen by Shepard, both Grunt and Garrus placed cautioning hands on the mercenary's shoulders, warning him to be silent and contain his temper. Now was not the time.

"You won't find a single person here who makes their living by keeping on the right side of the law, and nearly every last one of them has a hefty prison sentence or a death sentence hanging over their heads in some corner of the Galaxy." Sidonis explained. "So watch your step, Shepard."

The Turian looked back to the gathering of criminals, noticing that the argument had come to an end, and the discussion was becoming less heated. He gestured to the Commander.

"Come on, we'd best go enter the fray."

The group slowly moved into the VIP Lounge, Sidonis and the Commander working their way down to the fireplace and the circle of seats. The gathered criminals looked to the Commander with a mostly disinterested gaze, although Shepard felt the hostility emanating from both Vido and Balak, his two main opponents at the gathering. The Batarian's eyes narrowed in distaste at the sight of the Commander, while Vido looked visibly shaken by his presence, even more so when he looked past Shepard and caught sight of Zaeed, although he managed to gain control over his fear after a few moments, replacing the fearful expression with one of scorn.

"We meet again, Human." Balak said. "I am amazed you had the courage to show your face here."

"Balak, a pleasure as always." Shepard managed through gritted teeth. "I bring you the greetings of the colony on Terra Nova. They're always so glad to receive any news about you."

"I'm sure they are." The Batarian responded smoothly. "It must sting, though, to face defeat so often. I mean, first I escape from your clutches on Terra Nova, and now you've lost an entire Human planet. Clearly the ancestors do not favour you."

Shepard's teeth clenched at the barbed insult, and he heard more than saw the rest of his squad bristle at the words. Zaeed in particular was audibly growling..

"Enough of this, Balak!" The Krogan, Motrak, murmured from his side of the fire. "I did not come here to hear you bandy words with a soft-skin."

"I was merely offering my condolences to our human associates here." Balak said falsely.

"Regardless," Fodra supplied. "We should focus on this new threat."

"What are we here to discuss, anyway?" Groklan asked. "I don't see how the loss of Earth affects us."

"Don't you get it, Groklan?" Gavorn asked a little incredulously. "Earth won't be the last planet to fall. Between those of us gathered here, we represent the largest forces of trained personnel, offensive weaponry and armed ships in the Terminus. After what we've seen about this new enemy, its clear that every last ship, gun and soldier will be needed."

"What makes you so certain that these strange aliens will strike again?" Motrak asked, his eyes glinting with an intelligent light Shepard was unused to seeing in a Krogan.

"It's obvious." Fodra answered. "You don't occupy such a high-profile target unless you're committing to a long-term campaign. If their intention had simply been to strike at humanity, why do they keep the Charon Relay locked and hold the Sol system?"

"The fact that they can manipulate a Relay like this is unsettling." Groklan added. "A race with such power could do almost anything."

"So the question is whether we help the Alliance in their war efforts or not." Gavorn said.

"I say leave the Humans to their fate." Balak said conclusively.

"Much as I dislike admitting it, I am inclined to agree with my esteemed colleague." Vido said calmly. Shepard felt his loathing for the pair reach a boiling point, but Susanna beat him to it.

"How can you say that? This is our home we're talking about!" She shouted, leaping to her feet.

"I am merely being practical here." Vido explained coldly. "From what we've seen of this new enemy, our ships are no match. We're much wiser to simply pull back. I'm not about to throw my life away turning my ships to scrap on account of a planet that is already lost."

"We should pull back to our homes, shore up and if they attack us, we defend ourselves." Balak said, grinning as he looked at the Commander, revelling in the fact that this was a planet dear to Shepard that he was condemning to destruction.

"Don't you get it?" Shepard shouted. "The Reapers are here for all of us, not just Humanity! If you don't help us stand and fight, then they'll cleanse your worlds of life just as quickly as their cleansing ours!"

"Why should we trust the word of a mass-murderer?" Groklan shot the accusation at the Commander. The two Batarians were standing now, turned to Shepard.

"Bahak has nothing to do with what we're discussing here!" Gavorn said, rising to his feet

"You stay out of this, Turian!" Balak sneered.

"I think you should quiet down, four-eyes." Golarr said, approaching the circle around the fire. He stood just behind Balak, using his bulk to try to intimidate the Batarian. "Your voice grates on my nerves."

"Oh yeah?" Groklan asked confrontationally. "What's a lizard that only fires blanks gonna do?"

There was a creak as Motrak stood up, his massive bulk looming over the gathered pirates. His features were twisted into a ferocious snarl, his anger at the slur about the Genophage obvious.

"Say that again, Batarian." He dared, menace dripping from every syllable. "I'm not sure I heard you right the first time."

"Everyone calm down!" Alessa shouted, standing next to Golarr, her sister beside her.

"Back away little girl." Motrak said obnoxiously. "This is going to get messy."

"Make me." Alessa said, as both her and Vanyala began to glow with biotics. Around the Lounge, weapons began to slide from holsters.

A sudden, sharp shot rang out through the room, silencing the gathered merc bosses instantly. They looked over to the source of the noise, and quailed back upon seeing the figure standing in the doorway.

Matte black armour pitted with the marks of scores of gunfights covered a form that was clearly female, from the wider hips to the subtle curves beaten into the chest-plate. A long, lanky arm dropped back down to her side, three-clawed hand still grasping the smoking pistol. The Turian moved towards fire pit, several of the mercs scuttling backwards to get out of her way. With a thump, she sat down in one of the chairs, bringing one foot up to rest on the edge of the fireplace while she tipped the chair back precariously. Her free hand reached up to unfasten the helmet, allowing the gathering to catch a glimpse of her sharp, feline features. Her mandibles, smaller than a male such as Garrus', clacked impatiently as her stark red eyes darted about the room.

"You're all yammering like a bunch of children." She said, her voice surprisingly young considering the respect the others were giving her. "What does Aria have to say about it?"

"Who's that?" Shepard asked, leaning just slightly to whisper to Sidonis.

"Delexia Tanis. Runs a small pirate band out in the Traverse. They're few in numbers, but big on reputation. No one messes with the crew of the Starborn, not even Aria's people. And that's all down to Delexia. She's smart, ruthless and absolutely lethal when she's angry. I've never seen anyone get the better of her."

"A useful ally to have?"

"I'd say so. If you can convince her to back your cause, a lot of people will follow her."

As Delexia's gaze travelled around the gathering, the assembled criminals sank back down into their seats, Golarr, Alessa and Vanyala finding their way to the remaining empty chairs. Balak stubbornly remained on his feet.

"Sit, Batarian." The female Turian commanded. "I don't have time for your crap."

Balak's lip curled up in a sneer of defiance, and expression that swiftly faded when Delexia's pistol lifted, aiming at his kneecap.

"Either you sit on your ass or I put you on it."

The Batarian terrorist reluctantly lowered himself into his chair.

"I see you're busy making friends, Delexia." Aria's voice echoed from the entrance to the Lounge. The assembled pirates turned their gaze to the doorway to see the Asari approaching, followed closely by the Patriarch and a couple of Turian thugs. The Pirate Queen of Omega gracefully walked up to the fire pit, sitting in seat almost directly opposite the Commander.

"Thank you all for coming." She smiled, a mirthless twitch of her lips that conveyed no warmth whatsoever. "I will keep this short and to the point. A new threat has arisen in the Galaxy, an unknown race with strange new technology. They attacked Earth several days ago, decimating the Alliance forces stationed there and occupying the system. Since the attack, they've shut down the Charon-Arcturus Relay link, effectively isolating the Sol system from the rest of the Galaxy.

"The question we must ask ourselves is, how will we react to this new threat? Given their advanced technology, these beings and their ships have the combined fleets of the Council races outclassed and outgunned."

"Between those of us gathered here, we represent one of the deadliest forces in the Galaxy. Our ships would be invaluable in any campaign undertaken against them. We've been gathered in order to decide whether the Terminus Cartels should commit to a war with this new enemy." Patriarch continued for her.

"Why is Shepard here?" Alessa asked. "Surely this is a matter for our ears only."

"Shepard is present because he has had contact with this new enemy." Aria explained. "He has fought against them on several occasions."

"So what perspective can you provide on these aliens?" Vanyala asked, thinking in sync with her twin.

"They're called Reapers." Shepard explained. "An ancient race of beings that comes through the Galaxy every fifty thousand years or so. They're the ones responsible for the destruction of the Protheans, and the beings who built the Mass Relay network."

"I find that hard to believe." Balak said scornfully. "No race capable of space flight could have remained hidden from the Council for so long. And why would they abandon the Relays? If they only seek to destroy all other races, then why not just raze our planets as soon as they detect we have starship capable of using the Relays?"

"Because they leave the Galaxy once their work here is done, hibernating in Dark Space until it is time for their return. One Reaper is left behind to activate the Citadel, reopening the pathway for them to return to the Milky Way. The Reaper they left behind last time was Sovereign, Saren's flagship."

"You're saying that these Reapers are the actual ships, not beings inside?" Motrak asked, disbelief in his voice.

"Yes. They're living machines, artificial intelligences hundreds of thousands of years old." Shepard explained.

"But this 'Sovereign' was destroyed during the Battle of the Citadel." Fodra said. "How did the rest of these Reapers return from Dark Space if they needed the Citadel to do so?"

"They detonated a star deep in Geth Space, using the energy to create a Mass Effect Field extending out into Dark Space, exactly like a Mass Relay. An Alliance fleet went out there to try and stop them, but got there too late. Fortunately, only the first wave of the fleet made it through before the machine that was containing the star's energy was destroyed, severing the link to Dark Space."

"So the force that attacked Earth is only a fraction of what these Reapers can bring to bear?" Delexia asked, her eyes glinting intelligently.

"Yes. There are many more waiting to return, and that's why the reapers took Earth. They intend to rebuild the machine and destroy Sol, using the power of the dying star to bring the rest of their race back."

"I have never heard such garbage in my entire life!" Groklan spat. "The Human is clearly lying, trying to convince us to help him get his world back with tales of ancient horrors from beyond the edge of the Galaxy."

"It's the truth!" Shepard wanted to reach across the fire to wring the alien's thick neck, his frustration at the Batarian's pig-headedness reaching a boiling point. "And this is about a lot more than just Earth. If the Reapers finish their machine, the numbers they'll be able to bring to bear will decimate the Galaxy."

"That's enough." Aria said calmly, putting a stop to the argument in the making with her quiet words. "We've heard enough about these creatures, now we have to decide what to do about them."

"I'm only going to repeat what I said earlier." Vido said. "We can't afford to get involved. If the Council's military forces can't take on this new threat, then we should look to how to keep ourselves safe when they are overrun. We need to pull back, fortify our own strongholds, make ready in case these creatures decide to come for us."

"Spoken like the cowardly bastard that you are." Zaeed's comments carried over the group.

"I'm only being practical." Vido said, not even deigning to glance in his old rival's direction. "I'm sure as hell not throwing my ships against a technologically superior race that's managed to seal themselves off in an entire solar system."

"Say what you will Santiago, but I'm not going to sit back while these creatures rampage through our homeworld, getting ready to make their next move." Susanna said defiantly.

"The Novas will join you, Susanna." Fodra added.

"Then you are a fool, Salarian." Balak said scornfully. "Your men will die trying to liberate the Human homeworld, a world you have no vested interest in."

"Indeed." Groklan said firmly. "Believe me when I say that no Batarian shall render the Humans aid."

"I wouldn't be so quick to speak for your people, Groklan." Etarn said softly. On hearing the voice, the two Batarians present looked over, eyes widening upon recognising the alien in Shepard's entourage.

"Kol'Mehk." Balak said, animosity evident in his voice. "I had hoped that Gorm had managed to deal with you."

"I'm tougher than most would believe." Etarn replied smoothly.

"And you… travel, with this Human?" Groklan asked uncertainly. "Willingly?"

"Yes. Shepard has proved to be an honourable being. I support his cause whole-heartedly, and my followers shall, too."

"Then you will die along with the Human." Balak spat. "Saving Gorm the trouble of having to do away with you himself."

Shepard noted now that Groklan was no longer as firm in his stance as he had been before, and he was glad he had thought to bring Etarn along, realising that the Batarian's status could win him more support than any negotiations on his part.

"My group shall support you, Shepard." Sidonis said firmly.

There was a grumble from one side of the circle, where the two Krogan sat watching the negotiations thoughtfully. Finally Motrak stood.

"Wherever this war leads us, there is bound to be blood and glory aplenty. The Blood Pack shall fight, as we always have."

"And the Bonebreakers will not be left behind!" Golarr said boldly, standing next to his kinsman. "If the Galaxy is to be united in a war to end all wars, it would be shameful for any Krogan to remain at home."

"Eclipse may not have the brute strength of the Krogan, but we can offer aid in other ways." Alessa said.

"Guns, ships, biotics, we can provide all of these." Vanyala continued for her sister. "I am sure that mother will see the urgency of the matter. After all, once they have finished with Earth, what's to stop the next target from being Illium, or Thessia?"

All eyes turned to the final two representatives of the Terminus Cartels, Aria and Delexia, waiting for them to announce either their support or their refusal of the Commander's request for aid. Suddenly, Shepard's omnitool buzzed, informing the Commander of a top-priority call coming in from Liara. He stood, making his way over to the Lounge's bar for some privacy. Behind him, the gathered pirates continued their debate, watched over by the cunning eyes of Aria.

"Shepard. Thank the Goddess I've got a hold of you." Liara's voice was almost creaking with tension.

"What's wrong?"

"I've just received some reports from my agents on Arcturus. The forces there have been hit hard by a small fleet of Reapers attacking from beyond the Charon Relay. The Reapers burst through the blockade around the Arcturus Relay and vanished before the Alliance ships could make any organised attack on them. They're on the move."

"Do you know where they are headed?" Shepard asked, his kind abuzz with the possible dangers.

"They used the Arcturus Relay to jump to another part of the network. Its incredible, but they managed to realign a Primary Relay with a secondary destination. There must be some advanced code they have access to that allows them to shape the Relay network in the fashion they desire. I've logged their transit through several different Relays in the past few minutes, before they went completely off the grid. I don't know where they are now."

"I thought you could monitor the activity through any Relay?"

"They've gone off the map, Shepard. There are many sectors of the galaxy we have not explored because we have not fully mapped the Mass Relay network. They must now be using undiscovered Relays to move about."

"We'll get right on it." Shepard promised. "You keep an eye out for them and I'll finish up with the mercs here."

Shepard ended the transmission, turning back to his allies. Garrus looked at him inquisitively.

"Something the matter, Shepard?"

"We need to wrap this up." Shepard said firmly.

He strode back down to the circle around the fireplace, the eyes of the gathered criminals watching him carefully.

"Something come up, Commander?" Sidonis asked.

"I've just got word that a force of Reapers broke through the blockade around the Arcturus Relay. We need to finish this quickly so that-"

A massive tremor passed through the station, titanic vibrations reaching even into the Lounge at the heart of Afterlife. The lights flickered, momentarily losing their intensity. On the shelves behind the bar, the bottles tinkled quietly, rattling dangerously close to the edge of their shelves. The gathered pirates leapt to their feet, looking about with concern. Aria's brow furrowed as she used her omnitool to open a channel to her underlings somewhere out in the station.

"What the hell happened?" She demanded harshly. Around her, the gathering listened to her conversation very intently.

"We're under attack!" Came the frantic reply. "Something big on our scopes just tore through the barriers like there was nothing there! Losing atmosphere in sectors thirteen, twenty-eight and seventy-two."

"Who is attacking?" The Asari asked, her tone suggesting she was weary of having to deal with underlings who didn't think as clearly as she did.

"Look at the size of that thing!" The voice on the other end replied, obviously terrified by what he was seeing.

"What thing?" Aria persisted, barely keeping her frustration in check.

"It's a ship, about two kilometres long." Her underling stammered. "Looks like a giant metal bug, or a squid."

Shepard's heart thumped in his chest, instantly recognising the description. He stepped up next to Aria, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"It's the Reapers." He said. "We need to scramble what ships we have to take it out."

The Pirate Queen of Omega paused thoughtfully, hesitating as she tried to figure out what to do. Finally, she sighed.

"Go left in the corridor outside, take the door at the far end. You'll find yourself in the maintenance tunnels. They'll take you to an elevator that comes out close to the docking bays." She turned to the gathered criminals. "Gather your people, get back to your ships, and get out into space. I want every ship we've got ready to fight this."

The gathered pirates nodded, scurrying out of the Lounge. Shepard waited a few moments, looking at Aria with concern in his eyes. He noted that he was not the only one to stay behind, as Delexia refrained from leaving.

"What are you going to do?" He asked Aria.

"I've got to co-ordinate my forces from the station's control centre. Get to your ship, and go kill that fucking thing before it does any more damage to my station!"

The Commander nodded, reluctantly moving to follow the directions the Asari had given him. He became aware of a strange presence at his side, and looked around to see the female Turian was following.

"My crew's all back on my ship, so I'm just as well following you straight to the docking bays." She explained.

The squad pounded down the corridor away from the VIP Lounge, chased by tremors passing through the station, growing in frequency. After a few moments, they were faced with a pair of locked doors. The Commander slapped the door controls, but the only response he received was a negative buzz. Delexia stepped forward.

"Allow me." She waved her omnitool over the interface, which sparked, flickered, and then vanished, followed by a creaking groan as the doors reluctantly parted.

"Not bad." Shepard commented as the squad filed through.

"You think I got my reputation for my awesome people skills, soldier boy? I know how to get things done." She bragged.

"I can see." Shepard smirked as he followed the team into the maintenance corridors.

The group wove their way through the corridors, hurrying as the sounds of battle echoed around the station. With every tremor, the lights overhead flickered wildly, barely staying alight.

As they rounded a corner, after several minutes of frantic running, the station shuddered with a ferocity unmatched by the previous tremors. The lights suddenly went dark, and the air around them was filled with a tremendous crash, followed by a whistling rush of air. The atmosphere began to get thinner and thinner, swiftly growing colder.

"Crap!" Garrus shouted over the roar of rushing wind. "Hull breach!"

"Helmets." Shepard commanded, pulling his helmet from his belt, snapping the breather unit over his mouth. The rest of the squad followed his example, save for the Revenant, who did not need to breathe. Once the group was ready, the Commander waved for them to follow him.

They rounded a corner to see a massive mangled mess where the corridor had once led. Some debris from the battle outside, apparently a chunk of some ship's armour plating, had crashed into the building, bursting through the wall and sticking there. The corridor's atmosphere, now dangerously thin, was slowly leaking out through the gaps around the edge of the puncture.

Shepard stepped up to the carnage, looking for a way past. After a few seconds, he had ascertained that the blockage was completely impassable.

"Damn it. We'll need to find another way around." He cursed.

"The doors on either side of this section will have sealed in response to the hull breach." Delexia informed him, her voice twisted strangely by her helmet's filter. "I don't think even I could get past the deadlocks."

Shepard racked his brains for some way to get past this new obstacle.

"There has to be some other way." He paced the width of the corridor, before his eyes settled on the gap between the debris and the wall. He scanned the debris, seeing that one piece was not as big as the rest. He reached out to it, feeling a surge of confidence as it shifted.

"Grunt! Help me out here."

The Krogan came over, planting his shoulder against the debris and shoving. The lump of metal shifted uncertainly, slowly sliding out of the hole. Grunt roared, throwing his full weight into the starship fragment, sending it spinning out into the space outside of the corridor.

"Quickly! We can walk across the surface." Shepard shouted over the comms in his helmet.

The squad activated the magnetic plates in their boots and began to scramble out of the corridor and onto the surface of the building, exposed to the vacuum of space. Their boots clunked dully on the surface of the structure, the sound carrying to their ears through their suits. The last one to exit the corridor was the Revenant, whose insectile feet had little trouble keeping a grip on the metal underfoot.

Shepard looked upwards, gazing upon the dizzying structure of Omega. It was one of the stranger aspects of the city within the asteroid that it had been built from the ceiling down. The massive curve of the hollowed out asteroid served as a massive 'cap' on the spires of Omega, constantly hovering over the streets of the station. The spires extended downwards, constantly having levels added beneath levels, extending out into space a great distance. It was on the exterior of one of these spires that Shepard found himself now, almost at its furthest point from the central mass of the asteroid. The atmospheric barrier shimmered uncertainly far above the squad, along with their objective beyond. The Commander turned to his companions, waving for them to follow him closely.

The squad made steady progress down the length of the spire, quickly covering the distance between themselves and the street levels above. They were almost at the barrier responsible for maintaining the atmosphere on the levels closest to the rock of the asteroid when Shepard became aware of movement in the very edge of his peripheral vision. He turned and almost jumped, risking having his boots lose their grip on the metal of the spire and allowing him to spin off into space.

Not a hundred yards from the Commander, a Reaper raced through the vacuum between the spires of Omega, making a beeline for the street levels ahead of it. The massive creature forced its way through the atmospheric barrier and crashed down into the densely built-up region close to the docking bays, sending a shudder through the entire station. The Reaper began lashing out with its tentacles, scouring a path of devastation through the nearest buildings.

The squad looked on in surprised for a few moments before recovering their composure. Looking around, they saw other Reapers descending on various sections of the station.

"Come on," Shepard commanded. "We need to keep moving. Keep your helmets on. I don't like the way the barrier is flickering."

The squad made their way upwards several more levels, finally reaching the lower, less densely concentrated street levels. Realising they were approaching the areas where the artificial gravity had an effect outside of the spires, Shepard began to look for a way into the spire again. As they passed through the rapidly weakening atmospheric barrier, his eyes settled upon a large window, about three metres across. He turned to the Revenant.

"We need to get back inside before the artificial gravity pulls us off the side of this spire. Think you can make us an opening?"

The Collector nodded, stepping over to the window. He paused for a second, waving his hands in the typical manner that suggested collecting his thoughts in preparation for a considerably powerful biotic attack. After a brief moment, he thrust a hand out, blue glow shimmering across the chitinous forearm. The transparent surface of the window creaked, a blue web of fractures piercing its form. With a crash, the window shattered, myriad fragments shooting out into the empty space before the squad. The razor-sharp shards tumbled around for a few seconds, beginning a lazy drift towards the streets above, pulled by the weak traces of the station's artificial gravity. The Commander nodded to the Revenant, moving towards the new opening.

The squad climbed through the shattered window, deactivating their magnetic boots as they entered the interior of the spire and the artificial gravity of the interior of the station took over. Once everyone was inside, Delexia bringing up the rear, Shepard led the way to the nearest corridor, leading up to the top of the spire and the waiting ships.

After what seemed like an eternity, the squad finally reached the upper floors of the spire. The steady thump, thump, thump of Afterlife's dance floor grew louder and louder, and finally the Commander found himself in more familiar surroundings, the corridors looking more and more like the main areas of the club. Shepard paused as they approached the thick pair of double doors that led to the main dance floor of the club. He held up a hand, indicating that the squad should wait. He turned to Garrus.

"You hear that?" Shepard asked tensely, drawing his rifle.

"I can't hear anything over the music." Garrus answered. "It's not Yolan Noss' best song, but nothing to get antsy about."

"I can't hear anything other than the music, and that's the problem. Even in an emergency like this, we'd still hear someone in there. The club was packed out earlier. That number of people wouldn't have managed to evacuate yet."

"So where do you think everyone went?" Delexia asked, pulling a shotgun from her back.

"I don't know, but something isn't right about this." Shepard muttered hesitantly. "Weapons ready, and try to keep quiet."

Taking a deep breath, the Commander keyed the doors open. The two halves of the door slid apart with a whoosh, exposing the room beyond.

A grisly sight met the squad. Many of the club's inhabitants had been torn apart, in many occasions literally. Shepard's eyes were drawn to the corpse of a Krogan, face drawn taut in a rictus of pain as his legs and arms had been pulled off and cast aside as though they were of no concern. Shepard noted that every corpse in the room held some weapon or another in their cold, dead hands.

Shambling amongst the piles of the dead, masses of Husks looked over to the squad the instant the doors opened. The nearest ones opened their mouths, dead throats wheezing wetly as they began to lope towards the Commander and his allies.

Shepard's finger instantly tightened on the trigger of his weapon, unloading a vicious volley of bullets into the attacking ranks. The first Husk in the enemy charge exploded in a shower of gore, followed swiftly by a half-dozen of its fellows. Shepard's allies unleashed their attacks immediately after him, Grunt and Delexia using their shotguns to cut down the targets that managed to get close while Zaeed and Garrus joined Shepard in holding the bulk of the enemies back with their assault rifles. Etarn and the Revenant maintained a powerful barrage of biotic attacks, tearing into the mass of enemies with their minds.

As the last few Husks perished, Shepard became aware of a deeper, throatier roar coming from the far side of the dance floor. The Commander turned to the source of the noise to see three Scions shoulder their way through the doors leading to the club's entrance foyer. A dense knot of Husks and Abominations shambled between them, running ahead in a headlong gait. At the same time, mournful howls echoed down the corridor behind the squad. Shepard spun on his feet to look to the rear, seeing the doors to the many private rooms hiss open, pouring Husks out into the corridor behind the squad.

"We can't keep this up with enemies on both fronts!" Garrus shouted over the chant of his rifle. "We've got to find a more defensible position."

"Aria's platform should do." Shepard concluded. "Fall back."

The party scurried across the dance floor, the two clusters of enemies rapidly closing on them. As Shepard began to climb the stairs towards Aria's favoured spot in the club, the squad turned to face the Husks, ascending the stairs backwards. Once they reached the apex of the stairs, they moved swiftly to their preferred roles. Garrus rolled into a crouching position on Aria's throne, overlooking the dance floor. He pulled out his sniper rifle and began to fire at the approaching Scions, scoring several devastating hits on their heads, although the shambling monstrosities barely slowed. Grunt and Delexia took up positions at either side of the upper platform, using their shotguns to hold back the masses of Husks. The Revenant and Etarn stood atop the platform, using their biotics to lift enemies from the stairs as they tried to climb towards the squad, throwing the howling Husks and Abominations off the stairs and into the main bulk to their forces, oftentimes bringing down several of their comrades with them as they tumbled in an awkward knot of tangled limbs.

Shepard and Zaeed took up positions on either side of Garrus, using their assault rifles to rain down destruction on the Husks below. Seeing the Scions drawing closer and closer, Shepard barked out orders to his comrades.

"Take out the big ones!"

Zaeed nodded, reaching down to his belt. He pulled a small, circular object from a pouch there, pressing a button atop it. The tiny device beeped, flashing blue and red with increasing frequency. With expert aim, the old mercenary lobbed the device towards the Scions. The tiny object soared through the air, hitting the fleshy sac that formed the back of one of the creatures, where it stuck.. It blinked blue and red several more times before it stuck on red, the beep rising to a more insistent whine. With a tremendous whump, the device exploded, sending a column of white-hot flame jetting up towards the ceiling. The Scion burst open in a flush of gooey grey matter, limbs arcing across the room. The other two Scions tumbled to the ground, thrown aside by the blast. Shepard unloaded his thermal clip into the now exposed belly of the second Scion, tearing it apart. Beside him, Garrus used the last few rounds of ammunition to finish off the third one.

As the squad gunned down the last of the smaller enemies, the final Abomination exploding in a blast of fire that incinerated the Husks around it, a terrible wail reverberated through the club. A mournful chorus echoed up into the dance floor from the centre of the massive hologram that towered above the room in the centre. Appearing through the hole leading down to the next floor down, mottled by the shifting colours of the hologram, a Praetorian raced into view, turning its myriad dead faces towards the squad. Shepard only had time to widen his eyes in surprise before the monstrosity lunged towards him, razor-sharp limbs lashing out in a lethal flurry.

Shepard dropped to the floor, rolling out from under the wailing creature. Cursing, Zaeed was struck in the side, thrown back with a massive gash to his torso bleeding profusely. Garrus found himself trapped underneath the Praetorian, pinned by its massive bulk.

The Commander scurried back from the wildly flailing limbs, eventually backing up against the back wall of the alcove opposite Aria's platform. As he lifted his rifle to fire, the Praetorian turned towards him, dozens of dead eyes looking at him with malevolence. The beast growled, launching itself at the Human with a wail. Shepard flinched back from the vicious attack, only for it not to land.

Shepard cautiously opened his eyes to see Grunt's massive bulk standing between him and the Praetorian. The Krogan's arms strained to hold back two of the monster's limbs, clawed hands gripping metallic talons in a fierce grip. Grunt's face twisted into a snarl as the two pushed against one another. Two of the Praetorian's free limbs lashed forwards, sharp talons piercing the Krogan's combat armour and his flesh with a squishy squelch. Grunt groaned from the pain, but did not relent in his efforts to wrestle with the creature.

Behind the Praetorian, Garrus got to his feet unsteadily, unholstering his assault rifle. The Turian instantly began unloading bullets into the beast at point blank range, tearing through its barriers with no effort at all. Delexia stepped up next to him, using her shotgun to blast away chunks of its metal shell. The Praetorian glowed blue as Etarn and the Revenant used their biotics to twist the metal, weakening it to the point that it cracked and fractured.

As the creature squealed in pain, Grunt pressed the attack, pushing with renewed vigour. He twisted to one side, throwing the monster off balance. As it skittered across the floor, he released one of the limbs, reaching in with lightning-fast reflexes and pulling one of the skulls from its maw. Convulsions coursed through the Praetorian's form as its power systems weakened, an opportunity Grunt used to reach in and pull free several more skulls. With a gasp of defeat, the Praetorian slumped to the floor, lifeless.

The squad paused, breathing heavily from the exertion. Delexia stepped over to the barely conscious Zaeed, using her omnitool to administer a shot of medi-gel. She then took another dose of medi-gel and used it to seal the wound on his chest, staunching the bleeding. In seconds, the mercenary was able to clamber to his feet, tinkering with his suit's kinetic barrier to compensate for the suit rupture.

As this was happening, Shepard checked on Grunt's wounds. Although the Krogan stubbornly insisted he was fine, the Commander could see that the wounds were painful. The Praetorian had punctured his sides, catching a couple of his internal organs. Thankfully, his sturdy Krogan physiology was already at work repairing the damage, and his redundant organs were easily compensating for the damaged ones. As Shepard finished his inspection, Garrus stepped up beside him.

"We've got to get a move on, Commander. We've been delayed enough as it is."

"You're right. Come on, the docking bays aren't far." Shepard ordered the squad.

The party made their way out of Afterlife, stepping out onto Omega's streets and a scene of utter chaos.

Omega's denizens ran about in blind panic, screams of the injured, the dying and the just plain terrified filling the air. Husks raced about amidst the citizens, spreading terror and confusion wherever they went. Shepard saw a Scion pick up a struggling Asari with one hand, carrying the terrified alien as though she were a toy. Another cluster of Husks systematically pulled a Batarian apart, the four-eyed alien's final defiant shouts accompanied by the sounds of a pistol firing wildly. The Commander noted that the majority of the people were being carried off, still alive and screaming. The only ones being killed were those that put up armed resistance, who were targeted and slaughtered with ruthless, machine-like efficiency.

Hanging over Afterlife like a malevolent god, a Reaper swung its limbs about in a destructive frenzy, levelling apartment buildings and warehouses as though they were made of matchsticks. The streets below were filled with the debris of destroyed buildings.

As Shepard watched, he caught sight of a large group of armed individuals making their way to the nearby skycar parking lot, where they scrambled to get into a multitude of vehicles. The Reaper sent a tentacle-like appendage waving past overhead, smashing through the buildings above the lot and sending a cascade of debris raining down on the skycars, almost burying them. After the smoke and dust had cleared, Shepard could see movement within the carnage.

"Come on! We've got to help!" He ordered. The squad obediently followed him.

They rushed over to the piles of smoking rubble, picking their way through the chaos. As they approached, Shepard noticed that the people buried by the rubble were wearing familiar armour. As he made this observation, the Commander rounded a large pile of debris to see a couple of familiar figures struggling to free themselves from the rubble.

Blood trickling from a wound to the side of his head, Balak tugged ineffectually at the rubble, trying to free himself. Beside him, Vido Santiago strained against a beam of steel pinning him down across his chest. The pair looked up as the squad approached.

"Shepard…." Vido managed weakly. "Help me…"

"Looks to me like you're getting what was coming to you, you two-faced bastard." Zaeed growled with relish, loving the fact that his nemesis lay dying at his feet.

"We can't just leave them to this fate!" Etarn protested.

"Why not? Bastards have caused enough trouble already." Zaeed said indifferently.

"He's right." Garrus admitted. "Balak's a terrorist with enough blood on his hands to deserve this, and Vido's a cunning bastard responsible for more than a few atrocities that would warrant the death penalty on any world."

"We can't just leave them here to die." Etarn insisted. "Balak's too valuable. Despite his extremist tendencies, he commands a large force. We'll need those ships."

"And Vido controls the Blue Suns." Delexia added. "If he dies, no one will manage to consolidate their control over the organisation in time to help you take back your world.

"Besides which," Grunt said. "You know what'll happen if we leave them to the Reapers. Better to have them fight at our side than against us."

Shepard hesitated, struggling over the choice. On the one hand, here lay two of his most hated enemies, at his mercy. Balak had threatened to destroy a prominent Human colony on Terra Nova, and Vido was in command of an army of blood-thirsty murderers painted up to look like professional soldiers, but they were both able commanders with the loyalty of thousands of fighters. In the end, he couldn't throw away such a force.

"We'll need the Blue Suns and Balak's troops to fight the Reapers." He said conclusively. "Help me get them out of here."

"Fuck that, Shepard!" Zaeed shouted. "I've been waiting to kill this bastard for twenty years. I am not about to save his life!"

"Then help dig Balak out. I'll help Vido." Shepard said firmly. "But one way or another, we're getting them out of here."

Zaeed's face creased in a deep frown, his scars writhing across his face like eels. He puffed out his chest in a show of defiance, to which the Commander retaliated with a fierce stare. The two seasoned warriors locked gazes for an instant, a battle of wills, before Zaeed finally stepped down, conceding defeat.

"Fine. Have it your sodding way. But don't come cryin' to me when the miserable little shit stabs you in the back."

The squad set to work digging the mercenaries out from underneath the rubble. In moments, mostly thanks to Grunt's awesome strength, combined with the Revenant and Etarn's biotics, they had cleared the majority of the debris. Delexia helped Balak to his feet while Garrus went to the aid of Vido.

"You saved us, Human. I did not expect that." Balak said, a little wonder in his voice. "I would not have blamed you for leaving us to die, but you chose to help." He paused, clearly finding the next few words difficult. "…Thank you."

"If you want to show your gratitude, just make sure you don't waste this. We need every ship we can get to stop these things." Shepard waved a hand at the Reaper, still destroying chunks of Omega behind them. "When the Alliance calls, you answer, clear?"

"As crystal." Balak said gruffly. It was clear he was reluctant to help a Human, but after seeing the Reapers in action he could not deny the risk to his own people, and the Batarian was smart enough to know that they needed stopping.

"You'll have the Blue Suns at your side, too, Shepard." Vido said as he limped up to the Commander. "I don't forget those who I owe a favour."

"Good, now get back to your ships and try and cause some hell out there." Shepard ordered.

As the mercenaries headed off on foot, their battered leaders struggling with their injuries, the squad clustered together.

"We're not far from the docking bays now." Delexia informed them. "The Starborn is just a couple of blocks away. The crew's got her running hot, and as soon as I'm aboard we can be joining the fray in no time."

"The Normandy's close, too." Shepard said. "We'll see you to your ship and then make our own way off the station."

Shepard and Delexia led the way through the rapidly emptying streets of Omega, heading straight for the docking bays. The Commander noted that the number of Husks visible in the streets was becoming fewer and fewer, as was the number of survivors they came across.

"Where is everyone?" Shepard wondered.

"Everyone in this area is probably either captured, dead or well on their way to the evacuation centres." Delexia said. "But the other districts will still be crawling with civilians. There's over eight million people on this station, so I doubt everyone's gone yet. It takes time to move that many people around. Seems like the Reapers focused on clearing out the central zone of the station around Afterlife."

After a few moments, the squad rounded a final corner and found themselves entering the docking bays. The Starborn sat in the nearest docking bay, engines humming powerfully. Delexia's ship was painted a matte black, designed to move through the darkness of space unseen. The Starborn possessed graceful curves and a deceptively sleek design. Under her prow, a pair of large energy cannons hung ominously, a small part of the pirate vessel's arsenal.

Behind the ship, the entrance to the docking bay shimmered, protected from the vacuum of space by a Mass Effect field. Beyond, the raging space battle could be seen. Several Reapers hung in space, using their beam weapons to rain destruction upon Omega. As the squad watched, several of the smaller spires opened up, their outer shells peeling away to reveal an array of large gun turrets. The station's defences opened fire, launching a powerful barrage of projectiles at the attackers.

One Reaper hung in space closer to the docking bays than the others. As the squad watched, the station's turrets fired upon it, glowing red rounds punching into the Reaper's barriers powerfully. The Reaper spun, taking aim at the nearest turret, firing its beam weapon with devastating power. The turret vanished in a vast explosion, the shudder of its demise travelling through the entirety of the station.

Shepard's eyes widened in concern as debris from the turret flew out in an expanding cloud of fire. One large piece of metal, at least twice the size of the Normandy's shuttle, raced through space straight at the docking bay. With almost supernatural speed, the Commander spun on his heels, grabbing Delexia around the waist and dragging her back around the corner. The rest of the squad were quick to follow, Grunt bringing up the rear as the debris passed through the docking bay's barrier.

Travelling at an appreciable fraction of the speed of light, the debris passed through both the docking bay and the Starborn's barriers, tearing through the starship's hull as though it were made of paper. The ship rumbled for a brief moment before the docking bay was bathed in a brilliant light, the ship's engine core detonating with devastating force. An instant later, the thump of an explosion tangible in the air.

Seconds later, once the echoes of the explosion had quietened down, the squad carefully moved back around the corner. Delexia's looked about in shock, surveying what was left of her ship.

All that remained of the Starborn was fragments of burning debris, surrounding a circle of white-hot metal and flames. Behind where the ship had once been, the environmental barrier shimmered uncertainly, its projectors heavily damaged. Shepard realised that the atmosphere was about to flood out of this area, threatening to sweep the squad out into space with the rush of air, breathers or not.

"We need to keep moving." He ordered. "That barrier won't hold long, and I don't want to be here when it gives way."

"My… my ship." Delexia stuttered, clearly at a loss. "My crew."

"We need to go, Delexia." Shepard said insistently, tugging at her arm.

The Turian hesitated for a few more seconds before shuddering, seeming to reawaken. She turned and followed the Commander through the exit on the far side of the bay.

A few more twists and turns and the squad found themselves at the airlock leading to the Normandy. Shepard quickly punched in the code to open the airlock and they rushed onto the ship. Seconds later, the Normandy's engines flared and she backed out of the docking bay, racing away from Omega's streets.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard hurried through the CIC towards the command console above the Galaxy Map.

"Joker, get us moving!" He shouted over his shoulder.

"Already on it." The pilot replied.

"EDI, tactical analysis on the Galaxy Map."

"Acknowledged."

The Galaxy Map flickered, the holographic representation of the Milky Way vanishing as it was replaced by a map of the immediate area around Omega. The massive, mushroom-shaped station hung in the centre of the map, with the sinister forms of several Reapers hanging in space around it. Hundreds of smaller ships buzzed about, most attacking the Reapers while several were clearly making their way out of the system. Six Reapers still moved about amidst the spires of Omega, though they seemed to be making their way out of the station.

As Shepard took his position at the console above the map, a series of new targets hove into view on the field, a small fleet of ships that Shepard instantly recognised as Alliance. EDI's holographic representation flickered up close to the Map.

"Commander, incoming message from Captain Barnett, SSV Jura."

"Patch him through."

"Commander Shepard, this is Captain Jonathan Barnett. We set a course for Omega as soon as we got word of the attack."

"Good to see some reinforcements, Captain." Shepard answered. "How'd you find out we needed help?"

"An anonymous informant proved most persuasive." The Captain replied cryptically. Shepard smirked, instantly realising Liara's influence at work. "Where do you need us, Commander?"

"Swarm the nearest Reaper, try and wear its defences down to take it out. We'll only take these things down by working in packs."

"Understood."

"Shepard, this is Aria." The Asari's voice sounded over the comm channels.

"How's Omega holding up?" The Commander asked.

"Not good. Our barriers are just about completely gone, most of our gun turrets are disabled, and we've got a lot of enemies in the streets. I'm co-ordinating our forces as best I can, but we're fighting a losing battle here."

"Patch your ships through to the Normandy, I'll direct the battle from here. Focus on the enemies inside the station while we deal with those outside."

"Done." Aria responded almost immediately. "Take out these bastards, Shepard, and I'll give you whatever resources the Terminus Systems have for your war."

Shepard turned his attention to the battle, co-ordinating the myriad ships now at his command. Captain Barnett's forces systematically lowered the barriers on one Reaper and, at great cost to the Human forces, destroyed the first Reaper with a tremendous explosion which warmed the hearts of all of the defenders. As the Reaper split apart in a glittering storm of debris, Shepard's fist clenched in celebration, the only outward sign the Commander felt anything at the ancient machine's demise.

As the battle raged, Shepard became aware of a cluster of Reapers moving through the asteroid field, circling around a particularly large asteroid. He was growing curious about what they were up to when EDI piped up again.

"Commander, I am detecting a surge of Dark Energy around the Reapers not directly involved in the fire fight."

"What's that mean?"

"The readings are synonymous with those of a biotic using their powers. It would seem that they are trying to move the asteroid."

"Why?"

"I cannot be certain. However, the alignment of the Reapers may suggest that they intend to launch the asteroid at Omega."

"My god!" Shepard gasped. "What can they hope to achieve by doing this?"

"Insufficient data to speculate." The AI said flatly.

"This is Commander Shepard to all ships in system. There is a group of Reapers looking to launch an asteroid at Omega. Move to intercept. Stop that Asteroid at all costs." The Commander ordered over the comms. Moments later, ships from all sectors of the system began to disengage from their battle with the Reapers around the station and made a bee-line for the asteroid.

As the motley assortment of Alliance and pirate ships approached, the Reapers around the asteroid glowed with a brilliant flash of biotic light, expending tremendous amounts of power. Tendrils of blue light caressed the surface of the asteroid, curling around it. With a lurch, the asteroid began to cut a lazy swathe through the asteroid field towards Omega. Smaller asteroids shattered in its path or were cast aside as the gargantuan object curved towards the station.

"The station's barriers won't stop an object that big." Shepard said over the comm channels. "Open fire! Break it apart."

The assembled defenders began to fire on the asteroid, blasting chunks out of its surface, but their combined firepower did little to the overall mass of the asteroid. Within moments, the asteroid had accelerated to an incredible speed, swiftly approaching the station. It only took a few seconds for it to become apparent that the asteroid could not be stopped.

"Aria, this is Shepard." He shouted over the comms. "We can't stop this thing, get your ass out of there!"

"I'm-" Aria's reply was suddenly consumed by static, and the display before the Commander flickered as an alien presence infiltrated the comm channels.

"EDI? What the hell happened?" Shepard looked about in confusion. The voice that answered him, however, was not the Normandy's AI.

"Shepard," The voice was deep, menacing, and by now all too familiar.

"Harbinger." Shepard answered without a trace of surprise. "I should have known you'd have a hand in this."

"You struggle in vain. Now, witness the futility of your defiance as one of your strongest bastions falls before our might."

Back on the display, the asteroid completed its journey, tearing into Omega's spires. Towers of metal splintered into dust, the shock of the impact shuddering through the entire structure. The asteroid carved its way through the centre of the station, leaving nothing but fragments of metal in its wake. The comm channels suddenly filled with the cries of thousands dying instantly, intermingled with the terrified queries of those who were not yet aware of the danger.

Shepard watched the holographic display in shock, unable to do anything to stop the atrocity unfolding before his eyes. Around the CIC, the entire crew stopped, many staring with mouths agape as the black heart of the Terminus Systems was torn open.

Moments after the attack had begun, it was over. Amazingly, the station still remained, although the asteroid had cut a massive streak of destruction through the middle of the spires. With a lurch, the Commander realised that the district that had contained Afterlife, the hub of the station, no longer existed, shattered by the Reapers' vicious assault. Shepard anxiously reopened his commlink.

"Aria? Aria, this is Shepard, do you read me?"

The comms hissed with static, no reply forthcoming from Omega's Pirate Queen.

"Aria, please respond." Shepard's voice was becoming tense with worry.

"Now you see the truth of your devastation. It is inevitable that our kind shall cleanse your Galaxy. One of your most powerful fortresses lies in ruins, one of your strongest leaders dead in the flaming-"

"Hey Harbinger," A familiar Asari voice echoed over the comms, causing Shepard's heart to lift in exultation. EDI highlighted a small cluster of ships emerging from the devastation of Omega. "Better luck next time, you son of a bitch!"

"Aria!" Shepard almost shouted over the comms. "You had us worried for a second there."

"I'm touched, Commander." Aria quipped back. Shepard could hear the smile she bore on her haughty blue expression.

"Your survival is immaterial." Harbinger said arrogantly, although the Commander thought he could hear a tinge of annoyance in the Reaper's voice. "We shall raze your fleets, and your worlds shall burn. Our brethren shall return, and you will all die."

"Not if I've got anything to say about it." Aria responded arrogantly. "You just pissed off a dangerous person to have as an enemy. You might have destroyed my station, but I swear to you, I'm going to rebuild it using your twisted metal corpses."

"Your threats mean nothing. Flee, and prepare to meet your destiny." Harbinger responded haughtily.

On the holographic display, the Reapers began to converge on the stricken station. As the Commander watched, EDI's interface flickered into being next to the display.

"Commander, I am getting new readings on the asteroid Omega has been built into. It seems that the asteroid the Reapers used to attack has broken through a previously impenetrable layer of extremely dense rock. This has exposed a previously undiscovered lode of Element Zero within the depths of the asteroid."

"I thought that the Protheans exhausted the asteroid completely." Shepard said, the hint of a question in the statement.

"Apparently not. It would seem that this cache of eezo was enclosed in a pocket of super-dense materials. It is possible it is a cache of resources the Reapers left behind during a previous invasion."

"Well, now we know why they came here. They're here for resources for building the Sol Relay to Dark Space." Shepard said. "We've got to stop them."

"Eezo in its raw state is very volatile." EDI explained. "If you were to fire upon the lode, it would be incinerated. However, the rest of the station will be consumed in the explosion."

"Shepard, you can't!" Aria gasped over the comms. "We're still working to get the survivors out of there."

Shepard groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"EDI, how many people are left on the station?"

"Scans indicate as many as six million survivors remain on Omega. Evacuation will take as long as seven hours to complete. However, during that time, the Reapers will be able to completely remove the Eezo from the asteroid."

"We'll go where you direct, Commander." Captain Barnett said. "Just say the word, and that asteroid is history."

"Shepard, you can't do this!" Aria protested. "We need the Alliance ships to help us with the evacuation!"

Shepard groaned, lowering himself onto his elbows, looking over the holographic map. He weighed up the options in his head, not liking either choice. Stop the Reapers from getting a hold of an incredibly valuable cache of resources, thereby delaying the construction of the Relay that would spell certain doom for the Earth, but leading to the death of six million innocent individuals, or direct Barnett to help in the evacuation and let the Reapers get away with more eezo than the Alliance had seen since the discovery of the Charon Relay. He took a second to make his choice.

**Author's Note: Another devastatingly difficult choice faces Commander Shepard! Vote for the option you prefer. Should Shepard order the destruction of Omega, and the murder of its inhabitants? Or should he let the Reapers get away with all of this Eezo. Let your voice be heard in the poll on my profile page.**


	24. 24: No Price Too High?

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 24: No Price Too High?**

"Shepard? What are your orders?" Barnett pushed.

The Commander took a deep breath, re-opening the comm channel.

"Captain Barnett, hold your fire. Direct your ships to assist in the evacuation."

"But sir-"

That's an order, Barnett. We're not about to throw away that many lives over a pile of rocks. Your job is to help those civilians get off that station before the atmosphere leaks away into space. Do I make myself clear?"

"… Yes, sir." The Alliance captain responded sullenly.

"Thank you, Shepard." Aria responded. "You're making the right choice."

"We'll see." Shepard replied bitterly. "I want the merc bosses to meet with me aboard the Normandy once the evacuation is over. Hopefully now they'll see sense. Make sure you're there, too."

"Of course, Commander." The Asari responded smoothly.

Shepard turned from the display, unable to watch as the holographic images of the Reapers dug deep into the asteroid. He descended the steps, unsure of what to do in the meantime. Kelly approached him cautiously, a concerned look on her face.

"You're doing the right thing, Commander. The Reapers could have found the eezo anywhere. The lives you've saved would have been a lot harder to replace."

"If you say so." The Commander replied gruffly. "Let me know when our guests arrive."

With that, he strode towards the elevator, keying in the command to travel up to his cabin.

**~o~0~o~**

The hours passed, and the Reapers continued their harvest. All too soon, the gargantuan machines had taken as much as they needed and retreated, leaving the asteroid completely devoid of resources. The evacuation effort was still underway, although survivors were becoming increasingly hard to find amidst the wreckage. The mass of pirate and Alliance ships present in the system were filled almost to capacity. Even the Normandy had taken on a couple of shuttle-loads of civilians, who were being housed down in the main Cargo Hold. Needless to say, given the nature of Omega's inhabitants, they were being closely watched at all times.

The Commander was amazed by how much co-operation he was seeing between the ships of the Terminus systems and the Alliance. Considering one faction was completely lawless while the other upheld the laws the former so blatantly flaunted, Shepard had expected some friction. And yet, in the face of such a crisis, everyone had pulled together. It raised his hopes that maybe the Galaxy could be united to face the Reaper threat.

The station had almost been completely emptied when a message beeped quietly on Shepard's private terminal, informing him that a shuttle bearing the merc bosses was coming in to dock with the Normandy. He slowly stood up from his desk, stretching his shoulders wearily. He picked up the steaming mug of coffee on his desk and downed the contents, wincing at the bitter strength of it, and turned to head down to the CIC.

The crew were bustling around on the Command Deck, some rushing to perform repairs to the minor damage sustained in the Reapers' initial attack and the rush to stop their attack with the asteroid collision. Others were simply eager to be doing something, the adrenaline of the recent enemy engagement jangling through their systems and rendering rest impossible. The Commander wove through the bustle, making his way to the airlock behind the cockpit.

He arrived just as it began to cycle open, nodding to Garrus, Feron and Kaidan, who stood to attention just behind Joker's chair. The Commander stood next to them, facing the whirring door as it slid open.

Aria stepped onto the Command Deck, carrying herself imperiously. She was flanked by two Batarian guards, and followed closely by the Patriarch. This first group was soon followed by a battered Balak and Vido Santiago, their battle armour heavily damaged by the debris that Shepard had rescued them out from under. Lumbering behind them, Golarr and Motrak bowed their heads to get through the Human-sized airlock. Shepard almost jumped upon realising that Motrak was missing almost the entirety of his right arm, although the Krogan appeared not to notice, or at least not to be bothered by it. Gavorn, Sidonis and Groklan soon followed them, apparently unscathed. Susanna Morven was close behind, nursing a wound to her side. The last ones to step through were Fodra and Vanyala Sederis. Shepard noted that Alessa, Vanyala'a sister, was missing, as was Fodra's Drell assistant, presumably casualties, judging from the sombre expressions they both bore.

Finally, the entire party had disembarked from the shuttle and stood in the corridor leading back to the CIC. Shepard gestured for them to move back to where there would be more room, especially for the three Krogan in the group. Once they had all taken places around the Galaxy Map, the Normandy crew shuffling out of the way to make room for them, Shepard took his place at the head of the map, from where he could see the faces of each one present. As he prepared to speak, he saw Delexia step into the CIC, taking a place at the far end of the Map.

"I think we can safely say that you now understand the threat this new enemy presents." He began, deciding not to beat around the bush. "We'll need every gun, ship and soldier we can muster if we're to put a stop to the Reapers. They're building a machine, with Earth's sun as its power source. If they complete this machine then we'll have to face a fleet many times the size of the one you saw today. The Alliance is getting ready to try and stop this, but we'll need your help. I need you to unite the pirate gangs, mercenary companies and slaver groups of the Terminus into a single fleet to join us in taking back the Sol System."

"Whatever anyone else says, you have my gratitude for sparing Omega. What resources I have left at my disposal are yours, Shepard." Aria vowed strongly. Patriarch smiled broadly from behind her.

"Those bastards took my sister from me." Vanyala said, her voice almost breaking. "This is something Eclipse won't forget. You have our support."

"This will be a war to be remembered for all time." Motrak said. "I wouldn't miss it for all the credits in the Galaxy, and neither will my men."

As he made this bold declaration, Golarr next to him looked somewhat more uncertain, but Shepard caught a stern glare being traded between the Bonebreaker leader and the Patriarch, after which the Krogan's hesitation evaporated.

"The Bonebreakers will join you, Shepard."

Fodra nodded his support, as did Groklan, Susanna and Gavorn.

"My men are ready to fight by your side, Commander." Sidonis said proudly.

"As are the Blue Suns." Vido said quietly. Although it was obvious he was determined to help, it was also clear he was uncomfortable pledging support to someone who had so recently been his enemy.

"The ancestors know that you and I could not be counted as friends, Shepard." Balak said grimly. "But you did save my life today. My honour demands that I repay you with the support of my men."

All eyes turned to the last figure around the Map, Delexia Tanis. Clearly they had doubts as to what she could bring to the discussion, what with the loss of her ship and crew. But the Turian's voice was strong, as was the firm set to her jaw mandibles.

"I may not have a ship to offer any more, but I've got connections that'll get things done. And, if you'll have me, I'd be honoured to serve on your crew, Commander."

"An extra gun pointed at our enemies is always welcome, Delexia. I'd be happy to have you aboard the Normandy."

"So it's settled then." Aria said grimly. "For the first time since the Asari discovered the Mass Relays, the Terminus Systems shall unite to go to war against a single enemy."

"Thank you all for your support." Shepard said sincerely, feeling gratitude even towards the spiteful Balak. "Believe me when I say that every singly soldier we can send against the Reapers counts."

"Then I suppose it is time for us to return to our ships." Vido said.

The gathering dispersed, the assembled pirates, mercs and criminal warlords heading back up the corridor towards their shuttle. Sidonis hung back a few paces, something clearly on his mind. He paused long enough for the others to move out of earshot before turning to face Garrus. He appeared to struggle to find the right words.

"I am trying to make things right, Garrus. I know you have your doubts, and I don't blame you. I've hardly given you cause to trust me. But I'm doing what I can."

Garrus' expression remained stony for a few more seconds, before finally relaxing with a resigned sigh.

"I know, Sidonis. And I understand why you did what you did. I can't forgive you yet, but I understand."

The younger Turian seemed taken aback by this admission, and he mouthed a few words silently, clearly uncertain what to say.

"Th-thank you, Garrus." He finally managed before turning to follow the rest of Omega's leaders.

The pirates clambered through the airlock into the shuttle, until finally only Aria and the Patriarch remained. The Pirate Queen of Omega turned to have a few quiet words with the Commander.

"Thank you again for sparing the station. I know it wasn't easy to let those things get away with so much raw materials. But it saved a lot of lives."

"How many did we manage to save?"

"Upwards of four and a half million."

"That still leaves almost two million dead or captured." Shepard sighed, the heaviness of those words pulling at his heart.

"Better just two than all six and a half million." Aria reassured him. "And nearly all of those you saved will have a degree of combat training. These are Omega's citizens after all."

She looked hesitant for a moment, before leaning forward and brushing Shepard's cheek with her lips. The Commander felt a thrill travel up his spine at the contact, an electric sensation that left him longing for more. She stepped back, grinning flirtatiously.

"Say hi to Wrex why don't you? I hear the cantankerous old bastard is still running around looking for something new to shoot in the face."

"You know Wrex?" Shepard asked with a measure of surprise. "How?"

"Oh, it was long before your grandparents were even born. A boring story you've probably already heard." She smiled roguishly as she stepped back into the airlock, following the Patriarch. She winked as the door began to close between her and Shepard. "Better luck next time, Commander!"

Shepard smiled as the airlock hissed closed. Once the shuttle had properly disengaged from the Normandy, he turned and headed off down the corridor towards the CIC and a proper night's rest.

**~o~0~o~**

The next day, the Commander stepped out into the CIC, feeling greatly refreshed. He rubbed at his clean-shaven chin, a yawn venting his remaining fatigue as he stepped over to his station at the Galaxy Map.

Kelly was already there, stack of datapads in hand. He smiled at Shepard as he walked by.

"Commander. How are you today?"

"Never better, Kelly. What've you got for me today?"

"Nothing much. No messages, for once. However, you may want to check on Etarn. He's seemed a little out of sorts today. I'm a little worried, but he won't let anyone talk to him. Maybe you'll have better luck."

"I'll go see what's wrong. Where is he?"

"Last I saw of him he was down in the Starboard Obseravtion Lounge."

"Right. I'll head on down there right away."

"Okay. In the meantime, where's our next destination, Commander?"

"The Citadel. There's a smuggling operation we need to break up, and a relic we need to recover."

"Alright. I'll go tell Joker."

The Commander nodded to his personal assistant before heading back to the elevator, making his way down to the Crew Deck. He exited the elevator and turned left, heading straight for the Observation Lounge. The doors hissed open to reveal the Batarian, pacing before the window, obviously in deep thought. The alien looked up as Shepard walked in, but swiftly turned away, clearly angry.

"Etarn?" Shepard asked cautiously. "Kelly said something was bothering you."

"Do not talk to me, hypocrite!" The Batarian seethed.

"Hypocrite? What did I do?" Shepard asked, confused.

"You preach the mantra that we must pay any price to stop this menace. You sacrificed my people in the Bahak System to put a stop to one stage of their plan. And yet, when it comes to the lives of your own people in Omega, you hesitate! You let the Reapers get away with vital resources, perhaps the key to their return to the Galaxy and the destruction of civilisation as we know it. I have seen a great deal of hypocrisy from within the government of my own people, but I never expected it from you."

"Etarn, I tried to warn your people on Aratoht. Had Doctor Kenson not cut me off, they would have had two hours to evacuate the planet, more than enough time for the authorities to get most if not all of the civilians through the Relay. I had no choice in their deaths. Had any other alternative presented itself, I would gladly have chosen that route. Omega was different because I actually had a choice in the matter."

"And I can't help but notice all the Humans your choice spared. What would you have done had it been a completely alien space station? Would you have allowed the Reapers to get away then?"

"That's bullshit and you know it."

"Do I? I find it hard to understand just how far you'll go to protect your own kind. After all, not too long ago you leapt into an alliance with Cerberus to protect your own people. And yet you claim your principles would not allow you to stoop to their level. How strong would your principles be if your kind were threatened, I wonder? How quickly would your morals crumble?"

"You don't believe that." Shepard asserted. "I'm not like the Illusive Man."

"Maybe, but the point still stands that you've allowed our enemy to attain a significant victory today." Etarn's voice was still harsh, but the Commander could tell that his words were getting through.

"Etarn, listen to me. You know I wouldn't let so many people die without giving them a chance to get out first. I tried to do the same for Bahak, but that opportunity was stolen from me. I couldn't let the Reapers do that to us again."

"I… I understand, Shepard. And I respect the strength you needed to make this decision. I pray such a choice will never be placed before me." Etarn sighed, striding over to the window. He gazed out at the stars, blinking slowly, wearily. Shepard realised that the alien had not been getting much sleep.

"There's something else, isn't there?" He prodded.

"Yes, there is. Though now that you ask, the topic weighs in my belly like a stone, unwilling to be revealed."

"You can tell me." Shepard reassured him. Etarn's eyes flicked towards him before darting back towards the stars outside.

"I have received a message from my allies within the Hegemony." He sighed. "Gorm Jib'bat is preparing my people for an attack on Humanity."

"What?" Shepard asked incredulously. "Now? With the Reapers right there?"

"The Reapers are precisely why he feels now is the time to strike." Etarn explained. "With the loss of Earth, the Alliance is weak, and ill-prepared for a war with the Batarians. And he has a lot of support. My people are baying for blood, Commander. And seeing as how you managed to avoid being handed over to the Hegemony, they feel that any and all Humans will do. This conflict has been approaching since you ventured past the Charon Relay, Shepard. It's now upon us."

"There must be some way we can convince your people of the real threat."

"There may be a way. But it would require a great deal of planning, and we would need to remove Gorm from the equation. His hatred of Humanity is the cornerstone of his regime's popularity, and their power."

"So how do we do that?"

"We'd need to go to a place I'd hoped never to have to bring you, Shepard. The heart of Batarian government."

"Is it on Khar'Shan? I don't know why you'd be so reluctant to take me there. After all, we met you there before you came aboard."

"It is not Khar'Shan." Etarn said dismissively. "We moved our government away from our homeworld long ago, as soon as we realised there were other species in the Galaxy. We realise that keeping the heart of our political empire on our homeworld would make it too obvious a target. The Hegemony Council gathers in a very different location."

"So where does it meet?"

"We call it the Eye of Torla'kht. A space station, the largest structure built by Batarian hands, and our best kept secret. Like the Citadel, it is hidden within a Nebula, although ours proves to be much more destructive to intruders. There is only one safe path to it, and this path is only shared with the most prestigious individuals in our society."

"Why the fancy name?"

"Torla'kht was a very important Batarian, one of the founders of our civilisation. A… legend among our people, if you like."

"I take it you know the way?"

"I once killed a man who did, so yes." The Batarian grinned.

"Alright. Get the co-ordinates to me the first chance you get. We'll head there as soon as we can."

"I appreciate this, Commander. Doing this may help to unite my people, against the Reapers and beyond."

Shepard nodded as he stood, walking back out of the Observation Lounge.

**~o~0~o~**

As the doors to the Observation Lounge hissed closed behind him, Shepard saw the retreating back of Delexia pass through the doors to the Crew Quarters down the hallway. He sped up, hurrying to catch up with her.

"Delexia!" He called.

The Turian turned from the bunk she was standing next to, smiling when she caught sight of the Commander.

"Shepard. Need something?"

"Just thought I'd check in with you, see how you're adjusting to life aboard the Normandy."

"I'm doin' good, Commander. Your crew's been very welcoming."

She leaned over her bunk, pulling her pistol from it's holster on her hip and hanging it on the wall, where some makeshift hooks had been installed. Shepard marvelled at the weapons arrayed beside the bunk.

"Quite a collection you've got there. How'd you convince Jacob to give you all the extra weaponry?"

"Hmm? Oh, they didn't come from the Normandy's armoury. I brought them aboard myself."

"What? How? The only things you were carrying was a shotgun and a pistol."

"That you could see. I have a personal policy of not going anywhere without at least two dozen weapons on my person at all times."

"How do you manage to hide it all?" Shepard asked wondrously as his fingertips brushed the hilt of a long, serrated dagger.

"I stash them here and there. That pretty little blade you're looking at gets put up my-"

"O-kay, that's enough about that." Shepard interrupted, his hand pulling back like the weapons had burst into flames. Delexia laughed, a surprisingly light, tinkling noise to come from a face as harsh as a Turian's.

"Relax, Commander. I'm very particular about keeping my toys clean. But I imagine you didn't come down here to discuss how clean I keep my knives. What's on your mind, Shepard?"

"Just wanted to make sure you were okay, is all."

"Oh, I see." She said knowingly. "You want to make sure that I'm still steady after the loss of the Starborn."

"It's not an easy thing to go through."

"You talk like you've lived through losing your ship before."

"Technically, I didn't live through it. This is the second Normandy. I was in command of the first when the Collectors blew it apart."

"Collectors. Like your Revenant in the Med Bay."

"Yup."

"Seems to me that myths are queuing up to introduce themselves to you, Shepard. Wouldn't surprise me if the Lady of the Moon clambered up from the Netherdark to threaten you at this stage."

"The Lady of the Moon?" Shepard asked curiously.

"A childish story. Surprised Vakarian hasn't told you it already. Heard you were buds back when you chased down Saren." The Turian's brow creased. "What did you mean, 'technically you didn't live through it'?"

"When the first Normandy was destroyed, I was one of the casualties." Shepard explained, almost casually. By this point, explaining his death, or near-death, or whatever it had been, was almost second nature upon making a new acquaintance.

"Uh huh. Maybe I should get that Solus in here. I think some of the rubble from Omega caught you a good whack on the head…"

"It's true."

"And you're here to tell the tale because… what? You turn up at the gates of Heaven wearing trainers? I hear they're big on their whole black tie policy in the afterlife."

"It took several billion credits and two years of research with top-of-the-line equipment to get me to wake up again. It wasn't easy, but somehow they managed to save enough of who I had been to rebuild me."

"Huh." Delexia was thoughtful for a moment. "You ever remember what you saw, between the ship blowing up and you waking up again?"

"Weren't we talking about your ship getting destroyed?" Shepard asked, swiftly turning the conversation around. He never felt comfortable, talking about what he had experienced. It was a touchy philosophical experience, and he knew it was not wise to dwell on it.

"Okay, touchy subject. Forget I asked." Delexia sat on her bunk, leaning back against the wall with her legs dangling off one side of the bunk.

"I guess it'll take a while to get used to not waking up in my cabin. I keep expecting to get a call from Kalos, my first mate, asking why the hell I've taken so long to report in."

"You had a big crew?"

"Not really. Only needed a handful to run the Starborn. The rest were combat troops. But I'd handpicked each and every last one of them. A bloodthirsty bunch, but we were like a family, you know?" Her eyes glistened. She took a deep breath, turning to lie down completely on the bunk. "No offence, but I'm not feeling real chatty just now, Shepard. Maybe we can talk about this another time?"

"Sure." Shepard said, understanding a plea for personal space when he heard it. "Look after yourself, Delexia."

"It's what I'm best at." She threw back as he strode out of the Crew Quarters.

Shepard made his way through the Crew Deck towards the forward batteries, dodging out of the way of a cluster of crewmen just about to start their shift. He nodded to Gardner in passing, the seasoned sergeant leaning over a pot of strong-smelling stew as he stirred it. Shepard glanced to the opposite side of the Mess, through the windows of the Med Bay, to see Archer and the Revenant poring over some complex machinery. The Human Doctor tweaked a setting, and the machine sparked wildly until the Collector calmly leaned over and activated a control. Although the alien's face had no muscles to convey emotion, his frustration at what he viewed to be the Human's primitive understanding of technology was obvious through his body language. Shepard shook his head and continued walking.

The doors to the gun batteries slid open, revealing the feet of Garrus sticking out from underneath the weapons. One twitched as he moved to gain better purchase for his task.

"That you, Gabby? Hand me the arc-welder, could you?"

Shepard smiled as he picked up the requested tool and knelt down next to the Turian's feet, handing it to his friend.

"Here you go, but I'm not Gabby."

"Commander!" The Turian's voice echoed out from under the Normandy's cannon. The feet began to squirm as he tried to work his way out. "Gimme a second and I'll be out of here."

"Don't bother." Shepard said, not wanting to interrupt his friend's work. "Need a hand down there?"

"Actually, yeah." The Turian admitted. Shepard lay down on the deck and slid under the gun next to Garrus. The Turian pointed to a loose plate. "Can you hold that in place for me while I attach it? Perfect."

"Sure was interesting to meet Sidonis again." Shepard commented as a couple of sparks leapt out from the plate as Garrus fastened it.

"I guess." The Turian's tone, while not discouraging the conversation, made it clear that he'd hoped to avoid discussing it. Shepard knew that that wouldn't be healthy in the long run, so he pressed forwards.

"He's done well for himself, and it sounds like he's doing good work."

"I'm not so convinced."

"Come on, Garrus. How long are you going to keep this up? He's trying to make amends."

"I know. And I know that you don't approve of holding grudges, Shepard. Hell, if you had I don't reckon Sidonis'd still be breathing." Garrus lowered the tool thoughtfully. "And I know that if you had let me just kill him then his death would have haunted me more than his betrayal. But I'm just not ready to forgive him yet, and I'm pretty sure I never will be."

"Why? What's bothering you so much about it?"

"It's just… we were a family, y'know? Maybe not as close a crew as what you've got here, but we still depended on one another to watch our backs. The betrayal hits deep. You've not had to deal with something like that, Commander."

"What about when Wrex turned on us on Virmire?"

"That's different. You managed to talk him down before he did anything he'd regret. Besides, he's more than proved himself since then. Helping you defeat Saren, uniting the Krogan, hell even taking Grunt into his clan."

"And you think Sidonis hasn't proven himself just because there's no rogue Spectre for him to chase down, or because he's not got enough political influence to make a difference?"

"That's not what I'm-"

"Yes, it is, Garrus. He's doing what he can to make a difference. If that's as a gun for hire to the oppressed people of the Terminus Systems, then that's fine. You told him you understood why he betrayed you, so why not forgive him?"

Garrus paused for a moment, sharp eyes staring at the underside of the gun as he thought. Finally, he sighed.

"You're right. You're right. He has fulfilled his promise. He's doing what he can to make things right. And he's done a good job so far. Although I find it hard to admit it, I am actually proud of what he's accomplished."

The pair finished their work on the underside of the gun, scooting back out and stretching their backs after working in the cramped space.

"Thanks for the chat, Shepard. Feels good to unload."

"Anytime, Garrus."

"Yeah. In the meantime, what about yourself, Commander? That wasn't an easy decision you faced back there."

"It was hard. I can't shake the feeling I've betrayed my own people somehow. I gave the Reapers a significant headstart on the construction of the Sol Relay and for what? Many would argue that Omega's citizens are not worth saving."

"Anyone who'd say that isn't worth listening to. I think you made the right choice, Commander. What's the point in stopping the Reapers if we end up with nothing left except a pile of our own dead to show for it? That's what they want."

"I guess so." Shepard conceded. "I wasn't about to have another Bahak hanging on my conscience."

"This again?" Garrus said dismissively. "Look, Shepard. Bahak wasn't your fault. If you want someone to blame, then point the finger at the Reapers. They're the ones who pushed Kenson to stop you. They're the ones who made it impossible for those Batarians to get out of there."

"You think so?"

"I know so." The Turian said firmly. "And I'm not about to let you wear yourself down trying to carry all that guilt around with you. No one should have to do that, but you keep trying anyway, like the stubborn bastard you are."

Shepard laughed at this, patting Garrus on the shoulder.

"I'm sure you're right, Garrus. Thanks for that."

"See you around, Commander." The Turian waved a hand over his shoulder as he turned back to his work.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard's next stop was on the crew deck. He stepped out of the elevator, only to almost bump into Grunt. The massive Krogan was staring out into the main Cargo Bay, leaning on the windowsill of the large viewport gazing downwards. Beyond the wndow, numerous crew worked to clear the Cargo Bay. A lot of the equipment had been shifted during Omega's evacuation to make room for the refugees and, now that those survivors had been offloaded onto another ship, there was a lot of work to do.

Grunt turned as the Commander walked around him to stand at the window.

"Battlemaster." He said by way of greeting.

"Grunt. How're you keeping?"

"I am well, Shepard. Though I feel tense. I dislike letting those machines get away with so much. And for what? To save those criminals on Omega."

"You think I should have let them die?" Shepard asked.

"They're weak! Protecting them at the cost of your own homeworld only displays even greater weakness. Had it been Warlord Graanth or Shalvuur on the battlefield, there'd be nothing left of that station but dust."

"And in the process, they'd have lost the support of the Omega Cartels, along with millions of potential combatants. Not to mention the damage done to the morale of their own troops upon seeing their leaders sacrificing the lives of so many without hesitation."

"So you showed yourself to be weak, only to make yourself stronger?" The Krogan asked with wonder.

"In a way. There's a lot more to warfare than wholesale slaughter, Grunt."

"I see now why Wrex so readily allowed me to travel with you, Battlemaster. I could not learn this from a Krogan. We do not appreciate the more subtle things of morale and political alliances."

"It's good to see you're understanding these lessons, Grunt."

"Yes. Perhaps, with you as my mentor, I will one day be fit to lead my people."

"Just so long as that day's not too near. I still need you on my team for when we need to hurt something."

"Hah! Don't worry, Shepard. It's too much fun around you for me to leave just yet. I never know when something big is going to turn up for me to test myself against."

"Alright then. See you around, Grunt."

"Battlemaster." The Krogan nodded, plodding off back to his room.

Shepard smiled at the alien as he left, thinking about the young Krogan's future. He had every faith that Grunt would be a good leader, in time.

He turned to face the opposite direction and the Starboard Cargo Hold, his mood cooling as he approached. This was going to be a conversation he would not enjoy.

The doors hissed open just as a knife buzzed through the air, embedding itself in the wall beside the door. The blade quivered, having forced itself at least an inch into the metal bulkhead.

Sitting atop a pile of crates inside the Cargo Hold, Zaeed looked to the door briefly, a scornful snarl passing over his face as he caught sight of the Commander.

"Oh. It's you."

"I figured you wouldn't be too pleased to see me."

"What the hell do you expect, Shepard? I had the bastard right at the end of my gun, and you let him go. Again!"

"Killing Vido wouldn't have helped us in the slightest, Zaeed."

"What do you know about it?" The mercenary said scornfully as he threw another knife, almost striking the first one.

"If you'd killed Vido, there'd be no one left to lead the Blue Suns. We'd lose a valuable ally."

"I coulda taken over."

"How? How would you manage to stop all of Vido's lieutenants from clawing each other apart to replace him. How would you have secured the loyalty and co-operation of all those men, most of whom weren't around when you were still a part of things, almost all of whom won't have heard the name Zaeed Massani except in the context of 'shoot on sight'?"

"I-"

"And how would you have done all this while maintaining the structure of the organisation, making sure it's as powerful as it is right now?"

"I don't know. But I'd have found a way!" Zaeed answered defiantly.

"No, you wouldn't have. And that's why I let Vido go. We'll have another chance to go after him. The Reapers, we only get one shot to take them down. If we can't muster the numbers to free Earth, then it's game over. I can't have you on board if you can't get these priorities straight in your head."

"Are you cutting me loose, Shepard?" Zaeed asked incredulously. "After all I've done? After everything I've given up to help you on your crusade?"

"I'm giving you a choice." Shepard said firmly. "You can get in line, learn who the real enemy is and fight them by my side. Or you can put your own selfish revenge ahead of the safety of the Galaxy, in which case you won't be staying with us when we reach our next port of call. And then, once you've been chasing your goddamn white whale for so long you don't even notice anything else, you'll wake up one day to find the Reapers dropping down on your head. So what's it gonna be? Are you Captain Ahab, or are you Zaeed Massani?"

The mercenary's scarred face turned to look at the Commander, a fierce gleam entering the one undamaged eye. The other stared at him through a milky haze, the remnant of Vido's betrayal.

"You're a fucking tenacious bastard, ain't ya, Commander? Alright. I play by your rules."

"Glad to hear it. You're a valuable asset to the team, Zaeed. I'd hate to lose you over something like this."

"You're lucky you've got such a smooth way of talkin' people around, otherwise I'd be gone when we hit the next starport. Remind me of one of my old Sergeants, from back when I was in the Alliance. Cantankerous old bugger, but he had a way of talking that could get even the laziest rookie up and scrubbing the deck at the crack o' dawn like nobody's business."

"What happened to him, then?"

"A couple of the recruits got fed up with him after a couple of months. Decided the old bastard needed teaching a lesson. They shaved his pet Beagle, Samson. The ol' sergeant pitched a hairy fit. Never seen anyone turn that shade of purple. Funniest shit I've ever seen!" He chuckled. "Anyway, turns out it was one strain too many for the ol' feller's heart. He keeled over an' never stood up again. Had a party in the barracks the next day. Got so pissed I don't remember the following three days. Must have staggered through the bastard's funeral somehow, but I don't remember it."

"Thanks for sharing, Zaeed. I guess I'll see you around, then."

"Count on it."

Shepard turned to the door, his heart a little lighter with that out of the way.

He was making his way to the elevator when he became aware of another presence close by. He looked down the corridor to see Legion standing by the door to Main Engineering. The Geth's face plate was unreadable as ever, but it's stance suggested something was bothering the lights and wires that formed its mind.

"Shepard-Commander." It said, a measure of surprise entering its stance. Shepard had to admire the realistic way it was managing to replicate organic mannerisms, even down to the way it's thick, clawlike fingers wove together as it spoke, a seemingly absent-minded action.

"Legion." Shepard nodded. "Its unusual not to see you armpit deep in some technical problem or another."

"Our tasks aboard the Normandy rarely rely upon insertion of our arms up to the shoulder joint."

"Figure of speech, Legion. Keep working at them. You're not far now."

"Acknowledged."

"What I meant to say was, you're almost never away from your post. Is something wrong?"

"Negative. We are currently running a full diagnostic of the fuel regulation systems. The task requires the devotion of a significant portion of our processing power. However, we felt that this was a task better suited to being completed remotely."

"Why?"

"Engineer Donnelly was encouraging a significant strain upon our systems' efficiency. His continued audio output was proving most distracting."

"So shut off your ears, or whatever you've got that listens."

"The task is not as simple as you believe. Our lack of response caused Engineer Donnelly a significant amount of concern. He believed that he was somehow responsible for 'breaking the Commander's pet Geth'. Once he retrieved his tool to attempt impromptu repairs upon this platform, it became apparent that simply ignoring Engineer Donnelly was not an option."

"Well, I won't continue to distract you then." Shepard said, barely hiding his amusement.

"We were actually anticipating being able to converse with you, Shepard-Commander."

"Yeah? What about?" Shepard asked, a little surprised. The sentient machine normally kept to itself, so the fact it was actually seeking him out to talk with him was a rare occurrence.

"Our runtimes are perplexed by your decision on the Omega-Station. Rather than successfully hinder the Old Machines' plans by deleting the Element Zero, you permitted their acquisition of the resources in exchange for the salvation of the inhabitants of the station, all of whom bear an inferior code to your own. We wish to understand the logic behind your actions."

"Its… difficult to explain in a way you'd understand, Legion. I couldn't let all those people die."

"Incorrect. We judge you were fully capable of issuing the order to destroy the station. There is nothing in your physical form to suggest this action was not possible."

"Okay, maybe I could have said the words, but that's taking things a little too literally." Shepard stuttered, realising that traversing the divide between stone-cold logic and white-hot emotion was a little more difficult than he had anticipated. "When I say I couldn't do it, I mean that mentally, emotionally, I couldn't allow them to die. If we stoop to those levels, we become no better than the Reapers."

"You believe that taking the logical course of action would have corrupted your code to be similar to those of the Reapers?" The machine sounded more perplexed than before.

"In a way, yes. I'm fighting this war for more than just Earth. I'm doing it for everyone in the Galaxy, be they Human, Turian, Krogan, Quarian or Vorcha. Hell, I'm even doing this for the Geth. You guys have as much right to exist as we do. The Reapers want to take that all away. If I start judging some lives to be more worth saving than others, then I'd become some sort of monster. My conscience wouldn't allow that."

"…We do not understand, Shepard-Commander."

"I know, Legion. But someday, you will. Keep working at it."

"Acknowledged. We shall return to our duties. However, when we are in possession of the spare processing capacity, we shall devote some of our resources to the topic. Perhaps we need to simulate a flawed perspective to analyse the data."

"Flawed perspective?"

"What organics would refer to as 'emotional'."

"You do that, Legion. We'll talk another time."

"Shepard-Commander." The Geth said in way of farewell.

Shepard smiled at the strange machine, walking past it and making his way to the elevator.

**~o~0~o~**

The Commander paced about in the tight confines of the elevator as it made its way up to the Command Deck, lost in thought. Although he was sure what he had done was right, he knew that Legion, Grunt, and even Etarn had a point. The Reapers would now be able to proceed with their plans much more swiftly.

The elevator chugged to a stop, opening its doors to the CIC. As the Commander stepped out, making way for a pair of servicemen heading down to the Mess, a blinking light caught his eye. He looked up to see his private terminal flashing, indicating a new message. He nodded to Kelly in passing as she jerked her head at the console before opening his inbox, tapping in his password.

A short list of messages flickered up, mostly the spam he had programmed his terminal to ignore, but one message caught his attention, from Liara. He opened it quickly.

_Shepard,_

_I am sorry to hear things did not go as planned on Omega. That the Reapers would attack a second high-profile target does not bode well. They must be confident of the foothold they have gained in the Galaxy. Needless to say, their acquiring such a large cache of resources is troubling, but a necessary price for the rescue of all those civilians._

_I have pulled some strings with the Hierarchy and the Council, and a newly discovered planet the Turians have recently colonised has been set up as a refuge for the survivors of Omega. Word has been passed along to Aria, and the civilians are being sent there as we speak. It will allow Aria to regain her composure and begin to rebuild her empire, and also encourage the organisation of her forces in anticipation of the coming battle._

_You will be pleased to know that the major players in the Terminus Systems have begun to spread word of the need to unite. Smaller pirate bands are coming forward at the encouragement of their more prominent peers. I believe when the time comes that they will present a formidable force. Well done._

_I also believe you have acquired a new crew member, Delexia Tanis. From what I have been able to discover, she is a capable combatant, and a skilled strategist. She also has a number of connections, both amidst the Terminus Cartels and the Hierarchy, that will prove to be useful. Look after her, Shepard._

_I am currently following a promising lead in connection with an important Prothean artefact, and will get back to you when I have something more tangible to report. In the meantime, continue to build up your forces and forge alliances. Teamwork will be the key to defeating the Reapers._

_Take care, Shepard._

_Liara._

Shepard smiled at his old friend's words, warmed by her heartfelt concern and encouraged that she agreed with his decision.

He closed down his terminal and turned away, straightening up and stretching his shoulders out and back, pushing until he heard the faint pop as they clicked. He was about to step away from the terminal when a sudden thump was heard throughout the CIC. The deck shivered as smoke began to seep through the doors to the tech lab.

Concerned, Shepard rushed over to the doors as an alarm sounded out overhead. He could see crew scrambling to get at fire suppression gear, and he understood their urgency. A fire in an enclosed atmosphere like a starship could be lethal if not contained immediately.

He keyed open the doors, only to have a wave of foul-smelling fumes wash over him from within the lab. He coughed and spluttered as he shielded his eyes as best he could before pressing onwards into the foul cloud.

The first thing he was aware of was the lack of heat from within the lab. Whatever the fumes were, they were chemical in origin. He relaxed a little, but not much. A toxic chemical in the vents could be just as dangerous as an unchecked fire.

"Mordin?" He coughed. "Mordin! You in here?"

The Commander saw the squirming form of an insensible shape on the floor next to the workbench. As he knelt down next to the unconscious Salarian, he heard a whirring sound overhead and the air began to clear instantly.

"Siphoning contaminated air into containment cell C." EDI intoned flatly over the comms. "Restoring oxygen balance with auxiliary reserves."

In seconds, the air in the Tech Lab was clear again. Shepard turned to Mordin. The Doctor's eyes fluttered slowly before snapping open, and he looked about in a daze. The wide orbs turned to focus on Shepard. Suddenly, the alien almost jumped to his feet, only to be restrained by the Commander.

"Hey! Take it easy, Mordin. Tell me what happened."

"Samples! Must ensure integrity of the samples."

"Samples? What samples, Mordin? What the hell were you doing in here?"

The Salarian forced the Commander out of the way, standing up and striding over to his work bench.

"Was working on way to counter Reaper indoctrination when latest test self-destructed."

"Wait a minute… are you saying you've got samples of Reaper tech?"

"Yes. Only small samples, though. Nothing that presents a risk to Normandy's crew."

"How did you get them?"

"In truth, have you to thank for not cleaning your armour often enough. Was able to retrieve small scraps of Husk tissue from your armour. Found half a finger in sole of your boot, although most of that was used up in preliminary tests."

"What?" Shepard asked a little incredulously. "You scrubbed down my armour for… minced Husk?"

"Of course. Normal circumstances during mission do not allow time for collection of proper samples, so have to make do with what I can get."

"Well then… what have you found out so far?" Shepard asked, feeling slightly awkward about the whole situation.

"Reaper method of repurposing organic tissue is fascinating, to say the least. Won't bore you with details, but end result is much more efficient than we had once thought. However, wasn't intent on discovering nature of repurposing. Instead, wanted to focus on more effective way of damaging Husks. Have no doubts we will encounter a great many Husks when trying to take back Earth. Want to be prepared."

"I'm surprised no one's tried to study the Husks up close before now."

"Many have tried, but few have had the prudence to take sufficient measures to avoid indoctrination. Always study complete specimens, never small samples. Such a pity. Many keen minds lost, either to reawakening test subjects or to reaper indoctrination."

"So what luck have you had?"

"Do not rely on luck, Shepard. Have always found my intellect to be sufficient for any task." The Salarian smiled broadly. "Have had some success in chemical-based attack. Found that a mixture of Sulphur and Trichiolate severs bonds between Reaper nanotech."

"That's good, right?"

"Mostly." The alien said noncommittally. "Ensuing reaction causes small explosion and noxious fumes, same ones you encountered on your way in here. Prolonged exposure would be damaging to organics. While all Husks and larger creatures would be destroyed eventually, the one operating the device or weapon would be killed as well."

"So not exactly something I can use on every Husk we meet."

"No. To be used as last resort, nothing else." Mordin looked a little nonplussed with his findings. "Secondary problem; Trichiolate is exceptionally rare, expensive substance. Created in lab environment using materials only found on Mannovai, a few Turian colony worlds and one Batarian planet. Has shorter half-life than is desirable for stockpiling a weapon to be used on Reapers."

"So we'd have to get this stuff made up especially every time we wanted to use it?"

"Yes. And only a few labs in existence that could create the substance."

"Wait a minute… if it's so hard to get a hold of it, how'd you find some?"

"Had contact on Omega. Collected package once we docked with station. Unfortunately, contact is now lost among Omega's refugees, will have to find alternate source."

"How'd you even pay for it? From the way you talk about it, it sounds like you could by a shuttle for what every ounce costs."

"Still have access codes to some old STG funding accounts. Good for when I needed to requisition any equipment Cerberus was unwilling to pay for."

"Alright. I guess it's not going to be something we can use all that often, but I guess it'll be handy to have when we're expecting to have to deal with a bunch of Husks. Good work, Mordin."

"Happy to help, Shepard."

"Anyway, I'd best be going now. You've obviously got everything under control here."

"Will be here if you need anything." Mordin offered helpfully before turning back to his research.

Shepard smiled as he turned to leave, striding out of the Tech Labs. He made his way back up to his cabin, where he settled down in front of his desk to catch up on some of the work that had been piling up. By the time he surfaced from his work, the lights of the Normandy had dimmed to their night cycle. He yawned as he strode over to the bed, slipping into a deep sleep as the Normandy continued on her course towards the Citadel.


	25. 25: Stealing More Than A Memory

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 25: Stealing More Than A Memory**

The shuttle shuddered to a halt, hatch opening quietly to allow the Commander to hop out. He paused for a second to take in the view before him.

The shuttle landing area of the Citadel stretched out before him, filled with the buzz and hum of myriad small vehicles going about their business. Beyond, the glowing purple hues of the Serpent Nebula bathed the outer reaches of the station in an indigo light. A wide scatter of tiny dark spots against the backdrop of the Nebula indicated the presence of multitudes of ships, waiting at a set distance from the massive station. Only the smaller personal craft were allowed to enter the station's immediate surroundings, the perimeter secured by countless ships provided by the fleets at the Council's disposal. Since the threat of the Reapers had been realised, security had been elevated, and the only ships allowed within the Citadel's defensive perimeter were those of the Council itself. Although Shepard's Spectre status granted him the ability to barge past this crude barrier, he had deigned it wiser to conform, realising that insisting the Normandy be allowed to dock would only draw attention to his presence. Given his notoriety among the media community, he preferred to avoid having to fend off hordes of news-hungry reporters.

Garrus and Delexia followed him out of the shuttle. Given the low-key nature of their visit to the gargantuan station, Shepard had decided the two Turian operatives would be enough. Almost all of Shepard's squad were out-of-the-ordinary, and likely to draw attention to him, but two more Turians on the station would barely register in the minds of most, and Garrus' history with C-Sec made him a natural choice for navigating the Citadel's bureaucracy. The Commander was curious to see Delexia in action, even though she had already demonstrated her tech skills on Omega.

The squad's loadout was minimal, the Commander ruling that subtlety was key here. Shepard only sported a pistol and his assault rifle, while Delexia bore a compact shotgun strapped to the small of her back while an SMG was holstered on her hip. Garrus carried his iconic sniper rifle and a pistol.

The Commander turned away from the view out of the station, trying to quiet his discomfort at having his ship and his crew so far away. This was the Citadel, the heart of galactic civilisation. He would not need to worry about an overwhelming enemy attack here. But then his thoughts scurried back to the loss of Earth, the attack on Omega, even the Battle of the Citadel three long years ago. Nowhere was safe from the Reapers.

Shaking these gloomy thoughts, Shepard strode over to the nearby desk, where a Human clerk was locked in a one-sided debate with a Turian.

"This is an outrage!" The Turian fumed.

"Sir, please calm down. All I am asking is that you allow your luggage to be scanned for security purposes."

"This is an invasion of my privacy! I will not tolerate it." The alien spat. "You let that last Human through without a scan."

"She didn't have any luggage to check." The Human explained, the patience in her voice belying the frustration she felt.

"You Humans are all racist!"

Shepard waited until the Turian strode off in an enraged mood and stepped forwards. The clerk behind the desk looked at him and then at the two Turians following, noting the weapons they carried. She sighed, knowing she was in for a rough day.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I'll have to ask you to check in your weapons. We'll hold them in a secure locker for the duration of your visit and return them to you upon your departure from the station."

"Why?" Shepard asked curiously. "I've never had to hand them in before."

"Its standard procedure now. What with the situation in the Sol system, security has been tightened." She pulled out a stack of documentation at least half a foot thick. "Just fill in these forms, plus a copy for yourselves, and hand the guns over to Lieutenant Cribbs in the next room."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, sorry." Shepard said.

"Then we can't let you go any further."

"Just talk to your superiors, I'm sure they'll tell you that I can go where I like."

"And who should I ask to speak to?" The clerk asked defiantly.

"Captain Bailey."

"Armando Bailey? He hasn't been a Captain for going on a year now. Got promoted to Executor a while back. Some mess with the previous Executor that he cleared up won him the job." Her defiance seemed a little more unsure. "Who should I tell him you are?"

"Just tell him that the man who gave him a reference for Kolyat is here." Shepard disliked having to be so cryptic, but knew it was the only way to get into the station without having his presence announced in big neon letters visible from Dark Space.

The clerk huffed grumpily before dialling up her omnitool to make the call. She turned her back on the squad for a moment, speaking quietly. After a few seconds, she straightened up, back going rigid with surprise.

"Y-yes sir…. Right away." She turned back. "Executor wants to see you right away. His office is on the Presidium, not far from the Ambassadorial offices."

"Thank you." Shepard nodded graciously, the trace of a smirk on his lips.

"Always fun to see one of those stick-up-their-ass traffic officers get what's coming to them." Garrus murmured.

"And this coming from The Garrus Vakarian, Turian on the cover of killjoy monthly?" Delexia teased.

"I only stick to the rules when it suits me." Garrus replied smoothly. "Most of the time they're just cumbersome and keep officers from doing their jobs."

"Let's keep moving." Shepard insisted.

The party made their way to the nearest transport depot, from which they got a cab to the Presidium, the ring at the heart of the station.

Shepard stepped out of the cab into the clean, fresh air of the Presidium. Water tinkled down a rocky slope nearby, a large water feature in the middle of a vast park that covered the middle ground of the ring that housed the political centre of the Citadel. To either side, the walls of the Presidium housed a multitude of offices, ambassadorial suites and administrative complexes. Not far along the curve of the ring, the massive tower where the Council gathered loomed high and foreboding over the lush green parkland. The Commander paused to inhale deeply from the fragrant air.

"So this is the legendary Presidium." Delexia said, walking slowly over to the nearest pool of water and kneeling down to trail her talons in the water. "Never figured I'd ever get to see what it looked like, unless I was in custody and on the way to a trial."

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Garrus asked. "You'll never see a symbol of all that's wrong with the Council as this. Rampant luxury for the people on top, but if you just travel a short distance onto one of the connecting Wards, you'll see just as much poverty and crime as you could on Omega."

"Well ain't you a cheery one?" The Female Turian shot back. "Just shut up and enjoy the view."

"They rebuilt everything so fast." Shepard said admiringly. "Its amazing how little sign there is of Sovereign's attack."

"They got to work on the Presidium pretty quick after the attack." Garrus said reproachfully. "Almost unlimited funds were put in to get it to an inhabitable state again."

"Even so, it's still impressive. I mean, last time we were here, they were still rebuilding the Tower." Shepard replied. "Now that's been fixed up pretty nice."

"There is something the attack left behind." Delexia said, a smirk on her face. The Commander looked in the direction of her nod and groaned at the sight.

Towering over the path, almost nine feet in height, a statue had been erected in the middle of a small plaza amidst the trees. A Turian, the late ex-Spectre Saren, lay at the feet of the focus of the statue, hands held up defensively as the armoured Human standing over him levelled a gun at his head. The Human had a helmet on, obscuring his features, but the iconic stripe on his right shoulder, along with the N7 chiselled into the upper left segment of the torso, made the figure easily identifiable.

"When the hell did this happen?" Shepard asked, pinching the bridge of his nose in embarrassment.

"About two months after you died." Garrus explained. "Council made a big hoo-hah about honouring the saviour of the Citadel. Took them a whole month to erect the thing."

"It's ridiculous! What about all the people who died to protect the Destiny Ascension? What about the team that helped me?"

"Well I got an 'I saved the Citadel' T-shirt. I think Tali and Wrex got a cheap metal trophy each, and as far as I know Liara got some coupons for a free scalp colouring." Garrus quipped. "Kaidan had a pretty nice medal, but I think that disappeared after the Collectors took out the first Normandy. Always the same when you move house, stuff goes missing."

"It's not right that I get all the glory. All I did was finish Saren off, and that was after he shot himself!"

"Face it, Shepard, the people love a hero. Someone to adore when things go right." Delexia said, placing an arm around the Commander's shoulder. "And, let's be honest, someone to blame when it all goes to hell."

"I could do without it being me." Shepard said irritably. "Come on, let's go find Bailey."

The trio made their way through the peaceful parkland towards the nearest set of offices. An elevator took them down several levels, until they found themselves in the heart of a bustling complex, corridors radiating away in all directions. Almost every individual present wore the uniforms of Citadel Security, the local peacekeeping force. The only ones not in uniform were generally being escorted by a pair of officers, almost always wearing restraints.

Shepard was familiar with the layout of the C-Sec building, and soon found his way towards the Executor's office, down one of the long, winding corridors. The squad rounded a corner to see Armando Bailey come into view, sat behind a desk while he harried several of his subordinates over a comm channel.

"I don't give a crap how much junk that Volus has to move, if the Keepers want to block off a passageway, they're going to block it off, and its an offence to interfere with their operation. Either he puts away the stun gun or you haul him in here so quick he bounces! And tell Churk that if he breaks the arms of another civilian I'm gonna break his, Krogan or not."

The seasoned C-sec officer looked over his console to see the Commander and his team enter. His wrinkled features split into a grin. He quickly dismissed his subordinates, severing the comm channel before they could voice any objection, and rose to his feet, circling the desk to stride over and shake Shepard's hand.

"Commander! Good to see you again."

"Captain, or rather, Executor Bailey. Congratulations."

"Ehh… I'm not so sure it's a blessing. I was happier when I was out in the Wards. At least there I could let my fists do the talkin' and not cause a media frenzy. I can't believe I miss having to deal with sand-crazy Krogan." He chuckled.

"Desk job not working out for you?" Shepard asked.

"Too much goddamn paperwork. I'm actually hoping my guys don't catch anyone, 'cause then it saves me a week's worth of dealing with the penpushers up top." He scowled a little, but then brightened. "At least the Drell's working out okay. Glad I let you convince me to go easy on him."

"How is Kolyat doing?"

"Got him on the beat for the most part. He's a good cop. The whole Drell 'perfect memory' thing really helps out when he's checking out a crime scene. Doesn't miss anything. Helped bust up a weapons smuggling ring a couple of months ago."

"The Council are letting non-Council races into C-Sec?" Garrus asked.

"Yeah. We're spread too thin to worry about whether a new recruit was born on the right planet or not. We're still thorough in our background checks, but we're casting the net for new officers a little wider than before. Besides, the Drell's had a Spectre vouch for him. Can't exactly argue with that, can I?" Bailey chuckled. "Besides, he doesn't stand out so much anymore. We've got Drell, Elcor, Hanar, and even a couple of Krogan on the force. Only ones we keep out are those damned Batarians and the Vorcha. Not that they're exactly queuing up to sign up."

"Sounds like big changes happening, then." Shepard commented. "Though I've got to say, a Hanar C-Sec officer is pretty hard to imagine."

"You'd think so, but it turns out that they make really good customs agents. They're good at sniffing out Sand, and it doesn't affect them as bad as other species. And I won't even start on the cavity searches."

Shepard shuddered at the thought that sprang unbidden into his head, a little repulsed by the idea. Bailey chuckled at his squeamishness.

"Anyway, I very much doubt you're hear to listen to me talk about the finer points of a customs cavity search, so why don't you tell me why you've come all this way to see me?"

"We're looking into a smuggling operation based on the station. Inutech Industries."

"Oh yeah. Them." Bailey's tone was foreboding. "We've been onto them for some time now. Got nothing that'll hold up in court, but a couple of my officers have been working on the case for a while now. What's your interest in a two-bit operation like that?"

"Word is they've been dealing in Prothean artefacts recently."

"Yeah, but only small-time stuff. Maybe worth something to hardcore collectors, but no practical worth. It's not like they're smuggling a bunch of Prothean rifles or something. How'd they manage to draw the attention of a Spectre?"

"My sources tell me that their latest shipments have been considerably more valuable than broken cups and dusty trinkets."

"Really?" Bailey asked, not impressed. "And who gave you this information? You on first-name terms with the Shadow Broker or something?"

"As it happens, yes."

"Oh. Really?" The grizzled policeman seemed taken aback by the Commander's casual attitude. "Well did the Broker have anything else to say about their operation?"

"Not much. They're supposed to be moving a large shipment soon, and I intend to intercept it."

"I see. Then you'll want to talk to Officer Yalana. She's the one who's been in charge of our investigation into Inutech. If anyone has info that you'll find useful, it's her. You'll find her in the customs offices on Tayseri Ward."

"Much appreciated, Bailey." Shepard thanked, extending a hand, which the older man took in a firm grip.

"Anytime, Shepard. Just... try to keep the chaos to a minimum. I could do without an incident involving a Spectre in one of my precincts hitting the Extranet."

"With luck, we'll avoid any confrontation at all." Shepard replied.

"Come on, Shepard! I know you better than that. Last time, you came here looking for your friend's kid, and the next thing I know you're involved in a shoot-out and assassination attempt on one of the Citadel's most prominent politicians. And I won't even start on the Factory District."

"I'll see you around, Bailey."

"Shepard." Bailey nodded, turning back to his desk.

The squad left the C-Sec headquarters, making their way to the nearest transport landing area, from where the Commander signalled a cab to take them out to Tayseri Ward. As the skycar shuddered up into the airspace above the Presidium, Garrus leaned back in his chair with a sigh.

"So what's the plan, Commander?" He asked.

"Our top priority is to secure the artefact. We've got to find out where Inutech's keeping it, how they're going to move it, and where it's going. After that, we've got to find out where they're getting this stuff from."

"We could do both of those if we get into their offices, access their databases." Delexia offered.

"And I want to do that without drawing attention to ourselves. If we let them know we're coming, they'll have a chance to get rid of the data we're after. They've already shown that they're good at hiding their activities from C-Sec."

"So a covert operation." Garrus said, his tone indicating a level of excitement at the prospect.

"Yes. We get in, find out what we need to know, and get out. Afterwards, we can work on retrieving the artefact and then making contact with Kasumi."

"Why not just try to find her now?" Garrus asked.

"We won't be able to find Kasumi until she chooses to show herself. She's too good at remaining out of sight. But we know she's been following Inutech, so it's safe to assume she knows about this latest shipment. We can't risk exposing her by going looking for her, but if we try to track down this latest cargo she'll know we're here soon enough."

"Let her come to us?" Delexia inquired.

"Exactly."

"Alright then, let's go find this Officer Yalana." Garrus said, his excitement growing.

**~o~0~o~**

The customs office in Tayseri Ward was filled with activity. C-Sec officers hurried about, the chatter of many conversations being carried out at once filling the air. As the Commander arrived, a load-lifter entered the offices, escorted by a squad of heavily armed officers. The crowd of officers parted to allow it to pass, and Shepard could see a large crate held in the lifter's clutches. One officer, a tall, imposing woman with a strict posture and sturdy build strode forward, her bronze features scanning the latest arrivals. She immediately began to shout instructions, waving her arms in a series of commanding gestures.

Shepard approached the commanding figure, waiting patiently while she ordered her subordinates about with considerable authority.

"Get that down to Evidence, and get some samples over to the Labs! I want this dealt with by the end of this shift." She paused, turning to see the squad approaching. She sighed irritably.

"Yes? What do you need?"

"Are you Officer Yalana?" Shepard asked.

"Depends." Came the gruff reply.

"On what?"

"On which answer will cost me the most time. I'm too busy right now."

"What's going on here?"

"We just seized a massive shipment of narcotics from one of Sinunovo Medical Research's cargo ships. We've been trying to nail them for drug smuggling for ages, and now we've got a chance to shut them down." The woman sighed, rubbing a hand across her brow. "So I really don't have time to stand here engaging in small-talk with you. Tell me what you need from me, then get out of my way."

"I wanted to talk to you about Inutech Industries."

Yalana paused for an instant, eyes narrowing. She then turned to one of her subordinates.

"Callen!"

A Salarian strode up.

"Ma'am?"

"I need you to oversee the Sinunovo case. Make sure that shipment gets to Evidence."

"Are you sure, Ma'am? I thought you were dealing with that case perso-"

"That's an order, Callen. Something important has come up."

"Yes, Ma'am." The Salarian acquiesced meekly. He turned to the load-lifter, heading off to follow his superior's orders. Yalana turned back to the Commander.

"Come on, we'll talk in my office."

The C-Sec officer led the squad to a small room near the back of the Customs offices. The door hissed open to reveal a small office, filled by a desk and a handful of chairs. Yalana sat behind the desk, indicating that the Commander and the two Turians should be seated opposite her. She took a moment to organise some files on the console set into her desk before turning a sharp gaze upon Shepard.

"I want you to know that I was going to send Bailey my updated report. I just wanted to make sure we had all the facts before moving forward. I didn't want to risk a security leak compromising the investigation." She thumped a clenched fist into the desk. "We're too close to bringing these people down. I can't get slowed down by having to report in my every move to those pencil-necked bureaucrats on the Presidium."

"Understandable, but I'm not here because you haven't reported in with your superiors."

"Oh. I thought-" Yalana seemed to have been caught off-balance. "I thought Bailey sent you here to find out why I hadn't kept him in the loop."

"Bailey told us you might be able to help. We've heard that Inutech's going to be moving a cargo that we want to take a look at."

"You're looking for the Prothean artefact?" The C-Sec officer asked.

"So you know what they've been moving."

"I've been investigating their smuggling operation for some months now." Yalana said, leaning back in her chair. "I've had plenty of time to get to know about Inutech Industries."

"Care to share what you know?" Shepard asked.

"Inutech Industries. A Salarian technology firm. Or so they tell the public. In actual fact, the company is a front for a smuggling operation. They've been trading in Prothean trinkets for some time, but recently they've moved on to much larger items. I've been trying to find out where they're getting these relics, but have had no success."

"So what do you know?"

"That they operate out of a warehouse not far from here, in Tayseri's docks district. And that they've got spies in C-Sec."

"I worked with C-Sec too long to assume that it's incorruptible, but why do you think that?" Garrus asked.

"We've raided their warehouses several times, and turned up nothing. The next day, I find out that a whole lot of cargo transports arrived just before we were due to move in, and they return after we've gone. The only explanation is that they get warning of our operation, move their goods before we catch them with it, and then put it back after we've gone. To have that amount of warning, they've got to have someone on the inside here."

"Not the first time I've heard of a C-Sec officer going rogue." Shepard murmured, thinking of Harkin.

"I've tried to single out the mole, but they're too good at remaining undetected." Yalana continued. "So in an attempt to find out who they were, I decided to fight fire with fire. I sent one of my most trusted agents to infiltrate Inutech, try and find out who the mole was."

"How do you know he was trustworthy?" Shepard asked cautiously.

"I've known Allyn for over twenty years. We went through training together. I trust him more than I trust my brother." Yalana said firmly.

"So what did he find out?"

"Precious little. He confirmed that the firm was smuggling Prothean artefacts of considerable value, and that they were in contact with someone within C-Sec, but he wasn't able to find out the identity of the mole."

"Can we speak to him? Maybe he's got some useful intel to share with us." Shepard asked.

"I wish you could, but he disappeared a couple of days ago. He was meant to report in once a day, but I haven't heard from him."

"Maybe he hasn't had the opportunity to report in." Delexia suggested.

"Normally, I'd want to agree with you, but not this time." Yalana explained. "The day before he vanished, my terminal was hacked. I don't know what files were accessed, but it seems a safe bet that the mole found out about Allyn and he's being held by the smugglers."

"How'd they manage to hack your terminal?" Garrus asked with a measure of wonder. "C-Sec uses top-of-the-line security measures. It'd be about as hard as breaking into the Citadel Tower."

"Not so difficult if the intruder has level three security clearance or higher." Yalana explained. "They'd still need to get past my personal security, but that wouldn't be nearly as hard."

"Surely that narrows the list of potential suspects a lot?" Shepard asked.

"It does, but there's still a lot of names on that list." Yalana sighed. "Anyone higher on the chain of command than a captain would have that access."

"As we're not C-Sec, we'll have a better chance of getting the drop on the smugglers." Shepard offered. "If you can give us some information about their base, we can get in there and deal with them."

"Unfortunately, I can't let you do that. As much as I hate to admit it, there are rules and regulations I have to follow. If I let you go in there without following proper procedure, then we jeopardise any trial we could hope to hold against Inutech. I won't let these bastards get away because we had no patience."

"One thing you need to understand about the Commander is that he's not too big on procedure." Garrus said casually.

"I don't think a Spectre has to worry about procedure." Shepard said, folding his arms across his chest.

"I thought I recognised you." Yalana said with surprise. "You're Shepard, right?"

"The same."

"Then that makes things a lot easier. A Spectre can operate without the same limitations as one of my squads."

"So you'll help?"

"Certainly." Yalana activated her console, drawing up what looked to be the blueprints of a large building complex. Shepard could see several warehouses to one side, along with what looked like a private shuttle bay and a series of offices. "These are the official blueprints to their base of operations, updated according to Allyn's reports."

"Any suggestions on how to get inside?"

"Depends. How do you want to do this? All guns blazing or the sensible way?"

"Commander, while I realise its traditional for us to go in like a bunch of Krogan on Red Sand, maybe this operation calls for subtlety." Garrus suggested.

"You're right, Garrus. We can't risk spooking the smugglers and letting them hide the artefact." Shepard turned back to the C-Sec officer. "We need to do this quietly."

"If that's the case, then I recommend you send someone in via the ventilation system. The other two can wait here," She pointed to a door on one side of the map, a small door in a narrow alleyway. "Until the infiltrator can get there to open the door. Then it's just a short distance to their storage rooms, where you should find the artefact. If you do it right, then you'll get to the relic without alerting the smugglers to your presence."

"I can go in through the vents." Shepard said confidently.

"If you're going to use the vents, you'll have to go through the slums." Yalana said, her tone foreboding.

"There's no other way?" Garrus asked, clearly concerned.

"What's so bad about the slums?" Shepard asked, confused.

"The slums are the districts just underneath the Citadel's outer pressure hull." The Turian explained. "It's where the Keepers have their protein vats. There's so much machinery down there that the air's thick with pollution. Even breathers don't work. That's why you'll only see the cast-offs of society down there. C-Sec has almost no presence in the slums."

"I've heard Omega's got nothing on some parts of the slums." Delexia commented.

"Not far from the truth." Yalana said. "It's a lawless part of the station, make no mistake. If you end up living down there, you've really hit rock bottom. The residents will think nothing of cutting your throat for just a few credits."

"And this is the only way to get into Inutech's base?" Shepard asked.

"I'm afraid so. That's where the pumping station for the docks district is. It's the only place you could get into the vents system without triggering a whole bunch of alarms." Yalana answered. "If you watch your back, look tough, and don't let anyone stop you, I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Then I guess it'll have to do. Anything else?"

"Just one thing. Here's my comm frequency. If you get into trouble, I can have my best officers down to the docks in five minutes, tops. I don't want to know what sort of paperwork I have to file for a dead Spectre in my precinct, so you call me if the slightest thing goes wrong."

"Got it."

"Good luck."

**~o~0~o~**

The cab shuddered through the narrowing streets of Tayseri Ward, working its way down into the lower levels, beneath the sprawling skyline the Commander was used to seeing. It seemed odd to him to see this new side to the Citadel, the layers beneath the veneer of luxury the rest of the Galaxy saw. Of course, the Ward arms were a lot thicker than just the thin sheet of buildings many associated with the Wards, and, like anywhere else, life had found a way to seep down into the bowels of the station. The deeper the skycar travelled, the more dilapidated the appearance of the nearby buildings.

"Kinda makes you think of a gold-plated Varren turd, huh?" Delexia remarked, looking out as they passed through the trash-strewn streets that would have looked less out-of-place on Omega. "All shiny on the surface, but it still stinks underneath."

"Happens anywhere." Garrus commented. "Where you get the super-rich, there's always the ultra-poor scraping a living under their feet."

"You sure you want to do this, Commander?" Delexia asked uncertainly.

"I'll be fine. I've been to worse corners of the Galaxy." Shepard said confidently.

"At least let us come with you."

"There isn't room in the vents for more than one person." Shepard explained. "Just make sure you're waiting at the back of the warehouse by the time I open that door."

"Alright." Garrus said reluctantly. "Just watch your back, okay?"

"Hey, it's me!" Shepard grinned. "Careful's my middle name, remember?"

"Really? How about you try to live up to it for once then?"

"See you on the other side, Garrus." Shepard opened the skycar door as it touched down lightly on the street. He clambered out and sealed the vehicle behind him, giving Garrus a final salute as the Turian, still shaking his head, brought the cab around, taking it back the way they had come from.

As the skycar hummed away, Shepard turned to look down the street ahead. The deck-plates underfoot were covered in grime, the accumulated filth of hundreds if not thousands of years of habitation and with no-one bothering to clean up. The stench assaulted the Commander's senses immediately, the air thick with the scent of a vast multitude of people crammed into a small area combined with the heady smog of the gargantuan machines that kept the rest of the station habitable.

The thing that struck the Commander was the emptiness of the streets. From what he had been told, he had assumed that the slums would be packed to their limit with the destitute, the homeless and the downcast. As he looked about, he saw no sign of life, though he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. A shuffle from an alley to one side drew his gaze, only for a flash of movement from the opposite side of the street to appear in the corner of his eye. He shivered at the eerie silence, shrugging his shoulders and moving on.

Shepard made cautious progress down the street, wary eyes darting from alleyway to alleyway. As he moved off down the street, the dull churning of some mammoth motor thrummed through the metal beneath his feet, the song of the nearby pumping station, responsible for keeping the atmosphere of the docks district in motion, allowing fresh oxygen to gush into the inhabited regions while the carbon dioxide was removed to be converted back into breathable air.

He moved around one corner to find himself confronted by a line of dishevelled looking individuals. Grime caked their features, making it almost impossible to make out their features and, in some cases, their species. The foremost of these, who turned out to be a woman under the layers of filthy clothing and smeared dirt, stepped forward, calling out in a greasy, cracked voice.

"You don't belong here. Outsiders have got to pay the toll."

"A toll? You've got to be kidding me." Shepard leaned back on his heel, arms folded in front of him, as he heard a rustle to one side and behind him.

"No joke. Pay up, Outsider, or we gut you like a Varren pup."

"I don't have time for this." Shepard grunted as he dropped into a crouch, spinning around and lashing a booted foot out to catch the man trying to sneak up on him across the kneecaps. There was a brittle snap and the man fell on his face with a whimper of pain, the agony strangling his screams. A wicked-looking knife clattered to the ground, rusty blade still polished enough to glint in the poor light.

The rest of the street gang had no time to act before the Commander swivelled back around, standing up lightly. There was a click as his pistol unfolded, muzzle extending into a combat-ready position. The fully armed and loaded weapon was levelled directly at the gang leader's head, her eyes blinking in shock at the swift turn of events.

"I just want to pass through. I don't want to hurt you, but I will if you give me no choice."

The gang leader's eyes shone with more than a little fear at the Commander's actions, and Shepard saw the grimy face visibly nod as she swallowed.

"You get a free pass… this time. We see you here again, we won't give you a chance to hurt us."

"That's all I ask for." Shepard said, lowering his pistol, although he didn't put it away. He activated his omnitool, dispensing an application of medi-gel in the form of a soft capsule, which he dropped by the whimpering man on the ground. "Put that on the leg. You won't run again, but you'll be able to walk." He said pitilessly.

He strode past the gang, who pulled back out of his way respectfully, their eyes never leaving him as he walked on by. Shepard felt his pulse slow as he moved around the next corner. He knew that, had he not been such a smooth talker, things could have gone very badly there, and he silently thanked Anderson for teaching him the proper way to speak to a crowd, how to nudge their motives with words.

Finally, he found himself before a large, blocky building that stood out amidst the myriad structures around, purely because of its sheer size. Pipes wide enough for the Kodiak to fly down extended from its roof towards the upper levels, vast highways for the cleaned air to travel up. Chimneys belched out putrid fumes amidst these pipes, the by-products of the Citadel's respiratory system. The gargantuan thing before the Commander was literally one of the station's lungs.

He found a small door in the side of the structure and pushed it open, relaxing when it became apparent that security here was at a minimum. He stepped inside and looked around for the pipes he needed to infiltrate the docks.

At last he found what he was looking for, a massive, churning machine that powered vast quantities of air up to the docks district. He checked the machine's readouts to confirm the areas it serviced, and moved towards the hatch built into the broad pipe. He used all of his strength to pry the hatch off, shivering as a powerful gust of air blasted over him. The rushing air whistled through the open hatch, filling the building with a mournful howl. The Commander hurried inside, hauling the hatch shut after himself. He didn't want anyone stumbling across his point of entry before his mission was complete.

The pipe was spacious, smooth and frigid with the air powering through it like a gale. The whipping wind deafened the Commander, to the point that he ended up pulling on his helmet to shut out some of the noise. This done, he began to trudge along the pipe.

The Commander made smooth progress along the pipe system, consulting his omnitool frequently to ensure he was on the correct course.

After about fifteen minutes, he came across a grate barring his path. Confused, the Commander consulted his map, unable to see any sign of the obstruction on it. For a moment, he fretted that he may have gone the wrong way, but on retracing his steps on the map he confirmed that this was the correct way. He opened a comm channel.

"Garrus, this is Shepard. There's something in the way, I can't see a way through."

The only answer Shepard received was a burst of static. Clearly the pipe's walls were too thick for a signal to get out.

"Damn it."

The Commander turned back to the grate, looking for some way to move it. He saw around its edges that the grate could retract, so he waved his omnitool over it, looking for a control mechanism. The device beeped, informing him of wires leading away from the grate, back the way he had come.

He followed the wiring, making his way down a separate branch of the network. After a moment's search, he found the control panel. He tapped out a few commands, hastily bypassing the machinery's security, and was rewarded with the echoing rasp of the grate retracting.

As he stepped back into the main pipeline, the roar of the wind suddenly changed pitch. The air began to rush past with increased power, doing its best to knock the Commander over. As he proceeded back to where the grate had been, his suit's HUD informed him that the air inside the tube was getting warmer.

He instantly realised what was happening. As the Citadel was in the depths of space, it needed to generate a lot of heat to keep its inhabitants from freezing. In opening the grate, the Commander had inadvertently triggered a phase of hotter air in the pipes. While the overall effect to the station's atmosphere would be minimal, the pipes were now bound to get unbearably hot. While his suit was designed to cope with most atmospheric hazards, it wouldn't keep that much heat at bay. He had to hurry, or risk being baked inside his own skin. Shepard began to run.

The air began to shimmer around him, a heat haze filling his vision. His feet pounded the pipe, the echo bouncing around his head intolerably loud.

He raced around one bend in the pipe to see another grate before him, obstinately immovable.

"Not now!" He cursed, feverishly working his omnitool to look for the controls again. He hurried back down the pipes, through the ever-increasing heat. A few twisting pipes later, and he was stood before another console. He swiftly typed out the commands, ears earnestly seeking out the rewarding sound of the grate moving. After an excruciating moment his heart leapt to hear the noise he so desired and, not even bothering to power down the console, he ran straight back to the main pipe.

His HUD began to beep quietly, an insistent warning that his suit's temperature was fast approaching the limits of his body's tolerance. Sweat poured down his back, a greasy, slippery feeling that did little to help his concentration. He blinked as salty droplets found their way into his eyes, shaking his head as the intense heat slowed his thinking.

Once more he found himself before a grate, almost yelling in frustration at it.

"Come on! How many more of these things can there be?"

He pounded back down the pipeline, finding the console in record time. The air around him was almost glowing with heat at this point, the metal segments of his armour threatening to burn him where they touched skin. He swore he could feel the cybernetics Miranda had worked so hard to install in him sizzle in their sockets, the flesh searing around them.

He frantically tapped away at the console, desperate to open the next grate. He almost screamed in anger when his first attempt failed, forcing himself to calm down. He took a deep breath, the burning hot air searing the inside of his throat and inciting more panic. He slowed himself down, carefully inputting the commands necessary. He struggled not to roar with jubilation as the sound of the grate opening reached his ears.

He dashed around the final few corners, heart pumping with anticipation as he finally caught sight of his goal, a small hatch on the side of the pipe. He rushed over to it, throwing his shoulder against it. He thumped into the hatch once, twice and a third time before it finally gave, allowing him to tumble out of the pipe in a flurry of limbs and a gust of scorching wind. He struggled to close the hatch on the roasting gale, finally slamming it in place, and turned to look at the room he was in, slumping to the floor in an exhausted pile.

The room he now occupied was a maintenance room, filled with rumbling machinery. Water filtration devices and air scrubbers stood against one wall, along with the bend of piping that hosted the hatch Shepard had just tumbled through. The centre of the room was home to several power generators, obviously a precaution against the Citadel ever going dark, an unheard of occurrence.

The Commander sat on the floor for a good couple of minutes, slipping off his helmet to drink in the cooler air. Although his suit told him that the room was actually quite warm, to him it felt as refreshing as a winter's breeze. He waited until his pulse slowed, his breathing becoming easier, before standing again. He was amazed by just how much the intense heat had taken out of him. Wincing at his scratchy, dry throat, he activated his omnitool, dispensing some medi-gel, which he swallowed. The thick goo coated his throat, instantly soothing the irritation. Although it did little to ease the sudden thirst, and his Academy instructors would have berated him for using up valuable medical supplies, he reasoned that distractions would be detrimental to the mission, and that he came across medkits so frequently that he could spare the gel. He wondered at that. Sometimes, it seemed as if the medi-gel was there just for him. He shook his head, choosing not to dwell on the matter.

The Commander strode up to the door to the maintenance room, easing it open with one hand while the other reached for his pistol. The corridor beyond was empty, a starkly lit passageway. He stepped out cautiously, looking left and right to see if there were any security cams to worry about.

He made his way down the length of a corridor, approaching a junction with cautious footsteps. He peered around the corner, darting back into cover as a pair of guards came into view. The two Salarians were talking amongst themselves, standing watch over a seemingly unimportant door. Shepard weighed up his choices, realising that he could not go any further this way without revealing his presence. Reluctantly, he retreated.

He headed down the corridor in the opposite direction, pulling up the schematics Yalana had provided him with. He looked for alternative routes, seeking a way past the guards without being seen. He chose another series of corridors, making his way along the new route as stealthily as he could.

As Shepard progressed along the next couple of corridors, he suddenly became aware of approaching voices. Heart in his mouth, the Commander slipped through a nearby doorway just as a pair of guards moved into view, marching towards him.

He closed the door silently and turned, realising the room was occupied. A short Human sat behind a desk, a surprised expression on his face. He opened his mouth out of curiosity as he stood.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"Uhh… I'm kinda new here. Just started today." Shepard tried to explain lamely, and he saw that he wasn't selling his story.

"I'm calling security!" The man said firmly. "Gua-"

The words were barely halfway out of his mouth before the Commander's armoured fist connected with the side of his head, just behind the ear. The man's eyes rolled back and he tumbled to the ground limply.

He moved back to the door, listening carefully as the guards outside strode past, locked in conversation with one another. He waited impatiently as they moved away, barely daring to breathe lest his presence be betrayed. At last, they were gone. Shepard moved back to the insensible form on the floor, moving him into a position that would make sure he didn't choke on his tongue or anything. He searched the man for a security pass, but his search turned up nothing. For a second, he regretted not letting the man lure the guards in, suspecting that they would have had passes, but he dismissed that, realising their absence was more likely to be noticed.

He stepped back into the corridor, making his way along towards the door where Garrus and Delexia waited. After a few more encounters with guards, all of which were avoided with little trouble, he found himself at the unremarkable grey metal door. He tapped out a few commands on the door's console, opening it with ease.

The door clanked open to reveal the two Turians, waiting with obvious impatience. Delexia was the first to stomp through the door, followed closely by Garrus.

"Took your damned time!" She huffed irritably.

"What? Missing me already?" Shepard baited.

"I- no!" Delexia was off-balance for a second. "Just wanting to get this over with, is all."

"Then let's get moving." Shepard ordered, turning to face up the corridor. "I found it fairly easy to avoid the guards, but I imagine there'll be a few more closer to the warehouses. "

The two Turians nodded, falling into step behind the Commander. As a unit, the team headed off down the corridor, following Yalana's map. They wove their way through the base, dodging the guard patrols they encountered.

Shepard suddenly held out a hand, indicating his companions should stop. He peered in through a doorway on their left.

"There's a networked terminal in here. I want to try and find out where they're getting these artefacts. Watch out for any guards." The two Turians nodded, taking up a position on either side of the dooras the Commander approached the terminal.

Shepard waved his omnitool over the console, bringing up a screen filled with squirming numbers. He took a deep breath and tried to decipher the system's security. He cautiously manipulated the console's controls, eventually receiving an affirmative beep as the screen returned to a more conventional display. He worked his way through the files stored on the system, eventually finding what he was looking for.

"Okay, looks like they've been exploiting a Prothean dig site out in the Traverse. A little out of the way, so that explains how no one knows about it. I've got co-ordinates, along with a summary of the equipment and personnel Inutech has there."

"If you send that to the Council, they can have a team go out to scope out what's left and deal with any troops on the ground." Garrus said. "Maybe they'll find something useful in what remains."

"Yeah." Shepard agreed. "Hang on while I try and see which part of the complex they've got the aretfact stored in."

The Commander was silent for a moment as he sifted through the information again. He grunted with satisfaction ass he found what he needed.

"Okay, looks like the artefact is-"

He was interrupted by the screen suddenly going blank, some outside influence shutting it down. A voice sounded over the terminal's speakers, a voice thick with an accent that was familiar to the Commander. The face that appeared on the screen, however, was like nothing he recognised. Livid red scars covered the majority of the individual's expression, one eye a milky white while the other was bloodshot. Hair stood out from his head in random tufts, most of the scalp burned away. The creature was barely recognisable as Human.

"Shepard. I should have known it was you. Where's your little friend with the light fingers?"

"Donavan Hock? I hardly recognised you." Shepard asked in surprise.

"Yes, well I have you to thank for this." The scarred man pointed at his ruined face.

"How did you survive? We blew up your gunship."

"Luck, mostly." The criminal admitted. "As my gunship fell down the mountainside in flames, I was thrown free, my flesh still burning. There are too many scars for cosmetic surgery." His face darkened, the ruined skin taking on a purplish tinge. "And I have you to thank for that. It's a shame little Kasumi isn't here to share in suffering my wrath, but I'm sure your two friends will make good sport."

"You'll have to catch us first." Shepard said defiantly.

"Only a matter of time. Can you hear my troops at your door yet? They aren't far now." Hock said smugly.

At this confident statement, Garrus crouched next to the door, pushing it open just a little bit. He cocked his head, listening.

"We've got footsteps heading this way, lots of 'em."

"Then we've already stayed too long. Move out!" Shepard commanded, unholstering his assault rifle.

The squad rushed out of the office, looking both ways along the corridor. As the first ranks of approaching enemies raced into view in one direction, they began to retreat in the opposite direction, firing back over their shoulders as they ran. The initial peppering of bullets did little to slow the guards, and almost immediately the enemy returned fire, disrupter rounds pinging off the Commander's shield in a blaze of blue.

As they pounded down the corridor, taking sudden turns to the left and right in an attempt to shake their pursuit, Shepard grew aware of the fact that they were moving away from where the artefact was being stored.

"We've got to shake these guys! The longer we wait, the more likely Hock will move the relic."

"I'm open to suggestions, Shepard!" Garrus grunted back as he turned to fire a couple of shots from his sniper rifle. Two guards slumped to the ground, neat round holes in their foreheads.

As Shepard wracked his brains for a way to turn the tide of the battle, he caught sight of a door sliding open down a side corridor.

"In here!" A voice called out.

Deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouth, the Commander turned and ran as fast as he could to the door, pushing through just ahead of the two Turians. As the door clicked shut, the guards raced into view, their pace faltering as they looked about in confusion.

Shepard looked to their saviour, a Human of average height and build with dark brown hair. He wore the uniform of the smugglers, but was obviously not hostile.

"Who're you?" Shepard demanded.

"Name's Allyn." Was the simple reply. "Citadel Security."

"Yalana's informant. She's been worried about you."

"My cover was compromised. Been playing hide-and-seek with these guys for the past coupla days. Now shush! They're right outside."

The guards were pacing the corridor uncertainly. One of them, clearly the leader, began splitting them into teams.

"Go down each side corridor and check each door. The boss doesn't want these guys to get away."

They waited tensely as the guards clumped off down the corridor in several teams, dreading the moment their door would open and they'd be discovered. Shepard's finger curled around the trigger of his weapon. Allyn saw this and held out a hand in a cautioning motion.

"Hold on a second," He whispered. "Wait until they've split into smaller groups. Then we jump out and catch those left behind by surprise."

The squad lingered for several more seconds, the knots in their stomachs tightening as the sounds of the searching guards got closer and closer. Finally, a set of footsteps approached their door, and the controls beeped as someone began to open them.

The instant the door hissed open, the squad leapt into action. Shepard lunged forwards, his rifle butt catching the guard at the door across the belly, sending the breath out of him. As he tumbled to the ground, his allies were gunned down by the combined fire of Allyn, Garrus and Delexia.

The rest of the guards, spread out along the corridor in several groups, spun to face the source of the gunfire. They reached for their weapons, but the squad was already unleashing a blistering hail of gunfire. Guards fell by the handful as Shepard worked the trigger of his rifle, sending round after round of incendiary ammo into the enemy numbers. One Salarian shrieked as his combat jumpsuit caught fire, the flames licking at his flesh. As he flailed around, the fire brushed at his companions, spreading through the ranks.

Garrus' sniper rifle's bark echoed through the corridor, each shot accompanied by the sight of another guard falling to the ground, dead. Beside him, Delexia used her shotgun to carve large chunks of flesh from the enemy ranks, the weapon being surprisingly accurate considering the distance it was operating over. Allyn stepped up next to the Commander, using a compact pistol to burn away the kinetic barriers of the enemy, leaving them vulnerable to the Commander's fire.

After a few brief moments of intense fire, the last guard lay dying on the floor, two smouldering bullet holes in his chest from Shepard's rifle. The Commander turned to the others, breathing heavily from the intensity of the battle. After ascertaining that they were unharmed, he activated his commlink, opening a channel to Officer Yalana.

"Yalana? This is Shepard. We've found Allyn. He's alive and unharmed. Our cover's been blown, and we're facing a lot of fire down here. We need backup, and you'll need to form a perimeter to make sure that the relic doesn't leave this building."

"I hear you Shepard." The C-Sec officer replied. "On my way."

Shepard closed the channel, turning to his companions.

"Come on. Let's get to the relic before Hock has a chance to move it."

They proceeded through the featureless corridors, past a multitude of different rooms, offices, recreational areas and living quarters, wending their way through the labyrinthine complex towards their goal. At last they filed out into a larger room, obviously the first of the warehouses.

As they entered, dozens of Inutech guards turned to look at them, weapons raised. Shepard darted behind a pile of crates as they opened fire, a hailstorm of bullets descending upon the squad as they ran for cover. Garrus popped off a few shots from his sniper rifle as he rolled across the floor, tumbling into cover behind a large metal box with nary a scratch on him. Across the length of the warehouse, one of the smugglers staggered back, clutching at a badly bleeding shoulder, while another groaned as he slid to the floor, a bullet hole in his jugular.

As the squad positioned themselves for a protracted firefight, Shepard heard the clank and groan of mechanised limbs moving just as two YMIR mechs unfolded, their heavy guns swivelling to face the squad's location. The metal floor beneath his feet trembled as they plodded over ponderously.

Popping the thermal clip in his weapon, the Commander reloaded the rifle as he stood, taking aim at the first of the hulking robots. He managed to empty the clip into the monstrous machine before it turned enough to fire at him. A single, high-powered round punched his kinetic barriers in the gut, deforming the mass effect field enough to wind him before he dropped back into cover. Garrus reacted instantly, standing up from behind his cover to fire at the same mech. Crack, crack, crack went his rifle before the machine tried to shoot him, missing by a fraction of an inch as the Turian dropped back into cover.

Allyn added his fire to the attack, leaning out from behind the structural beam he had taken refuge behind. His pistol popped off a few shots, after which he vanished back into cover before he drew the mechs' ire. Delexia was next, her shotgun coughing out clouds of hypervelocity slugs at the machine's failing barriers.

In this unpredictable, rapid-fire fashion, the squad whittled away the first robot's shields until they finally flickered. Seeing the vulnerability, Garrus took careful aim. His shot pierced the sweet spot on the face plate, rendering the machine blind. It waved about wildly, trying to find it's attackers. It fired erratically, doing more damage to its fellow mech than anything else.

Shepard finished it off with a well-placed shot to the humming power cord in its neck, causing it to drop to the ground, lifeless. The other mech had had its shields stripped away by its fellow's misguided fire, and sparked from multiple bullet holes in it's body. Shepard used this weakness to take it down with little problem.

As the last mech dropped, the smugglers roared, charging in from either side. Shepard cursed, angered that he had allowed himself to be distracted by the YMIRs long enough for the flesh-and-blood enemies to get around either side in a flanking manoeuvre.

The smugglers rushed in, firing recklessly. As they drew near, Delexia's shotgun sang, pumping masses of lead into their ranks and tearing them apart. Garrus stood behind her, firing over her shoulder. On the other side, Shepard's gun rattled in his hands, a blistering rain of bullets ripping into the approaching enemies. Allyn was more selective in his fire, his pistol barking as smuggler after smuggler dropped.

The final smuggler slumped to the floor, and Shepard paused to take stock of the situation. Garrus moved through the pile of corpses, scrounging usable thermal clips from the fallen. Delexia leaned against a crate, rubbing medi-gel over a nasty looking wound on what would have been her thigh, had she been Human.

"The relic's being stored in the next room." Shepard said, consulting his omnitool. "Let's keep moving."

"With you, Shepard." Garrus said as he approached, pushing a fresh thermal clip into his gun's ammo slot.

The squad moved to the far side of the warehouse, slowing as they approached the door set into the wall leading to the second warehouse and their objective. The Commander held up a warning hand as he leaned in close to the door, listening for any sign of movement. He tensed as he caught snippets of conversation on the other side of the door, armoured feet clanking about in the warehouse.

One finger held to his lips in a cautioning gesture, he pushed the door, easing it open slowly. Once there was a gap of about three inches, he peeked into the room beyond. He saw crates arrayed in neat piles around the warehouse, although it seemed that the room had been mostly emptied to make space for the object in the centre of the floor.

A massive metal box, about ten metres to each side and in height, sat quietly in the centre of a cleared space in the warehouse. It's smooth, polished sides were featureless, the only disruption to the smooth surface being the tiny control panel on one side that opened the box.

Donovan Hock hunched over this panel, typing in a complex code. Behind him, several smugglers bustled about, clearing a path for the box. As one walked past at a snail's pace, the crime lord's head snapped around as he barked out harsh orders, scarred visage gleaming red in the artificial light.

"Get a move on! We've got to get this out of here!" His face reddened with irritation as the smuggler tried to mumble an excuse. "I don't care how valuable it is, it's nothing compared to the relic. If Shepard takes this, you can forget about seeing another credit ever again! Now move!"

The Commander nodded to his comrades, signalling that they should move forwards. Garrus scuttled through the door, crouching behind a stack of crates. Delexia moved next, heading to the opposite side of the door. Allyn practically crawled on his belly, staying low to the ground as he moved past Garrus and continued along the side of the warehouse, taking a position behind a workbench piled high with empty chemical canisters.

Shepard took the middle route, heading straight for Hock. He rolled behind one weapons locker as a smuggler walked by not three feet away, the Commander's heart in his mouth at the near-discovery. He waited until the smuggler had put down his load, turning to walk back and collect another crate, and began moving forwards again. He paused behind a large box of paintings, not five metres from Hock.

"Damnit!" Hock pounded the side of the relic's box in frustration. "Where's Glox with the second key?"

He spat in anger as his subordinates mumbled incoherently.

"I am surrounded by incompetence. Go find him! We can't open this without both keys."

One of the smugglers nodded timidly, scurrying to be out of the range of Hock's wrath.

As the crime boss tapped his foot impatiently, the eyes of everyone present was drawn to the front of the warehouse, where the big metal door made a grinding noise as it shuddered upwards. Light filtered in from outside, silhouetting a large group of figures. The foremost of the group stepped in, flanked by the lumbering shapes of two YMIR mechs. The leader's profile was illuminated by the artificial lights of the warehouse, revealing the stern features of Yalana. Hock's face twisted in irritation as she stepped towards him, though he grew more uncertain upon seeing the two mechs flanking her, along with the dozen or so armoured C-Sec officers that followed them, forming a perimeter around the relic. Seeing that help had arrived, Shepard stood, levelling his rifle at Hock.

"Give it up, Hock. We've got you surrounded." He ordered.

"Oh, do you?" Hock smirked.

Confused, Shepard looked over to Yalana questioningly, only to see the C-Sec officer raised her weapon and aim it straight at the Commander. The two YMIRs shifted to aim at the squad and the assembled C-Sec agents behind them formed a tight barricade between Shepard and the door.

"I'm surprised you made it this far, Commander. I was sure the vents would get the better of you. I guess Hock's security system isn't as fool-proof as he was boasting."

"You knew the vents would try to cook me alive?" Shepard seethed.

"And I see you managed to draw Allyn out of hiding. This makes things so convenient, although none of this would have been necessary had your guards been halfway competent, Donovan."

"I thought we agreed there'd be no more of your superiors sniffing around here, Yalana."

"The Spectres are not my superiors!" Yalana snapped. "Besides, the worst I could have done was keep him tied up with paperwork. This way was much more satisfying. Now I can kill him for trying to help a criminal steal Prothean artefacts from the Council."

"That'll never fly." Hock protested. "You'd have to turn me over to the Council for your story to be even remotely plausible. Our arrangement would be over."

"Eh, worth it to bring down another Council lapdog." Yalana shrugged, turning her weapon on Hock. "Besides, you're behind on your payments."

"Wait a minute, if you hate the Council so much, why work in C-Sec?" Shepard asked.

"It's in the best interests of our organisation if I make sure that certain shipments slip through the Council's net unnoticed."

"Your 'organisation'?"

"Terra Firma. I'll give Mr Saracino your regards. He never quite got over your refusal to support his run for office." She turned back to Hock as a Salarian stepped through the far door, obviously the individual known as Glox, who bore the second key to the relic's box. "Ah, it looks like we have the second keycode. Hurry up and open the box, Hock."

"Why should I do that?" Hock asked defiantly.

"Because this can go one of two ways. Option one: you open the box so I can take a look at the relic and maybe get something valuable out of it, after which I take both you and the relic down to the station. Option two, I shoot you here and now, leave your corpse with Shepard's, and inspect the relic after Bailey's had a bunch of his tech goons break the box open and pore over it first. Either way, I'm getting a slice of the action, but one way ends with me getting what I want faster and you living."

Hock paled as the C-Sec officer strode up to him, gun aimed directly between his eyes. He gulped and began to enter his keycode. Glox was hurriedly ushered over and entered his half of the sequence. They stepped back as the door hissed, the interior pressure equalising with the exterior atmosphere.

As the box's locks cycled, Yalana turned and casually pulled the trigger of her weapon, the bullets sending a spray of gore across the warehouse's floor as Hock's head split open. Glox's body hit the floor an instant later, perforated by another flurry of bullets from the C-Sec officer's weapon.

"That ties up one loose end. Don't worry, Shepard, I'll get to you soon enough."

The box shuddered, it's corners splitting apart as it unfolded. The top lifted up before lowering itself down to one side. There was a quiet clank as the unfolding box flattened itself onto the floor, followed by the hiss of vapour as the cool air from inside the box mingled with the warm air of the warehouse, sending plumes of mist frolicking up towards the ceiling. Everyone drew in a sharp breath upon seeing the contents of the box.

Yalana was silent for a brief moment before she turned to the Commander, her face an apocalyptic red.

"What is the meaning of this?" She yelled, waving an arm where the relic should have been. In it's place, there was nought but empty space. Yalana turned back to the box, looking down at a spot near her feet. She kneeled down, picking up a couple of objects from the floor. She inspected them briefly before turning back to Shepard.

"You did this!" She spat, hurling the objects at him. They hit Shepard square in the chest, bouncing off his armour to slap down on the floor. Shepard's brows lifted upon seeing the red rose that now lay at his feet, and knelt to pick up the datapad. He turned it over to read the message displayed upon it.

_Ha-ha! x_

_K.G._

"What have you done with the relic?" Yalana asked, almost frantically. "Where have you hidden it? How did you take it?"

"I didn't take it, Yalana." Shepard said calmly.

"Bullshit!" Yalana spat. "You're the only person who's been interested in this relic."

"Why would I go through all of this if I already had the relic?"

"Maybe… you needed a distraction!" She said desperately. "You were here to draw my attention while someone went in the back way. Who's your accomplice? When I find out I'm gonna hunt them down and make them regret the day they set foot in my Ward."

"Now that's not very nice." Light hearted voice rang out as the C-Sec officer seethed.

All heads turned about in confusion, looking for the source of the words. Shepard saw a flicker of light from a stack of crates just next to Yalana. The lithe form of Kasumi Goto flickered into view, her cloaking device powering down with a blue flash. She sat atop the crates, one leg stretched out leisurely in front of her while she leaned back on her elbows, her cowled head turning to nod at the commander, the suggestion of a wink in the shadows that concealed her face.

"You! You're with Shepard." Yalana yelled. "Where's my artefact?"

"Your artefact?" Kasumi asked in amusement. "That's not how it works. I stole it, and so it's mine now."

"Tell me where you hid it, you little bitch!" Yalana lifted her gun to point at the thief.

"Tut! Such poor manners. You didn't even say please." Kasumi's voice tinkled with a girlish giggle. "Just for that, I'm not telling."

Yalana fumed at this, pulling the trigger of her weapon. As she fired at the thief, Kasumi tumbled out of the way of the bullets, acrobatically spinning into an impressive one-handed handstand. She flexed her arm, launching herself upwards in a remarkable somersault. As she soared through the air, her tactical cloak engaged, smothering her form with transparency. Yalana ceased firing, looking about angrily. She turned to bark orders to her subordinates.

"Kill them all, even the little one. I'll pull the data from her omnitool when she's dead!"

As she said this, the air behind her shimmered, and a powerful punch sent her sprawling on the ground. Kasumi flickered back into view.

"So uncivilised! I guess I'll just have to teach you a lesson with my shiny new toy."

She tumbled back, leaping up into the air above the open box and landing on an unseen surface, seemingly floating in midair. A tactical camo field flickered under her feet, and the relic appeared.

Shepard's mouth dropped open as he took in what he was seeing. The cloak continued to fade, revealing more and more details. Sleek lines defined the section reserved for one operator, coiled around a small generator that now hummed with barely contained power. The form of the relic flowed back from a sharp point, housing two wicked-looking barrels. The rear of the device flared out behind the cockpit to allow no less than four thrust cones to splay out. As the Commander studied it, he realised he was staring at the most well-preserved and the only functional example of a Prothean fighter-class vessel. Kasumi stood astride it's nose cone, grinning broadly beneath the hood.

"What did you really expect little old me to get this out of here all by myself? That's why you're here, Shep. Now get to blasting, I need a second to get this thing going properly."

Yalana grunted as she got back to her feet. Her face creased in fury upon seeing Kasumi clamber into the relic and seal the cockpit.

"You deal with her little friends, the thieving bitch is mine!" She yelled to her comrades.

Shepard danced back as the YMIRs opened fire, a trail of bullets peppering the floor in front of him. He rolled back behind a stack of crates, gaining a temporary reprieve as the hulking machines had to lurch around to get a clear shot at him. He thrust his hand over the top of the crates, clumsily aiming his rifle blindly at the machines. He fired off a string of shots, but received little in the way of results except for the dull ping of kinetic barriers deflecting his fire.

Garrus had taken up a position as far away from the enemy as possible and was putting his deadly skill with the sniper rifle to good use. While the Commander kept the brutish robots at bay, he was busily dropping C-Sec agent and smuggler alike, thinning out the ranks of lesser enemies. Shepard could see the reasoning in this tactic, as it allowed him to focus on the bigger threat without having to worry about being flanked.

Allyn joined the Commander in his refuge, bleeding from a nasty wound to his side. He activated his omnitool and sent an overload burst winging over the crates at the mechs. One jerked as the arcs of electricity found a way past its shields, affecting its internal systems directly. The barrier shimmered and failed, leaving the machine vulnerable to the squad's fire.

Delexia was quick to take advantage, springing up from behind her cover. She darted to a stack of crates, firing her shotgun as she ran. As the Turian dodged a rocket blast, outrunning the fiery shrapnel by hardly an inch, she scored a couple of direct hits upon the first mech, punching through its armour. She then waited a few seconds before vaulting over the crates to charge straight at it, firing her weapon some more. As the mech's chain guns opened up,. She spun on her heel like a graceful dancer, swivelling into the refuge of a workbench.

The mech was now shuddering, smoke seeping from a multitude of different holes in it's armour. Shepard stood and carefully aimed at one of the holes, his incendiary ammo igniting inside the machine. Gouts of flame roared through it's innards, melting vital parts in a cascade of destruction. It whirred dully before slumping, the light fading from its 'face'. As the fires raged inside it, the heat built up until finally the face plate popped, shattering from the heat.

The second YMIR loomed menacingly over it's dead comrade, shoving the lifeless hulk out of the way with one arm. As its mechanical voice creaked out menacingly, its attention was drawn by a rushing noise to one side.

Both the squad and the remaining enemy troops looked over in amazement as the fighter lifted up into the air. Yalana, standing before it defiantly, roared angrily to see her prize slipping away from her and charged the machine, leaping into the air. She clutched at the fighter frantically, managing to haul herself up. She stood shakily on the machine, lifting her weapon to aim at Kasumi. The diminutive thief looked out through the plexiglass viewport of the cockpit and, seeing the danger, twitched a control.

The fighter swereved in the air, throwing Yalana off balance. She staggered, her weapon swinging about erratically. It's fire, her aim put off by the sudden movement, perforated the nose cone of the fighter, it's ancient shields proving ineffectual after so much time and at such close range. Smoke poured out of the relic as it shuddered through the air. It swung into the second mech, the two machines colliding with a tremendous crash. The YMIR was thrown off its feet, struggling to slowly stand again. The fighter fared a lot worse, panelling falling away and wiring left sparking uncontrollably.

Yalana, her perch already precarious, was thrown clear of the machine, hitting the floor with a wet thump. She struggled back to her feet almost as slowly as the YMIR, one arm bent in an unnatural way. She winced as she took a step but, whether through her sheer determination or by pure dumb luck, she had kept a hold of her weapon and now aimed it at the fighter, now clearly more determined to bring Kasumi down than make sure the relic was left intact.

Shepard realised she intended to destroy the craft and, acting quickly, her leapt over his cover and ran towards her, weapon firing as he charged. A powerful barrier flickered around her, deflecting his attack easily, but it was enough to draw her ire.

"Looks like the shields C-Sec issues to its captains and commanders." Garrus commented over the comms. "Special design, only the Council has access to the schematics. It'll be a tough son of a bitch to take down."

"Got it" Shepard acknowledged. "Allyn, keep the mech busy. Delexia, help me take this barrier out."

"Got it, Shepard." Allyn confirmed. "Shouldn't be too hard. Think that knock your friend gave it toojk out the shield jenny."

"With you, Commander." Delexia called, pumping her shotgun to load in a fresh clip.

Shepard dropped down behind a box filled with straw, obviously some kind of container for delicate items. It was flimsy, but sufficient to deflect the majority of Yalana's attacks. Delexia followed him, rolling into hiding behind another crate filled with shards of pottery. The clay and stone relics clattered as the bullets hit them.

The Commander nodded to the Turian, and the pair of them split apart, Delexia going left while Shepard went right. Yalana was thrown off-balance for a second as she faced two moving targets, but soon homed in on Shepard. Her gun chattered loudly, the bullets pinging off the Commander's barriers and off the crates around him as he strafed right, firing his own weapon back at her as he scurried along.. Delexia's shotgun coughed out cloud after cloud of pellets at the C-Sec officer, all of which were cast aside by her barrier.

As Yalana maintained her defensive posture, the two attacking comrades closed in on her, Shepard keeping low so as to throw off her aim while Delexia tried to come in from the side. As the Commander's barriers warned him of dangerously low power levels, the female Turian closed to within a couple of yards of the C-Sec officer. She pulled a small device from her belt and cast it onto the floor in front of Yalana. The C-Sec officer barely had time to react before the device flickered, casting out brilliant blue arcs as it detonated. There was a flash, and a rapidly expanding sphere of blue energy. The moment it touched Yalana's barrier, it flickered and died, leaving her exposed.

Shepard charged forwards, pressing the attack. His gun found it's mark soon enough, punching through her C-Sec uniform in a bloody swathe. Delexia brought her shotgun to bear, the powerful bite of the gun tearing through Yalana's flesh. The corrupt C-sec officer fell to the floor, dead.

Shepard spun around to see how the rest of the battle was going, just in time to see Garrus snipe the last of the smugglers, shouting out victoriously as he once again scored a hit between the eyes. Only a couple of the C-Sec agents remained, although they looked much less certain now their commander was dead.

Allyn was backed up into a corner, only one pile of crates standing between him and the second mech. The machine was damaged badly, one arm dangling by its side, only connected by a handful of wires. The armoured shell was pitted with marks, and one leg moved slowly, as though the joint was seizing up.

It rounded the last of the crates, finally affording itself a clear view of Allyn. It's one remaining gun arm lifted to aim at the C-Sec operative, chain-gun churning as it powered up.

As Allyn closed his eyes in fear of the impeding attack, a brilliant flash filled the warehouse. The YMIR shook violently before toppling over, a round crater lined with white-hot molten metal where it's back should have been. The squad turned to see the Prothean fighter hovering steadily in mid-air, a grinning Kasumi behind the controls. Smoke twirled from the barrels of it's two weapons, still red-hot from being fired.

The last of the C-Sec agents, seeing both their leader and their heavy artillery defeated, turned and ran, casting weapons aside in their haste to get away. As they fled, Delexia cheered, waving her shotgun menacingly at them.

"Ye-heah! You better run." She shouted.

Shepard smiled at his friend's jubilation, choosing to keep his own celebration to a minimum until he made sure everyone was alright.

Garrus strode over, not a mark on him. He grinned confidently as he marked a few notches on the butt of his rifle. The weapon was so heavily marked that a smooth bit of the butt could not be found. Allyn limped over, nursing several wounds. Seeing his predicament, Delexia hurried to his side, administering medical treatment with a gentle nature Shepard did not expect of the pirate.

There was a loud thud, and Shepard turned to see the fighter sitting back where it belonged, smoke still pouring from the ruptures in its hull. Kasumi popped the cockpit canopy, clambering out and leaping to the floor lightly. She stepped around the prone body of Hock, lightly avoiding the gathering pool of blood, and approached the Commander with a grin on her face. Her eyes glinted within the darkness of her hood.

"Hey, Shep." She said by way of greeting. "Good to see you finally made it."

"Kasumi." Shepard said warmly, gathering her up in a friendly embrace. Garrus was quick to step forward and greet the cheery little thief as well.

"Garrus!" Kasumi exclaimed as the Turian wrapped his arms around her. "How's my little Archangel?"

As Garrus released her, Kasumi turned to see Delexia. She smiled and extended a hand in a friendly fashion.

"And you must be yet another stray the Commander's picked up. He's got a habit of collecting us. Almost as bad as the actual Collectors. Kasumi Goto."

"Pleased to meet you, Kasumi." Delexia bowed her head.

"And you are…?" Kasumi extended a hand to Allyn.

"Only on loan to your Commander. Allyn Bayne, Citadel Security, Tayseri's Vice Division."

"Drug hound?" Kasumi asked. "So what're you doing looking into an antique smuggling outfit like this?"

"I'm good at blending in, getting in with the right people. Unfortunately, I'm apparently not so good at reading my own people. I can't believe Yalana was the informant I was looking for! That she would betray C-Sec is… I can't believe it!"

"Terra Firma's never been home to the most upstanding citizens. Doesn't surprise me they've got some of their number in the system to bend the rules where Humanity is concerned." Shepard said.

"I've no doubt Hock was throwing her enough credits to make betraying her superiors real easy." Kasumi said, the smile fading from her lips. "He always could shift money around. It's how he kept control of his empire."

"How long have you know he was running this operation?" Shepard asked.

"That's actually the reason I've been hitting their shipments. Once I found out he'd survived our last meeting, I had to know what he was up to. Imagine my surprise when I found out he's been shifting intact and fully functional Prothean tech." She looked over at the damaged fighter. "Unfortunately his crown jewel is no longer quite so pristine. I can't even guess what that would have fetched in the right market."

"But you've been dropping the tech off at Council research facilities, not selling it." Shepard stated rather than asked. "Not exactly your style, Kasumi."

"I saw what the Collectors were involved in, Commander. I know we need to get to work." She said defensively. "Figured this was the best way I could help the Galaxy get ready while I was still on my own. Besides, Reapers or not, I'd have still gone after Hock, mostly because of our history."

"'While you were still on your own'? You had that much faith in me finding you again?"

"You got killed and you bounced back harder than a Volus in a bouncy castle. I figured a couple months jail time would hardly slow you down. There's still some bad guys out there that need their asses kicked, and I know you're not about to let someone else do your job for you." She looked over her shoulder as the fighter sparked loudly. "We'd better get this thing to some halfway decent scientists before it completely falls apart. Time for catching up back on the ship."

"Agreed. Although I'm dreading what Bailey's gonna have to say about this…"

**~o~0~o~**

"I can't leave you alone for five minutes! I send you out there to stop some smugglers, and you come back to me with the best part of Tayseri Ward's Customs Department dead, a warehouse full of destroyed Prothean relics, and not a single prisoner to show for it?"

"In all fairness, they weren't in a very co-operative mood down there." Shepard said, though it was apparent his words would have no calming effect on the C-Sec Executor. "And the fighter was only mostly destroyed."

"Oh, yeah. That'll sound real good when I report to the Council. 'Hey, I know the guns are all burnt out and the shields are shot to hell, but at least the engines run!' You turned a Prothean fighter jet into a goddamned scooter!"

"I thought the techs said there was some interesting information to be had from studying those engines?" Garrus asked from behind the Commander.

"The Council won't want to hear about how you found a way to let the joyriders zip around the wards a little faster in their private shuttles. They're preparing for some kind of counter attack against whoever it was that took Earth. They want guns and shields."

"The shields were already practically nonexistent by the time we got that ship out of it's package." Kasumi said dismissively. "And the guns were gone after one shot, though I imagine that had more to do with your Yalana than anything we did."

"And that's another thing! How am I meant to tell the Council that one of my more trusted operatives was a damned bigoted turncoat? They'll want to screen every Human in C-Sec, and I'll be on the spot for being the Human in charge when the shit hit the fan. Things are gonna be hellish from here on out."

"It's not your fault that she chose to act the way she did." Shepard reassured him. "And I'll stand up for you if the Council chooses to make a big deal out of things."

"Well, I guess the word of a Spectre will carry a bit of weight with the bureaucrats. Alright, Shepard. You've not done wrong by my before, so I'll do what I can to clear up this mess in Tayseri. But if my head ends up on a Pike over the gates, I'm gonna make sure yours is right there next to mine."

"I read you loud and clear, Bailey."

"See that you do. Now get out of here before something else blows up in my face."

Shepard smiled at the grizzled old cop and saluted, turning to leave. Delexia, Garrus and Kasumi followed him out of the C-Sec Executor's office. Outside, they were greeted by Allyn. The C-Sec operative smiled at them, one arm in a sling from the injuries he had sustained.

"Commander!" He called out, stepping up to the squad. "Thanks for, you know, getting me out of there. I appreciate your help."

"Any time, Allyn." Shepard said, shaking his uninjured hand. "Any word on what's going to happen in Tayseri now?"

"Not sure. Just heading in to Bailey's office to give him my report. Some people are saying that maybe I should get Yalana's job. I'm not complaining, but I'd rather be out in the field than inside giving orders. But, I guess we've got to fill the void somehow, and fast. Yalana left a lot of cases open that's go bad fast. I guess running things for a little while until someonw better is found wouldn't be too bad."

"I'm sure it'll all turn out fine in the end." Shepard said confidently. "Take care, Allyn."

"You too, Shepard."

The two nodded a farewell and parted ways. Shepard led the squad back to the shuttle landing area, from where they could find their transport back to the Normandy.


	26. 26: En Route To Bekenstein

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 26: En Route To Bekenstein**

"Kasumi!"

The entire crew on duty on the Command Deck turned at Kelly's squealed greeting. The chirpy little yeoman rushed forwards to embrace Kasumi, the pair laughing joyously.

"Kelly! Its good to see you again!" Kasumi laughed.

"Oh we've been so worried about you." Kelly sighed

"Really? Even you Shep?" Kasumi asked with a smirk. "I guess Cerberus gave you a heart when they rebuilt you after all."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't get too confident." Shepard grumbled good-naturedly. "I was getting tired of Jacob moping around the place. Figured having you around might cheer him up a bit."

"Jacob's here?" Kasumi asked happily. "I'd better go say hi…"

"Cloaked?"

"But of course, Commander. Is there any other way?"

Shepard smiled widely as the little thief stalked off through the CIC, receiving jubilant greetings right left and centre from her old shipmates. The Commander turned to his yeoman, still smiling. She returned his grin.

"It's good to have her back on board, Commander."

"I'll admit, it's not been the same without her."

"She's a bright little soul, good to have around. No offence, but most of the crew you acquire tend to be… a little intense, to say the least. It makes a pleasant change having someone who knows how to lighten the mood."

"And what about me, Kelly?" Garrus asked, walking up behind the pair. Behind him, Delexia was undoing the collar fastenings on her armour. As he spoke, she slapped him around the back of the head.

"You idiot. You couldn't lighten the mood if you were filled with helium. Now come on. I wanna get this armour stowed and swap my shotgun for a shot glass."

The Commander chuckled as the two Turians wandered off, squabbling among themselves.

"They seem to be getting on well together." He commented.

"I'd put it down to Human nature, but… you know. Turian. Individuals of the same species tend to gravitate towards one another."

"You don't think they're… uhh?"

"Honestly? No, I don't." Kelly answered. "They act more like a brother and sister. It's good for Garrus. He hasn't spent much time with his own kind lately. And Delexia's coping with a lot at the moment. Frankly, were it not for Garrus, I'd be worried for her."

"Really? How so?"

"She lost her ship, along with pretty much everyone she was close to. I know I'd be having trouble dealing with it. At a time like that, just having someone around is better than anything a therapist could do."

"I see." Shepard nodded. "I guess I'll make more of an effort to make her feel welcome."

"You always do, Commander. No matter who steps aboard, you always greet them with open arms. I guess that's part of what makes you such a great leader."

The yeoman saluted before turning to walk away. About halfway down the corridor between the CIC and the cockpit, she paused.

"Oh, by the way Commander. While you were out I went for a little shore leave. I was wandering through Zakera's markets when I found something I thought you might find interesting. It's in your cabin."

"Thanks, Kelly." Shepard smiled, intrigued.

As Kelly walked away, Shepard turned to look back into the cockpit. He could see Joker there, bickering in an animated fashion with EDI.

"Oh come on! Best five out of nine." He pleaded.

"I must return to my assigned duties, Jeff."

"You're just scared that I'll beat you this time."

"Accumulated data from previous attempts suggests that this would be highly unlikely."

"Yeah, you're scared."

"Joker, EDI? Something wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, Commander!" Joker straightened up in his seat, tapping controls busily, although Shepard noticed he wasn't actually doing anything other than looking busy.

"What's going on here?" Shepard asked suspiciously.

"Jeff and I were competing in-"

"Hssht!" The pilot hissed, trying to silence his ship.

"Jeff, do you have something stuck in your throat?" The AI asked with concern. "Should I alert the Med Bay?"

"Ahh… Let him choke, EDI. Now, what were you saying?"

"Judging from Jeff's reactions, I believe answering your query would violate an unspoken confidence between us. I cannot say any more."

"EDI, I'm in command of this ship. Now, do I have to go down to the AI Core and start pulling wires?"

The cockpit was silent a moment longer before Joker sighed, slumping in his seat.

"Spectre Justice Five."

"What?"

"A new game. They hold tournaments every now and then where you can win credits. I've been playing it in my downtime, and EDI got curious. So I figured out a way to hook her up, and she's an absolute machine!" He chuckled only to quail before Shepard's stern expression. "Sorry, bad pun."

"You used an AI to rig an online tournament?"

"Only once or twice! I figured we could use the money. Its not like anyone got hurt."

"And how do you go from that to bickering about it?"

"Last tournament we ended up against one another. Total stalemate. So, we've been trying to settle it ever since. Except now she's in the lead, she doesn't want to let me have a chance to settle the score!"

"You have had multiple opportunities to do so, Jeff. If you were capable of besting me, you would have done so." The AI's tone was just slightly smug.

"You see!"

"Okay, first of all…" Shepard said, pacing from side to side as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "No more using an AI to illegally fix online tournaments, clear?"

"But…"

"No buts. Only a few people outside of this ship know about EDI. The Galaxy's not ready to deal with an unshackled AI yet. Can you imagine if word got to the Quarians that a Human ship was host to an AI? Even Tali didn't tell her people about EDI. She knew their reaction would be visceral. You using her to make a fast buck on some game will only draw attention to her."

Joker's mouth worked silently, unsure of what to say next. Finally, his head drooped.

"Alright." He said reluctantly.

"Good." Shepard said firmly. He turned to walk away, but paused. "Oh, one the other thing?"

Joker's head lifted, his expression wary.

"Off-duty pursuits stay off-duty, understood?"

"Yes, Commander."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard yawned as he stepped out of the elevator into his cabin. He stretched his arms far above his head, popping the shoulders as he walked past his 'office'. He paused as he noticed a small package on his coffee table, a black box-shaped object. Remembering Kelly, he smiled as he stepped over and sat down, leaning his elbows on the table as he inspected the item.

It's sides were glass, and the top whirred with some unknown machinery in it. A little note had been placed next to it.

_It's from Thessia. should go with the rest of your collection._

_Kelly._

He reached out and touched the box, which suddenly lit up. The sides, which had previously been dark, slowly turned transparent, their opacity fading to reveal what was contained inside.

A small blue light flickered on inside the lid of the box, illuminating the diminutive fish that swam within. Large fins fanned out on either side, glimmering the faintest reds and oranges. Its sides were golden, tinged with the tiniest hint of turquoise. As it looked at the Commander, its outline suddenly flashed a brilliant, angry red, a defence mechanism.

Shepard smiled at the tiny fish, lifting the box carefully. The reflective glass dimmed again at his touch until he found the switch on the top. He carried the new pet over to the large glass tanks that covered half of one wall of his cabin, gently opening the top of the tank and tipping the fish in to join the others. This done, he stepped back, watching as the new arrival explored its latest home.

As he stood there, drinking in the calming scene of the fish going about their day-to-day lives, he heard the door to his cabin hiss open. Heavy footsteps clanged across the deck, a familiar presence stepping up next to him.

"Nice one." Jack commented. "Thessian Sunrise Ruby. Who got you that?"

"Kelly." Shepard explained, staring at the fish as it hovered in front of him for a second, it's flickering red display warning him to keep back. His brow creased as he spotted something wrong with this picture. "Wait a minute… how do you know so much about fish?"

"What? Just 'cause I'm a bitch it means I'm not allowed to know shit? I like fish. Always have. They don't need much, they don't give you no trouble, and they're pretty."

"Its just… odd trying to picture you interested in something like this."

"So I'm only allowed to think something looks nice if it's painted in someone's blood?" Her tone was growing more defensive. She didn't like having to explain herself, and yet the more time she spent around the Commander the more she found herself doing so. "That's the problem with you, with everyone. They always assume they know me after one look. Well I'm-"

"Hey, it's okay." Shepard said quickly, putting his arm around her shoulders. She pushed for a split-second before allowing the embrace. "I'm glad you like it."

Jack sighed, leaning her head into the Commander's shoulder. She stared at the fish, swimming around in their simple world. She drank in the calm joy of just being, the purity of the moment. Finally, reluctantly, she pulled out of the embrace.

"I'd best let you get back to work." She said quietly. "No doubt the great Commander Shepard's got a lot on his plate."

"No hurry. I was actually just planning on taking it easy tonight. Care to join me?"

"Sounds like heaven." Jack smiled.

The pair moved over to the couch. With a sigh, Shepard leaned back, holding the slight woman tightly in his arms.

**~o~0~o~**

"Hey Shepard."

The Commander smiled as he walked into the Port Lounge. The smiling thief was sitting on one of the chairs, her knees held against her chest as she looked out of the viewport. He stepped over and sat next to her.

"Kasumi. Just checking in, seeing how you're taking to life back aboard the Normandy."

"I was wondering when you'd drop by." She smiled. "It's one thing we can always count on you for. You're always looking out for your crew."

"Our job's tough enough as it is. Me being a jackass doesn't help."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. But it's more than just knowing how to inspire your troops. Being a nice guy comes naturally to you." She looked out of the viewport again. "Hardly feels like I left. There's still a few faces missing around the table at breakfast time, though we've acquired quite a few new ones. That Revenant's a little creepy. Considering the last time I saw a Collector I was shooting at it on their station, I think it'll take a little time to get used to having him around."

The thief turned from the viewport to look straight at the Commander, her eyes glinting brightly under the hood.

"But, with times like they are, I guess any willing ally is a welcome one, am I right? Earth's on the line here, and after that, the rest of the Galaxy."

"Way to lighten the mood." Shepard grumbled.

"You know me, I call it like I see it. But I'm not worried. I know how you work, Shepard. The Reapers have one hell of a surprise waiting for them."

"Let's hope so." Shepard smiled thinly. "Anyway, how've you managed to dodge Cerberus for so long? They've been doing a pretty good job of rounding the whole team up."

"Look who you're talking to, Shepard." Kasumi grinned. "If there's anyone who can stay out of sight, it's me.

"I'll admit, there have been a few close calls. For the first month after the Normandy was captured, they pursued me from one side of Council Space to the other. The Illusive Man must have made sure that every last one of his agents knew my face. You'd be amazed about how far Illusive's network spreads, or how deep Cerberus' influence goes.

"After a while, I learned how to spot Cerberus agents, learned how to spot who was trustworthy and who was a threat."

"Really?"

"It's not that hard. There are certain tells you've got to look out for. Anyone who's hiding something has them. It's incredible how much you can learn about a person's secrets from what they're not revealing."

"So how'd you go from running for your life to putting a stop to Inutech's smuggling activities?"

"It's actually Cerberus you've got to thank for that. They were one of Inutech's principal buyers. It was while I was gathering information on one of their agents tasked with tracking me down. He thought he had been tailing me, but I gave him the slip and began following him."

"I'd have thought you'd use the opportunity to get out of there."

"Evading an organisation like Cerberus is a lot more complex than jumping on a shuttle and heading through the nearest Relay. I needed to know how he thought, what his methods were, if I were to properly get rid of him."

"So then what happened?"

"I followed him to one of his meetings with an Inutech representative, an arrangement for the transport of a large shipment to a Cerberus facility."

"I take it you made sure the shipment never arrived?"

"Unfortunately, no. It was too soon for me to make my move. My work takes time, and a plan. I had neither at that point."

"So you shifted your focus from Cerberus to Inutech."

"Pretty much. I made sure I could avoid any more Cerberus agents first."

"How so?"

"I acquired certain Cerberus communications frequencies and passcodes. Used them to keep tabs on any agents active in the system."

"Those would be incredibly useful. Do you think you could-"

"Give a copy to EDI? Did it the second I stepped on board. I figured Illusive would have changed the codes to keep EDI out. After all, an AI with access to information on all of Cerberus' current operations would be potentially devastating. They won't get you into the Illusive Man's personal files or anything, but they'll give EDI somewhere to start."

"Right." Shepard said, pleased with her initiative. "Thanks."

"I'll let you get back to things, Shep." Kasumi grinned. "Wouldn't want to waste the day gossiping like a pair of Salarian Dalatrasses."

"Alright. See you around, Kasumi."

Shepard stood and made his way out of the lounge. He walked along the corridor towards the Mess Hall. As he rounded the corner next to Life Support, he almost bumped into Kelly. The yeoman was heading for the elevator, on her way to her station on the Command Deck. She jumped at the sight of the Commander, brushing at her lips to erase the remnants of her breakfast. In spite of her efforts, a smudge of chocolate remained at the corner of her mouth.

"Oh! Shepard!"

"Kelly." Shepard greeted. "How's Rupert's cooking today?"

"Better than ever. I think he stocked up on some better supplies while we were on the Citadel." She widened her eyes as Shepard lifted a finger to the corner of his mouth before scrubbing at the smudge on her face. "The eggs are especially good today. I think he said they were from Elysium."

"Sounds good. I'm just on my way to try it out."

"Alright." Kelly nodded before pausing. "Oh, by the way, Commander?"

"Yes?"

"I was wondering where our next destination is? I'll pass the co-ordinates on to Joker so we can get going."

"I figured, seeing as we're in the neighbourhood, we might as well head to Bekenstein. We have a powerful Cerberus supporter we need to pay a visit to."

"Alright. I'll tell Joker."

The yeoman nodded before turning to head towards the elevator. Shepard moved past her, making his way into the Crew Mess.

The Mess was bustling with activity. The night shift, just going off duty, were busily securing themselves some food before they bedded down for the rest of the day. A few members of the day shift, running a little behind schedule, hurriedly gulped down the remnants of their first meal of the day before rushing to their stations. Overseeing the melee, Rupert Gardner was handing out plates of steaming food to each crew member that approached his station. He saluted the Commander as he approached.

"Commander, what can I get for ya?" He asked helpfully.

"Whatever you'd recommend, Rupert."

"Alright," The sergeant replied enthusiastically, enjoying the challenge of picking something Shepard would like. "Got some poached Jabor eggs from Elysium, some bacon and sausages, vat-grown, but I guess that can't be helped in this day and age, along with a glass of Minnibarr juice. Perfect way to start the day."

"Sounds perfect. Not sure what a Jabor egg is, or Minnibarr juice, but I'll try anything once."

"They're genetically modified chickens, grow to about double the size of the normal breeds. The eggs they lay are enormous, about four times as big as regular ones. Damn tasty, too. Unusual for genetically modified stuff. Normally you end up with something bland and boring compared to the real thing." He said as he plated up the Commander's meal. "Minnibarrs are a kind of fruit, native to Mannovai. One of the few Salarian foodstuffs that actually tastes good to Human tastebuds. They're a queer purple colour, and the juice isn't much lighter. Normally the appearance can be a bit off-putting, but the flavours are worth it."

"Thanks, Rupert." Shepard said as he accepted his tray. "Keep up the good work."

"Can do, Shepard. Managed to get a hold of a bunch of fresh supplies while we were on the Citadel. Should keep the crew from grumbling for a while yet."

Shepard smiled as he turned and sought out a seat amongst the crew. He scanned the tables for a free spot to see Ken and Gabby enjoying their breakfast. Ken noticed the Commander and shuffled over to allow Shepard room to sit.

"Commander! Come join us, why don't you." He offered. Shepard graciously accepted his offer, setting down his tray before him and tucking in. After the first few cautious mouthfuls he ate with gusto, thoroughly enjoying the meal Rupert had picked out for him.

"Ease up, Shepard!" Gabby chuckled. "It ain't gonna disappear if you take your time over it."

"Mmph! It's good." Shepard managed with his mouth full.

"Aye." Ken acknowledged. "The ol' sergeant can cook up a storm wi' that wee kitchen. You'd hardly credit it to the same man who spends the rest o' the day cleanin' out the bogs."

"Kenneth!" Gabby said sharply. "We're trying to eat here."

"Just statin' fact, hon."

"Not at the table." The spunky engineer said sharply. "It's almost as bad as your jokes."

"Jokes?" Shepard asked curiously.

"Don't encourage him, Commander. They're not fit for sharing in public."

"Come on, Gabs. You know you love my jokes. You wanna hear one, Commander?" Without even waiting for a reply, Ken plunged straight into one. "Okay, an Asari Matriarch, a Salarian Dalatrass and a Krogan Broodmistress all walk into a bar-"

"No! Definitely not that one!" Gabby almost shouted, cuffing him on the back of the head. "Come on, you. Finish up and get moving. We've got a long day ahead of us."

"Trouble?" Shepard asked.

"Nothin' a few hours of hard graft won't cure." Gabby said dismissively. "The primary magnetic containment coils have been playing up. We've got backups, but they're not as powerful. We don't want to run without 'em in case the core's output spikes and we all get a healthy dose of gamma rays."

"We won't need to shut down the core again will we?"

"Nah. The backups should hold long enough for the repairs to be completed. If we take any longer than that it'll be because we need new parts, in which case we'll run with what we've got until we get to somewhere where we can find what we need. Don't worry, Commander. The Normandy's not gonna drop outta the sky because of it."

"Well, let me know if you need anything."

"Will do, Commander." Ken said as he stood up to leave. "Ask me again sometime and I'll get 'round to telling you the rest of that joke."

"You will not!" Gabby said sternly. "That's your commanding officer!"

Shepard struggled not to laugh as the pair scuttled off, bickering among themselves. He turned back to his food, tucking in with relish.

A shadow swooped across the table, causing the Commander to look up. Clutching a box of specially-prepared food, Delexia sat down opposite him, popping the lid on her meal and picking at it cautiously.

"Commander." She greeted.

"Delexia," Shepard nodded in return. "How are you today?"

"I'm alright." She smiled around a mouthful of repulsive-looking blue goo. "Though I'll have to make sure to get myself some dextro supplies when we make our next stop in civilised space. Forgot to stock up before we left the Citadel."

"We can always make a detour." Shepard offered.

"Don't bother. Garrus was kind enough to share his stash with me. It's not like we're gonna drop dead from starvation any time soon. And we're not gonna let ourselves get to the point where our combat abilities are affected."

"Alright." Shepard said, genuinely wanting to help. "But if you need anything, just let me know."

"Will do, Shepard." The Turian dug into her food.

"So, how've you been keeping busy these past few days?"

"Been helping Vakarian out with the guns. He's always looking for ways to get an extra ounce of power out of them. But he won't let me help him calibrate the things. Always insists that I go do something else. So I've been getting to know the crew a bit better. You've got a fine team here, Shepard. Though I can tell there's a few faces missing."

"Yeah, there are. How can you tell?"

"You're forgetting I had a crew of my own. It's easy to see when there's someone missing. Everyone sort of… leaves a gap where they belong, as if waiting for them to return."

"I guess you're right." Shepard admitted. "But we'll get them back, don't you worry."

"I have no doubt. You go to such lengths for your crew. And I've been hearing all sorts of stories from them about how you dove into the heart of the Galaxy to save them from the Revenant's people."

"Not alone. I had one hell of a squad to back me up."

"But they wouldn't have followed you unless they believed in you. Nobody signs up to an impossible cause unless they really trust the person leading them."

"You sound like you've had your share of impossible missions." Shepard commented.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. You do when you're a Huntress."

"A Huntress? That some kind of Turian organisation."

"Yeah. Maybe I'll tell you about it sometime." Delexia's tone discouraged further inquiry.

"Alright." Shepard said as he scraped the last few morsels off his plate. He stood up, collecting his plate before nodding to the Turian. "See you around, Delexia."

"Take care, Commander."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard moved up to the CIC, stepping up to his terminal at the foot of the steps leading up to his post. His eyes flicked to the blinking light that represented the Normandy's progress through the system, glad to see she was well on her way towards Bekenstein. He looked back to his terminal and noticed a flickering image of a sealed envelope on his screen, indicating a new message. He input his password and opened his inbox. His eyebrows shot up upon noticing the messages waiting for him. He shuffled through them, quickly weeding out the spam with an irritated grimace. One message, however, caused him to laugh out loud.

_Have you been injured, at work or on the go, in an accident that wasn't your fault? You could be entitled to up to four hundred thousand credits in compensation! Our team of fully trained legal representatives could get you the money you deserve._

_Don't take our word for it, just ask Jezeria:_

'_I was travelling through Tayseri Ward when a load-lifter carrying rubble from the Geth attack ran into me. My arm was broken, and I couldn't return to work for three weeks. Compensate-4-U managed to get me almost seventy thousand credits to cover medical fees and lost earnings. Way to go, Compensate-4-U!'_

_Our team of qualified lawyers operate on a no-win no-fee basis. So if you don't get your compensation, you don't have to pay all the legal fees. Call now to find out just how much you could gain._

_Compensate-4-U. We look out-4-U!_

Shepard struggled to contain his laughter, drawing curious stares from the crew on the Command Deck. Some chuckled, finding his mirth infectious.

"I wonder how much they could get for someone who's been dead for two years." Shepard muttered as he deleted the message. The last message sobered him up, as he noticed it was from Liara's office. He opened it swiftly, enduring the expected security sweep.

_Shepard,_

_Well done on the Citadel. Not only did you remove one of the rising influences in the market on stolen Prothean relics, but you secured one of the most valuable finds of our time. Securing this Prothean fighter is as significant as finding the beacon on Eden Prime._

_I have already mobilised teams of my own operatives to study the artefact. They are very hopeful for what can be retrieved from the remains. It is a shame it was so heavily damaged, but we've already uncovered several facets of Prothean ship design that will further our own knowledge immensely. The technical side of things is a little beyond my capabilities to explain like this, but suffice it to say that this discovery will enable us to build smaller, more powerful Mass Effect cores to power our starships._

_Incredibly, it seems as if this fighter was capable of faster than light travel, and even traversing the Mass Relay network. This is an incredible discovery, as the fighters we are capable of building these days could not survive the strain. This durable structure will prove to be a significant technological advance for us._

_But the most important discovery we have made was locked within the ship's onboard computer. Although we have only just begun to decrypt the data locked within, it would seem that we have found a fully functional navicomputer. Before now, all data held within Prothean navigational devices discovered by our scientists has degraded beyond our ability to decipher it. But with this, we'll be able to fill in gaps in the Mass Relay network, discover ancient settlements that until now have remained beyond our reach._

_My operatives will continue to extract what they can from this treasure trove of information. Until then, continue your activities against the Reapers._

_Look after yourself, Shepard._

_Liara._

Shepard closed down the terminal, pondering the consequences of the discoveries the fighter was yielding. With the Mass Relay network fully mapped out, the Galaxy would open up to the Council races, allowing travel to every corner of the Galaxy. As any military commander would agree, mobility was important in any battle, on any scale, and this advance provided an incredible amount of mobility to the Council races, cancelling out the advantage the Reapers gained from their intimate knowledge of the network.

His mind buzzing, Shepard walked through to the armoury. The terminals buzzed quietly, running various diagnostics Jacob had set. On one bench, a shotgun sat in a cradle, beams of light caressing it as a variety of scanners absorbed every last detail about the weapon. Another bench was home to a minifacturing plant, busily churning as it worked omnigel and various metal alloys into the components necessary for what appeared to be a new chest-plate for Grunt. The massive size of the object could not be used for any other member of the team, although at a stretch it would have served as part of the Kodiak's armour plating.

Behind the whirring machinery, a pile of disorganised equipment sat waiting to be maintained. Shepard stalked over to the pile and pulled his armour from the pile, noting that Mordin had been right when he had commented on the cleanliness of the equipment. With his thoughts still churning, the Commander laid the armour out on an empty workbench and set to work.

He started by scrubbing the armour down. Dust and grime had collected in the joints of the greaves and the gauntlets, as well as in the treads of the boots and in between the fingers of the gloves. He worked to get the muck out of every groove and awkward corner. After that, he tended to the chest and back plates, cleaning them vigorously. He wondered at the dirt that had collected in the space of one mission, but then realised that his journey through the vents of the Citadel couldn't have been kind to his equipment, as he would have been bombarded by all of the dust and dirt in the system. As he worked, he realised that Jacob had to do this for the squad's armour after each and every mission.

Finally, the armour was clean. He then set to work on the myriad scratches and dents in the surface of the armour. The task was tiring, but Shepard found it satisfying. It had been a long time since he'd maintained his own armour, having spent the past few years letting the ship's quartermaster do it and, after the loss of the first Normandy and his subsequent resurrection, Jacob. At long last, he was ready to start reapplying the non-reflective coating to his armour. This coating would dull the armour's natural shine, helping him to move about in the field unnoticed.

As he finished his work, putting the armour away in one of the armoury's equipment lockers, the door leading to the CIC. Jacob strode in, eyes widening as he noticed Shepard.

"Commander!" His eyes turned to the Commander's armour, sitting in his locker. "I was gonna get round to that. Just went out to get myself something to eat."

"Oh, don't worry about it." Shepard said, closing the locker. "It felt good to do it myself. I needed something to work on. Had a lot on my mind lately."

"I hear that. There's more shit hitting the fan these days than you'd find in a Krogan toilet."

"Hah! You got that right." Shepard chuckled. "So how've you been keeping, Jacob?"

"Honestly? I'm doin' pretty good. I know that the Humans on the ship have been down about losin' Earth. But we're getting things done here. It feels good to be a part of the solution, you know?"

"You're a good man, Jacob. I get the feeling that, even if you hadn't been assigned to the Normandy, you'd still be out there doing something to help."

"Damn straight. I can't understand how so many people just sit on their hands and wait for someone else to fix things." The young soldier smirked. "Got me into trouble more than a few times back when I was in the Alliance."

"Really?"

"I remember one time, during my first year out of the Academy. We were on patrol on the frontier. Got a distress signal from a small colony. Batarian slavers. The bastards had already made off with half the colonists."

"Odd that they'd hit such a big target." Shepard commented. "Normally they only target lone ships between destinations, or a handful of prefabs at most. How'd they make off with so many colonists?"

"The colony wasn't that big to start with, but this was more than a simple raid. It was a large gang of slavers, and they'd taken their time planning this. They paid a bunch of Quarians on Pilgrimage to get in and disable the defences, and then they hit all the military installations. By the time anyone knew they were under attack, every last member of the militia was dead, the guns had been destroyed, and the squints were pouring off their ships, gunning down anyone who tried to fight and incapacitating those who didn't."

"Wow. They meant business."

"By the time we got there, things were looking pretty hopeless. We arrived in orbit just as the first few ships tried to make their escape. We could kept them grounded, but our commander was too afraid of causing the deaths of any more colonists."

"I can't imagine you let them get away."

"Not a chance. I saw an opportunity to get in close to the cargo ship they were using to move the colonists, took a fighter and plunged right in."

"Something like that could have got you court-martialled."

"I suspect it woulda done, had I failed. I managed to take out the squints' engines, left 'em drifting in space. The other ships were all small, too small for transporting prisoners. So once the main ship had been dealt with, they ran, and we followed. None of the slavers got away that day."

"And the colonists?"

"Alive and well, for the most part. Some got hurt in the firefight, and of course we were too late for the casualties of the initial assault. But a damn sight more came out of that free and alive than if I had listened to my commander."

"But I'm guessing that wasn't what your commander focused on?"

"Of course not. He claimed my actions endangered more lives than they saved. Made it his business to make sure I was sent home in disgrace. Damn near got me thrown out of the Alliance. I was sent back to Arcturus for another couple of months, until I got stationed on Eden Prime." He smiled grimly. "I guess its true what they say, huh? No good deed goes unpunished."

"The brass has always been full of uptight assholes, Jacob." Shepard said. "Don't let it get to you. You did the right thing, and a lot of people have you to thank for being free."

"Yeah, I guess." Jacob seemed less than convinced. He turned to the pile of discarded armour on his workbench. "Hey, listen. Thanks for stopping by. Its been good to chat, Commander. I'd best get back to work."

"Okay. I guess I'll see you later, Jacob."

"Shepard."

The Commander nodded a farewell to the earnest young soldier before he strode out of the Armoury and into the CIC.

Shepard began to walk around the Galaxy Map when he noticed Samara. The Asari was standing at his station, leaning on the railing as she pondered the map before her. Her graceful features were utterly serene, a tranquillity emanating from the core of her being.

Curious as to her unexpected presence on the Command Deck, Shepard approached carefully. Even though he was certain he made no sound, the Asari turned to face him, smiling warmly.

"Samara? What are you doing here?"

"Shepard." She dipped her head in greeting. "I apologise. I am in your way."

"No, not at all." Shepard said hurriedly. "It's just a little strange to see you up here. Is everything alright?"

"Perfectly. It is just… there is only so much meditation one can do. I so rarely explore the ship beyond my living quarters that some parts of the Normandy may as well be another planet to me. Aside from that, I like to examine maps of the Galaxy." She pointed over her shoulder at the holographic representation of the Galaxy. "This reminds me a lot of the Observatory back on Thessia."

"Wouldn't have thought you'd appreciate being reminded of that place." The Commander commented.

"Not all my memories of my time in the monastery were bad, Shepard. Being close to my daughters gave me a sense of peace I have not been able to achieve anywhere else."

Shepard looked over her shoulder, noticing that the Map had been zoomed in on Thessia.

"Been thinking about Falere and Rila a lot lately?"

"I suppose it is obvious." Samara said, her voice tinkling with a quiet chuckle. "It is hard not to be concerned for your loved ones in days such as these. I worry that even Thessia is not safe from our enemies."

"Your daughters will be safe, Samara. We're going to stop the Reapers before they take any more worlds, I promise."

"A bold vow in these uncertain times, and one that will be nigh impossible to fulfil." The Asari said grimly. "And yet… I believe you, Shepard. If there is one person in the Galaxy who could lead us to victory, it is you."

Shepard ascended the steps next to her, leaning his elbows on the rail as he watched the stars whirl before him. Samara turned and leaned forwards next to him, the pair watching the Map together.

"My thoughts have been drifting back to my maiden years." Samara began after a few silent moments. "So long ago, and yet not dissimilar to my time as a part of your squad."

"Really?"

"Oh, not in the foes I faced or the tasks laid before me, but similar in the spirit of camaraderie I find amongst the crew. We rely upon one another, day by day. It is exhilarating to be in the company of those whose hands you know you could lay your life in, and that trust would not be misplaced."

"You've told me a little of your maiden years before." Shepard said, thinking of her harrowing tales of rescuing slaves from the Collectors, and her years as a mercenary. "You served as a merc, but frankly, with your combat abilities you could have been a Commando. I'm amazed nobody considered recruiting you."

"Who is to say they did not?" Samara smirked. "I was asked, but I was too young and impulsive at the time. I considered such a post to be restrictive, not for me. I wished to be free to travel the length and breadth of Asari Space, not required to obey commands. Later on in life, I realised how impetuous I had been, but I was too old to begin the training."

"They have age restrictions on being an Asari Commando?"

"Of a sort. They do not wish to recruit maidens approaching the matron stage. Our overbearing urges to settle down and begin a family are too strong to be ignored, and are not in line with the attitude expected of a Commando. The Republics recruit Commandos at a very young age so they may be trained before their desires to find a mate and settle down manifest. They are conditioned ruthlessly to suppress their desire to mate, to put the welfare of their people above all else, and to follow orders without question."

"That wouldn't work. You can't suppress all that instinct, no matter how hard you make someone train."

"Of course, but it can delay their resignation from the Commandos, giving the Republics several more decades of loyal service in exchange for the investment of their training. Of course, it is the unquestioning obedience that is valued above all else. This is not something that can be imposed upon a matron of three hundred years of age."

"Wow. I had no idea."

"Indeed. It is not viewed as the most appealing aspect of the Commandos, so it is not widely advertised."

"Seems there's a lot your people keep to themselves."

"It is the way of every species we have encountered to withhold some information about themselves. Of course, for species like the Krogan or the Batarians, shame does not affect them to the same degree as Humans or Asari, so their secrets tend to be of a much darker nature."

"Hmm. So what did you do after turning down the Commandos."

"As I told you before, I danced, I fought, I mated. I lived a full life before meeting Notana." She smiled as he mind drifted back several centuries. "I recall the first time I met an alien. A Quarian mercantile vessel visited the planet I was currently living on. This was before the Geth uprising occurred, so they were still in possession of their home planet and semi-functional immune systems. They still needed to wear suits for fear of contamination, but they could remove their helmets and interact with other species for a limited time."

"You've seen a Quarian without his helmet on?"

"Indeed." Samara smiled knowingly. "They are a beautiful people, although they do not appear as most would expect. It is hard to describe."

"I take it you became friends with them."

"Indeed. And in one case, much more than that. Tayo'Jolan. We became… very close. Not lovers, but given time I imagine that may have been a possibility. He was with the merchants as a bodyguard of sorts. He belonged to the Wardancers."

"I've never heard of Wardancers before."

"It is not surprising. They were rare, even before the Geth uprising. They are a monastic sect that believes in purity of the soul through purity of the body. They are expert martial artists, constantly training to achieve physical perfection. Quarians have long been known for their grace and beautiful dancing form, but that is only a shadow of the fluid movements of a Wardancer."

"So what happened then?"

"Tayo… went home. We had intended to meet again, but two months later the Quarians began attacking the Geth, and the Geth fought back. Rannoch was engulfed in civil war as machine and flesh struggled with one another. I heard nothing from Tayo, or his kin. Still hopeful, I waited for him at the time we had agreed to meet, but he never arrived."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She said stiffly, though there was a softness at the heart of her words. "Quarians live such short lives, I would have had relatively little time to know him anyway. In the end, the Galaxy continues to spin."

"Even so, any time we can have with the ones we love should be cherished, no matter how short it may seem."

"But we must not allow our grief to cripple our hearts." The Asari said stoically. She sighed, straightening up. "You have other duties to attend to, Commander. I have taken up enough of your time."

Shepard was about to contradict her, but the lithe Asari was gone, swiftly striding over to the elevator and vanishing before he could utter a word.

The Commander considered following her, and pulled away from the Map to do so, but a beep from his omnitool made him hesitate. He looked down to see his 'tool notifying him that Joker was trying to get his attention.

"Go ahead, Joker."

"We have arrived in orbit around Bekenstein, Commander."

"Good. Have Rolston get the shuttle ready."

"Aye aye, Comm-" The pilot suddenly paused.

"Joker? Everything alright?"

"Got a transmission coming through on an encrypted channel. Someone asking to speak to you by name."

"Any sign as to who it is?" Shepard asked, knowing he had too many enemies around to be careless.

"None." Joker replied simply.

"Hmph." The Commander grunted. "Put it through. But make sure EDI's braced for any hacking attempts. Get ready to engage the stealth systems if there's any sign of someone trying to lock onto our location through a signal trace."

"Patching it through."

Shepard caught himself standing up straight, chuckling at the thought that he'd stand to attention for an audio transmission. He shrugged and returned to his relaxed slouch over the rail above the Map.

"This is Commander Shepard of the Normandy."

"Commander Shepard. A pleasure to finally meet you." A heavily modulated voice filtered through the comms.

"Who is this?"

"I hope you'll forgive me for not sharing my name at the moment. You never know who might be listening. But you can call me Agent Delta."

"Agent?"

"A mutual friend told me to be ready to render assistance as you required.. I hear you're interested in Victor Lawson."

Shepard tensed at the mention of Miranda's father. Only one of Liara's agents could have known about his interest in the former Cerberus supporter.

"Okay, Delta. You have my attention. What can you do to help us?"

"Not like this, Commander. Not when someone could be listening in. We need to speak face to face."

"Alright, but you've got to come see me. You'll forgive me for not trusting you yet."

"Understandable. I can be in orbit within the next few minutes."

"We'll send you co-ordinates. Shepard out."

The Commander turned from the Map, stepping down from his post. He turned to Kelly, the yeoman waiting for his instructions.

"Assemble the squad. We need a plan."

_**Author's notes: Alright, here we go. Chapter 26. Sorry if it took a little longer than usual, just been a little busy is all. Anyway, enjoy. I'm looking forward to the next chapter, as it' s one of the concepts I've been looking forward to writing for a while now. Anyway, leave me some feedback, let me know what's going down well and what's not doing so well. I'd be interested to know which characters are resonating with you guys the most. I'd like to know which ones would be the best to write inter-mission dialogue for. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter while I get to work on 27. Can't believe I'm almost at 30 chapters already! And now we find ourselves with the majority of the squad back. There's only Miri, Tali and Thane left of the ME2 crew, plus a couple more of my own original characters.**_

_**One other thing. Are there any side-characters you guys want to see turning up? They can be ones mentioned in my story in passing, or minor characters from the games/comics/books. Anyway, see you later.**_


	27. 27: Shepard's Seventeen

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Author's Note: Alright. Finally, over a month later than expected and fifty thousand words over budget, this mission is done! I hope you like the finished article. I know I've had fun writing it, but I really don't want to have to go through a single plot point of this magnitude again anytime soon! The different viewpoints have been an interesting way to tell the story, and I hope we see some of this style of mission in ME3. Choosing your specialists, then actually controlling them as they accomplish their objectives. This chapter has a huge and varied cast, every last one of which has been fun to write. Anyway, I'm rambling. I'm going to go sleep for the next thousand years or something. When I come to, I'll get to work on the next chapter.**

**As before, I'm publishing the latest portion of this mission in a separate chapter as well as at the end of this one, so that those of you who don't want to go through this entire storyline again to find where you left off can just go straight to it.**

**Chapter 27: Shepard's Seventeen**

The briefing room bubbled with chatter as the squad jostled to make room for one another. The press of bodies highlighted to Shepard the sheer size of his team of specialists. They were indeed a small army, the best of the best.

Grunt had taken a position to the left, leaning back against the wall nonchalantly. The Krogan's massive frame loomed over the heads of everyone else, and so he could hang back behind the others without worrying about someone getting in the way of his line of sight. Zaeed and Jack stood beside him, the trio chatting amongst themselves. Denizens of the Engineering deck, they had always got on well together, respecting one another's ruthless nature.

In front of them, lining one side of the briefing room table, stood Garrus, Jacob, Legion and Samara. Opposite them stood Mordin, Kasumi, the Revenant and Delexia. Several conversations buzzed across the table amidst the gathered specialists, all curious as to what they had been gathered together for.

Finally, on the right, Etarn and Feron chatted amicably. Shepard was glad to see the Batarian getting on with the rest of the crew. Given his species' brutish image in the eyes of the rest of the Galaxy, the simple act of engaging someone in small talk would have been daunting at first.

The door hissed open, allowing Kaidan to enter. He walked past the rest of the squad, making his way to where Shepard stood at the head of the table.

"Commander." He greeted.

"Kaidan. Any word on this Agent Delta?"

"His shuttle is on its way. Shouldn't be too long now." The young man seemed uneasy. "You sure about letting him on board? We don't know anything about him. We don't even know if he was telling the truth when he said he was one of Liara's agents."

"How else could he know why we were here?"

"Plus, I know about Agent Delta." Feron said, stepping up to the table.

"Really? Have you met him?" Shepard asked.

"No. He's one of the old Broker's deep-cover operatives. He's been maintaining his cover on Bekenstein since before Liara came into power." The Drell explained. "The planet is home to many powerful Humans. Victor Lawson is just one fish in this very big pond. It's Delta's job to monitor every major player on Bekenstein, at times nudging events to topple some megacorporation, while at others influencing things so a relatively minor socialite can ascend the ranks."

"That's an impressive amount of power for one man."

"It's just a fraction of Liara's influence. She could expose his identity at any time, throwing him to the wolves. It's part of the reason why the power hasn't gone to his head yet. He gives the Shadow broker his loyalty."

A chime sounded over the ship's comms.

"Commander." EDI said, her hologram flickering into existence above the briefing room table. "Agent Delta's shuttle has just landed in the cargo hold."

"Understood, EDI. Send him up." Shepard responded.

The Commander nodded to his squad, silently gesturing for them to take their places around the table. He stood at the head of the table, Feron's array of comm terminals and screens flickering behind him. Kaidan stood at his right hand, Feron at his left. The rest of the squad gathered around the table, six to each side.

The doors to the briefing room hissed open, allowing Agent Delta to step inside, giving the Commander his first glimpse of the mysterious Shadow Broker agent.

The first thing Shepard noticed about Delta was that he was, in fact, not a he. She was a young woman of slight build. Sharp yet beautiful features scanned the briefing room's occupants. Her emerald eyes, framed by a cascade of auburn hair and milky white skin, narrowed as they turned to the Commander.

"Commander Shepard." She nodded formally. "Agent Delta. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Agent Delta." The Commander returned the greeting. "Any chance we can get that name now?"

"Of course. It's Elanie. Elanie Johanson." She smiled, though there was little mirth in the gesture. "I apologise for the secrecy, but given the love Bekenstein's people have for intrigue and blackmail, I must do what I can to preserve my cover."

"Understandable." Shepard acknowledged. "So, I believe you have some information for us about Victor Lawson?"

"Yes. The Broker told me you'd come, so I've spent the past few weeks finding out what I could about him."

"And? What can you tell us?" Kaidan asked.

"First of all, I can tell by the way you've gathered your squad here that you're expecting to storm his estate. That will not work. Victor is prepared for an attack by any of his wide array of enemies. A man does not rise to his level of power without drawing the ire of a great many people. His estate is a fortress, and in the case of any attack he has dozens of avenues of escape. He'd be long gone by the time you got to him, along with anything of value he's got stored there."

She switched on her omnitool, bringing up an image of the exterior of the Lawson estate above the briefing room table.

"I understand that you are here to secure the freedom of a former associate, Lawson's daughter. However, you should know that the Shadow Broker has an ulterior motive for sending you here. Victor Lawson was once a staunch supporter of Cerberus. Not only that, he's recently been in contact with the Illusive Man, both to secure Miranda and also to try and negotiate the release of his other daughter, Oriana. It would seem that the Illusive Man is using the second Lawson girl as leverage to gain access to the immense amount of resources at Victor's disposal.

"The information stored within Lawson's databases could be vital to our efforts to bring down the Cerberus network."

"Alright, so we go after the intel at the same time as we try to break Miranda out." Shepard said. "Where's it being kept?"

"I cannot say exactly." Elanie admitted. "There's two potential locations within the main mansion where the data may be found. Firstly, Victor's office." The hologram over the table flickered, a red glow highlighting the upper floor of the mansion. "His personal terminal will be there, the most logical place to start."

"And the other location?" Feron asked, his keen black-green eyes scanning the mansion's image carefully, his perfect memory taking in every detail.

"Lawson had a large basement complex installed below the mansion. The construction wasn't well documented, thanks to some political string-pulling, but I managed to get some information from the contractors, shipping manifests and the like. All evidence points to some sort of lab being built directly underneath the mansion. Given Lawson's penchant for genetic tinkering, this would make sense."

"A genetics lab?" Shepard asked.

"Yes. And given Cerberus' wholehearted support of anything that betters the Human race, it's not too much of a stretch of the imagination to think that they've got their tentacles in whatever projects he's been running." Elanie explained. "We'd doubtless find a veritable treasure trove of information down there. Plus, it's likely that that is where Miranda is being held captive.

"Ideally, we need to hit both locations at once."

"And we can't just charge the gates." Shepard concluded. "When it was just Miranda we were after, we didn't have to worry about him knowing we're coming. Given his investment in her, he's not going to risk hurting her. But with the data to retrieve as well, we need to get to that before he has a chance to dispose of it."

"Exactly."

"Well, we've got some of the Galaxy's best operatives in this room. I guess breaking in won't be too difficult."

"Indeed. And fate has been kind enough to provide us with the perfect opportunity." Elanie smiled, this time a hint of cheeky amusement in her expression. "Victor Lawson is going to be hosting a party, tonight. All of Bekenstein's major players are going to be present, the cream of the crop. An unrivalled chance to infiltrate the estate."

"I take it you have a plan, then." Shepard folded his arms across his chest.

"As a matter of fact, yes I do." The Agent's tone was proud. "It'll require multiple specialists, all playing to their greatest strengths."

"No shortage there." Shepard boasted, waving his arm around the room at the squad. "What do you need us to do?"

"Our first priority will be obtaining Victor Lawson's secure passcodes. They'll give us access to his personal terminal, plus the databases in his labs."

"I've got some of the best hackers the Galaxy has produced." Shepard said. "We can get by without them."

"I'm afraid not, Commander. Lawson's too careful. If we try to get into his network without those codes, he'll be alerted and we'll have his personal defence forces dropping on our heads before we can blink. Trust me. This isn't the first time I've tried to get past Lawson's defences. You want in, you. Need. Those. Codes."

"Alright. How do you suggest we get a hold of them?"

"Victor will have them stored on his omnitool. Obviously, we can't just steal his 'tool. Not unless you've got someone who can remove Lawson's hand without him noticing. So I've managed, through methods I'd rather not go into, to get a hold of an omnitool mod that can hack into other 'tools and steal vital data. It's highly illegal, and if you were to be caught with it on the Lawson estate, Victor would have you killed without hesitation."

"Okay, so someone carries a modded omnitool, and uses it to hack into Victor's 'tool to steal the codes. Seems simple enough. But there's got to be a catch."

"Yes. The downside is, the mod only has a very limited range."

"How limited?"

"Five, six feet at the most."

"Not exactly an easy distance to lurk at."

"Precisely. Victor won't trust a stranger who approaches him directly. However, he does have a weakness for a pretty face."

"You suggest we have someone… seduce him?" Shepard asked, a little uncomfortable with the idea.

"Unfortunately, yes." Elanie shifted on her feet. "We need someone to go into the crowd at the party and somehow draw his attention, get close to him and keep him occupied long enough for the 'tool to do its work. I could do it, if you like, but I think any female should draw his attention, if they've got the right moves."

"Well, we're not short of beautiful women on this boat." Kaidan murmured. "Who do you think is up to the task, Commander?"

Shepard paused, looking around the table as he pondered the choice. His eyes went to Jack first, but quickly moved on. The biotic convict… lacked tact. His eyes darted to Delexia next, but swiftly dismissed her. Having a Turian seduce a Human, especially a Human known for his strong views about the First Contact War, was impractical at best, disastrously short-sighted at worst. That left Kasumi, Samara and Elanie. He disregarded the lithe thief. Although her skills at would be handy for this digital pick-pocketing, he knew she'd be needed elsewhere. That just left the Asari and the information agent. A further second's thought helped him to make up his mind.

"I've yet to meet a single man in the Galaxy who can resist an Asari's charms. Samara, it's up to you to get Victor's attention."

The exiled Justicar started at her assignment, clearly unsure of her ability to live up to Shepard's expectations.

"I- yes, Shepard." She bowed her head.

"Good." Elanie said firmly. "Next, we need to get her in. Victor's guards will have a guest list of people to let in. We won't get past them without causing a scene."

"So how do we get in?"

"Victor's guards lead very predictable lives. They change shifts every two hours. If we can get one of our people to take the place of the guards meant to be on duty when we make our move, then there'll be no problem. They'll need to stand watch and be ready to help if things turn sticky."

"Sounds simple enough." Feron commented. "Who would you suggest, Commander?"

"We need someone Human. They'll draw less attention." Shepard reasoned. "Jacob, I think you're up to this job. Keep a low profile, and stand by to come to the rescue if things hit the fan."

"Aye-aye, Commander." The young soldier saluted.

"Excellent." Elanie said. "You've got one hell of a crew, Commander."

"I suspect getting Samara in is only the beginning." Shepard answered.

"But of course." The agent smirked. "You should know by now that nothing is ever that simple, Commander.

"We'll need to get a tech specialist into the mansion's lower levels. They'll be responsible for getting the doors in the labs open, and keeping the mansion's defences dormant. Your Asari will have to send the codes to them once she has them. This task will require incredible technical skill. If necessary, I have the skills, but I leave this decision up to you, Shepard."

Shepard looked about again, weighing up the skills of his crew to decide who had the necessary talents. His eyes darted to Feron, Mordin, Kasumi, Etarn, Legion and finally Kaidan. He dismissed the thought to use Mordin. The Salarian had a keen mind, but his skills lay with the biological. A technical task like this would not be a wise use of his talents. Feron had proved to be a skilled hacker, but his skill set lay more with remaining unseen. Kaidan had the necessary skills, but was better suited to combat and command. Etarn remained an unknown. He had technical skills, but Shepard didn't know if he could rely on him for something this demanding. That narrowed it down to Kasumi and the living machine, Legion.

Kasumi could certainly handle the task, but Shepard felt that he'd need her stealthy presence elsewhere, so he finally made up his mind.

"I can't think of a better person for the job than a living machine. Legion, you're our saboteur on the inside." He turned back to Elanie. "Speaking of which, how will we get Legion inside?"

"Again, not a straightforward task. But not impossible, either." She tapped her omnitool, zooming in the image of the estate on a gate set in one side of the wall that girdled the property. "This is the freight entrance. There's going to be crate upon crate of supplies shipped in for the party. Food, decorations, and some additional security equipment."

"Additional security equipment?"

"Victor's guards need armour and weapons. Plus there's a few sentry drones, some mechs and a mobile turret."

"Seems a bit… extreme, for a party."

"Victor Lawson is the embodiment of paranoia. He's invited the best and most ambitious of Bekenstein's socialites into his home. He's going to be on the alert for anyone trying to engage in some industrial espionage."

"I guess that makes sense. How do you know about these shipments?"

"I have some contacts in the spaceport. Everything that lands on this planet has to go through customs at some point. It just took the sufficient application of credits to uncover that information."

"Alright, so how does this help us get a saboteur on the inside?"

"Those contacts I mentioned have agreed to take an extra crate inside the walls. A small cargo pod, so it won't be noticed amongst the mass of stuff going in. We can send your little machine-man through the gate in that. However…"

"There's more?"

"The gates are equipped with scanners, designed to search for contraband. They'd easily pick up the signals released by anything sentient, be it organic or synthetic."

"So how do we get past that?"

"We need an infiltrator to mess with the scanners." Once again the focus of the image shifted, this time to a tunnel beneath the street outside of the estate, next to the gate. "This is a part of the old sewer system. Of course, now all waste is recycled. These sewers date back to the foundation of the colony. One branch leads under the gate. It won't get you into the mansion, but it will allow you to access the external security systems, such as those on the gates."

"I can't imagine a control freak like Victor would leave this route unguarded."

"Indeed. Security fields, automated turrets, and more than a dozen guards at any one time make it very secure. Once again, this will call for someone with a measure of technical ability, but it will also require stealth."

Once more, Shepard looked to Feron, Etarn and Kasumi. After a moment's thought, he turned to the Drell.

"I guess it's time for you to live up to all your stories of your work on Omega, Feron. You're in charge of making sure that crate gets inside those walls."

"I won't let you down, Commander."

"Once you've finished with the scanners at the gate, work to keep the rest of the external security systems occupied." Elanie instructed. She turned back to Shepard. "So that only leaves the small detail of who'll accompany the cargo pod to the gate."

"We need someone to deliver it in person?" Shepard asked, confused.

"Just… to watch over our saboteur." Elanie said awkwardly. "I'm not saying I don't trust my contacts in the delivery company, but this is Bekenstein. Loyalty is very cheap. If they get it into their head that selling us out would be more profitable, I want someone there looking out for our interests."

"Sounds fair enough." Shepard shrugged. This choice required little thought. "Grunt, you'll accompany the crate. They'd have to be brain-dead to want to mess with a Krogan. First sign of trouble, I want to see heads smashed in, understood?"

"Yes, Battlemaster." Shepard caught the eager gleam in the Krogan's eyes. Obviously the eager warrior hoped secretly that there would be trouble.

"Good." The Commander nodded. "Now, what about me? What's my part in all of this?"

"You will be leading the team in charge of getting the information from Victor's office. Infiltrate the party, wait for our insider to get the doors to the upper levels open, and then head on up to the office. You'll have to restrict yourself to pistols and formal dress rather than your usual arsenal of weapons and armour."

"I suppose it'll have to do." Shepard sighed. "I'll take Kasumi, Delexia and Jack with me." He decided, neatly covering combat ability, biotics and tech attacks with a small squad. The trio nodded, ready to do their part.

"And that just leaves two more matters to attend to: firstly, the team responsible for obtaining the data from the labs. The Geth will have to get the doors to the garage open to let them in, as that's the only external access point that leads into the sub-levels directly."

"Garrus, you're in charge of the second team. Take Mordin, Elanie and Etarn with you." Shepard ordered. The Turian nodded stiffly.

"You can count on me, Shepard."

"And, lastly, we'll need someone to lead the extraction team. Your shuttle and that skycar I noticed in the Cargo Bay should be sufficient to get the whole team out." Elanie surmised.

"Kaidan, you're in charge of the extraction team. Take Zaeed and the Revenant, and be ready to bring the rain if we get really stuck."

"I really need to get a new hobby. Saving your ass is starting to get a little boring, Commander." Kaidan quipped, a smile on his face.

"Funny. Just for that, Zaeed gets to fly the Kodiak. You've got to sit in the back." Shepard smirked.

"Good. It looks like we've got a plan now." Elanie said.

"We'd best get to preparing for this evening then." Shepard said. He faced the entire table. "Dismissed."

The squad began to disperse, some going to check their weapons and armour, others to make sure they were well prepared to fulfil their roles as tech experts, infiltrators or, in Samara's case, a femme fatale. The Asari stepped up to Elanie, discussing the nature of the omnitool mod she would carry, along with any relevant information she could gather on her target.

As the room emptied, Shepard turned to Kaidan. The earnest soldier was smiling.

"Why is it we can never just have a straightforward mission on this ship?" He asked dryly.

"Come on, Kaidan. You know you'd get bored if you had a normal job." Shepard chuckled, patting his old friend on the shoulder. "Come on. We've got a party to crash."

**~o~0~o~**

Charlie Metcalf sighed as he trudged through the streets of Armstrong Heights, one of the more affluent districts in the outer reaches of Milgrom City, Bekenstein's capital. The wealth of the area shouted out at him, from the sprawling mansions on either side to the cleanliness of the street underfoot. Most of the mansions here had fairly large tracts of land, but the dwelling that was his destination dwarfed them all. Situated on the edge of a sprawling mass of land, the Lawson mansion loomed over its neighbours arrogantly. Beyond the gargantuan building, a vast expanse of woodland, empty plains and even a few small hills formed the rest of the estate.

The estate was hosting a party tonight, a luxurious affair that would cost more money than Charlie could hope to earn in his entire lifetime, even if he lived as long as a Krogan. The sheer extravagance of the affair repulsed the young guard, mostly because he wouldn't get to enjoy any of it. He hunched his shoulders even more against the coolness of the fading evening, the armour his employers had supplied to him not particularly comfortable, even less so with a chill in the air.

"Excuse me. Please, can you help me?" A calm, strong voice wafted over him. He looked about to spot the source of the words, and the sight of the speaker took his breath away.

An Asari stood in front of a narrow alleyway between the walls bordering the grounds of two of the street's mansions. Her face was a serene mask, her very form emanating an aura of beauty and tranquility. Her startlingly blue eyes stared at him and into him, transfixing the young man. A figure-hugging emerald green dress did more to accentuate her figure than cover it up, its flowing lines drawing attention to her feminine shape. Fastened around her neck was a black choker, a radiant green gemstone set just above the hollow of her throat, the dress was sleeveless and backless, leaving her sinuous, smooth arms and shoulders bare for all to see. The shimmering green fabric curled around and clung to her breasts, the neckline exposing her collarbone to the cold evening air. A long, narrow diamond of fabric had been cut from the dress, starting at her sternum and extending down almost as far as her navel, which could be seen as a tiny divot in the taut green cloth that covered her firm, smooth stomach. The green fabric, shimmering with subtle shades of red and blue like a hummingbird's wing, wrapped itself tightly around her perfect hips, loosening a bit as it worked its way past her knees to halt just a few inches shy of her ankles, giving a tantalising glimpse of her perfectly sculpted calves.

Heart pumping, Charlie looked back to her face as she spoke again, the hauntingly beautiful tones of her sultry voice engulfing him. He took in the glinting black jewellery she wore, framing her hairless brows and further bringing out the light that shone within her eyes. More emeralds studded these pieces of jewellery, further adding to her air of mystery. As her head bobbed, he noticed the tips of her head tentacles were a startling red, in stark contrast to her sky-blue skin. Unlettered in Asari culture, he assumed it was yet another part of the stunning beauty's choice of outfit for tonight. His eyes darted back to her sensual lips as they parted, carefully cradling each word as it made its way out of her mouth. She wore some makeup, but not much was needed, such was the grace already present. Her lips were scarlet, while subtle black lines extended the corners of her eyes reminiscent of the style of ancient Egyptians on Earth.

"Forgive me, but I require some assistance." She said, her voice sending ripples of electric desire through Charlie's spine, even with the formal nature of the words.

"N-not at all. Happy to help." Charlie stammered, feeling a quiver start in his gut as he struggled to gather the courage to speak to her.

She lifted one hand, holding a high-heeled shoe that was more of a piece of artwork than footwear. The stiletto heel was almost six inches in height. Narrow strips of bottle-green leather held the foot in place around the back and sides, while long strings of glittering gemstones, alternating green and clear and sparkling even in the fading light of the evening, ran from the front of the foot, just below the ankle, over the arch and down to separate each toe.

"I cannot replace my shoe. Would you mind…?" The Asari asked.

Charlie almost snatched the shoe out of her hands, his own shaking with nervousness as he knelt down to help her out. She lifted a petite, perfectly moulded foot to allow him to put the shoe on. His quivering hands slid the shoe onto her foot, his fingertips jumping at the feel of her silky smooth skin. The toes, their nails painted a vivid scarlet to match her sultry lips, quivered at his touch as she giggled girlishly.

"Careful," She cautioned flirtatiously, her voice a sultry purr. "I am ticklish."

Charlie almost swallowed his tongue as she continued to twitch and giggle under his touch. Finally, he was finished, and stood carefully. She smiled at him, lifting a hand to caress the side of his face. He saw the red-painted fingernails, perfectly complimenting her eggshell-blue fingers, so slim and so sensual at the same time. She wore a single emerald bracelet on her wrist, complemented by a ruby ring on her finger. He gulped as he noticed that it was on what Humans traditionally viewed as the wedding ring finger, although he knew enough about Asari culture to know that this did not mean the beautiful woman before him was taken. To Asari, this advertised availability and a wish to… find someone in the near future. This woman was on the prowl and, as unbelievable as it was, she seemed to have set her sights on Charlie.

"Thank you, my knight in shining armour." Her voice was playful, inviting. "Now, to think of a way to repay you for your kindness…"

"Do you have a suggestion, my lady?" Charlie asked, heart doing a back-flip at his audacity. How dare he even try to flirt with someone so clearly out of his league!

"Perhaps my associate here can see that you get what is coming to you." The Asari said, her smile turning more predatory.

It was only then that Charlie became aware of the presence behind him. He turned around, only for a fist to strike him in the face. Even with his helmet on, he felt the impact, and went staggering away.

Jacob saw the guard reach for his communicator, part of his helmet's systems.

"Oh no you don't." The ex-Cerberus soldier said firmly, swiping at him again. He cuffed Charlie on the head again, this time knocking the helmet loose. The helmet clanked to the ground, commlink still inactive.

Charlie looked up in fear, the recent blow to the head causing him to see double. He tried to drop into a wrestler's crouch, ready for the next attack, but was too off-balance to catch the foot aimed at his gut. The soldier's armoured boot drove the air from his lungs, causing him to curl up around his injured body. As his head lowered in reaction to the pain, Jacob finished him off with a swift jab to the back of the head, knocking him out cold.

Jacob crouched next to the unconscious guard, beginning to strip off his armour. As he worked, he turned to his Asari companion. A grin spread across his face as he worked.

"'My knight in shining armour'?" he chuckled.

"Not another word, Jacob." Samara replied curtly.

"Got to say," Jacob continued, donning the fallen Charlie's chest plate. It was a tight fit, but he managed it. "You really carry off the whole femme fatale thing. I've seen Miranda at work, and she's good, but you could rival her easily. That part about you being ticklish was pure gold. He nearly had a stroke when you said that!"

"I would rather you did not discuss my… proficiency in this task with the rest of the crew, Mister Taylor." The Asari said firmly.

"Alright." Jacob said grudgingly. He slipped on the last of the armour, retrieving the dropped helmet and snapping it into place on his head. "How do I look?"

"No more intelligent than usual." Samara replied snippily. "You should blend in well with these guards."

"Whoa, what was that for?" Jacob asked in a hurt tone.

"I liked my line about the 'knight in shining armour'. I do not appreciate being mocked for it." She smiled, showing it was all in good-natured jesting. "After all, the entire crew is familiar with your 'heavy risk' chat up lines."

"Hey, that worked. Once. Sort of." The soldier said defensively.

"Come. We must not be late."

Jacob set off first, making his way through the final couple of streets leading up to the Lawson estate. He approached the vast doors leading into the mansion, stopping as a guard walked up to him.

"You took your time!" He said angrily.

"Traffic was bad, alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. Here's the guest list. Keep anyone not on the list from getting in. I'll keep an eye out for anyone enjoying themselves a little too much." The second door guard passed him a datapad with names on it.

Jacob scanned the names, going about 'his job' as expected. The datapad had a small scanner in it, designed to read the ID of each guest approaching, setting off an alarm in Jacob and the other guard's suits if they weren't meant to be there. When the other guard wasn't looking, Jacob cautiously entered the necessary additional names. In moments, the datapad had five extra names on it: Samara, Delexia Tanis, Kasumi Goto, Jacqueline Nought, and Mr Solomon Gunn. The Commander had wisely decided to arrive under a false name, wearing a modded omnitool to testify to his fake identity. Jack, obviously, needed something more than just 'Jack' under her entry on the guest list, and 'Subject Zero' was bound to raise a few eyebrows. The rest of the squad remained unknown to the general populace of the Galaxy, and could therefore keep their real names.

Moments later, Samara stalked into view. As she passed through the gates leading up to the mansion, all partygoers gathering at the main door stopped to look in her direction. The ex-Justicar drew the gaze of everyone present, and even Jacob found himself hard-pressed not to stare. Every last male, and even some of the women in the crowd stared after her lustfully, entranced by her ethereal beauty.

As she approached the doors, Jacob's pulse quickened. Now was the moment of truth. Would she be allowed to enter, or would the guest list identify her as an intruder?

He almost sagged with relief as she entered without a problem, the datapad in his hand notifying him that she was now present. He stared after her, only partly out of concern for her wellbeing. He watched as her bare back swayed through the crowd inside sinuously, her dress only just serving to cover her shapely hips and posterior before giving way to smooth, well-toned blue flesh. As she walked away, something caught the young soldier's eye. Along the length of her spine, intertwining around themselves like the helix shape of a strand of DNA, two lines of mystical characters could be seen tattooed into her flesh. He wondered at the strange marking, before noting the distrustful and surprised looks some of the Asari present were giving her and remembering someone mentioning that her exile had branded her in more ways than one. Clearly, this was yet another of the marks of her exile that she had to bear.

"Heh. I'm not sure about 'embracing eternity' with that one, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind one night!" The other guard chuckled, stepping up next to Jacob and following his gaze.

"You know it." Jacob said, not really wanting to get into a discussion with him about this, especially not when it was one of his closest friends that they were talking about. "Hey, you know what? I've got this. Take a break, find a guest with an open mind, and enjoy the drinks."

"R-really? You sure?"

"Yeah. Watchin' the door ain't difficult."

"Alright. Thanks, buddy." The guard waved as he slunk off, looking for a quiet corner to prop himself up in while he tried out the drinks on offer at the party.

Jacob relaxed even more. His job was a whole lot easier now that he was the only one watching the front door. He straightened to attention, watching the arrivals with little interest.

About ten minutes after Samara made her entrance, the Normandy's skycar hummed into view. The hatch opened to allow the commander to step out, followed by his team. As the skycar began to move off, Jacob caught a glimpse of Zaeed at the controls, Kaidan sitting beside him. The skycar buzzed off into the night, although Jacob was all too aware that it wasn't going far.

The Commander gave him a subtle nod as he walked by, Jacob's work with the guest list letting him in with no trouble. After the Commander had gone inside, Jacob turned his attention back to the stream of socialites arriving.

**~o~0~o~**

**~SHEPARD~**

The Commander led his team through the crowds of Bekenstein's most prominent, ever aware for any threats to his cover. He felt tense, having to go into a dangerous situation like this with nothing in the way of offensive weaponry except for a tiny pistol tucked into the waistband of his trousers in the small of his back.

"This is not going to fucking wo-ork." Jack muttered in a sing-song fashion as they wandered through the mansion's entrance.

"Just keep cool." Shepard assured. "We can do this."

They made their way through the lobby and emerged into the main hall. Shepard paused for a moment to take in the grandeur of the massive room.

The ceiling was incredibly high, at least three stories up, but even from that distance Shepard could see the intricate shapes that had been sculpted into it, an immense tapestry of artwork, from sprawling floral patterns to tiny carvings of cherubs and the like. The whole thing seemed to be held up by immense pillars lining each side of the hall, massive columns more in line with Greek architecture than the rest of the room called for. Tiers of balconies reached out from the walls, allowing people on the second and third floors to mill about above those on the ground floor. Where the walls were not taken up by columns or balconies, valuable pieces of artwork had been put up. Tapestries, paintings and the occasional alcove containing a sculpture testified to the immense wealth of the owner.

"My god… Just look at all this!" Kasumi breathed. "Just a fraction of this stuff could be used to buy a planet ten times over!"

"Just remember what we're here for, Kasumi." Shepard cautioned.

"Oh! That's… it's one of Forta's first sculptures!" The little thief gasped. "They've gone up in value since he died last year. You could completely refit the Normandy for what that's worth."

"I think you might have lost her, Shepard." Delexia chuckled. "Should have known better than to take a thief to a rich man's house."

"So long as she doesn't try to pocket anything, we'll be fine." Shepard muttered. He watched Kasumi drift amongst the artwork in a trance.

Kasumi wore a striking purple kimono, patterned with images of cranes soaring in mid-flight. The long, silky garment reached down to her ankles, offering a glimpse of her zori sandals, an oriental shoe somewhat akin to flip-flops. Her arms were encased in long, wide sleeves, the length of which extended towards the floor, as was appropriate for her unmarried status. The obi, or sash around her waist, sported a twisting pattern of black and royal blue, complimenting the stronger purple of the rest of her outfit very well.

Her shoulder-length hair had been tied up in a bun, into which she had inserted two Kogai, jade pins that held her hairstyle secure and served a decorative purpose, ribbons of white, purple and royal blue silk trailing from the bun down the nape of her neck and over her upper back. To compliment her choices in outfit colours, her lips had been coloured with the same rich purple hue she normally used to create the strip on her lower lip. Her eyes were outlined and enhanced with black eyeliner and mascara, in sharp contrast with her soft, pale features.

Shepard was unused to actually being able to see the young thief's face, so frequently did she hide her features within the hood of her preferred outfit. She was startlingly beautiful, large almond-shaped eyes complementing the small nose and soft but well-defined cheekbones. Two pale white ears, perfectly rounded, peeked out from within the raven-black tresses of glimmering hair. Shepard understood now why Jacob became so awkward and his speech became stilted in her presence.

Eyes the colour of hazel widened in surprise as she gazed up at a nearby painting.

"A genuine Tael'Nayea! It was thought they were all destroyed during the Geth uprising. There can't be more than a couple of these in existence now."

"Kasumi, focus." Shepard prompted.

"Right, right…" She said absently, walking away from the painting while looking over her shoulder.

"We're not here to add to your collection, Goto." Delexia warned.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Kasumi replied quickly. "Stealing art from a guy like this is no fun. It's more fun when you steal from the ones who keep these things all to themselves, in some vault somewhere. A guy like Lawson, you want to steal his advantages over his rivals. That's where he's really sensitive."

"You were pretty eager to get at Hock's collection." Shepard commented.

"Hock was a greedy man. Lawson's more of an arrogant one. Different faults, different priorities, different ways to get at them."

"I'll keep that in mind." Shepard chuckled.

"What's the game plan, Comm- I mean, Mr Gunn?" Delexia asked, a grin on her face as she used the Commander's assumed name.

Shepard turned to look at the Turian. Delexia stood head and shoulders above the rest of the squad, but she did not look any less the part of a graceful socialite. Her pearl-white dress transformed her angular, lanky frame into one full of flowing beauty. White sleeves that ended in wide, flaring cuffs studded with glimmering silvery-white gems, giving the impression that her cuffs had been spattered with radiant rain. The flowing hem of her dress, reaching the floor and trailing along behind her, was patterned in a similar way, hiding her feet from view and giving the impression that she travelled on a cloud of roiling snowflakes. A royal blue sash had been bound around her waist, the two ends of it draped down by her side, reaching down to her awkwardly-shaped ankles.

A shimmering curtain of silver and platinum was draped over the back of her head, attached to her short fringe and reaching down towards the nape of her neck, the ends shaped much like a male Turian's fringe. At the end of each length of glimmering metal dangled a single light-blue gemstone, forming a V-shape of pale blue reaching from ear to ear and extending to the uppermost tip of her spine. The overall effect gave the impression that one of the Turians' spirits walked among the living. Shepard was not surprised to notice that even some of the Humans in the room were staring.

"Mix in with the crowd, and wait for Legion's signal." He instructed, keeping his voice low as a cluster of Humans walked past them. "Do what you can to blend in, but make sure to keep your heads clear." He turned to Jack pointedly. "No draining the bar."

"Spoilsport." She muttered.

"If you get talking to anyone, make sure they don't lead you out of here. Stay within sight of each other at all times."

"Got it."

"Sure thing, Shep."

"Hell yeah."

Delexia and Kasumi wandered off into the crowd. Shepard made to do the same, but felt a restraining hand at his elbow. He turned back to Jack.

"Where do you think you're going, Boy Scout?"

"Gonna go mingle. Why?" Shepard asked. "Got a problem with that?"

"I'm not in the mood to have a line of rich pricks thinkin' I'm open to a quick screw and linin' up to try out their crappy chat-up routine. We stick together, I don't have to put up with that." She smirked. "Besides, it's been ages since I've had a chance to dance."

"You know how to dance?" Shepard asked incredulously.

"Hey, I can be cultured when I feel like it." She smiled, leading him towards the centre of the room, where a large portion of the partygoers shuffled about in a lacklustre fashion.

"Where'd you learn?"

"Illium. Veserra Dantius' Performing Arts Academy."

"An Asari dance school? How the hell could you afford that?"

"Never said I paid for 'em." She chuckled.

"I was hiding in the basements. Murtock and I hit the wrong convoy, pissed off a few of the wrong people." She lowered her voice to a murmur as they strode into the crowd, already beginning to move with the music, her confident manner drawing Shepard along. "Spent a few months there waiting for things to cool off. While we were there, I spent a few days watching the classes, in the vents, under the floors, hell once even just hid behind the stage curtains, only a few feet away from the students. Picked up a few tricks. Liiiike this!"

She twirled, moving with a fluidity Shepard would never have credited the convict with. Shepard's pace faltered as he watched her in awe, just remaining aware enough to catch her with one outstretched arm as she flowed around him, thrilling at the close press of their bodies.

He took a moment to appreciate Jack's new look. Her outfit was simply stunning, and bore an elegance completely out of sync with her usual attire. Naturally, Jack had almost growled when it had been suggested she do something with her hair, possibly with temporary follicle implants, so her customary shaved style remained. However, she had allowed Kelly to apply some makeup to cover over her more disquieting tattoos, such as the prisoner identification numbers and various serial numbers from her time in Cerberus' labs. On the whole, it didn't do much to change her confrontational appearance, but it did make it a little less likely that anyone would make the connection between her and one of the most wanted criminals in the Terminus Systems.

The biotic wore a rather slick red dress. It shimmered, run through with shades of gold and green. The dress left her upper back exposed, allowing the Omega tattoo to peek out for all to see. At the front, the dress reached up to her neck, fastened with a red choker, while the sleeves began just below the exposed shoulders, ending at her hands in fingerless gloves. Her fingernails had been painted a glossy dark red, almost a black colour with the slightest ruby sheen to it. The hem of her dress dangled about halfway past her shins, allowing a glimpse of her muscled legs. She even had tattoos down there. Amidst the scars and medical markings, Shepard could make out at least ten new tattoos he had never seen before, including a series of stripes that could have been the segments of a spinal cord, like those on her arms, or perhaps the stripes of a tiger. One interesting marking he noticed was a small rune on the left calf. What was interesting was the fact that he recognised it as Quarian.

To complete the outfit, she wore a pair of scarlet stiletto heels, much more dainty than her usual heavy boots. The heels themselves were almost knife blades, they narrowed to such a severe point.

"I can feel you staring, pervert." She muttered as he held her close, the duo moving through the dance floor as one.

"You know you like it." He chuckled back. She grinned as he spun her around, holding one of her hands above her head as she spun, red dress flaring out around her like a whirling dervish.

"So what now, Boss Man?"

"Just… enjoy the moment." He murmured. "We're waiting on Legion now. I just hope Grunt hasn't run into any trouble delivering the package."

**~o~0~o~**

**~GRUNT~**

The cargo transport trundled through the streets, making its way to the Lawson mansion as the sky above turned from a dim blue to the deep purple and black of night. As the massive six-wheeled vehicle bounced over a large manhole, Grunt found himself shifting around in his seat, the tiny Human-designed chair barely accommodating his frame.

_Damned stupid Human-centric design._ He cursed inwardly._ Might as well try to sit in a teacup._

The Human in the driver's seat continued his mindless chatter. Since the Krogan had boarded the cargo vehicle, he had insisted on trying to engage Grunt in conversation. Grunt had simply ignored him.

"…so then I said to her 'You ain't the boss of me. I'm done taking orders from you.' Then I stormed out and I- Oh, we're here." He interrupted his own inane ramblings.

"Thank the Void. I thought that would never end." Grunt rumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Let's get these crates unloaded."

"I gotta say, it's great having a Krogan help me here. Got no clue how Stan managed to convince the higher ups to pay for another set of hands, but with a big 'un like yourself, we'll get the back of this thing emptied out in no time!"

The pair hopped out of the cab, walking up to the tall black iron gates that were the freight entrance of the Lawson estate. Beyond, Grunt could see a driveway leading up to the back of the mansion, wending its way through the grounds between the wall and the mansion. It sickened the Krogan to see so much ground not being put to use properly. None of the plants being cultivated were edible, and some were in fact poisonous. A massive pond, more of a small lake, was situated to one side, and he was sure he saw the flicker of a fish bobbing up to the surface. The lack of buildings around it made it clear that all of this fresh, clean water was not for drinking, but just for looking at.

He couldn't believe it. And worse, the house at the heart of this estate, which could have easily housed over two hundred Krogan warriors in comfort, was only home to one man, plus his servants. Had this been a Krogan colony world, the wasteful shrine to extravagance would have been levelled to make way for an anti-aircraft gun emplacement, at the least.

He turned his attention to the gate itself. There were actually two gates, an internal one and an external one. They were separated by a gap of about five metres. Grunt could see through the gates that the walls around that small space were bristling with scanners, as was the ceiling above. He had no doubts that there were pressure plates and innumerable imaging devices in the ground underneath as well. Anything going through there would be thoroughly examined by digital eyes a thousand times more perceptive than an organic's.

The Human strode up to a panel next to the gate, tapping on it impatiently. Finally his call for assistance was answered.

"Yeah, it's me." He spoke loudly, going silent for a moment as he listened to the voice on the other end. "That's right, I'm attacking the walls. What do you think I'm here for? Now open up. It's gonna get bloody freezing out here and I want to get this done."

He sighed as the panel went dark. After a few moments, a quiet thrumming could be heard. Grunt looked up the driveway to see a handful of small load lifters racing out to meet them. The internal gate opened, and the first load-lifter went through, waiting in the scanning area as countless lights flickered on and off around it. After ten seconds, there was a beep and the external gate opened, allowing the first lifter through. The rest all performed the same routine, until finally every last lifter was through.

Grunt was impressed. Given the care with which this Victor Lawson's people went about their duties, he had little doubt in even so much as a fly flew through the scanning area, they'd know about it.

Another Human got out of the first lifter. He greeted Grunt's driver before turning and formally greeting the Krogan. Grunt could smell the fear he experienced at seeing a creature as big as himself so close by and he practically grinned when he thought about it. The new Human identified himself, but Grunt didn't bother to memorise his name. The big Krogan just didn't care.

"Right, let's get on with it, then." Grunt's driver said, clapping his hands together.

A cluster of Humans clambered out of the other load lifters, stepping over to the transport and setting about their task. Grunt helped, lifting crates with one hand that would have required at least four of the aliens around him. He had to struggle not to sneer scornfully as he carried these heavy loads as though they were nothing.

Finally, only a few crates remained in the transport. Grunt lifted one, an all-too-familiar container. It had the symbol of a wrench on the side, showing it was destined for the maintenance storage area within the mansion's basement. He carefully placed the crate on the nearest load lifter with en empty slot, dusting his hands off as he stepped back.

Both of the Krogan's hearts jumped as one of the Humans, the one who had spoken to his driver and apparently the leader of this group, clamped a hand down on the crate. He began to undo the bolts holding it closed.

"What are you doing?" Grunt growled, a little more consternation in his voice than he wanted to show.

"Standard procedure now. Scanner has glitched a couple of times this past month. Boss wants us to check a handful of the incoming crates manually, just to make sure there's no contraband. Better to check twice than fall flat on our arse once, right?"

"Right." The Krogan mumbled, feeling a trickle of sweat run down inside his bulky armour.

The Human began to pry the lid of the crate open, and Grunt felt his stomachs twist into tighter and tighter knots. His fists balled as his Geth ally drew closer and closer to being discovered. If they were found out, the mission would be a bust, and his Battlemaster would be in danger.

"Hey, Ryan!"

A shout from one of the other Humans made Grunt jump. The one opening Legion's crate turned inquisitively.

"Wouldn't we be better to check the food crates? That 'un's headed for the tech wing. If anyone's got trouble planned for tonight, they'll be messin' with the food."

"Good point." 'Ryan' conceded, lowering the lid on the crate. Grunt caught a peek of the smooth rounded cranium of a Geth platform through the opening before it resealed. The Human fastened down the bolts again, not having even bothered to look in as he was opening it. He moved over to one of the crates of supplies for the party, opening it and reaching inside.

"Hey, guys!" He suddenly shouted out. Grunt was too relieved to really take any notice. 'Ryan' stood back up, his arms filled with a selection of bottles. "Check it out! This is some good Asari stuff!"

"We're not meant to take any of this, Ryan." One Human commented.

"Hey, a coupla bottles won't hurt. 'sides, we don't exactly get tips. Think of this as our New Year's bonus."

"New Year ain't for another seven months, you moron." One of his associates cackled.

"Whatever. You want a drink or don't you?" 'Ryan' turned to Grunt. "There's a bottle in it for yourself, if you're interested."

"No thanks." Grunt replied. "The stuff you aliens drink never hits the spot for me."

"I guess not." The driver said, reaching out and taking one of the pilfered bottles. "Friend o' mine tried one of your Krogan drinks, was shittin' his brains out for the next month. I imagine there's not much as can match up to that."

The Humans from the estate said their farewells and boarded their load lifters. The smaller vehicles moved away from the cargo transport, the first one heading back through the gate. Legion's crate was on the fourth lifter.

The driver turned to Grunt.

"That's our last delivery. I'm gonna head back to the depot now. You need a lift anywhere?"

"I'm good. Gonna walk. Got a place I can go not too far from here."

"Really? Well ain't you got some swanky connections." The Human laughed. "Alright buddy. Thanks for the help."

Grunt watched as the transport moved away, then turned back to the gate. The second lifter had moved through, and the third was manoeuvring its way through the external gate.

The burly Krogan shambled off down the street a ways, finding a secluded spot to watch from. The third lifter went through the internal gate, and the fourth began to move towards the Lawson estate. Grunt watched tensely as Legion's crate approached the scanners. It was all up to Feron now.

**~o~0~o~**

**~FERON~**

The sewers echoed with the sounds of water dripping down from overhead. The ancient brick walls that lined the circular shaft were covered with a thick layer of pale white calcium, some of which hung down from overhead in long spindly stalactites, accompanied by matching stalagmites reaching up from the floor. As he walked past, he caught his hand on one of the thin towers of calcium, and it snapped in two. Clearly the sewers hadn't been here long enough for proper formations to build up, leaving only these soft, crumbly imitations.

Feron felt an irritating itch growing in his chest, a side effect of having to breathe in such humid air. His Drell physiology was ill-suited to being down here, but fortunately if everything went right he wouldn't have to stay long.

The diameter of the sewer shaft was little more than the height of a fully grown man, so Feron could just about stand up straight, having to bow down to dodge the icicles of stone hanging from the ceiling.

The Drell was grateful for the fact that the sewer hadn't been used for quite some time. It meant that the worst he had to be prepared to step in was a patch of damp mud or, once, what looked like it had been a kind of rat, albeit a rat with six legs.

He consulted his omnitool again, making sure he was on course. Elanie had provided a map of the sewer network, but it was all too easy to lose your bearings in a maze like this. It was here that Feron found his perfect memory really coming into play, allowing him to recall exactly how many steps he had taken, where and when he had gone left and right and any and all landmarks he passed.

His map informed him that he only had a few more turns in the shaft ahead before he reached the part of the network underneath the Lawson estate, where he should expect to start seeing the ancient, run-down passages give way to carefully maintained, secure corridors. Processing this new information, he slowed down, his footsteps so light that they faded into silence in comparison to the dripping noises that echoed all around.

He crept forwards, easing his way around the next corner and looking towards the first of his obstacles. His bottle-green eyes narrowed as he analysed the situation.

Two guards stood to attention, rifles in their hands as they remained alert. A hazy orange barrier had been erected just behind them, bristling with power. The security field completely sealed off the passageway, and the controls were on the far side. Seeing this, Feron drew back into hiding before he was spotted, and tried to think his way around the obstacle.

He dialled up his omnitool, skimming through the list of illegal upgrades he had applied to the tiny device. Finally he found the one he desired. His kinetic barrier flickered as it's field shifted. The light around the Drell shimmered as the Mass Effect Field twisted, altering to a light-bending field not too different from his cloaking device. It was a relatively untested modification, one Liara had discovered was being researched on Noveria. The theory behind the modification was that, if a cloaking device could bend light around a person, then theoretically other forms of energy could be similarly manipulated, specifically security fields and atmospheric barriers. In this way, a person enclosed within the field could pass through a destructive security field without being injured. The one downside was that the field could not bend multiple types of energy at the same time: his cloak would not function while he was moving through the security field. To compensate, he set the two different modes for his field to simple hotkeys, ready to switch between the two as quickly and simply as snapping his fingers.

This done, he looked back around the corner. The guards stood stock-still, barely having moved since he had last glimpsed them. These men were professionals, not allowing idle chit-chat to distract their focus.

The Drell pulled back, looking around for something to use. His eyes settled on a stalagmite close to him, the long finger of soft stone reaching up almost to the height of his waist. He reached out and grabbed it, twisting his wrist to snap off a piece some seven or eight inches in length. He weighed it in his hand, drawing back a closed fist and lobbing the rock. It hit the far wall with a sharp clink.

Around the corner, the guards twitched at the loud noise, their rifles snapping around to point up the passageway. Without a word, they began to cautiously stalk up towards the corner where Feron waited. As they drew near, he activated his cloak, vanishing from sight.

The two guards moved slowly around the corner, weapons pointing towards the darkest corners of the shaft as they moved forwards.

Feron drew in a sharp, silent breath as one of the guards moved past his invisible form, not two feet from where he stood. His spine curled as he pressed himself back into the curve of the sewer wall, flattening himself as much as possible against the stone.

The guards moved past, still scanning the sewer as carefully as they could. Once he had a chance, the Drell darted behind them, racing around the corner and heading straight for the security field. He tapped a command on his 'tool, and his barrier shifted from bending light to a different frequency. He paused for a moment before the field, taking a deep breath before pressing on.

The field curled around him, cocooning him in an incandescent screen of orange light. The field bulged outwards both ways, a Drell-shaped bubble forming in its centre to accommodate him. The stinging itch was incredible, a sensation that assaulted every part of his body. He almost imagined that being killed by the field would have been better. It almost, but not quite, made him stagger back, but he pushed against it, feeling the field before him like an elastic sheet. He shoved and suddenly burst through, almost tumbling to the floor as the resistance shifted from being before him to being behind him. He gasped as the field released him, breath coming in short gasps thanks to the raw power surging through his system.

He staggered forwards a few steps, turning back to look at the field. The orange sheet of energy rippled like a pool of water. As he watched, it settled. He tensed as he heard the sounds of the guards returning.

"Probably just another of them rats. Nothin' to worry about." One muttered as he turned the corner.

Feron scrabbled at his omnitool, hastily finding the button to switch back to his cloak, disappearing from sight just as the guards moved into view. He waited a moment to make sure he hadn't been seen, and then moved away from the security field.

He wove his way through the passages underneath the edge of the Lawson estate, frequently consulting his map as he found himself having to make his way around guard patrols or if he found that a passageway had been blocked off.

At last he found the section he needed. Wires lined the ceiling, transmitting data from the security scanners on the gates.

He pulled out his toolkit and reached up to the wires on the ceiling. He chose a small box-shaped device with a tiny screen on it and a wire trailing out of the side, ending in what looked like a long needle. He lined the needle up with the thickest of the wires and carefully pushed it through the plastic that covered it, making contact with the wire inside. Once he had made contact with the wire, he pushed a button on the device, causing it to flare to life.

His omnitool beeped, making contact with the device. He lifted his wrist, staring at the display that popped up. As he worked, he listened carefully for any sound of a guard patrol approaching.

_Working..._

_Working..._

_Encrypted security network detected. Attempt firewall bypass?_

_Confirmation received. Beginning process._

Feron began moving the nodes that appeared on his 'tool, easily breezing past the network's security.

_Access granted. Analysing network functions. Alert, transmissions intercepted. Display?_

_Confirmation received. Downloading security scans._

Feron watched as the scans came up, showing him a series of empty load lifters passing through the gate up above.

_Halt transmission?_

_Negative. Sending... Done._

Feron smiled as he navigated the system. He watched the load lifters move through, vetting each transmission on its way to the estate's security centre. After a few minutes, the lifters began coming back through, this time fully loaded. He watched as lifters filled with crates of food, drink and at one point parts for a skycar passed through the checkpoint, waiting anxiously for the crate containing Legion to pass through.

He jumped as he heard a pair of approaching footsteps. His head snapped around towards the source of the noise to see some shifting shadows from around the nearest corner. A guard patrol was approaching.

_Alert, transmissions intercepted. Display?_

_Confirmation received. Downloading._

A new image flickered up on his omnitool and his heart fluttered as he spotted the distinctive shape of a Geth platform folded up in one of the crates. His eyes darted from the image to the corner from around which the guards were approaching. He had little time.

He tapped out a few commands on his 'tool, feverishly working to finish before he was discovered.

_Command received. Altering scan results._

_Processing..._

_Processing..._

_Done._

_Send?_

The guards were drawing very close. He could hear these two chatting to one another, obviously more relaxed than the ones at the security field.

"Bullshit."

"No it's true! At least six feet long!"

"None of the rats get that big."

"This one was different. Musta been a mutant or something. When it looked at me, its eyes were... evil. It's the only word to describe that stare."

"You hit the Batarian brandy too hard. You were probably seeing a bunch of purple Krogan, too."

Feron's pulse raced as their voices grew louder and louder. He hurriedly turned back to his tool, a wave of satisfaction running through him as he saw that the image had been altered correctly. Now the image showed only a crate full of shuttle parts. He quickly pressed send.

_Sending..._

_Sending..._

_Done._

With a triumphant finality, he deactivated the device, pulling it from the ceiling and stashing it in his belt. He tapped another command on his 'tool and once again vanished from sight.

The guards rounded the corner just as he vanished, walking past him as though he wasn't there. He breathed a sigh of relief before heading off down the corridor, looking for another point to access the security systems. Even though Legion had passed through the security scanners, there was still work for the Drell to do, keeping their foes blind to the Normandy crew's activities outside of Victor Lawson's mansion.

Back above ground, Grunt watched as the load lifter carrying Legion passed through the gate without a hitch, making its way towards the mansion. The Krogan turned and walked off into the night, heading for the place he had agreed to meet the extraction team. The Geth was on its own now.

**~o~0~o~**

**~LEGION~**

_Alert. Accelerometer registers significant deceleration. Probability of arrival at destination: eighty-two point four per cent._

Legion's runtimes buzzed around in the platform, processing all the information currently available to them through passive sensors. They had powered down the exterior functions of the platform for the duration of their journey to the estate in an attempt to reduce any signals it emitted that could be detected. Thus, they had relied upon audio sensors and the platform's accelerometer to judge how they were progressing towards their objective.

_Motion detected. Six point three eight feet upwards, followed by movement two point four three degrees north for a distance of three point two oh feet. Now moving two hundred sixty four point one nine degrees west at a speed of three point one feet per second. Probability of removal from cargo transportation vehicle: ninety-eight point seven per cent. Additional possibility: Forcible removal from vehicle by criminal entity._

_Course of action?_

_Achieving consensus..._

_Consensus achieved. Maintain current covert infiltration tactics._

_Alert! Unknown entity attempting to gain access to container. Probability of allied interference: zero point one seven per cent. Start up combat protocols?_

_Achieving consensus…_

_Consensus not achieved._

The lid of the container popped off above the Geth, allowing dim light to stream in.

"What are you doing?"

_Analysing voiceprint… Analysis complete. Krogan ally, designation 'Grunt'._

"Standard procedure now. Scanner has glitched a couple of times this past month. Boss wants us to check a handful of the incoming crates manually, just to make sure there's no contraband. Better to check twice than fall flat on our arse once, right?"

_Analysing voiceprint… Analysis complete. Human, male, identity unknown. Friendly status uncertain._

_Consensus achieved. Assume hostiles. Combat protocols starting up._

"Right." Grunt replied.

_Stress-levels in allied unit's voice indicate possibility of discovery. Threat level elevated to priority beta. Covert operations maintain priority alpha. Do not initiate hostile actions._

"Hey, Ryan!"

_Human, male, identity unknown._

"Wouldn't we be better to check the food crates? That 'un's headed for the tech wing. If anyone's got trouble planned for tonight, they'll be messin' with the food."

_Likelihood of new targets' affiliation with Lawson estate: sixty eight point six six per cent._

"Good point."

_Initial target's identity confirmed as 'Ryan'. Likelihood new targets' identities as staff on Lawson estate raised to eighty two per cent._

_Additional: cargo container resealed. Operation remains uncompromised. Powering down weapons systems._

The crate jostled along, clearly being moved around on a vehicle of some kind. The gentle motion stopped after a short distance.

_Alert! Aggressive scans detected. X-ray, infrared, electro-magnetic band, ultraviolet and radio frequencies detected. Likelihood of detection without allied interference: one hundred per cent._

_Assessing capabilities of Drell ally, designation 'Feron'. Considering: covert infiltration specialisation, combined with innate Drell abilities and technology supplied by Asari ally, designation 'Liara'. Comparing to mission parameters: Known secure defence network, potentially unknown surroundings and narrow window of opportunity._

_Calculating…_

_Calculating…_

_Chances of success versus chances of failure: one to one. Either outcome equally likely._

_Scans complete. Awaiting indication of hostile action._

_Waiting…_

_Waiting…_

_Waiting…_

_Achieving consensus…_

_Consensus achieved. Drell unit's mission successful. Covert status remains uncompromised._

The crate resumed its unpredictable shifting once more, obviously traversing the distance between the gate and the rear of the mansion. The Geth recalled a map of the estate's grounds, poring over the finer details. They focused in on the driveway leading up to the back door, following its winding route as the vehicle progressed.

_Motion halted. Arrival at rear of Target Lawson's domicile recorded. Sending databurst to allied ship in orbit._

_Sending… Done._

_Proceeding with covert infiltration._

The crate shifted uncertainly as it was lifted off the transport, two men grunting as they tried to manhandle it down to the ground. Eventually the motion eased as they got onto level ground, and began to carry the heavy crate into the mansion.

_Manual transport detected. Likelihood of successful infiltration of Target Lawson's domicile: ninety five point oh one per cent. Amplifying auditory input._

"Gah! What do they put in these goddamn things? This 'un must weigh a ton!"

_Human, male, identity unknown._

"Put your back into it! If we finish early, we can crack open those bottles we found."

_Human, male, identity confirmed as 'Ryan'._

"Woah, wait. This box has got to go to the sub-levels." The other man continued.

"Stick it in the elevator, then. Let the boys downstairs take care of it." Ryan answered.

The crate jostled a few more times as it was awkwardly manoeuvred into the elevator. After a few moments, there was the sound of a door hissing shut and the Geth platform's accelerometer measured a sudden increase in speed in a downward direction.

_Descent registered. Descending five metres below ground level, ten metres, twenty metres. Downward momentum decreasing._

_Registering arrival in sub-level of Target Lawson's domicile. Attempting to upload status update to allied ship in orbit._

_Sending…_

_Sending…_

_Sending…_

_Error. Status update not sent._

_Running diagnostic upon internal comm systems._

_Running…_

_Running…_

_Done. No fault detected. Attempting to upload status update._

_Sending…_

_Sending…_

_Sending…_

_Error. Status update not sent._

_Analysing. Lab environment combined with potentially illegal genetic research. Likelihood of passive comm interference as part of standard operations: sixty four point five three per cent. Statistically probable conclusion: This platform must now operate without connection to allied ship if mission parameters are to be fulfilled._

_Calculating most logical course…_

_Done. Danger presented to integrity of this platform increases with every temporal unit spent out of contact. Current risk of permanent damage to this platform and contained runtimes: fifteen point nine percent. Strategically logical to exfiltrate back to Normandy, return with improved comm array. _

_Error. Such a course will result in mission failure. Observed behavioural patterns indicate Shepard-Commander will refuse to exfiltrate until mission parameters have been fulfilled. Additional observed behavioural patterns suggest all allied units engaged in operation will remain with Shepard-Commander for duration of operation._

_Achieving consensus…_

_Consensus achieved. Safety of Shepard-Commander holds higher priority than safety of this platform. Proceed with infiltration of Target Lawson's domicile._

All of this cold reasoning took place in less time than it took for a man's heart to beat. As the Geth settled itself down to wait for the opportune moment to move out, the doors to the elevator opened and the two staff on duty turned to look at the crate inside.

"Huh. Didn't realise we were due another delivery just yet." One commented.

_Analysis: Human, female, identity unknown. Possible Scottish-British ethnic origin._

"They're meant to be getting some parts for the boss's skycar today. Probably just sent one box to the wrong department." The other muttered. "Let's shove it in storage for now, deal with it later."

_Human, male, identity unknown. Possibly originally from colony known as Eden Prime._

The crate shifted again and, after a final few moments, it was dumped rather unceremoniously onto a hard metal floor. The Geth waited for a while, listening through the platform's auditory sensors for any sign of possible enemies nearby.

_Lack of auditory input suggests opportune time to proceed with next stage of mission. Increasing sensory input to confirm…_

The platform began to power up, it's small-scale sensory suite scanning the room beyond the crate. The Geth perceived no infrared signatures, no radio signals and no electro-magnetic fields. Satisfied, it surged back to full power.

_Auxiliary systems coming back on line. Full power restored to motor functions. Continuing with infiltration._

The bolts on the lid of the crate popped open, allowing the sides to fold down gracefully, revealing the Geth platform, curled up in what would have been a foetal position, had it not carefully balanced itself on its feet. With a whirr, the metal limbs unfolded themselves and the machine stood up to its full height.

Moving slowly, the Geth platform stepped up to the door to the storeroom. In seconds, tendrils of orange light emanated from it's hands towards the door controls, effortlessly hacking into the system. Almost instantaneously, the doors hissed open.

Legion gazed out into the corridor beyond cautiously, making sure the way was clear. After the Geth had confirmed that there were no guards or security cameras nearby, it stepped out, making its way down the corridor.

After only a few paces, the platform's auditory sensors picked up the sounds of approaching footsteps.

_Alert. Unknown entity detected. Six contacts detected. Presence of armoured combat boots. Detecting miniaturised Mass Effect Fields consistent with small arms. Probability new contacts are hostile guard patrol: seventy-eight per cent. Mission success threatened. Assume covert stance._

The Geth darted into a nearby doorway, folding itself up in a dim corner as the door hissed shut behind it.

_Monitoring enemy distance. Auditory analysis indicates distance of five metres from current location. Four. Three. Two. Three Four. Five. Analysis suggests covert action was successful. Enemy guard patrol not alerted to presence. Resume domicile infiltration._

Legion continued onwards in this fashion, dodging guard patrols and moving around sections monitored by security cams. Thanks to it's advanced sensors, the Geth was able to calculate a camera's blind spots down to the millimetre, allowing it to move past the Lawson estate's security systems with ease. In no time at all, it found itself approaching the doors leading to the central security control centre.

_Activating infrared sensor suite. Alert. Two life forms detected within control centre. Size and shape suggests humanoid, likely Human, Batarian or Asari. Given Target Lawson's Human-centric interests, likelihood of non-Human guards nine point five four per cent. Proceed with infiltration?_

_Achieving consensus…_

_Consensus achieved. Proceed with infiltration. Powering up combat routines. Activating electronic shock-plates within hands. Supplying non-lethal but incapacitating voltage._

This done, the sentient machine stepped through the doors to the control centre. The two Humans inside, one man and one woman, spun around at the intrusion. The man's jaw dropped upon seeing a Geth approaching, but the woman had the presence of mind to lunge for the alarm button.

_Alert. Hostile seeking to send warning transmission to hostile forces. Likelihood of mission success if enemy is alerted to the presence of hostiles within the domicile: one point nine two per cent._

_Analysing target. Estimated weight: ninety two pounds. Height: five feet nine inches. Muscle tone suggests specialisation in ranged combat rather than hand-to-hand. Adjusting strategy to compensate._

All of this analysis happened before the woman could even lift herself from her seat. As she moved a fraction of the distance between her post and the alarm button, the Geth lunged forwards, striking her under the ear with a powerful punch. The cold, metallic fist struck her with a loud crack and a sizzle of sparks. Her body jolted at the contact, raw power surging through her nervous system. She slumped back into her chair, out cold.

Her companion regained just enough of his composure to flinch as the Geth spun to face him. He lifted his arms up defensively as the machine's hands encircled his wrists tightly, sending another burst of power into him. He managed a strangled cry before he, too, fell unconscious.

As the Geth moved the two slumped bodies away from the controls, it studied the controls before it. Once it identified the necessary controls, it stood before the massive monitors that displayed the security footage of the entire estate.

_Second stage of mission complete. Fulfilling additional objective of re-establishing contact with allied forces via security system's comm network._

_Contacting allied ship… done. Transmissions with allied forces in orbit resuming._

_Awaiting transmission of secure codes from deployed Asari unit, designation 'Samara'._

**~o~0~o~**

**~SAMARA~**

The centuries-old Asari was surprised with how easily navigating the currents of the gathering came to her. She felt a slight chill on her back, unused to wearing clothing such as the dress she now sported, but she still felt comfortable moving through the clusters of assembled humanoids. She was all too aware of the admiring glances she was getting, surprised that, even at her age, the allure of an Asari still ran strong.

She had yet to sight her quarry amidst the crowds, although she was sure he was there somewhere, likely watching the proceedings from some vantage point. She set to thinking about how to draw him out. This would be a delicate game of cat-and-mouse, a precise act. She had to prove herself superior to all the radiant socialites around her.

For a brief moment, her mind flickered back to that night on Omega, the painful evening she had lost her most beloved and yet most despicable offspring. Shepard had faced the task of drawing Morinth out, showing himself to be worthy prey for her darkest instincts. He had done so incredibly well, proving to be a natural at manoeuvring around a night club crowd. Her task would be similar, and yet different. She did not face the insatiable hunger of an Ardat-Yakshi, and would have to make herself appealing to similar but different drives.

She gazed around the grand hall, identifying several focal points in the crowds where she would draw the most attention. Pausing to centre her mind, she plunged into the crowds once more.

She moved through the press of people like a serene ghost, weaving her way towards the dance floor. Not once did she jostle anyone, her fluid progress uninterrupted. At last she emerged onto the dance floor, where she saw the Commander and Jack dancing together. She stood to one side, watching the dancing appreciatively.

It took less than five seconds for one potential suitor to approach her, eyes running up and down her lithe form appreciatively.

"Would the lady like to dance?" He asked as gallantly as he could, which wasn't very much at all. However, Samara had noticed the admiring looks the other female partygoers were giving him. Clearly he had some pull among the people here.

"I would be honoured." She answered, flashing him a winning smile that set his knees wobbling. As he took her outstretched hand and led her onto the dance floor, the ex-Justicar noted the jealous looks being thrown their way by members of both genders.

The man had some skill, she would grant him that. He moved sinuously, seamlessly, from one step to another, and she followed him. Her Maiden years spent dancing the nights away came flooding back to her, the steps springing into her mind in much the same manner one never forgets how a bicycle functions.

A large portion of the partygoers turned to watch as the duo danced, entranced by the grace of the performance. Samara bathed in their admiration, finding herself enjoying the moment more and more.

After an all-too-short amount of time, the song came to an end, and Samara found herself leaning back in the man's strong arms, chest heaving from the exertion of the dance's final few steps. He held her tight for a moment before releasing her.

"Truly, you know how to dance." He said, the attraction strong in his voice.

Samara felt a twinge of guilt as he said that. She could not deny she had enjoyed his company, but he was not her target this evening. In order to accomplish her objective, she had to dismiss him.

"It was enjoyable." She smiled warmly, leaning forward and planting a tender kiss on his cheek. She felt him thrill under her touch. "Thank you."

With that, she slipped off into the crowds, leaving the man standing there with a happy but bemused expression. He rubbed at the cheek where her lips had brushed his skin, revelling in the memory of the contact.

**~o~0~o~**

From one of the balconies up above, a pair of startlingly blue eyes narrowed as they watched the Asari moving through the crowds. A deeply tanned hand, adorned with a single gold ring bearing a family crest, lifted a glass of brandy to a pair of firm, stern lips.

Enjoying watching the upper echelons of Bekenstein's society mingling from his vantage point above them all, Victor Lawson found his gaze drawn to the Asari. He could see from the way that she moved that she was no stranger to the grace of her surroundings, and yet she bore a mystery about her that he could not decipher. The fact that she could hide so much from him only helped to increase the attraction.

He smirked as she gracefully but firmly denied the young man whom she had been dancing with. Clearly this was a woman of some taste. She would not settle for the first paramour to stride towards her.

He felt his libido swell with every moment he watched her. As she wove her way past a cluster of rowdy young men, some of whom leered at her rather crassly, she turned and, with a handful of quick, sharp words that Victor could not make out from this distance, shot them down.

Obviously a woman with a measure of wit, then. Unexpected, given the usual manicured, billion-credit genetically modified airheads he saw so frequently at these functions.

His interest piqued, the billionaire continued to watch her carefully, in much the same way that a hawk gazes down upon the mouse scurrying through the foliage below.

**~o~0~o~**

She was being watched. She knew not from whence the watchful gaze came, but she knew she had been noticed. She could sense it, a tingle at the base of her spine, a shiver in her shoulders, and a buzz in her mind.

Now was not the time for mistakes. She could not give any clue that she was the huntress instead of the prey.

She stalked over to a cluster of men and women staring at a sculpture in one corner of the hall. The marble was carefully carved into a dizzying tangle of geometric shapes, at times turning in on themselves in a confusing and slightly headache-inducing way. It stood above a pool of water, the surface of the pool rippling to create graceful patterns.

"An incredible piece." One of the women encircling the sculpture said. "One of Moya's first."

"I hear Lawson salvaged this from the ruins of Shanxi." One of the men murmured.

"He owns a lot of pieces from the decades surrounding Earth's arrival on the Galactic scene. He says that they have a strong connection to our rebirth as a strong entity among the other races." Another woman said. "He's always harking back to 'the way we were back then', when Humanity looked out for itself and didn't meekly serve the Council."

"He's right." The man agreed. "We've lost our fire since we became a part of Citadel Space."

"I heard that Victor's got an entire gallery of antiques and relics just like this." The first woman said. "Even got a reconstructed automobile, internal combustion engine and all."

"Didn't those things run on gasoline? Ugh, how primitive." The second woman supplied, a note of disgust in her voice.

Samara navigated her way past them, drawing up close to the bar. The man on duty behind the polished mahogany surface winked at her roguishly, but she kept her gaze distant, turning from him to face the rest of the hall.

**~o~0~o~**

Victor stepped out from the stairwell, looking around cautiously. He spotted his quarry at the bar, leaning back languorously as she watched the partygoers with a measure of disinterest.

Good. He wasn't looking for one so easily entertained. He required a woman of… more sophisticated tastes.

He stepped up to the bar, ordering himself a drink as he watched her out of the corner of his eye.

**~o~0~o~**

She could see her quarry, although she did not dignify him with an outright glance. She felt a hot knot of tension in her stomach. The slightest mistake here, and he would be alerted to her true purpose. She had to continue to hold up the façade that he was stalking her rather than the other way around.

A burly man, greying hair betraying his advanced years. He glanced over at her slyly before turning his full gaze towards her.

"I don't believe we've been introduced. The name's Gareth Farley."

The Asari's eyes widened a tiny fraction of an inch at the name. The Cisiontech Corporation's CEO had been making the news lately. The reporters had claimed he was worth more than seventy billion credits, at least enough money to buy a small star system three times over.

"Samara." She managed calmly, bowing her head. He took her hand a kissed it, an ancient human custom that was considered refined, albeit a little too old-fashioned.

"Charmed." He replied through a grin reminiscent of a crocodile watching a herd of buffalo crossing his river. "So are you enjoying the evening so far?"

"It has been… sufficiently entertaining." She said, aware she had to maintain her mask of indifference.

"The music's good, at least." He continued. "They're Earth-trained, I believe. Not often you hear the classic styles anymore. Too much of that new rubbish, full of beeps and screeches. Not to my taste, of course. And apparently not to the tastes of young Mr Lawson."

"I must admit, classical Earth music appeals to me." Samara said, drawing upon the knowledge she had acquired of the fledgling civilisation when she had learned that she must leave Asari Space.

An idea popped into her head, a memory of one time where she had walked into the former Cerberus operative's office to hear a strange, soothing melody playing on Miranda's personal music system. She had asked about it, and the pair had talked briefly. She drew the name up from her memories.

"I am particularly fond of the adagio movement of Nielsen's Fifth Symphony. The tones are so gentle. I find myself moved every time I hear it."

"Clearly you are a woman of great taste." Victor Lawson said, stepping up behind her. He smirked past her at the blustering Farley. "Enough, Gareth. Why don't you go find someone more suited to your stamina? I wish to talk to the young lady."

Farley's face turned a deep crimson at the brusque dismissal, but he was wise enough to know not to make an issue out of it. He turned to leave, a glum look on his face.

Samara chuckled as she turned towards the man, taking in his overbearing stature. She felt a lump of disgust rise in her throat, but she managed to speak around it, putting the mission ahead of her distaste for the man.

"I can hardly be considered 'young' by Human standards. I have lived for longer than several of your generations combined."

"Youth is not always a matter of numbers." Lawson replied smoothly. "It's all about what you feel inside, and the energy you put back into the world around you." He extended a hand. "I didn't quite catch your name."

"Samara." The Asari replied calmly.

"A beautiful name, for a beautiful woman. I've been watching you for a while now. You're different from the other women here. That's why I picked you out to talk to."

"Really? And what makes you so sure I'd want to speak to you?" Samara asked. Hard-to-get was the name of the game here.

Lawson's burst of laughter turned a few heads around the hall.

"Ha! Don't you know who I am?"

"Why should I?" The Asari's tone made it clear that she did, but quietly chided his overconfidence.

"Heh, indeed, indeed! Well, perhaps we should get to know one another better. What can I get you to drink?"

"A Mannovai Daybreak."

"I see your tastes are expensive as well as refined." He said approvingly. "An excellent choice." He snapped his fingers at the barman and, within seconds, two drinks appeared on the counter. They simmered although they were cold to the touch, glowing a faint orange.

"Perhaps we could go somewhere a little quieter?" He suggested.

Samara nodded acceptance of his invitation and followed him up a set of stairs until finally the two of them were in a secluded spot up on one of the balconies overhanging the main hall. As they ascended the stairs, unseen by anyone, the bracelet on Samara's arm began to flicker, an inner light growing brighter. Victor waved a hand at the seats arrayed before them. The party still buzzed around them, but the noise was somewhat muted up there. Victor took a seat, lounging back casually as Samara sat carefully in a deep, embracing chair opposite him.

She took a moment to absorb his appearance. The man was tall, almost the same height as a Turian. His shoulders were broad, with his torso tapering down to a narrow waist, supported by two thick, strong legs. His body was encased in an elegant charcoal suit. The jacket of the suit buttoned up the left side of his chest, reaching a point about three inches shy of his shoulder, where the grey fabric gave way to a triangle of white shirt that extended to either side of his neck. A silver cravat adorned his neck, bound in a complex knot that would have required quite some time to construct. Diamond cufflinks glinted against his grey sleeves, shining stars just above his hands. A third diamond studded his tie pin, fastened onto his cravat not far from his heart.

The Human's face was well-worn, the signs of age setting in already, even though he was not much more than fifty five, now a young age thanks to the life-extending advances of Humanity's medical science. Piercing blue eyes reminiscent of Miranda's stared out from the firm features, flanking a straight, stern nose above a pair of thin, imposing lips. The skin had been tanned a rich hue, the result of much time spent in warmer climates rather than a pale imitation. Black hair had become flecked with grey, a salt-and-pepper smattering of light and dark passing through it.

She was drawn out of her study of her quarry when he shifted and spoke.

"Sometimes these parties can be so dull, you know?" Victor began. "All of these 'upper class' morons, they've been born with a silver spoon in their mouths. They don't know what it's like to have to work for every last credit of your fortune. That kind of coddling encourages a softness of the mind. Most of the bimbos that show up here couldn't tie their own shoelaces!" He chuckled. "But then someone like you shows up. You stand out from all the others. Why is that, I wonder?"

"I understand my desires." Samara said confidently.

"Do you really?" Victor smiled widely. "And what is it you desire right now?"

"Now, now, Mr Lawson. We mustn't rush things." She smiled devilishly, flirtatiously. The man opposite her chuckled.

"Of course. You're right. Let's get to know one another first. We've already established our common interest in classical Earth music. What other forms of art do you enjoy?"

"I am a fan of art from Humanity's twentieth and twenty-first century."

"Indeed? You seem to have a great interest in my species, Samara. Why would an Asari have studied us so intently?"

"I admire your people. When you emerged from your system, you had such fire." Samara explained, lounging back in her chair. She tilted her head on its side in a suggestive manner. "The Turians and the Salarians lack your passion."

"Absolutely. I've yet to meet a race as driven as Humanity."

"Indeed. However, your passion seems to have cooled somewhat of late. Being a part of the Council does not seem to suit you."

Victor looked at her for a moment, intrigued. He had not met an alien who shared his views of how becoming a part of the Citadel Council was a bad thing for Humanity. He sighed.

"You're right. You're right. When we found the Charon Relay, we wouldn't ask for permission to form an expedition to explore the Galaxy. We'd just get on with it, consequences be damned. Now, we're held back by our fear of pissing off everyone else."

"It is commendable that you hold onto your convictions." Samara responded, crossing her legs slowly. "I admire a man with a strong character."

"I see." He chuckled as he downed the last of his drink. "Perhaps this is a conversation better continued elsewhere. Tell me, would you care to see my private gallery?"

"I think that would be fascinating." Samara answered, her pulse racing. Going somewhere secluded with the egotistical Lawson was not something she had planned upon, but a swift glance at her bracelet told her that the omnitool mod still had work to do.

Victor stood gracefully, offering the Asari his hand. The pair walked off to a nearby door, heading away from the hall and the rest of the partygoers.

After a short stroll, the pair entered a dim room. Their footsteps echoed hollowly back from the walls, indicating that the room was fairly large. Victor tapped a command on his omnitool, and soft white light filled the room, revealing a long, wide room. Victor's private gallery was filled with a vast collection of items from Humanity's history. Samara could see a number of paintings on the walls and sculptures dotted around the room. She also spotted a number of glass cases containing a selection of artefacts from Humanity's rise to the stars, charting Earth's progress from the first space flight to the discovery of the Charon Relay and beyond.

One case held a dirty off-white suit of puffy fabric, a primitive environmental suit. A bulky helmet hung above the suit, reflective metal faceplate reflecting the Asari's image back at her.

"That's one of my favourites." Victor said proudly, standing at her shoulder. "It was the suit Grigor Maryoshev wore when he made his first steps on the surface of Mars."

"'Raised up by the hands of a planet united, it is not one man who stands here today, but the entire Human race.'" Samara quoted.

"Some of the most inspiring words I have ever heard. It was then that Humanity realised that we don't need to stay in the cradle we started out from. We finally began to work together as one species to reach towards the stars."

"A momentous turning point in your history."

Samara turned from this display case, walking past a few more pieces before emerging into s large open space at the centre of the room. A large raised platform had been erected there, upon which sat a sleek, black vehicle. It was a convertible, the cloth roof folded back behind the rear storage space. Four black rubber tyres sat underneath it, their hub caps giving the impression of extreme speed captured in a static shape. The passenger compartment was set quite far back behind a long snout-like protuberance at the front. Two headlights glinted in the very front of the machine, framing a rounded radiator grille.

"You like it?" Victor asked. "Aston Martin, DB AR1. An automobile from the very early years of the twenty-first century. Only one hundred of these were ever built, and only three remain in existence today. This is the only one that still works."

"Impressive, after almost two centuries."

"I had to have her restored, of course. Of course, I made sure all materials used in her restoration were sourced from Earth. Everything is as authentic as it can be."

"A considerable undertaking."

"Indeed. Perhaps I'll take you for a spin around Milgrom City sometime."

"That would be… most enjoyable." Samara said. As she spoke, she felt the bracelet tighten around her wrist, vibrating to notify her that the omnitool mod had completed its task and was now transmitting the codes to the Normandy, to be forwarded to the waiting Legion. She flashed Lawson a winning smile.

"I must say, this has been a most enjoyable evening-" She began.

"And it's only just begun." Victor said with a wolfish grin. "I intend to embrace a lot more than eternity with you tonight, Samara."

"Oh goddess…" Samara repressed a groan at the less than spectacular come-on.

"Oh, you'll be saying that a lot tonight." Victor moved closer.

Samara closed her eyes with a measure of dread. She couldn't risk breaking her cover now, not when it would jeopardise the rest of the squad. She just had to hope that she could stall Lawson long enough for the rest of the team to accomplish their goals.

**~o~0~o~**

**~GARRUS~**

"Something's not right."

Garrus turned at Etarn's words. His team, consisting of the Batarian, Mordin and Elanie, all waited tensely in the rear of the skycar. The Revenant sat behind the controls, ready to take the vehicle back to meet up with Kaidan for the extraction.

They had found a spot on one of the streets leading up to the Lawson estate, from where they stared straight ahead at the towering wall that surrounded the vast tracts of land.

"Why are they taking so long?" The four-eyed alien pondered.

"Just relax, Etarn. We'll get word when everything is good and ready, not a minute before." The Turian assured him calmly.

"Indeed. Shepard and his associates always attain to success." Mordin murmured. "Plus, absence of explosions to indicate trouble. Shepard… lacking in subtlety when it comes to reacting to threats."

"I've just got word from Kaidan." The Revenant announced. "He's found Grunt. The package was delivered successfully."

"There, you see?" Garrus said confidently. "I've yet to find a system that the Geth can't handle. Once Samara gets those codes to him, there'll be nothing to stop us."

"I take it that seeing as the tick-tock got past the security gate that Feron's doing his job right." Elanie said coolly. "We can assume that the estate's external net is down."

"There's a reason why he's one of the Broker's top agents."

"And there's a reason why I'm one as well." She snapped. "It should be me in there. I've got the tech skills for this."

"And that's why you're assigned to my squad." Garrus explained. "Once we're in, we'll need a tech in case Legion can't keep a hold of the system. If he gets discovered, there won't be much he can do except run."

"Still freaks me out that you call that thing 'he' and treating it like it's your friend. I mean, you saw what they did to the Citadel first hand. How can you be okay with letting one watch your back?"

"Only through experience. I'd have never trusted a Krogan to watch my back until the Commander let Urdnot Wrex join the team. That turned out well in the end. Now I understand the Krogan in a way few Turians do, and in the same way I'm not about to question anyone else Shepard chooses to trust.

"Hell, look at who we've got working together now. A Krogan and an STG agent, Humans and Batarians, even had Tali and Legion being civil to one another. How long has it been since a Quarian and a Geth spoke to one another without bullets flying by overhead or one being restrained on an operating table before the vivisection? I mean, most of us aren't ready to jump into one another's bunks or anything, but we're all working together, due in no small part to the man leading us. So yes, I am perfectly okay letting my friend watch my back."

Elanie's lip curled in distaste, but she held her tongue. As he studied her expression, Garrus realised another reason why the Commander had assigned her to his squad. The Shadow Broker agent was used to operating on her own. She was a loose cannon, a playing piece Shepard didn't want moving around the board without a guiding hand.

"Incoming transmission from the Normandy." The Revenant intoned stoically. "Samara has transmitted the access codes. Legion confirms receipt of the codes, and is attempting to access the mansion's internal systems. Access confirmed."

"That's our green light." Garrus concluded firmly. "Move out."

"With you, Vakarian."

"Agreed."

"Point us in the right direction, Turian."

The squad clambered out of the vehicle, Garrus taking the lead as they began to move across the street. Behind him, elanie and Etarn ran moved in sync, Mordin bringing up the rear. The Batarian carried a large crate, normally the kind used to transport power cells. Behind them, the Revenant tapped a few controls and the skycar lifted up into the sky, arrowing off away from the estate.

The Turian drew close to the wall that separated them from the estate. Looking both ways to make sure that there was no one in sight, he pulled a roll of thick cloth about two feet wide from where it had been attached to his belt. With a practiced gesture, he flicked the cloth up, watching it arc over the wall about three metres above him. It unfurled across the razor-wire lining the top of the wall, providing a safe handhold.

This done, he turned to face the rest of his squad, dropping into a crouch with his hands cupped before him. Elanie was the first to reach him, her hand pushing against the top of his skull as her foot landed neatly in the well formed by his interlinked hands. The Turian grunted as he heaved, turning the momentum of her run into an upward thrust that launched her at the top of the wall. Her hands curled around the covered razor-wire, heaving herself over the wall to land on the far side gracefully.

Etarn was next, the Batarian's extra bulk proving to be a little more difficult for Garrus to handle, but he made it over without incident. Garrus quickly heaved the crate Etarn had been carrying after him. Finally, Mordin was launched over the wall, his advanced years making the jump a little difficult, but his light weight making it all the easier for Garrus to give him the needed boost.

With his companions all safely over, Garrus stood, taking a few steps back from the wall. He took a long, slow breath before his lanky frame burst into motion, his legs pumping under him as he covered the distance in moments. He leapt, his foot pounding against the wall in an attempt to launch himself over. His long arms flailed at the top of the wall, gloved talons finding purchase. He struggled to maintain his momentum, pushing himself over the wall. He slowed just enough that his stomach hit the top of the wall painfully, driving the wind from his lungs. He finished the vault clumsily, dropping to the ground with a groan as his ankles took the strain of his landing.

"Garrus! You alright?" Elanie asked hoarsely as she grabbed his shoulder to steady him.

"Wooph! Had the reach that time, but still no flexibility." The Turian chuckled, much to the bemusement of his companions. He straightened with a cough, turning to face the vast stretch of ground before him. "Let's keep going."

Etarn retrieved the crate, falling into step with the others as the team moved off, scurrying across the estate's vast grounds. Garrus led the way as they wove their way around the clusters of trees and the huge pond that occupied the majority of the space between the estate's walls and the mansion itself.

The Turian led the squad around the back of the mansion, staying back from the paths and open spaces that became more frequent closer to the repulsively extravagant building. As they proceeded around the mansion, the ground began to slope downwards, forming a bowl-shaped dip, the bottom of which flattener out into a landing pad. Adjacent to this, a set of massive steel doors loomed out of the slope, the main entrance to the Lawson estate's vehicle garages and shuttle bays. The end result was a large, serviceable shuttle depot concealed from the mansion so as not to disrupt Victor Lawson's view of the unbroken, idyllic landscape that he owned.

Garrus' hand shot out, clenched in a cautioning fist to bring the others to a sudden halt at the lip of the depression.

Down below, two guards stood watch over the doors. Above them, a bank of security cameras left no blind spot to be exploited.

"Feron, Legion, it's Garrus here. We've got two guards and a whole load of cams at the door we need to get past. Can you help us out?"

"Acknowledged, Gunner-Vakarian. Accessing appropriate comm frequencies… done. Sampling previous transmissions. Acquiring voiceprint of guard commander. Synthesising and transmitting."

"I'm gonna need a translation." Etarn said once the Geth had stopped speaking. "Anyone got a machine-speak phrasebook?"

"He's sending a false transmission to the guards using the voice of their commander to lure them away." Garrus explained.

"Squad Delta, this is Captain Fairway." An unfamiliar female's voice echoed over the comm channels. "We've got some movement in sector seven. Go check it out."

"Copy that." Came the prompt response. An instant later, the guards moved off, heading away from the waiting squad.

"Feron, how's about dealing with those cameras for us?" Garrus said once the first obstacle had removed itself.

"Already done. No one'll even know your guard friends left. Good luck, Vakarian."

"Thanks." The Turian turned to his comrades. "Move. We don't have much time."

"Gunner-Vakarian." The Geth's voice sounded over the comms.

"What is it, Legion?"

"Our comms were impaired by countermeasures of significant power upon our arrival within the lower levels of Target Lawson's domicile. We have only been capable of re-establishing contact with the Normandy through use of the security comm network present within the domicile."

"So when we get inside, we'll lose contact with everyone else?"

"Correct."

"Then I guess we're relying on you to watch out asses."

"The observation of your posteriors would not be beneficial to the mission. Such an activity would be illogical and inefficient."

"Just make sure the security systems don't turn on us." Garrus said, exasperated at the sentient machine's lacking understanding of organic sentiment.

"Acknowledged."

The heavy doors groaned open as the squad approached them, presumably at the Geth platform's prompting.

Inside, the squad was greeted by a dark interior. Obviously there were no expected arrivals, so the hangars had been shut down for the night. Loading cranes hung overhead like the menacing talons of an eagle, ready to dart down and grab their victims. In this case those 'victims' were many different cargo containers, from small footlockers to huge crates that could have held a skycar inside. The crane control room waited to one side, cast into darkness. As the hangar doors slid shut behind them, the team activated their omnitool flashlights on, scanning the path ahead of them.

Garrus was antsy about heading off into territory he couldn't analyse properly, but he knew that switching the lights on would only draw attention to their presence. Even the dimmest of guards would grow suspicious upon seeing a complex this size light up like a Christmas tree.

The four team members shuffled along, finding their cautious way through the stacks of crates. A small square of light at the far end of the room announced the way out, and Garrus used that as his point of reference in navigating the labyrinth formed by the multitude of cargo containers around.

As they reached roughly the halfway point, just passing the silent hulk of a personal shuttle, his keen hearing picked up a sound that was out-of-place in the dead of the hangar. Before he could identify the nature of the noise, silence descended again. He looked to his comrades.

"Did you hear that?" He asked slowly, as quietly as he could. Even so, the whisper bounced around the crates hollowly.

"Mechanical gyros." Mordin said promptly. "pitch would indicate smaller size, such as used in security mechs. Could be machinery, but unlikely given hangar's deserted state."

"Alert. Intruders detected." A flat, feminine voice sounded out from the shadows nearby. Garrus' light twitched over to the source of the noise, illuminating the distinctive shape of a LOKI mech. "Lower your weapons and prepare to be escorted to the nearest security post."

"Sorry. Not a chance." Garrus said, drawing his pistol and squeezing the trigger in one fluid motion. There was a sharp crack and the mech sparked, it's arm dropping to the floor lifeless. It studied the lost limb for a moment, taking in the dropped firearm as well as it's sparking shoulder socket.

"Hostile actions logged. Weapons systems disabled. Alert. All nearby units. Hostiles within hangar bay. Initiate-" It's next sentence was silenced by a second shot from the Turian's pistol.

"Damn it." Garrus cursed. "Why doesn't Legion shut 'em down?"

As he spoke, the Turian heard the groans and whirrs of many more mechs powering up.

"Likely mechs are insulated against hacking via security system uplink." Mordin theorised. "Impossible to hack at this distance. Should be grateful they can deactivate distress signal to prevent other guards from approaching."

"Then I guess we do things the low-tech way." Garrus said firmly. He turned to his associates as he pulled his assault rifle from his back. "Quickly. If we fall back to the crane control room, it'll provide us with a fortified place while we mow these clankers down."

Etarn lifted his crate back onto his shoulders as the others formed a triangle around him, Elanie and Mordin in front with Garrus at the rear, as they began to move towards the darkened control room. The Turian faced backwards, covering the squad's rear as they moved.

Seconds later, the first wave of mechs tottered into view, both behind and in front of them. Elanie used her SMG to spray bullets at the approaching enemies, her attacks ringing in the dark hangar, but doing little more than denting the white shells of the robots as they advanced sturdily. Mordin was more successful, sending an electro-magnetic pulse at the mechs on the right, temporarily shorting them out. Their stiff forms proved to obstruct those behind, buying Elanie a precious few seconds to blow their metal heads off. Between the two of them, they soon had about a half dozen of the metal men dropping to the deck, wire spilling out from the punctured metal.

At the rear, Garrus feathered the trigger of his rifle, peppering the mechs approaching from behind. Some shuddered under the assault, but they still continued to advance. In the middle of the pack, still carrying the crate across his shoulders, Etarn turned and let loose with his biotics, hurling several of the machines into the air, where they stayed suspended, flailing inneffectually.

The squad found themselves harried from all sides, slowed to a crawl by the press of enemies. Garrus' HUD beeped as his kinetic barriers dropped below fifty per cent. He looked at their destination with frustration. The dim interior of the control room beckoned tantalisingly, promising safety while remaining almost as far away as it had been when the squad had found themselves under fire.

"My shields are shot all to hell, Vakarian!" Elanie shouted. "We need to get into some kind of cover."

The Turian surveyed their immediate surroundings, looking for somewhere they could shelter from the deadly hailstorm of enemy fire. His eyes settled upon a small alcove formed between three stacks of crates, another pile of crates reaching only to waist height and forming a suitable barrier they could hide behind. While not perfect, it would suffice to give their shields a moment to recharge.

"Over there!" He pointed. "Quickly! Move!"

He waited as the rest of the team clambered into cover before vaulting over the crates himself. He spun around and dropped into a crouch, laying his rifle across the top of the crates and firing into the hostile ranks.

Beside him, Mordin kept up a constant stream of tech attacks. One moment he was launching an Overload at the mechs, stunned machines falling to the floor as he spread electrical mayhem through their numbers, and the next he was using the Cryo Blast mod on his omnitool, clogging the joints of his targets in a thick crust of ice that held them in place. Their metal shells, made brittle by the extreme cold, shattered at the tiniest impact.

As the Salarian stood up to launch a new attack, two sharp thuds sounded out and he dropped to the deck, green blood flowing from two wounds, one grazing his temple while the other punctured his chest. The large-eyed alien choked as a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

"Mordin!" Garrus exclaimed, diving to the floor next to his fallen friend. For a moment, he was back on Omega, watching as what little was left of his team fell by his side, victims of Sidonis' betrayal. "Hang in there buddy. I've got some medi-gel here. We'll have you fixed up in no time."

Behind them, Elanie and Etarn worked to keep the mechs at bay. The Salarian lifted his hand towards Garrus stiffly, back first. It took a second for the Turian to realise he was offering an omnitool mod transfer.

"Lung… punctured. Need to seal wound to prevent asphyxiation. Gel insufficient. Here… Incinerate mod."

"I- I can't." Garrus gasped. "The pain…"

"Pain irrelevant. Have suffered much worse." The Doctor said stubbornly. Garrus swallowed, nodding.

Slowly, reluctantly, Garrus brought his omnitool over the wound, tapping out the necessary commands. He used his other hand to hold the Salarian still and pressed activate.

The sizzle of burning flesh filled the air, a repugnant odour drifting over the squad. The crackle of searing meat was immediately replaced by the pained screams as Mordin's back arched, his struggles almost breaking Garrus' grip. Finally, after some agonising seconds, the omnitool darkened. Garrus lifted his hand away to see a charred, blackened patch where the wound had been. An instant later, the Salarian's omnitool beeped, his combat armour reacting to his unsteady vitals and administering pain medication.

"Stay down, doc." Garrus ordered as he returned to firing at the incoming foes.

"Between Garrus, Etarn and Elanie's combined attacks, they managed to mow down a considerable number of mechs, but the enemy just kept coming. Incapable of experiencing fear, and not sophisticated enough to utilise complex tactics, the mechs just kept on advancing, regardless of their losses. In this way, no matter how many were felled, they continued to close on the squad.

A new sound drew Garrus' attention. He turned to try and spot the source of a rhythmic clatter. There was another clank, drawing his gaze upwards.

Two red rings of light, one above the other, peeked over the top of the stack of crates behind the squad. Before the Turian had a chance to shout a warning, a FENRIS mech launched itself at his comrades' backs.

The wolf-shaped machine barrelled into Etarn, bearing the Batarian to the ground. As it pressed its attack, Garrus noted a few key differences between this one and the models he was familiar with.

This mech lacked the bulky, ungainly body of its predecessors, possessing a leaner, more predatory appearance. Its limbs ended in shining talons, razor sharp blades that glinted malevolently. In the squad's wildly unstable flashlight beams, the mech took on a feral, frenzied appearance, slashing at Etarn furiously. The Batarian lifted his arms in an attempt at defending himself, his biotics flaring as he tried to raise a barrier around himself.

Garrus yelped at the sudden intrusion, spinning around to try and turn his weapon on the mech as it did it's best to slash through Etarn's defences, but found the rifle to be too cumbersome in the confined space. He considered drawing his shotgun, but he was uncomfortable with the weapon and didn't want to risk hitting any of his allies, a distinct possibility in the confined space.

With a grunt, he dropped the weapon and charged at the FENRIS, head lowered as he ploughed into the machine and pushed it off his friend. It let loose a shriek of protest as it turned it's attentions to the Turian, its limbs twisting in a way that would have been impossible for an organic as it tried to claw at him. Garrus winced as the talons shrieked across his armour, gouging a finger-deep trench of metal across his chest plate. Inside the armour, the shrill din was almost unbearable. He tried to find a purchase on the mech, wrestling with it as it sought to disembowel him. Finally he got a grip at the shoulder joint, the machine's 'neck', and pulled with all the strength he could summon to his clawed hands.

With a groan, the metal slowly gave, the machine's head ripping off to leave behind a mess of wires and tubes protruding from the empty socket, somewhat reminiscent of the veins and arteries of a flesh and blood creature.

Panting heavily, the Turian extended a hand down to the prone Batarian. Etarn accepted the hand up, a look of gratitude in his four eyes. They moved back to their positions, resuming their defence of their pitifully inadequate fortified position.

Their run of luck resumed as the metal floor beneath them began to thrum with a steady, pounding beat. In the distance, two YMIR mechs rounded a stack of crates, the heavy fire from their combined chain guns sending the squad ducking down into hiding.

"What in the hells is going on here?" Garrus cursed as he sent a spray of bullets at the massive machines, only for them to bounce off their powerful shields. "Is there a factory here somewhere, churning them out faster than we can blow 'em up?"

"We can't keep two heavies at bay at once, Vakarian." Elanie said, her SMG buzzing as it discharged a spent clip.

"Well I'm open to suggestions." He snapped as their refuge shuddered, a rocket hitting very close by.

"I've got an idea." Etarn said, his arm flaring blue as he hurled a LOKI at its larger cousins. "I need you to hold their fire, though."

"Can do, Etarn. Show us what you've got."

Garrus stood, sidling over to one side of their shelter as he fired. The large machines tracked his movement, their fire following him. As he provided this distraction, Etarn vaulted out from behind the crates, his form flickering and vanishing before the mechs could get a bead on him.

Garrus saw him disappear out of the corner of one eye, keeping the majority of his focus on the two large targets before him. His hands tingled from the chatter of his assault rifle as he emptied a clip at one of them, dropping into cover as his barriers dropped dangerously low. As he slid into cover, Elanie popped up, her SMG singing a higher-pitched chant of destruction as the first YMIR's shields shimmered. She dipped back behind the crates, activating her omnitool.

"Hey, Vakarian! Hold 'em off for a second."

Garrus's mandibles twitched in confusion as he complied, his attacks pinging against the lumbering robot's armour. He roared in frustration as his rifle ran hot again, prompting him to switch clips. He was down to his last handful of the things, and soon his rifle wouldn't be of much use save for beating the mechs over the head.

"Almost there… done!" Elanie shouted. "Get into cover, Turian, and watch the magic!"

She stood up, aiming her omnitool at the YMIR whose shields had been stripped. A green pulse leapt from her palm as her arm jolted back. The pulse zipped towards the heavy mech, splatting against the armour. The green glow spread across the white shell of the machine, seeping through seams and access ports. The YMIR shuddered as the electrical attack founds its way in, its circuits surging with power. It froze for a moment as its processor absorbed a stream of new information before turning slowly. Its weapons swung around and it unleashed a powerful burst of bullets at its fellow.

The second YMIR had no time to react before it's shields suffered under the blistering hail of fire. Watching this, Garrus let out a shout of triumph.

"Y-heah!" He cried out as the two machines slugged it out. Rather than draw their attention, he targeted their smaller brethren. He sent an approving smile Elanie's way. "AI Hacking. Impressive."

"They don't teach you that in the Alliance Engineering corps." She explained as she gunned down another LOKI. "Picked it up from an old Quarian friend of mine."

Their victory was short-lived, however, as the second YMIR gunned down the hacked one, its intact shields having given it the advantage over its brother. It turned back to the hiding squad, a renewed malevolence in its movements.

"Ahh.. crap. Figured it was too good to last." Garrus said as he ducked out of the machine's line of fire. "You think you can hack that one as well?"

"Not with the shields still up. Plus it'll be ready for it this time."

The Human's explanation was interrupted by a thunderous clang as the YMIR's bulky arm slammed into the top of the crate they were behind. Its black and red face peered over the crate at them, emitting a stuttering groan as its weapons charged.

A shuddering rumble filled the air above them as something slid into place above the mech's head. The YMIR looked up to the source of the noise just as a huge claw descended out of the darkness, closing around its body. There was a straining yowl of protest as the machinery struggled to lift the YMIR's weight before the robot's feet finally left the floor. The YMIR struggled against the claw's grasp, to no avail. As it hovered above Garrus and Elanie, the claw tightened, eliciting a howl of tearing metal as the armour buckled, the machine's internal workings spilling out in a glittering rain. The claw jerked to the side, releasing the mutilated machine and casting it aside.

Garrus looked around in surprise, finally spotting Etarn behind the consoles in the control room. The lights flickered on in the small room, turning it into a beacon for the battered squad. Lifting Mordin onto his shoulder, Garrus waved for Elanie to follow him. The pair lifted their weapons and laid into what was left of the mech ranks, cutting a path through as they moved towards the control room. At last they staggered through the doors, the Batarian sealing the room behind them. As the metal doors slid shut, they reverberated to the sound of repeated bullet impacts.

Inside, Garrus sagged with relief, glad of the chance to take a breather. He carefully put Mordin down in one of the chairs in the room, where the Salarian slumped groggily as he mumbled, fuzzy from the effects of the sedatives. Elanie kneeled next to him, administering a cocktail of stimulants and various immuno-boosters. As she did this, Garrus turned to face the smiling Batarian, patting him on the shoulder.

"Great job, four eyes. You might just make it as a part of the Normandy crew after all."

Etarn only smirked in response. They both turned as Elanie straightened up.

"Right. What's our next move?" She asked.

"I think we've broken the back of the mech forces now." Garrus explained. "Didn't see or hear any more heavies on our way here, and there weren't many dog-bots in that mix. With only light mechs in our way, and not many at that, we should be able to push our way to the exit fairly quickly. So take a load off while Mordin wakes up, and then we move out."

"Sounds good." Etarn agreed. "I doubt we'll encounter this concentration of enemies elsewhere in the base, so once we leave the hangar behind we can focus on finding the labs and grabbing that data."

"I just hope this data can give us a good lead on Cerberus." Garrus muttered.

"It had better." Elanie said, venom in her voice.

"Whoa, I'm guessing it's more than just the Shadow Broker who wants to get at the Illusive Man." Garrus observed.

"Cerberus is a menace. The sooner they stop bloody interfering in Humanity's prospects, the sooner we can get ourselves on track."

"Okay… I'm sensing a personal matter here, but I'm not gonna pry." Garrus said. "Just stay focused on watching our backs. Whether we find something on Cerberus or not, we've still got the Commander counting on us."

"Don't tell me how to carry out this sort of mission." She snapped. "This isn't my first time at the rodeo. I know what's expected of me."

Garrus watched her as the Human turned her back on him, striding over to Mordin as the amphibious alien tried to stand up, his feet unsteady beneath him. The woman was strong-willed, he had to admit. But a stubborn attitude could be dangerous in the battlefield. He'd need to keep an eye on her, once he figured out what the hell a 'rodeo' was.

"Come on." The Turian said as Mordin waved away Elanie's help, his eyes blinking rapidly as they refocused. "We won't get our job done sitting around here. Let's clean out the last of the mechs and get to those labs."

**~o~0~o~**

**~SHEPARD~**

"Commander, Legion reports that they have gained control of the internal security network." The Normandy AI's voice chimed in Shepard's ear.

"I hear you, EDI. I'll let you know when we get what we need." The Commander muttered. Jack, leaning close to him as they moved about on the dance floor, turned her face towards his, eyes betraying a momentary disappointment.

"I guess that means we're done here?" She said wistfully.

"For now. If you like, we can do this again sometime."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Alright then. Let's find the others."

Kasumi and Delexia hadn't wandered far. The Japanese thief had insinuated herself into a gaggle of socialites discussing the various pieces of art around the hall. A quick nod from the Commander, and she excused herself, leaving her drink with one ruddy-faced aristocrat who had been trying to win her affections by means of an endless stream of terrible chat-up lines and copious amounts of alcohol, both of which she had skilfully managed to avoid having affect her. Delexia was blending in at the bar and, upon seeing the rest of the team gathering, left her second glass of Palaven Senesiac, a glowing purple drink with a flavour somewhat similar to absinthe.

Once they had regrouped, the team made their way towards one of the many staircases that led to the balconies above the main hall. On the upper levels, Shepard kept an eye out for a door that would take them deeper into the mansion. A moment's search was all it took, and as they approached, the door clicked open, evidence of the Geth platform's influence on the mansion's security systems. The Commander paused, making sure no one was looking in their direction, and slid through the door.

On the other side, the Commander found himself in a long corridor. A thick, red carpet coated the floor, while the walls were panelled with dark wood. The lights here were soft, warm, inviting.

He pulled his pistol from its spot in his waistband, ready for trouble. Beside him, Delexia produced a long, serrated blade from within her dress, though where she had concealed it Shepard could not tell. Jack and Kasumi, relying upon their biotics and tech skills respectively, had forsaken weapons.

They moved down the corridor, cautiously keeping an eye out for and of Lawson's staff.

"Legion, do you read me?" Shepard asked over the comms.

"Shepard-Commander."

"We're out of the public eye now. Can you give us any directions to the upper levels and Lawson's office?"

"Processing… done. We have calculated the most expedient path from your current location to the objective. Uploading to your omnitool."

"Got it, thanks. Keep the way clear for us, and watch out for any guards that are close by."

"Orders received."

The Commander scanned the directions he had been given. After a short pause, he had figured out where to go.

"Alright, there's a stairway that'll take us up to the floor just below Lawson's office, not far from here. After that, we'll have to take a private elevator up to the top floor. I'll lead. Kasumi, Delexia, behind me. Jack, watch our backs."

"Yes sir, Mister Boss Man."

"Got it."

"With you, Shep."

They moved down the corridor, making a beeline for the stairway. Shepard was surprised with how quiet it was. There were no staff around at all. They must have been all occupied with catering to Lawson's guests.

A few turns in the corridor later, Shepard was beginning to relax. They were not far from the stairway when a door close to them clicked open. Shepard tensed at the sudden noise, waving urgently to his companions to get into cover. Delexia and Jack retreated into an alcove, hiding behind a statue of a burly Human in armour. Kasumi simply vanished, engaging a tactical cloak around herself. Shepard's eyes roved the corridor for a moment, looking for some refuge, but couldn't see anything. As the door swung open, he felt a presence behind him as a pair of small hands grabbed him by the waist, a slight figure enclosing him in an embrace.

"Hold still, Shep." Kasumi's voice whispered over his shoulder. "The cloak isn't meant for two. If you move too fast, it'll give out."

Shepard tensed all of his muscles, willing himself to remain still as stone. Nevertheless, he felt a tremble set into his deep muscles, an almost reflexive reaction to his wish to be motionless.

The door opened fully and a chuckling Victor Lawson strolled out, a rather uncomfortable-looking Samara on his arm. The Commander struggled to remain stationary with such a powerful enemy so close, but somehow he found the will to resist his first urge to attack the man keeping his friend hostage.

"Come on, my beautiful blue flower. We can spend some quality time in the Armstrong suite."

"Are you sure you do not need to attend to your guests?" Samara asked, a tinge of desperation to her voice.

"They are being well taken care of. I only hire the best to be on my staff. The drink is flowing freely, and they're easily amused by their own self-importance. It will be a long time yet before I am missed."

"Oh… excellent." Samara said, just barely managing to inject a modicum of enthusiasm into her tone. Not that Lawson would have noticed. Clearly he was running purely on his hormones, and the brain he was using to think was quite a distance further south than his head.

A sour taste in his mouth, Shepard let the pair wander off down the corridor. After a minute or so, they had wandered out of sight.

"Ugh. I wouldn't wish that fate upon my worst enemy." Kasumi said as her cloak faded, revealing both her and the Commander. "We'd better be quick, for her sake."

"Agreed. The sooner we're done here, the sooner she can tell that arrogant prick where he can put his end away." Jack said, stepping out from her hiding place.

"Let's keep moving." Shepard ordered.

It was not long before they were approaching the spot where Shepard's omnitool suggested that the elevator should have been. The Commander was momentarily confused when he noticed that this newest stretch of corridor was much the same as the rest of the mansion's interior. The wooden panelling continued on both sides, the occasional painting or alcove containing an elegant statue interspersing the smooth, gleaming dark wood. The Commander looked about, mind buzzing.

"Where is it?" He asked.

"Lawson is a paranoid man." Kasumi surmised. "This is his private office we're trying to get into. He might have concealed the elevator."

"Inside his own house?"

"Hey, I'm not saying it makes much sense. But you'd be amazed at how much redundancy some people have in their personal security systems. And Lawson's the type of guy who has the money and the paranoia to have taken this to an extreme."

"I guess." Shepard conceded. He activated his commlink again. "Legion, can you open up the elevator?"

"One moment." The Geth's flat voice responded. Shepard shifted impatiently on his feet for a few seconds before the sentient machine continued. "Error. We are unable to fulfil your request, Shepard-Commander."

"What's wrong? Have you been locked out of the system?" Shepard asked anxiously. If the Geth had lost control of the security systems, it wouldn't be long before their presence was detected.

"Negative. We remain in control of the security systems within the laboratory complex and the primary segments of Target Lawson's domicile. However, it would appear that both Target Lawson's office and the elevator leading to it are isolated from the main network. We cannot hack the system from here."

"Come on! Is it too much to ask for just one straightforward mission? Just one goddamned assignment that doesn't go balls-up!" Shepard cursed.

"Don't worry, Shep. Kasumi's got this." The lithe thief said as she walked up to the wall where the elevator should have been. "I've gotten in and out of places a hell of a lot tighter than this. Now help me find where the elevator shaft is."

Shepard joined her at the wall, and the pair began gently tapping the wood, listening to the sound. After only a few moments, the Commander found a segment of the wall that echoed with a hollow metallic ring.

"Got something." He said, prompting Kasumi to step over. She repeated the knocking test for herself, her eyes closed as she listened.

"Bingo. Let me just get my toys out…."

She reached up to the back of her head, pulling out the pair of jade Kogai that had been threaded through her hair. As she did so, the bun unravelled, her dark hair cascading around her ears in a silky shower. She held one up to the wall, depressing a stud in the end of it. The narrow point unfolded, sprouting a variety of needle-shaped tools. They splayed out like the petals on a flower, spinning in a dizzying pattern. An insistent beeping sounded out as green beams of light stroked the wooden panelling. The light moved out from a central point until they outlined a large rectangle. Shepard examined where the lights stopped, seeing the tiniest of seams in the wood, the outline of the elevator doors.

Kasumi pressed the button on the end of her tool again and the lights began moving once more, closing back in on a new point. The beams aligned until they pointed out a line leading away from the elevator.

"Right. Got the primary control line. We can follow this to whatever Lawson uses to open the doors. Then, its just a case of picking the lock. A lock that could potentially have millions of credits of research behind it, but a lock nonetheless."

"You know just how to make a girl feel confident, don't you, Goto?" Delexia asked with a grin.

"Meh, I do my best. C'mon. Once we find the control, I'll have it open in no time." Kasumi answered confidently.

She walked down the corridor, holding her tool in front of her and following where the green beams of light pointed. After about five metres, the beams were aimed straight at a painting of a smiling man, obviously a younger Victor Lawson, standing erect, a young girl at his side, held in place by a firm hand on her shoulder. She couldn't have been more than eight or nine, but the features were unmistakable. Even at that young age, the strikingly beautiful child was undoubtedly Miranda. Hair the colour of a raven's wing tumbled over her shoulders while sharp blue eyes gazed out from a perfect face. Even from a painting of her in her childhood, her good looks were enough to give any man pause.

"Woah. Cheerleader's family photo?" Jack breathed. "Is it just me, or does that kid look like she really don't wanna be there?"

"Just goes to show exactly what her childhood was like." Shepard commented. "Just her father, controlling everything about her life. No one looking out for her as a person, just as an investment."

"Boo-fucking-hoo. You'd better stop, Shepard. I'm misting up."

"Kasumi, can you get this thing open?" Shepard asked, keen to move on from Jack's griping about Miranda.

"Hang on." She waved her omnitool over the painting, which retracted into the wall with a hiss, revealing a holographic interface. She held her 'tool over it, a small display flickering to life over her wrist. "Okay, let's see. Pretty standard sixty five, five thirty six bit encryption software. Random number code, changed every day, but my 'tool can break through that before it can register I'm trying to hack it."

"You make it sound pretty unsophisticated, considering the investment Lawson made into the rest of his security."

"Oh no, this is incredibly sophisticated stuff he's got plugged in. Definitely more than you'd see in your standard home security package, and even than what you'd see protecting most government facilities. But you're forgetting how good I am." She bragged. "Just a sec."

She tapped out some furiously fast commands, inputting numbers faster than Shepard could even think. It was amazing to watch her keen intellect at work. The display flickered before her, red segments turning amber, then green. Some segments reverted back to red in the time it took her to change the others, but the display was turning green faster than it could change back. After about half a minute, the final segment turned green.

There was a hiss, and the panelling over the elevator creaked. A split appeared, peeling the dark brown panels away to reveal cold steel doors, which hissed open.

"Good work, Kasumi." Shepard congratulated as the squad stepped in.

The doors hissed closed behind them, followed quickly by the lurch of inertia as the elevator began its ascent. Shepard found his foot tapping impatiently as they approached the top floor.

"Hang on, if the office is on a separate security system from the rest of the mansion, won't that mean we'll be detected the moment we step inside?" Delexia asked.

"Pretty much, but this is no time for us to back out now." Shepard said firmly. "We get in, get what we need, and get out as fast as we can. Regardless of if Legion can keep us hidden or not, they can still keep Lawson's guards tangled up long enough to buy us some time."

"Flying by the seat of our pants, eh? My favourite way to do things." Jack chuckled.

Shepard smiled back as the elevator shuddered to a halt. The doors opened, revealing Victor Lawson's office. The Commander felt his breath catch upon seeing the extravagance of it all. He paused for a moment to take it all in.

The floor was tiled with red and white marble, forming swirling, looping patterns and endless knots. The walls were panelled to roughly waist height in deep reddish-brown mahogany, the upper half of the walls painted a clean white. Two sets of staircases curved upwards to either side, reaching up to a mezzanine that was suspended above the main floor. Below this, a large archive of bookshelves extended away from the elevator, a rich library, not just of digital storage devices, but also of real ink-and-paper books, the largest collection of books Shepard had ever seen. He doubted that this many printed publications could be found in any other collection. Above the mezzanine, the ceiling was made entirely of glass, offering a clear view of the night sky. This window extended down the front of the office, forming a V-shape on the front wall that offered a stunning vista across the Lawson estate.

The mezzanine itself appeared to be the office proper. The stairs leading up to it were carpeted, as was the upper level, in a plush bottle-green pile. There was a small bar up there, before which had been placed a pair of couches, upholstered in shining brown leather. The centre of the mezzanine was occupied by a desk made from black glass and spotless chrome.

The Commander had barely taken a step into the office when an alarm sounded out.

"Alert. Unauthorised personnel detected." A soft feminine voice rang out.

"Shepard-Commander. We are detecting an increase in comm traffic on enemy guard frequencies. Statistically probable that hostile VI is attempting to summon forces to your location. Attempting to hinder transmissions, but our ability to interfere is limited. Hostile guards will be en route within five point four one minutes."

"I read you, Legion. We'll do our best to be out of here before that." Shepard replied. He turned to the others. "You heard the Geth. Let's get to work."

Shepard and Kasumi scaled the stairs, heading straight for the desk. Delexia took a more leisurely route, heading for the shelves underneath the mezzanine, where she browsed the digital sections with her omnitool. Jack, as the Commander expected, made a beeline for the bar.

The desk lit up as Shepard approached, the smooth black surface becoming a touch-sensitive display. Kasumi slid into the chair before it as Shepard scanned the display.

"Alright. What've we got here? Hello, little system, fancy opening up for auntie Kasumi?" She tapped a couple of controls. The entire display suddenly flared red. "Ah-ah, that's naughty! Behave!"

Shepard watched as she worked her magic. Almost a full minute went by before the desk beeped compliantly. She moved aside as a list of files popped up.

"Here you go, Shepard. Everything Lawson's got on Cerberus."

The Commander leafed through the files, reading them carefully but quickly.

"Most of this is to do with Lawson's financial dealings with Cerberus. Front companies and various accounts he sent payments to. Some are no doubt out of date, but others will still apply." He explained. "But here's an interesting one. It's the messages sent between Lawson and Cerberus after the Normandy was captured. It gives the account payment was to be sent to, along with the courier company used to deliver the 'package', I'm guessing Miranda, to this estate."

"Not exactly the mother lode, but it's a promising start." Kasumi said. "It won't let us take the Illusive Man down, but now you've got the power to hurt him through his credit chit. And you'll be able to target any companies he's been using as a front for his operations."

"There are a lot of organisations on this list that I thought could be trusted. The fact that Cerberus has been leeching so much money out of Humanity… It boggles the mind." Shepard said sadly.

"It won't be a factor for long. You get this intel back to Liara, and I've no doubt she'll put enough pieces together to set you on old Illusive's trail."

"Here's hoping." Shepard said, finishing his download. "Okay, I've got the files. Forwarding them on to EDI… and we're good. Let's get going."

Kasumi powered the desk down, the black glass going dim as she stood up. Shepard walked over to the bar, tapping Jack's back as she rummaged around under the bar, trying to sample as much of its contents as possible.

"Jack, we've got to go."

"Aww… dammit. I just found his good stuff, too." She pouted, though the mischievous glint to her eyes made it clear she was joking.

The trio descended the stairs to find Delexia just exiting the archives, tapping at her omnitool. She looked up at them with a proud grin.

"Found some interesting data back there. A few new theories on shotgun Mass Effect Field generators and a couple of files about synthetic bone meshing. Figured Lawson wouldn't miss 'em too bad, so I lifted 'em for your Doctor Solus to take a look at."

"Good work." Shepard said. "Anything we can get our hands on will be a help against the Reapers. I'm sure Mordin will put the data to good use."

They began to move back towards the elevator when a grating whine sounded out through the office. Shepard and his comrades had just enough time to dart into cover before the elevator opened up, spilling guards out. The instant they caught sight of the intruders, the armoured guards opened fire, bullets bouncing off the marble floor and sending clouds of splinters out from the panelling on the walls.

Shepard and Jack had tumbled into hiding behind the curve of the stairs, the biotic convict sliding on the marble floor as she swung into cover. She cursed as he feet faltered beneath her, quickly slipping off her shoes so she could walk and run a little easier. This done, she peeked around their cover at the guards, launching a Warp blast at one. His armour split open under the fierce biotic attack, exposing his flesh to the destructive force of the unstable dark energy now clouding around his form. With a satisfied grunt at the success of her attack, she pulled back into cover next to Shepard, sliding into a sitting position as she tore at the hem of her dress, reducing its length to midway down her hip so it wouldn't affect her in combat. Across the way, Shepard saw Delexia do the same. Kasumi simply unfastened her kimono to reveal that she had been wearing a secondary outfit underneath, a more practical combat jumpsuit. They were seriously under-equipped for a protracted firefight, but Shepard hoped they'd be able to get out before they were at serious risk.

The Commander leaned out from behind his cover, firing his pistol a few times. One guard staggered back as his kinetic barriers shuddered under the attack, before a small round hole appeared in the brow of his helmet, a cone of red gore bursting out of the back of his helmet with the bullet. The rest of his fellows, seeing their comrade fall, concentrated their firepower on Shepard's refuge, the Commander only just pulling back into hiding as bullets began ricocheting off the staircase's railing.

On the opposite side of the office, behind the other staircase, Delexia held her knife between the tips of two of her talons. She weighted it in her hand for a moment before standing up straight, exposing herself to enemy fire for a moment. Her eyes narrowing, she threw her knife straight at one of the approaching guards. The blade whistled through the air, a silvery flash. It embedded itself in the chest of one guard, its slower speed allowing it to bypass barriers designed to deflect high-velocity bullets. The man howled in pain as the front of his armour became slick with blood, tumbling to the floor in a limp pile that slowly ceased twitching, the floor beneath him covered in a spreading pool of thickening red liquid.

Shepard shifted to the side as Jack stood again, her red dress sparkling with the crackling blue waves of dark energy she summoned to herself. The convict focused for a second and two of the guards were janked off their feet, blue energy wrapping around their ankles and dragging them towards the squad at a blinding speed. The whizzed past the squad, continuing their journey into the archives behind Shepard. The Commander turned around and, as they staggered to their feet, he gunned one down with two precise shots, one to his chest and the other to his throat. The second one was targeted by Kasumi. The lithe thief lifted her active omnitool and pressed a button. A tiny, needle-like projectile leapt from the back of her wrist with a hiss of compressed air. The groggy guard clapped a hand to the side of his neck, pulling the needle from the joint between his helmet and the neck of his armour. He inspected it for a second before staggering on his feet and dropping to the floor, motionless. Satisfied, Kasumi loaded another dart into the launcher on her forearm.

"Look out! Flashbangs!" Delexia's yelled warning came a second too late for Shepard and Jack. The pair turned to her just as a small, cylindrical device clattered across the floor at their feet.

The flash of light was tangible, the Commander's vision being turned to pure white as the device burst. A terrible shriek filled his ears as his eardrums were overwhelmed by the tremendous thump. Robbed of his sight and hearing, the Commander struggled to stand upright. Afterimages of his last moment before the explosion waved about before him, temporarily burned into his retinas.

The flare of light slowly faded, as did the ringing in his ears. His vision returned, the office now seeming discomfortingly dark. He looked about to see how Jack was faring, only to find the convict's body laid out on the floor. A trickle of blood seeped from one ear, while her eyelids fluttered painfully. He shook her shoulder to try and rouse her, but she remained unresponsive.

"Jack! Jack, wake up!" His own voice sounded like it was travelling through a wall, muffled and distant.

"Shepard!" Another voice, even quieter, yet more insistent. Delexia. He looked over through hazy eyes to see the Turian looking at him with concern.

Delexia was saying something, but she may as well have been muttering as the dull thuds of incoming bullets filled his hearing. He closed his eyes tightly to banish the shimmering images of a blinding world, shaking his head to make his ears work properly. It did little to help, but he felt his mind refocus. He opened his eyes again.

"Shepard! Get your head back in the game! They're pushing."

Still a little sluggish, the Commander lifted his pistol and peered out from behind his cover, firing at the enemy. One staggered back as his shields took a beating, but quickly recovered and pressed onwards with his companions.

Kasumi, seeing the threat drawing closer, pulled back into her cover, tapping away on her omnitool. The palm interface began to glow a bright blue, crackling with power. Once she was ready, she swivelled out from behind the stairs, waving her hand in a wide, sweeping motion. A burst of energy flowed from her outstretched palm, a flickering blue wall that passed over almost half of the guards. As it passed, their kinetic barriers shimmered and died, their circuits momentarily disabled. As they pulled on the triggers of their weapons, only dull clicks spouted from the muzzles of the guns. They looked down in confusion at the useless weapons.

"Quickly! Take 'em out before the EMP wears off." Kasumi called to her allies. "And I'm not sure I can charge this thing up quickly enough to use it again."

Shepard needed no second prompting. He rolled out of his cover, firing at any unshielded enemies. Delexia flung another pair of knives at them, bringing down two more targets. By the time Shepard had emptied his thermal clip, all six unshielded guards had been killed.

The Commander drew back into his shelter as he swapped out his clip, making ready to open fire one more time. Taking a deep breath he leapt out into the open, firing his gun at the guards as they reached the other side of the staircase. He fired point blank at the first two, the sheer power of his pistol overwhelming their barriers at this distance and sending a spray of gore erupting from their ruptured bellies. His pistol hissed as he fired the last shot, and he threw it aside, lunging at the nearest standing guard with his fists.

The guard's armour took the brunt of his blows, but he was close enough that the enemy couldn't use his own weapon, and neither could his allies risk firing at Shepard lest they hit their friend. The guard tried to use his rifle to block the Commander's blows, but this wasn't Shepard's first brawl. He started off with a vicious left hook, catching the guard across his helmet's faceplate. The blow was glancing, but enough to disorient the man while Shepard followed through with a sharp jab to the gut. As the guard curled around his fist, the Commander finished him off with a jerking knee to the face. He winced as his knee pulsed from the pain of hitting the metal faceplate with an unprotected kneecap, but that had to be nothing next to the pain the guard experienced as Shepard heard the crack of his nose breaking, his own helmet's protection turned against him. He dropped to the ground, clutching at a faceplate that had been buckled in by the Commander's knee.

Delexia, meanwhile, was locked in combat with another two guards. She carried two blades, one a simple straight affair while the other was a wickedly sharp, curved blade as long as the Commander's forearm. She slashed at one guard with the short blade, the man managing to block the attack with the butt of his weapon, only for her to slash at his belly with the longer weapon, drawing a streak of blood. The guard howled in pain, lashing out with his weapon to try and strike her across the face. She ducked, but not fast enough to dodge the butt of the gun completely. It struck her across the cheek, her hardened Turian scales absorbing the majority of the impact. She retaliated with a thrust of the short knife. The guard grunted in surprise, looking down at the blade embedded to the hilt in his chest, right over his heart.

The second guard tried to strike her from behind, but she whirled with a speed the Commander wouldn't have credited a Turian with, her outstretched leg catching the guard across his shins and sending him tumbling to the ground, gun clattering across the floor next to him. Delexia dropped on top of him, straddling him as she worked his helmet free so she could land a punch to his face, knocking him out cold.

Kasumi used her cloak to gain the advantage over another pair of guards. She vanished from sight in front of one, only to appear behind the other. She jabbed at him with the second of her two Kogai, finding the seam under the arm. He jolted at the touch, the drugged tip of the concealed weapon flooding his system with a toxin that dropped him in seconds. She cloaked again, reappearing directly in front of the second guard. He ad barely a moment to react before she struck him with an outstretched palm, driving the wind from his chest. Another two lightning-fast jabs, and he was unconscious on the ground.

This only left two guards standing. Shepard bulled into them, his shoulders catching them across the belly as he bore them to the ground. One flailed at him with an armoured fist, catching the Commander across the jaw. Shepard retaliated by lifting the guard's head between his hands and slamming it back into the marble floor repeatedly. The metal of the helmet rang hollowly against the tiled floor, and after about four impacts the guard stopped struggling. The last of the guards tried to grab the Commander's arm, trying to pull him down and wrestle on top of him. The two men strained against one another, Shepard's injuries paining him as his fingers struggled to find a handhold on the guard's armour. The pair rolled across the marble floor until finally Shepard found himself astride the guard. Their hands locked as they pushed against one another, Shepard could only hold the man down, not strike at him. In a final moment of desperation, he darted his head forwards, his brow connecting with the guard's helmet in an impact that left stars wheeling in Shepard's vision. He felt a sickening grogginess cloud his head as the guard slumped to the floor, unconscious, and he rolled off him. A moment later, Delexia was next to him, helping him up.

"Commander, you alright?"

"I don' get what Krogan like so much 'bout headbuttin'" Shepard mumbled.

"You'll live. Just sit tight for a sec and let the fog clear out of your head."

"Jack." Shepard muttered, eyes widening as his thoughts travelled to the fallen biotic. "Jack!"

"It's alright, Shepard. Kasumi's giving her some medi-gel now." The Turian soothed.

Shepard struggled to his feet, with Delexia helping him to get his balance. He tottered over to where Kasumi was leaning over Jack's inert form. The Japanese thief looked up at Shepard, a glimmer of concern in her eyes.

"She's out cold, Shep. Musta been standing right on top of the flashbang when it went off. I can't wake her up."

"Then I guess we carry her out." Shepard said firmly. He activated his omnitool, hailing the Normandy. "Shepard to Normandy. Joker, do you read me?"

"Loud and clear, Commander. Got Legion on the phone sayin' the guard frequencies are goin' berserk about you."

"We've got what we needed, but pissed off the guards in the process. We need Kaidan en route with the shuttle."

"Can do, Shepard."

"Any word from the second team?"

"Legion says they're still en route to their objective. They ran into some trouble with security mechs, but nothing they couldn't handle."

"Legion? Why can't you talk with Garrus?"

"There's some sort of jammer down there. We can't contact the second team directly. Legion had to use the security system to re-establish contact with the Normandy. But they're keeping an eye on the team. We'll know if they run into any trouble."

"Alright. Keep me posted." Shepard said, kneeling next to the recumbent Jack. He slid his hands under her and lifted her up over his shoulder, nodding to the others to move out. Kasumi and Delexia retrieved a rifle each and what clips they found on the guards before making their way towards the elevator.

The doors hissed closed behind them and the elevator began its descent. The squad was silent for the length of the journey, Shepard shifting under the slight weight of Jack's body on his shoulder while Delexia and Kasumi fiddled with their new rifles.

The elevator rumbled to a halt, doors whooshing open to allow the squad back into the corridor they had been in before.

No sooner had the Commander stepped out of the elevator than shots rang out all around him. He pulled back into the elevator as guards jogged into view down the corridor. Beside him, Kasumi and Delexia dropped into a crouch on either side of the door, taking advantage of the cover of the threshold. They sent spurts of bullets either way down the corridor at the approaching guards.

Shepard carefully put Jack down in the back of the elevator as he drew his pistol. He stood next to Kasumi, his height allowing him to lean over the shorter thief and fire at the guards. There had to be at least a dozen guards blocking off the corridor on either side, a force Shepard knew they would not be able to take on in their current state, a man down and lacking their combat armour.

"There's too many of 'em, Shepard!" Kasumi shouted over the rattle of the guns. "What do you want to do?"

"No choice. We've got to go back up, try and find a new way out of here." Shepard ordered.

He turned from the guards, reaching for the controls to take them back up to Lawson's office just as Delexia shouted out another warning.

"Flashbangs!" She managed before a couple of canisters clunked through the doors, rolling across the elevator's floor at the Commander's feet.

Shepard barely had a chance to close his eyes before the world exploded in a flare of white, this time quickly followed by descending blackness as his senses were overwhelmed by the light and noise, amplified by the confined space. He was aware of the noise of booted feet approaching as he slid to the floor and out of the world of the conscious.

**~o~0~o~**

**~LEGION~**

"Uhh… Legion?" Joker's voice sounded over the comms. "The Commander's coming under fire up in Lawson's office. He wants to know if we can wrap things up here yet. You got a status update on the second team? I can't get a hold of Garrus directly."

"We are tracking the second team's progress through the sub-levels of the domicile. They have proceeded beyond the cargo hangar and are en route to the laboratories. We judge from their unfaltering progress that they have not met with any more obstacles."

"Good to know. Keep us updated, okay?"

"Acknowledged."

_Processing incoming data from hostile security network. Connection- stable. Comm traffic- elevated. Analysing hostile transmissions._

_Transmission intercepted. Decrypting._

"_Wilkinson, we've captured the intruders in Mr Lawson's office. All four have been neutralised. Get the cells ready."_

The Geth platform's runtimes buzzed with alarm at this newest parcel of information.

_Alert. All four members of primary squad reported incapacitated. Shepard-Commander reported captured. Processing…_

_Shepard-Commander at risk at hands of hostile forces. Likelihood of positive identification of Shepard-Commander by Target Lawson upon interrogation: ninety-five point three per cent. Possibility of release to resume activities against Old Machines: four point two per cent. Likelihood of transfer of custody to Human-centric organisation known as Cerberus: sixty-two point three eight per cent. Unacceptable odds._

_Primary objective of this platform is observation of Shepard-Commander in order to analyse superior code effective in activities against Old Machines. Initial conclusions indicate that Shepard-Commander will be invaluable in any war effort against Old Machines. Loss of Shepard-Commander will be detrimental to odds of victory for Galaxy as a whole, reducing chances of Geth Collective surviving impending invasion._

_Conclusion: Safety of Shepard-Commander takes precedence over primary goals of current mission. Actions must be taken to ensure the freedom of Shepard-Commander. Addendum: likelihood of this platform securing Shepard-Commander's freedom unassisted- seventeen point two nine per cent._

_Achieving Consensus…_

_Achieving Consensus…_

_Achieving Consensus…_

_Error. Consensus not achieved. Five hundred and sixty two programmes favour attempting to secure the freedom of Shepard-Commander, five hundred and twelve favour rendezvousing with allied forces at extraction point in order to return in force, forty eight favour proceeding with original mission objectives and twelve have yet to submit a preference. Continue with current operation until consensus is achieved._

All of this cold reasoning occurred within the blink of an eye. The Geth, still undecided, re-opened a channel to the Normandy.

"SSV Normandy, unit designation 'Legion' requests transfer of data."

"I read you, Legion. What do you need?" Joker replied.

"We have intercepted a transmission indicating the capture of Shepard-Commander and his companions."

"God damn it!" The pilot cursed. "Alright… just hang tight while we try to figure something out. I'll radio the extraction team, see what they can do."

"Acknowledged."

The moments ticked by. To a machine intelligence like the Geth, those few seconds seemed like an eternity. To keep themselves occupied, the runtimes began reorganising their memory. They had just reached the Commander's second rescue of their hardware from a hostile force when Joker called back.

"Okay, I've talked it over with EDI, and we think the best bet is to wait for the second team. Garrus has a good head on his shoulders, and the team's in the best place to get to Shepard."

"The logic is sound. We shall abide by EDI's judgement."

"Great. Just keep an eye out for when Garrus is done down there. I can't wait for this mission to be over. Normandy out."

The Geth returned to monitoring the security systems. An image flared up of the second team running down a corridor, guns out and every angle of approach covered. The image flickered to a top-down schematic of the lower levels, showing their location as a green blip.

The sentient machine spun around as a loud thump was heard in the confine of the security control room. Their bright eyelens spun as they focused on the door.

"Hey Dalson! Shift's up, open up in there." A deep male voice seeped through the door.

_Alert. Unidentified person detected on opposite side of security control room door. New worker to replace current staff statistically probable. Likelihood of discovery rising._

"C'mon guys. You know there'll be hell to pay if you don't let me punch in on time." The knocking became more insistent.

_Analysing…_

_Consensus Achieved. Assuming covert stance._

The Geth moved away from the console, finding a spot to hide in between one of the banks of computer processors against the wall. The white 'eye' faded, as did the other lights across its torso. In moments, they had vanished from sight amid the clutter of the wires and blinking lights.

There were a couple more thumps at the door before everything went silent.

_Amplifying auditory input._

"_Hey, Captain Dermont? It's O'Bannon. I'm at the lower security control centre door. There's no answer from inside." _

_Analysing voiceprint… stress levels indicating suspicion, anxiety. This platform's auditory sensors are incapable of registering transmission's recipient._

"_Understood. I'll have the door open in a sec."_

A quiet beeping could be heard.

_Electronic intrusion detected in door controls._

A moment later, the door hissed open, and a tall Human in the uniform of one of the estate's staff stepped in, followed by a shorter female. Legion's powered down optical sensors didn't register their entrance, but passive motion sensors outlined their forms. The machine's internal motors tensed, tendon-like pistons and levers making a minute grinding noise as they settled into a rigid position, ready to send the Geth into a full run. They didn't need to 'see' in the traditional sense to find their way around, allowing them to keep their optics powered down.

The man cautiously stepped over to the console, inspecting the display. His companion knelt next to the prone bodies of the room's previous two occupants.

"They're out cold." The woman said, waving an omnitool over them. "There's no sign of any chemical agents. That means some sorta electronic stun-gun."

"No sign of any unauthorised intrusion on the network. Not even any failed attempts." He muttered over his shoulder.

"So what were they looking for?" She asked.

"There's nothing else here. But if they'd tried to get into the system, there'd be a trail."

"How do you know they didn't erase it?"

"Come on, nobody's that good. You'd have to be a machine to navigate the system that well."

"Wait a minute… The door was locked when we got here." The woman said slowly. "That would mean…"

"Yeah." The man gently drew his pistol, trying to make the motion inconspicuous.

_Hostile actions detected. Risk of harm to this platform detected._

The pair began slowly walking around the room, looking into corners and under desks. Legion tensed as the woman stepped dangerously close to the Geth platform, aiming her pistol into the clutter of wires. Her eyes narrowed as she noted the unusual structure of the Geth 'face' amidst the normal machinery.

"What the-"

She never uttered the third word. The Geth's 'eye' flashed on at full intensity, causing her to flinch in pain as she was blinded. Before she could move an inch, a metal shoulder struck her square in the chest. She was thrown to the ground, her skull impacting the floor just hard enough to send her wheeling into darkness.

The man twisted at the noise of his comrade falling to the ground, lifting his pistol defensively. He managed to get two shots off before the Geth crossed the space between them, the bullets pinging harmlessly off the metal shell. Legion swung at him with one three-taloned fist, striking the man in the gut. As he curled over, the machine brought a second fist down on the back of his cranium, knocking him out as well.

_Targets eliminated. Alert. Location betrayed to hostile superiors. Immediate exfilration recommended. Re-establishing contact with allied forces._

"SSV Normandy, unit designation Legion requests transfer of data."

"What is it now, Legion? Any word on the second team?" Joker replied promptly.

"Negative. We are transmitting to inform you of the discovery of this platform by hostile forces. We cannot hold this location. Logic would dictate that the best course of action would be the immediate exfiltration and attempting to rendezvous with extraction team."

"So we're about to lose contact with you, as well as any chance we have of keeping tabs on the second team."

"Correct. However, should this platform receive orders to continue with current mission, we will obey."

"We're not gonna accomplish anything by letting Lawson get a hold of you. Get out of there, meet up with the extraction team, and we'll play it from there."

"Orders received." The platform confirmed.

The Geth moved out of the room, leaving the unconscious guards where they had fallen as they ran away down the corridor, the sounds of approaching guards reached their auditory sensors. Reacting in a millisecond, the machine changed course, turning off down one of the many intersections leading off the main corridor. The Geth retreated into the refuge of a recessed doorway, watching as more guards bearing the Lawson estate uniform thundered past on their way to the security control centre.

_Situation analysis: primary route to extraction team compromised by hostile forces. Alternate route necessary._

The Geth moved off, searching for a new way out of the mansion's sub-levels, alone and unable to contact their allies.

**~SAMARA~**

Victor Lawson's bedroom was, if possible, more opulent than the rest of the mansion. A roaring fire, logs crackling in its flames but not being consumed betraying the fact that it was fuelled by gas with a low ignition point, gave the room a warm glow that made beads of sweat threaten to trail down Samara's back, although the heat wasn't the only thing that made her sweat. Victor's restraining arm held her close, trapped against his body as he guided her to his inner sanctum. She gazed about with nervous eyes, trying to keep a tremble out of her bare shoulders at the man's touch.

The room itself was large, easily as big as the Normandy's entire crew Mess and observation lounges combined. In her travels, Samara had seen apartments housing at least a dozen families that had less floorspace. The floors were tiled, a sparkling black marble mosaic, giving the impression one was walking upon the Void itself, gazing down at the infinite darkness of space. The walls had been painted a rich creamy colour, gilded with gold around the corners and on the beading that ran around the centre of the walls. The ceiling curved inwards to form flowing domes, the inside of which had been decorated with frescoes of famous moments from Earth's history. One showed an astronaut from Humanity's early space-faring years standing on a desolate grey plain. The Earth could be seen looming over the not so distant horizon, behind a blocky, round vehicle, a primitive landing craft. The astronaut held a flag Samara did not recognise, planting it into the colourless dust at his feet.

Towards the centre of the room, the floor had been decorated with several rugs of great value. One seemed to have been the pelt of an immense beast. Thick brown fur was soft and inviting, while the fearsome head, lips drawn back in an never-ending snarl upon its snout. The four limbs were splayed out, claws gripping the floor at the end of each one.

"Grizzly bear." Victor explained, catching her glance. "Not too many of them around now, save for in zoos. My grandfather shot this one himself."

Samara nodded, hiding her distaste for the trophy. She turned her attention to the rest of the room. A massive four-poster bed, decked out in red satin, dominated the centre of the room, and had a certain inevitability to it. The Asari quickly looked away before her gaze helped Lawson come up with any more ideas of his own.

Before she knew what was happening, the billionaire had shifted his grip on her, turning to face her and burying his face in the hollow between her neck and her shoulder. She thrilled to feel his lips working the way up the side of her neck, finding the corner of her jaw and seeking her mouth. For a moment she was lost in the sensation, her lips parting in response to his questing. As their mouths briefly met, she remembered who she was sharing this room with, what Lawson was really like, and instantly recoiled from the touch she had been revelling in. She spun away from him and he stumbled past her, surprised by her quick withdrawal. He looked at her in confusion for an instant before a leering grin crossed his face.

"Hard to get, huh? Unusual, to say the least, but it'll make the endgame that much sweeter!" He said, moving towards her slowly, sinuously, like some predatory big cat stalking its prey.

The ex-Justicar shuffled backwards, away from him. Her high heels caught in the fabric of one of the rugs on the floor, causing her to stumble back. She caught herself on a dresser against the wall, palms outstretched behind her to slap against the wooden surface of the furniture. Seeing his chance, Lawson lunged forwards.

Samara brought a foot up to catch him across the chest, gently stopping his advance. The needle-like point of the heel rested over his sternum while the rest of the shoe put pressure on the upper part of his ribcage. The dress fell away from her smooth, silken blue calf and bent knee, coming to a halt halfway along her thigh and just serving to keep her covered. She panted a little from the tension of the moment, her back pressed against the wall as Lawson leaned against the sole of her foot, his eyes roving lustfully. He gazed up into her eyes questioningly, obviously frustrated by the 'games' his prey was playing.

"Now, now, Mr Lawson. Surely a lady deserves to get to know her suitor a little better before we get to that." She said awkwardly.

"Enough games." He said, a little anger creeping into his voice. Obviously he had reached his limit for being led on.

He swatted her foot out of the way, darting forward and catching her around the waist with rough hands. He lifted her from the dresser and, in a couple of steps, had carried her to the bed, where he cast her down. Before she had a chance to squirm away, he moved on top of her, grunting like a pig as he struggled to get himself comfortable. With quivering hands, he reached down to his waistband.

With timing which Samara at least appreciated, the communicator on the nightstand beeped. Lawson almost roared in frustration, clearly for a moment considering letting it ring off. When the droning tone persisted, however, eventually he rolled away from the Asari, picking up the device with a furious snatch.

"What! I'm very busy right now!" He fumed into the microphone. It was clear he was only holding back because of Samara's company. There was a minute buzz from the other end as his subordinate explained why he was calling. "Well, you know what to do with them. Just shoot 'em and dump the bodies."

Samara felt her pulse quicken at the overheard conversation. An intruder had been discovered. But was it Shepard or young Vakarian? Or both? She struggled to keep her demeanour calm.

Lawson straightened as the caller explained further.

"A- are you sure?"

He sighed, turning to Samara as he lowered the comm. His shuddered, his pent-up lust finding no outlet and causing him great frustration.

"I'm afraid I've got to take this call. I will be back momentarily." He slowly rolled off the bed, loathe to leave her company, and walked to a nearby door to another part of his quarters.

Samara waited until he had left the room before flopping back on the bed, her nervousness releasing itself in one relieved sigh. She knew she was not out of the woods yet, but she had a few more moments at least. But now she needed to figure out how to help her allies. If Shepard were the one threatened, then it was only a matter of time before his identity was found out. The Commander would be a prisoner of great worth to a man such as Victor Lawson. If it were the second team that had been compromised, then it would not be long before the alerted guards became aware of the additional intruders.

She got up off the bed, moving cautiously close to the door Victor had left through. It remained open a peek, and Samara was able to glance through.

The room beyond was apparently an en suite bathroom of some sort, gloriously decked out in white marble and gold. Victor Lawson stood in front of the full-length mirror that covered one wall. As Samara watched, the mirror shimmered before turning black. Out of the darkness, a familiar figure strode forwards.

"Victor." The Illusive Man said sternly. "I thought I told you not to use this channel unless it was an emergency. Given the other threats that mankind faces at the moment, whatever you have to report had better be damned important."

"I'm contacting you to barter for the location of Oriana." Victor said stiffly, standing with his arms folded behind his back.

"If you think I'm about to give up the only thing securing your loyalty and continued funding, then you must have something of great value to bargain with." The Illusive Man said, his tone indicating that he was intrigued to say the least.

"I should say so. Would the great Commander Shepard be payment enough?"

There was a long pause from the other end of the line.

"You have him in custody?"

"My guards are taking his unconscious body down to our cells as we speak." Victor said, beginning to pace back and forth. "You gave me Miranda in exchange for using my facility for those experiments of yours. I expect nothing less than Oriana's return, unharmed, to me."

"And what of her current family?" The Illusive Man asked. Samara had doubts he was actually concerned for them, just buying time.

"She is an investment, a creation of science. She can no more have a family than a calculator or a test tube can. You may deal with any impostors who say otherwise as you please."

"I see." The Illusive Man bristled at Lawson's haughty tone, but clearly the billionaire had the advantage in this conversation.

"If you are unhappy with the terms, I could always let Shepard go…" Victor said, a bluff.

"You know as well as I do that that would not be wise. I had once hoped to turn Shepard to our cause, but he's too idealistic. With all the threats in the Galaxy, he instead chose to focus on weeding us out. It's clear that the Commander and Cerberus cannot coexist." The Illusive Man raised his cigarette to his lips, drawing deeply on it. "And, of course, he'd be all too happy to take on any of our backers, past and present. You let Shepard go, and he'll keep coming after you until you're imprisoned or dead."

"So you'd rather he was executed, then?" Victor asked, a tone of hesitation in his voice.

"Not at all. Despite the fact that the Commander and I are such vehement foes, the Galaxy needs both of us to weather the coming storm, and Humanity even more so. The loss of such an idealistic hero would be fatal to the morale of soldiers across the Galaxy, and at the same time the Alliance needs a pragmatist to look our for our race's best interests."

"You make it sound as though you're both two sides of the same coin." Victor commented.

"Nothing as crude as that. It's just that the great tree that is Humanity needs the shining sun to inspire it to grow, but at the same time it needs the thundering rain to give it the resources to do so." The Cerberus mastermind lifted his other hand to his mouth, raising a glass of rich golden fluid to his lips and sipping it with an appreciative sigh. "The loss or death of either would cause Humanity to wither."

"Well you have my price." Victor said firmly.

"I also expect your continued support financially." The Illusive Man said, turning away from the screen.

"You'll have it."

"Good." The Cerberus leader sat down on his chair, turning back to Lawson. "I trust you are taking the necessary precautions to keep the Commander contained?"

"We're moving him to our most secure cell block. Biotic dampening fields, multiple redundant locking mechanisms. He won't be breaking himself out."

"And what of his squad?"

"The two women and the Turian will be kept in separate cells."

"He only had three companions?" The Illusive Man asked.

"Does it matter? We've got him."

"My dear Victor, if you haven't captured the whole squad, then you haven't captured anyone." The Illusive man said with a smirk. "I'll be impressed if you survive the night."

"My guards are up to the task." Victor said stubbornly. "Any attempt at rescue is bound to fail. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some company in the next room, and I don't want to keep her waiting."

"Company?" The Illusive Man's eyes tightened. "What's her name?"

"Why should that be any of your business?" Victor asked unreasonably.

"Her name, Victor. Your daughter's life could hang upon the answer."

"Samara. She's an Asari named Samara."

The Illusive Man's laugh rang out.

"Oh, you blind fool! Bad enough to be fooled by a woman, but an alien?"

"What do you mean?"

"Samara is not only one of Shepard's followers, but Cerberus pointed him in her direction. We paid for her to join his crew to take on the Collectors."

"That… that bitch!" Victor fumed. "I should have known…"

"Yes, you should have. No doubt she's been rifling through your private files while you've been in here. My congratulations, Victor. You have taken gullibility to a new level. Good luck surviving the next few hours, Mr Lawson. End transmission."

Samara backed away from the door as Victor wheeled around from the fading transmission, teeth set in a feral growl as he charged at the door. She backed up and hit a dresser, hearing a subtle clink. She looked down to see a bottle of liquor on the dresser, a golden fluid labelled 'whiskey'. Her hand curled around it.

Victor burst into the bedroom, looking about furiously. He growled upon seeing the empty bed and whirled around to scan the room. As he turned, a bottle swung out of nowhere, striking him square across the nose. The glass shattered, sending razor-sharp shards and powerful, fuming liquid into his eyes. He howled as his face was lacerated by the glass, the strength of the whiskey burning his wounds. His eyes screamed in agony, glass splinters and liquor reducing his vision to a red blur.

As the billionaire yowled in agony, Samara lashed out with a foot, catching him in the gut. He grabbed at her, catching a hold of the elegant shoe. She kicked again with the foot, her balance threatening to elude her as she tottered on one foot. With a snap, the strap broke, releasing her from his grip and leaving him holding an expensive green shoe. Before he could recover, she used her biotics to enhance a punch, knocking Victor to the ground, out cold.

Panting, her dress ripped in a couple of places, Samara turned away from the unconscious man, heading for the door. With only one shoe on, she hobbled unsteadily before stopping, deciding running barefoot would be easier. She cast the second shoe aside and ran for the door, using Victor's stolen codes to open it. She slipped through the door and was gone.

She tried her best to retrace her steps, making her way down several levels until at last she stepped out into the grand hall once more. She took a breath to calm herself and descended from the balcony level to the main floor. She did her best to navigate the crowd unnoticed, proceeding towards the front door. She walked past the guard on duty, only for him to fall in step behind her. Her pulse raced as she thought she might have been caught, only to recognise Jacob's steady gait underneath the Lawson estate uniform.

The pair found a secluded spot in the midst of a copse of trees on the mansion grounds and Jacob removed his helmet, glad to be free of the slightly-too-tight article.

"What the hell's goin' on? Comm chatter's been goin' crazy about intruders and now you come runnin' out with no shoes like Cinderella." He demanded.

"The Commander has been captured. Lawson tried to bargain with the Illusive Man, with Shepard as a bargaining chip in exchange for his daughter's safety."

"Miranda?" Jacob asked, tensing. Say what you liked about their past and the distance between them now, he was protective of her.

"No, Oriana, the younger one. Needless to say, after the conversation my identity was revealed and I was forced to make an exit."

"Where is Lawson now?"

"Unconscious, on his bedroom floor."

"Kinky."

"Enough. The Commander is at risk. This is no time to jest."

"Sorry. You're right." Jacob looked around. He noted an armoured vehicle moving out from behind the mansion, making its way to the front gates. "Looks like they're locking this place down as quietly as they can." He tapped his comm. "Normandy, do you copy? Normandy, come in."

He frowned at the blast of static that was emitted from the device.

"Damn it. Looks like they're jamming any and all signals in and out of the estate. We can talk to anyone inside the walls, otherwise the guards would be unable to speak to one another, but we can't reach the ship, and they can't reach us. We're stuck inside, just like everyone else here."

The pair jumped as Jacob's communicator crackled.

"Normandy team, this is Feron. Is anyone out there?"

"Feron!" Jacob almost shouted with relief. "Good to hear from you buddy."

"The guards down in the tunnels just started buzzing around like no one's business. It's getting hard to stay hidden down here. There something I should know about?"

"The Commander's been captured, and Lawson's forces are on high alert. You still tuned in to the exterior security systems?"

"For now. Not sure how long I can stay here, though."

"Do what you can to scramble it, then get back above ground and try to find us."

"On it."

The seconds passed by painfully slowly, every snapping twig and rustling leave putting the Asari and the Human on edge, fearing against discovery. After an interminable pause, the comm crackled again.

"Done." Feron said. "The system's fried. Should take them about an hour to undo the damage. They'll know we're here, but I figure subtlety is no longer a priority. At least they won't be able to find us using the exterior cams or sensors."

"Great job. Now, find a way above ground and then we'll regroup. We need to figure out what we're gonna do about Shepard." He deactivated his commlink. "Come on. Let's keep moving."

Setting off at a light jog, Jacob and Samara vanished into the darkness, moving off in search of Feron.

**~o~0~o~**

**~GARRUS~**

The second team thundered down the sterile metal corridors. Garrus had moved to the front of the pack, his assault rifle aimed before him as he hurried towards their objective. Etarn hustled behind him, the crate beginning to weigh heavily on the Batarian's shoulders after all this time. Elanie and Mordin were covering the rear, the Salarian still breathing raggedly from the grievous wound he had taken back in the hangar. The doctor favoured his left side, and was finding it hard to keep up with the rest of the squad, but he doggedly persisted. Garrus was a little worried about him. After an injury of that nature he needed to rest, not push himself through a dangerous mission like this. But, until they had achieved their mission goals, they had no choice but to press forwards. There was no guarantee they'd have a second shot at the labs underneath the Lawson mansion.

The doors on either side were transparent, looking in upon sterile laboratories filled with bubbling equipment and blinking monitors. In some, Garrus caught sight of scientists, smothered in white suits that kept foreign matter from contaminating the clean environment, shuffling about, so engrossed in their work that they failed to notice the fully armed squad passing by the doorway. Nevertheless, the Turian did not linger.

The team paused at a terminal installed at an intersection between two broad corridors. Garrus silently waved Elanie over, allowing the Shadow Broker agent to get to work hacking it.

"Downloading schematics for the labs. Shouldn't be too hard to find the main lab." Her brow creased as she moved to power down the terminal. "Got some other files stored on here. Looks like some encrypted logs."

"Let's see what Lawson's got them working on down here." Garrus ordered. Elanie nodded, typing a command on the holographic interface. In moments, she had decrypted the data. An image jumped out of the terminal, the face of a weary scientist.

"The latest generation has yielded some less-than-satisfactory results. It would appear that the mutation to the mRNA to increase stamina is too unstable. The signals are too distorted for the body to make any use of them. In most cases, the body gets confused and protein synthesis is slowed to a fraction of the speed needed. However, subject two four nine one has exhibited an extremely adverse reaction to the treatment. Somehow the body's protein was no longer being created, but was rather being broken down. The subject's cells then proceeded consume themselves from the inside out. Subject death was recorded seven hours after brain activity was first logged. We shall resume the tests tomorrow once the defective subjects have been disposed of."

The display flickered and faded, leaving the squad staring at a blank screen. Dreading what he might hear, the Turian turned to Mordin.

"Any of that make sense to you, Doc? I know I need a translation."

"Genetic modification project, as expected." Mordin said stiffly. "However, was not able to anticipate nature of tests. Forced mutation of mRNA, messenger ribonucleic acids, to alter protein production in body. Crude, brutal, unrefined. Such tests akin to sculpting small ornaments with a sledgehammer." The large-eyed alien began pacing about uneasily, clearly agitated. "Such mutations banned by Citadel treaties, for good reason. No benefit to be gained by these tests, so why continue?"

"They're doing this to living beings?" Elanie asked, her voice hollow.

"Likely cloned tissue from single donor to keep variation to a minimum. Mention of brain activity would indicate culturing embryos until nervous system has time to form, then watching effects of mutations implanted upon artificial conception of life form." The Salarian sniffed, anger becoming apparent in his voice. "Disgusting use of intellect. Subjects are incapable of understanding, but aware enough to feel pain. Cruel, monstrous!"

"Much as I hate to say this, we're not here to stop these experiments, I'm afraid." Garrus said, a lump in his throat strangling the words. "We have our orders. We get the intel on Cerberus and get the hell out of here."

"I'm sure the Commander won't object to nuking the site from orbit once we're done here." Etarn muttered. "We Batarians possess a cruel culture, but nothing that equates to this. These labs are an abomination."

"We have to keep moving." The Turian ordered. "Come on."

The team moved on down the corridors, following the map Elanie had managed to steal from the terminal. They wove their way through the maze of corridors underneath the Lawson mansion, eventually making their way to the centre of the facility.

Garrus abruptly called a halt to their steady march, holding a single long talon to his mouth in a silencing gesture. He waved Elanie forward and the pair glanced around the corner they had come to a stop at.

A pair of large double doors announced the entrance to the main lab, the heart of the complex. In front of them, a squad of four guards stood watch, with a pair of turrets dangling down from the ceiling. The pair drew back around the corner out of sight. Garrus leaned close to the Human, whispering in her ear.

"I reckon we can take out the guards easy enough, but the turrets are going to be a problem. Any chance you can do something about that from this distance?"

"It's a bit of a stretch, but I think so. I'm just about at the limit of my range for this kind of hack. Luckily, these things are dead simple machines. Anything with VI-level software, I'd struggle with."

"Good." Garrus turned to the rest of the team. "Etarn, I want you leading the charge with me. Mordin, I want you to hang back. Watch Elanie's back."

"Wound is not a hindrance, Vakarian. Can fight by your side." The Salarian said stubbornly.

"Just do as I say." Garrus growled. "If Elanie does her job right, we'll only have to deal with two guards each, and I think we've proved that we're better than these part-time mall cops any day of the week. Stay back here, and watch our backs."

The Doctor looked like he was about to press on with his argument, but caught the glint in the Turian's eye and slowly closed his mouth, nodding reluctantly.

"Good. Now Elanie, I want you to hack the turret on my mark. We'll charge in, guns blazing, and hopefully we'll take 'em all by surprise." Garrus waited for his squad to confirm his orders before settling into a crouch at the corner, Etarn moving up next to him. Elanie stood behind them, keying her omnitool into a suitable frequency for her hack. Once they were all ready, the Turian's legs tensed, ready to send him into a full sprint. His fingers curled around the trigger of his gun. "Three… Two… Mark!"

The Turian and the Batarian dashed out from their cover, Garrus already pulling the trigger as he rounder the corner. Etarn was more selective with his fire, but no less effective. The Turian's stream of bullets thudded into the wall around the two guards on one side of the doorway, finding his mark more than a few times as he swept the muzzle of the rifle back and forth. The first guard barely had time to raise his arm in a reflexive move to defend himself before his barriers flickered and died, exposing him to the full force of the deadly hail racing towards him at supersonic speeds. His armour offered little protection under the brutal assault, a line of red holes appearing along his chest, running from the lower left side of his rib cage up to his right shoulder. The second one fared, slightly better, managing to get his own weapon up and aimed at the attackers before Garrus' bullets found his shields. As his barriers flickered blue around him he returned fire, scoring a few hits on the lanky alien running straight at him. The Turian winced as his armour pinged, deflecting a few shots that had found their way through his shields. Disrupter rounds, modded to go straight through a shield. Not a non-biotic's friend. He intensified his fire, pausing for a moment in the open to steady his weapon and fire straight. Three sharp shots sounded out, two bouncing off the guard's shields while the third found its way through, punching a hole in the brow of the face-plate of the helmet. The guard stiffened, falling backwards.

Etarn, meanwhile, waved a hand in front of him in a sinuous motion, creating a biotic barrier between himself and the enemy. He then lifted his SMG and sent off several bursts of fire at the guards. The first one staggered back from the impacts to his shields, but had enough time to lift his weapon and aim at the Batarian. He managed to squeeze off two shots before a second burst from the SMG tore away the last of his shields, leaving him exposed. The next squeeze of the four-eyed alien's trigger tore through his belly, causing him to slump to the floor in a growing red puddle. The last of the guards watched as his three comrades were gunned down coldly, and turned to run, heading straight for the lab door. He managed several steps before a spray of bullets punctured the back of his armour, one finding his calf and causing him to stumble. The next one found the small of his back, splitting his spinal cord and sending him to the floor, darkness washing over his vision.

Overhead, the turrets ground around to aim at the two intruders. As Garrus scored his first kill, the turret on the left opened fire. It's powerful bark sounded out, sending a cloud of metal straight at the Turian. His shields absorbed the majority of the impact, although he felt the blow like a hammer striking his gut. Nevertheless, Garrus held steady long enough to gun down his second guard.

The opposite turret fired a single shot at Etarn before locking up. Green lines of power coursed along its exterior, finding their way to it's central brain and rewriting a few key lines of code. As the green light faded, the turret swung around, attacking its counterpart. In seconds, the two turrets were firing at one another mercilessly, chunks of armour and wiring cascading to the floor as they scored hit after hit. It took only a matter of moments for one to destroy the other, the barely functional survivor being easily finished off by a callous shot from Garrus' red-hot rifle.

The corridor fell silent after that, only the hiss of the squad's cooling weapons making a noise in the sudden stillness. Garrus deliberately pumped the reload mechanism on his rifle, sending a white-hot clip tinkling across the floor at his feet. He turned to the waiting Elanie and Mordin, gesturing for them to step over.

The Shadow broker agent moved over to the door, kneeling next to it and working with the controls to hack the locking mechanism.

"Make it quick, Elanie. If there was anyone in there, then they probably heard all of this."

"Mmm, doubtful." Mordin said. "Sealed environment to protect cultured tissue from contamination. Will be airtight, and therefore soundproof. Scientists inside will be unaware of intrusion."

The door beeped under Elanie's skilled hands, sliding open smoothly. Garrus nodded to the rest of the team to follow him closely.

Inside, they were greeted by the sight of a vast chamber. The lab was filled with the bubbling of the two dozen tanks occupying the majority of the room, six lining the walls on either side while a further two rows of six each dominated the centre of the lab. Against the back wall, a massive structure, shaped like an hourglass with a pinch in the middle, reached from floor to ceiling. Blinking displays and loose wiring betrayed its purpose as the lab's central computer, monitoring the rows of tanks and the four operating tables against the back wall on either side of the machine. The entire room was starkly lit by brilliant white lights, giving the polished surfaces an extremely clean look.

Six scientists wandered amid the machinery, checking readouts and tweaking components here and there. One inserted a syringe into a pipe feeding into one of the tanks, drawing off a sample of the fluid within. All six turned as a red light began to strobe over the doorway.

"Alert. Containment breached. Environmental contamination detected." A VI quietly announced. Garrus didn't wait for their presence to properly register with the scientists.

"Everybody, hands in the air! Now!" He roared.

The scientists, flustered and confused, milled about blearily. One, a woman with blonde hair, screamed at the sight of the team's weapons pointed straight at her and her colleagues. Her fellows seemed to focus at that, some shouting in consternation as the squad moved to block off any approach to the exit.

"I said hands in the air!" The Turian growled. Still the scientists dithered. "I'm gonna count to three, and if so much as one of you doesn't have their hands behind their heads, we're gonna start shooting. One…"

He needed count no further. A dozen shaking hands shot towards the ceiling, clamping together behind their owners' heads.

"That's much better." Garrus purred, the sound more menacing than any shout he could muster. His eyes flicked over to a small door to one side. He stalked over to it and opened it, revealing a small store room. After making sure there were no chemicals the scientists could use against his team, he turned back to his captives. "Into the cupboard."

The scientists shuffled in, some throwing the alien dirty looks as they passed.

"Cut the attitude and get in." The Turian ordered gruffly. He slammed the door behind them, grabbing a hold of a trolley bearing a selection of instruments. He cleared the trolley with one sweep of his hand, turned it over and shoved it against the door, wedging the thing closed. "Should hold them long enough." He muttered.

Elanie, meanwhile, moved over to the computer, beginning to work her technical magic on its controls. While she did this, the rest of the team looked pensively at the tanks. Garrus leaned close to one, inspecting the contents.

"Empty." He muttered as he gazed at the bubbling turquoise fluid.

"Likely that scientists were approaching end of shift. Would have disposed of today's tests." Mordin explained, waving his omnitool over the tank. "Fluid present within is a 'protein soup' of sorts. Place fertilised egg inside, and it grows overnight, doing in hours what would take a Human female nine months."

"So I guess these scientists were in here… planting tomorrow's crop?" Etarn asked awkwardly.

"Simple analogy, but fairly accurate." The Salarian admitted.

"Vakarian, you will want to take a look at this." Elanie called over her shoulder.

The Turian, Salarian and Batarian all strode up to the massive computer, Garrus taking a place next to Elanie while Mordin and Etarn had to make do glimpsing over their shoulders at the monitor she stood in front of. She tapped out a few commands and a string of logs and reports sprung up. A few taps on the interface, and one expanded to fill the display. Another scientist's eager features filled the screen as a vid began to play.

"Dust-form eezo saturation of the subjects began today, and the results are… impressive, to say the least. I can see now why the Illusive Man stipulated these tests as part of the deal in exchange for Mr Lawson's daughter. The nodules growing in the embryos are twice the size of those belonging to any Human biotic before now. With the sheer concentration of element zero in the systems of these subjects, they would grow to possess prodigious biotic powers. We just have to figure out a way to encourage enough exposure in the womb without killing the mother. Until then, we're stuck testing on these vat-grown lumps of meat.

"It boggles the mind! A procedure available in Alliance hospitals to create genetically engineered biotics, more powerful than any Asari Matriarch or Krogan Battlemaster. Every Asari has biotics, why shouldn't our race be given the same advantage?"

The vid ended, replaced by a list of names.

"What's this?" Garrus inquired.

"A list of donors." Elanie explained, reading through the names. "The parents of these test subjects?"

"No." Mordin said, glancing over her shoulder. "At least, not completely. List comprised of male Humans. Potentially list of fathers, possibly gene pool combined to create superior genetic code to infuse with eggs."

"I recognise some of these names." Garrus muttered.

"I'm not surprised." Elanie said, pointing to one. "Daniel Massetti? He's that sensory musician. Known halfway across Citadel Space. Steven Dorstown. A famous holodrama actor."

"Kent Marx, Gorston Harris, Klint Dornall. A lot of these names are captains and generals in the Alliance military, if these summaries are correct." Garrus muttered, reading the data attached to one of the names. "Which I'm sure they are. Lawson isn't the kind of guy who'll get caught out by a fake, not with the money he can move around."

"Where did they get the tissue from?" Elanie pondered. "I very much doubt Lawson has gone around every major figure in the Alliance asking for a pint of blood."

"Pint would be unnecessary." Mordin piped up. "Given modern cell culturing methods, single drop of blood, handful of skin flakes or single hair would be sufficient to obtain genetic code."

"That still leaves the question of where he got it from." Elanie insisted.

"Lawson's got deep pockets." Garrus observed. "The soldiers wouldn't be too hard. The Alliance would keep tissue samples from all recruits. Standard procedure. If a soldier loses an eye or a kidney in battle, then the doctors can get to work growing a new one while he's still in transit to them. Less time waiting for a new body part, the better a chance that he'll pull through."

"Hang on a sec," Elanie said, tapping the interface a few more times. A more in depth summary of the donor list popped up. "Yep, says it right here. Where they got the sample, what it was, and how much of the stuff they've cultured to date."

"The Hollywood Bank of Fame?" Etarn asked unbelievingly.

"It's a kind of art gallery of Humanity's rich and famous." Elanie explained. "If some billionaire's little princess or a rock star or even a politician wants, they can pay for an exhibit to be created about them, a small display that details who they are, what they've done. They think it'll keep them young forever in the public eye. One part of the process is to submit a selection of DNA samples. Blood, hair, nail, skin and oral swabs are expected, certain others are appreciated, and a few are accepted but promptly sold off to their adoring fans. You'd be surprised at what someone will pay for a pint of Yolanda Ghen's urine."

"You've obviously never heard of what a quad sells for on the black market." Garrus smirked. "So that explains where and how they got a hold of these samples, but it still leaves the question of why."

"Think about it for a second, Vakarian." Elanie prompted. "Some of these DNA samples come from the most powerful and wealthy Humans on the Galactic stage. They will have invested billions of their own credits into making themselves fit, healthy and beautiful. A bumper crop of good genes to choose from."

"But they've paid to have those benefits forced upon their genes. They weren't born that way." The Turian argued.

"Doesn't matter. What matters is what gets passed on to the offspring. If the test subject inherits several billion dollars worth of genetic tinkering, then Lawson's a happy man."

"Garrus." Etarn said suddenly, sharply. The Turian from Elanie to see the Batarian pointing at an entry on the screen. He followed the pointing finger, his breath catching in his chest as he read the entry at the bottom of the list.

"What?" Elanie asked, trying to push Garrus aside to see. "What is it?"

"It's Shepard. He's on this list." Garrus said, his voice steely with anger. "They stole the Commander's genes and put it into a lump of meat for an experiment."

Elanie was silent for a moment, contemplating the repercussions of this new information.

"Well I'm not gonna be the one to tell him." She said quickly. "He is gonna be royally pissed."

"You have no idea." Garrus murmured. He shivered, straightening. "What else have we got here?"

"Hang on."

The list vanished, and yet another log entry played out, an earlier timestamp than the first the team had seen.

"Our primary subject has been delivered intact. Preliminary scans have turned up something anomalous. It would seem that the subject's genetic code is destabilising. I'm not quite sure why, but its clear that the genetic modifications present are defective. It's a subtle affliction, staring with the deep organs and only manifesting with maturity, but our estimates suggest that the subject will not live past fifty. I only wish we could analyse the other surviving specimen from Generation Gamma to see if this is an isolated problem, or if it affects all siblings of Gamma equally. Nevertheless, Mr Lawson has urged us to proceed with cultivating Generation Delta. Perhaps he feels that the fault can be identified and eliminated in the new generation.

"In order to preserve the tissue, I have placed the subject in cryo-stasis in the cradle for now. We will thaw the subject out when we need to collect more samples, but it seems to be the best way to prevent the corruption from spreading to other parts of the body."

"Subject…" Garrus breathed. "You don't think he's talking about Miranda, do you?"

"I hope not." Elanie said, her voice shaking. "Poor thing. She's no more than an experiment to these monsters."

"Try to find out what that 'cradle' is. If she's in it, then we need to get her thawed out." The Turian said decisively.

"Looking… Got it. According to the computer, its in this room. I'll open it up now."

There was a groan, and the whole structure the computer was built into shuddered. A brilliant white line of light appeared, splitting the structure from top to bottom. The structure split in half, the two halves moving away to reveal something inside. White mist boiled out into the room, sending a chill through the air. It was only then that Garrus realised the thinking behind this strange hiding place. The 'cradle' was a cryo-stasis pod, designed to keep one occupant contained in suspended animation. The computer, a device that generated a lot of heat processing the complexity of the genetic codes it worked with, used what was essentially a gigantic block of ice to keep itself cool.

The mist slowly cleared, revealing the 'cradle's' sole occupant. Garrus averted his eyes the moment he noticed that Miranda was not clothed, caught by surprise by the fact that the scientists had not even afforded her that dignity. She was held in place by several large metal clamps, grasping her arms, legs neck and abdomen to keep her completely immobilised. Her raven-black hair dangled down past her perfectly formed face, the sapphire eyes locked shut in the slumber of one in stasis.

Elanie strode right up to her, wading through the freezing fog. The 'cradle' beeped, beginning the thawing process. As the room slowly began to warm again, the Shadow Broker agent turned to Garrus.

"Come on, Vakarian! Help me get her down!"

Slowly, bashfully, Garrus stepped in beside her. While trying not to look at what he was doing, the Turian fumbled with the fastening on one of the clamps, feeling his mandibles flare involuntarily in the Turian equivalent of a blush as his gloved talons brushed yielding white flesh.

"Oh! For god's- Will you look at what you're doing!" Elanie snapped. She cast a glare his way and became aware of the Turian's awkwardness. "Oh, for goodness sake! We're not a bunch of kids in the schoolyard! So she's naked, so what? We need to get her out of this thing. Now grow a pair and help me get her down from here."

Garrus swallowed and turned to help, trying not to let his eyes roam. Whatever Elanie said, Miranda was still his colleague, and he knew this was going to make things awkward for a good long while.

Working together, the Turian and the Human snapped the clamps open, slowly lowering the snow-white form to the floor, where she lay perfectly still, barely even breathing.

"You! Etarn. Pass me that crate."

"Maybe now you'll tell us why I had to lug this thing all this way?" Etarn asked as he dumped the crate next to Miranda's prone form.

"Shepard and I were expecting her to at least have a medical smock or something, but we knew she wouldn't be well-equipped for an escape attempt." Elanie explained as she opened up the crate. "The Commander had your little talking blue ball thing dig through its databases to find her specs for her old battle armour. She'll be groggy and weak when she wakes up, but at least she'll have something between her and any bullets coming her way."

The woman grunted as she lifted Miranda up into a sitting position to better adjust her back plate. She shot a glare at Garrus, commanding him to come help. With awkward hands, Garrus supported her partially naked form as Elanie worked to fasten the armour around her. As she worked, the monitor she had been standing at before warbled loudly. She glanced at it before returning her attention to dressing the unconscious Miranda.

"See what that is." She ordered.

Garrus stepped up to the computer, reading the message that had come through. He was silent for a moment, alarm evident in his expression.

"The bastards have Shepard!" He exclaimed. Even Elanie paused in her ministrations at this development.

"What?" Etarn asked, disbelief in his tone. "Where?"

"Says they caught the Commander leaving Lawson's office." Garrus explained, reading from the display. "He was accompanied by three others, two Human women and a Turian."

"Jack, Kasumi and Delexia." Etarn surmised.

"They've been moved down to the cell block in the sub-levels." The Turian continued. "They're on the same floor! They can't be far away!"

"Let me see." Elanie demanded, finishing with Miranda and stepping up to the computer. She typed in a few commands. "Okay, the cell block's not far from here. Even with a moderate number of guards between here and there, we should have no trouble getting to Shepard. Getting out, now. That will be the real trick."

"We'll figure it out once we get Shepard out of those cells." Garrus said firmly, kneeling down next to Miranda. He carefully scooped her up, positioning her in the crook of his arm, her head with its cascading midnight locks resting on his shoulder. He drew his rifle, toting it one-handed, and turned to the rest of his team.

"Ready to go?" He asked in a tone that promised suffering for the one not ready to race to the rescue of their Commander.

"Ready."

"Ready, Vakarian."

"Let's go, Turian."

**~o~0~o~**

**~SHEPARD~**

Pain.

It dominated Shepard's world as he slowly breached the clinging surface of consciousness. His head pulsed, throbbed would have been a better word, to the pounding rhythm of his heart, every life-giving clench of the organ sending a wave of agony through his skull. He groaned, rolling onto his side with his eyes tightly screwed shut.

"Shepard? Is that you?"

"Jack." Shepard felt his pulse quicken. She was alive, and close by from the sound of her voice.

"I can't see." She sounded as though she was on the verge of panic. "Where are you?"

Shepard's eyes snapped open, his retinas screeching in protest as the dim light of the cell assaulted them. He blinked a few times, his vision slowly returning. He struggled to get to his feet, a little unsteady as his head whirled, struggling to shake off the after effects of the stun grenade.

The cell the squad was in was roughly fifteen feet by fifteen feet, cramped enough for two, let alone four. Three walls were featureless steel, the fourth housing a thick metal door with a tiny slit of a window at eye height allowing precious little light to filter in. By this thin beam, Shepard examined the rest of the cell.

Two beds had been placed in the cell, little more than metal frames with a blanket of coarse fabric flung over them. The Commander could see the slumped form of Kasumi, her hair in a tangle around her soft features as she breathed deeply, fully unconscious. Against the back wall of the cell, Delexia had been propped up in a sitting position, though she had toppled to one side, her head resting against the leg of one of the cots. She shifted a little, but was still some way away from coming to. Shepard wasn't oblivious to the fact that the non-Human had been left on the floor.

His eyes turned to the second cot in the room. A tiny form sat at the very end of the cot, perched precariously on the edge. Her legs were curled up in front of her, her arms clutching her knees to her chest in a manner reminiscent of a small mammal cowering in the dark. Her head had lifted up, the deep brown eyes darting in the direction of the noises he was making, but he could tell from the lack of focus to her expression that she could not see him. She jumped as he sat on the cot next to her, almost tumbling to the floor.

With a gentle but firm hand, he took a hold of her quivering fingers, a comforting presence. She turned to face him, using the faint breath brushing her cheek as a way to find him. Hazel eyes roved about sightlessly, pupils completely dilated.

"Jack, I want you to stay calm." Shepard said gently, hoping his voice would help to soothe her frayed nerves. "I think your retinas have been burned out by the flashbang that knocked you out. I'm not sure if it'll fix itself, but that won't matter when we get back to the Normandy. Archer will fix you up in no time."

Jack relaxed a fraction, her fingers curling around Shepard's tightly. The loss of one's sight was a jarring experience, no matter how tough that individual might be.

"Urgh… Anyone get the license plate of that thing?" Kasumi grumbled as she slowly awoke, clutching at her head. "Gotta learn to look both ways before I cross the street."

Beside her, Delexia lifted her head, coming awake rather more quickly. She looked around in confusion for a moment before memory caught up with her. She stumbled to her feet, her dress's hem in rags around her ankles. The Turian's sharp eyes scanned their cell before she wandered over to the door, leaning forward to place her eyes at the tiny window in it.

"Can't see anything out there. Just the far wall." She muttered. "There could be no guards, or there could be fifty. Got no way to tell."

"Any idea how long we've been out?" Shepard asked.

"No way to tell." Delexia answered. "They took our 'tools and any jewellery we had."

"I think one of our captors took his duties a little too far." Kasumi said indignantly as she adjusted the waistband of her jumpsuit. "Someone's definitely had a rummage around down there."

"They got everything. It wouldn't surprise me if they took Jack's amp while they were at it."

"They can't. It's built-in." Jack said. "But I guess that'd explain this…"

The convict turned her head, allowing Shepard to inspect the golden piece of tech that covered her right ear. There was a trickle of blood seeping out from where the metal halted and her skin began, a sign of an attempt to forcibly remove the amp. Having failed to disarm the biotic, Lawson's staff had attached a device to the amp, a resistor of sorts. Judging by the way it was wired up, if too much power ran through the device it would shock the user. He explained as much to her. She only chuckled.

"Figures, seeing as Cheerleader's dad was a Cerberus lackey."

"So you've dealt with this kind of device before?"

"Yeah, once. Bounty hunter hired by the Illusive Man had one of these that he put on me. Hurts like a bitch every time you try and think about using your biotics. That makes it impossible to concentrate enough, so it keeps a biotic of any strength contained. If you try and push through the pain, the charge just goes up and up until you stop, one way or another."

"Kasumi, think you can get it off her?"

"Don't bother." Jack sneered. "Tamper-proof. You'll need the Normandy's lab if you want to work on it."

"You must have found a way to get it off the last time." Shepard said.

"Got lucky. The asshole thought he'd try his luck. The damn thing got broken it the fight. Next thing he knew, he was staring up his own ass."

"So what now, Shepard?" Delexia demanded after a glum pause. "We've got nothing to use to try and open the door, no biotics and no weapons."

As she folded her arms across her chest, the door behind her clanked loudly. The squad tensed as the mechanism made a grinding noise.

As the three-inch thick steel door swivelled open with a creak that set the Commander's teeth on edge, the broadly grinning features of Garrus Vakarian appeared in the doorway.

"Be honest with me, is it a Human thing, all this getting captured and thrown in a cell? 'Cause it happens so frequently with you that it must be a hobby."

"Don't get me started on hobbies, Mr 'Calibrations'." Shepard quipped back. His face split into a wide smile. "Good work finding us."

"Wasn't hard. We just followed the guards when we noticed they were all running in the same direction. Chances are, if there's shit hitting the fan, you're the one flinging it." The Turian chuckled as he stepped back to allow the cell's occupants to step out gingerly, squinting as they entered the much brighter light of the corridor. Shepard gently eased Jack to her feet, guiding her out by taking a hold of her arm at the elbow while his other hand took hers.

"Mordin!" Shepard called upon catching sight of the Salarian. "Jack needs your help."

The Doctor hurried over, grabbing her face with one hand while he waved his omnitool over her blank expression with the other. She flinched at the unexpected touch, but endured the examination. Moments later, the alien let out a grunt of understanding.

"Unable to treat this here. Will need Normandy's equipment to restore sight. Simple procedure, but not one that can be done out in the field."

"So you can put my eyes back to how they were before?" Jack asked hopefully.

"No. Can make them better than before. Treatment is known to increase the spectrum of light that can be registered by rods and cones of eye, extending sight slightly into infrared and ultraviolet bands. At very least, corneas will be adjusted to optimum thickness."

"Translation?" Jack asked, her expression creasing quizzically as her head turned to face the Commander clasping her arm.

"Not only will you get your sight back, but you'll have twenty-twenty vision." Shepard muttered in her ear.

"Then why didn't he just fucking say so?"

"Hate to tell you, but he just did." Shepard chuckled. He turned to his old Turian friend. "Did you get the data we needed from the labs?"

"That and then some, Shepard. Cerberus has been forcing Lawson to carry out experiments in exchange for Miranda's custody."

"What kind of experiments?" Shepard asked, not sure if he wanted to know. His eyes flitted to Jack, knowing all too well what Cerberus projects could transform into. The Teltin facility had started off as a simple lab investigating Human biotic potential, but once the infant Jack was discovered, someone decided to step the experiments up several notches. Whether that someone was the Illusive Man or an overzealous and amoral scientist in charge of the project, Shepard would never know.

"They're using genetic material harvested from Miranda to grow a new 'crop' of test subjects every day. So far, we've seen various different genetic experiments as well as some attempts to increase biotic potential." Garrus explained. Although he was no expert at reading alien expressions, but Shepard could tell the Turian was hiding something.

"What aren't you telling me?"

"In order to create viable embryos, Lawson has acquired genetic samples from Humanity's rich and famous. He cast a pretty wide net."

"And…?" Shepard asked, a feeling of foreboding in his gut.

"One of the 'donors'… was you." Garrus said slowly.

Shepard's mind wheeled. The thought that someone had been manufacturing his 'offspring' and then putting them through gruesome experiments repulsed him. No matter the lack of emotional investment he had in the lumps of flesh Lawson used, the tenuous link to himself struck him to his core. He shuddered before steeling his nerves.

"I hate to say it, but there are bigger things we need to focus on at the moment. Let's just find Miranda and get the hell out of here."

"Way ahead of you, Shepard." Garrus said.

He pointed down the corridor past the Commander. Shepard looked in the direction he had pointed to see Elanie kneeling next to the slumped form of Miranda, holding an omnitool over her face as she ran a scan. As Shepard looked on, the ex-Cerberus agent's eyelids fluttered and a small groan escaped from her lips. He smiled, relief at seeing she was okay flooding through his system. He strode over just as her icy blue eyes refocused. She looked up at him with a measure of confusion.

"Shepard?" She asked hazily.

"Hey, take it easy." Shepard soothed.

"Incoming call from the Illusive Man…" She mumbled. "He's waiting for you in the briefing room…"

"She'll likely be a little disoriented from the cryo process." Elanie explained. "Her mind should get in gear in a few seconds."

"Miranda, it's Shepard. You've been in stasis for a while now." Shepard said, a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Just stay calm and wait for your body to properly wake up."

"Where are we?" She asked, suppressing a yawn.

"Bekenstein. We're still in your father's mansion , but we're going to get you out of here."

Her reaction was strong, to say the least. Sapphire eyes snapped open as her face contorted into a rictus of panic, her body jolting upright.

"Redwood Manor! We have to get out of here." Her tone was desperate, alarmed. She struggled to stand upon legs that refused to function properly. Shepard, concerned she might injure herself, placed a restraining hand upon her shoulder, pushing her back down.

"We've got it under control. Just take it easy until the effects of the stasis wear off."

"We?" Miranda asked cautiously. "The rest of the team is here?" Her heart seemed to warm at the thought that the squad had risked themselves for her.

"Most of them. We're still missing a few faces, but I'm only Human. One step at a time, you know?" Shepard grinned. "Cerberus did a real number on the crew. It's taken us three months to get this far, but we'll be back to full strength in no time."

"We need a plan to get out of here, Commander." Elanie interjected, interrupting the reunion. "Lawson's gonna have a bunch of his guards on our tail once he finds out we bust you out of here."

"Miranda, can you offer any insights on your father to help us get out of here?"

"If he knows there are intruders in the building, he'll have locked down the estate. First thing he'll have done is jam all outgoing and incoming transmissions. Comms still work within the boundaries of the estate, otherwise his guards would be as cut off as any intruders, and you can't co-ordinate your forces like that, but we won't be able to call in the Normandy." Miranda pondered the situation for a further moment. "Then he'd have erected kinetic barriers over the estate to prevent any escape attempt, as well as powering up the anti-air defences."

"Is this a stately home or a military barracks?" Garrus asked in an exasperated tone.

"When I was last here, it felt more like a prison." Miranda said grimly. "My father has a lot of credits to throw into his defences, so you can't expect escape to be easy."

"We need to get those defences down before the extraction team is due to arrive." Shepard surmised. "Kaidan will be shot down before he even gets close if we don't."

"You could de-activate the shields and the jamming system from the primary control centre." Miranda explained. "But you'd need to have my father's codes to do it. He keeps those on his person at all times."

"Already taken care of." Shepard said confidently, holding his glowing omnitool up as proof.

"What? How-"

"Let's just say you owe Samara, big time." The Commander smirked.

"I'm not sure I want to know the story." Miranda muttered.

"Alright, let's get moving." Shepard said, turning to the rest of his squad. He examined them closely, noting the holes in Mordin's tech get-up and Jack's damaged eyes. It would not be safe for the injured party members to proceed further into danger, and yet they could not stay here and wait for the enemy to find them.

"I say we split up. I'll take a squad and deal with the barriers and the jammer. Elanie, Etarn, with me. Garrus, I need you to get Jack, Miranda and Mordin to the rendezvous point and wait for Kaidan to arrive with the shuttle. Kasumi, Delexia, watch their backs."

"Hold on a minute!" Miranda protested, getting to her feet with a more confident stance. "I'm not going to be sidelined here. I'm coming with you, Commander."

"I don't think that would be a good idea. You're still very weak from-"

"This is my father we're dealing with. I'm coming with you, like it or not."

Shepard opened his mouth to argue, but she had a firm set to her lips. He saw Garrus standing behind her, an immensely amused look on his face. With a sigh, the Commander backed down.

"Fine. I'll take Miranda, Etarn and Elanie with me. The rest of you, your orders remain the same."

"That's telling them, Shepard." Garrus chuckled. Shepard shot him a withering stare, unable to think up a witty retort. Fortunately, he didn't have to as Miranda looked down at herself.

"Wait a minute… This wasn't what I was wearing when I was put under. Who dressed me?" Her tone was slightly accusatory.

"WoahisthatthetimeIguesswe'dbestgetgoing." The Turian's mouth barely kept up with the string of words flowing out of it as he ushered the rest of his squad to get moving. Shepard sniggered, a sound that Garrus just caught. He turned his head to face the Commander, his expression pleading for silence as he took Jack's arm and led her down the corridor.

Shepard watched the team heading away, a twinge of anxiety in his gut. He shrugged his shoulders, shaking the worry from his mind as he turned to his own team. He nodded to Etarn as the Batarian took a rifle from the crate he had been carrying, passing it to the Commander.

"Elanie had the foresight to bring along some spare firepower." He explained.

"Good work. Now let's get moving." The Commander ordered. He looked to Miranda. "You ready for this?"

"Locked and loaded, Commander. Let's go show this bastard just what kind of pissed-off bitch he made me into."

**~o~0~o~**

**~KAIDAN~**

The shuttle hummed quietly under Kaidan's hand, power core a muted purr as it waited for action. Looking out of the forward viewport, the soldier could see the Normandy's skycar on the opposite side of the street, waiting just like he was. The tinted windows revealed nothing of the driver behind the controls, the eerie alien known as the Revenant.

The two vehicles had found a secluded spot to wait in, a small cul-de-sac about two miles from the upper class district that the Lawson mansion was located in. Once they had settled upon the location, they had simply settled down for the wait.

So far it had been an interminably tense period. Kaidan didn't worry for himself or his current companions, but he was worried for the rest of the squad, deep in enemy territory within the mansion.

The shuttle shuddered as a massive weight in the rear compartment shifted, the clanging of heavy footsteps preceding the hiss of rushing air as the door between the passenger compartment and the cockpit opened.

"Grunt." Kaidan said by way of greeting, not even bothering to look around. "What's up?"

"This is taking too long." The Krogan said impatiently. "My plates itch for combat."

"Trust me, with the Commander, it's never too far away." The Human muttered. "I'll be amazed if we come out of this without having to take out at least three gunships or at least a small platoon of guards."

"I don't understand. Why not just break down the front door and threaten to tear Lawson's quad off if he doesn't give us what we want?"

"Because Humans are not Krogan. Sometimes a gentler approach is needed." Kaidan explained. "If we heralded our presence with a hail of explosions, Lawson would have a chance to delete the data. Not to mention he'd have a chance to bolt."

"Weakness." Grunt spat. "He should stand and fight like a real warrior, not run and cower like the pyjak broodling he is."

"Once again: Human, not Krogan."

"I'm going for a piss." The Krogan said, turning towards the main hatch.

"What? No! Get back in here!"

"What?"

"You can't just go take a leak outside. This is a public place."

"Why?"

"It's considered in bad taste."

"Its natural. Just like breathing. You want me to go find some privacy when I want to cough?"

"We need to keep a low profile. Public urination is not going to help."

"Either I do it out there, or I do it in your little room here."

Kaidan hesitated, looking over his shoulder to find the Krogan's expression perfectly serious. He sighed.

"Fine. But make it quick, and for god's sake try not to let anyone see you."

"You aliens and your squeamishness." The alien chuckled, shoving the hatch open. He wandered out and it wasn't long before Kaidan could hear the very loud sound of him relieving himself. With a snort of disgust, the Human slapped the door control to shut the rest of the shuttle off from the cockpit.

"Normandy to extraction team. You there Kaidan?" Joker's voice sounded from the shuttle's control panel.

"I copy, Joker. What's the situation?"

"We've lost contact with the rest of the squad. Looks like they've erected a barrier around the estate, and our comm signals are being blocked."

"Damn it." Kaidan cursed. "Do you want us to go in?"

"Not yet. EDI thinks we should give Shepard a little more time before moving in. But I think we should get you guys into the air, ready to move in the first chance you get."

"Roger that." Kaidan confirmed. "Did they get a hold of the data we needed?"

"EDI's going through the first batch right now. Shepard forwarded the intel on to us just before they went silent. Still no word on the second team yet."

"I copy. Extraction team out." Kaidan tapped the control to deactivate the comm. He then switched frequencies, dialling up the skycar.

"Revenant, can you hear me?"

"… then boom! The grenade goes off, and there's nothing left of him from the waist down. Never forget the look of surprise on his face before he bled out." Zaeed's rambling voice echoed over the comms, the tail end of yet another one of his war stories.

"Fascinating." The Revenant's voice, despite coming from such an alien mouth, carried tones which Kaidan recognised as extreme boredom. Apparently Grunt wasn't the only one finding the wait too long.

"Revenant, please respond."

"We are here, Officer Alenko." The Collector replied formally.

"Just got word from the Normandy. Shepard might be in trouble. We've got orders to get into the air, stand ready to assist in any way we can, but to not engage until we hear from either the Commander or the Normandy."

"Understood."

As Kaidan watched out of the window, the skycar's drive flared, a red glow emanating from its rear as it lifted itself into the sky.

There was a clank behind Kaidan as the outer hatch was slammed shut, followed by a loud thumping as the Krogan knocked on the door to the cockpit.

"What's going on, Human?" The rumbling voice asked.

"Looks like you're getting what you asked for. Something going down at the mansion, so we're on the move now."

"Finally." The Krogan sounded immensely pleased, relishing the prospect of battle.

Kaidan felt his worry grow as he lifted into the air, angling towards the Lawson mansion. What was going on down there?

**~o~0~o~**

**~FERON~**

The air in the tunnels was uncomfortably damp. Even though Victor Lawson had paid for them to be fashioned into serviceable corridors, the fact remained that it had once been a sewer, and the moisture clung to every breath the young Drell tried to take. It was all he could do not to cough as guards passed by uncomfortably close, the frequency of the passing patrols increased due to the alarm being sounded out throughout the estate.

Feron's first instinct upon making contact with Jacob had been to rush back to the security field and leave the grounds entirely, but he had soon dismissed that plan. The field was no doubt more heavily guarded by now, and he doubted the guards would fall for the same trick twice.

He looked to his map again, although thanks to his perfect memory he had no need to. It was more of a reflexive action, an affirmation that there was a way out.

He had been making his way towards a maintenance shaft leading up to the service. According to the map, it would allow him to get above ground close to the estate's walls.

He pulled back into hiding as another pair of uniformed guards wandered past, idly speculating what the fuss was all about. The Drell caught snippets of the conversation referring to some prisoners, a revelation that alarmed him. Had the Commander been taken captive? Was the mission a bust? He closed a mental door on such doubts and focused on the task at hand.

A few more twists of the tunnels and he found the shaft leading upwards. They weren't far below ground, so the hatch was not too high up. Feron scaled the ladder leading up to it as quickly as possible. He could hear another patrol approaching, and didn't have much time.

At the top of the ladder, he found himself confronted with a locked hatch. He activated his omnitool and began to bypass the hatch controls.

"So, did you see the game last night?"

Feron froze at the muttered question, the voice emanating from a source not too far from his location. He looked back down the shaft to see a pair of guards wander into view below. He waited tensely for them to carry on, but they halted, one producing a cigarette.

"No, how did it turn out?"

"The Vladivostok Varren-claws won, but not by much. The Tokyo Striders put up one hell of a fight. Had the game right there in their hands, but got cocky in the last quarter. I had fifty credits riding on that game."

Feron tried not to cough as the smoke twirled its way up to his vantage point, staying around the Drell in greasy coils.

Unwilling to move lest he risk discovery, the Drell waited while the guards whittled away the time in small talk beneath him. His hands began to shake from the strain of holding on to the ladder, and his head spun from the exertion of holding in the choking fit that threatened to strangle him. At last, the guard dropped his cigarette, grinding it into the floor with one booted foot, and the pair walked off. Still struggling to keep from coughing, Feron continued to pick the electronic lock.

Seconds later, the hatch clicked open. Cool, fresh air filtered in from the outside as Feron pushed, exposing himself to the outside world. He cautiously lifted himself up through the hatch.

The first thing he saw upon poking his head out of the tunnels almost made him drop back down the shaft in panic. Standing directly in front of the hatch, two more guards watched the darkened estate grounds. Once Feron had overcome his initial surprise, the Drell lifted himself back up, opening the hatch again a tiny fraction.

The hatch was actually a trapdoor in the floor of a gazebo in the estate's grounds, built amidst a cluster of cherry trees and untamed rhododendron plants. In the distance, the mansion loomed over the rest of the estate. The two guards, practically on top of the hatch, were facing away, towards the mansion.

Feron eased the hatch open, inch by agonising inch. He carefully folded it back behind his head, wincing at the subtle clank it made upon touching the wooden floor of the gazebo. This done, he began to rise from the shaft, a vengeful shadow looming behind the guards.

"… Feron, come in! It's Jacob!"

Both guards whirled at the sudden noise emanating from the Drell's commlink. As their gun barrels swung his way, Feron leapt into action. He dropped into a crouch, swinging one leg around in a scything motion that caught a guard across the back of his knees, pulling him to the ground. The other one danced back from the attack, still trying to train his gun on the alien. Feron responded by rolling out of the way as he opened fire, spouts of splinters shooting up from the savaged floorboards where he had been just a moment before. The Drell continued rolling, turning it into a tumble that ended with him standing beside the guard. Before the stunned Human could react, two green hands darted out, clamping down on his arm and, with a deft motion, popping it out of the joint. A howl of pain escaped from behind the helmet's faceplate as the arm dropped limply to the side, numb fingers releasing the gun they had been clasping. A quick jab to the throat silenced those moans of agony.

Feron then turned to the first guard, still struggling to stand. He lashed out with his foot, catching the Human across the face and knocking his helmet loose. The young but frightened face of a man of Latin origin stared at the Drell in terror before an elbow to the nose sent him crashing to the ground, blood flowing in a scarlet river across his face.

Feron carefully positioned the body so that he would not drown in the blood flowing from his nose before making sure the other guard was out cold. This done, he pulled out his commlink.

"I am here, Mr Taylor. What is the situation?"

"We're pinned down not far from the wall! A bunch of guards just showed up, and it looks like they're not going anywhere anytime soon."

"Where exactly are you?"

"Sending the co-ordinates."

The Drell's omnitool beeped as it received a databurst, giving Feron the precise location in relation to his current position. He looked about, finding the spot indicated by his 'tool. Not far from his current location, a large cluster of guards had gathered, standing watch for any sign of trouble. Behind them, the estate's walls loomed imposingly. Judging by the co-ordinates Jacob had sent, both he and Samara were hidden in a vast tangle of thorny bushes close by.

What drew the Drell's attention, though, was the massive anti-aircraft turret that had deployed not far from these guards, rising from a concealed hatch underground and standing a full ten meters above the ground. It was busily scanning the air for any intrusion into Lawson's airspace, the cluster of barrels emanating an air of menace. As Feron inspected the machine, he caught sight of the blinking control panel, at ground level. Only two guards stood watch over it. An idea began to form in his mind, emerald lips twitching in a devilish smile.

"Hold tight, Taylor. I have an idea."

"Copy that."

With that, Feron slipped off into the darkness, moving slowly but purposefully towards the AA gun. He moved like a ghost, slipping from hiding place to hiding place with nary a whisper to announce his presence. At times, when he had to pass a guard patrol, he activated his cloak to aid his passage, but most of the time he needed no such help.

After a matter of minutes, Feron was only metres from the base of the AA gun. The two guards present remained blissfully unaware of him, staring straight ahead as he wheeled around to the side. Taking a deep breath to still his pulse, Feron activated his cloak, breaking from cover with the tiniest of rustles of shifting leaves. He darted across the open ground, aware of the fact his cloak only had a limited charge. At last, he reached the side of the gun, behind the guards.

The pair remained unaware of his presence until the moment he de-cloaked and slammed his fist into the skull of the one on the right. This first guard, caught totally unprepared, folded up, unconscious. The second guard, sluggish from surprise, had barely a moment to gasp in fright before a green hand wrapped itself around his throat and swung him into the gun, the impact of his helmeted skull hitting the metal knocking him out cold.

The guards dealt with, Feron turned his attention to the control panel. He waved his omnitool over it, activating a programme designed to break through security systems such as the one protecting this turret. Seconds later, his omnitool beeped a confirmation, the panel turning green as it opened up.

_Access granted. State request._

Feron grinned as he typed in his commands.

_Command received. Targeting protocols altered._

The gun above him whined, spinning around. Feron darted away from the turret, cloaking as he ran. By the time the noise of the gun powering up had reached the guards close to Jacob and Samara, causing them to turn and look in its direction, the Drell had vanished.

The guards looked about in consternation, wondering what targets the gun had found to target. They looked to the sky, assuming an enemy craft was inbound.

They were completely unprepared, therefore, when the turret opened fire upon them, unleashing a deadly hail of bullets that tore through their shields and armour like a hot knife through butter. Half of them died immediately, the rest perishing as they turned to run. With this patrol eliminated, the turret spun, looking for new targets. Over the guard frequency, Feron heard shouts of distress as news spread of a malfunctioning turret.

Chuckling at the guards' distress, Jacob strolled out of the bushes, rifle slung over one shoulder. Behind him, Samara stepped out, still looking graceful, dishevelled as she was after fleeing from Victor Lawson.

"Gotta say, frog-boy, you sure know how to cause trouble." The Human chuckled. "Swapping the Friend/Foe settings was a smart move."

"I try my best." Feron said, giving a mock bow. He then sobered. "What's the next step, Mr Taylor?"

"Huh? Am I suddenly in charge here?" Jacob asked, a little surprised.

"You have the most experience of commanding forces." Samara said. "It is a natural fit."

"Alright." Jacob's brow creased as he pondered their situation. Finally he reached a decision. "That turret won't be the only one they've got deployed here. If the extraction team tries to come get us, they'll be torn to shreds."

"And with the comm jamming in effect, we have no way to warn them." Feron surmised.

"Exactly."

"Then we must make haste. They would have begun to move in once our comms were jammed." Samara said.

Having reached a decision, the trio set off. Jacob marched at the front, the barefoot Samara not far behind and the wary Feron bringing up the rear.

**~o~0~o~**

**~JACK~**

_Shit shit shit shit!_

Jack's mind maintained the profane chant as she stumbled down the corridors, pulled along by Garrus' firm three-digited grasp. Every step she took was accompanied by an internal curse, and every stumble was heralded by an external one.

"Watch where you're fucking going!" She spat as she tripped over the Turian's long legs for the millionth time.

Silence greeted her scathing verbal assault, the vigilante choosing to instead focus more on where he put his feet. Jack, meanwhile, was left to the darkness of the inside of her skull.

She'd never admit it to anyone save perhaps Shepard, but she was frightened. Every step she took might as well have been straight into the jaws of Cerberus for all she knew, robbed of her vision. The smatterings of gunfire that shot out as the squad encountered clusters of guards sent her tumbling to the floor, curling up in a protective ball, unable to fight back. She had no idea whether the bullets were travelling towards her or towards her enemies, and the occasional near miss did nothing to settle her nerves, several bullets actually bouncing off the kinetic barrier she wore as she lay on the ground, defenceless. And with no reference to direct her powers, her biotics were useless.

Once more she found herself on her hands and knees as the Turian left her, a hail of bullets explaining his sudden absence. She reached forwards with her fingers, feeling her way across the floor in a clumsy crawl. She felt bile rise up in her throat, though whether it was frustration or fear that drove the sensation, she did not know. After a few seconds of panicked scrabbling, her hands brushed against a vertical surface, ridge detail denoting a grille of some kind. Her fingers slid across this surface until they found another one, travelling at ninety degrees to the first. She pulled herself into this corner, ramming her spine back into the crevice. Her knees locked themselves under her chin, arms wrapping tightly around them.

A huge blast cast her from her hiding place, knocking her to the floor. A concussion grenade, maybe? The ringing in her ears suggested so, but without being able to see how far away it had landed, it could just as easily have been a fragmentation grenade that landed a bit further away. She quickly pulled herself back into her corner, finding a sense of security in having the two walls press against either shoulder blade as her lips pressed against her knees, the warm flesh that peeked out beyond the shortened hem of her dress tasting salty with sweat from the exertion of their race to freedom.

Her heart pounded in its chest as she felt a trickle of warm fluid dribble down her cheek. Was she injured? Had that last blast put a hole in her head? She sobbed with panic as she dabbed at the warm wetness. Seeing no other way to find out what it was, she slipped a fingertip into her mouth, licking the fluid.

It was tangy, but was nothing more than salty water. It lacked the iron spark of blood. A tear. Judging by the grainy texture, a good dose of her make-up had trailed down her cheek with it. She was fucking _crying._

_You weakling._ Her voice chimed from within. If you could see yourself now. _Sitting here, sobbing like a pussy while the people who think you are their friend make ready to die protecting you._

_Shut up! Just leave me the hell alone!_ She howled defiantly, silently. All she heard in return was her own hollow laughter, echoing inside her mind.

She felt her hands begin to shake. Not from fear this time, but from pure, blood-red rage. She wanted to make the laughter stop, to tear out the tongue that sent those cruel chuckles rippling through her psyche. But she had no target, no outlet. The fury rose within like a tide of scarlet fire, filling her entire body with energy, power and frustrated emotion.

As a hand took a hold of her shoulder, she released the pent-up flood, every ounce of her rage streaming out from the core of her being. The experience was almost… euphoric. The drain she felt as her amp sparked dangerously, the inhibitor sending a torrent of pain feeding back into her body, was the single most painful and yet most satisfying moment of her life. She heard a string of curses and cries, all overwhelmed by a mewling scream that she at first did not recognise as her own.

Her throat hoarse from the agony-fuelled shriek, her muscles twitching from the raw electricity racing through her, and her heart racing from the confusing mixture of emotion, torment and power, Jack collapsed to the floor, flopping about like a fish as she struggled to breathe. She faintly heard some ringing metallic footsteps approaching gingerly. She was helpless to act as two small, five-fingered hands turned her over onto her side.

"Mordin!" Kasumi's voice rang out shrill, desperate. "I think she's going into shock."

"_She's_ going into shock? The bitch nearly took my damn arm off!" Delexia shouted gruffly.

Jack continued to shudder as a pair of four-digited hands touched either side of her face, turning her head this way and that. An inhuman nose sniffed deeply close by her ear.

"Biotic inhibitor causing feedback into central nervous system. Unfortunate. Would be difficult to remove even under best of circumstances. Here, with no surgical equipment- impossible."

"Can't we just defuse that thing on her ear?" Kasumi asked.

"No! No. Tamper-proof. Designed to kill patient before removal allowed. Would send unimaginable power surge through her body. Death almost assured."

"But she's going to die if we don't stop it!"

"Am aware of possible outcomes, Miss Kasumi. Am not about to rush into this haphazardly." Mordin sounded angry, though it was probably more at his lack of options than at the little Human he was talking to.

Jack heard another set of footsteps rapidly approaching, before she sensed a presence leaning over her. Seeing as the Salarian and the thief were already with her, it had to be one of the Turians.

"Jack, I'm sorry about this. We're just going to have to hope they can fix it up back on the ship." Garrus sounded truly sorrowful.

The next instant, the convict's world filled with renewed pain, although this was all focused in one spot. With a quick yank, Garrus wrapped his talons around the device and pulled, tearing it free. Jack felt as though a spike had been rammed through her skull, ripping at the soft tissue of her brain as it passed. She opened her mouth, but agony kept her lungs from deflating to allow her to scream. A torrent of hot fluid, definitely blood this time, flowed from behind her ear, the river renewed with every heartbeat.

Finally the pain faded enough, and Jack's scream began in earnest, the shrill, almost tangible sound reverberating through the corridor and into the souls of her companions. As the Salarian pressed a syringe full of medi-gel and sedatives into the hollow of her elbow, the feral cries descended into quiet mumblings of agony as she slid away from the land of the conscious.

"Foolhardy! Could have lost her." Mordin's tone was accusatory.

"But we didn't." Garrus' voice, muffled by her fading consciousness, was grim. "You said it yourself, doc. Let her endure or operate right now, we had an equal chance of losing her either way. We need to get back to the surface, and we can't have her slow us down by flailing about."

"Shep's gonna be pissed at you for taking a gamble like this." Kasumi warned.

"I'll deal with Shepard. The fact is, she's still alive and we can get moving again." The Turian's tone was cold as she felt two strong arms hook under her body, hoisting her up over a bony shoulder. Then, the silence overtook her completely.

**~o~0~o~**

**~MIRANDA~**

_I can't believe I'm back here again._

Miranda was absorbed in her thoughts as she marched down the corridors after the Commander. It had taken her little time to adjust to the once-familiar surroundings, though being back in her father's clutches was… unsettling, to say the least.

And when the other woman in the group, Elanie, had explained the nature of the experiments going on here, it had repulsed her. To think that Victor Lawson was monster enough to do such a thing to what were essentially her children was almost too much to bear. She found herself looking through the doorways they passed, sickened by the labs full of dormant medical equipment. It was all she could do not to tear at the walls with her biotics in an attempt to bring the place down around her.

And then she caught her gaze darting to the Commander. Hers wasn't the only DNA contributed to the genetic cocktail that created the test subjects. She found herself wondering whether he felt the same connection to these bio-engineered 'lab rats' that she did. Were they somehow connected through this now? She banished that thought to the back of her mind

A glimmer of light playing across a reflective surface caught her eye, drawing her gaze to a partially open door. Beyond, she saw what looked to be operating tables of some kind. A pit in her stomach, she slowed, grabbing Shepard's shoulder.

"Commander." She said, a hint of urgency in her voice. When he looked at her questioningly, she nodded at the door and the lab beyond. "I think we need to take a look in here."

He looked at her for a moment before understanding dawned and he nodded in the affirmative. She led the way through the door, steeling herself for whatever might have been beyond.

Tables lined the sides of the lab, with a pair of desks pushed together in the centre so that their occupants faced each other when residing in the chairs that were pulled up tightly to them. A computer terminal ran idly, unreadable screeds of data rolling across its monitor.

Miranda's heart dropped as she caught sight of a small bundle on one of the nearby tables, covered by a white sheet. She stepped over slowly, reluctantly, as Elanie slipped into one of the chairs at the desk and began searching through the computer.

Her heart screaming at her not to, the former Cerberus operative twitched the sterile white fabric away, her breath catching in her throat as she looked at what it had covered. A grim look on his face, Shepard stood on the opposite side of the table, staring down.

Miranda's hands snaked down to lift the tiny body, fingers quivering as they came into contact with the cold flesh. The baby lay cupped in her hands, its size barely allowing legs the size of a finger to dangle loosely over her right thumb. A small face, almost an exact duplicate of hers in miniature, with large eyes and ears that lay tightly against its head. Wispy tufts of downy hair the colour of midnight curled around the little skull, doing little more than giving the scalp a new texture. A quick glance at her omnitool informed her that she was cradling a little girl.

A tear sprung forth from either eye, trailing down Miranda's cheeks to join together on the lowest part of her chin as she felt her breathing grow swift. Her head jerked up, casting the droplets free to drip down on the pink form between her hands, as a firm hand clamped down on her shoulder. Shepard gazed directly into her ice-blue eyes, the corners of his own eyes creased with unfathomable emotion.

"A little girl." She managed through the mist that clouded her vision. "This was my little girl."

"Miranda. These test subjects… They're not-"

"Don't say it!" She spat venomously. "Don't you dare say it!"

She glanced back down at the tiny, insignificant form, barely a speck of matter against the wheeling cosmos. And yet, this tiny speck, right here, right now, loomed over her with more mass than a thousand suns. More tears raced down her face in an effort to join their kin. Compassion in his eyes, Shepard remained silent, for what could he say? He tightened his grip on her shoulder, just being there for her as her grief poured out. Finding solace in the Human contact, she pressed her head against his forearm, tears dribbling down to wet the cuff of his suit.

"I'm barren, Commander." She mumbled, her lower lip refusing to remain steady to give her a clear voice. "I never told anyone about it, mostly because I didn't think it would affect the mission in any way. This is as close as I'll get to having children of my own. This… is all I'll ever have."

Without relinquishing his grip upon her shoulder, Shepard moved around the table, standing next to her. His hand finally relaxed its grip and slid around behind her, drawing her close to him in a comforting embrace. Together, they stared down at the life unlived. Shepard felt a strange hollowness in his chest upon staring at the child, realising that he had, in some small way, been used to create her.

"I'm not seeing a resemblance here." He muttered after a few moments. "With me, I mean."

"Makes sense." Miranda muttered into his shoulder. "There are that many male donors that my father used to create that half of the equation, a resemblance to any one of them would be highly improbable."

She suddenly straightened, pulling away from Shepard. The Commander backed away a step or two as she laid the tiny child down on the table, leaning over her and obscuring her from his view. Realising that she needed a little space for whatever she was doing, the Commander turned to face the rest of the room, doing his best to ignore the identical shrouded forms on each table in the lab.

Elanie caught his eye, beckoning the commander over with one hand. He strode up to her side, looking at the monitor she sat in front of.

"Commander, I've managed to pull up some of the research data that the scientists gathered here. There are some logs. Would you like me to play them?"

"Do it." Miranda commanded, striding up next to Shepard. The Commander turned to her.

"Are you sure, Miranda?"

"I need to know what they were doing here that they thought was so important." Her eyes glinted fiercely. "I'm not made of glass, Shepard. I can bear it. Play the logs."

A file began to play. This one had no attached video feed, simply playing out over the speakers.

"I just don't understand. We've taken the DNA apart strand by strand and put it back together time and again, but we've been unable to rectify the instability in the genetic code. After doing an extensive analysis of Mr Lawson's own DNA and that of his close relatives, we can conclude that this is not an hereditary condition. The only theory that fits the evidence is that the genetic engineering involved in Miranda's creation causes this decay, and thus passes it along to any offspring we generate from her genes.

"We're going to try a new regimen of gene therapy, spanning several generations. We may be able to filter the irregularities out piece by piece, fully eradicating the problem in five to ten generations. Until this bears any form of success, we'll continue with our other experiments. Greggsen claims to have made a breakthrough in developing bone density. Preliminary tests suggest that these bones would be nearly shatter-proof."

Shepard's eyes darted to Miranda as the recording came to an end. She had moved back half a step at the new information, her eyes widening a fraction. Her full lips were set in a grim line as she turned to Elanie.

"Pull up any and all files they have on this genetic decay. I want to take a look at it back on the Normandy." She ordered.

"Miranda, I-" Shepard began.

"There's no need to talk about this, Commander. Not until I've had a chance to look over the data myself."

Shepard nodded reluctantly. Elanie, having watched this exchange silently, tapped a few keys on the computer. In seconds, the data had uploaded to an OSD, which she stowed on her belt. After this was done, Shepard turned from the computer, heading for the door.

"Come on. We've got to get moving." He ordered.

As they headed for the door, Miranda and Elanie falling into step behind Shepard while Etarn brought up the rear, the Commander's eye was drawn to the table where Miranda had been standing not so long ago. The sheet had been wrapped tight around the tiny form of the child, a funeral shroud or a sort. His heart tightened as he took in the reverence of the gesture between a mother and the child she never knew. Tactfully, he chose the path of silence as they left the pitifully small bodies behind. Behind him, Miranda kept her face resolutely staring forwards.

**~o~0~o~**

**~ZAEED~**

The skycar thrummed under the grizzled old mercenary's feet as he stood by the door, one hand reaching up to cling to a handhold in the ceiling.

He stared out of the side window as the rooftops of the homes of Bekenstein's rich and famous whirled by underneath, his scarred face immobile. Up front, the Revenant was working the controls, surprisingly comfortable behind a console not designed for an alien of his size. Mordin had done his best to modify the skycar to accommodate larger beings, but the fact was that it had originally been designed for a Human pilot could not be set aside. Normally this would have meant the bounty hunter would have taken the wheel, but he wanted to be free to fight back if the infiltration teams came racing out of the mansion under fire.

Zaeed's guns weighed heavily on his back, a comforting presence that kept him alert, tense. His free hand idly stroked the butt of his pistol, a subconscious motion.

As he watched the Lawson mansion whip by outside, the skycar not more than a couple of hundred yards from the outer perimeter of the estate, an urgent beep sounded out from the Collector's console. The old Human looked over his shoulder.

"What's that?"

"Three new contacts on our scopes, inside the estate walls."

"Land-based?"

"No. Airborne. Could be private shuttles, but they look like they're moving with a purpose."

"Defensive vehicles, then. Are they headin' our way?"

"Not yet. Looks like they're making a circuit of the perimeter."

Zaeed stared out through the window, looking over the estate, straining to catch sight of the newcomers. Struggling to make out anything in the darkness, he finally made out three black arrowheads standing out against the night. They moved through the sky in graceful sweeps, carefully monitoring the airspace above the estate.

"I see the bastards. Em-forty-eight Swordfishes. Nasty little sons-of-bitches."

He flinched as a bright flash lit up the sky over the estate. One of the enemy craft vanished in a ball of fire, brilliantly bright lines of light streaking up from a spot on the ground. The explosion was loud enough to make the skycar tremble, even at this distance.

"Shit!" The mercenary exclaimed as he looked for the source of the fire.

"Was that from one of ours?" The Revenant asked.

"Must have been. Too big to be anything less than an AA turret, though. Took that shit down too fast for anything a man can carry."

"Anti-aircraft guns will make getting in there to help a lot more difficult."

"I don't think we have to worry about that right now." Zaeed said as the remaining Swordfishes, zipping around the fire streaming up from the ground, angled away from the danger and straight towards them. As they drew closer, they finally took notice of the smaller skycar, altering their angle slightly on a more aggressive approach. "Get your shit together, we've got company!"

The Revenant tugged on the controls, pulling the skycar into a steep ascent that narrowly dodged the incoming attack. The two nimbler craft swooped around them, like bees attacking an pilfering intruder in their hive. Pretty soon the vehicle shuddered as bullets bounced off its shields, several hits penetrating the barrier to ping off the hull.

Zaeed felt his insides tug to one side as the skycar went into a sickening spin, seeking to avoid the incoming attacks. The Collector grunted as he struggled to keep the vehicle under control while evading the enemy. Finally he turned to bark an order to Zaeed.

"Get on the turret and deal with these! I can't hold them off forever!"

"Turret?" Zaeed asked curiously.

The alien pressed a button, and the rear wall of the skycar retracted to reveal a series of controls, which unfolded to provide two control sticks with triggers. One of the seats at the rear spun around to accommodate the gunner while a loud clanking noise was heard coming from the roof.

Unseen to the occupants inside, the roof of the skycar unfolded to reveal the long, gleaming barrel of the turret. It extended telescopically, the full length of the barrel ending up longer than two thirds of the length of the entire vehicle. This barrel was attached to a rotating platform, giving the gunner a full three hundred and sixty degree arc of fire, with the only blind spot from the weapon being directly underneath. Two loading mechanisms clanked into place on either side of the joint between barrel and platform, ready to keep the gun supplied with missiles or bullets. At the front of the vehicle, a pair of pilot-operated chainguns extended out from behind the headlights, a near limitless supply of ammunition at their disposal.

Back inside, Zaeed grinned broadly as he slipped into the gunner's seat, taking a hold of the control sticks with confident hands. The one on the left controlled the vertical angle at which the gun pointed, while the right-hand control swivelled the gun around. A screen activated before his face, showing the view along the barrel, with a smaller tactical display set into the larger image. In the green glow of this display, enhanced to show the enemies more clearly in the darkness, Zaeed's rough features creased in a devilish smile. He tentatively tested the trigger, figuring out which fired a missile and which send a chatter of bullets off into the night, and then swiftly set about firing on their enemies.

"What, no tale of how this reminds you of going after some sand dealer in the wastes of Klendagon?" The Revenant quipped back over his shoulder.

"Never been there." Zaeed shouted back. "Now stow it and focus on keeping us alive long enough for me to kill these bastards!"

The gun shook the entire frame of the skycar, sending high-velocity projectiles back at their pursuers in a n endless stream. One of the Swordfishes sparked blue as a few direct hits danced off its barriers. Zaeed cursed as the skycar shook to yet more hits, with their enemies taking relatively little damage.

"They've got shields! Didn't the Doc put anything into this junk heap to help against that?" He yelled.

The Revenant was silent as he examined the controls. His three functioning eyes roved over the controls, looking for anything that might be useful in their current situation One button caught his attention.

"Hold on. Gonna try something."

He pushed the button.

On the back of the skycar, a little hatch popped open, a tiny spray of fluid leaking out in a fine mist. The fluid became a thick fog, only a few meters in diameter, directly in front of the rapidly approaching enemies. As they raced towards it, a small blue metal orb shot out of the skycar, coming into contact with the cloud at the same time as the first vehicle.

Blue arcs of electricity spat out from the orb, amplified and conducted by the cloud, forming a sphere of pure electrical energy two metres in diameter. The Swordfish, flying through this, sparked as its shields shorted out, overloaded by the pure energy buzzing through the cloud.

Back in the skycar, Zaeed whooped as his screen informed him that the enemy's shields were down. Not hesitating, he fired a missile, striking the vehicle dead centre. The Swordfish vanished in an expanding cloud of superheated gas, red-hot metal fragments and the smoke that had once been the pilot.

"Hell yeah!" The old mercenary crowed as he spun the turret to take aim at the second enemy. "One down, one to go!"

The skycar lurched as the insectile alien made it jump to one side, sending it into a barely controlled spin. Bullets raced by just outside of the windows, tracing white-hot streaks through the night sky, narrowly missing their vehicle. Zaeed groaned as the G-forces pulled at his insides, nausea rising in his throat.

"We need to deal with this guy, fast!" The Collector yelled from the cockpit.

"Tell me something I don't goddamn know!" Zaeed snapped back.

The mercenary renewed his attack, squeezing the trigger of the main gun in short, sharp bursts that raced towards the pursuing Swordfish, bouncing off the vehicle's shields. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he quickly launched two missiles, one after the other. The first bounced off the shields harmlessly, exploding in a bright flash against the night sky several hundred yards to the left. The second one, though, found its way past the weakened defences, punching into the cowling around one of the port engines. The afflicted part began to pour out thick, black smoke, the glow of its drive fading. The Swordfish wobbled unsteadily, struggling to maintain its equilibrium with the reduced thrust on one side.

"We got 'em!" Zaeed howled triumphantly. "Just need to finish 'em off!"

"On it." The Revenant said as he pulled the skycar into a steep climb. Zaeed felt his nausea increase tenfold as the skycar turned upside down, performing an elegant loop.

Behind them, the Swordfish attempted to follow, beginning the climb much more lazily. As it approached a fully vertical angle of ascent, the engines cough and spluttered, unable to give it the power it needed. With a slow inevitability, the enemy craft began to tumble out of the sky.

As the Revenant completed his loop, he pressed down heavily on the triggers built into his own controls, firing the chainguns on the front of the skycar. The entire craft juddered as the weapons sent twin streams of bullets at their target, tearing into armour and the components underneath. As the skycar whipped past it, missing it by barely more than a foot or so, the Swordfish exploded in a bright orange flare, transforming into a rapidly expanding cloud of fire and debris.

Zaeed whooped as he watched the explosion rapidly receding in his rear-facing view.

"Ye-heah! That'll show the bastards!"

His elation was short-lived, however, as yet another beep emanated from the Collector's console.

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet." The Revenant warned. "Another six marks on my scopes. Looks like they noticed we took their friends out."

"Bring it on." Zaeed growled excitedly.

**~o~0~o~**

**~DELEXIA~**

The Turian pirate panted as she thundered down yet more corridors, the slight frame of Jack an awkward presence on her shoulder. With this encumbrance, she was forced to rely upon her SMG to fight with, rather than her preferred, more powerful weapons.

The closer the squad got to the surface, the more guards they encountered. Delexia found herself wondering if the enemy ranks were actually endless.

By her side, Garrus rained down devastation on their foes. She had to admire his skill on the battlefield, When the former vigilante barked out an order, neither Kasumi nor Mordin hesitated to follow it, such was the authority he spoke with. And he never held back himself. He did not ask one of his comrades to take any risks greater than those he took himself. While the team worked together in this fashion, Delexia saw the unity and trust that had formed the Normandy crew into the legendary fighting force that they were. The only frustration she felt with the situation was at having to remain in the back, looking after the unconscious Jack.

Delexia paused to inspect their little band. They were poorly equipped, to say the least. Garrus was the only one with proper armour, Mordin sporting a hybrid lab coat with far more pockets than she'd have credited it with. Kasumi still wore the jumpsuit she had worn under her kimono, while both Jack and Delexia wore what tatters remained of their dresses. Between them, the motley crew provided a considerable amount of firepower. With Garrus' guns, Mordin and Kasumi's tech capabilities and whatever support Delexia could offer when she wasn't occupied with keeping Jack safe, they were mowing through whatever Victor Lawson threw at them.

Incredibly, aside from the unconscious Jack and Mordin's previous chest injury, the squad was relatively unscathed, yet another testament to Garrus' command abilities.

"Delexia! Get down!" The vigilante shouted. Reacting almost with no thought, the pirate crouched down behind a crate abandoned in the corridor. Moments later, the crate shuddered as something exploded on the far side.

"Mordin, deal with their shields! Kasumi, get close and spread some chaos." Garrus ordered as his rifle continued to sing its death chant.

Nodding in the affirmative, Mordin shuffled up next to the Turian, waving his omnitool to create a pulse of crackling blue energy that shorted out the kinetic barriers of those in the front ranks. Kasumi, meanwhile, vanished in a shimmer of white light, reappearing behind the now defenceless guards. A quick flurry of lightning-fast punches and kicks laid two of the enemy out in record time.

Seeing an opening, Delexia carefully laid Jack down behind the crate, making sure not to damage the still tacky patch of medi-gel that covered the open tear in her skin where the inhibitor had been attached.

"Wait here, sweetie. I'll be right back." She muttered, patting the slumbering convict on the arm as she stood up, taking aim with her gun.

She sighted down on the first guard that came into view, pulling the trigger as she aimed directly at his head. At this distance, the recoil from the gun was enough to send several bullets flying wide, but enough found their mark to puncture the guard's armour, profuse amounts of blood and gore leaking out of the newly made holes. As this first victim slid to the ground, she swiftly moved on to the second.

In this manner, she dispatched two more guards before they took aim at her, punching through their defences effortlessly despite the distance. Garrus, surprised at the sudden unexpected contribution to the firefight, turned to nod to her appreciatively. As he looked over to her, his eyes and mandibles flared wide.

"Delexia! Look out!"

She turned to look where he was staring, suddenly finding herself looking into the eyes of one of the suqad of guards that had crept up behind the squad. Their leader, the one facing Delexia, held a long weapon in his hands, the end of it sparking as the pipes leading to the tank on his back hissed.

Moving instinctively, the Turian dropped to her knees, turning to envelop the vulnerable Jack in her arms. The blast of flame from the pyro trooper washed over her back, setting her dress alight. She clenched her teeth as the pain of the intense heat rippled through her tough scales.

Suddenly, the fire was gone, its source quenched. Delexia chanced a glance backwards to see the trooper drop to the floor, a hole puncturing his throat. He tumbled back into the midst of his allies. As they looked down in shock, a loud squealing, hissing roar could be heard. The bullet, by luck or by skill, had passed through the trooper's gullet, nicking the tank on his back. The high-pressure gas roared out through the new-found hole until it caught on the sparking ignition point on the end of the flamethrower. A tremendous thump threw Delexia to the floor as the inferno consumed the pyro's allies.

Her eyes completely dried out by the flames, Delexia squinted as she looked at the remains of the soldiers, smouldering on the floor. Of the pyro, nothing remained but ashes. She looked down at herself, patting out what patches of burning fabric remained. She stood, groaning as her burned back protested the movement. The skin was not too badly damaged, the intense heat having fortunately been short-lived, but she knew she was burned in place. Her dress now failed to cover her back, only crisp black fragments left of the white fabric that had covered her shoulders. The skirt of the dress remained, preserving her modesty, and the front of the dress was untouched.

Remembering her charge, Delexia turned to look at Jack. The biotic convict was unmarked, though her skin, what little was visible between her tattoos, was an angry red from the heat, although she was not burned.

A three-fingered hand clamped down on the pirate's shoulder, drawing her out of her distracted examination of her surroundings. She turned to see Garrus standing over her, his extra few inches of height making him loom over her.

"You alright?"

She nodded quietly, her voice muted by her dry throat. Garrus nodded understandingly, holstering his sniper rifle. As he did so, Delexia realised that he had been the one to kill the pyro, and the detonation of the gas tank was most probably an intended side-effect of his attack.

"I think we're done here." He said, surveying the battlefield. Delexia followed his gaze, seeing Mordin and Kasumi picking over the corpses of the guards that had stood in their way. "Not far to the exit now. The hangar is just down this passage."

Garrus passed her his assault rifle, drawing his pistol as he knelt next to the comatose Jack. With a practised motion, he scooped her up over his shoulder, setting off down the corridor with the others in tow. Mordin and Kasumi were quick to follow him, while Delexia sluggishly moved into place at the rear. Her back screamed at her with every sudden movement, the flesh tight from the burns. Notcing her difficulty, the Salarian doctor moved to walk next to her, bringing out his omnitool. He smeared a layer of medi-gel on the injury, the tacky fluid instantly cooling her scales. She nodded her thanks, speeding up now as her wounds refused to hinder her so much any more.

Moments later, they were in the cargo hangar, working their way through the labyrinth formed by the stacks of crates. Garrus strode ahead, leading the way confidently back to the main doors. He pushed the button to send the main doors creaking upwards.

The doors groaned apart to reveal the darkened grounds of the estate beyond. The trees waved sinuously in the distance, promising safety if they could just get to them.

Getting away would prove quite difficult, however. Sitting just in front of the hangar doors, lurking with a malevolent air, were two armoured vehicles. Their squat, round frame housed a large cannon perched above a glass cockpit. Their drives roared, keeping them aloft. As the doors cycled open, their weapons spun to face the new presence, the whine of systems powering up audible even from this distance.

Garrus froze for a moment, surprised by the sudden turn of events. A hair of a second later, he sprang into action, tumbling out of the vehicles' line of sight. Mordin and Kasumi swiftly followed suit, with Delexia proving to be the slowest to react. She began to run for cover behind a stack of crates just as the vehicles reached full power and opened fire. The Turian pirate barely had time to utter a word before the first explosive shell landed close to her.

"Oh shi-"

**~o~0~o~**

**~MIRANDA~**

Shepard's squad had made good progress through the sub-levels of the Lawson mansion, continually consulting the schematics Elanie had managed to upload to her omnitool. Miranda would not have said it out loud, but she felt strange working with the new faces. Elanie was an unknown, someone whom she hadn't even had the luxury of doing a background check on before meeting, let alone a full psychological and tactical analysis. And as for Etarn… the novelty of working with a Batarian was an unsettling one. Nevertheless, the pair had proved themselves capable, the alien showing himself a proficient biotic while the Shadow Broker agent exhibited excellent tech skills. She would need some time before she trusted either of them with her life, but she was ready to fight at their side for the time being. Far be it from her to second guess the Commander's decisions, not after all the time she had spent with him fighting the Collectors. In the end, she had chosen to side with Shepard over the Illusive Man when it came to his decision on what to do with the Collector Base, and she wasn't about to make an about-face on that decision now.

Thinking these thoughts turned her attention to Shepard. The Commander was a comforting presence, a reminder of the way things had been and a stabilising element in this vastly different world. Even with the shocking revelations she had endured on this day, she still felt confident about the future, because Shepard was there, ready to drag her and everyone else in the Galaxy forward to a brighter tomorrow.

The squad came to a halt as a pair of heavy metal doors slammed down in front of them. They turned to look behind as an identical pair roared shut behind them, trapping them in a featureless stretch of corridor. The lights flared brightly for a moment before dimming, a holographic image shimmering into existence in front of the squad. An enlarged representation of Victor Lawson's head and shoulders appeared, his features locked in a fierce scowl. A large gash spanned his face, crossing the bridge of his nose and still seeping blood. His eyes narrowed as they observed Miranda. She felt her heart quail a little upon seeing the all-too-familiar face again.

"Miranda." He said coldly. "I should have known Shepard would try to set you loose."

"Father." Miranda's tone was even, completely emotionless, hiding the turmoil within.

"I wouldn't bother trying to escape." He boasted. "You have no terminals to use to hack the door controls, and they're designed to withstand a direct hit from a cruiser's main gun. You'd be long dead before you blew your way through."

"Why are you doing this?" Shepard demanded. "What could you possibly hope to gain from the experiments going on here?"

"The betterment of the Human race." Lawson replied promptly. "My experiments will create the perfect Human, and then my legacy will be guaranteed."

"But this is your own daughter." The Commander sounded exasperated. "How could you do this to your own flesh and blood?"

"She is not my daughter." Although Miranda had realised this small fact long ago, but to hear him say it out loud still stung. "She is an investment. I had thought that Miranda was worthy of becoming my heir, but it is clear from her rejection of the life I gave her that this is not so." His face turned to her. "You were such a disappointment. But to take little Oriana with you, to force her to share in your failure. That was just cruel."

"I did everything you asked of me!" Miranda spat. "Every impossible task, every nonsensical challenge. I passed every test you flung my way with flying colours. But you always asked for more. Being the best I could be was never enough for you. You commanded me to become something beyond Human."

"The perfect specimen would not balk at such a task." Lawson growled. "Your hesitation to comply with my demands is just another facet of your failure. You're not perfect. You're not even close." He turned to face something beyond the range of the holographic imager briefly before turning back. "Looks like my guards are nearly there. This time you won't escape, Shepard. The Illusive Man is sending his agents to retrieve you from my custody in exchange for Oriana. Miranda, your sister and I shall be seeing you shortly. You may not have become what I intended, but you will still be useful in accomplishing my goals."

Miranda struggled not to raise her gun at the image as it faded. Her rage showing in her face, she turned to the Commander.

"We've got to do something, Shepard! I can't let him get a hold of Oriana!"

"We're on it." Shepard promised. He turned to Elanie, who had been discretely scanning the walls. "Got anything?"

"Here." She replied, tapping an unremarkable stretch of the metal wall. "Got some power lines. Just have to figure out how to get this panel-"

She was interrupted by the Commander pushing her aside and swinging his arm at the wall. Unarmoured, the impact should have shattered every bone in a normal man's arm. But Shepard wasn't a normal man. Miranda herself had overseen the implementation of several bone and muscle upgrades that increased the density and durability of the Commander's body. As it was, when the forearm and clenched fist hit the panel, the metal simply buckled under the thunderous impact. He then grabbed an edge of the buckled metal and pulled, tearing the panel from the wall. Elanie nodded with admiration before focusing on what lay beyond.

A bundle of thick wires wound their way past underneath, humming with stored power. Elanie cautiously held her omnitool over the wires, looking for the one she needed. Once found, she tugged at it, giving her some play in the wire so she could better work with it. She pulled a connection from her 'tool and plugged it straight into the wire, the metal sparking as it took the charge. She fiddled with her omnitool for a few seconds before cursing.

"Damn it."

"What's wrong?" Shepard asked.

"I can't hack the doors. The controls are too well defended. An omnitool isn't going to be enough for this task."

"Is there nothing we can do?" Shepard asked.

Elanie hesitated for a moment, clearly unwilling to present whatever option had occurred to her. Seeing the urgency of the situation, she apparently finally reached a decision.

"I guess now's not the time for half measures." She sighed. She tapped on her 'tool and spoke into her palm. "Wake up, Sykes."

A green orb of holographic light shimmered into being in front of her. At first, Shepard thought it was a combat drone, like Tali's Chiktikka, but a moment's inspection highlighted a few key differences. The layers of light were much denser, more tightly packed, and the drone bore a pulsing 'pupil', like EDI's.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming!" A tinny, electronic voice sounded out, a synthesised flange to the male voice clearly evident. "What do you- Aah!" It yelped, the glowing orb lifting up into the air about three feet above the squad. "Ellie, there are people around!"

"I know, Sykes." Elanie soothed. "It's okay. They're friends."

"But you said if I ever showed myself in public-"

"I know I did, but we're in a bit of a situation here and I need your help."

The orb seemed to calm down until it turned to look at the Commander, noticing the pistols both he and Miranda had drawn.

"Aah!" It yelped, seeking cover behind Elanie.

"Commander, put those weapons away! He tends to get… nervous."

"'He' shouldn't be capable of feeling anything!" Shepard snapped. "What are you doing with an AI in your back pocket?"

"He's not a full AI, just a synthetic intelligence."

"Same thing."

"Not exactly. We haven't got time for me to go into the details right now." Elanie said calmly, despite the two guns aimed at her and the hologram behind her.

"I thought I recognised the name." Miranda muttered. "Elanie Johanson. You were the lead tech on The Hephaestus Project."

"How does the leader of a Cerberus cell come to serve the Shadow Broker as one of his top agents?" Shepard demanded, uncomfortable with this new truth about his supposed ally.

"She stole a valuable piece of technology from the project." Miranda explained. "My guess is she went to the Broker for protection, and has been spying for his network ever since."

"I didn't steal him. I set him free." Elanie said defiantly.

"Wait… the SI? That's what you stole?" Miranda sounded a little incredulous.

"I'm surprised you didn't know all of this already." Shepard murmured.

"The Hephaestus Project was shut down before I had the same levels of access I so recently lost." She explained. "After it shut down, thanks to her handiwork, all information on it was erased, and the techs were silenced. Except for Elanie. We never did find her."

"I'll take that as a compliment to my ability to hide." Elanie said grimly. "Now, if you're done digging up the past, we need to get moving."

"I'm not trusting you until you tell me more about who you really are." Shepard said firmly.

"Look, I keep myself to myself for my own reasons, okay. If its that important to you, then I promise, once we're out of here, I'll tell you every damn detail. But for now, can we just get on with this?"

Shepard reluctantly nodded to her. The Shadow Broker operative turned and leaned over the exposed wires, the glowing orb drifting down next to her. It gently touched the wires and, in a flash, was gone. Shepard felt himself tense at the thing's disappearance.

"Where'd it go?" He demanded.

"He's inside the network now. In a sense, he has become the network. Shouldn't take long for him to-"

The blast doors began to grind apart, interrupting her explanation. Half a second later, the holographis orb reappeared.

"Ah, there we go." Elanie said with a grin.

"Anything else you need, Ellie?" It asked helpfully.

"Not just now. You'd best get back into storage for now."

Miranda watched the way the agent and the SI acted towards one another, a realising dawning. Could it be, she wondered. Could she have actually come to view this programme as he friend? She shook her head, dismissing the thoughts. This was neither the time nor the place.

As soon as their path was clear, Shepard resumed his march down the corridors, the rest of the squad moving into place behind him. Their pace hurried as the sounds of several pairs of booted feet charging towards them echoed down the corridors.

**~o~0~o~**

The squad had contended with several squad of guards by the time they were approaching their objective. Elanie's map informed them that only a couple of dozen yards separated them from their destination. Miranda could feel herself growing more and more tense with every step they took, knowing in her gut that she'd have to confront her father before they left this place. The man would undoubtedly be in the central control complex by now, overseeing the movements of his kingdom with his usual arrogance.

She steeled herself, knowing that her anger with the monster who had created her would be more of a distraction than a source of strength in the coming battle. And against Victor Lawson, the man who knew her every strength and weakness, she could afford to be no less than the best she could be when she had to face him.

With this turmoil boiling in her mind, she barely noticed when the Commander slowed to a halt, looking through the glass window in the upper half of one of the doors that lined the corridor. Knowing he wouldn't hesitate at the expense of their mission without good reason, she too chanced a look inside the room he was so interested in.

Her heart, already pained to capacity by her time in these labs, nearly gave out upon seeing what was on the other side of the door.

Meandering about aimlessly, a dozen raven-haired children were engaged in various activities, from answering questions on a holographic terminal to reciting memorised scripts to engaging in physical activities. At least two observation cams were focused on each child at any one time, recording every movement, every success, every failure. All of this data was filed on the massive computer that occupied the back wall of the lab, a hulking machine that loomed over the children like a hen over its chicks.

Miranda didn't need to see the data on the computer to know that these children were hers. The stoic features, trained to be locked in a perpetual scowl of concentration, were irrefutably descended from hers. The children had to be biologically about six or seven, obviously having had their rate of ageing accelerated to accomplish in a few months what should have taken the best part of a decade.

With barely a thought, Miranda grabbed a hold of the door handle and pushed, striding into the lab. She felt the Commander's hand brush her shoulder in an attempt to restrain her, but she shrugged it off stubbornly. As one, all of the children within turned to look at her with the same fixed expression on their faces, one of measured curiosity mixed with caution.

Her hands shaking, unsure of what she should do next, Miranda walked over to one of the girls in the room, kneeling down next to her. The girl's face flushed bashfully, turning away from the stranger. Miranda smiled, a small, sad expression on her face that was meant to reassure the girl.

"Hey." She said weakly, trying to put a reassuring note in her voice. "What's your name?"

The little girl looked at her blankly. The way her brow creased signalled her incomprehension. Taking a different tack, Miranda reached for the girl's hand, noticing the band she wore. She reacted almost mechanically, raising her hand for inspection. Miranda had to wonder at how often this procedure, among others, had been drilled into the tiny creature. She looked at the band, reading the information inscribed on it. The band identified her as 'Subject two-forty six'. Miranda felt a cold lump in her chest, realising these children hadn't even been given names, just identification numbers, a cold designation rather than a proper identity. She tried to shake off the horror she felt at this, not wanting to alarm the children. She renewed her smile, seeking a different approach.

"Can you speak?" She asked carefully. The girl nodded silently. Suppressing a frown, Miranda once again mentally changed gears. "What're you working on?"

The girl held up a painting. It was no masterpiece, but Miranda's heart melted to see it. It was… simple, but vibrant. A mix of colours and flowing lines, shape and shade coming together to make a pleasant image.

"That's wonderful." She breathed, her smile becoming more genuine. "It's beautiful."

The girl's expression became more wary, obviously unused to such praise.

"Father says I need to keep trying. That I am not good enough yet." She mumbled, looking down at her feet as her cheeks flushed.

Miranda looked at her for a moment, pity swelling in her soul. No child deserved to live like this, deprived of any positive reinforcement and left to continue to aspire for the approval of a man who had none to give. Acting on impulse, Miranda leaned forward, enveloping the girl in a tight embrace. The child froze, clearly startled and unsure of what a simple hug meant. The fact that this child did not react to her touch, the embrace of a mother for her child, only served to deepen the sorrow in Miranda's heart. She felt tears streak their way down her face as she pressed her face into the hollow of the girl's neck between her jaw and shoulder.

Around the pair, the other children were looking over curiously. The wonder and interest created by the small token of affection suggested they had never even seen such a thing, let alone experienced it.

"Miranda, I think you should come look at this." Elanie's insistent words drew her attention. She released the little girl, who had not moved the entire time she had held her, and stood up, moving to where the rest of the squad was examining the computer.

"I've got the files on the tests they were running here." The Shadow Broker agent explained.

"What did you find out?" Miranda asked, certain she'd rather not find out.

"Apparently Lawson's been testing ways to condition the children to remain loyal to him, both through genetic means and through environmental conditioning. Nature and Nurture stuff. Seems like he's run into a problem, though. The Human instinct to make our own decisions is too strong to be overwritten in one night. Previous generations, who have aged into adolescence, have managed to resist the conditioning. These children show promise, but they won't know for sure until they reach puberty."

"What happened to the rebellious generation?" Shepard asked slowly.

"-Terminated." Elanie's single word was almost an apology aimed at Miranda, attempting to be as gentle as she could while telling the cold, hard truth. Even so, the ex-Cerberus operative felt the word strike her deeper than any bullet could. She shuddered before turning to the console herself, typing in a few commands.

"I'm taking a copy of the research done here and wiping the local files." She said as she worked. "I want to know what changes my father made to these children, and work to undo the damage."

"Miranda-" Shepard tried to interject.

"Their ageing process has been accelerated past normal safe limits. At this rate, they wouldn't live to see their tenth birthday. Fortunately, I am already familiar with the procedures needed to undo this. We had to use similar accelerated growth to culture some of the tissue needed for Project Lazarus. With the Normandy's state-of-the-art Med Bay, fixing this shouldn't be a problem."

"Miranda." The Commander's tone was more insistent now.

"Of course, the treatments to make them more docile will be a little more difficult to undo, but that could potentially prove to be more dangerous. If I'm reading this right, then right now they'll respond to commands from any authoritative figure. Even at the expense of their own safety."

"MIRANDA!" Shepard's shout was much sharper than he'd planned, and drew fearful glances from all of the children. Finally Miranda turned to look at him.

"What?" She asked, a tinge of defensiveness in her voice.

"What are you doing?" Shepard asked.

"Getting these children out of here."

"We're about to go into battle here, Miranda. It'll be no place for a bunch of kids."

"I'm not about to leave them in the hands of this… this monster."

"The children do not feel a familial connection with you." Etarn interjected. "Do you desire to impose your maternal instincts upon them?"

"They might not know me, but they will know loving parents." Miranda said doggedly. "I don't want them to go through the same childhood I had."

Shepard caught her eye, staring at her with an analytical gaze. He finally seemed to reach a decision in his head.

"Fair enough. I wouldn't want to leave them here either." He turned to the Batarian and the other woman. "Etarn, Elanie, take the kids and head back up to the surface. Find Garrus and the others, and wait for the extraction team to arrive. Miranda and I shall take care of the defences by ourselves."

"But-" Elanie began.

"No buts." Shepard responded firmly. "Now go. I have no idea what the situation is on the surface, but I know that the sooner you get to Garrus, the less likely it'll be that you find him surrounded by enemies. Get the kids to him, and you'll have the numbers to properly protect them."

"Aye-aye." Elanie said after a momentary hesitation.

Miranda watched as the pair rounded up the children. The little ones quailed at the sight of the four-eyed alien, but quickly fell in line after receiving orders from the grown-ups, further showcasing their docile nature.

After they had gone, the children marching eerily silently between the Batarian and the Human, Shepard took a hold of Miranda's shoulder, guiding her out of the lab.

"C'mon. We've got to get a move on." He ordered.

"Aye, Commander. Just give me a second."

Miranda stalked across the room, back to where she had met two-forty six. She silently picked up the discarded picture the girl had been working on, folding the paper up and stowing it in her pocket.

"Ready, Shepard." She looked around the empty lab pointedly. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet." He smiled. "We've still got to get back home. Now let's get going!"

**~o~0~o~**

**~MORDIN~**

_Armoured vehicle. System's Alliance Thresher class. Three inch armour plating, fish-scale design to deflect rather than absorb impacts. Relies upon small-calibre rounds launched with rapid-fire cannon. Majority of power devoted to maintaining kinetic barriers rather than high-power weapons systems. Designed for fights of attrition against smaller infantry units without weapon's capacity to eliminate shields._

All of this cold, calculating thought buzzed through Mordin's mind as he scurried for cover, dodging out of the way of the incoming fire. In seconds, he understood what he faced and began trying to find a way to exploit its weaknesses.

_Shield coverage modular, focused over vital systems, cockpit, engine, weapons system. Possible to exploit gaps in coverage with overload burst. But, need to get close enough. Cover insufficient, supporting firepower lacking. Vakarian incapable of controlling battlefield alone, and allies insufficiently armed to present threat to armoured vehicles. Shields would take too much of a beating getting within range, and would need to remain exposed while using overload._

The wide-eyed alien's gaze dropped to the ground beneath the hovering tanks, pupils narrowing as a spark of inspiration caught within his mind. Beneath the first Thresher, the grass was slowly crisping, singeing from the heat of the vehicle's jets.

"Vakarian! Covering fire!" He yelled, standing up and presenting himself as a target.

His submachine gun chattered in his hand, sending several streams of glowing bullets arrowing straight at the first tank, only to be deflected by its defences. The shields continued to spark as Garrus fired off several shots from his sniper rifle, the high-velocity rounds hitting powerfully but still not penetrating. The tank reacted to the sudden assault, shifting clumsily to get a clear shot at the Salarian. Its fellow tried to move to attack, but found its field of view blocked by the first tank.

Mordin dashed across the open ground, feeling his shields take the brunt of the attacks that began to race his way. He covered the distance remarkably fast, faster than any of his friends would have thought possible of a Salarian of his age. His chest spasmed in pain as his breath ran ragged, his wound still playing up, but he made it to the side of the tank unharmed. As the tank shifted to the side, hoping to run him over, the Salarian dropped to the ground, turning his headlong progress into a tumbling roll. The infernal heat of the engines washed over him, causing his skin to prickle uncomfortably.

As the tank continued to move over him, the alien raised a hand, his omnitool sparking wildly with stored power. One of the engines moved past his field of vision, a blazing furnace pummelling the ground to keep the vehicle aloft. As it moved into position, Mordin released the pent-up charge in his 'tool, sending a bolt of flame rushing up through the engine. Without waiting to find out how successful he was, the professor resumed him tumble, rolling back out from under the tank as a loud groan emerged from its belly.

The tank shuddered for a moment, parts breaking off it as it began to writhe, its structure wrestling with the forces raging inside of it. With a brilliant flash and a bang louder than anything Mordin had ever heard, the tank exploded, splinters of metal peppering the landscape all around. The turret lifted off from the rest of the structure, winging through the air in a graceful arc until it struck the ground not five feet from the shocked Garrus.

Getting up from where he had curled on the ground to protect himself from the brunt of the blast, Mordin hurriedly strode back to his team-mates, seeking cover once more as the second tank, recovering from the fiery oblivion its kin had suffered, rounded the flaming wreckage and opened fire.

The waiting Garrus and Delexia looked at the Salarian with a mix of awe and surprise. He returned their expression with a satisfied grin before turning to face the remaining threat.

"Thought I was harmless, did you?" He boasted.

**~o~0~o~**

**~ELANIE~**

Elanie found herself ducking down behind cover for what must have been the hundredth time that evening as she and the Batarian ushered the children into shelter from the bullets of yet another enemy squad. The Shadow Broker operative was exhausted from having to shepherd her tiny charges along safely. The children were clearly unsettled by being out of the only surroundings they had known their entire lives, blinking confusedly as they took in the new sights presented to them outside of their familiar lab. Every time a gun sounded, they jumped in terror, freezing as they remained unsure of what was going on. It took every ounce of Elanie's will not to snap at them as they stumbled around in a daze.

Amazingly, Etarn had proved to be quite adept at handling the children. In spite of his intimidating visage, he kept his voice gentle but firm. The children, although being timid around him at first, had quickly warmed to him, obeying the four-eyed alien without hesitation.

A bullet pinged off the floor next to Elanie, soliciting a curse from her. Realising the growing danger of a pair of guards trying to flank the group, she activated her omnitool. A moment later, the jittery Sykes flickered into being.

"What- aah!" He cried out as another close call ricocheted off the wall behind Elanie. The glowing orb that represented the SI jumped back a few feet in fear.

"Sykes, get out there and keep them distracted. I'll try and sneak around behind them."

"Out there? In the way of the bullets?" The artificial being asked incredulously. Elanie stifled a chuckle at his simulated emotions.

"Just do it!"

"But-"

"Now!"

Grumbling, the glowing orb drifted out from behind their cover, rushing through the air towards the guards. They instantly shifted their aim, firing at the ghostly image. The shimmering shape of the SI's interface flowed around the bullets, no more substantial than a sunbeam, although this didn't prevent him from shrieking in fear as he streaked through the air, adding to the quality of his distraction.

Elanie used this distraction to slip out of her cover, making her way around the other side of the two guards. She scuttled up behind them, waiting for the opportune moment. As she placed the guards directly between herself and Sykes, she leapt into action. Hurling herself at the guards, she caught one across the back of the knee with a powerful kick, rewarded with the crunch of bone as the joint gave way. As the guard stumbled to the ground, howling in pain and clutching at his mutilated leg, his comrade spun to face the new threat.

Elanie reacted swiftly, lifting her omnitool to send an Overload pulse at him. The man's shields flickered and died, shorted out temporarily by the electro-magnetic pulse. She quickly followed up with a burst of her SMG, tearing holes in the guard's belly.

She turned to finish off the second guard, only to feel a hand curl around her ankle, tugging hard and causing her to fall. She hit the floor hard, the impact sending the breath rushing out of her lungs and causing stars to wheel in her vision as her skull cracked loudly against the metal beneath her.

In less than a second, the guard whose leg she had broken had heaved himself on top of her, using his weight to pin her to the floor. Behind his helmet, she could hear heavy breathing as he snarled a curse at her. Through the dazed fog of her mind, she saw him draw his pistol and push it against her temple.

A brilliant flash threatened to blind her, causing the guard to squirm painfully as his eyes took its full brunt. He growled in pain, waving at the bright intrusion.

"Ellie!" Sykes cried out, his image flaring brightly to create the light that blinded the guard.

Elanie used the sudden distraction to lift her own gun, blasting through the guard's defences and perforating his chest with a stream of bullets. With a wet sigh, he slumped to the ground beside her. Her face splattered with gleaming red blood, Elanie turned a grin to her synthetic companion.

"Thanks, Sykes."

"Yeah, well, I need you to carry my CPU around, don't I?" If anything, the SI's voice was a shade embarrassed. Elanie responded to this with a chuckle.

"Fair enough." She said through her smile, getting up slowly. She turned her attention to where she had left the group, seeing Etarn urging the children to get up. The Batarian still glowed from his recently expended biotics, tongues of blue fire racing up his arms. The alien turned a glance to her.

"How far?" He asked simply.

"Not much further now." She answered. "We're almost at the surface. Once we get out of these sub-levels, I'll be able to signal Vakarian and we can get some proper firepower watching our backs."

Etarn nodded, waving for the children to follow Elanie. She took the lead, being the one more familiar with the layout of the mansion form her studies of the schematics she had stolen. Etarn watched the rear of the column, using his biotics to shield the children as best he could.

They continued in this fashion for a little longer, making good progress towards the surface and the freight hangar. As soon as they had entered the hangar, filled to the brim with cargo containers, Elanie tested her commlink.

"Vakarian, this is Johanson. Do you read me?"

"-st about, Johans-" The scratchy, static-filled reply came. "What- -ur posit-?"

"We're in the freight hangar. We need some help here. Got non-combatants with us that need protecting. I repeat, we have children with us that we need to get out of here safely."

"-ger that, Johanson. On- -ay." The Turian replied. Apparently repeating the message had given him enough to piece the transmission together.

Elanie spun at the sound of an assault rifle chattering behind them, turning to see Etarn burst into blue flames as blood seeped from a shoulder wound. He turned and, with a flick of the wrist, lifted the attacking guard back into the large squad of his buddies that were close behind him.

The Shadow Broker agent rushed back to help her ally, but the sturdy Batarian waved her off irritably.

"Get the kids out of here." He growled.

As the tough alien said this, the hangar doors began to grind open, slowly revealing a thin slice of the open ground beyond that promised, if not safety, at least some decent firepower to hold up until the extraction team arrived. Emboldened by this, Elanie increased her pace, leading the children between the crates towards the large doors.

The doors groaned open to reveal the waiting Garrus, down in a kneeling position, ready to provide covering fire to the retreating group. Beside him, Mordin was busily working on the door controls, their circuits exposed by the fire of some heavy weapon. Kasumi busily helped the Salarian, offering her tech skills to the professor when needed. On the Turian's other side, Delexia was toting an assault rifle, ready to rush to the rescue of any allies in distress while Garrus covered her back. Behind this squad, two tanks sent twin pillars of smoke and flame into the night sky like beacons. Elanie wondered at how the squad, on foot, had managed to take on the two armoured vehicles with no heavy weaponry of their own. A moment's additional searching found the unconscious form of Jack slumped against a piece of debris from the destroyed tanks, one half of her face caked in blood.

Elanie's heart quickened to see her comrades so near, and it was all she could do not to break into a sprint for safety, forcing herself to remain in control and to stay with the children.

"Come on, kids!" Garrus shouted, his voice carrying an authority that none of the tiny Humans ignored.

As the children broke into a run, Elanie turned her gaze back over them, looking back to Etarn. The Batarian was wreathed in blue fire, sending bolts of dark energy back at the enemies that pressed in behind them. His shoulder, torn open pretty badly by the initial attack, seeped thick blood, leaving it in greasy patches on the metal at his feet. As she watched, he send a thunderous wall of energy barrelling at the enemy ranks, sending a few of the guards tumbling head over heels. Still more pressed forwards, filling the gaps left by their fallen comrades.

A shrill cry drew the attention of both the battling Batarian and the exhausted Elanie. They both turned to look to the source of the noise. A stray bullet had penetrated the barrier Etarn was maintaining, catching one of the children. Elanie noticed it was the girl Miranda had spoken to, Subject Two Forty Six. She clutched at a leg that bled profusely, knocked to all fours by the impact of the bullet. Seeing the child in distress, Etarn spun and darted towards her, scooping Two Forty Six up into his arms as the guards' attacks continued to bounce off his personal barrier. His four eyes turned to Elanie.

"Go! See to the others!" He urged. Elanie nodded reluctantly, turning to follow the remaining children. She fired back over her shoulders at the guards occasionally, though mostly she left the task of holding the enemy back to her comrades beyond the hangar doors.

Garrus personally accounted for a half dozen of the guards in the space of a few seconds, his rifle snapping out the shots and scoring him an uninterrupted series of clean headshots. Beside him, Delexia's fire proved to be more chaotic and undisciplined, reflective of her pirate background, but no less effective. Guards continued to fall to the combined firepower of the Turians.

As the first of the children raced through the open doors, Garrus' eyes and mandibles flared in alarm.

"Elanie! Look out!" He cried in warning.

Elanie turned to look back, seeing one guard rush to the front rank, a large tube braced on one shoulder. Before any of the squad could stop him, the guard pulled the trigger on his rocket launcher. The world began to move in slow motion as the fiery projectile tore across the distance between the squad and their enemies. Elanie flinched instinctively from the attack, although the rocket went wide, not proving to be a threat to any of the fleeing children. The operative's heart jumped as the rocket found a victim in the motor hauling the doors upwards, destroying the mechanism in a cloud of razor-sharp metal shards. Instantly, the door began to slide shut.

Elanie redoubled her pace, heaving herself through the closing door as it descended over her head, helping the last of the children to get through. She turned to look back, only to see Etarn lagging behind. With Two Forty Six in his arms, the Batarian ran with all the power he could muster, even using his biotics to boost his speed. All of this effort, however, proved to be for naught, as the heavy metal doors completed their relentless descent.

She ran back as the doors ground too low for Etarn to get through, her fists colliding with the thick metal as it clanged shut.

"No!" She yelled, thumping the doors in frustration.

She sagged in exhaustion against the door, remaining there until a three-fingered hand clamped down on her shoulder. She looked up into Garrus' stern features, the Turian obviously grieved that his comrade had not made it out. Both of them jumped as their commlinks crackled, a barely adequate signal coming through.

"Vakarian! Answer me, ancestors damn it!" The Batarian's voice was filled with static, grainy but understandable. With a relieved but still anxious expression, Garrus tapped a command on his omnitool.

"Garrus here."

"I'm still alive, but I'm being hounded pretty bad." The Batarian explained. In the background, the loud war chant of enemy guns sounded out very close by. "I can't get out this way, so I'll try and find another route."

"We could try blasting through here." Garrus suggested.

"Not a hope." Etarn almost chuckled. "You'd need something like the Normandy's prow cannon to burn through these doors, and we've still got no way of calling in that kind of firepower. I'll find another way 'round. Much easier when there's just the two of us to get out of here undetected."

"Roger that." Garrus said reluctantly. "Try not to take too long, okay?"

"Never figured you'd be one to miss me, Vakarian. You're not going soft on me, are you?" Etarn quipped.

"It's not that, its just with you gone our weekly Skyllian Five game is one short, and you still owe me two hundred from last week's ass-kicking."

The Batarian actually laughed at this, something Elanie found incredible given the circumstances, before signing off. Garrus turned to look at the rest of his team, busily herding the rescued children into one group they could keep track of.

"We've got to keep on the move." He strode over to the recumbent Jack, throwing her over one shoulder. "Come on."

Without a word, the rest of the team followed, making their way from the hangar doors. As they scaled the slope leading away, Elanie's commlink squawked.

"Does anyone read me out there? Commander, Vakarian. Hell, I'll take the damn Geth, anyone!"

"Jacob!" Garrus answered the call.

"Finally!" The Human responded with relief. "What the hell's going on? We've been trying to reach anyone for ages."

"We?"

"Me, Samara and Feron have gathered together. We're working to take out the AA guns Lawson's got watching the sky, but we were starting to get worried when we didn't hear anything from the rest of you. Where's Shepard?"

"He's still inside the mansion." Elanie chipped in, providing the latest intel the squad had. "He and Miranda are working to shut down the comm jammers and the perimeter shields so we can get the shuttles in to pick us up."

"You got Miranda out safe?" Jacob sounded relieved.

"Hey, try not to sound so happy, Jakey!" Kasumi chimed in, the tones of jealousy permeating her voice.

"Even with the shields and jammers knocked out, the shuttle will never get through with those guns active." Garrus said firmly, steering the team's focus back to the task at hand.

"We're taking 'em out one by one, but we're making slow progress." Jacob explained. "Two teams would get this done a lot faster."

"We have non-combatants with us." Garrus said gravely. "So we can't all help you. I'll lead my team to a defensible location and hold that position. Then I'll send Kasumi and Mordin to help you where they can. The rest of us will stay with the children, keep them safe."

"Children?" Jacob was truly startled. "What the hell?"

"Long story, I'll tell it back on the Normandy." Elanie said quickly.

"Roger that." Jacob answered gruffly. "There's a small hill midway between the first two AA guns, between the mansion and that lake. The trees give you good cover, while the slope makes it hard to approach. It'd be ideal for you to hold until the shuttle gets here."

"Sounds like a plan." Garrus acknowledged. " We'll head there just now. Meet us there once you're done with the AA guns."

This decided, the squad set off for the hill, the eleven remaining children in their midst as they set a steady marching pace.

**~o~0~o~**

**~ETARN~**

Etarn crouched down behind a crate, clutching the tiny form of Two Forty Six to his chest. The child was shivering, her face drained of colour. Her eyes rolled back in her head as she moved weakly in his grasp, her leg bleeding profusely, staining the plain white clothes she wore a vivid scarlet. Seeing that the girl was fading, Etarn paused in his flight from the pursuing guards, pulling an application of medi-gel from a pouch on his belt. He quickly tore open her trouser leg, getting the fabric clear of the wound. He then smeared the gel over the wound, sealing it under a makeshift coat of transparent goo. It was hardly the work of a professional surgeon, but it would staunch the bleeding for now, keeping her alive long enough to get her back to the ship.

He jumped as a nearby explosion rocked the crate he was hiding behind. In his arms, the dazed girl's eyes focused long enough to flash with fear before slipping back into her blood-loss-induced delirium. As he made to stand again, a twinge in his shoulder drew his attention to his own injuries. The sturdy alien had barely noticed when the bullets had punctured his shoulder, thankfully missing anything vital. But the wound still seeped copious amounts of blood, and the longer he left it the worse his fatigue would get. Pausing briefly to summon the biotic energy necessary to hurl a couple of approaching guards back a few metres, Etarn tended to his injuries swiftly. Thus patched up, he made ready to move.

He shifted Two Four Six onto his back, grabbing hold of the girl's wrists in front of his neck to hold her in place. He focused his mind on shaping a Barrier, surrounding himself and his tiny charge in a cocoon of swirling sapphire smoke that offered a little more protection than just their skin. He made sure the flickering energy was more concentrated over his back, giving her more protection than himself from the incoming fire. He could take a few more hits. The girl, not so much. She was already threatening to go into shock from the injury to her leg. Any sort of pain could send her over the edge.

The Batarian steeled himself. That wouldn't happen while he was responsible for her. He forced his mind to centre on the approaching guards, his hand weaving a complicated dance before his chest. In one fluid motion, he stood, turned to face his pursuers, and flung out one hand, palm first. A massive, roiling wall of dark energy burst forth from his palm, its swirling eddies catching the front ranks of the guards unawares and sweeping them up in a tide of flailing limbs and dropped weapons.

This done, the alien turned to run, setting off at a sprint. The diminutive form of Two Forty Six thudded against his back awkwardly, the girl grunting as she shifted painfully against his grip. The two of them felt the staccato shudder of a multitude of bullets pinging off their defensive barrier, none of the shots having sufficient power to penetrate the biotic shield.

The Batarian gasped as he ran, his political background not having prepared him for such athletic endurance. As he exerted his biotics to keep their shield up, his energy reserved swiftly dwindled, the subtle weight of the child on his back becoming heavier with every step. He wove his way down a series of twisting corridors, not caring where they led so long as it was away from the guards. In no time, he was very lost.

His eyes caught sight of a possible refuge, a pair of open doors to one side that appeared to be quite heavy, leading to yet another stretch of corridor. A blast door, perhaps? Whatever it was, it would at least hold back the guards long enough for him to regain some of his expended energy. Without a further thought, he dipped in through the doors, swiftly spinning to work on the door controls.

With a hesitant pace, the doors began to grind shut. Etarn tensely worked at the controls to get it sealed before they were caught. He typed out a command to lock the door, shutting out the opposing door control that the guards had on their side. As the gap between the doors narrowed, a guard reached the opening, struggling to push himself through before the Batarian sealed himself away on the far side. With barely any effort, the adrenaline of battle powering his amp, Etarn waved a hand at the hapless guard, throwing him back through the closing door with such force that he knocked over his comrades, coming through behind him, and hit the far wall with a sickening crunch. At last, the doors slid shut with an air of finality.

Inside, serenaded by the sounds of the pursuing guards thumping on the door ineffectually and the beeps of the door control refusing them access, Etarn almost collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily. The slight weight of Two Forty Six slid from his shoulders, the girl curling up on the floor in a heap.

The pair waited there for a few precious moments, Etarn struggling to regain his strength after the furious biotic display he had just expended almost all of his energy upon. After a short breather, he dragged himself to his feet and walked over to the terminal that controlled the door, trying to use it to find a route out of the building.

"Why are you doing this?"

Etarn turned in surprised at the girl's mumbled question. She looked up at him with bleary eyes. He stammered for a second before finding a suitable explanation.

"We're going to take you somewhere safe, where you'll be looked after properly." He turned back to his work. "You'll have a real family, and a home."

"But why?" She persisted. "You're an alien, a Batarian. Father says that all Batarians hate us. Don't you hate me?"

Etarn was staggered at the simple question. How could Lawson channel so much bigotry and negative thinking into one childhood? Once again he found himself staggering over his words.

"Your father has not met every Batarian. Some of us are nice. Some of us are bad, yes, but you need to judge a person by what they do, not by how many eyes they have. I used to think all Humans were the same, but then I met Shepard."

"The nice man in the lab?"

"Yes." Etarn smiled.

The child was silent for a few moments, her heavy breathing betraying her drowsy state. She seemed to spend a good while sleeping, but her next question revealed that, even in her injured state, the keen inquisitiveness and persistence of a child's mind shone through.

"Father says Humans are better than everyone else."

The statement struck the Batarian profoundly. That a child would say this to him without hesitation was mildly amusing, but also betrayed the mindset Lawson was trying to instil in his offspring. He had to think about the answer he would give for a few moments, drawing his attention away from the terminal.

"We're all born into the same Galaxy. What we do to make it a brighter place is what makes us, not the genes we're born with or the planet we come from. You'll see when we get out of here."

"I don't think so. We're not allowed to leave the mansion." Two Forty Six mumbled.

They were silent for another brief moment before Etarn heard the girl's clothes rustle as she shifted into a more comfortable position, whimpering in pain as she applied a little pressure to the medi-gel patch covering her wound.

"Why was the nice lady so sad?"

This new twist to the conversation caught Etarn off-guard.

"Nice lady?" He asked, not sure who Two Forty Six meant.

"The one in the lab. She liked my picture, but she was crying."

"That was Miranda." Etarn explained. "She wasn't sad, she was just really happy."

"Why?" The child demanded.

"Well…" Etarn struggled. "She was happy to see you."

"Why?" She asked, in that ever-so-persistent way children do.

"She's your mother." Etarn relented, deciding truth was better than fiction. "She's never seen you before, and was really happy to find you."

"Father says I don't have a mother." She responded matter-of-factly. "He says I was made in a lab."

"Its true that you were made in a lab, but everyone needs a mother, child." Etarn said pityingly. Apparently the children received no illusion about how and why they were created. The girl grunted at his words.

"Hmm." She mumbled, rubbing her head against her shoulder sleepily as she closed her eyes again, the anaesthetic qualities of the medi-gel kicking in. "Will it be nice, having a mother?"

"I'm sure it will, child." Etarn said, turning from the terminal, having found what he needed to get them out of there. He uploaded the map to his omnitool, memorising the details, and knelt next to the almost-asleep girl. With gentle care, he lifted her up and set off down the corridors towards freedom.

He hadn't gone twenty yards before a sudden clanging made him jump. Almost above his head, a grate popped out of its bracket in the ceiling, crashing down on the floor with a clatter. Behind this grate, a featureless metal 'face' came into view, iconic flashlight 'eye' surprisingly reassuring given the race of its owner.

"Allied unit located." Legion intoned flatly.

"Legion! Thank the ancestors." Etarn said warmly. "I can't believe I'm actually glad to see a Geth."

"Belief is not necessary to experience positive emotions at our presence." The Geth said as it clambered out of the shaft. "We have been attempting to locate allied units for some time now. Requesting status update on remainder of allied squad."

"They're all okay, as far as I can tell. Shepard is still in the building, trying to take down the shields and comm jammers with Miranda. The rest of the squad is outside, trying to stay in one piece until the shuttle arrives."

"Unknown unit detected." The Geth said, looking at the slumbering Two Forty Six.

"This is Two Forty Six. A test subject created from Miranda's genetic material. Shepard ordered myself and Elanie to get her and her siblings to the surface for extraction, but I got separated from the rest of them."

The Geth buzzed for an instant, clearly processing this data.

"Consensus achieved. We will assist you in delivering unit Two Forty Six to extraction zone, as Shepard-Commander has instructed. We will then assist allied units in holding extraction zone until Shepard-Commander is able to exfiltrate safely."

"I'll take any help I can get." The Batarian smiled. He offered his omnitool to the sentient machine. "I've downloaded a map of this level. We should be able to get to the surface no problem using it. Lead the way."

"Acknowledged." The Geth said, pulling a rifle from the holster on its back.

The trio set off, Legion in the lead with Etarn following closely behind, the tiny Two Forty Six cradled in his arms.

**~o~0~o~**

**~KASUMI~**

"Come on, kids! Keep moving!"

Kasumi's voice sounded out over the group, urging the children to hurry. The hill the group was travelling towards was very close now, looming over the cluster of squad mates and children. Garrus and Delexia led the way, the latter weighed down by Jack's inert form while the former used his assault rifle to sweep the land before them, making sure no enemies lay in wait. The eleven children were clustered in a small knot in the heart of the pack, looking about in wonder and fear at the new world they were experiencing. Mordin, Elanie and Kasumi brought up the rear of the column, ready to fend off any pursuit.

Weariness threatened to overwhelm the Japanese thief as she began the slow climb up the slope of the hill, the full weight of the mission beginning to settle upon her shoulders. She hadn't felt this exhausted since the mission beyond Omega Four. Of course, these thoughts brought back memories of her time with the Normandy crew pursuing the Collectors. Strangely enough, being in this tense situation made her feel at home. Being back among her friends, facing monumental challenges, doing something that mattered. Tired as she was, she was thrilled to be a part of it.

Seeing one small boy straying from the pack, she moved forwards, guiding him back towards the rest with a firm hand and a friendly smile. She was good with kids, and had quickly established a rapport with her small charges. They responded well to her bright manner, better than the way they responded to the Turians or to Mordin. It appeared that their 'father' had passed on his own pro-Human beliefs even to these youngsters.

"Almost there." Garrus called out as he strode up the hill powerfully. Moments later he crested the hill, sharp eyes scanning the hilltop as he evaluated the position as a temporary refuge for the group.

A ring of trees had been planted atop the hill, providing a screen for the squad against any incoming fire, while the bare slopes allowed no protected angle of approach for any enemy troops. It wasn't exactly a fortress, but it would do for now. If Shepard did his job right, the extraction team would be en route soon. Having inspected their new shelter, the Turian glanced back to the slight Human and the Salarian.

"This'll do for now. Delexia, Elanie, set up a perimeter. I'll find the best vantage point to cover all angles of approach. Kasumi, Mordin, its time for you to go give Jacob a hand out there. Make sure the skies are clear for the extraction team."

"I won't let you down." Kasumi said tensely. Beside her, Mordin bowed his head.

The pair split off from the main group, slipping back down the hillside as quickly and inconspicuously as they could. Kasumi almost danced through the darkness, in her element. She lived to sneak around, relishing the chance to dodge the Lawson estate's entire private army if need be. Amazingly, Mordin seemed to have no trouble keeping up with her, his past with the Special Tasks Group apparently having given him some experience with remaining unseen..

It took a few minutes for the duo to make their way across the grounds towards the nearest active anti-aircraft emplacement, dodging a couple of patrols of guards. By the time they reached roughly the halfway point to their first objective, Kasumi became aware of a dull thumping chatter coming from behind. She paused for a second, looking over her shoulder. Back the way they had come, she could faintly see the outline of a pair of large vehicles assailing Garrus' position atop the hill. Around them, at least a dozen guards moved to clamber up the slopes.

"Mmm. Enemy forces are aware of fortified position atop hill." Mordin sniffed. "Not concerned, however. Vakarian has experience in holding back numerically superior force from an entrenched location. Should be capable of holding back enemy until possible to signal for extraction."

"Well we're not doing anything to help him by standing here talking about it." Kasumi said, shaking her shoulders to refocus on her mission. "Come on. Let's take out these AA guns."

**~o~0~o~**

Kasumi tensed as she crawled through the thick cluster of bushes, silently cursing her choice in clothing as her jumpsuit snagged on another thorny plant. Up ahead, the AA gun pulsed with stored power, grinding as it spun around to scan the surrounding area. A knot of guards surrounded the emplacement, ready for any attempt to get at the gun's controls. With several of the turrets now going rogue and targeting friendly units, the guards had tightened their security around the remaining untouched ones.

As Kasumi looked across at her target, she noted a tiny ripple in the bushes on the far side. Apparently Mordin was in position. Realising this, the little thief settled down into a crouch, waiting for the alien's signal.

She didn't have long to wait. With a crackle and a whoosh of rushing air, the plants on the far side of the AA gun burst into flames, swiftly transforming the cluster of greenery into a blazing inferno. The guards, caught unawares, moved to combat the blaze. One of them flared blue as he summoned his biotics, using his powers to create a bubble of dark energy. He slowly dropped the blazing blue shape upon one burning bush, the flames dying as they were starved of oxygen. None of this made much difference, though, as the fire continued to crackle and consume all growth around it. Pretty soon, the guards were forced to retreat from the intense heat of the fire, their armour overwhelmed by the blaze.

As soon as the guards began to retreat, Kasumi darted forwards, heading straight for the base of the turret. In seconds, she had the panel off the controls, hacking into the turret and accessing the emplacement's programming.

The incredible heat of the flames caused a sweat to spring up on her skin, her mouth and eyes drying out swiftly. As she worked at a frenzied pace to rewrite the turret's programming, she became aware of Mordin approaching at a hurried pace.

"We must move, quickly." He said, using a Cryo Blast from his omnitool to douse a pillar of flames that had sprung up a little too close to Kasumi. "This location will soon be engulfed by flames, unsafe to remain for much longer."

"I'm working on it!" Kasumi said through clenched teeth. The air was already too hot for her lungs. She could only imagine what it was doing to the amphibious alien.

She blinked her eyes furiously as the numbers on her omnitool refused to sit still, her vision blurring from the heat. Finally she aligned the final few lines of code, and the display turned green in confirmation.

"Got it!" She almost shouted triumphantly. Immediately, the turret spun on its bearings, seeking out formerly friendly targets.

Using his omnitool to cut a path through the inferno, Mordin led the blinking Kasumi out from the heart of the fire, his own eyes blinking painfully as they dried out.

Finally they stepped out from the boundaries of the fire, racing away from the copse of vegetation as the flames continued to spread. Already a thick column of grey smoke towered above the AA gun, showing up faintly against the night sky and lit from within by the flames below.

As the duo ran from their handiwork, Kasumi tapped a command on her omnitool.

"Kasumi here. We've taken care of our gun emplacement."

"I can see that." Jacob replied approvingly. "You don't mess around, do you?"

"You know Mordin." Kasumi answered brightly. "He loves to make a statement."

"Sounds about right." Garrus chuckled.

"What's next?" Kasumi asked.

"We could use some help over here." Jacob explained. "Got a few squads looking to corner us."

"We've got guards moving to flank us, but we're holding them for now." Garrus said. "I figure you'd be best helping Jacob's squad out."

"Understood." Kasumi acknowledged. "Hang in there, Jake. We'll be with you in a flash."

She turned and nodded to Mordin and the pair vanished into the night, leaving the towering inferno with the hacked turret at its heart behind them.

**~o~0~o~**

**~JACK~**

_Bump. Bump. Bump._

Jack awoke to a sickening sensation of movement, her head thudding against something angular and hard. A sharp, pointed shape jutted into her gut, a shoulder judging by the feel of it. Still a little groggy, she let her hands slide over the back of whoever it was that was carrying her. Her fingertips brushed against scales.

A Turian, then. Or a Krogan. But judging by the bony shoulder in her belly, it had to be a Turian.

With a lurch, her carrier stopped, bending to place her on the ground. Jack winced as she felt cool, moist soil against her skin, the rough abrasion of tree bark against her back. Judging by the noise of slithering leaves over her head they had to be in a rather dense copse of trees.

"You just sit here, hon. I'll be right back." Delexia's voice soothed.

"Wait, where are we?" Jack asked, her arm snapping out to catch the Turian by the wrist as the alien patted her shoulder.

"Oh, you're awake." Delexia sounded relieved. "Good. Had us worried for a little while there. You still with us? Still all in one piece up here?" A talon tapped the side of the convict's head.

"I remember enough to know Vakarian's gonna get splattered all over the hull when we get home." Jack growled. "Son of a bitch practically tore my goddamn ear off!"

"Had to be done. It was either that or let you keep twitching as that chip fried your brain." Delexia's voice explained. "But as for where we are, we've managed to get to the mansion grounds. We're still a good way away from being home and dry, but we're working on it. Taylor's leading half the squad in taking down the AA guns in the area while Garrus bunkers down here to keep the kids safe."

"Where's Shepard?" Jack's voice did an admirable job of hiding her desire for his safety.

"Still inside with Miranda. They're working on taking out the shields and the comm jammers so we can get Alenko in here to pick us up. Shouldn't be long now. They've-"

"Delexia, get up here now!" Garrus barked. "We've got movement to the South."

Jack grew tense as she felt the pirate's presence leave her side, leaving her alone with the shadows of her damaged retinas. She tensed as she heard the sounds of multiple unknown forms rustling through the plants nearby, unable to tell if they were friend or foe.

A tiny hand touched hers, eliciting a flare of her biotics in retaliation, although she was less afraid of her situation now and so more in control of her powers, holding back from smearing the intruder across the landscape. Nevertheless, the hand retreated as dark energy rippled across her flesh. Finally, a timid voice spoke up.

"The lady Turian said you can't see." The shrillness of the voice betrayed a girl.

"Nope." Jack said simply. She had no time for kids.

"Did it hurt?"

"Yep."

"Can we sit with you? The other grown-ups are too busy and shout at us."

Jack shrugged indifferently. They could do what they liked. She should have been out there helping the others kick some ass. Instead, she was stuck here, cowering.

"You can do whatever you damn well feel like."

She still jumped as the first small, warm body nestled in next to her, her first instinct being to move away from the contact, but then another small form sat on her other side, cutting off her angle of retreat. Pretty soon, she was surrounded by children, all trying to get to the middle of the pack, close to Jack where it felt safest. They sat this way for a few silent moments, the sounds of a gunfight nearby the only noise reaching the convict's ears over the quiet breathing of the children around her.

"Why did you draw pictures on yourself?" One child asked, his cold hand pressed down upon a spot on her arm where the face of a woman who had been a part of Jack's past a long time ago had been branded. Even though her eyes were useless, she still felt the orbs twist in their sockets to gaze at the spot.

"Some are 'cause I don't want to forget shit." She said, knowing some would have frowned at her profane manner in front of youngsters. She couldn't care less.

"Why?" A girl piped up. "Do you forget a lot of things?"

"No, not really." Jack said, startled by the literal translation of what she was trying to express. "Its just that there are some things that people want to forget about, pretend never happened, but not me."

"Why would anyone want to forget something?" This new child seemed genuinely confused. "Father punishes us if we don't remember something."

"That's 'cause he's an asshole." Jack said hotly, knowing full well what it meant to have some authority figure loom over your life, directing every breath you took, damn near every thought you had, as well as any other aspect of your existence. "You forget what you don't wanna remember and remember what you don't wanna forget. Don't let anyone tell you what to think about anything. You make your decisions, no one else."

"What about the other pictures?" The girl asked persistently.

"Sometimes they're just 'cause I thought they looked cool. Most of the time its to scare people away."

"Why would you want to do that?" Another girl asked curiously.

"Because I don't like people sticking their nose in my business." Jack realised that this would be far too subtle for the kids to take the hint, but was surprised when they seemed to accept it without pause.

One child leaned against her shoulder, the silky tresses of hair rubbing against the biotic's exposed skin as she took a firm grip of Jack's hand and clung to the woman tightly.

"I think they're pretty." The tiny voice sounded not far from the convict's ear, coming from somewhere amidst those curling locks.

No one could have been more surprised than Jack was when she felt her mouth twitch upwards in a ghost of a smile, a strange warmth swelling within her gut at the simple words. Subconsciously, her hand tightened around the girl's, savouring the contact.

**~o~0~o~**

Some time later, the chatter of gunfire started growing louder and louder. Jack emerged from the half-slumber she had slipped into, looking about with her sightless eyes. Around her, the children began to stir restlessly, unnerved by the growing volume of the battle.

Garrus and his team must have been forced back from their initial positions, Jack surmised. Maybe there was some heavy firepower they couldn't deal with on foot, or maybe it was just sheer numbers that eliminated whatever advantage Garrus had in the lay of the land.

She jumped as a thunderous crack echoed amidst the trees, followed by an even louder roar as branches snapped and trunks splintered. Over this cacophony, she could hear a deep _thump, thump, thump_ of an engine churning. An armoured vehicle or a tank, maybe. As it drew closer and closer, Jack began to hear voices cresting over the massive wave of noise the machine was making.

With a terrifying suddenness, Jack's entire world shuddered, exploding with white-hot noise. The tree she was cowering underneath was obliterated by an explosive shell, showering both Jack and the children with splinters.

Reacting without thought, Jack threw up a defensive biotic dome, shielding herself and the children from the sudden bombardment. She grunted as the barrier took another hit, deflecting a powerful shot from the enemy tank. Her ears still rang from the near miss, but she thought she could hear the concerned shouts of her comrades somewhere in the distance. The sharp crack of a sniper rifle announced Garrus' presence somewhere within range, while the more furious bursts of fire heralded Elanie and Delexia's automatic weapons.

Jack felt another surge of power go through her amp as her barrier struggled to hold back another shell from the tank, the air inside the bubble heating up from the ferocity of the explosions it was turning aside. Her leg quivered under her, her biotic amp sending jolts of energy through her body as it demanded more and more from her.

A pair of tiny arms wrapped around her leg, a quiet whimper sounding from the throat of one of the children as she struggled to remain upright. The small presence at her knee reminded her of what else was at stake here.

With renewed purpose, Jack forced herself to stand upright, raising her arms before her. As yet another shell threatened to tear the barrier apart, she turned to face the source of the attack, summoning every ounce of power she could.

With a roar, Jack sent a titanic blast of dark energy barrelling towards the tank. When she sensed her powers engulf the metal of the vehicle, she refocused her thoughts to tearing, ripping, crushing. There was a terrible scream of tearing metal, followed closely by a powerful explosion. Before the shattering tank could do any damage to her or the children, Jack threw the flaming ball of debris away, sending it crashing through the trees.

The small forest was silent for a moment as Jack sagged to her knees, her reserves spent. Then, with a somewhat timid pace, what remained of the guards resumed their advance, their booted feet tramping down heavily on what remained of the undergrowth. As they drew close, the fire coming from the rest of the squad intensified, and Jack heard many wet thumps as bullets pierced flesh and bodies dropped to the ground.

In just a few more seconds, all sounds of gunfire faded, the last of the guards having fallen, apparently. There were a few quiet footsteps, and a towering presence stepped close to Jack.

"You alright?" Garrus asked, cautious enough not to startle her with physical contact before announcing his presence.

Jack nodded silently.

"Come on. We've got to get moving." The Turian ordered.

A pair of strong arms helped Jack to her feet, a three-fingered hand leading her along. The children stayed close to the convict, one tiny hand finding her free one while another replaced Garrus' firm grip.

**~o~0~o~**

**~SHEPARD~**

The Commander looked back over his shoulder as Miranda crouched down in front of the pair of doors in their way. Shepard had grown ever more anxious as the pair had delved deeper into the sub-levels, realising that every step took him further from his allies. They were on their own down here. If Lawson had a trap set for them, he couldn't get a message out to his allies in time.

"Just a second, Shepard." Miranda muttered as she tweaked a couple of wires, establishing a connection to the door's interface.

"You sure you can do this?" Shepard asked, noticing how she frowned in concentration as she struggled with the system's encryption.

"Please, Shepard. I grew up in this building. I've had more than one opportunity to break into my father's security systems."

The Commander relented, nodding in acknowledgement. Frankly, it wasn't the doors he was worried about. He was more concerned about how his friend would react when faced with her past. The confrontation with Lawson was inevitable, but how would she handle the situation.

With an affirmative beep, the door hissed open, revealing the central control room beyond.

Shepard's mind immediately began sounding alarm bells when he noticed that there was not a single soul within. The control consoles beeped quietly, unmanned, while the lights overhead flickered brightly. Without thinking, Shepard brought his rifle to bear, scanning all corners of the room visible from the door. Miranda stood up, moving next to him. She, too, had her weapon out and was searching for any sign of hostile movement. Apparently the ex Cerberus operative had not had her instincts dulled by her time in stasis.

"I don't like this." She muttered. "Why would father have everyone abandon their posts?"

"Its obviously a trap." Shepard said firmly. "But we need to get the barriers and jammers offline."

"What do you suggest?" Miranda asked.

"Spring the trap." Shepard smirked.

"In the classic Normandy fashion." Miranda quipped back. "Good to know not that much has changed in my absence. I was worried you might have actually started looking before you leaped."

"Would you have it any other way?" The Commander chuckled, taking a cautious step forwards.

The duo entered the room slowly, cautiously. Miranda began to circle to the right while Shepard moved left. The Commander looked around the room warily as he moved through it.

The main control room was large, at least twenty metres long with the ceiling about two stories above. Terminals lined the walls, workstations for monitoring the various video feeds of the estate. This station was much more complex than the one Legion had been working out of, providing absolute control over every segment of the mansion's security. Had the Geth managed to entrench itself here, it would have been impossible for Lawson to regain control of the system.

A massive tower of processing units occupied the centre of the room like the massive trunk of a tree. It reached up to the ceiling, where it bowed outwards on all sides in a conical shape. There were two more levels to the control centre, upper mezzanines that ringed the room, providing space for yet more terminals. When fully staffed, this room would have been a hive of activity, housing over fifty workstations.

Miranda stepped up to the central computer tower, instantly establishing an interface between her omnitool and the system.

"Just give me a moment. I can have the firewalls down in no time, and then its just a snap to deal with those jammers." She said as she typed away on her 'tool industriously.

Shepard jumped as the doors slammed shut, seemingly in reaction to Miranda's tampering. A brilliant red barrier sprang into effect around the central computer, trapping Miranda next to the machine and separating her from the Commander. She spun, looking to Shepard with a startled expression. Even though they had known full well that something was going to happen, this had not factored into what they expected.

One of the larger displays glimmered as an image of the now familiar Victor Lawson's face sprang into view. The wound across the bridge of his nose still seeped a trickle of red, a souvenir from his time with Samara. It would clearly leave the man scarred. His face twisted with anger as he swiped the trickle of blood from his face, holding up his red-stained fingers in an accusing gesture.

"I have your little blue friend to thank for this, Shepard. When I find her, I'm going to make sure she suffers."

"You won't be doing anything of the sort." Shepard said defiantly. "I'm leaving, and I'm taking Miranda and the children with me."

"You're not going anywhere, Commander. I have you contained now." He turned to look at something off-screen. "Move in. Take out Shepard by any means necessary, but leave Miranda alive."

Instantaneously, doors hissed open on the upper levels, allowing about a dozen guards to stream in before slamming shut behind them to close off any avenue of escape. As Shepard brought his gun to bear on the new threat, the enemies leapt over the railings, dropping down towards the floor. Some were slowed by some kind of jet-boot, touching down on the metal floor of the lower level gracefully. Others glowed blue as their biotics caught them.

These guards looked different. The non-biotics had very heavy armour, exaggerating their arms and legs to Krogan proportions, glowing white power conduits traversing their limbs. The heavy gauntlets and boots suggested to Shepard that he'd rather not get into a fist-fight with them. They also each had a glowing blue box of some sort attached to their right wrists. As they advanced, they held their right arm out in front of them defensively, parallel to their chests. The blue boxes sparked wildly before projecting a large, round shield before them. These shields looked somewhat similar to that carried by the former Shadow Broker, but looked as though they weren't as powerful. This was soon proved when a burst of bullets from his assault rifle caused one shield to lessen in intensity. The shields could be brought down, but they would provide the bearer with additional time to get into melee range.

The biotics, meanwhile, wore a more skin-tight jumpsuit made from black material. Bright blue patches flickered across their torsos while a tight cowl hid their scalps from view, the only exposed skin being their faces. As Shepard watched, they flickered blue all over before vanishing. The Commander cursed at this. Enemies with Stealth would be tough enough, but having to deal with their biotics, too would be nigh impossible.

The Commander began to draw back as the shield-bearers pressed forwards, keeping up a steady stream of fire that pummelled the glowing blue barriers mercilessly.

As Shepard stepped back, passing the sealed main doors, he became aware of a shimmering presence next to him. He barely had time to turn towards the new threat before one of the cloakers hit him with a powerful biotic punch, knocking the Commander off-balance before vanishing again. Shepard squeezed the trigger of his rifle as he wheeled back from the blow, sending a spray of bullets at where the enemy had just been. He was rewarded with a gasp of pain as his bullets found their mark, leaving a line of red holes across the chest of an invisible being, the bloody droplets appearing the moment they went beyond the cloaking effect of the jumpsuit. The invisible body dropped to the floor, the suit's cloaking effect coming to an end as the lithe Human's life ebbed from him.

Shepard had no time to celebrate this victory, however as, still reeling from the biotic assault, he nearly stumbled into the clutches of one of the shield-bearers. The bulky man behind the blue shield grinned as he swiped with his barrier, catching the Commander across the chest and sending him crashing to the floor. He drew his left hand back, bunching it up into a huge fist of thick metal fingers, and lunged forwards.

Shepard rolled to the side, the fist hitting the floor where his head had been with a loud clang, visibly denting the metal, crumpling one of the floor panels like a piece of cardboard.

As he came out of his roll, Shepard brought his gun up, firing before he could even see his enemy again. The shield-bearer still had his huge fist embedded in the floor, straining to pull it free as Shepard's bullets ripped into his side. The man howled, a scarlet foam of blood and spittle spraying from his mouth as his lungs were punctured. Another pulls of the trigger caused the massive body to topple to the ground.

The Commander looked up at the remaining enemies. The brawling shield-bearers seemed to have adopted a more cautious stance, approaching less recklessly than their deceased fellow. The cloakers were nowhere to be seen.

Without a second thought, Shepard kneeled next to the dead brawler, tugging at his right gauntlet. The massive metal glove came free with little resistance, the only obstruction proving to be its connection to the power source on the dead man's back. Shepard hurriedly donned the glove, winding the power wire around his arm. He then tugged the power supply from the dead man, fastening it on his back. The churning device felt hot through his suit, but he could stand it. This done, he swiftly plugged the wire into the generator, instantly feeling the gauntlet come to life. It tightened around his hand, conforming to his size. He flexed the fingers, feeling his knuckles crack as he tested the power of the gauntlet.

He just managed to get the shield to power up as the second shield-bearer charged in, the pair slamming their shields into each other. The twin barriers sparked and sizzled at the contact, each soldier pushing against the other.

Shepard grunted as he pushed against the other man, neither having the advantage over the other. As they continued to struggle, the Commander saw a telltale flicker out of the corner of his eye. He abruptly shifted, surprising his opponent as he moved to the side, causing the shield-bearer to stumble forwards, straight into the cloaker that had attempted to flank the Commander. The pair fell to the floor in a tangle of limbs, struggling to get back up even as Shepard stepped forward and unloaded his clip into them, eliciting a spray of blood and gore as his gun chanted out its loud melody.

Breathing heavily, Shepard waved his rifle in the direction of the remaining four shield-bearers, causing them to step back warily. He turned his eyes to Miranda, still trapped inside the barrier. Seeing her Commander's predicament, she had turned her attention to hacking the computer, trying to remove the barrier. Keeping his eye on the remaining enemies, he slowly backed up to the barrier in the centre of the room.

"Miranda!" Shepard shouted as he pulled the trigger on his gun to keep his enemies at bay. "Deal with the comm jammers! We need to get the rest of the team out of here."

"On it!" She replied. She was silent for a few more seconds before a loud curse escaped from her lips. "Damn it!"

"What?" Shepard asked as he tackled a cloaker that had appeared beside him, the pair wrestling over his gun. With a roar, he swung his shield, catching the smaller man across the side and sending him tumbling to the floor with a wet crunch.

"My father's initiated a block using one of the terminals against the wall. I can't get through the last few levels of security." She turned to look at him. "I need you to get to the terminal that's interfering with my hacking attempts."

"This is hardly the time for me to go hacking terminals!" Shepard shouted with exasperation as he focused his fire on one shield-bearer that was getting too close, tearing through the shield and punching a hole through the man's skull, between the eyes.

"I just need you to make it stop working." Miranda explained. "Hack it, unplug it, blow it to hell, I don't care!"

"I'm on it." Shepard grumbled. With that, he swapped the clip in his rifle and, yelling an unintelligible cry, dashed forwards, straight at the enemy. The shield-bearers, caught off-guard by the sudden change from defence to offence, had little chance to react before the Commander was in their midst, shield swinging from side to side as his rifle, held one-handed, traced a trail of bullets through their ranks.

With the element of surprise on his side, Shepard managed to break through the enemy ranks relatively unscathed, only having received a savage blow to his left shoulder that made his upper arm numb. He then looked to either side, seeking the terminal he needed. A moment's search brought it to his attention, an otherwise ordinary terminal whose screen buzzed with countless lines of code. As the other terminals lay idle, this had to be the one being used by Lawson.

Shepard instantly lifted his rifle and fired, peppering the machine with bullets. The screen flickered and died as he tore through the inner workings of the terminal's processor.

"That's got it!" Miranda shouted triumphantly. "I'll let you know if I need any more help."

Shepard nodded as he turned to face his enemies again, only just catching the incoming fist of one of the melee fighters with his shield. The enormous metal fist hit his barrier so hard it actually forced the Commander back a step. Shepard responded by levelling his rifle at the man's feet, sending a furious burst of fire into his booted feet. The shield-bearer howled as blood fountained from the minced chunks of meat that had been his feet, tumbling to the floor as he writhed in agony. Shepard quickly silenced his cries with another burst of fire from his rifle. As the man slumped to the deck, lifeless, a cloaker leapt onto the Commander's back, her arms looping around his throat tightly. Shepard choked as his air supply was cut off, eyes bulging out from his head. He tried to reach the cloaker with his gloved hand, finding no purchase.

Desperately, Shepard did the only thing he could. With a grunt, he hurled himself backwards, dropping to the floor heavily on top of his attacker. The woman gasped as his full weight, made all the worse by the power generator, crushed her ribs. Her arms loosened, allowing Shepard to roll off her and shakily stand. He lifted his rifle, aimed at her head, and pulled the trigger.

_Click._

The Commander frowned.

_Click. Click._

He looked at the ammo readout, noting that it read zero. He reached down to his belt, only to find that he wasn't wearing his utility belt with its ammo reserves. He'd used the last of his ammunition.

With a grunt of frustration, he cast his gun aside, dropped to his knees and, with a swift motion, twisted the cloaker's neck, dropping her dead body to the floor.

This done, he turned, looking for a new weapon. His eyes settled upon the last shield-bearer he had dropped. The man's left gauntlet was still intact. The Commander quickly pulled the glove off and placed it on his own hand, plugging it in equally as fast. Once again he flexed the fingers to test that it was operational, and turned to face his remaining enemies.

"Damn it, get in there and finish him!" Lawson almost screamed through the screen his face occupied. "He's just one man! One! Send in the mechs, if you have to."

"Damnit! I'm blocked again!" Miranda called. "Find the terminal, Commander! I'm nearly there."

Shepard grunted with irritation, looking around the room for the terminal he needed. He finally spotted it, glowing brightly on the second floor. Before he could make a run for the nearest staircase lading up to that floor, the second-to last shield-bearer was on him. He raised his barrier in defence, catching the incoming fist. He then retaliated with a vicious jab of his own, catching the enemy soldier in the gut and causing him to _whoof_ as his breath was expelled in one quick rush.

Not allowing his opponent to recover, Shepard sent another punch at the man's face. His attack was halted, however, as his opponent's hand shot up, grabbing his wrist in a tight grip. The pair strained against one another, muscles bunching and twisting as each fought for dominance.

Quicker than the Commander could think, a blade shot out from his gauntlet, the razor-sharp tip catching the shield-bearer's eye. The man staggered back, clutching at his face. Shepard looked down at his newfound weapon with surprise before darting forward, jabbing with the blade. The guard, disoriented from the loss of his vision in one eye, could do nothing but flinch as Shepard' weapon found its mark, skewering his heart. Shepard pulled back, letting the limp body fall to the floor.

The Commander inspected his new gauntlet, finding the precise movement that triggered the blade, and re-sheathed it. He then turned towards the stairway leading up to the terminal and broke into a run.

Just as his feet touched the first step, a blue cloud swirled around him, lifting the struggling Commander into the air and slamming him against the wall. He dropped to the ground, struggling to stand as another wave of dark energy swirled around him, slamming him into the wall a second time.

A cloaker had appeared just a few feet from him, her arms flickering with blue-white fire as she continued to hurl him around. She moved her hands, using her powers to lift Shepard into the air again.

Hovering just inches above the floor, Shepard strained against the biotic grip. His muscles burned as he pushed against the forces acting on his body. Just as he thought he would give out, he noticed the cloaker shudder, shaking her head as she struggled to maintain the grip. Redoubling his efforts, Shepard felt his arms slowly begin to inch forwards, his legs moving slowly as though they were trapped in tar.

The cloaker sighed as her biotic grip finally faded, releasing the Commander. He darted towards her before she could summon another attack, swinging his shield to strike her with a terrible blow that sent her tumbling across the floor, some of her limbs pointing in the wrong direction.

Shepard resumed his charge up the steps, reaching the upper level and finding the terminal. Robbed of his rifle, he resorted to pummelling the machine with his armoured fist, quickly reducing the machine to sparking parts. He was rewarded with a triumphant shout from Miranda as the obstruction to her progress was removed.

As his comrade continued her work, Shepard became aware of a mechanical whirring. He looked up, only to see two lumbering shapes lurch through the doors on the uppermost level. The massive YMIR mechs walked to the edge of the upper level and simply walked off, crashing into the floor with a thunderous roar. Shepard's heart caught in his throat at the sight of the massive machines. One was bad enough, but two? And with no guns of his own?

But then he looked at Miranda, still trapped down on the first level, now with these things standing over her prison. He shuddered, steeling himself to engage.

A sudden sharp push at his back caught him off-balance. He stumbled forwards, unable to stop his progress over the edge. As he tumbled through the air, he caught a glimpse of a cloaker, the last one, standing where he had been, having just shoved him. He had no time to feel any surprise or anger at this before he thumped down on the floor, a sharp pain travelling through his back at the impact.

Before he had a chance to regain his breath, the last of the shield-bearers descended on him, laying into him with a pair of powerful punches to his chest and gut. Shepard wheezed at the attack, struggling for breath. The guard drew back his fist again, deploying his shining blade, and drove it down hard.

The Commander managed to twitch to the side, but not far enough. The blade pierced his upper arm, a flow of blood immediately coating both the Commander and his opponent's faces.

Shepard roared in agony at the injury as the guard shifted, pulling the blade back to stab again. Shepard saw in the man's eyes his own death, and his mind instantly went back to what mattered to him. His ship, his crew, his home… Jack.

_Jack._

The instant her face popped into his head, an inspiration struck him. Just what would the tattooed biotic do in this situation? The answer struck him faster than he liked to admit, considering the nature of the idea.

With a jerk, the Commander's knee darted up, firmly connecting with the shield-bearer's groin. The guard grunted in surprise at the undignified improvisation, giving the Commander the second he needed to arch his back, dislodging his attacker. As the guard struggled to stand, Shepard lunged at him, swinging his uninjured arm to strike the man a vicious blow across the face.

The guard's jaw visibly fractured under the attack, teeth and blood spraying everywhere. Shepard did not relent, following up with a powerful punch to the ribs, rewarded with a loud crunch. As the guard whimpered, Shepard finished off with a jab of his wrist-blade to the man's chest, killing him swiftly.

Shepard panted as he pulled the weapon from his fallen foe's chest, still pained from his fall. He had no time to compose himself, however, as a loud thudding noise behind him alerted him to the presence of one of the heavy mechs. He spun around, bringing his shield to bear just in time to deflect the incoming rocket. His shoulder screamed in agony as the impact of the projectile travelled from his wrist to his wound.

"Look out!" Miranda shouted in warning.

"Yeah, working on it!" Shepard snapped back.

The Commander darted to the side, looking for a place to take cover. Unfortunately, the control centre offered no such refuge. Grunting irritably, he instead changed direction, making sure to keep his shield up. At one point his arm refused to stay still, the injury making the limb wobble, and he had to grab his wrist with his free hand to hold his barrier up.

Realising that at range the mech would tear him apart, Shepard instead darted in close. The YMIR stuttered as it tried to keep track of him, its bulky limbs unable to track him once he stepped up to within three feet of the machine. As the mech tried to swing a huge arm at him in a crude attempt to knock him off his feet, Shepard dropped to the ground, activating his wrist-blade. He slashed at the robot's ankles, managing to sever a couple of key hydraulic pipes. The mech groaned in protest as its legs refused to hold it up, slowly beginning to topple to the ground. The Commander scooted out from under it before the YMIR crashed down on its face, taking his blade and driving it through the thick wire at the nape of its neck, cutting all power to its motor functions. The mass of machinery slumped, lifeless.

Shepard turned to find the second mech, unnerved by the sudden silence. A thing that big couldn't just vanish, so where was it?

A tremendous roar alerted Shepard to the mech's position just a moment too late. The rocket struck his shield, knocking the thing to the side. The Commander's entire arm went numb, his hand going limp in his glove. The shield flickered and died, the gauntlet slipping from his dead fingers, leaving him defenceless as the mech, leaning out from behind the processor tower, prepared to fire another

As the Commander tensed, knowing full well that he'd never manage to get away from the impending attack, the mech glowed blue, shuddering as it lifted into the air. Shepard's jaw dropped as the robot floated higher and higher, rising to about fifteen feet off the ground. Then, just as suddenly as its ascent had started, it slammed into the floor, its limbs popping off from the force of the impact.

Miranda stepped around the tower, her clenched fist still covered in rippling blue fire. It was only then that Shepard noticed that the tower, which he had been pretty much staring at, was no longer wreathed in the energies of the barrier. The ex Cerberus operative turned a steely gaze to the Commander, her features softening when she noticed his injury.

"Shepard!" she shouted, hurrying over to kneel next to him. She carefully pulled the torn fabric of his sleeve apart, inspecting the wound. The Commander winced as her insistent fingers probed at his bleeding flesh.

"Looks fairly superficial." She narrated as she inspected him. "Missed all the major veins and arteries, no significant damage to the muscle." She reached down to her belt, pulling an application of medi-gel from a pouch. She spread the tacky substance over the wound, sealing it. "There we go. It's gonna hurt like a bitch, but at least you won't bleed out."

"Thanks." Shepard and Miranda shared a smile.

The Commander's smile swiftly faded as a familiar flicker appeared behind Miranda. The last remaining cloaker raised a hand, her form shimmering with biotic fire as she summoned a cluster of dark energy around her clenched fist to land a killing blow to the back of her head.

"Look out!" Shepard sprang into action, grabbing Miranda by the shoulder and shoving her to the side. At the same time, his left hand came up, clenching into the fist that deployed his wrist-blade. As the cloaker plunged her fist down to strike at Miranda, Shepard's gauntleted hand came up to strike her in the belly.

The cloaker's eyes widened in shock, her face twisting into a rictus of confusion as she froze, slowly tilting her head to look at the blade skewering her gut. Just as slowly, she slid to the side, gravity freeing her from the Commander's blade.

Miranda rolled into a sitting position from where she had landed on the floor, looking at the dead woman with shock. She turned to look at Shepard.

"Thank you, Commander."

"Yeah, well." Shepard grunted as he tried to stand up. She stepped up to help him to his feet. "Don't thank me yet." He winced. It felt like his entire body was bruised. He badly needed a hot shower and his bed. "We've still got to get out of here."

"Well, we've dealt with the shields and the jammers." Miranda said. "At least the rest of the squad can get the hell out of here now."

"No! Damn it!" Lawson's furious expression boomed out from his display. "Somebody get down there and stop them! I want everyone closing on their position!"

"Miranda, would you mind telling you father where to shove it?" Shepard asked.

"Gladly." Miranda replied, lifting her SMG and aiming at her father's face on the screen. A quick burst of the gun shattered the display, eliminating Lawson's image. The duo smiled at one another before turning to figure out a way out of the control room.

**~o~0~o~**

**~REVENANT~**

The skycar shuddered as the old mercenary in the back worked the guns, his keen eye finding targets in the brightening early-morning sky. The horizon had turned a mild navy blue, heralding the approaching dawn.

Two enemy gunships had descended on their tail, giving the skycar's shields a run for their money as two streams of bullets converged on the vehicle despite the Revenant's best efforts.

The Collector yanked on the controls, sending the skycar into a wild spin, eliciting a howl from Zaeed as his aim was thrown off just as he fired the car's rocket launcher, his attack going wide.

The skycar's comm system crackled, momentarily startling the insectile alien.

"This is Commander Shepard. Extraction team, do you read me?"

"Shepard, this is the Revenant. I read you loud and clear." The Collector felt a flare of relief to finally hear something from inside the mansion.

"This is Kaidan, I read you, Commander." The shuttle's comm frequency carried the former Alliance soldier's voice.

"We've retrieved the data and rescued Miranda. All defences have been disabled. You've got a clear run on the mansion." The Commander explained. "Garrus is leading the rest of the squad on the ground. Now they've got non-combatants with them that need extraction. I need you to move in right now and get them the hell out of there."

"Roger that, Shepard." Kaidan responded promptly. "Where are you?"

"I'm still inside with Miranda. We're making our way to the surface, and will contact you when we're ready for extraction." Shepard said briskly. "Right now your priority is Garrus' squad. Get those noncoms out of here ASAP."

"Acknowledged." The Revenant replied. He cut the channel, turning the skycar into a swerve that took him across the estate's perimeter. Behind him, Zaeed spared a glance from his gunnery display.

"That the big man?" The old mercenary asked casually.

"Yes. We're moving in." The Revenant replied, working the controls deftly to swoop low over the estate's ornamental lake, causing a V-shaped ripple across its surface. As the gunships dipped to follow, Zaeed used the skycar's chaingun to pummel the shields of the first one, tearing through the cockpit. With it's pilot dead, the gunship spun through the air, crashing into the lake with a mighty splash. Moments after in vanished below the surface, a towering fountain of water spouted up into the air, displaced by the vehicle's detonation. Through this geyser flew the second gunship, water cascading off its glittering barriers.

The Revenant winced as the remaining enemy craft continued to press its attack, the skycar's shield power slowly dropping. With a cautioning beep, the power levels descended past ten per cent.

"We need to lose this guy." The alien said with a strained voice as he wove his way across the grounds, wheeling around clumps of trees and over large bushes. The landscape whipped by the viewports in a blur, the Collector's lightning fast reflexes tested to their limits by the speed they were travelling at.

"Workin' on it." Zaeed bit back through clenched teeth. The bounty hunter's undamaged eye narrowed as he watched his display, waiting for the targeting reticule to centre on their pursuer.

At last, with a triumphant shout, he loosed one of his few remaining rockets, sending the blazing projectile arrowing back at the gunship. The enemy craft, in response, began to climb, trying to dodge out of the way. All this did was expose more of the vehicle to the incoming fire. The rocket struck the gunship dead centre on its underside, punching clean through the armour and tearing the craft's innards apart in the ensuing explosion. The gunship lurched before dropping out of the sky like a stone, the ensuing explosion of its fiery end setting a large swathe of the grounds alight.

"A-halright!" Zaeed crowed. "That's how we do things out in the Terminus, you son of a bitch!"

The Revenant allowed himself a feeling of relief as he shifted behind the skycar's controls. He keyed up his comm again, activating his short-range transmitter and broadcasting on all frequencies used by the squad.

"The is the Revenant calling any members of the Normandy crew out there. Do you copy?"

"Jacob here." The harried voice of the young soldier replied almost immediately.

"What's your position, Taylor?" The Revenant demanded.

"We're pinned down by one of the AA towers along the southern perimeter. I got Feron and Samara with me. We're holding them back, but an exit strategy sometime soon would be appreciated."

"Roger that. We can be there in two minutes." The Revenant said, tapping his console to pull up a tracking programme to home in on Jacob's signal. "Where's the rest of the squad?"

"Garrus has got himself holed up on top of that hill close to the lake. He's got Delexia, Elanie, and Jack with him, along with the noncoms. Kasumi and the Prof were running about taking out some of the towers around here, but last I heard they were falling back to rejoin Garrus."

"We'll come get you." The Revenant decided. "Kaidan can take the shuttle to get the others. They'll need the extra space for the noncoms."

"Roger that. Don't keep us waiting. Taylor out."

"Hey, Zaeed!" The Collector called back over his shoulder. "Keep your trigger finger ready. We're going to go bust Taylor out of the mess he's got himself into."

"Sounds like fun." The mercenary chuckled.

"Kaidan, this is the Revenant." The alien continued, switching frequencies. "We're going to go collect Taylor. Garrus has holed up on top of the large hill, along with the noncoms and the rest of the squad."

"Understood." Kaidan responded quickly. "We're on our way."

The Revenant closed the channel, turning the skycar into a sharp turn that made the G-forces inside tug at both occupants insistently. He gunned the drive, sending the craft surging forwards, aiming straight for the AA turret that his tracking programme indicated Jacob was at.

Moments later, the turret grew large in the forward viewport. It spun around, tracking them, but held its fire. Obviously an example of the squad going to work on the estate's defences. The occasional flash of gunfire at the turret's base betrayed the presence of Jacob's group, drawing the Revenant's gaze.

The trio had bunkered down at the turret's base, trading fire with a large group of guards. The Collector noted that a heavy mech marched amid the guards, laying down some powerful fire that kept Jacob and his comrades in hiding.

"Got a heavy mech down there. Deal with it, old man."

Zaeed nodded silently, swivelling the main gun to aim down at the guards. The chaingun chattered loudly as it stitched a trail of holes in the soft soil, spewing up gouts of dirt that swiftly approached the YMIR. Detecting the attack, the mech had time to turn and face the incoming fire before bullets peppered its body, one final shot taking its head clean off. The remnants of the machine beeped loudly before detonating, decimating the guard ranks.

"Yeah!" The bounty hunter crowed as the Revenant wheeled around, using the forward guns to finish off what remained of the guards.

The skycar swung about, drifting down to the ground near the base of the tower, door opening even as it moved. On the ground, Jacob kept his gun aimed in the direction that the attacking force had come from, covering Samara as she darted across the open space between their momentary refuge and the skycar. The still-barefoot Asari darted over the open ground, leaping through the door. Feron was close behind, the Drell scurrying towards safety as fast as he could. Finally, Jacob darted from cover, clambering into the skycar. Once they were all aboard, the Revenant sent a surge of power through the craft's drive core, sending them arrowing into the rapidly lightening dawn sky.

**~o~0~o~**

**~SHEPARD~**

The Commander raced through the corridors, Miranda at his side. They were making good progress towards the upper levels, having encountered only a few patrols of guards, Miranda's knowledge of the layout of the building allowing them to take a few less-travelled passages to avoid the main bulk of the enemy force. Instead of taking the obvious path and heading for one of the exits that led directly to the surface, Miranda had suggested that they move through the mansion itself, hopefully catching Lawson off-guard in his efforts to hunt them down, and the plan seemed to be working. Well, they hadn't been overwhelmed by a platoon of guards at least.

Shepard still wore the powered glove on his left hand, using it to tackle the most resilient of enemies they faced. He had also acquired a pistol from one of the guards they had torn through, using that to keep the larger packs of enemies at bay.

Miranda led him up a small staircase, the steps beneath their feet turning from stark metal to soft carpet in an abrupt fashion, a clear boundary between living space and work space. She slowed, cautiously opening the door at the top of the stairs and glancing out.

"All clear." She whispered. Shepard nodded, slipping past her to take the lead in their cautious progress through the inhabited portions of the mansion.

They stepped out into a corridor that Shepard found familiar. At the far end, the door to Lawson's private elevator had jammed open, bullet holes around the edge betraying the damage it had taken. Shepard walked over and peered through the doors.

The elevator sat in the shaft above, obviously dormant at the moment. Not that it did him much good. Without the skills of an experienced hacker like Kasumi, summoning the elevator would be difficult at best, a betrayal of their position at worst. As his eyes took in the service ladder at the back of the shaft and the hatch on the bottom of the elevator, an idea began to form in his mind.

"Hey Mir-" He began, turning to look for his colleague, pausing when he spotted her.

The raven-haired woman was standing in front of an innocuous wooden door some way down the hall, one hand brushing the wood while she stared at it with a mesmerised glaze to her eyes. She appeared to be breathing deeply, a little unnerved by whatever lay beyond that door. The Commander strode over to stand next to her.

"This was my room." She muttered by way of explanation. "I… If you don't mind, Commander, I'd like to take a look inside."

"After all this time, I highly doubt it's the way you left it, Miranda." Shepard cautioned.

"I know, but I'm hoping that something will still be here that I left behind."

Shepard nodded understandingly. Taking a deep breath to steady her uneasy nerves, she pushed the door open.

Beyond lay a simple room. The floor was carpeted in a rich navy. A single bed was tucked in the corner, neatly made, while a desk occupied the far wall, a terminal built into it. Several bookshelves occupied the third wall, next to the door, while a wide window showed a panorama of the streets of Milgrom City, beyond the large gate and towering wall that sealed the estate off from the rest of the planet. As Miranda began to look for something under the bed, Shepard stepped up to the window, looking out at the grounds below.

A large armoured vehicle squatted in front of the main gate, discouraging anyone from leaving. A few partygoers staggered around near the front door, obviously inebriated. The guards subtly ushered them back into the main hall. Obviously Lawson had commanded that no one leave until the situation was under control.

Shepard turned as a scraping sound echoed from behind him, seeing Miranda tugging at the bed. He moved over to help her, using his augmented strength to haul the bed away from the wall. Behind it, Miranda pushed at a completely innocent wall panel, causing it to pop back and slide to the side. She reached in, pulling out a small box. As she rifled through its contents, a quiet smile on her face, Shepard turned to inspect the rest of the room.

He stepped over to the bookshelves, looking at the titles of the ink-and-paper tomes stored there.

"Tolstoy, Freud, Dostoyevsky, all pretty heavy stuff." He muttered.

"Father had me read every last one of them." Miranda explained. "He figured that it would be good for me to understand 'The Human Condition' so that I could find a way to rise above it."

"This is pretty intense training for a child to go through."

"I was in my late teens before I ran away, Shepard. Its not like he had me reading War and Peace when I was five. But he did push pretty hard to make me be better than I was."

"Has much changed since you left?"

"Not really. The room's almost exactly how I left it. When I ran away with Oriana, there wasn't exactly much time to pack, not that I had much to take with me."

The Commander strolled over to stand at her shoulder as Miranda sat on the bed, looking through the box. She pulled out a holo of a young girl, not much more than fifteen at the time, cradling a tiny baby. The features were softer, rounder, not having been shaped by the trials of adulthood yet, but the teenager was undoubtedly Miranda.

"Is that Oriana?" He asked.

"Yes. Father didn't allow us much time to just be by ourselves, but every once in a while I got the chance to play with her. One of the minders father hired to watch us took these pictures. She was always nice to us, giving us treats and being more of a parent to us than anyone else. I used to view her as my big sister." She smiled briefly before the expression vanished, her tone flat. "Father was not pleased. He said that she was coddling us with these frivolous things. He fired her, made sure she never got another job after that. I haven't seen her since. This was the only gift from her that father didn't find and dispose of."

She rifled through the rest of the contents of the box, a small necklace that she explained had been a gift from her old friend Niket, a pressed flower that she claimed had come from the garden. She smiled when recollecting her father's rage upon seeing one of his prized specimens defaced. After a few seconds, she separated out a few of these items and put them in pouches on her belt. This done, she stowed the box away again, sliding the bed back over the loose panel. She turned a firm glance to the Commander.

"I'm ready to get out of here now, Shepard." Her tone was steely.

"Me too." Shepard said. He waved a hand at the window and the mass of guards watching the front gate. "We'll never get out the front way. There's too many watching the front gate. But I've got an idea."

Miranda looked at him curiously as a cunning grin crossed his face.

**~o~0~o~**

"This is not going to work." Miranda muttered, her breath coming in short pants as she hauled herself up hand-over-hand.

Up above her, Shepard glanced back down the elevator shaft.

"Why not?"

"Because the moment you set foot in my father's office again, you'll trigger so many alarms that we'll probably alert Citadel Security to our presence."

"And? We just have to hold the enemy off long enough for one of the vehicles to pick us up. Your father will still be somewhere in the sub-levels, trying to catch us, so I reckon we've got some time before his lackeys come to crash the party."

"Commander, your entire arsenal consists of one stolen pistol and that pen knife you've got fastened to your wrist. I've got my gun and my biotics. How is that meant to hold off a private army for more than ten seconds?"

"We'll find a way. We've done it before."

"Just what is it with you and finding impossible odds in everything you do?"

"You know what they say: you can't spell impossible without possible."

"That doesn't even make any sense!" She exclaimed.

"Doesn't have to." Shepard grunted as he worked at the hatch in the base of the elevator above his head. "We're almost… there!" He leaned out of the way as the hatch swung open with a clang. "Come on."

The pair clambered into the lift, opening its doors to reveal Lawson's office in all its opulence. All signs of a gunfight remained, but someone had cleared away the bodies at least, leaving scratches from ricocheting bullets and discoloured bloodstains as the only evidence of Shepard's last visit there.

The moment the Commander's foot passed over the elevator door's threshold, a loud alarm blared out.

"Warning. Intruder Alert." A VI's soft voice intoned flatly.

Realising their time was short, Shepard and Miranda ascended the stairs leading up to Lawson's office, under the massive window looking out over the estate beyond. The night sky was rapidly lightening, the first few hints of a sunrise peeking over the horizon.

"Its morning already?" Shepard asked in surprise.

"The days and nights are a little shorter here than on Earth, Shepard." Miranda explained, drawing her SMG. "Make the call, Commander. We don't have much time."

The Commander nodded, tapping his commlink to transmit.

"This is Commander Shepard. Extraction team, do you read me?"

"Loud and clear, Shepard." Kaidan's voice sounded out clearly. "We're just about to pick up Garrus and those extra passengers you mentioned."

"Good job. Where's the Revenant?"

"Right here, Commander. We've got Jacob, Samara and Feron on board." The Collector answered promptly. "Do you need us to come get you?"

"Affirmative. I've got Miranda with me. We're in Lawson's office. Top floor, look for the biggest window. Won't be long now before we've got a whole lot of guards coming down on our asses, so a quick exit would be preferable."

"Roger that." The Alien replied. "On our way."

As Shepard closed the channel, Miranda lifted her SMG and fired off a burst, emptying her current clip. The massive window shattered under the attack, razor-sharp slivers of glass showering down inside and outside the office. A cool breeze instantly began to drift through the room, the first fresh air Shepard had tasted in what felt like an eternity. Beside him, Miranda closed her eyes and sniffed deeply.

They had not time to enjoy the moment, however, as the rumble of grinding gears reached their ears. The elevator, upon detecting the intrusion, had descended down the shaft, and was now returning. As the groaning noise heralded its return, Shepard took up a position behind the nearest thing that offered cover from the door below, the bar in Lawson's office. Miranda found a spot behind her father's desk, her forearms flickering blue as she sighted down on the door with her SMG.

The elevator doors slid open, unleashing a cluster of shield-bearers into the office, walking cautiously behind their glimmering blue barriers. Behind them, a squad of guards toting assault rifles, along with a pair of cloakers, poured out, using the cover of the front rank to hide from the Commander and Miranda's weapons.

Shepard breathed slowly, singling out one of the shield-bearers who held his shield a little too low. He twitched his finger on the trigger, allowing his hand to jump back with the rifle as the single shot cracked out. The shield-bearer lurched, a hole in the centre of his brow, leaving a gap in the front line that Miranda was quick to exploit. She held out a glowing hand, lifting the fresh corpse and hurling it into his neighbour, knocking the second foe to the ground, a quick burst from her SMG finishing him off.

The enemy riflemen returned fire, aiming over their comrades' heads as they sent a blistering round of bullets arrowing at the besieged pair. Shepard ducked down as splinters of black marble fountained up from the bar's surface, seeing Miranda do the same behind the desk.

Peering around the corner of the bar, Shepard noted that the shield-bearers were advancing up the stairs while the riflemen provided the covering fire. Realising that they would soon be overwhelmed, Shepard aimed his gun around the corner, firing blindly at the distant guards. He was rewarded with a pained cry from one of the enemy and a slight reduction in the rate of fire, but the majority of his shots went wide.

Miranda, her keen tactical mind reaching the same conclusion as Shepard's, focused instead on her surroundings. Her entire body flickered a ghostly hue, her arm darting out before her in a sudden gesture. One of the couches shuddered, slowly lifting into the air. Shepard watched in surprise as the couch drifted across the room, reaching the top of one of the staircases leading up to the main office, where she let it go. With a rumble, the couch dropped down the stairs, catching the first shield-bearer by surprise. The first guard was thrown clear off the stairs, the couch tumbling past him and catching his fellows coming up behind him. In moments, the shield-bearers ascending on that side had been knocked to the floor, striking the marble tiles with sickening thumps and crunches, leaving a number of them rolling on the floor nursing broken limbs, leaving others not moving at all.

The Commander grinned at this new turn of events, snapping the spent thermal clip from his pistol and replacing it with a fresh one. He glanced over to the other side as the other half of the shield-bearer force reached the top of the second staircase. He stood to take aim at them, dropping back down into cover as the riflemen, having moved into a better position to press their attack, renewed their fire on his position. Cursing, Shepard moved to the other end of the bar, leaning out and snapping off a few precise shots that downed an enemy each.

Behind the desk, Miranda focused her attention on the shield-bearers. She centred her next biotic attack on the first man's shield, crushing it with a thought, following the attack up with a burst of fire from her SMG. The guard dropped to his knees, blood pouring from the bullet wounds in his chest.

Shepard pulled back into his cover, leaning against the side of the bar, feeling every judder of the structure as enemy bullets pounded into the opposite side. He looked over to his comrade, seeing Miranda hurling the shield-bearers around like toys with her biotics. One was lifted off the ground by his shield, the glowing barrier enclosed in a biotic bubble, before a quick flick of the ex Cerberus operative's wrist sent him soaring out the destroyed window with a startled cry.

Shepard's pulse quickened as he noticed a shimmer moving through the air, the barely distinguishable form of one of the cloakers sneaking up behind Miranda. He reacted instantly, bringing his pistol up. He pulled on the trigger, only to be rewarded with a hollow click. He looked at the pistol in annoyance for a moment before tossing it aside, looking for something to use.

His eyes settled upon a bottle of red liquid stored on the bar. Without a second thought, his fingers curled around it, lifting it off the bar and twisting to look back at where he saw the cloaker. He focused on the telltale flicker in the air, bringing his fist back and swinging it forward in a single fluid motion.

The bottle winged through the air, tracing a shining scarlet arc that ended with a tinkling crash, a burst of red alcohol and glittering glass fragments. The cloaker let out a startled cry as his camouflage effect failed, shorted out by the bottle's contents. Miranda, hearing the cloaker so close behind her, whirled around, a blue-white aura flaring around her. The cloaker, still recovering from the disorientation of the bottle hitting his head, had no chance to react before she struck him square in the chest, flinging him back through the shattered window.

Panting, Miranda turned to look at the Commander, nodding in thanks. She slid back behind the desk as the last of the riflemen opened fire on her, her defences flickering from a few close calls.

Shepard, meanwhile, looked back to his new-found arsenal, mind buzzing with ideas. He took another bottle of noxious green liquid off the bar, unscrewing the stopper slowly. He clenched his fist, activating the wrist-blade, using the knife to cut a strip of fabric from the hem of his jacket. He slid the cloth into the bottle, making sure it got a good dousing, before screwing the top back on, making sure to leave about an inch of fabric sticking out of the top. He then held the wet fabric up to his omnitool, making the device spark. With a whoosh, the fabric caught, a bright flame swiftly licking around the top of the bottle.

He turned, peeking over the top of the bar, judging the distance, before drawing his arm back and flinging the makeshift grenade over the bar.

It soared across the room, arcing down to where the riflemen had bunkered down. Shepard heard the crash as the bottle struck the marble tiles amid the enemy, the whoosh of the rest of the liquid igniting and the cries of the guards as they were caught in the inferno. The Commander jumped up at this, vaulting the bar and running for the edge of the upper floor. He placed a hand on the railing and launched himself over the edge.

He struck the lower floor with a jolt, dropping into a roll to cushion his landing. He tumbled to his feet, darting over to where the guards flailed around, flames licking at their bodies. The wrist-blade flashed through the air, cutting through the first two guards like a hot knife through butter. The third one was too panicked by the flames to notice the Commander standing before him, and died with a startled cry strangled in his throat as the blade pierced his gut.

The last guard had obviously been furthest away from the molotov cocktail when it had hit, only having to pat out a handful of flames licking up his sleeve. He raised his rifle to fire at the Commander, managing to pop off a few shots before the Commander swatted his gun aside, slamming his right fist into the surprised man's face. A second jab to the chest with the wrist-blade finished him off, Shepard's right hand darting down to grab the guard's rifle before it dropped to the floor.

Shepard spun, the newly acquired gun clutched tightly in his hands, the power gauntlet leaving grooves in the gun's stock. He looked back up to the upper level just in time to see Miranda facing off against the last shield-bearer. She bobbed to and fro as the burly guard lunged forwards with his blade, seeking to skewer her. One shapely leg shot out, catching the guard across the chest and causing him to stagger back. Without allowing the guard to recover, she pressed forwards with a biotically enhanced punch. The guard staggered back, catching himself on the railing that separated the upper floor from the lower portion of the office. He flailed his arms for a moment, struggling to keep his balance as his upper half dangled over the railing. Eventually, gravity had its way, the guard's body tumbling down to land on the marble tiles with a meaty thump.

Shepard and Miranda looked at one another across the width of the office, breathing heavily from the exertion of the battle.

With a sudden jolt, Shepard was knocked to the floor by a biotic blast. His newly acquired gun clattered across the floor, stars wheeling in his vision as his brow connected with the floor. The last cloaker leaned down, lifting him up by the collar of his suit. A quick tug unplugged the power gauntlet from the generator on his back, causing the wrist-blade to retract and the glove to loosen, slipping from his fingers.

"Shepard!" Miranda cried out in concern.

"You just can't get the staff these days." Victor Lawson's voice echoed around the office.

Shepard and Miranda both turned their heads to see the elevator doors open once more. Flanked by two guards in armour that looked more like the little brother of a YMIR mech than a battlesuit, the billionaire tycoon strode out into the office with a smug grin on his face. Lawson still wore the expensive suit he had been wearing during the party, although he looked quite unkempt after the long night. He clutched a pistol in one hand, finger on the trigger.

"You have nowhere else to run, Miranda. Its time for you to go back where you belong. Surrender to my two AESIR and you will be led down to the lab without further incident."

"And you'll let the Commander go?" Miranda asked, although her voice made it clear she didn't hold out any hope of that happening.

"Not a chance." Victor chuckled. "He'll only try to free you again and again. Far less messy to just be done with it and kill him right now." He lifted his pistol, aiming at Shepard's temple. He made ready to pull the trigger, muscles in his finger rippling as he pulled it back.

"No!" Miranda cried out, a biotic flicker wafting over her hand.

Victor's arm glimmered with dark energy. The blue flames intensified, constricting around his arm. He screeched as there was a wet snap and his forearm broke in the middle, his fingers going limp and releasing the gun.

With this distraction, Shepard jerked his arm back, his elbow finding the shocked cloaker's face. There was a sickening crunch as the biotic's nose broke. The Commander found himself being dropped to the floor, landing on all fours. He looked about for his weapons, eyes quickly finding the power gauntlet. He swiftly slipped it on, plugging the power cord into the generator on his back.

"Argh! Don't just stand there, get them!" Victor shouted, retreating behind his 'AESIR' troops. Presumably that was the name he used to designate the battle-suits they wore. It was fitting, as the technology looked to have been based upon the same tech found in LOKI, YMIR and FENRIS mechs.

The lumbering, armoured soldiers stomped forwards, raising their arms. One armoured fist bore a much larger blade than the one on the Commander's gauntlet, while the other housed a chain gun like the ones in a YMIR's arms.

Behind them, Lawson retreated towards the elevator. Refusing to allow the tycoon to escape, Shepard looked about hurriedly, his eyes finally finding his dropped rifle. He lunged for the weapon, scooping it up and spinning around to fire at the retreating Lawson. A quick burst from the rifle's muzzle caught the controls for the elevator, trapping Miranda's father with them.

He had no time to celebrate this, however, as the AESIRs moved in close. One lunged with his blade, the tip of the weapon slashing across his chest, ripping his suit and scoring a scarlet line across his flesh. The second moved in to attack, lifting his arm to swing at the Commander. The motion was stopped, however, as the blade glowed with biotic witchfire, the unstable dark energy twisting the weapon, leaving it bent at a right angle.

Miranda raced down the stairs, her SMG chattering as she peppered the second AESIR with several bursts of fire. The armoured soldier staggered back from the attack, looking down at his ruined blade with irritation. He lifted his other arm, bringing the chain gun to bear on her. Miranda threw up a biotic barrier as the stream of bullets streaked towards her, easily deflecting the initial barrage while she moved to take cover on the far side of the staircase.

Shepard, meanwhile, focused his attention on the first AESIR. He dodged out of the way of another swing of his enemy's weapon, countering with a jab of his own wrist-blade. The two weapons clanged against one another, sparks flying as the Commander's muscles strained against the power of the mechanised battlesuit. With a jolt, the pair disengaged, drawing back a half pace. The AESIR tried to bring its gun to bear, the multiple gun barrels spinning as a loud whine erupted from within.

A blast of bullets raced past Shepard's ear, deafening him. He brought his gauntleted fist around to grab the gun, holding it away from his face. He grunted as he twisted, tugging on the gun with all the strength his armoured hand could muster. The metal groaned for a second before the gun's connection to the suit slowly parted. The gun ripped free, the Commander tossing it to the side.

On the opposite side of the office, Miranda sent a Warp blast racing towards the second AESIR. The rippling orb of dark energy struck the armoured soldier square in the chest, unstable energies tearing at the armour and the delicate machinery inside. With a pop, one of the power cords running up the side of the torso, underneath the arm, began to spark wildly, breaking loose of its connections. The AESIR suit began to beep insistently, and the soldier locked inside it began to look about in panic.

With a crump, the suit burst into flames, immolating the guard trapped within. His screams were sharply cut off as more parts of the suit exploded. Finally, the suit collapsed to the floor, still burning. A charred, blackened face was visible through the faceplate of the damaged machine.

Shepard was only marginally aware of this, more focused on dealing with his own foe. The pair slashed at one another with their blades, occasionally landing a hit on one another. Shepard ached from the multiple cuts he had received to his chest and sides, and one long gash along his forearm throbbed painfully.

With a final lunge, Shepard struck the AESIR across the faceplate, knocking him back a few paces. With this additional room, Shepard brought his rifle up, pulling on the trigger to unleash a long burst of fire. The bullets tore through the AESIR's armour, a few of them finding their mark in the soldier contained within. The unfortunate guard groaned in pain as blood seeped through the holes in the battlesuit, stumbling as he struggled on through the haze of agony that clouded his vision. Shepard quickly stepped forward, lunging with his wrist-blade again. Too disoriented from his injuries, the guard had no chance to deflect the attack. The Commander's blade pierced the torso of the AESIR, killing the guard in an instant.

As the last AESIR dropped to the floor, Shepard turned to look for Victor Lawson. He stepped over the prone cloaker, who was still clutching at his broken face, whimpering in agony, and looked about cautiously for Miranda's father.

His gaze travelled up to the upper level of the office, looking to the tycoon's desk. Miranda and Victor stood there, facing one another with anger in their stance. Seeing the confrontation, Shepard swiftly climbed the stairs, coming up behind Miranda.

Victor clutched at his broken arm, partially doubled over with pain. The tycoon's face was etched with agony, worn by the stress of the night. He still remained calm, even when faced with such a threat as the furious beauty that was his own creation.

"So, this is how it ends?" Victor asked with a weary sigh.

"You leave me no choice." Miranda said firmly, her voice surprisingly neutral for the emotions that must have been flowing through her. "No matter what I do, you're always there, hanging over me. Every victory, every failure. This is the only way I'll be free of you. The only way my sister, my _children_, will be safe."

A hoarse cackle sounded throughout the office, echoing back and forth from the walls.

"You'll never be rid of me, child. You're my creation! The very building blocks used to create you bear my signature. Your every action belongs to me. Every victory of yours only further increases my success. Your strength is not your own, it's the fruits of my labour!"

Miranda's face twisted in fury, raw and uncontrolled. Shepard had never seen her this unrestrained, allowing so much of what went on behind those ice-blue eyes to gleam through. She took a shuddering breath, her gun held rock-steady as she aimed it between his haughty eyes.

"Then you must be pretty proud right now. You've created something strong enough to kill you." Her finger tightened on the trigger as Victor continued to smile that arrogant grin.

"Miranda, no!" Shepard objected, placing himself between her and her father. "You don't have to do this."

"Yes I do, Commander!" She protested. "Don't you get it? We'll never be free from him. He has to die!"

"If you kill him, you'll only be giving him one final victory over you. You'll have let him turn you into something less than Human."

"I-"

"Miranda, you've got to let it go." Shepard reasoned earnestly. "He can't hide from us. If he tries anything, he'll have to deal with you, me, our crew and not forgetting the Shadow Broker."

"You're-" Miranda's eyes glittered with held-back tears. "You're right. I'm better than him."

"So prove it." Shepard said softly. He lifted a hand to squeeze her shoulder. "Put the gun down."

She sighed, slowly lowering the SMG. A loud chuckle from behind the Commander made him turn around.

"Heh-heh! That's right. Do as your precious Commander tells you." Victor sneered. "So much for your independence. You just swapped my authority for that of the Illusive Man. And now you've betrayed that allegiance in favour of this alien sympathiser."

Shepard pulled his left fist back, striking the arrogant man across the face so hard that he tumbled backwards, slumping to the floor unconscious. Blood streamed from a broken nose and his jaw hung slackly, knocked loose of its joints. When the tycoon awoke, he would find his face horribly disfigured, the damage so severe that it was unlikely any amount of reconstructive surgery would put it back the way it was. He would carry the souvenirs of this meeting for the rest of his life.

Feeling a little guilty, Shepard looked at his gauntleted fist with surprise. He'd forgotten how much of a difference the glove made to his strength.

"Is that the only reason you stopped me? So that you could finish him off yourself?" Miranda's tone was accusatory.

"I didn't mean to hit him that hard." Shepard said apologetically. "But no one speaks to my crew like that."

"… Thank you." She said, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Commander Shepard, do you copy?" Shepard's commlink suddenly crackled. The Revenant's voice sounded out urgently. "Come in, Commander!"

"I'm here." Shepard answered. "What's your position?"

"We're just pulling up."

As the Collector responded, the skycar hove into view outside the shattered window. The craft bore a good few scratches, evidence of a recent dogfight. As it paused in mid air, hovering right outside the window, the hatch popped open, revealing Jacob's concerned features.

"Commander! Come on!" He urged.

Shepard and Miranda hurried across the upper floor of the office, the Commander waiting for his comrade to clamber in first before following close behind her. The hatch closed after they had boarded, and the skycar rushed off into the sky. Back in Lawson's office, Miranda's father lay prone on the floor, a rapidly diminishing remnant of Miranda's past.

**~o~0~o~**

**~GRUNT~**

The shuttle raced through the sky above the estate's grounds, arrowing towards the hill that Garrus and his team waited upon.

Grunt sat on one of the seats in the passenger compartment, restless. The mission had taken far too long for the Krogan, and he'd had far too few enemies to aim a gun at. His blood was beginning to boil, and he had no outlet.

"Hang tight." Kaidan called back from the cockpit. "We're almost at the LZ."

_Finally. _Grunt's mind whispered with excitement. His fingers curled around the barrel and stock of his Claymore.

With a sweeping motion, the shuttle roared over the treetops, halting its forward motion directly over a raging battlefield. On one side of a small clearing, rank upon rank of enemy soldiers poured out from among the trees. Grunt could see several carrying glittering blue shields, while still more were clad in heavy armour, massive battlesuits that made the puny Humans tower taller than a Krogan or a Turian. A few enemies flickered with illusive light, shimmering in and out of focus as they cloaked. Between these, the Krogan saw several dozen riflemen, a few rocket troops, and even a couple of pyro troopers, torching the nearby plant life to rob the Turian's squad of any possible cover they might use to sneak in close to the enemy. Bringing up the rear of this column were a pair of armoured vehicles, massive craft on hover jets that held them a couple of feet off the ground.

On the opposite side of the clearing, Grunt could make out several familiar figures. Garrus had perched himself in one of the trees, using the height to get a clear shot at the enemy. He worked quickly, coldly, never having to expend more than one shot to bring down a guard. Elsewhere, the Krogan caught sight of the second Turian, Delexia. The pirate was darting around, keeping mobile in an effort to give the squad the illusion of being more numerous than they actually were. Kasumi flickered around the battlefield, using her tactical camo to get in close and finish off a couple of guards with some lightning-fast jabs of her small fists before vanishing back into the trees. Mordin focused his efforts on setting enemies alight with the Incinerate function of his 'tool or sending them tumbling to the ground, bodies wracked with pain as he sent a Neural Shock running through their bodies. Grunt could practically hear him commanding his comrades to 'hold the line'. Elanie was remaining in one place, keeping up a constant rate of fire from her SMG that helped keep the enemy back, although she wasn't managing to actually down many of the guards.

Just behind this defiant line, a glowing blue orb shone brightly, a beacon in the middle of the trees. Under this biotic dome, Jack held her arms up defensively to maintain the barrier, her arms encased in a brilliant white corona. Around her, several small shapes cowered timidly, presumably the non-combatants Shepard had mentioned.

"Hurry up and get us down there, Human!" Grunt's voice was strained with anticipation.

"I'm trying! There's no clear way down." Kaidan protested. "I've gotta take her in slow."

Grunt roared with impatience, slamming a meaty fist into the hatch control he stood behind. There was a loud wail of wind as the shuttle's interior was exposed to the outer atmosphere. Without a second thought, Grunt keyed in a couple of commands on his omnitool. The first was to activate his armour's Fortification function, feeling the buzz of power as the thick metal plates covering his body began to glow with power. His second command activated the shield he had been given by the Commander, an old toy used by the former Shadow Broker. The massive reddish-orange barrier sprang out of his omnitool, almost two thirds of his height and wide enough to hide his generous profile. This done, he took a couple of steps back and, a thunderous Krogan battlecry tearing out of his throat, charged out of the craft.

"What the hell are you-" Kaidan never even got to finish his question before the Krogan was gone, plummeting out of the shuttle like a brick.

Grunt felt himself soar through the air, still howling his guttural cry. Branches whipped at him, his shield and armour keeping him from any serious harm. He dropped through the canopy like a wrathful god descending from on high, crashing into the enemy ranks below. He collided with two of the troopers in battlesuits, crushing one like a tin can under his immense weight. The second one staggered back from this sudden new threat, his armour sparking in several places from the impact. He tried to lift a gun to fire at the raging Krogan, but a quick swat of the burly alien's shield cast him aside, unconscious or dead, it didn't really matter to Grunt.

The rest of the guard force paused for a stunned second, looking at the gargantuan Krogan with a look of pure terror on their faces. After the initial lull, the enemy seemed to recover from the shock, raising their weapons to attack.

Grunt didn't give them a chance to attack. With a bloodthirsty chuckle, he barged into the nearest cluster of foes, throwing one of the tiny Humans aside as if he weighed nothing at all. He grunted as his armour shuddered, deflecting a myriad impacts from enemy weapons fire. He raised the impenetrable shield he bore, using it to protect himself. He knew this defence would not last, his omnitool's power capabilities limited, but at least he had the advantage for now. His Claymore coughed, spewing a large cloud of serrated metal pellets at one shimmering shape among the enemy ranks, reducing the cloaker to a fine red mist and grievously wounding the rifleman behind him. Spinning, the Krogan brought the stock of his weapon crashing into the face of one shield-bearer trying to get around his side.

Garrus watched in awe as the 'perfect' Krogan began his assault, realising exactly why the Council had decided to use that race in the Rachni Wars, and why they had posed enough of a threat to justify the use of the Genophage. Grunt was mowing through the lesser troops like they were wheat, and he was the harvester.

The Turian shook himself free from the awe-struck stare. He lifted his sniper rifle to his eye again, taking aim on one of the AESIR battlesuits trying to approach the Krogan. The shot fractured the faceplate of the suit, killing the operator.

"Keep it up!" He shouted to his comrades. "Don't slow down now."

He was answered by a chorus of fire from his allies, another half dozen foes dropping dead from the brutal assault.

Through the haze of the battle, Grunt became aware of the gleaming white shape of the shuttle sliding down through the treetops, hovering a couple of feet off the ground. As it came into view, open hatch pointed back towards the waiting children, the Krogan heard a loud whirring from off to one side.

One of the armoured vehicles, still relatively undamaged by the battle, had spotted the extraction craft and was turning its turret to take aim. The Kodiak had thick armour, but not much else. It wouldn't cope well with close-range fire from an enemy tank.

Seeing the threat this craft posed, Grunt lunged towards it, ploughing through enemy soldiers in a bloody trail. He leapt up onto the tank, wrapping a large hand around the barrel of its main weapon. His Claymore clattered to the ground as his other hand reached up to grab the craft's main gun.

Bullets tore into his back, the armour only deflecting most of the barrage, as his massive muscles squirmed under his skin like a bag of snakes. He roared defiantly as the gun began to whine, warming up to fire.

With a tearing sound and a sudden jerk, the gun began to turn. Just its field of fire moved off the shuttle, the first shell leapt from the barrel, going wide and exploding far off to one side. Grunt continued to twist the gun barrel until the turret tore free, metal shrieking and wires sparking.

The burly Krogan leapt down from the tank as it tried to fire again, a shell catching in the loading mechanism. There was a long, rising whine from within until the craft exploded in a brilliant fireball, its occupants incinerated by the flames.

The guards leapt back in fear as grunt, framed by the explosion at his back, picked up his shotgun and charged back into the fray, heedless of the mass of bullets trapped in his back.

Seeing salvation at hand, Elanie pulled back from her position, swiftly approaching Jack and the cowering children.

"Shuttle's here! Come on!" She shouted over the noise of the battle.

The occupants of the biotic dome needed no further encouragement. Jack stood carefully erect, one hand held by one of the children, and began to pick her way over to the escape craft. She stumbled a few times, but she managed to find her way over to the shuttle, all the while maintaining the biotic bubble. Finally, she and the children clambered into the shuttle, the barrier finally fading as they reached safety. The convict slumped inside the shuttle, utterly exhausted by the exertion of her biotic display.

Seeing the non-combatants safe, Garrus ordered the rest of his team to fall back to the Kodiak now. Mordin and Kasumi went first, both firing their guns at any enemies who dared show themselves as the pair raced towards safety. In no time at all, they had made it, keeping their weapons out and aimed through the open hatch at any foes that tried to pursue the squad.

Elanie and Delexia were quick to follow, the latter emptying the last thermal clip of her rifle and throwing the weapon defiantly at the enemy as she made a run for it. In seconds they, too, had made it, leaving only Garrus and Grunt.

The Turian leapt down from his perch in the tree, holstering his sniper rifle and swapping it for his assault rifle. He sent a couple of chattering bursts of fire into the enemy around his Krogan ally, downing a few enemies. He raced up next to his comrade, placing his back against Grunt's.

"Grunt! We've got to move!"

"Hah! And leave a party like this? This is the most fun I've had in months!" Grunt's vision was partly clouded with red. He knew he was on the brink of entering the Blood Rage his race were notorious for, the frenzy where he would lose all semblance of control and tear into the enemy until either they were dead or he was. And he wanted it to happen.

"Enough, Grunt!" Garrus shouted angrily. "We're not here to get ourselves killed, damnit! Get your giant ass moving, now!"

The Krogan roared defiantly, his shotgun blasting another pair of enemies into pieces.

"We can take 'em!"

"That is not what we've been ordered to do." Garrus was determined to win this argument. "We have to get the rest of the team out of here in one piece. Now are you going to get moving, or do you want to explain to Shepard just how your recklessness got the rest of the squad killed?"

Grunt let out an exasperated sigh, torn between his bloodlust and his allegiance to his Battlemaster. In the end, his loyalty won out over his instincts. He slammed a huge fist into the face of a shield-bearer furiously, nearly removing his head from the poor man's neck, and began to move back towards the shuttle.

Beside him, Garrus nodded appreciatively, but said nothing.

The pair backed up to the shuttle, accounting for a good dozen enemies in the brief moments it took for them to find the Kodiak's hatch and clamber in.

With its charges all safely aboard, the shuttle's engines gunned and it tore off into the sky, arrowing away from the clearing at full speed.

Inside, Grunt slumped on the floor. His armour was so full of holes that it looked more like a colander than anything a soldier would wear, his Claymore had only a couple of shots left before being completely depleted, and his omnitool had burned out from maintaining the shield for so long, but he could do nothing except smile. He chuckled as he thought back on the battle, reliving the glorious bloodshed with relish.

Around him, the rest of the team sagged exhaustedly, glad that the ordeal was over.

**~o~0~o~**

**~SHEPARD~**

The skycar arced through the dawn sky above the Lawson estate, its occupants scanning the airspace around it for any approaching enemies.

Shepard was still on his feet, having to hunch his shoulders a little to allow for the low ceiling of the craft. The rest of the team had buckled up, fastening themselves in securely. Zaeed still manned the gunner's chair, his keen gaze sweeping the displays before him for any threat.

"Shepard, its Kaidan." The Commander's second-in-command sounded over the comms.

"Go ahead, Kaidan." Shepard replied immediately, relief swelling in his chest.

"We've got Garrus and his team aboard. All present and accounted for, save three. Elanie says that Etarn was trapped in the building with one of the children, a little girl called Two Forty Six. Garrus also says that he hasn't heard from Legion since it went off the grid last night. I have no idea where the Geth might be."

"Understood." Shepard said grimly. "Head back for the Normandy. We'll go looking for them."

"Acknowledged." With that, a silvery-white glimmer in the air announced the shuttle's rapid ascent into the upper atmosphere and beyond, its drive glowing an intense hue of bluish white.

"Legion, Etarn, come in. This is Commander Shepard, do you copy?" Shepard asked on an open channel. His heart thumped in his chest at the hiss of static that was his only response.

"I repeat, this is Commander Shepard. Geth platform Legion, Etarn Kol'mehk, do you copy?"

The silence continued for one, two, three heartbeats.

"Shepard-Commander." The Geth's flat voice was accompanied by a chorus of gunshots.

"Legion! Thank god!" Shepard sighed. "Where are you?"

"We are attempting to evade enemy forces by ascending to the roof of Target Lawson's domicile. We are in the company of Batarian ally, designation Etarn Kol'mehk and additional cargo designation Two Forty Six. A swift exit is required to ensure structural integrity of all allied units in this formation."

"I read you, Legion. We're on our way. Just hold on for a few more minutes."

"Acknowledged." The Geth's comm channel closed.

"Take us back to the roof of the mansion. Look out for any signs of movement, and head straight for it."

"Shepard, we've got more enemies taking to the skies." Zaeed cautioned from his place at the back of the vehicle. "Might wanna make this quick."

"How many?"

"Five gunships. Estimated time to intercept is four minutes, seventeen seconds." The grizzled soldier kept his voice even, not betraying a glimmer of concern.

"Think you can make it in time?" Shepard turned to the Collector at the controls.

"It'll be tight." The Revenant explained. "I won't be able to get in close to the roof. There are too many obstructions in the way. The best I can do is find the edge of the building closest to them and get in nice and cosy."

"Do it."

The skycar's occupants were silent as the vehicle arrowed back to the Lawson mansion. Shepard looked over his shoulder to Miranda. She looked back with a stony stare, though her eyes flashed with worry for the child still out there.

The mansion grew large in the front viewport, small details becoming easier to pick out with every second that passed. The Commander's eyes darted about, looking for any sign of his comrades.

Eventually he spotted movement to one side. Close to the gable end of the west wing, two figures raced across the slick tiles. Not two figures, actually. On closer inspection, the second was revealed to be carrying a third individual, clasped to his chest.

"There they are!" Shepard managed not to shout it. The last Collector nodded before turning the skycar into a swooping loop that brought him up at the gable end. The hatch hissed open, allowing the cool morning air to mix with the heated perspiration of the skycar's crew.

Shepard moved to the open hatch, looking out. He saw the beleaguered pair racing for all they were worth across the rooftop, closely pursued by a large group of guards. Weapons fire bounced off the tiles at their feet, a few of the tiles actually shattering in a spray of razor-sharp fragments.

Legion had pulled out ahead of Etarn, the Geth's tireless mechanical legs proving to have more endurance than the Batarian's flesh-and-blood ones. It covered the final few feet and dove in through the open hatch, scrambling out of the way so that Etarn had a clear run.

The Batarian redoubled his pace upon seeing the Commander urging him on, his feet pounding on the tiles in a rhythmic pace. As he pushed his body to its limits, a stream of enemy bullets found him, blood spurting from a half dozen new wounds as he staggered from the shock, amazingly keeping on his feet and maintaining enough momentum to push across the final few yards.

Etarn was only seconds away when Zaeed let out a warning shout. Before the Commander could react, he was thrown back, landing on his rear as the skycar shook from a tremendous explosion that destroyed a good chunk of the rooftop it had been hovering next to. A gunship roared by overhead, already turning to make another pass. The skycar wheeled through the air, buffeted about by the force of the impact. Shepard's throat clenched with worry as he saw the mansion pull away.

Undaunted by the sudden change in circumstances, Etarn pushed on. His feet found the edge of the roof and he leapt with all of his might. As he soared through the air, Two Forty Six left his arms, the four-eyed alien heaving her ahead of him in an effort to make sure she survived no matter what.

The two bodies struck the edge of the hatch with brutal force, twin gasps of air rushing from their lungs. Jacob lurched forwards, catching Etarn by the hand before he had a chance to slide back over the edge. The ex Corsair instantly began pulling his Batarian colleague back in.

Shepard's entire world became the tiny, terrified face of two Forty Six, peeking up over the edge of the skycar's hatch. Her little arms flailed for purchase on the metal, slowly losing their battle with gravity. Shepard launched himself forward, his chest striking the edge of the hatch as the little girl lost her grip and began to plummet. He pushed through the sharp stab of pain, his arm darting out to reach for her. Their fingertips brushed for the briefest of seconds, her soft hand slipping through his. He swung out even further to reach for her again, but could do nothing as his eyes locked on her face, rapidly retreating towards the ground.

The Commander lay there, frozen, paralysed, for a good few moments. Through the sudden numbness of his mind, Shepard heard Jacob shouting orders to get the hell out of there, but none of it really registered with the Commander. He could barely breathe as he slowly lifted himself from the edge of the hatch, allowing it to close behind him. He turned, his eyes finding the icy hues of Miranda. Her face remained deathly still, her cheeks colourless and her lips stiff, as she looked into his eyes, already knowing what he was about to say.

"She-" Shepard choked on the words. "She fell."


	28. 28: The Prodigal Returns

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**_Author's Notes: Here, we go, Chapter 28. I hope you like this chapter. I've tried to make it a little more personal for the characters Shepard chooses to speak to. Got to say, 246's fate in the previous chapter has sparked a surprising reaction from some of you. Also, please let me know what you thought of Elanie and Sykes. I can tell you that they'll be back later, but I won't go into too much detail as to how they impact the story. In the meantime, I have a mission to a Quarian colony to write. See you all next week!_**

**Chapter 28: The Prodigal Returns**

The Crew Mess was deathly silent as the Commander paced back and forth before the windows looking in on the Med Bay. Through the transparent material, Shepard could see Dr Archer overseeing the multiple operations being carried out on the battle-weary squad.

Mordin, having refused treatment for his own injuries, was currently working on a reluctant Grunt. The Krogan had stubbornly tried to avoid having to visit the Med Bay, but once the Commander had seen the severe beating that the burly alien's armour had taken, he had insisted Grunt seek treatment. As Shepard watched, the Salarian doctor picked up a pair of tweezers which looked more like salad tongs than a medical instrument. He plunged the device into the Krogan's muscular flesh and heaved. With a jolt, a shard of metal, almost a foot in length, came free, the doctor placing it on top of a pile of smaller pieces. The Urdnot warrior bit back a snarl as the razor sharp edges tugged at his skin.

Garrus and Jacob were sitting on opposite sides of another bed, each being scanned by one of the junior medical staff members. They had come out of the mission relatively unscathed, some minor scrapes and negligible bullet wounds apiece.

Delexia was laid out on one of the remaining beds, face down, as one of the Normandy's female medical crew applied burn salves to her scorched back. It looked as though the tough Turian pirate had fallen asleep, her chest expanding and contracting steadily as her eyes fluttered closed.

Elanie, Samara and Kasumi were standing next to Archer's desk, tending to their own injuries, while Etarn occupied the second to last bed, his bullet wounds having been more severe than most of the squad save Grunt.

Archer was busy splitting his attention between Jack and Miranda, one moment tending to the grievous wounds Jack had received when Garrus tore the biotic inhibitor from her ear, the next moving next to Miranda, who occupied the last bed while a large scanner ran over her abdomen.

While Archer's attention was focused on Miranda, the Commander considered the tattooed biotic, sitting alone in one of the chairs on one side of the Med Bay. Her eyes still gazed ahead of her blankly, the pupils unfocused. She had barely moved since being led in there, only tilting her head to let Archer examine her from time to time.

With a sigh, Shepard ceased his pacing, moving towards the door with renewed purpose. The doors hissed open, allowing Kasumi and Samara to leave, the pair stepping gingerly out of the way as Shepard pushed past. The conversation between the squad members inside lulled at his entry, some turning curious or cautious eyes his way

The Commander's shoulder twinged as he moved around the exiled Justicar and the little thief, the wound from the knife still requiring treatment. And yet he passed right by the crew who came forward to offer treatment. He moved towards the back of the Med Bay, grabbing an empty chair from beside Archer's desk. He walked up to where Jack was sitting and placed the chair in front of her. Sitting down, he grabbed a moist cloth from a nearby table and began dabbing at the side of her face, his other hand cradling her cheek to hold her steady.

Jack tensed at the touch of his rough palm, relaxing when she felt him cleaning the blood away.

"You gonna get round to fixin' my eyes anytime soon, Doc?" She asked impatiently.

"'Fraid not, Jack." Shepard answered. "Archer's a little busy right now. Let's just get you cleaned up. You're a mess."

"Well don't you just know how to make a girl feel special." She shot back snidely. Shepard's eyebrow rose at the acid in her tone.

"… There something bothering you, Jack?"

She shifted uncomfortably. Her eyes, still unseeing, brushed over Shepard's face.

"What are you gonna do about the kids?"

The question took the Commander by surprise. Why was she concerned about the children?

"That's up to Miranda. But they can't stay here on the Normandy. We go into far too many dangerous situations to keep them on board."

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean, Jack?"

"Jesus! Do I have to fucking spell it out for you?"

"Apparently so." Shepard said patiently.

Jack's eyes focused on him. Even blind, she still knew where he was, following the sound of his voice.

"The kids belong to the Cheerleader, but they're yours, too. What does that do to us?"

"What difference does it make?" Shepard said, uncomfortably aware of the multiple sets of eyes turning to stare at the growing confrontation. Even the professional Mordin had paused in extracting a bullet from deep in Grunt's back. He reached out to take her hand. "This isn't a conversation we need to have here. Come on."

Jack snorted, but didn't resist as the Commander led her through the door in the back wall of the Med Bay, entering the AI core beyond. The tatters of what remained of Jack's dress gleamed darkly under the red light.

Inside the AI core, Legion looked up at their arrival. The Geth platform had been working at a terminal inside the room, running a diagnostic tool over one of its arms. The glowing white 'eye' turned to the Commander.

"Shepard-Commander." It intoned flatly. "Is there something you require of us?"

"Not right now, Legion." Shepard replied. "Could you… give us a couple of minutes?"

"Affirmative."

The Geth deactivated the diagnostic and turned to leave, walking with a stiff limp, one of its gyros whirring loudly. In a moment, it had left by the door Shepard had come through, leaving the Commander and the convict alone in the quietly humming room. Shepard guided Jack over to the bench against the far wall, helping her up so that she could sit facing him. Her face unreadable, the tattooed biotic looked back at him. Her arms folded in front of her, yet another barrier between herself and the Commander.

"Miranda's kids bother you?" Shepard asked.

"I don't care what kind of family the Cheerleader has, Shepard. What matters to me is that they're yours."

"Why?"

"Because I know what you're like, Commander. You're such a fucking Boy Scout. How could you not want to look after these kids?"

"You're worried that I'm going to leave you to help Miranda raise these children?" Shepard asked in surprise.

Jack's face turned away. Her skin gleamed darkly under the scarlet light of the AI core. It was hard to tell, but her face may have darkened slightly from embarrassment or some other unreadable emotion. The Commander stepped forward, reaching up to touch her cheek. He was forced to jump back as a flickering blue biotic barrier leapt up around her.

"Jack…" Shepard's words stuck in his throat as the Commander found himself uncertain as to how to continue. The convict's eyes turned to him, a vulnerable gleam in the back of the beautiful brown hues.

"I'll be honest. I feel somewhat responsible for these kids. It was partly my genetic material that was used to create them. But I'm not about to leave you to help Miranda take care of them. I'll make sure they have somewhere safe to go, and Miranda will have whatever resources she needs to make sure they're cared for, but I'm sticking with you."

Jack snorted.

"Hunh! That's rich. You're really gonna pass up the chance to be with Miss Perfect, just to stick with me? Its not like you ain't got leverage now with the kids."

"Jack, those children are no-one's leverage." Shepard's tone was stern.

"Y'see? This is why this can't work. We look at the Galaxy in completely different ways. You see someone, you start thinkin' about how you can help 'em out. I see 'em, I'm thinking about what sort of mark they'll be."

"Is that what you think about when you see me?" Shepard countered. "Just another mark?"

"No! That's not- I mean…" She stuttered.

"And that's why I'm sticking with you. You're not the bitch you try and tell people you are. The ink, the attitude, hell, even the crime spree. And yet, while you've been on my crew, you've risked everything to stop the Collectors, and when I rescued you from the Ascension Project, you didn't think twice about rejoining the Normandy crew to fight the Reapers."

"I only did that to get at those Cerberus fu-"

"Don't try and feed me that line. If you only want to fight Cerberus, why not stay on the ship until we actually go on a mission that involves knocking down the Illusive Man's front door? Why risk yourself to help me get the old crew back. Shit, you came back from Bekenstein blind!"

Jack was silent for a brief moment, her hand drifting up towards her face and freezing midway.

"I just… don't _get_ you, Shepard. I'm just some messed up little shit on the run. I've had the most expensive prison shrinks in the Galaxy all certify me as a hopeless case, and the biggest and baddest criminals in the Terminus Systems piss themselves when I walk by. Fuck, if I step onto Kahje without official supervision I'm on Hanar's shoot-on-sight list. The Hanar. Pacifist Jellies of the Galaxy. Do you know how many other people are on their list? Two. In the entire history of their species, only two other people have presented enough of a threat to Hanar society for them to consider execution without a trial. Why would you want any of that noise?"

"Well, they say that love makes you crazy, I just figured I'd cut out the middle man." Shepard smiled.

"Cut the shit, Shepard."

"I mean-" Shepard began to assure her, assuming she thought his mention of the word 'love' was some kind of bullshit.

"I mean it! I'm in no mood for jokes." She snapped.

"Look, Jack. I want you. No one else. Nothing can change that."

Shepard moved forwards. Jack twitched at the sudden presence, but the biotic barrier faded. Her arms remained folded across her chest, just below her breasts. Shepard reached out with one hand, finding hers in the crook of her elbow. With firm fingers, he worked her hand free and curled his hand around hers. She slowly relaxed her arms, allowing him to hold her hand. They stood this way for a moment before she stiffened.

"I gotta go get my eyes fixed up, Shepard." She said firmly.

Shepard realised that she was done talking, and helped her to her feet. He helped her to the door and through to the Med Bay.

Inside the Med Bay, things had calmed down somewhat. The stalwart Grunt was just shouldering his way out of the room, having to crouch to make it through the door. Mordin was sitting patiently in a chair while a junior medical crew member scanned his chest and shoulder. Etarn and Delexia were still laid out on beds, their wounds treated. It appeared that the pair were sleeping off the meds that had been administered to them.

As Jack and Shepard entered, the medical equipment scanning Miranda whined as it rotated away from her, allowing the raven-haired woman to sit up. She turned to look at Archer, nodding that she was alright. The doctor passed her an OSD with the results of the scan, and then turned to face Jack.

"Alright my dear, let's take a look at your eyes."

"'bout fuckin' time." Jack grumbled.

Shepard nodded to the doctor in passing, allowing Archer to lead the convict to the bed so recently vacated by Miranda. This done, the Commander turned to look to Miranda, intending to discuss what her examination had turned up. He was just in time to catch sight of the former Cerberus operative's retreating back as the doors to the Med Bay slid shut. Realising she probably needed some time to digest the information herself, her turned back to Jack, moving to stand by her bed while Archer administered to her. His hand reached down to find hers, grasping it tightly.

Surprised by the contact, Jack's face contorted in a confused scowl.

"You still here, Shepard?"

"Just wanna make sure you're okay." Shepard said quietly as Archer aimed some device at her pupils, a strange, dim light caressing the dark circles as it scanned. An image popped up on the screen above Jack's bed, a map of her retina. It highlighted the damaged tissue, telling Archer what needed to be done.

Jack snorted at the Commander's words.

"Shit, you sound like a pussy!" She chuckled, and ugly little sound in the back of her throat.

"'scuse me?" Shepard asked with a measure of surprise. Although, to be honest, he should have come to expect something like this by now.

"There's more crew on this boat than just me, Commander. Go see to 'em. The doc's got this." She reassured.

Shepard nodded, squeezing her hand before turning away. He slowly strode to the door, leaving the Med Bay quietly.

**~o~0~o~**

Outside, Shepard was confronted by Kelly's smiling features. The yeoman had apparently been waiting patiently for the Commander to emerge from the Med Bay. She passed him a pair of datapads.

"Commander. Its good to have you back on board. When EDI lost contact with you, we were all so worried."

"It was a rough mission, I'll give you that." Shepard admitted.

"And the squad seems to have come out with more than a few scars." Kelly said compassionately. "How's Jack?"

"Healing." Shepard said curtly. "As are the others. I think Mordin got about ten kilos of metal out of Grunt."

"Hmm. We should melt it down, make a bunch of medals for you all." Kelly smirked.

"You'd probably have enough left over afterwards to recoat the shuttle." Shepard replied, joining in with his yeoman's attempt at lightening the mood. "It took enough hits during the evac, it's bound to need a few new hull plates."

"Probably." Kelly chuckled. After a moment, she sobered. "I am, however, a little worried about Miranda's emotional condition."

"She did have a lot thrown at her down there, and I'm not just talking about facing her father."

"What are we going to do about the children, Commander?" Kelly asked. "Don't get me wrong, I think they're adorable, if a little… strange."

"Strange?"

"They don't act like normal children. I think we're the first Human contact they've had that didn't treat them like lab rats. They're not sure how to respond to someone who treats them like a living being."

"Lawson wasn't exactly abiding by the rules when it came to Human ethics down there. It wouldn't surprise me if they haven't been out of that lab their entire life."

"Poor things." Kelly muttered.

"It's up to Miranda what happens to them, but in the meantime I'm afraid you'll have to put up with them running around the ship. I'll make sure they don't get in the way of the Normandy's operation."

"They're no trouble, Commander." Kelly quickly assured. "They've already been getting to know the ship while you've been in the Med Bay. They're incredibly curious."

"Alright. In the meantime, I think it would be a good idea for you to check up on everyone, Kelly. The squad's been through a lot tonight."

"Aye aye." Kelly saluted again. She turned to go, but paused. "Oh, Commander? I believe Feron wanted to speak to you at your earliest convenience. He said something about a new lead in the data you retrieved from the Lawson mansion."

"I'll be sure to go see him."

Shepard smiled after Kelly as she walked through the Crew Mess towards the elevator. He then turned his attention to the rest of the Mess.

The Commander's nostrils twitched as a strange aroma drifted across the room, drawing his gaze over to the workstation across from the Med Bay. Rupert was busily tending to his galley, a large pot of something bubbling quietly on one of the heated surfaces. Shepard found himself drawn to the pot as though it exerted its own gravitational force.

"Commander!" The greying sergeant exclaimed as he turned around. "What can I do for ya today?"

"What's cookin', Gardner?"

"Got a pot of Rakhana Stew brewing. It's a recipe Feron gave me to try. I was a bit wary of it, but thought; why the hell not? It's supposed to have some critter from that dust ball the Drell come from in it, but obviously they went extinct. Turns out, beef does just as well. Try a bite!"

Shepard shrugged, accepting the proffered spoonful. It was… strange, to say the least. But to Shepard, exhausted as he was, it tasted glorious. He made sure to tell the Sergeant so. Rupert just chuckled.

"That's why I enjoy working in the galley on a military vessel. You grunts come aboard that tired and footsore you'll eat anything!" Rupert chuckled. "Here, take a bowl. It's ready now anyway. Mornin' shift'll be along any second now lookin' to fuel up for the day."

"Gah!" Shepard gasped, rubbing at his weary eyes. "I keep forgetting how late it is."

"Y'mean early?" Rupert chuckled.

"Don't start." The Commander grunted, snatching the steaming bowl from the grinning Sergeant's hands. Muttering, he turned away, tactfully ignoring Rupert's loud belly laugh. He homed in on the nearest table, throwing his meal down with poor grace before dropping into the seat. It was only then that he looked up and noticed the table's other occupant.

"Samara!" He gasped. "I'm sorry. Didn't realise you were sitting here. I'll, uh…" He began to stand.

"Commander, please." The Asari entreated. She lifted the dainty little cup she cradled in her blue palms and downed the last of its contents. "I was just finishing here. Do not allow me to intrude upon your meal."

"No worries of that." Shepard assured. "Stay, please. A little company is always welcome."

"Very well, Commander." Samara smiled. "Did you wish to discuss something?"

"Nothing in particular." Shepard managed between mouthfuls. "Just wanted to know you were doing okay."

"Following my… unexpected… role in last night's mission?"

"Among other things." Shepard admitted. "Getting close to Victor Lawson can't have been easy."

"It was a novel experience, to say the least. I now have a much deeper appreciation for what I asked of you during our hunt for Morinth. Posing as a member of my target's society, luring my prey out through am mixture of boldness and tact, and being at the mercy of said prey. It was the most exhilarating and yet the most terrifying experience I have endured."

"Really? More than taking on the Collectors? Or hunting down your daughter after four hundred years?"

"During those missions, I had you or your squad to rely upon. This time, I was alone."

"Being alone is hardly something to faze a former Justicar."

"Perhaps not, had I been permitted to operate by the normal methods the Code of the Justicars calls for. But I was not able to simply kill Lawson. I had to maintain a cover and endure his… advances."

Shepard choked on a large chunk in his stew, struggling to conceal a startled snort.

"You didn't… um?" Hs lifted his hands to shoulder level in a shrug.

"Thankfully no. Although it was a close-run thing."

"Right. I take it you were responsible for the…" He waved two fingers over the bridge of his nose, referring to the injuries Lawson had been sporting at their last meeting.

"Indeed. After Lawson found out that I was a member of your squad, he was considerably irritated. A bottle of liquor made a suitable improvised weapon."

"I'll bet it did." The Commander chuckled, scraping his bowl clean. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, Samara."

"I understand, Commander. The mission comes first. And now, not only have we acquired young Miranda, but we have also uncovered a valuable cache of information that will help us in our efforts against Cerberus."

"Yeah, Liara should be able to put it to good use. I just hope they don't take up too much of our time and resources. I hate having to put out all these political and tactical brushfires when the entire galaxy should be banding together to face the Reapers."

"Cerberus have proven that they will fight our enemy in the interests of Humanity, but in the end their Human-centric agenda is detrimental to the unity needed to fight the Reapers. A lot of organisations will not ally themselves with the Alliance because of Cerberus' actions against non-Human species."

"I know." Shepard sighed. "But I can't help feeling that we're going to need Cerberus down the line. They've been studying the Reaper threat more thoroughly and for longer than anyone or anything else we've encountered, save perhaps the Shadow Broker Network."

"Regardless of what is needed, I am sure you will attain success, Commander." Samara assured him. "You always find a way. I believe I can safely say I speak for the crew when I say that we have faith in you."

"Thanks." Shepard said. As he pushed his bowl away, his meal finished, he stifled a yawn. "I think it's time we all got some shut-eye. Its been a long night."

"Agreed." The Asari nodded her head.

Shepard stood slowly, stretching his back out until he felt the shoulders pop. He collected his plates and turned to return them to Rupert's station, only for the exiled Justicar's serene voice to draw his attention again.

"Commander?" She asked tentatively. "I hope I am not overstepping my bounds here, but I wondered if you had spoken to Miranda yet?"

"About her condition?"

"Not exactly." The Asari said awkwardly. "I was referring to the unfortunate loss of the young girl."

"Two Forty Six? What about her?"

"I was surprised to see the amount of emotional connection Miranda has with these children, Commander. I do not claim to understand Human emotions well, but I believe she already feels a maternal bond with them. This may seem strange after such a brief encounter, but the instinct to care for young is programmed into our very genes. Speaking as a mother who has suffered the loss of her offspring, I know in part what she must be experiencing now. If you have not yet spoken to her, I recommend doing so sooner rather than later."

Samara's voice sounded sad, wistful, as though the loss of Two Forty Six had awakened the emotions she had experience upon Morinth's death. Shepard wondered if maybe Samara felt a certain kinship for Miranda now that the pair shared the same experience.

"I'll talk to her." He said quietly, slowly. "I need to make sure everyone is at their best."

"Commander." The Asari bowed before turning, emerald dress shimmering around her, and walked away, heading for her normal retreat in the Starboard Observation Deck. Shepard returned his plate, thanking Rupert, and turned, looking to the door next to the galley, the door to Miranda's quarters.

None of the crew had moved into the room in Miranda's absence, everyone understanding that she would be returned to the fold and not wishing to invoke her wrath for interfering with her private space. Even Shepard would not have thought about going in there.

Although it appeared that Miranda had mellowed somewhat since joining Shepard's crew, the change becoming particularly apparent after his assistance in getting her sister, Oriana, to safety and again after telling the Illusive Man where to shove his orders on the Collector Base, she was still what some would regard as strict. Shepard had no problem with it. With comedians like Joker aboard, a bit of professionalism helped to keep the crew balanced. And that word described Miranda to a T: Professional. She kept the Normandy's affairs in order, monitoring the crew to make sure all duties were being attended to and that everyone could perform at peak efficiency.

The Commander recalled an incident where his former executive officer had changed the shifts so that crewmen Wilkinson and Fernandez, two crew members who had been dating, were kept separate. Shepard had contested the decision, feeling it a little harsh, and had soon learned why Miranda had ordered it when the chattering Wilkinson, distracted by his lady, had missed a vital step of standard Eezo Core maintenance, almost putting the core into meltdown and endangering the ship. After this, Shepard had relented, deferring to her experience in getting the best she could out of the crew. He could still remember the 'told you so' twitch to the corner of her mouth as he sat down in the chair opposite her desk and hesitatingly made his apology. But she wasn't vindictive. Knowing that he had learned his lesson, she simply shouldered the additional responsibilities and put everything right. A commanding officer couldn't ask for a better second-in-command, really.

That was what made his next decision so hard. Should he allow Miranda to resume her former responsibilities? He pondered this for a second, standing feet from Miranda's door. Miranda was good, there was no doubting it, but Kaidan had been doing an admirable job so far as his XO. But Kaidan was a soldier, primarily. Sure, he had led troops in Shepard's 'absence' during the two years he was dead, but the earnest young man didn't have as much experience with the logistics of organising a crew such as that of the Normandy. Sure, he could lead a squad into battle, but could he manage shift rotations, the ship's budget and various supplies, while at the same time dealing with a CO as… unorthodox as the Commander?

Shepard released the breath he had been barely aware he was holding, reaching out to place his hand over the glowing orange holographic display that hovered over the seal of Miranda's door, sounding the doorbell. It was a decision that would have to wait until he'd had a chance to think, and first of all he had to know where Miranda's mind was at.

The bell sounded, and then silence reigned supreme for a few moments. Shepard cautiously tried agains before hearing a muffled 'come in'. The door beeped as the display turned green and the two halves slid aside. Warily, Shepard stepped inside.

Miranda was seated behind her desk, a holographic display expanded to tower above her as she scanned at least seven different windows of information. On two of those displays, fully rendered 3D scans of her internal organs, central nervous system, circulatory system and her biotic implants were displayed in cold, factual detail. Yet another pair were filled with scrolling lines of code, data moving too fast for the Commander to make head or tail of it. One seemed to be a blank document, a notepad of sorts for Miranda to jot down her observations. The second-to-last display, directly in front of and above Miranda's face, showed several images taken during her examination, most of them microscopic in scale. The final display showed a static block of text, possibly Archer's observations.

As the Commander stepped in, Miranda looked up from the vast array of data, her icy blue eyes partially hidden under heavy eyelids. She was obviously still suffering the after-effects of being in stasis for a protracted period of time, but she admirably soldiered on. She managed a weak smile at Shepard's arrival.

"Commander." Her voice, although weary, managed to convey a warm sense of gratitude. "I wanted to thank you. For saving me. That was a place I'd certainly hoped I'd never return to. And if you hadn't interfered, and my father had been given the time to convince the Illusive Man to hand over Oriana…" She suppressed a shudder. "Thank you."

"Don't worry about it." Shepard responded. "I'd do the same for any one of my crew. No one gets left behind."

"Indeed." Miranda smiled. "It's that attitude and your strength of character in part that made you worth the credits invested in the Lazarus Project." She paused, before looking at the Commander with a sly smirk. "But don't think I am unaware of the fact that there was more to this mission than simply rescuing me. My father has strong ties to the Illusive Man and to Cerberus. I trust you were able to dig up some intel that we can use against them?"

"Some." Shepard admitted. "Liara's going through it right now. We'll hear back from her as soon as she finds anything. But in the meantime, I want to know how you're doing."

"It'll take some time to adjust to our new circumstances. On the run from Cerberus, in sore need of allies and resources, and that's not even considering the Reapers. I can't believe that Earth was taken."

"They hit us pretty hard." Shepard explained. "The Alliance had almost no time to prepare."

"And yet plenty of time to put you on trial for trying to postpone our destruction. It's short-sighted political tricks like that that make Cerberus seem like the only way to get things done. The Illusive Man may not make many friends with his methods, but at least Cerberus accomplishes something. They don't sell out our best hope of taking down the Reapers."

"No, they just threw myself and my crew into various prisons across the Galaxy." Shepard smirked.

"That was only after we pushed them too far. The Illusive Man supports your desire to take down the Reapers in order to defend Humanity, but he would not stand for any action you take against him."

"You sound like you almost… agree with Cerberus handing you over to your father. With everything they've put us through these last few months."

"I didn't say that I liked it, but were I in the Illusive Man's shoes, I'd have done exactly the same thing. Keeping you contained is the best way to ensure Cerberus can continue to operate unmolested. Humanity cannot afford to lose you, Commander, but at the same time, Cerberus cannot afford to have you running loose.

"By the same stretch of logic, selling your operatives into captivity would make sense. Do you have any idea how many credits went into this ship, her crew, her commander? The first Normandy's Mass Effect core cost one hundred and twenty billion credits to build and stock with element zero. This version's core is almost twice the size. That alone would cripple most military organisations in the Galaxy. Cerberus will need to recoup these losses, by any means necessary. Regaining my father's support would go a long way to doing so."

"Have you had time to go over the data we retrieved from the labs?"

"I've made a start. I have been investigating the 'decay' mentioned in some of the reports."

"Didn't they say that had something to do with the way you were… created?" Shepard struggled for the right word.

"Yes. It appears that the genetic manipulation involved in my… unique origin has generated an instability in my genetic code. I won't bore you with the tech, but my DNA is slowly beginning to degrade."

"How bad is it?" Shepard asked, a knot forming in his stomach. He knew he would not like the answer.

"First, I'm going to become weak. My muscles will atrophy over time, and my skeleton will become brittle. Then, my organs will destabilise. For all intents and purposes, I will simply get old faster than expected. It won't be long after that that what's left of me will just… stop."

"You're dying." Shepard hated the words as he uttered them. He felt inexorably drawn to the next question, no matter how much he might detest the answer. "How long?"

"The decay is still in its early stages." Miranda explained. "I could have as many as fifteen years left in me, maybe more. Fifty's a good age, I suppose. Back in the dark ages people were lucky if they made it into their thirties."

Shepard tried to smile at her weak attempt to lighten the mood.

"I've suspected as much for some time now." Miranda continued. "Alarm bells began to ring when I was informed of my infertility. I was having some tests carried out before I was assigned to the Normandy, but they were inconclusive at that point. Now I know for sure."

"You seem so… at peace with this." Shepard commented.

"I can assure you, this scares the hell out of me, Shepard." Miranda answered, her face immobile. "But I would achieve nothing by roaming the ship weeping. I need to remain focused, stable. I have other lives depending on me now."

"What's going to happen to the children?" Shepard asked.

"They can't stay aboard the Normandy. We'll be travelling into dangerous situations far too often." Miranda said firmly. "I have some contacts on Eden Prime. Security there has tightened up since the Geth attack, but they're not a big enough target to face any considerable risk. The children should be safe. I can arrange for a home, a life, and some loving foster parents to take care of them. I'll also make sure they receive the gene therapy needed to slow down their artificial ageing. They should have a normal life."

"Maybe one day, when this Reaper thing is all over, you could go and see them?" Shepard suggested.

"Perhaps." Miranda answered flatly.

"What's wrong with that idea?" Shepard asked, curious and a little put out by her negativity.

"Aside from the statistically probable outcome that none of us come back from this war?" Miranda countered, a shadow of bitterness in her voice. "I doubt I'd make a good mother. I've been trained to lead troops in battle, to push for success in everything I do, to be something more than a Human being. Not exactly a healthy environment for a child to grow up in. They'd be far better off without my influence in their lives."

"Would it really be so bad?" Shepard asked pointedly. "They're children, Miranda. Not porcelain. They won't break in half because you don't have as much experience with kids as you'd like. Besides, it'd probably be good for you, too."

"We'll see." Miranda replied in a non-committal tone.

Shepard looked into Miranda's sapphire eyes. The two stared at one another, locking gazes for a brief moment. Miranda broke the contact, blinking rapidly to clear her suddenly blurry vision. She began tapping furiously at her console, turning her attention to her work once more.

"Thanks for stopping by, Commander." She said briskly. "Don't worry. I won't allow this to interfere with my performance."

Shepard sighed, realising that the conversation was over. He slowly stood up, muttering a weary farewell to Miranda before turning to go.

A tiny object on Miranda's desk drew the Commander's gaze. His eyes narrowed for a moment before he turned to leave, a sad expression on his face.

This pause did not go unnoticed by Miranda. Her eyes darted from her work to stare at the offending object. Her hands froze over the console as she continued to gaze at where Two Forty Six's little picture sat on the desk, propped up hastily on the dull grey surface.

As the doors hissed closed behind the Commander, he looked back over his shoulder to see Miranda still staring at the paper square, her face still.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard moved through the Crew Mess, dodging around the freshly awake morning shift, bustling around in the Mess as they got their breakfast. The Commander smiled as praise for Rupert's stew rose from the tables, walking past with a weary step.

As he rounded the corner to enter the corridor running across the ship between the Observation Lounges, the Commander became aware of an irregular clanking noise. He looked up to see Delexia entering the corridor around the opposite side of the elevator. The Turian's bare feet clicked on the deck underfoot, razor sharp talons leaving little dints in the smooth metal. The pirate was reaching back awkwardly to rub at her burned back, a pained expression on her face. What remained of her graceful white gown struggled to cover her modesty, little more remaining than the crisp black tatters across her back and the few white rags around the front. Her eyes widened with surprise at seeing Shepard.

"Commander." She greeted. "Surprised you're still up. Figured anyone with sense would have gotten some shut-eye by now."

"Yeah, well." Shepard grumbled. "There's always something that needs doing. You know how it is."

"That I do, Commander." Delexia chuckled. "It's the same on any ship. Bein' captain is a full-time job."

"I hear that." Shepard chuckled.

"H-h-yeah!" Delexia joined in. Her mandibles twitched with each barking laugh. With a sudden jerk, she spasmed, one hand reaching back to clutch at her injured scales. "Argh! Damn it! These burns are gonna take an age to heal."

"Well, on the bright side, we've got a few days ahead of us before we hit our next stop." Shepard empathised. He stepped over, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You need a hand?"

"Thanks." The Turian grunted as she allowed her weight to lean down on Shepard's offered shoulder.

The Commander staggered under her unexpected weight. Apparently Turians were a lot heavier than their graceful angular frames suggested. Slowly, the pair made their way past the elevator towards the Crew Quarters.

The doors hissed open, allowing Shepard to half-guide, half-carry Delexia through. The pair staggered the final feet towards the Turian's bunk, the Commander carefully releasing her so she didn't drop on the bed and further strain her damaged back. The pirate sighed as she lowered herself gingerly onto the bed.

"Auf! Thanks, Shepard." Delexia sighed.

"No problem." He said, sitting down on the bunk opposite hers. Delexia chuckled.

"Gotta say, these last few missions with your crew have been a lot more interesting than all the time I spent roaming the Terminus before joining up with you."

"You've never really said much about your life before we met you." Shepard commented.

"Well, I guess now's as good a time as any to share." She smiled good-naturedly. "What would you like to know about?"

"You once mentioned being a 'Huntress'." Shepard said.

"Oh. Yeah." Delexia said, her demeanour stiffening.

"If its something you don't want to talk about…"

"No! No. Nothing like that. Its just… not exactly the favourite chapter of my story." She sighed, shifting uncomfortably. Before the Commander could apologise and excuse himself, she began speaking again. "The Hunters and Huntresses are a clandestine branch of the Turian military. Much like the Spectres and the STG."

"Really? I have never heard of them."

"Unsurprising. You have to advance to the fifteenth tier of the Hierarchy before they'll even let you in on their existence. Technically, by talking to you right now I'm committing treason." She laughed, a sharp bark that had her reaching for her back, wincing in pain. "Not that one of the most notorious pirates of the Terminus Systems has to worry about a little thing like that.

"The Hunters are an ancient part of Turian culture, going back to when we still lived in huts on the mountain slopes of Palaven. A settlement would appoint one of their inhabitants as a Hunter or Huntress. If a Turian killed another, and they managed to elude whatever law enforcement was in place, then a Hunter was sent after them, to take them down."

"With extreme prejudice?" Shepard smirked.

"That would be an understatement. You think Spectres don't have to worry about rules and regulations? You haven't seen a Hunter going after his prey. Forests burn down, ships fall out of the sky, a lot of people tend to get hurt in the process. We're not there to uphold any kind of law or moral code. We're there to kill the bad guys, no matter what."

"They sound unprincipled."

"Very much so. Most of them start out as cold-blooded killers. The upper tiers of the Hierarchy choose them purely for their bloodlust." She chuckled. "Sometimes I think they'd be better off hiring Krogan bounty hunters. At least they'll give up when the killing stops being fun."

"If they're so much trouble, why does the Hierarchy keep appointing them?"

"We're big on tradition." She answered simply. "There are few things a Turian holds closer to his heart than what his ancestors have been doing for the past seventeen generations, no matter how stupid it may seem.

"And sometimes, you will get a good one. Careful to only kill his mark, no collateral damage, actually capable of intelligent conversation."

"Generally showers more than once a year?" Shepard offered.

"Now you're getting it." Delexia pointed at him, her primary finger and thumb forming a gun shape. "By the time I was invited to join their ranks, they were no more than a motley assortment of thugs."

"So why agree to join them?"

"Again, tradition." Delexia sighed. "You have to be suggested as a candidate. The person putting you forward is taking a gamble. Same for any promotion. If you fail, or you refuse your commission, it doesn't reflect on you. It reflects upon the one who believed you were up to the task. If I'd refused, the Turian who sponsored my candidacy would have suffered humiliation beyond anything you can imagine. It'd be worse than being demoted back down to the first tier."

"Did you know who sponsored you?"

"I didn't find out for about ten years. Patrons of Hunters tend to keep their support a secret. Hunters may be feared, but they are not respected. Their patrons, less so."

Shepard waited for a moment until it became clear that she was not about to divulge the name of her sponsor. He shifted on the bunk a little, his leg threatening to cramp up from pure exhaustion.

"So how'd you go from being the Hierarchy's murder machine to Delexia Tanis, captain of the Starborn and scourge of the Terminus Systems?"

"I left." She said simply. "I got tired with the way things were done. Far too much needless bloodshed. Sure, kill those that actively oppose you, but the little old lady in the next apartment over? I decided a life of piracy sounded much more fun."

"I can't imagine it was a matter of just handing in your letter of resignation."

"Indeed it wasn't. You're supposed to be a Huntress for life. My dereliction of duty was… frowned upon."

Shepard sensed there was more to Delexia's story, but he also could tell that she was done talking for now. Just as he placed his hands on the bunk on either side of himself to stand up, Delexia sighed and lay down on her bed.

"Thanks for coming by, Shepard. I'd better get catching up on my beauty sleep. Looking this good doesn't just come to me. Gotta work to keep it up."

The Commander smiled as the Turian rolled onto her side, facing the wall. He nodded to her back before turning to leave. In a moment, he had left the Crew Quarters behind, striding straight towards the elevators.

**~o~0~o~**

The elevator shuddered as it came to a halt on the Command Deck, allowing Shepard to step out into the CIC. Stifling a yawn, the Commander strode past the bridge crew around the foot of the Galaxy Map, silently returning their salutes and muttered greetings. He walked past his terminal without a second thought. If there were any messages, he would get them when he was more good and ready, and preferably awake.

A bickering argument drew his attention as he walked past the glowing orange hologram of the ship in the centre of the CIC. He looked about to see Gabby crouching next to a pair of legs jutting out from underneath the display. As he watched, the image flared and vanished for a few moments, until a hand darted out beside the legs, groping for the tray of tools Gabby held. Having retrieved a specific one, the hand darted back out of sight.

"This'd be a lot simpler if you'd just let me take a look, Kenneth!" Gabby chided. "It's not as though I've never worked on this thing before."

"Dammit, girl! Its your half-assed repairs that've got us in this mess. What made you think a P7-9 capacitor would cut it?"

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?"

"For all of five minutes. It was never going to last as long as the ME6-T would."

"Hey, do you have any idea how much more those things cost?"

"Yeah, but now we've got Miranda back aboard, we need to have everything running just right, not just good enough. Or do you want to face another one of her disciplinary hearings?" Kenneth's voice echoed.

"Everything okay here?" Shepard asked the engineer and the pair of legs.

"Oh, Commander!" Gabby quickly saluted. "No, everything's fine. Kenneth's just whining about having to repair the holo imager again."

"We shouldn't have to do this every two months! If only you'd spring for the high quality parts…" Kenneth's feet complained.

"I don't do the budget, Kenneth." Gabby shot back. "That's going to be Miss Lawson's job again now. So if you want to ask her for the funds, you'd better get some practice at not staring at her 'forward tanks', we clear?"

"Gah! You wound me, woman."

"Tell you what," Shepard offered. "Next time I'm anywhere civilised, I'll keep an eye out for the parts."

"If you could that would be great, Commander. Though Miranda would be missing out on an opportunity to bask in my quaint Scottish charm. I'm not so sure we should be so cruel to the poor lassie- ow!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Kenneth. Was that your foot?" Gabby asked innocently, holding the still sparking tool.

"Take it easy, you two." Shepard said between chuckles. He nodded to Gabby before turning to move on. He slowly ascended the steps into the corridor leading to the cockpit.

Moments later, he had entered Joker's domain. Sensing his presence, the pilot spun his chair around.

"Hey Commander! Good having you back. And we got Miranda back. That's just… perfect! Just what I need, more budget meetings and disciplinary hearings and threats to file a harassment suit against me."

"It'll be good having her back on board." Shepard assured, the ghost of a grin on his face. "We need someone to keep you in line. And seeing as you don't listen to a guy like me, maybe you'll listen to a pretty face."

"Yeah, yeah. Just don't come cryin' to me when we're all buried under fourteen feet of paperwork."

"Jeff, Miranda's missives are always delivered via digital means. We need not fear such an occurrence." EDI chimed in.

"Human expressions, EDI. Keep working at it." Joker said without blinking. He turned back to Shepard. "So, Commander, where are we headed to now? Somewhere nice?"

"A Quarian colony called Andairas." Shepard said, activating his omnitool. "Here's the co-ordinates Liara sent me."

"Quarians? We've already done that!" Joker said, mockingly whining. "You're supposed to be taking us to find new and exciting forms of life."

"Next time, Joker, I promise." Shepard quipped. "But for now, we're going to Andairas. Intel suggests Tali's there."

"Well I guess that's a plus. Tali was always nice." Joker admitted, turning to put in the co-ordinates. "Plotting a course."

"Thanks." Shepard said, turning to leave.

With heavy steps, The Commander proceeded down the corridor, finding his way to the elevator at the back of the CIC. He punched in the code for the Loft and his cabin. Seconds later, the metal doors whooshed open to allow him into his room. He half-heartedly tried to strip out of his clothes, shedding the jacket and trousers of the suit, before he reached the bed and flopped down, falling asleep almost immediately, half dressed and very much the worse for wear after the long night.

**~o~0~o~**

"Woah! Hey, look out, kids!"

Kasumi's light-hearted chuckle greeted the Commander's ears the moment he exited the elevator. He looked to his right, towards the Port Observation Deck, to see the doors to the little thief's normal haunt wide open. Curious, he made his way over to lean inside.

Kasumi was sitting on her couch, legs folded underneath her as she leaned forward to talk to her audience. She was smiling broadly as she held a tiny little object in her hands, narrating the tale of how it came into her possession. Sitting on the floor close by, Jacob was surrounded by a cluster of tiny charges, a broad smile on his face as he listened intently alongside the kids. The children, meanwhile, stared at her with mouths wide open, enraptured by the tale.

"And that's when I jumped off the roof, right into the car Keiji had waiting for me, and we made our escape!" Kasumi finished, setting the children muttering excitedly among themselves. She looked up from her rapt audience to catch sight of Shepard at the door. "There you are, sleepy-head! About time you were up and about. Care to join us?"

"Morning Kasumi. Jacob. Kids." Shepard smiled and nodded to each one.

"Hardly counts as morning anymore, Shepard." Jacob chuckled. "Rupert's already done serving lunch."

"As long as there's something there that's edible I'm having it." Shepard said, stifling a yawn. "Good to see you're getting to know the latest additions to the Normandy crew."

"Aren't they just adorable, Commander?" Kasumi asked, lifting one of the little boys up onto her lap and hugging him tightly, their cheeks pressed together as they smiled at Shepard. "Makes me think about getting some of my own…"

"Hey kids!" Jacob swiftly interjected. "Let's go see what Mess Sergeant Gardner is up to! Maybe he'll need some help."

Kasumi pouted at Jacob's back as the young soldier shepherded the children out of the Lounge, past the chuckling Commander. Shepard moved into the room as the doors slid shut, stifling the smile. He sat down next to the young thief.

"Why do you guys always run when we mention kids?" Kasumi asked.

"Instinct. Ever since the first bra was burned, we men have evolved to run and hide when an independent woman begins to wonder what the future holds." Shepard laughed, earning a joking scowl and a soft slap on the shoulder from his friend.

"Not funny." She managed behind the barely contained giggles.

"Don't worry." Shepard said, a broad grin on his face. "You'll corner him one day. And boy will he be surprised."

"You bet your ass he will." Kasumi agreed. "Can I get you anything? I should warn you, the crew hit the bar last night, but there's still plenty for you to choose from, so long as it's shochu or shochu."

"Uhh… I guess I'll have…" Shepard pretended to deliberate over his choice. "Shochu."

"Shochu it is then." Kasumi said, smiling. She reached behind her couch to touch the base of a sculpture she had set up on a small table there. The image of a smiling creature split open down the middle to reveal a bottle and a pair of glasses, the billowing fog of an ice-cold atmosphere seeping out into the lounge.

"Thankfully the guys never found this last night. My special store. I got this last time I was on Earth." Kasumi explained as she unscrewed the top of the bottle and poured a measure into each glass. "Nobody ever makes it as good as they do back in Japan. I guess on the colonies it's got something to do with the alien soil they use to grow the ingredients."

"Thanks." Shepard said as he accepted the proffered drink. He tasted it cautiously, thoroughly enjoying his first try and swiftly downing the rest.

"So what do you need, Shep?" Kasumi asked, leaning back with her drink. "There something I can do for you or are we just shooting the breeze today?"

"I'll go with door number two."

"Suits me." Kasumi smiled. "So what do you want to talk about?"

"Been thinking."

"Now there's a phrase that inspires terror."

"Watch it!" Shepard chided amiably.

The pair chuckled into their drinks, Shepard finishing his and allowing Kasumi to top it up. He realised he had just woken up, and drinking something this strong was probably a bad idea, but he also realised it was going on five PM and he could probably be forgiven for it.

"You've never told me much about who Kasumi Goto really is." He said, the hint of a question behind the words.

"Speak plain, Shep."

"Well, I don't know where you're from, what led you into the 'collection and delivery' industry, or anything like that."

"So…" Kasumi's smile grew a little wider. "You're curious about my past?"

"A little."

"Well, I guess we've know each other long enough for me to share a few details." She sipped her drink. "I've never really told anyone much about myself, save for Keiji. If I'm going to trust anyone with my past, might as well be you. Ask."

"Where'd you grow up?" Shepard decided to be straightforward in his questioning now.

"In Shizuoka, a ward of the Tokyo metropolis, Japan. We had a house on the coastline bordering Suruga Bay."

"A house? I thought Japan was all skyscrapers and warehouses." Shepard commented.

"It is, for the most part." Kasumi admitted. "We lived in Yui, a region that was cleared of all industrial and commercial buildings in Twenty-One Fifty-Two. We lived in one of the houses in the fifty-odd square kilometres of parkland there now."

"Must have been expensive." Shepard muttered.

"Very. My father was a successful businessman, dealing in stocks and shares. By the time he and my mother had me, he had amassed a considerable fortune."

"So you had… a privileged upbringing, then?"

"Kinda." Kasumi said evasively.

"So how'd you go from that to master thief of the Galaxy?" Shepard asked.

"When I was seven," Kasumi's voice was soft. "My uh… my father made a bad business decision, pissed off the wrong people. They came after him." Her words caught in her throat. "I remember the day the police came around to talk to my mother. It was sunny outside. My mother had me go outside to play while she talked with the grown-ups. All I knew was father didn't come home that night."

"I'm sorry." Shepard's words felt hollow to him.

"Without father's income, we couldn't afford to keep the house. We ended up in some tiny apartment in the slums of Yokohama." She chuckled. "Big step down from the high life. It was down there that I met Keiji. We were inseparable. He taught me what I needed to know to get by, and I got into places he was too big and clumsy to get to. We managed to support my mother for the next ten years, until she passed on. The doctors said it was her lungs. Couldn't cope with the pollution of our new surroundings. After that, Keiji made sure I always had somewhere to go."

"You were lucky to have someone like him." Shepard observed.

"Definitely. He looked after me until… until Hock." She struggled over the words, taking a swig of her drink to steady herself.

"I always thought it was you heading up the operation." Shepard commented.

"Not to begin with. I only took charge later on. But it was never really about who was in charge. We were partners. Everything was equal. We looked out for one another, and kept no secrets from each other."

"I'm sorry you lost him."

"Yeah, well." Kasumi shrugged. "We had a good run. But now I've got a new place to belong, thanks to you. I've been on the move for such a long time, it's good to have a place to call home."

"You're an important part of this squad, Kasumi. I can't imagine doing this without you."

"Ha! You're sweet, Shep. But you'd do just fine without me."

"Maybe, but it wouldn't be as much fun." Shepard stood, downing the last of his shochu and passing the glass back to his friend. "Thanks for that, Kasumi. I'll see you around."

"Be sure and come back later. It's been fun to talk." Kasumi grinned. "Now, I'd better go find out what kind of trouble Jacob's getting into. Who knows where he's got to with those kids."

The Commander chuckled as he walked out of the Lounge, heading off down the corridor and walking towards the Mess.

In the Mess, Shepard walked past the tables, nodding to Rupert as he passed. The greying old Sergeant was busily clearing the tables in preparation for the next shift passing through on their way to report to their stations. Shepard headed for the galley, finding a foil-wrapped packet of food in one of the cupboards. It wasn't fancy, and it certainly wasn't going to taste all that great, but it was edible. He grabbed an empty plate and made for one of the empty tables.

He sat down with a thump, tearing at the foil packet hungrily. At last the food was released, and he tucked in swiftly.

Shepard was about halfway through his meal when a shadow fell across the table. Looking up, he was faced with the dark green eyes of Feron. The Drell had a datapad in one hand, his face the usual unreadable mask.

"Shepard." He greeted.

"Feron!" Shepard managed, swallowing his current mouthful. "I heard you wanted to see me. I was going to stop by after this."

"Of course." The Drell replied. "Don't worry about it. We've all been through a lot lately."

"So what did you want to speak to me about?"

"I've been going through the information we recovered from Victor Lawson's databases. Most of it will take some time to go through for clues to lead us to any Cerberus operations." He passed the Commander the datapad. "However, I have been able to find something for us to work on. It seems that Victor was aware of and may even have funded a Cerberus cell that went rogue a few months back. Not much, but a potential lead you may want to follow up."

"Does it say what they were working on?" Shepard was wary of any Cerberus cell, rogue or not. Their work tended to blow up in their faces, and Shepard had been forced to clean up their mess more than once.

"An experimental weapon, based upon materials salvaged from Sovereign."

"Reaper tech?" Shepard almost spat. "When will these assholes learn?"

"One can only guess." Feron sighed. He sat down opposite Shepard. "Details were sketchy, but it sounds like this was a variant of the Thanix cannon. Designed to bypass shields and attack armour directly."

"Whatever it is, its too dangerous to leave in the hands of Cerberus, much less one of their rogue cells. Risk of indoctrination aside, we need to make sure weapons like this can be used by the Alliance."

"That's why I thought you'd want to hear about this. Liara agrees that it's worth following up."

"Alright. I'll have us set a course when we have time. Thanks, Feron."

The Drell stood up, half-bowing formally.

"Commander."

Shepard gave a salute as he returned his attention to his meal. In seconds, the Drell had turned and left.

**~o~0~o~**

The elevator hissed open, allowing Shepard to disembark onto the Engineering Deck. He looked to either side, noting that the door to Grunt's Cargo Bay was ajar. Curious, the Commander walked over.

"Okay, now hold it just there while I slot this in." The Krogan's voice filtered out into the corridor. Wondering, Shepard poked his head in.

Grunt was kneeling in front of one of the children, a broad smile on his face as the pair worked on his Claymore shotgun. The little boy was holding the heat sink ejection assembly, keeping it rock-steady as the burly alien inserted a delicate sliver of metal into the device. Sensing Shepard's presence, Grunt looked up from his work.

"Battlemaster." He greeted.

"Grunt." Shepard nodded. "What's going on?"

"These children are curious little things, Shepard. I could have crushed this one with one fist, and yet he came up to speak to me without a sign of fear!" The Krogan chuckled. "I admire that. If only half the aliens in the Galaxy had a quad like that."

"I'd have thought you of all people would not have wanted to be disturbed by them." Shepard commented.

"I didn't. But now I'm glad this one came calling. I'm happy to teach him the proper way to look after your gun. It's important knowledge to be shared. I'd be a poor example of an Urdnot if I didn't make sure the next generation was unprepared for battle."

"These are kids, Grunt. Not weapons."

"It can't hurt for them to know how to be a good warrior, Battlemaster. A Krogan broodling will begin his training as soon as nursing is complete."

"Alright then." Shepard conceded. "Just make sure he doesn't get hurt."

"Battlemaster." The Krogan punched one fist into an open palm, bowing his head. Shepard nodded before turning to leave, heading for the door leading to Main Engineering.

Inside, the Commander took a sharp turn, descending the stairs to the sub-deck where Jack normally dwelled. His eyes quickly adjusted to the dim red glow of the stairs before he emerged into the pool of light which contained the crates and tiny cot that made up the convict's living quarters.

Jack was sitting on her cot, back ramrod straight as she stared straight ahead. She had a blindfold fastened over her eyes, the thick black cloth blotting out every drop of light. Her head twitched as her ears picked up the sounds of Shepard's approach.

"That you, Geth? Come down here for more parts, have you?" She asked.

"It's me, Jack." Shepard said softly.

"Oh." She grunted, shifting back on her cot to lean a little more nonchalantly against the wall behind her. "What do you want?"

"Just coming down to see how you're doing." The Commander explained.

"I don't hurt anymore, if that's what you mean. The Doc fixed me up pretty good with some painkillers, and he had a look at my eyes, too. Said I can take this thing off this evening. Just passin' the time till then." She said, gesturing to her eyes.

"It's evening now." Shepard said. "You want to take it off?"

"I guess." She sighed wearily, reaching up to fumble with the fastenings.

"Here, let me help." Shepard offered, stepping forward and reaching up. She moved her hands out of the way and he slowly lifted the blindfold from her eyes, making sure her hazel hues had a chance to adjust to the light.

Jack squinted as her eyes registered light for the first time in a day, her gaze focusing on Shepard. She inspected him for a brief moment.

"Hmm." She grunted.

"What?" Shepard asked, curious about the sudden inspection.

"You still look like shit. Guess not that much has changed since the lights went out for me."

"Ouch! What was that for?" Shepard asked with a wounded tone.

"Just statin' facts, Commander. What've I missed?"

"Well, Grunt's babysitting one of the kids right now."

"No shit? Hmm." She mused. A light chuckle escaped her lips. Shepard joined in, sitting next to her.

"I'm glad you're recovering, Jack." He said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

The pair sat like that for a few moments, enjoying one another's company. Finally, with a sigh, Shepard stood up slowly.

"I'd better go get back to work. You let me know if you need anything, Jack."

"Sure thing, Shepard." She smiled thinly.

Shepard climbed the steps out of the sub-deck, quickly heading back the way he had come to enter the elevator. As he passed by the wide windows looking out on the main Cargo Bay, a flurry of movement caught his attention. He paused for a second to see what was going on before hurrying to the elevator and hitting the button to take him down to the Cargo Bay.

**~o~0~o~**

"Elanie!"

Shepard's call caused the Shadow Broker operative to pause in her work loading up her shuttle. She put down the crate she had been carrying and turned to face the approaching Commander.

"Shepard." She said simply.

"You're not staying?" He asked.

"Afraid not, Commander. I have commitments that I need to live up to. I can't just drop my work for the Shadow Broker to join your crew."

"I guess." Shepard conceded. He extended a hand towards her. "It's been an honour to work with you."

"The same." Elanie said, returning the gesture. "But somehow I don't think this'll be our last meeting. The Broker's got you working to take down Cerberus. If I have anything to do with it, I'll be right there with you when it comes to knocking down the Illusive Man's front door."

"Sounds like there's a story there." Shepard commented.

"Maybe I'll tell it to you, sometime." Elanie smirked.

"Along with the story of how you came to be running around with a Synthetic Intelligence in your back pocket."

"Yeah, that too." She chuckled.

"Well take care of yourself, Elanie." Shepard said warmly.

"I will." She nodded her head.

"Attention Normandy crew: We are approaching the Primary Citadel Relay." EDI's calm voice echoed over the ship's internal speakers. "Mass Relay jump in fifteen minutes."

"And that's my cue to get a move on." Elanie said as she resumed loading her craft. Shepard moved to help her, the pair finishing the task in very little time. The Commander nodded to her again as she boarded the private shuttle.

Several minutes later, the main Cargo Bay door hissed open, a powerful barrier flickering into existance over the opening to prevent the loss of any atmosphere. Elanie's shuttle lifted off the deck and arrowed out of the Bay. Shepard stood and watched it go, keeping his eyes locked on it until it vanished from sight into the rolling purple mass of the Nebula that shrouded the Citadel. Seconds later, the huge door slid shut and there was the tell-tale tug of G-forces as the Normandy surged forwards in reaction to the nearby Mass Relay activating, propelling them across the first leg of their journey out to Andairas, the Quarian colony world.

**Author's Note: Props go to Ieldra2, Inverness, General-Joseph-Dickson, Luxdragon and Spir0s. I've been having some upbuilding discussion with them about my story, and felt it only right to give them an honourable mention here.**

** Also, thanks to all those who have posted reviews, PM'd me and faved the fic. Perhaps while you're waiting for the next chapter, why not drop by my profile page and vote on which squaddie you like best so far? I like to have an idea of who is going down well with the readership and who needs some work. Please note, I'd like your votes to be based off of what has been written in this fic rather than who you liked/disliked in the actual games.**

**Anyway, now that that's been said, I'm off! See you all at the next chapter.**


	29. 29: Foundations Of Hope

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 29: Foundations of Hope**

The Cargo Bay was abuzz with activity. The Kodiak, fresh coat of paint and uncommonly smooth patches of recently repaired hull gleaming in the artificial light, sat dead centre in the bay, lowered from its cradle up near the ceiling. A gaggle of Crewmen surrounded it, some still performing last minute repairs while others tested systems. The sturdy little craft had taken a beating on Bekenstein, but it was still functional, a testament to just how tough it really was. The Commander smirked at that thought. The shuttle fit in well with the rest of the squad.

Shepard stepped back out of the way as a pair of children raced by, laughing as they played, darting in and out around the large crates in the bay. They made sure to keep out of the way of the crew, not that any of Shepard's people had minded having the little ones around for the past few days. Shepard had even once come across the normally abrasive Zaeed telling war stories to the children like an amicable old uncle, considerately watching his language as he related some of his more exciting escapades out in the Terminus Systems. The Commander had only been able to smile at the sight, until the grizzled mercenary had looked up and caught sight of him, firing off a glare that said 'Tell anyone and I'll rip your goddamn balls off.' Shepard had, wisely, kept it to himself.

He moved over to the shuttle, nodding to his assembling squad. Garrus and Kaidan were suiting up, fastening their helmets on securely. The squad was unsure of what quarantine procedures were in place, but this was a Quarian colony, after all. There would no doubt be many defences in place to protect the enviro-suited Quarians from cross-species contamination, and Shepard didn't want to send the whole settlement into a panic because he might breathe on something sensitive.

The Commander had decided to bring Garrus and Kaidan along for this mission, all too eager to get 'the old team' back together, no matter who was still absent. Tali would no doubt be eager to see them again, especially Kaidan, who she hadn't seen in almost three years.

Shepard's third choice for the landing party was one many would have deemed… unwise. Standing stiffly to attention, Legion remained motionless as the crew moved around it to prepare the shuttle for takeoff. Shepard had insisted the Geth platform come along, realising that, one way or another, the Quarians would have to do something to end the conflict between themselves and their creations. The Commander hoped that, by showing them how willing the Geth were to help him in his quest to defeat the Reapers, and by showing how both Quarians and Geth could work together, he could sway the hearts and minds of the exiled species to favour peace. All too many voices spoke out in favour of war with the Geth, and some insidious influences even proposed retaking control of the synthetic species. Shepard realised that, in a Galaxy so threatened by war, such instability would prove costly in the long run. He needed every race to work together to defeat the Reapers. As he walked by, he paused to nod to the Geth platform.

"Legion."

"Shepard-Commander." The flashlight head bobbed up and down in a surprisingly believable imitation of an organic greeting.

"You ready for this?"

"Extensive interaction with the Quarian-Creators will be necessary to resolve our differences. We will attempt to construct a favourable impression with the Creators in order to create a foundation for the proposal of peace. However, such interaction will always be fraught with risk, both to this platform and to future prospects."

"I won't let them do anything to you, Legion, and I'm gonna make sure that your people have a chance at making peace with the Quarians."

"Acknowledged. We are ready to depart."

Shepard nodded, indicating the Geth should fall into step with him. The pair walked over to where their comrades stood ready, Garrus checking the seals on his helmet one final time while Kaidan stowed a shotgun over the small of his back. The former Alliance soldier sported several weapons, an assault rifle, a shotgun, a pistol and an SMG.

"Don't you think you're a little overdressed, Alenko?" Shepard asked, reaching for his own helmet where it was stowed on his belt.

"You're one to talk, Commander." Kaidan's tone held a little note of amusement in it as he pointed to the bulky package fastened over Shepard's spine. "Do you always bring a grenade launcher with you when you go to meet old friends?"

"What, this thing? That's just for if the Quarians try any political bullshit like last time."

"I heard about that. Who'd have thought you'd make a good defence attorney?" Kaidan chuckled.

"I'm making sure he's defending me if we ever get into trouble like that night on the Citadel again." Garrus quipped. "Remember, just after we beat Saren?"

Kaidan's laughter barked out through his helmet's speaker.

"Ha! I remember Wrex having to carry you back to the ship. Never took you for such a lightweight."

"Lightweight?" The Turian challenged. "If I recall correctly, I was fine up until my fifth Quarian Booster Rocket. You, on the other hand, went running out of there after just one glass of Batarian Ale. And what exactly was it that inspired you to go take a piss on Udina's door?"

"Slimy bastard deserved it." Kaidan said defensively.

"Yeah, I guess. Shame he opened the door when you were halfway through." Garrus sniggered. "Wish I could have seen his face."

"A perfect moment. I thought only Asari could hit that shade of purple. I hear real leather shoes are hard to get a hold of now. I'm happy with the bio-engineered stuff." Kaidan sighed with laughter.

Shepard chuckled as he patted his second-in-command on the shoulder.

"Okay, Alenko. Enough storytelling for one day. Let's get going."

**~o~0~o~**

The shuttle powered through the upper atmosphere of the planet Andairas. As the white-grey clouds whipped by outside, Shepard peered out of the window and looked down at the world below him.

It seemed that Andairas was mostly ocean, the vast navy expanse dotted with tiny archipelagos and solitary islands. One large landmass was visible in the distance, the biggest continent on the planet. By Human standards, it was no bigger than Earth's Australia. It gleamed a rich green under the bright sun, an emerald on a sheet of royal blue velvet. The shuttle arrowed straight for its nearest coast.

As they drew close, Shepard began to make out different geographical features. A large mountain range ran along the length of the landmass, only a scant couple of dozen miles from the coast. This range of mountains curled around to descend into the sea, the peaks of some of its smallest children poking out above the waves as little islands of their own. The peaks of the highest mountains shone brilliantly, ice and snow reflecting the powerful sun in a blinding dazzle. The lower slopes were coated with dense rainforest, towering trees obscuring the ground from view. The thick trees continued across the distance from the mountains to the coast, coming to an abrupt halt on the edge of pearly white beaches.

As the shuttle continued its approach, Shepard spotted a wide river mouth emerging from the treeline and spilling across the beach into the ocean. Around this estuary, the small Quarian colony had been built. Two massive shapes loomed over the clearing, a vast swathe of trees having been cleared to make space for them. Shepard recognised their silhouette as that of lesser Liveships from the Flotilla. The crafts' spherical front portions spun to create a centrifugal force, allowing the entire inner surface to be used for growing crops that were used to feed the Migrant Fleet. The Commander wondered at their presence here. Even though they were much smaller than the main Liveships, such as the Rayya, Tali's birth ship, they were still a valuable resource to the Flotilla. For the Admiralty board to commit two such ships to the colony, they had to be serious about making it succeed.

In the shadow of the Liveships, a number of prefabs had been erected. They followed a grid pattern, betraying the technical Quarian minds behind their layout, not a single square foot wasted. A dozen long white tubes had been erected close to the settlement, tunnels to grow crops in while protecting them from the elements. Shepard caught sight of tiny figures riding small hovering platforms around as they tended to the day-to-day running of the colony.

"Attention approaching vessel. Please identify yourself and state your business here." A voice with the rippling Quarian accent sounded over the comm frequencies. "Be advised that this settlement is equipped with automated GARDIAN defence systems and we will not hesitate to fire upon you should we deem your vessel to be a threat to our security."

"This is Commander Shepard of the Normandy. I am here to speak with Admiral Tali'Zorah vas Normandy."

"Captain Shepard?" The voice hesitated for a brief moment. "I am going to need verification on that."

"Speak to Tali, then. Ask her if she needs me to shout at people again. I know how much she enjoys it when I do that." Shepard knew the little Quarian would instantly understand his message and verify that he was genuine.

"I don't understand." The traffic controller said.

"You're not supposed to. Just use those exact words when you speak to Tali. She'll know what I mean."

"I will speak with Admiral Zorah immediately."

The shuttle's occupants waited for a couple of tense moments. A warning beep from the shuttle's controls made Crewman Hadley a little nervous. He turned to shout back to the Commander.

"Sensors confirm they have weapons lock on us."

"Damn. These Quarians are a lot twitchier than I was expecting." Garrus muttered.

"The Quarian Creators will have found it necessary to invest a significant amount of resources into the settlement to make it viable." Legion explained. "Considering their weakened immune systems, the creation of a new colony is fraught with risk. The tolerance for failure is much more sensitive than that of colonies belonging to other species. Relatively minor incidents could set back colony development by a considerable number of years."

"Alright." Garrus said, raising his hands to ward off further exposition. "I get it. They've got a right to be paranoid."

"Paranoid would be an understatement." Shepard said. "From what Tali told me about their immune systems, their quarantine procedures are going to be positively militant."

"Captain Shepard, this is Andairas Air Traffic Control." The Quarian was back on the line. "Permission to land granted. Please proceed to landing platform twelve. Admiral Zorah extends her greetings, and will be present to greet you."

"Acknowledged. Shepard out."

The shuttle wheeled about sharply and began its descent, heading for the assigned platform.

**~o~0~o~**

The Kodiak touched down on the raised landing platform with a gentle bump, Hadley's expert touch bringing the landing gear down to kiss the metal underneath. As soon as the shuttle had come to a halt, Shepard was on his feet, working the controls to open the hatch. A gust of bracing wind burst into the craft as soon as the seals parted, the warmth of Andairas' sun instantly noticeable even under their armour. With a deep breath, Shepard took his first step out onto the Quarian colony world. Garrus and Kaidan followed close behind, with Legion bringing up the rear.

The Commander took a look at the nearby structures, now able to observe them from a much closer perspective. One of the Liveships, the one closest to the shore, towered over the landing platform, casting a deep shadow over the nearby buildings. A comm tower had been erected not too far away, surrounded by two or three story administrative buildings. Shepard took note that the buildings all around had a much more utilitarian feel than a residential one, being mostly warehouses, factories and office buildings.

A small welcoming committee had gathered at the edge of the landing platform, slowly approaching as the shuttle came to a rest. As soon as the Commander disembarked, one figure darted out from amoid the others.

"Shepard!" Tali cried out as she rushed over to embrace the Commander. "It's so good to see you again!"

"It's good to see you, too Tali. How've you been?" Shepard smiled behind his helmet, hugging her tightly. Tali was like a little sister to him, and he'd missed her.

"Busy. So much has changed since you disappeared. What happened? I was so worried when I wasn't able to find you. The Normandy just vanished off the face of the Galaxy. I heard Cerberus had something to do with it?"

"They got the jump on us during that mission to Basite. I've just got out of a good long stint in a Batarian jail, and the rest of the crew didn't fare much better."

"Keelah! If I'd known I could have stayed with you, maybe-"

"If you'd been with us, then you'd have been captured just like the rest of us. There was nothing anyone could do." Shepard said firmly, not wanting her to feel guilty over never-were's and could-have-been's. "Besides, you've been doing good work here. Admiral, huh?"

"Yeah. The Admiralty Board was still one short when you vanished. Seeing as I couldn't go anywhere, the people started thinking maybe I shouldn't anyway. So they put it to a vote, and next thing I know I'm making decisions every day that affect seventeen million people. It's a lot to take in." She twiddled her fingers, a clear sign she was nervous. "I've… uh... also had to take on a new ship name. I'm Tali'Zorah vas Seerah now."

Shepard nodded understandingly. If Tali wanted to live among her people on one of their ships, she had to take on the ship's name according to Quarian custom. It was a small detail, and probably not intended to slight Shepard, but it hammered home the fact that Tali wasn't part of his crew any more. As these thoughts ran through his mind, the young alien looked over his shoulder and let out another shout of delight.

"Garrus! You're back too? I am glad. And Kaidan! It has been too long."

"Tali." Kaidan said warmly, returning her friendly embrace.

"Been looking after yourself, Zorah?" Garrus' smile carried through in his jovial tone.

"Just how much of the old crew have you got here, Shepard?" Tali asked in wonder. "Maybe you have Wrex and Liara hiding in the shuttle?"

"Not quite." Shepard replied warmly. "But they send their regards."

"I'm sure they do." Tali sounded truly overjoyed at the reunion. With a jolt, she suddenly spun around. "Oh, wait, I need to introduce you to my colleagues. Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh, you already know…"

"Shepard." The older Quarian said coldly. "A pleasure as always." Her tone completely failed to convey any warmth.

"And Kal'Reegar. You remember him from Haestrom, yes?"

"Shepard." The Quarian in red armour stiffly stood to attention. "Good to see you're still up and about and kicking some serious ass out there. After seeing what you could do on Haestrom, it would have been a shame to lose someone so good at blowing up Geth."

"Kal heads up our security forces." Tali explained. "We have two platoons of Marines stationed here to keep an eye on the Flotilla's investment."

"Not just their investment, ma'am." Kal responded. "We need to look after our own. We haven't got the numbers to lose this many Quarians to a pirate raid or anything. Not that we've had any trouble so far. The Admiralty kept the co-ordinates to this colony top secret."

"Which begs the question of what you are doing here, Shepard." Daro'Xen said coldly.

"I have my sources." Shepard said confidently. "Don't worry, we're not about to bring slavers down on your heads."

"I should hope not." The Admiral said disapprovingly.

"This is Sirya'Naas vas Seerah, one of our agricultural science project leads." Tali continued, obviously wanting to avoid the growing confrontation. An elderly female Quarian nodded in greeting. "And Jano'Yorish vas Moreh, Kal's second in command."

"Shepard. Heard a lot about you." The male Quarian at the end of the procession nodded to the Commander. Generally he seemed more relaxed than the formal Kal'Reegar.

"Jano…" Shepard tried to recall where he'd heard the name before. "You wouldn't happen to have run with the Varren Skulls when you were on Pilgrimage, did you?"

"Yes, I did." Jano seemed genuinely caught off guard. "How did you know that?"

"An old friend of yours told me. Jack?"

"Jackalee?" The strange way the Quarian said the name suggested a strong fondness for the tattooed convict. "It does my heart good to hear she is still alive. I always wondered what happened to her."

"She's a part of my crew now."

"No kidding? Jackalee never struck me as the kind who'd end up on a military ship, save in a pair of cuffs." Jano chuckled. "I'm glad she's found somewhere to belong."

"Well apparently the Commander does not need me around to make friends." Daro'Xen interjected flatly. Shepard frowned at the Admiral's indifferent hostility. She clearly didn't care to have him around, but she wasn't motivated enough to do anything about it. "If you'll excuse me, I really must get back to my work."

With that, the slight Admiral turned and left, striding with a haughty air. Shepard crossed his arms as he watched her go.

"She's as friendly as ever. Is it my armour? Have I gone and painted it in a colour culturally offensive to Quarians?"

"Maybe you just need to shower more often, Commander." Garrus quipped. "I don't like to criticise, but I'm pretty sure you shouldn't have green stink lines seeping out of your suit."

"Xen's just a little… abrasive." Tali giggled. "Pay her no heed."

"The woman needs to get the sand out of her recycler unit." Kal said, using an expression that probably had a more significant meaning in Quarian than what Shepard's translator unit gave it.

"Anyway, would you like to tour the colony?" Tali offered. "I'd like to show you what we're doing here."

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you, Tali. About the Reapers."

Tali was silent for a moment.

"Of course. Come, we can talk while we walk."

"Right." Jano said lightly. "Well I've got to get back to my duties. I've got a patrol to lead. We've been hearing strange things out on the perimeter, want to make sure it's not something nasty that'll start making our guards disappear. I guess we'll talk later, Comman-" Jano suddenly went silent, his entire body tensing. His hand darted to his waist and drew a long curved knife, about the length of Shepard's forearm. His next words were shouted. "Geth! Look out!"

Shepard turned to see Legion stepping out from behind the shuttle. The Geth had apparently held back until it deemed the situation calm enough to step out. Now it had frozen in mid-step, ready to retreat back into the shuttle.

The Commander turned back to the Quarians, noting that Kal, already familiar with Shepard's pet Geth, had only moved his hand to grip the butt of his pistol, ready to draw and fire at the first sign of trouble. Tali, of course, had barely reacted to Legion's presence. The other Quarian, Sirya, had drawn a pistol and was aiming it straight at the machine. Behind them, the guards on duty at the foot of the steps leading up to the landing platform had drawn a rifle each and were advancing on the inert machine.

Shepard was about to step in and say something politically inadvisable when Tali suddenly stepped in Jano's way, grabbing his forearm and forcing him to lower his weapon.

"Put those weapons down!" She commanded, a fire in her voice that made Shepard smile. "The Geth is with the Commander. It can be trusted."

"Kal?" Jano asked, his entire body exuding confusion.

"The Commander's brought the Geth with him. That's good enough for me." Kal said simply. "Shepard's killed enough of the things that if he's sparing one it must be worth trusting."

Jano reluctantly lowered his knife. Shepard noted that he had gone straight for the melee weapon rather than drawing his gun like the others. An unusual choice for a Quarian, given the increased risk to their weak immune systems that close quarters combat presented. Perhaps it was a habit picked up from his years on the streets and in gangs.

Tali relaxed as the guards did, turning back to the Commander.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Shepard. Bringing a Geth here is going to make people nervous."

"Legion knows what would happen if it tried anything, but maybe we should make sure a Quarian is with us at all times, just to help keep your people calm."

"Good idea." Tali nodded. "Come on, I want to show you our new home!"

Shepard and his squad stepped in behind Tali and Kal as they set off towards the rest of the colony. As Shepard watched, a mildly disgruntled Jano, and unreadable Sirya and the nervous Quarian guards slowly went back to their daily duties.

**~o~0~o~**

"This is our metalworking complex. Here we smelt the metal for the various projects we have running at the moment." Tali narrated as she led them past a towering factory. "We have several mines in operation under the mountains to supply us with the raw materials we need. Given a few years, we believe that this colony could supply itself with all the building materials needed to survive, needing only the more exotic resources to be shipped in."

"Impressive." Shepard commented. "So what do you make?"

"We build all of our structures from scratch. We cannot afford to buy in prefabs from corporations, and we cannot seek sponsorship for this colony project, as that would betray it's location to the larger Galaxy. We are also able to manufacture our own weapons and ammunition, although we have not needed to use them, save for keeping wild beasts at bay."

"Does that happen often?" Garrus asked casually. Shepard smiled at the Turian's thought process. Even in a relaxed environment like this, he was evaluating potential risks.

"Not really. We've only encountered a couple of species of apex predator on the land." Tali explained. "This planet never really developed much life out of the water. It's partly what makes it so suited for colonisation. Fewer bugs- fewer diseases. And that's what makes this planet so precious for our people. It's a one-in-a-million occurrence for us to find a planet just suited for habitation, with the correct distance between it and its sun, an axial tilt to generate seasons and favourable weather patterns, the correct mineral composition for vegetation to survive, even the mass and density of a planet has a profound impact upon whether it is viable or not. When you add our need to find a world with little to no insect life present in order to cater to our weaker immune systems, there really could only be a handful of planets like this in the Galaxy. And seeing as the Homeworld is not an option at the moment…"

"This planet is the only chance we've got to get our people off ships and onto solid land." Kal finished. "That's why the Admiralty Board ruled to keep it a secret. Outside of this colony, only the other Admirals and a handful of prominent captains know where we are. We can't risk non-Quarians finding this place and trying to colonise it. An alien presence would ruin the environment's balance and we'd be just as well staying with the Flotilla."

"So that's why the Air Traffic Controller seemed so twitchy."

"That and, given that the Migrant Fleet could spare only a small number of Quarians to set up this colony, we'd be vulnerable if any pirates or slavers turned up." Kal said grimly. "My men are the best, but even we'd be hard pressed if any significant force showed up on our doorstep. The civvies would make a tidy profit, and there's more than enough bodies here to fill a decent sized cargo ship."

"What kind of a population are we looking at here?" Shepard asked.

"The Admiralty Board decided that we should only risk a handful of ships on this venture." Tali explained. "Two auxiliary Liveships, the Seerah and the Moreh, were assigned as our primary living quarters and food source. Most of the crops we eat, as well as the nutrient paste we use to supplement our diets, comes from my ship, the Seerah, which also provides the majority of our living space. The Moreh houses our water purification plants and was used to provide power to the colony during our first few weeks of settlement. There were some smaller ships assigned to the project, which we have broken down for parts to build some of our larger facilities. For example, the Seline was used to build our administrative hub, while the Kotik was taken apart to be used in the construction of our new hydro-electric power station upriver. We left the Poliya intact, and she serves as a scout vessel, ready to come to the defence of the colony should we come under attack. The grand total crew of those five ships comes to just under nine thousand."

"Nine thousand?" Kaidan whistled. "You're really not messing around, are you?"

"Our people are stagnating, trapped aboard the Migrant Fleet." Tali explained. "We need to make this work. The people are pushing for the Admiralty Board to make a decision that will put an end to our centuries-long flight from the Geth. Either we make a place for ourselves by founding some colonies, or we take back the Homeworld from the Geth. Either way, we'll need a planet to house our most vulnerable citizens on. Whether it be part of our colony plans or just a temporary refuge for the duration of any conflict with the Geth, we need to make Andairas work."

"Are your people really that close to going to war with the Geth?" Shepard asked, disconcerted by the strength of feeling in Tali's tone. He hoped the little Quarian wasn't as set upon war as her tone suggested. At his question, Tali sighed.

"I don't know, Shepard. There have always been people on both sides of the argument, shouting for a decision to be made. But now more and more Quarians are taking sides, and the calls for war and peace are both getting louder. You encouraged my people to sue for peace, back during my trial, and I think that your words may have reached some hearts, but those who want nothing but the destruction of the Geth still have an influence within the Fleet. It could go either way."

"What about you, Tali?" Shepard pushed.

Tali's helmet flicked to the side uncertainly, the bright glow of her eyes behind the mask darting towards where Legion stood silently. Clearly she was nervous, expressing her opinion in front of the Geth.

"I- I don't know, Shepard. A part of me wants to get the Homeworld back. It's what my father always dreamed of, before he- before the Alarei. But then I look at what his pursuit of that dream did, and I see the danger. If we allow ourselves to become to absorbed in that quest, then we could end up doing more harm than good. I know we'll need the Fleet to help combat the Reapers, and I can't see how getting it destroyed in the skies above the Homeworld would be of any use to you." She straightened, her voice firming. "Let's move on. There's still a lot of the colony to show you."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard looked around wonder at his surroundings. The squad had stepped into the rotating spherical portion of the Seerah, the artificial gravity created by its motion disorienting, to say the least.

The interior of the sphere was coated with soil, providing somewhere to grow numerous crops in neat formations. In the centre of the sphere, held in place by Mass Effect fields, an artificial source of sunlight shone brightly, its warmth tangible even at this distance.

"This is where about seventy five per cent of our food comes from." Tali explained. "The sterile environment inside the ship means that the food is guaranteed to be safe for Quarians to eat. A small portion of food is grown aboard the other ships, about twenty per cent of our supply. We also grow some food outside, although that is only given to those undergoing genetic treatments to bolster their immune systems."

"You're already working on that?" Shepard asked, impressed.

"Given how long it will take for us to overcome this weakness, we need to get started as soon as we can. We're not at the stage where we can take our masks off outside of a sterile room, but the risks are low enough for our most advanced test subjects to enjoy food actually harvested from a planet's surface. For us, that's a significant step forwards."

"Maybe I should pick up some supplies while we're here." Garrus commented. "Delexia and myself could use some fresh Dextro food."

"I'm afraid we couldn't do that." Tali said regretfully. "All of our supplies are rationed carefully. It's what we use as a form of currency. Every Quarian has a baseline Food and Utilities allowance, or FaU. Those who pull extra shifts or have dangerous jobs are compensated with some bonus FaU, which allows them to purchase additional food, some extra bandwidth for networked terminals, and even to requisition new equipment."

"So how are you countering the decay of your immune systems?" Shepard said, moving on.

"Several ways. Regular anti-biotic treatments, cybernetic and genetic augmentation and simple exposure treatment."

"Exposure?"

"Sometimes, the best thing to do is allow yourself to get a little sick so that you can 'exercise' your immune system, so to speak. Some Quarians voluntarily expose themselves to an environment that isn't sterile, hole up in the sickbay for a few weeks to get better, and repeat the process. It's hardly the most refined way to go about fixing our immune systems, but those Quarians will develop antibodies that can be passed on to the next generation, meaning our children will be healthier than we are. We hope a combination of methods will help accelerate what will eventually happen naturally."

"Where do you keep your medical facilities?" Shepard asked.

"Right here on the Seerah. Come on, I'll show you."

Minutes later, Tali was escorting them through several corridors in the opposite end of the ship. They walked past what looked to have been cargo bays at one point, although now they were filled with row upon row of pods, stacked ten high in places. As Shepard glanced in, he saw one of the pods close to the ceiling open, a Quarian crawling out and clambering down to the deck. Another stolen glance inside an open pod revealed what looked like a really condensed apartment. An entire life was compacted into a space smaller than Shepard's bathroom. A bed ran along one side, little more than sheets spread on the floor, while the other side housed a small personal terminal, what might have been a stove, and a wash basin. The walls were decorated with brightly coloured paintings and tapestries, something to make it a little more personal than just a box. As Shepard looked back over his shoulder, he realised what the scene reminded him of. The Quarian living quarters looked almost like a beehive, lot's of tiny cells forming a much larger structure.

What struck the Commander the most, however, was the heat. Having that many bodies in close proximity created a blistering environment that the ship's internal atmospheric regulators struggled to cope with.

They left the living quarters behind, making their way close to the back of the ship. Shepard began to feel a pulse travelling through the deck underfoot, the rhythmic throb of the ship's Mass Effect core keeping the lights on. Moments later, the group walked into a section of the ship much more brightly lit than anywhere else aboard, the walls taken up by wide windows looking out on sterile white rooms. Shepard moved over to one, leaning against it as he peered in.

"Is this the Med Bay?" He asked.

"No. Though their function is similar." Tali answered. "These are the clean room s where our children live for the first few years of their lives. They are kept within the bubbles until they are old enough that they won't keep growing out of their enviro-suits every five minutes."

"Bubbles?" Shepard asked, realising the term was familiar. He pressed the face-plate of his helmet against the window, peering through. His eyes managed to pick out several large spherical objects in the room beyond, inside of which he could make out faint movement.

"I told you about them back during my trial." Tali said. "Our children live in semi-portable atmospheric units for the majority of their childhood, only receiving their first suit upon reaching adolescence. In the meantime, after the nursing period is over, they are kept in the clean rooms. The bubbles are just too large to take into the living quarters proper."

"Seems a shame, having to keep them contained in these rooms for all that time." Kaidan murmured.

"We're currently working on a clean-room complex out on the planet's surface, in order to improve our children's lot in life. We should be finished soon." Tali sounded proud of this.

"You've accomplished so much in such a short span of time." Shepard complimented.

"We're an industrious people, Shepard. We know that if you don't pull your weight, everyone suffers. Plus we have our technological expertise to fall back on."

"It's still impressive." The Commander insisted. "In the space of a few months, you've got fully functioning manufacturing facilities, a power station, farms and living quarters up and running on the planet's surface."

"Well… a little more than a few months, actually. This planet was discovered by one of our deep space expeditions, only a month or two after the first Normandy was destroyed. The Admiralty Board has been funnelling resources and people out here ever since. As soon as I was promoted to Admiral, I was sent out here. I guess some are still a little on edge about my recent trial, and feel that I'd be best kept at a distance from the fleet until all the ripples my father set off calm down." Tali straightened. "Anyway, let's move on."

She led them down the hallway towards the stern of the ship, passing more clean rooms filled with the 'bubbles'.

"I assume the ecosystem is dextro-friendly?" Garrus asked casually, looking around with interest.

"Yes. That's yet another reason why this planet is so valuable to us. Normally, when a dextro planet is found, the Turian Hierarchy get their claws on it long before we'd have a chance to even check it out. We cannot share a planet with the Turians, so we need to keep this a secret until we're properly established here."

"Understandable." Kaidan nodded.

The group walked up to a much larger glass panel, looking in on what was clearly a medical facility. Beds lined each wall, each one occupied by a Quarian. Shepard looked to one side, where a patient sat up on his bed while a nurse, enclosed within a heavily fortified containment suit, tended to him. The patient had removed his helmet, allowing the nurse to check his eyes and ears, taking careful notes of any observations. Garrus and Kaidan paused before the glass, stealing a glance at the patient.

"Huh." Garrus muttered. "So that's what they look like. Go figure."

"Hey, Tali?" Kaidan asked, pointing at a certain feature on the patient's exposed face. "What do you use those for?"

"For smelling." The Quarian answered matter-of-factly. "Why? Don't you have them?"

"No." Kaidan sounded surprised. "Do you see any of those on me?"

"I- I thought Humans just had them somewhere inconspicuous." The little Admiral answered. "So how do Humans smell, then?"

"Pretty terrible, truth be told." Garrus replied with a deadpan voice.

"Hey!" Shepard retorted jovially.

"It's true!" Kal said, joining in. "Why do you think we Quarians are so happy that we can turn off the olfactory filters on these suits?"

The party chuckled for a few seconds. Eventually, Tali clapped her hands together.

"Come on, I want to show you our agri-centers next.

**~o~0~o~**

The tour of the agri-centers proved most informative, Tali narrating the experience with information about genetic modification to adjust to the alien soil, various new methods developed to extract the maximum yield from the least land possible without allowing the soil to become exhausted. They were introduced to a young Quarian, so young that Shepard would have expected her to be off on her Pilgrimage, who was busily working as a farmer. Tali had explained how some youngsters had been given the opportunity to become a part of the colony rather than head off on Pilgrimage, the Conclave and the Admiralty Board having decided that such work constituted a considerable gift to the Quarian people, far more valuable than the cache of resources or used ship that a Pilgrimage might produce. They left the young farmer to her duties and turned to leave when Shepard caught sight of a pair of figures working on the fields who seemed out of place. He couldn't put his finger on what was strange about them for a few moments, until it struck him that their legs were the wrong shape. As they drew close to the pair, he noted the presence of five fingers on each hand and two pairs of boots not designed for Quarian feet. Curious, Shepard tapped Kal'Reegar on the shoulder.

"Who are they?" He asked, pointing at the two Humans amid so many Quarians.

"Hmm?" The Quarian looked over at them before turning back to the Commander indifferently. "Oh, that's just Hendel and Gillian."

"What are Humans doing living in a Quarian colony?"

"Pretty much the same reason a Quarian ended up on a Human ship like the Normandy." The marine answered. "Circumstances much bigger than the sum of the people involved."

"Would you like to meet them, Shepard?" Tali asked. "I'm sure they'd be glad to see some more familiar faces, so to speak. It's been about two years since they last spoke to another Human."

"Sure." Shepard shrugged. Tali waved for the group to follow, and led the way through the field towards the working pair.

As they approached, the taller of the two, obviously a man if his build was anything to go by, stood up straight, looking at the newcomers with obvious suspicion in his stance. As he scanned the party, Shepard noticed that he moved partially to stand in front of his smaller charge, almost protectively. The smaller Human, curiously, seemed oblivious to what was going on, and kept working on the plant she was tending to.

"Admiral Zorah." The man said stiffly. He head inclined the smallest fraction of an inch in greeting, but Shepard felt the Hunan's eyes turn to him with a cautious, untrusting glare.

"Hello, Hendel." Tali said warmly. "I've brought some friends with me who I thought you'd like to meet. This is Commander Shepard of the Normandy. Kaidan Alenko, his second-in-command, and Garrus Vakarian, his gunnery officer. You remember me telling you about them, right? I was a part of their crew when we went to chase down Saren."

"I know who you are, Shepard." Hendel's voice was firm. Not rude, but unwelcoming. "You're also the man who has been working with Cerberus for the past year." The way he said Cerberus had so much acid in it Shepard felt tempted to check his suit seals to make sure they weren't burning away.

"Only because I had to, and I sure as hell made sure that that particular business relationship came to an end." Shepard decided that, if this Hendel was going to play it that way, then so could he. He stood up straight, his arms folded behind him as he stood to attention, his chest and shoulders fully expanded.

"With all due respect, Admiral Zorah, are you sure it's a good idea bringing him here? Even if he's not working for Cerberus as he says, how do we know that the Illusive Man isn't tracking his movements somehow? You know how corrupting their influence can be." Shepard felt slighted at not being addressed directly, but held his tongue, realising it was Tali's place to defend him or accuse him here.

"Shepard is a close, trusted friend of mine, Hendel. I know in my bones that he would not betray my people."

"He brought a Geth here, for crying out loud! Do you know how many Alliance soldiers they killed on Eden Prime?" Hendel's finger shot out to point at the silent Legion behind Shepard.

"Far less than how many Quarians were killed in the uprising, Hendel." Tali's tone was strong, her anger clear behind her words. "Are you really going to question my decision to allow Shepard to land here?"

"I-"

"I thought you, of all people, would be happy to see another Human among us, Hendel. But if not you, then think about Gillian. Don't you think she would appreciate seeing someone who won't die if they show her their face?"

At the mention of her name, the young girl turned from her work, seeming to come awake. She stood and looked at the group of people suddenly standing near her, although her stance implied curiosity rather than surprise. She looked at Shepard for a moment before speaking, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the atmosphere, most of which emanated from Hendel, standing right beside her.

"Hello." She waved. "You're Shepard, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am." Shepard said with a measure of surprise, relaxing his stance a little to speak with the youngster. "How did you know?"

"Tali told me about you. She said you had this…" She pointed to a spot on her collarbone. Shepard looked down to realise she meant his N7 insignia. As he nodded, she turned to look at his companions.

"So you must be Garrus." She pointed to the Turian. "Tali likes you. She calls you a bosh'tet all the time, but she means it in a nice way. And you're Legion." She pointed to the Geth, who straightened. "Tali doesn't like you, but she says that seeing as Shepard tolerates you, she will too." She turned to Kaidan. "And you're… Jacob?"

"Not quite. I'm Kaidan."

Gillian paused for a moment, and Shepard felt sure that he could sense her brows furrowing in confusion. She turned to Tali.

"I thought you said he was on the ship that got broken?"

"Yes, Gillian, but he got out before that."

"But he wasn't on the other ship."

Shepard noticed Kaidan's shoulders stiffen a little at the innocent comment. Gillian couldn't know the guilt he felt for turning his back on Shepard, but the Commander understood the tiny flinch in his friend's demeanour all too well.

"No, Gillian."

"Why not? Couldn't Shepard find him, like you and Garrus?"

"Not quite." Tali sounded a little strained at having to talk about the delicate subject right in front of Kaidan.

"Well was he busy, like Liara or Wrex?"

"Something like that." Tali said simply. Shepard saw the twin points of light behind her mask wink out and realised the Quarian had closed her eyes, hoping Gillian wouldn't pursue the topic any further. Thankfully, she didn't. Gillian simply nodded.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Mr Shepard."

"It was good to meet you, too, Gillian." Shepard felt a smile tug at his lips as she turned back to her work. That smile faded as he turned back to her protector. "Hendel."

The Human grunted before turning his back on the party. Tali quickly ushered the Commander and his team away.

"Sorry about that." She said quickly. "I should have known that Hendel would act like that. He has no love for Cerberus, or anyone associated with them."

"What happened?" Shepard asked curiously.

"You remember what I said about some trouble the Flotilla had with Cerberus? He and Gillian were at the heart of it. She used to be one of their test subjects, and Hendel has stayed with her to make sure that doesn't happen again."

"I see." Shepard said, feeling a twinge of regret over his attitude towards the gruff man. He wondered what might have happened had a protector like that been there for Jack. Would she be the same twisted, dysfunctional woman he cared so much for, or would she have a normal, safe life far away from here? He couldn't know, but he had to admire Hendel's commitment to making sure Gillian could have a shot at that.

Tali led them away from the fields, heading for the second of the Liveships at the heart of the colony, the Moreh.

"This is the Moreh, Admiral Daro'Xen's ship. She's mainly used for purifying our water supply. We have to be careful with our water. If the slightest bacterial contamination gets into the system, then it could lay out half the colony within a day. You could say it's the most important part of the colony. We have some backup equipment on the Seerah, but nowhere near what we'd need to keep the colony going for much more than a week." Tali explained.

"We also used to use the Moreh for all of our power requirements." Kal added. "She's got one hell of an eezo core at her heart. Of course, once we got the hydro plant online, we managed to wean ourselves off her power. A ship's not much good if its fastened down with hundreds of power lines running out of it."

"I'm surprised you're using hydro power to keep the lights on." Shepard commented. "Wouldn't other sources of electricity be more effective?"

"We're looking into setting up solar and wind farms, but at the moment they'd involve cutting down significant portions of the nearby rainforest, or pouring a lot of construction materials into the ocean. We need to be sure of what effect these plans will have on the environment first before we proceed." Tali explained. "Like I said, this planet is the key to our future. Its environment is very delicate. We have to be very careful about any changes we make. We're-"

Tali's explanation was brought to a sudden stop as they approached the main entrance to the Moreh. A line of armed and armoured soldiers stood at the bottom of the boarding ramp, blocking their progress. Kal barged in front of the group, facing the soldiers.

"What the hell are you doing?" He demanded. "Put those guns down. Now!"

"I'm sorry, sir." The apparent leader of the Quarians said. "But I have orders direct from Admiral Xen. None of the outsiders are to be allowed on the ship. Especially not with that thing in their midst."

Shepard took offence at his Geth colleague being referred to as a thing, and had to bite his tongue so as not to initiate a diplomatic incident. Tali stepped up in his stead.

"The Commander is permitted to go wherever he likes, lieutenant. I am an Admiral of the Migrant Fleet, and I am ordering you to let us past."

"I'm sorry ma'am." The Quarian sounded truly apologetic. "But Admiral Xen was very specific. As a member of the crew of the Moreh, my priorities will lie with her orders over those of any other one Admiral."

Tali's sigh came through her vocabulator as a growl.

"Alright, but you cannot keep me out. I am going to go and have a talk with Admiral Xen, and then we'll see who is allowed where."

The Quarian looked as though he was going to argue, but then slowly lowered his head and stepped aside. Tali turned to Kal'Reegar.

"Kal, take them back to the administration building. I'll meet you there when I've dealt with this." Her voice simmered.

"Ma'am." Kal saluted before nodding for Shepard and his team to follow him. Shepard chanced one last look at Tali stomping up the boarding ramp before turning away, a grim smile on his face. Xen was about to learn first hand why getting in young Miss Zorah's way was a very, very bad idea.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard sat in one of the many chairs inside the administrative building, glaring at the screen of an idle terminal. His leg was hooked over the arm of the chair while the other one propelled the swivelling seat around in lazy circles. Across from him, Garrus stood at the far wall, gazing out of a window at the setting sun. The Commander found it a little disorienting to see the sun set in the east, realising that this planet revolved in the opposite direction to Earth, causing the sun to rise and set over the wrong horizons. Interestingly, the planet's two moons travelled in the same direction as Luna, Earth's moon. The twin glowing orbs were visible over the peaks of the mountain range, one a massive white orb while the other was a smaller orange shape trailing behind the first.

Kal had explained it to him. In an incredible astrological twist, Andairas' moon had collected its own satellite. Just like the planet sircled the sun, and the moon circles the planet, this second 'auxiliary' moon orbited the primary one. Shepard had only been able to shake his head at that. It seemed that the universe continually tried to impress him.

Kaidan and Legion were sitting on opposite sides of a small table. The former Alliance officer had produced a pack of cards from somewhere and had suggested a game of Skyllian Five while they waited. Garrus had passed upon seeing the Human's wolfish grin, knowing full well that anyone playing with Kaidan was soon to become a poor man. Shepard had also passed, much too tense from the confrontation with Xen's guards to focus on the game, and Kal had been called by one of his subordinates to tend to matters elsewhere. Legion, on the other hand, had expressed an interest in playing, stating a need to observe 'organic recreational techniques'.

"Oh, come on!" Kaidan's shout drew Shepard out of his thoughts. "That's the sixth time in a row. How are you doing this?"

"The mathematical equations necessary to predict the outcome of the game are rather simple." The Geth explained flatly. "Every seventh-"

"Wait, wait, wait. Are you telling me that you're counting cards?" Kaidan's voice was incredulous.

"Affirmative."

"But that's… that's cheating!"

"We were unaware that such a method of participation was considered dishonest."

"Well… don't do it anymore." Kaidan said firmly.

"We are unable to comply."

"Wha-?"

"We cannot participate in this recreational activity without calculating the most probable outcome of the hand dealt. It is in our programming. If the aim of this activity is to succeed, then we deem it impossible to win without counting the cards."

"You're not supposed to calculate how to win!" Kaidan sounded frustrated. "It's supposed to be all about luck!"

"Luck?" The Geth asked.

"You know… luck. Random chance. Fate." Kaidan explained lamely.

"We do not understand the concept of random chance. Everything can be reduced to the statistically probable, and the statistically improbable."

"So are you telling me… Geth don't believe in luck?" The Human asked incredulously.

"It's not really that they don't believe in luck." Shepard explained form where he was sitting. "It's that they can't. We see the world in can's and can not's, maybes and maybe nots. They see it in ones and zeroes. It gets a little philosophical beyond that."

Suddenly, the door into the room slammed open. Tali stomped in, her pace swift and her feet loud against the metal floor. She muttered under her breath as she walked, some of it reaching Shepard's ears.

"Stupid little bosh'tet… Damned Flotilla politics…"

"Woah, Tali, tell me what happened?" Shepard said, standing and grabbing her arm.

She whirled to look at him, a fire in her eyes that was visible even through her mask.

"It's Xen. There's nothing I can do about it. She is perfectly within her right to allow or disallow anyone on her ship, save for an Admiral. I'm just so fed up of the kind of underhanded politics you saw during my trial. How am I meant to get anything done when all of this red tape and pussyfooting around gets in my way."

"Did she say why she didn't want me on her ship?" Shepard asked.

"She said she didn't want any outsiders getting close to our water supply. I think she latched onto Legion's presence as a good excuse to bar all of you. I know plenty of Quarians who's have an objection to letting a Geth see such mission-critical equipment."

"We are here to observe, not incite." Legion interjected. "This unit bears no ill will towards the Quarian Creators."

"I know that, Legion, but many others do not. The matter stands that I cannot get you aboard the Moreh, Shepard."

"This sounds suspicious." Garrus commented, striding over from his viewpoint out of the windows. "Xen's hiding something."

"Woah, woah!" Kaidan objected. "Hold on, here. We can't be sure of that. Maybe she just hates outsiders."

"Perhaps, but I'm inclined to agree with Garrus." Tali said. "She wouldn't go to all of this trouble just because of a grudge against non-Quarians. Besides, she showed none of this hostility during my trial."

"We both know what Xen's interested in doing, Tali." Shepard said meaningfully.

"Oh,. Keelah! Do you really think she's working on a way to control the Geth?" Tali's voice shook with trepidation. "But why here? We've got so much to lose."

"Why not here?" Garrus countered. "She's away from the other Admirals, she's got countless resources being thrown at her to do with as she pleases, and if the worst comes to the worst, she'll probably just blame it all on you. Who better to take the fall than Rael'Zorah's daughter?"

"She wouldn't dare use my father's name like that! …Would she?" Tali's voice suddenly became uncertain.

"We don't know anything for sure." Shepard said firmly, not happy to see his friend getting so worked up. "We can't prove anything. Yet. Tali, we need to get onto the Moreh to get a closer look, find something to prove or disprove our theories."

"It'll be risky." Tali cautioned. "If there's nothing there, and you're caught, then Xen will use that to vindicate her stance that you're here to cause trouble."

"So we'll make sure we don't get caught." Shepard said calmly. "Now, we'll need to-"

The Commander's words were cut off as the lights overhead suddenly faded. Every terminal in the room went blank. In the sudden gloom, the only light present was the faint glimmers of the setting sun through the window, and the glow of Tali's helmet's HUD.

"What happened?" Garrus snapped, his hand going to the pistol on his waist.

"Kal'Reegar, come in." Tali said aloud, activating her comm unit. "Kal'Reegar, do you copy?"

"I'm here." The Quarian marine replied. "Power just went down across the entire settlement. Still got lights and activity on the Seerah and the Moreh, though."

"The power station must be down." Tali concluded. "Can you spare any of your men to go check it out, Kal?"

"Not for another hour at least." Kal replied. "I'd just sent out my patrols into the trees on big cat duty, and the rest of my men are going to have their hands full keeping the peace. People are already starting to panic."

"We'll go." Shepard volunteered.

"Shepard, you don't know where-"

"Just follow the river, right? Look, you don't have the manpower to get things going right now, so you might as well make use of us."

"I don't know, Shepard." Garrus commented. "The timing of this whole thing seems awfully convenient…"

"I know. That's why I need you and Kaidan to stay with Tali."

"What?" Tali almost gasped. "You can't go out alone!"

"Tali, I need you to stay here and work on getting me onto the Moreh. You'll need some non-Quarians watching your back in case this is a trick on Xen's part. At the same time, without power you'll be pretty much helpless if Xen's got anything planned. You need the colony defences operational. I can go and get the power station running again no problem. Plus, I won't be alone. I'll have Legion with me. I figure he's more likely to cause a panic here while the power's out, so it'd be better to keep him away from the civilians for now."

"… Alright, Shepard. But I want you to take more than just the Geth with you. Go and find Jano and have him go with you."

"You're sure he can be trusted?" Kaidan asked cautiously.

"I'm sure." Tali said firmly. "I'd offer for Kal to go with you, but he's got too much work to do here."

"Right." Shepard said, checking that his weapons were all properly fastened, glad that he's listened to his comrades and taken a full load-out himself, before turning to go. He turned one last glance to Tali before leaving.

"Look out for yourself, Tali."

"Keelah Se'lai, Shepard."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard moved along between the buildings of the colony cautiously but swiftly. Darkness had completely fallen by this time, although the two moons shone brightly in the sky overhead. Distant sounds of a panicked populace reached the Commander's ears, although thankfully it sounded like the Quarians had remained cool enough not to resort to violence. It wouldn't be long, though. A race such as the Quarians relied upon electricity for everything, from growing the food they ate to cleaning the air they breathed. As soon as such a vital utility was removed, rioting levels of panic would not be far behind.

Shepard began to move around a corner before freezing, swiftly pulling back into hiding. His arm shot out and force Legion to hide as well. The Geth's white eye turned to him curiously.

"Is something amiss, Shepard-Commander?"

"There's a squad of Quarian marines right around the corner." Shepard whispered.

"This unit does not understand. Are the Quarian-Creators to be considered hostile?"

"Not exactly. But they're on edge right now. The sight of a Geth moving through their colony might push them over the edge. I don't want to incite them."

"Acknowledged."

"Tali gave me Jano's comm frequency. Let me try finding him." Shepard pulled out his omnitool and activated it. He homed in on the signal that corresponded to the Quarian's communicator, allowing him to find out the precise direction and distance they had to travel to get to him. "Found him. Looks like he's on the north-western border of the settlement. Good. That's on the way to the power station."

The duo waited tensely for the Quarians to move on from around the corner before progressing towards the settlement's boundary. They wove their way through the empty streets, dodging the occasional patrol of guards. Finally, they reached the outer edge of the settlement, where the thick foliage of the rainforest came to an abrupt halt. A pair of Quarians stood guard nearby, watching the forest with an alert glare. One of the guards had an envirosuit bearing a pattern Shepard recognised.

"Jano!" He called out. The two Quarians turned to face him. The Commander stepped out into plain view, signalling for Legion to hold back a moment.

"Shepard." Jano's voice was tense. His fingers were curled tightly around the trigger of his rifle, even though he kept it pointed at the ground. "People are saying that you're behind the power loss. It's not true, is it?"

"Don't be stupid, Jano!" His companion retorted hotly. "Of course it is! This all just happens to occur on the day that he shows up, with a Geth no less!"

"Jano, it wasn't me. Tali has sent me to go check out the power station, and she wants you to come with me."

"Me?" Jano asked.

"Yes. She said that you were the only one she could trust at the moment."

"Trust?"

"We think it's a Quarian behind the power loss. We're worried someone wants to make sure the colony doesn't succeed."

"I guess that's why she didn't radio ahead." Jano reasoned.

"Yeah."

"Jano, you should be arresting him, not thinking about going with him!" Jano's fellow guard objected.

"Kal'Reegar has issued no order's for Shepard's arrest, Miko! I will not harass Admiral Zorah's captain for no reason."

"We've got no idea what we're going to find at the power station." Shepard said earnestly. "We'll need your help."

Jano was silent for a moment, looking to his fellow before turning back to Shepard.

"Okay. If someone here wants to take Andairas down, then I'm going to make sure they fail." He turned back to Miko. "Give Kal a call. Ask for some backup. Tell him I went after something in the forest."

"I'm supposed to lie for you now?" Miko asked incredulously.

"Well… technically, I am following something into the forest. Just don't mention that it's Shepard I'm following."

Miko grumbled, but made no further objection. Jano turned to Shepard and nodded for him to take the lead.

The Commander signalled for Legion to step out of hiding. The two Quarians tensed at the machine's sudden appearance, but managed to hold their fire. With his small team gathered, Shepard set off into the rainforest.

**~o~0~o~**

The gloom of the rainforest was oppressive overhead. Shepard pondered for the hundredth time what could possibly have made him think setting off into dense jungle on a strange planet at night was a good idea. Fortunately Jano seemed to know where he was going, the Quarian having taken the lead soon after they'd left the settlement behind. Shepard followed closely while Legion brought up the rear, the Geth's bright 'eye' casting strange shadows at Shepard's feet.

A strange growl from one side caused the Commander to tense, his rifle jerking in that direction. Jano paused for a heartbeat, his mask twisting towards the source of the noise.

"Sekra panther. They're vicious, but only a threat when they gather in larger numbers. Sounds like there's just the one. We should be fine."

The second the words escaped his vocabulator, they were answered by a chorus of growls from all around.

"Shepard-Commander. Our auditory sensors can identify a minimum of seven separate targets within the immediate vicinity. However, thermal sensors do not pick up any targets."

"It's one of their tricks." Jano explained. "They're some sort of reptile-mammal hybrid. They can mask their body heat, sort of putting a shot of ice through their veins. Your thermals won't pick them up until their charging at us. Keep your rifle ready."

Shepard nodded, pausing for a second to activate his helmet's thermal imaging system. The forest before him instantly vanished, replaced by a screen of cold blues and mildly warm greens. He turned to look over his shoulder, catching sight of Legion. The Geth was a cool purple, only mildly warmer than its surroundings, with red-hot wires running across its limbs and torso. He turned his attention back to his surroundings.

The attack began all too suddenly. One moment, the Commander was scanning an empty rainforest of deep blues and greens, the next he was knocked to the ground by a yowling ball of fur, scales and fangs. Razor-sharp teeth and claws skittered across his armour with a grating screech. Before his very eyes, the creature changed from a dull blue to a vibrant red on his thermal scanner, its skin heating up swiftly as it changed its tactics from stealth to attack.

There was a thunderous crack from nearby, and the presence on Shepard's chest was just gone. The Commander staggered to his feet and looked to the side, seeing a rapidly cooling spray of gore spread out across the nearby foliage, all that remained of the creature. He turned back to Jano, noting the bulky shotgun he toted. The muzzle glowed white-hot, indicating the incredible speeds at which its projectiles left the weapon, the friction between bullet and barrel being incredibly immense.

Shepard retrieved his rifle from where it had dropped into the undergrowth, holding it even tighter now.

The next attack was equally as sudden, this time coming from multiple directions at once. A pair of the panthers dropped down from the overhanging branches, trying to strike the party and knock them off their feet, leaving them defenceless against the gnashing teeth of their fellows approaching stealthily at ground level. Shepard managed to keep his balance, swinging his rifle butt in a wide arc to strike one of the attacking creatures in midair. The beast yowled as it was hurled through the trees, striking one thick trunk with a sickening crunch. Jano, meanwhile, managed to line up a shot on his attacker, blasting it into a fine mist before it even got close to him. He had no time to celebrate, however, as another of the creatures leapt up on his back, bearing him down to the ground. The panther immediately began tearing at the wires and pipes leading out of the back of the Quarian's helmet.

Seeing his ally in peril, Shepard lifted his rifle, loosing a thick stream of bullets at the beast. The panther, lacking any defences save its hide, screeched in agony as a line of bullet holes appeared along its side, thick purple blood oozing out. It fell on top of Jano, its corpse sliding away as the Quarian stood up.

The Commander made to step over to his friend, but was brought to a halt as two of the animals circled around him, growling menacingly as they crouched, their legs taut as they made ready to pounce. One moved a fraction of a second before the other, but only managed to get a few inches off the ground before its head exploded in a shower of brains and blood. The second one flinched from this, but leapt at the Commander regardless, only to have Shepard's next spurt of bullets tear its ribcage open. Shepard paused for a second to turn a grateful gaze to Legion for taking care of the first creature. The Geth, standing stock-still with a rifle clutched in its hands, nodded back at him.

The final two panthers proved to be no challenge at all, skittish from the smell of the blood of their kin and the loud retorts of the team's weaponry. Once the last one bolted into the night, howling mournfully, Shepard turned to Jano.

The Quarian had slumped on the ground, clawing at the back of his mask frantically. A loud wheezing noise escaped from the alien's vocabulator, interspersed with gasping coughs. Jano had a tool kit spread out across his lap, pulling wires and tubes from it as quickly as his three-digited fingers could go. Seeing his comrade in distress, Shepard moved over to help.

"The little bosh'tet got at my main oxygen feed!" Jano gasped by way of explanation. "I'm breathing unfiltered air right now." It sounded like he was trying to hold his breath between gasps, trying to make do on as few breaths as possible.

"Here, let me help." Shepard said, taking a tube from his hand and moving to work on the back of Jano's helmet. In moments, the new connection had been made, and Jano tapped out a few commands on his omnitool. There was a whoosh of air as the helmet purged all contaminated air and replaced it with clean, filtered air.

"Thanks." Jano managed breathlessly. The Commander patted him on the shoulder.

"No problem." He replied. "Besides, I still need your help when we get to the power station." He turned and looked over his shoulder to Legion. "You alright?"

"Affirmative. No damage sustained."

"Good." Shepard said, relaxing a little. He looked down at his own armour, inspecting the numerous scratches and gouges. "Though I doubt my paint job is ever going to be the same again."

"You'll live, Shepard." Jano said, chuckling. "Come on. The river's not far from here. We can follow it up to the power station."

"Why didn't we do that in the first place, instead of cutting through the forest?" Shepard asked.

"Because that would take a lot longer. It wanders pretty far across the landscape here. By going this way, we've cut out a good chunk of the journey."

Shepard nodded, falling into step behind the Quarian.

A few minutes later, the trio emerged onto the bank of the river. Shepard paused to look across the wide expanse of water before him, glancing up at the break in the canopy overhead. Stars twinkled against the blue-black sky, a welcome sight after the oppressive weight of the rainforest.

"Ah, excellent." Jano said, moving to a little jetty extending out into the river. A small craft had been tied up next to it, bobbing on the surface of the river lightly.

"What's that?" Shepard asked.

"Fishing skiff." Jano explained. "I was hoping we'd find one here. Come on. You drive, I'll keep an eye out for Koppa."

"Koppa?" Shepard asked with a measure of trepidation.

"I'm not sure of a good equivalent in Human terms." Jano admitted.

"Accessing databanks…" Legion fell silent for half a second. "Complete. A 'Koppa' would be most accurately compared to an alligator from Earth. However, they are considerably larger and more vicious."

"Great." Shepard muttered.

"They have a nasty habit of chewing through the hull of a skiff. Their jaws are powerful enough to crush metal, and their teeth are certainly sharp enough to punch through. Best thing you can do is avoid them completely. They're very lazy, so they won't go far to catch something."

"I'll bear that in mind."

Shepard stepped onto the skiff, holding his hands out to either side to help him keep his balance. The skiff was long and slim, with a sharp point at either end. A control interface had been placed at one end of the craft, while the other end had a sleek harpoon gun mounted upon it.

The Commander went to the control interface, powering up the engines. The skiff shuddered for a second before it lifted up off the surface of the water. It hovered above the water, floating on a pocket of air. Shepard scanned the controls, finding them rather simple to understand. The throttle occupied one half of the interface, the varying settings for different speeds. The other half had engine status readouts and a small underwater radar to let him know about any hazard he might be approaching. There was also a booster button, which he deduced would allow the skiff to jump short distances.

The skiff bobbed again as Jano leapt aboard, nimbly making his way across the vessel towards the harpoon gun. Legion followed more slowly, placing itself in the middle of the craft where its weight did not affect the skiff's balance. With everyone aboard, Shepard pushed the throttle towards its limit, gradually reaching the top speed.

The skiff made its way steadily upstream, the Commander guiding it around rocks and other hazards along the way. Jano would occasionally shout out a warning and Shepard would swing the vessel away from whatever threat the Quarian had spotted.

Finally, about ten minutes later, they rounded a bend in the river to find themselves on the final stretch leading up to the power station. The massive building sat across the river, at the foot of a towering cliff. Behind it, a massive waterfall tumbled down the cliff face, vanishing into the building.

"Hold it!" Jano said, his hand darting out in a cautioning gesture. Shepard cut power to the engines immediately, allowing the skiff to drop onto the water. "You see that there?"

Shepard looked where the Quarian pointed, seeing a path cut through the rainforest, running for some of its length alongside the river. It terminated at the power station, where the Commander caught sight of a cluster of large, four-wheeled vehicles that bore some resemblance to the Mako, the foremost of these similarities being the massive turret mounted upon the roof of each one.

"Ramblers." Jano explained. "Each Liveship has six of them. We generally use them for planetary exploration, but since we set up shop here we've been using them to ferry parts back and forth from the settlement to our other projects. It's odd, though, to find them here. None of the Ramblers still in the settlement have gone out since the power went down, and the only ones that are operating outside of the colony are meant to be at the mines."

"Who heads up the mining project?"

"The crew of the Moreh is in charge of that operation. We had the equipment. But I've never been out there. Admiral Xen made it very clear who she wanted out there."

"Statistical probability that the power failure and the presence of these vessels is unconnected: seven point two per cent." Legion intoned flatly.

"Wait… you don't think Admiral Xen did this, do you?" Jano asked disbelievingly.

"We don't know anything for sure yet." Shepard said firmly.

"The Admiral is my captain." Jano sounded uncertain. "My loyalty should lie with her. But if she did this… This is a betrayal of my people on the deepest level."

"We need to get in there and find out what's going on." Shepard said.

"Right… right." Jano said distractedly. "We can try and get in through the outlet there." He pointed at where the river flowed out from underneath the facility. Shepard looked more closely at the outlet, realising it was actually the entrance to a gargantuan pipe, about twice as wide as the skiff was long.

"That'll just about do it." He said, pushing down on the throttle again. The skiff gently powered its way across the open space towards the outlet. Shepard mentally crossed his fingers, hoping they wouldn't be spotted by unfriendly eyes.

The skiff drifted through the pipe entrance, darkness swallowing the squad as the sky was blotted out. Inside, Jano activated the flashlight function of his omnitool, lighting the way for Shepard. After a few moments, they came upon a small platform to one side, with a tightly sealed metal door built into the side of the pipe.

"This should lead into the maintenance area. We can tie up here." Jano said.

With that, he leapt from the skiff, landing on the platform with a graceful stance. Shepard brought the skiff in close and switched off the engine, stepping off the craft and onto solid land once more. Legion followed closely behind. Jano, meanwhile, had crouched next to the door, hurriedly bypassing the control mechanism. In seconds, the door hissed open, allowing the squad to enter.

The maintenance area beyond was dimly lit by flickering lights overhead. Pipes and wires trailed across the walls and ceiling, giving the long corridor a cramped feel.

Shepard moved to the front of the group, his rifle out and ready. Jano stepped in behind him, swapping his shotgun for a powerful looking assault rifle. Legion brought up the rear, its trusted Widow sniper rifle at the ready.

After about fifty yards, the group encountered another door. Jano quickly pried the panel off the control interface and had the door open moments later. Shepard cautiously pushed the door open a crack, peering out.

The Commander froze as soon as he caught sight of the room's inhabitants. Several Quarians moved through the room, guns out and ready. What shocked Shepard the most, however, was the room's other occupants. At least a dozen Geth moved about among the Quarians, neither paying the other any more heed than a guard would his colleagues.

As Shepard crouched by the door, pondering what to do next, a loud droning beep sounded out. One of the large terminal displays in the room flickered and flared to life, displaying a helmet Shepard found all too familiar.

"Captain Fel'Nara." Daro'Xen called out, drawing the attention of the apparent leader of this detachment of Geth and Quarian alike. "I've just received confirmation that Commander Shepard is no longer here in the colony. He can only be on his way to investigate the loss of power, just as predicted. We cannot risk him exposing us to the Admiralty Board. Make sure he does not leave that power station."

"Aye-aye, ma'am." The Quarian saluted. "We have everything in place to ambush him on the road here."

"I knew that simpering Admiral Zorah would send him to investigate. It's only a shame she didn't go with him." Daro'Xen muttered.

"Ma'am, what is to be done with Admiral Tali? She will be suspicious of Shepard's demise."

"Don't you think I know that?" Xen snapped. "Do not worry. I have everything under control. My forces are rounding up the population as we speak."

"What will we tell the Admiralty Board?" Fel'Nara asked timidly.

"That the treacherous Commander Shepard brought his Geth allies into our midst. Before we knew what was happening, he and his allies had decimated the crew of the Seerah, including poor Admiral Zorah. Fortunately, the crew of the Moreh was able to put a stop to Shepard's devastating attack, eventually putting an end to the Commander and his crew." Shepard grit his teeth to hear her narrate the fabrication as though it were fact, as though it was already a done deed, but held his tongue as she continued. "Unfortunately the colony will never be the same again, but the crew of the Moreh will valiantly continue in our efforts to make it viable."

"Giving you the time needed to complete your research." Fel'Nara surmised. "Are you sure the Board will buy that?"

"The Commander was kind enough to provide us with some compelling evidence. His insistence on bringing an active Geth into our midst will play to our advantage. Speaking of which, if he brings that ridiculous pet of his with him, please try not to damage it overmuch. I would very much enjoy disassembling it for study."

"Understood."

"Good. Continue to display such unwavering loyalty, Captain, and perhaps I shall have a place for you on the reborn Admiralty Board once I assume control over the Geth. Daro'Xen out."

The display winked out, swiftly turning black. Fel'Nara turned to his subordinates, waving for a pair of Quarians and a Geth to step over.

"Lieutenant, Sergeant, get your men in position. If Shepard gets past the ambush, we'll need to stop him before he reached the turbines." He then turned to the machine. "Unit one thirty nine, I want the Geth spread out along the perimeter, keeping an eye out for any movement from the forest. And have a squad pull back to the turbines, just in case."

"Acknowledged." The Geth said stiffly.

Having seen enough, Shepard drew back from the door, allowing it to click shut.

"We were right. Xen has been working on new ways to control the Geth. And it looks like she's succeeded. That's probably why she didn't want us on her ship. She was worried that Legion would pick up the signals of her Geth's neural network."

"I don't understand how she has managed to gather enough material to make these Geth." Jano breathed.

"She probably salvaged a lot of material from the Alarei, and you can bet she's got plenty of Quarians throughout the Galaxy gathering what they can find." Shepard explained.

"But where's she been assembling them? Someone would have noticed if she'd built a Geth factory in the Moreh." Jano was silent for a moment. "Wait, the mines! She must be using them as a secure place to conduct her experiments."

"That conclusion is logical." Legion agreed. "The mineral composition and density of the mountains would conceal any emissions the Geth create, and the Creator-Admiral's insistence upon using her own trusted crew in the mines would be consistent with such an operation."

"Legion, can you signal the Normandy, give them a status update/"

"Acknowledged. One moment." The machine was silent. "Error. We detect jamming procedures consistent with Geth technology present within this facility. We are unable to establish a connection."

"But you're a Geth, too." Shepard protested, perplexed. "Can't you punch your way through?"

"Geth jamming procedures are designed to halt all communications between entities without the correct codes. In order to overcome this barrier, a more powerful transmitter than the one installed within this platform will be necessary."

"There's a comm tower on the roof." Jano offered. "We'd need to restore power first, but we could use that to punch through."

"Okay." Shepard said decisively. "Priority number one: Get the power back on. That's going to mean blasting our way through these guys. Priority number two: Get word out to the Normandy. I want to warn Tali about what's going on. After that, we're going to go find out what's going on in those mines."

"Right."

"Acknowledged."

With that, Shepard moved back to the door again, easing it open an inch or two. He assessed the layout of the room carefully, taking note of where the guards stood. The room was big, about forty feet by thirty feet, and the ceiling was up high, about four stories above his head. Catwalks spanned the upper levels, surrounding several towering power capacitors, humming with stored energy. The ground floor was home to numerous workstations, bright clusters of light created by numerous consoles. Fel'Nara stood in the exact centre of the room, at what was clearly the hub of the room. Shepard deduced that the terminals he stood over probably controlled most of the machinery in the room. The Commander's eyes picked out a few key spots that he could use to his advantage. He pulled back from the door to whisper instructions to his comrades.

"Looks like most of the enemy are gathered on the ground. Only a few Geth wandering around on the catwalks. Legion, get up high and use the altitude to find a good vantage point and start picking off anyone you can get in your scopes. I'll go left and try to circle around to where that captain is, cut off the head of the snake. Jano, you circle around the other way, cause as much havoc as you can."

"We'll need to be careful not to damage the capacitors too much. We'll need them operational to restore power." Jano interjected. "But an Overload burst from an omnitool shouldn't cause too much damage. And it should cause the capacitors to send out a pulse that'll short out barriers and stun any Geth within a few metres."

"Right. You do that." Shepard instructed. "Get ready to move on my mark, and try not to show yourselves until you absolutely have to."

With that, he raised a finger to his lips and opened the door slowly. He waited for the opportune moment, catching sight of a nearby enemy turning his head away to look at something. Using the momentary blind spot, the Commander rolled through the door, coming to a halt behind a nearby desk. He waited with baited breath for an instant before repeating the manoeuvre, coming to a stop next to one of the buzzing capacitors.

He glanced back over his shoulder to see Jano tumbling out through the door, setting off in the opposite direction. The Quarian moved with a fluid grace Shepard wouldn't have credited to someone who had lived in an enviro-suit all his life, darting from cover to cover with nary a sound. In moments, he'd crossed about half the length of the room, crouching behind some cover only inches from an enemy guard.

The Commander turned back to his own progress, making his way carefully towards the centre of the room. He was about five metres from his objective when he mistimed one of his rolls and smacked into the desk he was travelling towards. The desk shuddered for a moment, dislodging a stack of datapads. The tiny devices clattered to the floor with a rattle, drawing the eyes of all in the room. Shepard groaned as multiple sets of glowing eyes behind almost opaque masks turned on him, accompanied by about a half-dozen bright white lenses.

The Quarians reacted quickly, lifting their rifles and opening fire with abandon. Shepard swiftly placed his shoulder under the edge of the desk and turned it over, giving him some cover from the incoming fire. He unholstered his trusty Mattock, quickly slotting in a modded heat sink. The display flickered blue as the disruptor ammo charged up, ready to use. The electrified rounds would prove devastating against the synthetic enemies in the room, as well as against the shields of the Quarians. This done, still crouching behind the shuddering desk, he aimed his rifle over the top of the desk and squeezed off a brief burst of fire, inspiring a short lull in the enemy fire as they ran for cover.

As he remained in hiding, a loud sparking noise reached his ears, followed by a dull thump. Moments later, Jano's shotgun barked out loudly, eliciting a few cries of pain from those whose shields had been knocked out by his inventive use of the capacitors.

The Commander had no time to acknowledge the Quarian's brilliant idea paying off, however, as his woefully inadequate cover shivered under a renewed barrage from the enemy forces. He chanced a glance over the desk to see Captain Fel'Nara drawing close, an old but vicious-looking rifle clutched in his hands. A pair of Geth moved to his left, an identical pulse rifle in each one's grasp, while a cluster of Quarian soldiers tried to circle around Shepard's right.

Seeing the threat to his refuge, Shepard looked about for something to use to halt the progress of his enemies. He leaned around one side of his desk to send another stream of bullets screaming towards the Geth, his efforts being rewarded with the mechanical groan of one of the living machines shuddering and tumbling to the floor, a trio of sparking blue bullets lodged in its shell. The Commander rolled back into cover as the second synthetic retaliated, the bullets bouncing off the floor all around him. Not pausing for breath, Shepard continued to roll until he had moved to the opposite side of his cover, his rifle continuing its death chant as he fired at the Quarians trying to flank him. One cursed as his shields faltered, the other screamed as the stream of bullets tore through his defences and left a trail of bullet holes across his belly. The stricken alien howled as he slid to the ground, clutching his bleeding abdomen. The others, intimidated by the Commander's vicious attack, fell back to Fel'Nara's position.

Shepard felt a surge of hope upon seeing that he was keeping the enemy at bay. This proved to be short-lived, however, as the desk glowed blue-white and lifted up into the air.

"I've had enough of this crap." Fel'Nara exclaimed disgustedly, his arms flickering with biotic power as he tossed the desk aside with a gesture. The Quarian slowly advanced on the Commander, his gun at the ready. "Daro'Xen wants you dead, Commander. I'm not one to disappoint her."

Still crouching, surprised by the sudden turn of events, Shepard lifted his rifle and fired at the Quarian captain, but the attack was cast aside by Fel'Nara's fully powered shields. The Quarian chuckled before lifting his weapon.

"Say goodbye."

There was a loud bang, followed by a sudden, gaping silence. An instant later, Fel'Nara's body dropped to the floor, helmet's faceplate blown wide open, the features behind it demolished in a spray of gore and blood.

Shepard looked about in shock, finally turning his gaze upwards. On a distant catwalk, far above the action, Legion could be seen, holding its powerful sniper rifle to its 'eye'. The Commander smiled at the sudden assistance, tightening his grip on his rifle and scrambling for cover as Fel'Nara's shocked allies, still shaken from the loss of their leader, began to recover and open fire on him once more.

The Commander chanced a glance over to his Quarian comrade, spotting Jano backing into a corner as a ring of enemy guards moved in on him. His shotgun continued to bark ferociously, felling one Quarian after another. With a final clunk, the shotgun used up the final shot of its heat sink. Jano pumped the loading mechanism, ejecting the spent thermal clip and getting ready to load a new one. As he pulled the mechanism back into a firing position, the gun suddenly jammed. Jano looked down at it incredulously, his cursing audible from this distance. With a grunt, he lobbed the shotgun at his nearest foe and fell into a wrestlers crouch, ready for the first wave of enemies to rush him.

Xen's troops were quick to oblige, darting in to try and subdue the Quarian. Jano vanished under a pile of bodies, eliciting a yell of dismay from the Commander.

The next thing Shepard saw, two of the Quarians went sailing through the air, crying out in surprise as they collided with the side of one of the capacitors, the pent-up energy discharging into their suits and frying their systems. Another enemy skidded across the floor, clutching at his gut painfully. The fourth and final one backed away from Jano cautiously, revealing the Quarian marine unharmed. He assumed a strange, elegant pose, one arm out in front of him with a closed fist, while the other arm slid back to bring a flat palm into line with his heart. One leg extended straight out behind him, every joint straightening, while the other coiled beneath his body like a spring. His torso was ram-rod straight, his gaze unflinching as he weighed up his enemy.

With a speed that startled Shepard, Jano leapt forward, covering the distance between himself and his enemy before the surprised Quarian could bring his weapon to bear. Jano's hands darted out, making two precise strikes to his opponent's torso, sending the Quarian reeling. He finished him off with a sharp kick to the joint running across his neck, causing the Quarian's head to snap back unnaturally. This done, Jano pulled his assault rifle from his back, ready for more.

Shepard was brought out of his surprised stare by renewed fire from the enemies threatening to overwhelm his position. He leaned out of cover and demolished the defences of the second Geth trying to flank him, reducing the machine to scrap in seconds, and fired off a concussive shot that sent the two remaining Quarians tumbling to the ground. A quick burst of fire from his rifle finished off one, while the other was killed by a sharp shot from Legion, still at his post on the upper catwalks.

The squad paused for a moment, the organic portion breathing heavily from the exertion while the synthetic made its way down from its spot close to the roof. Shepard turned an admiring glance to Jano.

"Those were some fancy moves you had there." He commented.

"Comes with the Wardancer training." Jano muttered, his respirator wheezing as it struggled to supply him with enough air.

"Really?" Shepard asked with wonder. "You're a Wardancer. No kidding?"

"Well, I was trained as one. But now I'm a Marine."

"What happened? Change of heart?"

"Something like that. It's a long story." Jano said evasively. Shepard took the hint and dropped the subject.

"We've got to get down to the turbines and get this station running again. Think you can lead the way?"

"I think so. I've been here once or twice. The main passages leading down to the turbines should be this way." The Quarian pointed to a door on the far side of the room.

Shepard nodded and the squad, having caught their breath or, in Legion's case, not, they made their way deeper into the station.

**~o~0~o~**

About ten minutes later, the party found themselves faced with a pair of thick double doors. Jano knelt next to the control panel and, in moments, had the door open. Shepard once again peered through, assessing the situation before barging in. The door opened out onto a raised platform far above the floor of the room, a set of solid metal stairs descending to the floor. Inside, the Commander could see the turbines. Massive round machines built into the floor, there were six of them, each one with a conduit attached for feeding water through the mechanism, powering the massive propellers that produced the energy needed to power the colony. At that moment, the machines were silent, no water flowing through them. Around them, over a dozen Geth stalked silently, weapons at the ready. Shepard cursed inwardly upon seeing a pair of lumbering shapes amid the Geth troops. With their thick armour and powerful weapons, the two Geth Primes would present a considerable challenge. Each of the mechanical goliaths were flanked by two Geth Destroyers, carrying a powerful flame-thrower each.

"Jano, any suggestions on how to get the turbines back on?" He asked. The Quarian looked over his shoulder, scanning the room.

"It doesn't look like they've damaged the machinery at all. Makes sense. If Xen wants to continue her work here, there'd be no point in denying herself the power needed to run her experiments. It may be just as simple as turning the taps back on."

"Taps?"

"See those pipes feeding into each turbine? They funnel water in from the waterfall, allowing gravity to do the work of turning the props. Looks like the safety valves have been closed. We installed those for when we need to ease off on our power generation, such as when we need to work on the power lines or the capacitors. With the water not going through the turbines, we get no power going to the colony."

"Got it. Where are the safety valves?"

"Right where the pipes connect to the turbines."

"Past the active Geth." Shepard said flatly.

"Afraid so."

Shepard sighed. Nothing was ever as simple as it sounded at first. Go find a Salarian Doctor on Omega? Only after you cure a disease like nothing the Galaxy has ever seen. Go rescue an Alliance Agent from a Batarian prison? Only after blowing up an entire star system. Put a stop to the end of all life as we know it? First you've got to put out every last bush fire threatening to start up across the Galaxy.

"Alright, here's the plan. Jano? I want you sticking close to me. I'll hold off the Geth long enough for you to turn on the valves. Legion? Long-range support. See if you can't knock out their shields long enough for me to finish them off. And try to hack a few of the smaller ones so they turn on one another."

"Acknowledged."

Jano only nodded, gazing at their enemy with a calculating stare.

With his companions thusly instructed, Shepard inched back to the door, easing his way through as quietly as possible. Jano followed him closely, with Legion stepping into the room behind them. The Geth took up a position by the door, using the guard rail that bounded the raised platform as a barrier to hide behind while it set to work unfolding its sniper rifle, sighting down on the nearest threat. Its onmitool glowed as it began trying to hack into the enemy Geth network.

Shepard and Jano, meanwhile, slowly descended the stairs, finding their way to the lower level without being spotted. They moved into cover behind a bank of diagnostic terminals close to the first turbine. Only feet away from the first cluster of Geth, Shepard turned and caught Legion's attention with a few silent hand signals. The Geth's head bobbed in acknowledgement, and Shepard hunkered down, waiting for the show to begin.

With a thunderous crack, the Geth's Widow obliterated the head of one of the enemy machines standing guard around the turbine. It's head literally exploded in a shower of sparks and wires. The rest of the Geth whirled to face the source of the attack, and by the time they had brought their weapons to bear another of their number had met a devastating end.

As soon as the Geth began returning fire, Shepard rolled out from behind his cover, opening fire on a nearby rocket trooper. The synthetic's shields held up for but a moment before the Commander's fire tore through its outer shell, wreaking havoc upon its inner workings. Jano moved out beside Shepard, his rifle chattering as it tore through the shields of several enemies, the alien focusing on removing the enemy shields rather than actually damaging them, leaving them open for Shepard to reduce them to scrap. Within moments this first cluster of machines had been torn to pieces, little more remaining of them than sparking wires and hundreds of shards of metal.

With this first group out of the way, Jano ran over to the controls for the first safety valve.

"Hold them off while I work my magic here, Commander."

Shepard nodded before turning to face the rest of the Geth in the room. Reacting swiftly, the enemy force had begun moving in on him and his Quarian ally, a tide of smaller Geth surrounding the larger shapes of the Primes and the Destroyers.

Legion's sniper rifle worked quickly to thin out the enemy ranks, its rate of fire bolstered by the Commander's rifle. Between the two of them, the Human and the Geth accounted for a half dozen machines before Jano let out a triumphant shout.

"Got it! Power is now at seventeen per cent."

The Quarian yelped as a rocket from the weapon arm of one of the Primes darted past him, narrowly missing the alien and striking the console he had been working on. Shepard, realising the dangerously exposed position they were in, pushed him away.

"Keep moving!" He shouted.

The duo darted across the open ground, their shields taking a beating from the incoming Geth fire. A loud puff, followed by a rising whine, warned Shepard of yet another rocket tracking them. Looking over his shoulder, the Commander saw the projectile curving through the air, homing in on him. Realising the desperate nature of the situation, he activated his adrenal surge, flooding his veins with chemicals that sped up his reflexes almost to the point where time seemed to stand still. Just as Jano, a couple of feet ahead of him, vaulted over a desk to get to the next valve control, he spun around, leaping backwards. He lifted his rifle as he soared through the air, his new perspective on time making it seem like he was falling through treacle, and brought his weapon to bear on the incoming missile. His finger squeezed the trigger, the sharp bang of the bullets leaving the barrel reduced to a dull thud. White-hot projectiles blasted out of his gun, striking the missile in mid-air. As Shepard's back hit the desk he was vaulting over, his backwards leap turning to a roll into cover, the bullets found their mark, causing the rocket to detonate with a powerful explosion. The desk Shepard had rolled behind rocked from the blast of superheated air, the only effect he felt from the attack.

Jano, meanwhile, scurried over to the second valve control. He worked furiously at it, looking past the controls to see the Geth drawing closer. He flinched as a blast of flame washed over the desk Shepard was using for cover, the intense heat reaching him even through his enviro-suit. A Destroyer had pulled ahead of its comrades, charging at the beleaguered pair. Its flame-thrower roared as it unleashed an infernal fury upon the desk and the Commander behind it. Jano felt himself shout in concern to Shepard, but the noise of his words was washed away by the wave of flames.

Shepard's HUD informed him that the flames licking all around him had reduced his barrier to a paper-thin shell around his armour, with less than ten per cent power. As soon as the invisible shield ceased to exist, his armour would begin to burn away, sacrificing itself to protect its contents. He checked his adrenal surge ability, but his HUD informed him that it still needed time to recharge. He jammed another thermal clip into his rifle, making ready for a desperate attack on the Destroyer. As his calves tensed, like springs ready to send him racing into action, he was surprised by the sudden cessation of the blistering assault. All was silent for a moment before a deafening digital roar sounded out from directly overhead. There was another thunderous sound as the flame-thrower fired again, but this time Shepard was not its target. He chanced a look over his desk, blackened and charred by the vicious assault.

Beyond, the Destroyer had turned upon its allies. It stuttered and squealed in protest as its programming was overwritten, forcing it to attack against its will. An unbelieving smile on his face, Shepard turned to look at Legion. The Geth, still entrenched within its secure location, held out one arm, omnitool glowing brightly as it controlled the Destroyer.

"Shepard, I've got the second valve open! Power at thirty three per cent." Jano shouted.

"Great job!" Shepard commended. "Come on, let's get to the third one while they're occupied."

As they hurried across the room, Shepard chanced a look over his shoulder. The Destroyer was wading into the midst of its allies, its weapon blasting at the lesser troops. Geth on all sides of it backed away from the wall of flames, firing furiously. Shields flickered and died under the powerful assault, the flames pushing past armour plates to attack the delicate mechanisms within. A number of the weaker drones swiftly collapsed, smoke seeping from their joints.

The brutal offensive was brought to a swift conclusion when a rocket from one of the primes blasted past its shields, finding its way to the fuel tank mounted on the Destroyer's back. There was a lull in the fiery assault, accompanied by a rising scream of heating air and gas, followed by a devastating explosion as the fuel tank detonated. The blast from this detonation tore through the nearest Geth Troopers, reducing them to so much rubble, and even served to knock down one of the Destroyer's kin, the bulk machine struggling to stand again.

As this happened, Shepard and Jano found their way into cover at the third turbine, the Quarian swiftly setting to work on the controls. As the Geth force began their advance on this new position, Shepard turned over one of the nearby desks to create some cover as he fired at the enemy. Frustrated, the Commander activated his short-range communicator, contacting the distant Legion.

"We need to get rid of these Primes, Legion. Can you hack one of them?"

"Negative. Their programming is too complex to overcome from this distance."

"Damn." Shepard cursed, his eyes roving about for something to use. Seeing no other alternative, he pulled the anti-armour rocket launcher from its place on his back, praying that Jacob's fancy rocket launcher was up to the task. He only had a couple of shots, and had been keeping it back as a weapon of last resort, but he figured now could be considered a situation demanding he go to such lengths.

Taking a deep breath, he stood up, bringing the heavy weapon to bear as he depressed the trigger. The tiny projectile accelerated through the air straight at the nearest of the Primes. The synthetic's shields flickered as it punched through them, powering through the Geth's eye lens. There was an instant of silence, and a quiet boom, followed by a louder one as the Geth's head exploded in a shower of shrapnel. The body slumped to the ground, an insistent beeping emanating from within.

"Oh crap! Jano get down!" Shepard shouted, diving for cover as the Geth around the fallen Prime ran for safety.

Moments later, the Prime's fallen body exploded with an almighty boom, flame and superheated air emanating from it in every direction. The nearest geth were instantly incinerated, while the shockwave knocked almost all present off their feet. Even the turbines, which had to weigh at least twenty tonnes apiece, rocked in their casings from the blast.

There was a moment of silence as the Geth struggled to regain their footing, retrieving lost weapons. Shepard got to his feet unsteadily, ready to drop back down into cover depending upon how many of the Geth remained. He growled in frustration upon seeing the second Prime and two of the Destroyers still on their feet, accompanied by over half of the Troopers.

"Jano?" He called over his shoulder. "We need to get moving."

"Almost… done!"

Shepard looked over at the Quarian, noting that he didn't seem to have even tried to shield himself from the blast of the exploding Geth, the only evidence of the blast being a few sooty marks on his suit. Jano stood and moved over next to Shepard, following the Commander as they scurried across the open space between them and the next turbine.

As Jano crouched down behind the control panel, opening the fourth valve, Shepard focused his fire on the still off-balance Geth. Between his swift volleys and Legion's more precise one-shot-one-kill strategy, they managed to hold the Geth off long enough for the Quarian to make quick work of the valve.

"Done! Power now at seventy per cent."

"Great! Only two more turbines to go." Shepard shouted over the sound of his rifle. He looked out over his cover to note that the Geth were moving to stand between them and the fifth machine. "Damn. How are we going to get through them?"

"You still got any shots left in that rocket launcher of yours?"

The Commander nodded, bringing out the heavy weapon once more as Jano used his rifle to keep the Geth at bay. Taking a deep breath, Shepard stood and fired again, trying to aim for the final Prime's head.

The bright missile sped out from the Commander's weapon, arrowing straight at the Prime. However, the Commander's aim had been slightly off, rewarding him with only an inconsequential hit to the Geth's torso. There was a pop, followed by a brief spurt of flames and smoke emanating from the new puncture in the Prime's armour. The Geth shrugged it off, quickly returning fire.

"That didn't do a damn thing!" Shepard shouted, pulling out his assault rifle again.

"Maybe it did." Jano said, checking his omnitool. "My tactical readout says that you've knocked out its shield generator. We can take it out!"

"Alright. On my mark, we both fire. One, two, mark!"

The pair popped up from behind their cover, both rifles stuttering loudly. Jano traced a line of bullets along the Prime's chest, ripping at vital circuitry and delicate components. Shepard's first couple of bullets scored a line across the machine's chest, but then he twitched his aim up, punching through the bright white 'eye' with little resistance.

"Y-heah! Headshot!" He crowed.

"What? Wait, Shepard, no! Its too close to the-"

Jano's frantic warning was drowned out by the colossal boom of the Prime exploding, its demise proving just as effective as the first in decimating their enemies The second Prime, however, had moved closer to the fifth turbine, and the explosion of its death almost knocked the machine off its bearings and tore the intake pipe to pieces. An instant later water, freed from the confines of the pipe system, began gushing into the room, sweeping a couple of Geth Troopers up in a powerful torrent.

"Damn it!" Jano cursed.

"Will we have enough power if we're missing one turbine?" Shepard asked as water began pooling around his ankles.

"Maybe. We'll only get about eighty-five, maybe ninety per cent power with five turbines, but the ships should be able to take up the slack until we can make some repairs. We'll have to act quickly to get the last turbine running, though. It won't be long until this room is flooded, and seventy per cent is definitely not enough to run on. The turbines are airtight, so allowing the room to flood shouldn't make a difference to them."

"We haven't got much time." Shepard concluded. "Come on!"

The duo charged through the rising flood, rushing straight for what Geth had been left intact. Shepard used his rifle to mow through them, dropping synthetics left, right and centre with his Disruptor ammo. Jano emptied his thermal clip into the first Destroyer, grunting with disgust when it clicked to announce it was empty. He flung it aside and leapt at the first Geth he saw. He moved with sinuous speed, quickly circling the enemy machine, vaulting onto its back and pulling its arms from their sockets, his knee planted firmly in the Geth's spine as he disassembled it. Another synthetic attempted to approach him from behind, but the Quarian spun around, swinging his leg out in a wide sweep that knocked the flailing machine into the water. He finished his spin to find himself face-to-face with the last standing enemy. The pair faced off against one another aggressively for a moment before the alien's hand darted out, striking the machine's 'eye' dead centre. There was a sharp crack and the white light went dim. The Geth flailed about blindly for a moment before a burst of fire from Shepard's gun demolished it.

By the time the duo reached the sixth and final turbine, the water had risen to their necks, forcing the Commander and his friend to swim awkwardly in their armoured suits.

"Wait here." Jano said. "I'll have it done in a moment."

The Quarian vanished below the surface, the glow of his helmet fading as he swam away. Shepard waited for a brief moment, floating higher and higher as the surface of the water continued to rise. After thirty seconds, the water had risen by a further five feet, bringing it to twice the height of the average man.

As Shepard's gut began to clench in knots of concern, a helmeted face bobbed to the surface next to him, respirator working furiously to compensate for the exertion Jano had gone through. Gladdened by the survival of his friend, Shepard swam over and patted him on the shoulder.

"Way to go, Jano!"

"Turbine six is online. We've got eighty-six per cent power. We won't exactly be living a life of luxury for the next few days, but at least we'll survive."

"You were down for a good long time." Shepard said. "I was about to go down and look for you, thinking you'd drowned."

"Quarian suits are equipped with the ability to siphon oxygen out of water. I was in no danger of drowning." Jano shivered. "The cold, however, is getting through my suit quite well. Let's get out of this new lake we've helped create."

Moments later, they were back at the door to the room, having rejoined with Legion. The Commander and the Quarian Marine paused for a moment, shivering from the icy quality of the water and breathless from their unexpected swim. They took a moment to recuperate before Shepard stood, all business once more.

"Let's get moving. We need to get to the comm tower now."

With a weary sigh, Jano stood stiffly, falling into line beside Legion, behind the Commander.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard led the way towards the roof, soon leaving the main segments of the power station behind. They encountered little resistance on their journey, only having to deal with a couple of squads of confused Quarians. The Commander wondered at their lack of co-ordination. From what he had overheard of Fel'Nara's communication with Daro'Xen, there had to be a considerable force of Quarians and Geth outside of the station, so why had they not reacted to his presence here? He wondered if they were truly oblivious to what was taking place inside, perhaps maintaining radio silence in their efforts to ambush him, still expecting him to approach by the road. On asking Legion why the Geth, sharing data instantaneously, had not acted to move in on the squad, he had been informed that these drones were not as independent as his kin, therefore not having the initiative to act upon losing contact with their fellows inside the building. In the end, he counted himself lucky that they were facing so little opposition.

Finally, they emerged onto the rooftop, the open sky above a welcome sight after the confines of the power station. A few errant gusts of wind drifted across the roof, drawing a cloud of loose leaves past the squad. In roughly the centre of the rooftop, a towering comm array reached up towards the sky. Jano quickly hurried over to the comm array, pulling a panel off to expose the internal workings. A few taps of his omnitool, and a couple of tweaked wires, and he had a stable connection.

"We're live, Commander. Patching you through to your ship."

"Shepard to Normandy. Come in Normandy." The Commander said, speaking into his commlink.

"Normandy here. What's going on, Commander?" Joker responded almost immediately. "The colony's gone silent, and we've been trying to raise you for the past hour."

"It looks like Admiral Xen created a Geth army of her own. They're attacking key buildings in the colony."

"You're kidding." Joker sighed. "Where are you?"

"I'm at the power station with Legion and one of the Quarian marines responsible for the colony's security. I can't get a hold of Tali from here."

"I'll have EDI try and establish a connection with her."

"Good. Fill her in on what I've found out. I've got to go check something out in the mines under the mountains."

"Roger that."

As Shepard deactivated his commlink, he turned to speak to Jano.

"Hey, do you think you could use the comm tower to hack into the comm frequencies of Xen's troops?"

"Maybe. If they're using codes unique to the Moreh, then yeah. Why?"

"I want to find out where they are and what they're doing before we make our move."

Jano nodded, kneeling down next to the comm array again. In moments, he was done. Shepard tuned his commlink in, and was rewarded with a crackling, static-filled transmission.

"Something's going on in there. Unit Twenty-eight, take half of your geth with you and find out what's happening. Gar' Sehna, I want your men standing guard on all possible exits from the building. If Shepard got past our ambush and is already inside, I'm sure as hell not going to be the one to tell Admiral Xen he got away."

"Damn. Looks like they're finally using their brains and getting this place locked down securely." Shepard muttered.

"We can't take on an entire army at once, Shepard. Especially not when they're supported by an unknown number of Geth." Jano warned.

"I know. And chances are we'll have a hard time getting back to the river outlet. Besides, that only leads away from the mines." Shepard mused for a moment.

His eyes drifted to the edge of the roof. Power lines extended from within the building, trailing away into the rainforest towards the settlement. The Commander walked over to the edge of the roof and looked down, being careful not to show himself to any troops on the ground.

The clearing in front of the power station spread out before him, the river on one side, the towering cliff on the other. Between them, the road cut through the dense forest on its way back to the colony. In the clearing, Shepard saw several collections of enemy soldiers patrolling vigilantly. At the point where the road left the forest, the enemy troops' Ramblers waited silently, their guns aimed menacingly at the jungle road. An idea popped into Shepard head as his gaze went to the nearest one, noting the pylon close to it that held the power line aloft as it travelled through the forest.

"I have an idea. Jano, is there any cabling around, or some rope?"

"There should be some spare cabling at the base of the tower for repairs. Why?"

Shepard turned his gaze up to the power line over his head. Jano looked up, then back at the Commander, and then back up again.

"Oh Keelah. No. Hell no."

**~o~0~o~**

"How did I let you talk me into this?" Jano asked plaintively as he fingered the cabling nervously. Shepard smiled behind his helmet as he threw a confident glance over his shoulder, slinging his length of cabling over the power line and testing it to make sure it would hold his weight.

"You'll be fine." Shepard reassured him. "Just remember, aim for the armoured car under the power line." His mouth twitched in a smirk behind his face-plate. "And try not to scream too much on the way down. We need the element of surprise to get the jump on the Quarians in the vehicle."

"Is this what its like, being a part of your squad? Constant near-death experiences and insane stunts like this? Tali once told me most of your squad were either cold-blooded killers or outright psychopaths. I'm starting to understand why."

"We have our ups and downs." Shepard shrugged. "And we're not all psychopaths. Just stay out the way of Jack, Grunt and Zaeed and you'll be fine."

"It's a long way to the ground, Commander." The alien said timidly, looking over the edge. "Have I ever told you about my incredible fear of heights?"

"It's not that far, Jano." Shepard said confidently. "If you fell from this distance, it wouldn't kill you. At worst, you'd break a leg or something."

"I am filled with confidence." The Quarian replied dryly. "It's the little facts like that that make things like this so much easier, so thanks for that, Shepard."

"I'm here to help. You ready? Remember to let go in time to hit that vehicle. I'd hate for you to wrap your face around that pylon."

"Shepard-Commander, we calculate that the distance of the power line combined with the weight of Creator-Jano is insufficient to allow him to attain the velocity necessary to achieve that result. Is it your desire that he achieve that velocity? This platform can grant the force necessary to achieve the momentum needed."

"That… won't be necessary, Legion." Shepard said, stifling a chuckle at the sentient machine's misunderstanding.

"Hey… Shepard? Can I go first instead of you? Please don't leave me alone here with your psychotic pet Geth."

"Sorry, Jano." Shepard laughed out loud. "My plan, I lead. Now, I'm going to launch myself across here. Count to five and send yourself across. Legion, you go five seconds after that."

Shepard waited until both his comrades nodded and then turned to face forwards. He tested his weight on the power line again before leaning back, applying some weight to the line. He grunted as he threw himself forward, his loop of cabling rustling as it ran over the power line. Wind whipped at the Commander as he dangled below the power line, racing over the clearing. He looked down on the Quarians below, oblivious to his presence overhead.

He drew close to the line above the Rambler and released his grip on the cable. He dropped, still moving forward as swiftly as he dropped. He kept his feet held tightly together, angling his body as he dropped towards the roof of the vehicle.

The Quarian in the open hatch of the gunner's turret looked up just in time to see the Commander's feet rushing towards him. Shepard's boots struck him square in the chest, sending his upper half snapping back. The alien's spine had no chance against the Commander's weight, combined with the added momentum of his fall. The Quarian folded in half around the edge of the hatch, a loud snap announcing Shepard's landing.

At this loud noise, the other Quarians in the clearing jumped, turning their weapons to face the Commander. As they did this, there was a second grating noise from above their heads. This time, with the enemy soldiers alerted, they knew to look up, turning their gaze upwards in time to see Jano release his grip on the power line, dropping down onto the Rambler next to Shepard with a loud, jarring thump. The instant the Quarian landed, a third screech heralded Legion's journey across the open space towards the vehicle. Before the Geth finished his journey, Shepard had dislodged the dead Quarian from the turret hatch and slid in, moving past the gunner's chair and into the cockpit.

A startled Quarian spun around from his controls, eyes behind his mask glowing with fear. Shepard reached across and forcibly hauled him from his seat, slamming the helmeted head into the wall. The Quarian went limp in his hands.

The Commander turned to Jano, just squeezing his way into the vehicle. A loud clang on the roof announced Legion's arrival.

"Here, throw him out through the hatch."

"What's the matter, buddy?" Jano asked the limp driver jokingly. "Can't handle your liquor?"

"We've got no room for lightweights on this road trip." Shepard shouted over his shoulder as he settled behind the controls for the craft. As he powered up the engine he felt shivers travel through the car from multiple bullet impacts on its armoured hide.

"Shepard-Commander. Creator-Xen's troops are firing upon this vessel." Legion intoned as it clambered through the hatch, settling into the gunner's chair.

"Yeah, I noticed." Shepard said through his teeth. "Get yourself strapped in. I'll drive, you shoot."

"What about me?" Jano asked from the seat next to the Commander.

"You get to scream in terror. I haven't exactly got a great track record with driving this sort of thing."

"Is this anything to do with the 'Mako' Tali used to talk about?"

"Yeah. It was our ground vehicle on the first Normandy." Shepard said as he forced the craft into gear.

"No way. The way she spoke about it I always thought it was a new kind of Geth vehicle or something. The hatred in her tone really sold it."

"Funny. Now quiet down while I focus on keeping us alive."

Shepard gunned the engine, sending the Rambler rocketing forwards. It bounced on its four massive wheels as it lurched onto the jungle road. A beep from the craft's sensor display informed him that the other three Ramblers had leapt into pursuit, almost driving right up his tailpipe. The Rambler juddered as multiple shots from the pursuing vehicles struck the soft soil on either side of them, sending up gouts of loose dirt.

"Legion! Send some fire back their way!"

"Acknowledged." The Geth pulled the trigger on the massive gun crowning the Rambler.

The craft shook as a rocket powered out of the turret, striking the ground immediately below the front tires of the first Rambler. The projectile exploded with a mighty bang, sending the craft rearing up on its back wheels. It continued moving forwards in this upright stance for a moment before gravity reasserted control, causing it to tumble off into the trees in an uncontrolled spin, leaving only two Ramblers in pursuit.

Shepard tugged on the controls, struggling to keep the vehicle steady while dodging the incoming fire. The Rambler insisted on bouncing in unfortunate directions, at one point almost taking them into the river. The turret on the roof chanted as it fired repeatedly at Xen's men, close behind. After a few minutes of frantic driving, the road led Shepard deeper into the forest, eventually coming to a split in the road.

"Which way, Jano?"

"Right! Left'll lead you back to the colony."

Shepard kept his craft heading towards the left until the last second, hauling on the controls to bring it onto the correct path. The Rambler immediately behind the squad's craft tried to turn, but was moments too slow. It began swerving to the right just in time to plough into the trunk of a massive tree, exploding in a massive fire ball. The last of the Ramblers, however, lagging far behind, had enough time to make the turn.

"How're we doing back there, Legion?"

"We believe that the enemy units have adapted to our strategy, and are now keeping their distance to avoid a similar fate as that of the first craft. We will not be able to use the same tactics to destroy this final vehicle."

"Damn." Shepard cursed, jerking on the controls again to keep the Rambler from veering into a tree and suffering a devastating accident. "Alright. I'll try to think of something. In the meantime, keep firing. Try and keep them back."

"Acknowledged."

The Rambler powered along the jungle road, shuddering with every shot from the pursuing craft. The onboard VI informed Shepard that the shields had dropped below fifty per cent, threatening to leave the squad vulnerable.

The trees began thinning out as the road took on a steeper tilt, bringing the Rambler up to a higher altitude. Suddenly, the road took a sharp turn to the left and emerged onto the clifftop above the power station. The trees retreated away to create a large clearing around the point where the river surged over the cliff and down towards the power station.

The Rambler shook once more, eliciting a furious growl from the Commander. He turned to Jano.

"This thing's Quarian design. It's got to have a few tricks hidden up its sleeve."

Jano was silent for a moment before pointing to a control above the throttle.

"There. That's the booster. It'll double our speed for about five seconds. Not much, but if you use it at the right time, you can buy yourself a moment to get the drop on the other car. Not sure what good it'll do, but it's all these things have."

"I think I can make do." Shepard said, an idea taking form in his mind.

The Commander reached out for the control, pausing for a moment to make sure both his craft and the other Rambler were in the right location. He then punched the button, sending the car surging forward with a spurt of speed. He quickly put some distance between the two vehicles and then slammed on the brakes, twisting the controls to one side. The Rambler spun, turning one hundred and eighty degrees to face its pursuer. Shepard then rammed on the throttle, sending the vehicle racing straight at the other car.

The two craft collided with a loud crash, their engines whining as they strained against one another. Shepard's Rambled, being the one to initiate the attack, had the advantage, having a better angle and slightly more traction thanks to wedging its low bumper under the other vehicle's.

With a groan, the two craft began to inch towards the cliff edge. Shepard pushed the throttle even further, looking to the booster control. The button blinked as it recharged before finally turning green and the Commander hit it hard.

The Rambler shook as its engine roared, moving forward. Finally it shoved the other vehicle off the edge of the cliff, the last enemy Rambler vanishing over the side in a long, tumbling fall. Shepard swiftly cut power to the engines, bringing the craft to a halt inches from the edge.

The team waited for a moment before the sound of the Rambler exploding on the rocks below reached them, a gout of flames and smoke twirling up to the sky.

Shepard slumped back in his chair in relief, sighing as he watched the black smoke trailing into the sky. Beside him, Jano reached across and patted him on the shoulder.

"I reckon even a Quarian would have a hard time getting that one running again! I just hope it didn't hit the power station on the way down. Hate for all our hard work with the turbines to be undone now."

"How far to the mines?" Shepard asked.

"Not far. Just a little higher up the mountain."

"Let's get going, then."

**~o~0~o~**

The entrance to the mines waited about fifty metres from Shepard's position, an open maw delving deep into the mountains. A guard station plugged the mineshaft, preventing any unauthorised access.

The Commander's Rambler purred quietly as it waited just out of sight within the tree-line, across the open ground from the mineshaft. Not far to the right, the winding road from the power station spilled out into this clearing.

"Well?" Shepard asked, looking sideways at the Quarian beside him. "Any suggestions on how we get inside?"

"I think I have an idea." Jano muttered, pulling his weapon from its holster and passing it to Shepard. "Here, take this."

"What-?"

"The guard station will have a weapons scanner. No one without authorisation will be allowed through there with a gun without setting off alarms throughout the facility."

"So you're just going to try walking on in?"

"Sort of. I can deactivate the weapons scanner from the inside to let you through."

"But there'll be guards. Without your weapons-"

"I won't need them. These are my shipmates, Commander. By the time they realise I'm not on their side, it'll already be too late."

With that, the Quarian patted Legion's shell to get the Geth to exit the vehicle, making way for Jano and the Commander to squirm out. Outside, the team made their way quickly but quietly around the edge of the clearing until they drew close to the guard post. Jano signalled for his comrades to wait in the trees while he padded off to one side.

Shepard waited for a few tense moments until he saw Jano emerge from the tree line some distance away, ragged panting echoing through his respirator as he jogged up to the guard post. The two Quarians on duty tensed at his appearance, but held fire. Obviously Jano's bet that he'd be recognised as a friend by the Quarians had paid off.

"Jano?" One called. "Is that you?"

"Yes." Jano panted, his breathing so laborious Shepard thought he risked revealing that it was all an act. "I bring word from Admiral Xen."

"You're not cleared to be up here, Jano." The other guard said sternly.

"I know, but the Admiral decided that this wasn't the time for protocol. I've been tasked to deliver a message to you."

"What's the message?"

"Tali's captain, Commander Shepard, has discovered the truth. He has already killed Fel'Nara at the power station and restored power to the colony. He's on his way up here with his own Geth, determined to get to the source of the problem. My Rambler broke down on the way, so I've had to run this last stretch, but he can't be far behind me."

"Why didn't Admiral Xen signal us remotely instead of sending a messenger?" One of the guards asked suspiciously.

"Our comm frequencies have been hacked. The Admiral thinks that it was Shepard's pet Geth. Now Tali'Zorah is sending messages in the Admiral's name, using her voice, to confuse our troops. You can no longer trust anything you hear over the comms."

The two guards shifted uncomfortably, looking to one another uncertainly.

"Come on, it's me." Jano reassured them. "Don't you trust me?"

"We trust you, Jano." The first guard replied. "But we'll still need to check it in with the Lieutenant."

"By all means." Jano said, gesturing that he was comfortable with that. "But can I ask that you let me take a seat inside? I need to catch my breath, and it's getting cold out here."

"Sure, come on in. But we can't let you go inside the mine, and you'll have to leave any weapons you're carrying at the door."

"Not a problem. I'm not carrying any. They'd have only slowed me down, and speed was of the essence."

The trio of Quarians filed into the guard post, Jano sitting comfortably in one of the chairs inside as his fellow ship mates of the Moreh offered him something to drink and made small talk. Outside, Shepard made his way closer to the entrance to the mine, peering into the guard post to watch Jano's performance.

As one of the guards walked over to a console inside, the Quarian marine leapt into action. He gabbed a hold of the first guard and with a quick twist, snapped his neck, causing the helmet to pop off and drop to the ground with a tinkle, followed swiftly by a loud thud as the freshly-made corpse was thrown down beside it.

The other guard spun at the noise, raising his rifle defensively as Jano bounded across the space between them. Bullets sprayed into the ceiling as Jano's outstretched palm struck the gun, sending his opponent's attack wide. A quick strike to the Quarian's elbow made his fingers go numb, the rifle dropping to the floor at his feet.

The guard made a feeble attempt to fight back, throwing a couple of powerful punches at Jano, every one of which he blocked with a defensive forearm or he dodged out of the way of. Growling with anger, the guard drew a knife from its sheath on his chest, swinging viciously. Jano ducked the first blow, danced back from the next, and dropped to the floor to avoid the third. He swept the enemy's legs out from under him with a scything kick and then leapt on top of him, knocking the air from his lungs with a sharp jab of his elbow, followed by an equally swift punch to the throat to finish him off.

This done, Jano stood and walked over to the console, tapping out a few commands.

"Shepard!" He called. "It's all clear! Weapons scanner is down, and we've got a brief blind spot in the security cams."

"Nice moves, Jano." The Commander commented as he stepped into the guard post, glancing at the prone guards. "If you ever come calling on the Normandy, remind me to introduce you to Kasumi. I'm sure she'd love to show you some of her skills."

"I'll bear that in mind." Jano chuckled, taking back the rifle Shepard passed him. "Come on. Let's see what Xen wanted to keep hidden down here."

Jano led the way through the mine, pointing out and bypassing the various defences the Quarians had put in place. Having someone on the team who was familiar with the methods of the crew of the Moreh was proving to be a real boon to the squad, allowing them to delve deeper under the mountains unseen. In no time at all, the squad had reached a pair of imposing metal doors barring the way down one of the many branches of the mineshaft.

"Must be the entrance to the facility proper." Shepard commented. "Think you can get through?"

"Does a Nathak shit in the tundra?" Jano quipped, kneeling next to the door controls. In seconds, they slid open.

Inside, the squad was confronted with a long, sterile grey corridor. Bright lights overhead lit the way starkly, giving the place an unlived-in feel. There was no doubt in Shepard's mind that they were drawing close to their objective.

They stalked down the corridor, sticking to the main passage each time they came to an intersection. They passed by several doors, Shepard noting the labs and store-rooms on either side, Geth parts piled high in each one.

"This operation is huge." He whistled. "It makes the Alarei look like a two-bit chop shop in comparison."

"So much material… the Admiral must have appropriated what materials she could from the Battle of the Citadel, the attack on Eden Prime, even the Geth attack on Feros." Jano said wondrously. "This is just the end result. She must have been gathering materials and conducting experiments for years, even before she was promoted to Admiral."

"Hardly surprising, given her obsession with retaking control of the Geth."

"You don't get it, Commander. To keep this hidden for so long, she must have had more help than just the crew of one ship. We could be looking at a significant faction arising within the Flotilla." The blank mask with the bright eyes behind it turned to face the Commander. "If there are that many Quarians prepared to go behind the backs of the rest of the Migrant Fleet, we could be looking at a civil war. Admirals Gerrel, Raan and Koris are being pressured to resolve the Geth conflict, one way or another. If they're pushed to act before Xen believes she is ready to attempt regaining control of the Geth, we might have a coup on our hands. Any rebellion within the Flotilla would be devastating, but one backed by innumerable Geth troops?"

"We calculate that such an occurrence would weaken the Creator-Fleet considerably, Shepard-Commander." Legion supplied. "The Migrant Fleet would no longer be in a position to render assistance during the attempt to retake the Sol system."

"The Quarian people are vulnerable enough as it is without a planet to take refuge on." Shepard said. "I won't let Xen tear the Fleet apart to continue this work."

The commander fell silent as they approached a final set of doors, emerging onto a raised catwalk above a massive factory floor.

Machines churned as they poured out components, massive pieces of equipment thumping down on conveyor belts to shape metal into the needed forms. At one end of these production lines, towering constructs assembled the parts into recognisable forms. As the squad watched in awe, dozens of Geth platforms stepped off the production lines each minute, stepping over to a gargantuan computer in the centre of the complex, plugging in briefly before striding over to the far side of the room and exiting through a large door.

"Keelah…" Jano breathed. "They're not just reusing old parts. They're manufacturing new ones. Holding back some of the ore from the mines for themselves, and producing an entire army with it."

"We've got to put a stop to this." Shepard said firmly.

"Shepard-Commander. We calculate that, if this facility is in operation full-time, Creator-Xen is capable of manufacturing over two thousand platforms per day."

"How can she maintain control over this many Geth? I thought your systems became more complex when large numbers of you gathered together?"

"We would need to see the research data to speculate with any degree of accuracy, but it would be logical to assume she has discovered a device capable of exerting control over the Geth she constructs."

"Maybe they use fewer programmes inside of a platform. That would help limit their effectiveness." Jano suggested.

"A possibility. It is also possible that they are prevented from networking properly, limiting their capabilities." The Geth explained. "Addendum: We only detect the presence of a single server hub within the facility." It pointed at the device the newborn Geth were plugging themselves into. "It is tasked to capacity creating new runtimes for the platforms being constructed. Without the advanced networking capacity of a server hub, communication between platforms will be inefficient."

"Keep them dumb, deny them the bandwidth they need to talk to one another and hope?" Jano asked. "Got to be more to it than that."

"Whatever they're doing, it ends here." Shepard said firmly. "How do we take out the production lines?"

Jano shook his head.

"We'll need to do more than that, Commander. We need to wipe out every last scrap of research carried out here, along with all the Geth runtimes already created, as well as deactivating the production lines."

"What if we released the Geth from Xen's control?" Shepard asked. "They're a force to be reckoned with."

"That's precisely why I wouldn't want to do it, Commander. We have no idea what they'd do once they became independent."

"We agree with Creator-Jano, Shepard-Commander."

"Legion? But these are your people." Shepard said in surprise.

"Incorrect. These are facsimiles of true Geth, designed to be docile. We cannot guarantee that they would ally with us." The Geth said coldly. "In addition, we are unaware of the method used to assert control over these runtimes. Without that data, freeing them would be impossible."

"Okay. Any suggestions on how we take this place down, then?" Shepard asked.

"I think I know how." Jano answered. He pointed to the hub in the centre of the room. "We can set the Geth hub to overload."

"What'll that do?"

"It will create an EM pulse, frying all equipment in the facility that is not shielded. Judging by the speed they're churning out these Geth, They can't possibly be reinforcing all of them. I'd say only the heavy units are being shielded. The facility's computers will definitely not be shielded."

"That would certainly shut this place down." Shepard commented. "But won't it fry our equipment, too?"

"We'll just have to make sure to power down anything delicate. My suit's life support systems will be unaffected, but I'll need to switch off my VI and HUD.

"And what about Legion?"

"This platform has been reinforced to withstand most electrical assaults. However, we will enter a form of hibernation prior to the pulse. Should our systems suffer damage, the runtimes within will remain unscathed until repairs can be made."

"Alright." Shepard said warily. "Then let's get this done."

The squad moved out, Shepard taking the lead while Legion strode at the rear, Jano carefully sweeping his rifle back and forth in the middle of the group.

They reached the lower level with no trouble, slowly making their way around the production lines towards the centre of the facility.

Just as he rounded the end of one of the conveyor belts, Shepard was suddenly drawn back around the corner by Jano's firm grasp. As he turned a questioning glance to the Quarian, he pointed a source of movement.

At the opposite end of the production line, a Quarian patrol stood watch. They were strolling slowly along the length of the conveyor belt, chatting idly. The Commander tensed as they drew nearer, retreating further behind the conveyor belt with every step they took.

Shepard felt his muscles begin to cramp from crouching so long, watching as the Quarians passed by, oblivious to the trio of enemies only feet away. After a few moments, they had wandered past, completely unaware of how close they had been to the Commander.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Shepard turned to face Jano, relaxing as the danger passed. His relief was short-lived, however, as he noted the production line behind the squad. A line of six Geth approached the end of the conveyor belt, finally shuddering to a halt. They shook for a second before the lights of their 'eyes' flickered on. As a unit, the half-dozen machines turned and looked straight at the squad.

"Alert. Enemy Units Detected." They intoned flatly.

"Ah crap." Jano sighed, lifting his rifle.

Instantly, every last Geth in the room turned and began advancing on the squad. The Quarian patrol, just having reached the doors at the far side, turned in surprise, their gazes settling on Shepard and his team.

"Intruders!" One shouted. "Sound the alarm!"

The Commander cursed as the Quarian and his comrades rushed off, soon to return with reinforcements. He pulled the trigger on his rifle, mowing down several of the approaching Geth. Unarmed, and with little more than animal intelligence, the machines did nothing but slowly advance on the squad, lurching forward with no sense of tactics or self-preservation. Apparently they had received no advanced programming beyond 'attack enemies on sight'.

"Don't let them get too close!" Jano warned. "They might not have weapons, but they have an energy burst mechanism that will overload your shields."

"Noted." Shepard grunted. "Get over to that hub and start rigging it to go off!"

Jano nodded, vaulting over the production line and leaping into the midst of the Geth. His rifle sang as he carved a devastating path through the synthetics. His headlong leap swiftly turned into a roll as he struck the floor, his legs scything out in all directions to send the Geth tumbling to the floor. Some fell apart after a few powerful kicks from the Quarian, tumbling to the floor in a pile of sparking wires and dented parts. As he cut a wide path through the machines, Geth all around him glowed brightly before a corona of brilliant blue burst out from each one, a blast of dangerous electrical energy that threatened to short out his shields.

Finally, his headlong rush came to an end at the base of the hub, where he spun and sent another spurt of bullets pounding into the Geth that surrounded him.

Seeing his friend reach safety, Shepard quickly charged into the gap he had created in the synthetic ranks, his own weapon tearing through the enemy as he ran headlong at the hub. Legion waited until the Commander reached his destination and then leapt over the production line itself, hurtling through the enemy as its weapon barked loudly.

Once the trio had gathered at the server hub, Shepard and Legion stood guard over Jano while the Quarian worked at the towering machine, struggling to break through the immense layers of code.

As Shepard popped a fresh thermal clip into his rifle, a loud grating noise echoed across the room. He looked over to the far wall. A massive door, next to the one the completed Geth had been heading through, began grinding upwards. Beyond, a towering shape caused Shepard's heart to jump.

"Look out!" He yelled, turning and diving for cover, grabbing a hold of Jano and pulling him to safety. Legion was close behind.

The blast of white-blue energy tore past the server hub, striking a production line behind the squad and sending a fountain of sparks gushing up into the air. Back at the door, the Geth Colossus lurched forward, moving to get a better shot. Seeing the huge machine bringing them back into its line of sight, the squad darted for cover again, vaulting back over the production line as another bolt tore across the facility.

The Commander crouched down behind the conveyor belt, peering over at the monstrous Geth. His glance turned to the server hub, between the squad and the Colossus. He tried to judge if there was enough cover behind the hub to stay out of the enemy synthetic's line of fire. The open panel beckoned tantalisingly.

"Jano, how much work was left to get that thing to go off?" He shouted over another attack from the Colossus.

"I was nearly done." The Quarian explained, firing his rifle over the production line at the incoming enemies. "Not that it matters with that damn thing out there. I'd be cut down before I even got halfway across there."

Suddenly, Legion stood up. Before Shepard could shout half a warning to the Geth platform, it had vaulted over the conveyor belt and was running straight at the server hub.

"Legion! Get back here! Legion! Damn it!" Shepard shouted as he stood up, making to follow before a blast from the Colossus sent him into hiding again.

The Geth ran to the hub, kneeling next to it. It worked frantically for a few moments. As it worked, a blue aura surrounded the hub, arcs of raw electricity leaping out dangerously.

"Legion, no!" The Commander shouted desperately. "If you activate the overload, you'll fry your systems!"

Shepard's gut twisted frantically as he saw the Colossus suddenly take notice of his ally, lining up a shot threateningly. A blue bolt darted out from it's head, cutting across the facility almost faster than Shepard could blink. He felt a yell of fear for Legion rise in his throat just as the Geth platform stepped back from the hub.

"Objective completed." It said, carrying just a hint of satisfaction in its tone.

The last glimpse Shepard had of the Geth before the entire room was bathed in blue-white light, was on the synthetic's shell turning to face the incoming attack from the Colossus. The bolt struck it dead centre, sending the sentient machine tumbling back just as the electro-magnetic pulse went off.

The next instant, the Commander was forced to turn away as the hub pulsed with a brilliant white light, filling the room with painful radiance. There was a roaring, crackling noise that deafened the Commander, followed by a powerful silence.

Shepard turned to look around, surveying what remained of the enemy.

Geth bodies lay everywhere, some still twitching in their final death throes. Some had found the power surge to be altogether too much, their 'eyes' popping from the sheer raw energy running through them while smoke seeped out of the seams as wires overheated and burned. The Colossus lay on the floor, lifeless. The many production lines had fallen silent, their inner workings overwhelmed. The room was still.

"Keelah." Jano groaned from where he had dropped onto the floor.

"You alright?" Shepard asked, stepping over to help him as he staggered to his feet.

"I'm gonna need a few days in the sickbay after this. My suit's air filters went offline. I'll have them back up in a second, but the damage has been done." He slapped the side of his helmet. "Damn it its dark in here! Think I'll need a new HUD installed."

"You'll live." Shepard said.

"Ugh. Maybe, but I don't think I'm going to enjoy it any time soon."

Standing and turning, Shepard caught sight of an untidy pile next to the server hub.

"Legion!" He shouted. With a single bound, he cleared the still production line. HE raced over to the prone Geth, kneeling next to it. He lifted its head and examined the charred machine.

"Jano! Get over here!" Shepard commanded.

The Quarian hurried over, activating his omnitool. He scanned the Geth thoroughly. He tapped out a few commands, eliciting a couple of sparks from Legion, but there was no real response from the defunct machine.

"Processing cores are not responding. Backup memory storage is shot." He closed down his 'tool, looking to the Commander apologetically. "I'm sorry, Shepard."

"No!" Shepard protested. "Try again."

"There's nothing I can do, Commander. If the runtimes were active at the time of the pulse, then they're gone, and the backups are wiped."

The pair's attention was suddenly drawn to the far side of the room by a loud clank. Whipping their guns out as they turned to the source of the noise, they backed up a bit as the Colossus got to its feet unsteadily. Shepard tensed, ready to leap for cover should the thing fire its weapon again, but the attack never came. The Colossus just lurched across the room towards them. Jano and Shepard backed away as the massive Geth construct crossed the first of the dormant production lines.

"Jano? What do we do?" Shepard asked nervously, keeping his gun trained on the machine. "Why isn't it firing?"

"Just keep clear of it, Commander. The pulse must have fried its weapons systems. But it can still trample you to death. Watch for those feet."

The Commander nodded, moving to the side to keep a reasonable distance between himself and the machine. Jano moved Legion's corpse away, shouldering the not inconsiderable weight of the Geth and backing up towards the door they had come in through.

"Come on, Commander. We'd best get out of here."

As Shepard made to take a step towards the exit, the Colossus stuttered threateningly, moving with a sudden swiftness to cut him off from the way out. Jano, behind the machine, yelped as a stray foot threatened to strike him.

The Commander lifted his gun to fire at the Colossus, his first string of bullets bouncing off it harmlessly. The gargantuan machine surged forwards, extending one of its feet. Before Shepard could move out of the way, the appendage caught him, shoving him back against a production line and pinning him there. He wheezed as the immense weight pressed down on his chest.

The Colossus roared in his face, its head only inches from his helmet. The stuttering howl rose in pitch, ringing in Shepard's ears painfully before descending into silence. It paused for a second, giving Shepard the impression it was mentally changing gears, and a loud click sounded from within the machine's cranial segment. Then next noise to emerge from its vocabulator surprised the Commander.

"W-w-we ar-ar-arrrre…." It released a burst of static and fell silent once more. Finally it tried again. "We… are many."

Shepard's eyes nearly popped out of their head in surprise as he looked up at the Colossus.

"L-Legion?" He asked incredulously. Rather than try to speak again, the Colossus merely nodded.

Behind the machine, Jano stood stock-still. Judging from his body language, Shepard could tell that his mouth was agape behind his mask, and his eyes glowed brightly, open wide in shock.

"What?" The Quarian asked. "This thing is your pet Geth?"

"How is this possible?" Shepard asked.

"Wait a minute… this actually makes sense." Jano explained. "The server would have facilitated runtime exchange between different platforms, and the Colossus would definitely have some form of reinforcement against EM attacks. Hell, the size alone would be a decent defence. Legion must have forced the Colossus runtimes out and hidden itself in there until the pulse had done its work. The transfer would have taken less than half a second." The Colossus nodded once more.

"Can we transfer him back over into his body?" Shepard asked.

"Not here." Jano answered. "We'll need a fully functional tech lab to make repairs to the processing units first. At the moment it's too damaged to contain the runtimes."

"Well we can hardly move about with a Colossus in tow. What do you suggest?"

"We could always remove the memory unit from the Colossus, take it with us. It's only about this big." The Quarian held his hands about a foot apart. "The Geth can archive its runtimes for retrieval later. Then its just a case of fixing up its body, plugging it in and transferring the runtimes over."

"Do it." Shepard commanded, looking up at the Geth. "We'll put you back together on the Normandy, alright?"

"Shep-ep-ep-ard-Commander-der-der." It replied shakily. Then the machine folded up on itself, entering a state of hibernation.

Jano clambered onto the back of the machine and began pulling various bits and pieces out of it. Eventually, he produced a device the was shaped like a diamond, tapering to sharp points at either end. It glowed with a green light, thrumming in his hands. He passed it to Shepard, the Commander attaching it to his belt securely. He then turned to his Quarian friend, scooping up the Geth's limp shell.

"Come on, we need to get out of here."

As they made their way to the door out of the facility, another door behind them slammed open. Quarians began swarming into the room, cursing and muttering about their damaged suits. Some coughed loudly, clearly having received a lung-full of unfiltered air before repairing their respirators.

"Times up." Shepard said sharply, turning to help Jano carry the Geth up the stairs to the exit. "Move!"

The pair made it through the door, dodging out of the way of incoming fire as the door slammed shut behind them. Jano quickly reached out and tugged at the panel beside the door, ripping out some crucial wires.

"Should hold them for a little while, but not long. We'd best make use of the time. After all, they do have an entire factory at their disposal back there."

"We run for the surface." Shepard ordered. "I don't care if we're spotted on camera or what. Just run."

"Look on the bright side." Jano panted as they jogged up the corridors. "At least we don't have Geth on our tail. Now it's just an army of pissed-off quarian marines."

"Aren't we the lucky ones." Shepard chuckled flatly.

After a few moments of running, they finally found themselves approaching the exit from the mine shaft. The guard post flashed by as they ran, Legion suspended between them. Shepard smirked at the irony of the situation. This was pretty much the same circumstances under which he had first encountered the Geth platform, with the damn thing unconscious and having to be dragged between the Commander and one of his allies. Only this time it wasn't a horde of Husks as their heels, but a small army of Quarians. He had a hard time deciding which was more intimidating.

They raced across the clearing, passing through the tree line and heading straight for where they had left the Rambler. Jano leapt up and popped the hatch open, reaching down to take Legion from the Commander and slide it into the vehicle's cabin. Shepard clambered up, sliding into the driver's seat while Jano secured their precious cargo before climbing behind the gun. Once he was sure they were all securely aboard, Shepard gunned the engine, sending the Rambler roaring out of the trees and onto the jungle road, bouncing and jolting from side to side.

They traversed almost half of the distance between the mines and the fork that would lead them to the settlement when Shepard suddenly detected a high-pitched whine in the air. Jano cursed as a loud thump was heard and a tree to one side of the road disintegrated. A lightning-fast blur sped by overhead, vanishing above the canopy.

"What the hell was that?" Shepard demanded.

"Scuttler. A small, one-man craft that we use when we decommission a ship in the Flotilla. A pack of these things will cut a cruiser to pieces in less than an hour so we can salvage the resources. They also make pretty good fast-attack craft. Try not to let them hit us with that cutting laser. It'll shear this thing in half."

"Thanks for the advice." Shepard grumbled as another tree burst into flames. The Rambler shook as the upper portion of the trunk dropped down to strike its roof. "Can't you do something about them?"

"I'm trying. They move very fast, and I don't exactly have a good angle of attack."

Up ahead, Shepard saw the fork in the road heave into view. He gunned the engine, aiming straight for the path that would lead him back to the colony. As he drew near, he heard the now familiar whine once more and there was a brilliant flash of light. The Commander had only a fraction of a second to slam on the brakes before several trees toppled over directly in his path. He braked hard, turning the Rambler around before gunning the engine again, heading back the way they had come.

"What's going on?" Jano asked nervously. "We're heading the wrong way, Commander."

"Road's closed." Shepard grunted.

The Rambler bounced its way back up the road, suspension groaning in protest at the harsh treatment. As it raced uphill, trees to either side collapsed, clanging off the Rambler and once nearly sending Shepard into an uncontrolled spin.

"They're trying to block off the road, trap us on a short stretch, and cut us apart at their leisure." Jano surmised, looking back at the mess of branches and leaves behind them.

Engine grinding, the Rambler emerged onto the clifftop above the power station, where Shepard had pushed the enemy Rambler off not two hours previously. He turned to follow the last portion of the road towards the mines, only to see the way blocked as the Scuttlers, zipping past overhead, knocked down a vast swathe of trees.

"You got a shot on those things yet?" Shepard asked impatiently, driving the Rambler around on the clifftop to dodge the incoming fire.

"Hold on…" the Quarian was silent for a moment, waiting until the Scuttlers turned to strafe the Rambler again. "Steady…"

"Jano?" Shepard asked, seeing the craft racing towards them.

"Hold…"

"Jano!"

"Just a little bit-"

"JANO!"

The Rambler's gun fired, a brilliant white flare of light escaping from the drive of the rocket as it raced up to meet the incoming enemy. The first Scuttler took the hit on the nose, and the detonation tore it apart in a blaze of white flame. The second, seeing the danger, swerved neatly to avoid the flaming debris, its shot going wide and missing the Commander's vehicle. It zipped away, circling them menacingly. Keeping its distance, the craft fired again, cutting laser scoring a charred black line in the soil not five meters from its target. Jano spun the turret to follow it, firing a few shots, but they all went hopelessly wide.

"No good, Commander. At that distance, they don't have to worry about us hitting them, and we're still at risk from that laser."

"Time for a new strategy, then." Shepard said, swinging the armoured car around to dodge another blast.

"What can we do? The roads are blocked, the trees will offer no protection against that laser, and we're exposed up here."

"I've got a plan, just hold on." With that, Shepard revved the engine, tearing across the clifftop to come to a halt at the tree line, bringing the Rambler about to face back towards the cliff. Jano immediately cottoned on to the Commander's plan.

"Keelah, no!"

"But yes!" Shepard crowed. "Hang on!"

Shepard slapped the engine booster, sending the Rambler rocketing forwards. The cliff's edge rushed to meet them, speeding by in a blur as the G-forces took a hold of the car, causing Shepard's stomach to tumble. Jano screamed profanities as they sailed through open space.

Ahead, the last Scuttler twisted on its axis and rocketed straight at them, firing its laser. The brilliant beam of light struck the roof of the vehicle, vaporising metal with a roar. Jano yelled as he crouched down in his seat, covering his face from the brutal heat. The turret just melted away into nothing, wind screaming through the hole left behind in the roof by its demise.

The next thing Shepard saw was the deep blue-green water of the river, rushing up towards the windshield of the Rambler. He lifted his arms to protect his face just as the craft impacted upon the surface. The windshield exploded inwards in a shower of glass and water, the Commander feeling a pair of glass shards forced through seams in his armour by the immense pressure of the water, eliciting a stream of blood, the flesh around it growing clod from contact with the water.

Shepard flet his ears pop as the Rambler dropped under the surface of the water, drifting downwards. He clawed at his safety harness, releasing himself from his seat. He looked back and saw Jano do the same, then turned his attention to Legion's inert form. He released the Geth, expecting it to float up like his own body wanted to do. However, the machine stayed lodged in its seat, drifting to the river bed. Shepard tugged at it, and the black spots that appeared before his eyes told him all he needed to know. The Geth had no buoyancy, and its weight was dragging it to the bottom. Taking a deep breath from his helmet's limited supply, Shepard placed a shoulder under the Geth's arm and pushed against the floor of the Rambler, forcing himself and his downed comrade up towards the surface.

The Commander broke the surface with a splash, the weight of the Geth on his shoulder threatening to pull him back under. Jano, floating nearby, swam over to help him handle his burden.

A sharp whine drew their gaze skywards again, where they saw the Scuttler sweep by once more, laser firing.

"Get down!" Shepard managed before submerging himself. Jano followed suit, the pair hanging onto Legion as the Geth threatened to sink once more.

The laser struck the water not far from their position, a puff of steam accompanying it. The beam of light arrowed down beneath the surface to strike the sinking Rambler. The craft detonated with a dull boom, the pressure wave felt by the squad even at this distance. A geyser of hot water, smoke and steam blasted up from the surface, raining red-hot metal shards all around.

"Come on." Jano managed as they bobbed back to the surface. "There's no way they didn't pick up our heat signature. They'll be coming back."

"What do we do?" Shepard said, gazing to the power station, not far from where they bobbed in the water, and noting that there was no sign of movement. They had destroyed the other Ramblers in their flight up the mountain, and it appeared that what Quarian troops had remained had moved out, probably heading back to the settlement on Admiral Xen's orders.

"The skiff." Jano said, kicking powerfully to propel himself towards the outlet pipe. "It should still be tied up in there."

Shepard nodded and, adjusting the considerable weight of the Geth on his shoulder, began performing a backstroke to power himself towards the outlet pipe.

A couple of moments later, they were inside, swimming towards the skiff, still tied up next to the maintenance door. Jano clambered aboard, keeping the boat steady as he and the Commander manhandled the Geth body aboard. Finally Shepard vaulted out of the water, wincing as he noticed the glass shard sticking out of the seam in his armour at his waist. He carefully pulled it out, prying open his armour at the joint to administer some medi-gel. With a sigh, he pulled his helmet off, drawing in a couple of welcome breaths of fresh air. It was the first breath of air he'd taken since landing that hadn't been filtered at least three times, and it tasted like the sweetest nectar he could imagine.

He checked his belt, examining the Geth memory core dangling there. A quick scan with his omnitool told him that it was still functional, much to his relief.

He reluctantly donned his helmet again as Jano untied the skiff, setting it on its course back out and down the river. He took his position at the controls while the Quarian manned the harpoon gun on the bow.

Managed to cross about half of the expanse of water in front of the power station before the thunderous whine of the Scuttler reached their ears. Shepard jammed the throttle to full as the tiny craft zipped by overhead. Now he was out of the Rambler, he had a proper chance to look at the attacking vehicle, noting just how small it was. The laser took up about half of the frame, a long tube slung under the main body that ended in a wide barrel. The body of the craft itself was only a little larger than an average man. The engine glowed brightly in the back while the top surface of the craft was a transparent canopy, showing a Quarian lying prone at the controls, , his feet pressed up against the engine casing. The end result was a vehicle that probably weighed less than Grunt did, and it could turn on a credit chit.

A gout of steam fountained up from the river not three feet away from the skiff, causing Shepard to jerk the controls erratically to dodge out of the way. They swiftly found themselves in the broad green tunnel formed by the trees on either side of the river as they left the power station behind, racing towards the settlement.

Shepard cursed as the Scuttler kept up its assault, causing massive geysers to leap up on either side of the fleeing vehicle. He wove across the river, making sure not to stay on one heading for too long.

"Shepard! Look out! Koppa!"

Jano's warning came a moment too late, as a massive, leathery shape appeared in the water beneath them. With a powerful swing of its tail, the Koppa leapt from the water, jaws the size of a man snapping as it tried to sink its teeth into the skiff. It missed by inches, but it's scaly body struck the tiny craft, sending it spinning madly across the surface of the river. It snapped again at the craft, its teeth gouging deep trenches in the hull of the skiff and causing it to tilt dangerously.

Shepard's heart leapt into his mouth as the skiff tilted onto its side and the prone body of Legion, stashed in the middle of the boat, began to tumble out. He leapt across to grab it, catching a hold of the shoulder bearing the N7 armour. He grunted as the heavy machine tugged at his arm painfully, threatening to drag him with it.

Without the Commander at the controls, the skiff began to slow, allowing the Koppa to swim ever closer.

"Shepard! Get back at the helm!" Jano barked, noting the gargantuan creature drawing near. He turned and, seeing the Commander struggling to save his friend, clambered across the skiff and helped get the Geth back aboard.

The moment Legion was safe, Shepard darted back to the controls, powering the vessel away just as the Koppa lunged again, its jaws only striking water. It continued to pursue for a few moments before giving up and swimming back to where it had come from.

The Scuttler dashed by overhead, its laser firing again to draw another cloud of steam from the river, causing the Commander to swerve violently to avoid it. Shepard wracked his brains for some way to deal with the attacking craft, stumped.

"Jano! We need to get rid of that thing."

"I've got a fishing harpoon here, Shepard. What the hell do you expect me to do against that?" The Quarian retorted.

"Hold on, I think I've got an idea." Shepard said, a plan sparking to life in his head. "Get ready and fire when I tell you to."

Jano, grumbling, got back behind the harpoon gun, taking aim at the Scuttler. The tiny craft whipped by overhead, arrowing down the river until it spun around and came right back at them. Shepard looked at the craft, looked at the harpoon, and looked at the enemy craft again. He counted carefully, waiting for the precise moment.

"Jano! Fire!"

The Quarian tugged on the trigger, launching the harpoon straight at the Scuttler. The vessel was almost directly overhead when the harpoon struck the pilot's canopy. The transparent material shattered under the impact, the harpoon spearing through the pilot inside, killing him instantly. The Scuttler shook as it began to lose control. Jano reached over to release the rope attaching the harpoon to the skiff, but Shepard held up a hand urging him to wait.

The Scuttler continued on its erratic flight for a few moments before the rope, connecting it to the skiff, snagged on a low-hanging branch. The Commander urged Jano to let the rope go just as it went taut, pulling the Scuttler back around. The rope tangled on the branch, which bucked violently. The tiny craft spuna round the branch in decreasing circles before slamming into the tree, exploding loudly.

Jano whooped as Shepard relaxed, decreasing the skiff's pace a couple of notches.

"Yeah!" The Quarian marine yelled, jubilantly pumping his fist into the air.

"Alright, focus, Jano." Shepard said, smiling with relief. "We're not out of this yet. We still have your boss to deal with."

"You're right." Jano agreed, sobering. "It's not far to the colony now."

**~o~0~o~**

As the skiff pulled up alongside the bank of the river bordering on the settlement, Shepard was struck by how eerily quiet it was. The docks were empty, devoid of life.

Jano leapt from the vessel, swiftly tying it up while Shepard unloaded Legion's body.

The distant sound of gunfire sent the duo reaching for their guns, dropping into a crouch as they looked around. As they listened, more shots and the cries of the wounded could be heard in the distance.

"It's direction of the Seerah, and the administrative district." Jano said coldly. "The most heavily populated portions of the settlement."

"Damn it." Shepard cursed. "They're already clearing house. I just hope we're not too late." He activated his commlink. "This is Commander Shepard. Admiral Tali'Zorah, do you read me. Come in, Tali."

Silence greeted his call. Shepard repeated it a few times, receiving no response. He growled, almost throwing his rifle away in anger when a small voice echoed over the comms.

"Shepard! It's Tali!" The Quarian sounded stressed, tired, scared. "We've been pushed back to the landing pads. There's Geth on every side moving in."

"Understood. We're on our way."

"I've got Kaidan, and Garrus with me. There are not many marines left standing, but Kal's rallied some of his troops near the Seerah. It's a slaughter out here." She sounded a little panicked.

"Just hold on, Tali. I'm coming for you." Shepard promised. He waved to Jano, the marine having just hoisted Legion's body onto his shoulders. "The shuttle landing pads. Double time!"

The duo charged through the settlement, making swift progress towards the heart of the settlement. They gunned down what Geth they came across, once or twice even encountering remnants of Xen's crew on the ground. Shepard grit his teeth as he noted the bodies piled high in the alleyways, out of the way of any troops moving through the streets. He was thankful that, so far, there were no bodies he recognised, the patterns on the envirosuits unfamiliar to him.

They had almost made it to the landing pads, the noise of gunfire sounding loud in their ears, when Shepard halted, hearing something off-key in the background. He tilted his head, and realised what he was hearing, the quiet sobs of a lost soul. Following the noise, he rounded a pile of bodies to see two figures he had hoped would not be found here.

Hendel sat on the ground, his back leaning against the side of a building as one arm lay on his belly, covering a seeping red wound. His helmet had been removed, displaying the Human's still, pained expression. His eyes were slowly glazing over, the light already fading from them. Beside his corpse, Gillian knelt, her head bowed mournfully. She looked up as the Commander approached, tears streaming down her face.

"The machines came to the clean-rooms on the beach. They killed the children in the bubbles. Hendel got me out safe, but he got hurt." She began to stutter through her tears. "I- I just wanted to see his face, one more time. Nobody's seen his face for three years. He- he was always nice to me, back at the school."

"I'm sorry, Gillian." Shepard said, kneeling beside her and squeezing her shoulder comfortingly. "Come on. We've got to get you to safety."

"No!" She snapped, he voice trembling. "I can't go anywhere. He's meant to keep me safe. It's his job. I've got to stay with him so he can keep me safe."

"Gillian," Shepard said slowly, realising that he'd need to be gentle to get through to the girl. "It's very dangerous here right now. I can take you to a safe place."

"C-can Hendel come too?"

"We'll come back to get him." Shepard promised.

"I'll wait with him until you come back." She said firmly.

"Gillian, Hendel would want you to come with me, for me to make sure you're safe."

The girl was silent for a moment before nodding, bending over to hug Hendel, and standing slowly.

She turned to look at Jano and quailed upon seeing the Geth draped over his shoulders.

"It's one of the machines!" She squealed, stepping back.

"No, no, no!" Shepard said, raising his hands reassuringly. "Its okay. This one's a friend. But he's hurt right now, and we need to get him somewhere where we can fix him. Can you help Jano?"

Gillian was still for a moment before silently nodding, stepping over to shoulder part of Jano's burden.

This done, Shepard nodded to Hendel's prone form before turning and leading his entourage away.

They rounded the final few corners between them and the landing pad, bringing the raised platform that was host to the Kodiak into view. What Shepard saw made his pace falter.

Geth crowded around the shuttle, blocking off all access. Many more milled about on the ground between landing pads, while still more congregated at the base of a second pad. On this second pad, a small cluster of organics held out valiantly against the brutal synthetic assault. Shepard could see Garrus in the middle of the group, his sniper rifle chanting as it downed one Geth after another. Kaidan and Tali stood in front of him, using their weapons to hold off the mechanical horde. A motley crew of Quarians had gathered around them, using whatever weapons they could lay their hands on to lay into the enemy. As Shepard watched, one Quarian was hauled off the pad by the Geth, screaming as they attacked him with bare metal fists. Tali activated her omnitool and a VI drone buzzed into existence, zapping Geth all around with a holographic shock probe.

"We have to hurry." The Commander muttered. He turned to Jano. "Stay here with Gillian. Pick off what Geth you can without drawing the horde towards you."

"But I can-"

"Stay here with Gillian. Keep her safe. Understood?"

As Jano nodded reluctantly, Shepard looked to Gillian, noticing she was staring at the Geth with anger in her features. Her fists clenched and unclenched as she watched the synthetic army on the move. Shepard shrugged. She was unarmed, so there was little chance of her running into the midst of the horde and throwing her life away. She would be safe with Jano.

Drawing his rifle, Shepard charged out into the open, rushing the back ranks of the Geth. His rifle tore a path of destruction through the synthetics, downing several of the machines before they even had a chance to turn around. The Geth reacted quickly enough, some shifting their focus from the Quarians on the pad to the new threat attacking from behind. Shepard's shields shuddered under the Geth assault, his helmet's HUD informing him of the power drain.

He was almost at the foot of the steps leading up to the landing pad when his shields finally gave out. A couple of bullets tore into his lower leg, causing him to stumble. Pushing through the pain, he scaled the steps, feeling another pair of bullets strike the armour over his kidneys.

As he staggered up the final few steps, he felt a pair of armoured hands close around his shoulders, hauling him into the safety of the group. He looked up into Kaidan's faceplate, the masked features still emanating concern.

"Commander! Are you alright?"

"I'm alright." Shepard gasped. "Just a little banged up."

"Shepard! You're hit." Tali rushed over, her omnitool glowing, ready to dispense some medi-gel. Shepard smiled at her concern, well aware of her care for him.

"I'm fine, Tali. Just give my shields a second to recharge." He turned to look at the rest of the group, from Garrus, still working to keep the enemy at bay, to the nameless Quarians that had joined his friends in their desperate defence of the landing pad. "What's the situation here?"

"Low on ammo, plenty of nasty mechanical things looking to give us a new asshole, and next to no chance of success." Garrus grunted over his shoulder. "So, you know, the usual."

Shepard smiled grimly behind his mask.

"Well, I was worried you were getting too soft around the middle, Vakarian. A workout will do you the world of good."

"Cute." The Turian muttered. "Got any suggestions on how we get out of here?"

"If the Commander managed to break through their ranks, we could do the same to get out." One Quarian suggested.

"Not a chance." Garrus replied. "He had the element of surprise, and fully charged shields. We'd get cut down in seconds if we tried that trick."

Shepard sidled over to the edge of the raised platform, firing over the barrier that surrounded it. Several Geth tumbled to the ground in a heap.

"Have you had no word from Kal'Reegar and his men?" He asked above the gunfire.

"Last we heard he was defending the Seerah." Tali explained.

"Try calling him again."

"Kal'Reegar, do you copy? Kal'Reegar vas Seerah, this is Admiral Tali'Zorah. Do you read me?"

There was a shushed silence as the comm crackled with static.

"Tali! Where the hell are you?" The seasoned Quarian marine's voice sounded over the comm, causing the Commander's heart start beating again.

"We're at the landing pad, Kal. We've got Shepard with us, but we're taking heavy fire."

"You got the Commander with you?" The Quarian sounded relieved. "Alright sit tight, ma'am. We've just cleared out a platoon of the damn clankers trying to board the Seerah, but now they've backed off. I can spare a few squads to get down there and help you out. Just hang tight, I'll be there in five minutes."

"Hurry, Kal. I'm not sure we can hold out that long." Tali said, signing off.

"Five minutes." Kaidan said flatly.

"Wouldn't normally be too bad." Garrus said, his rifle taking out another Geth before he ducked into cover. "But with not much ammo left, it might seem a whole lot longer. Make every shot count, people."

Shepard settled down behind his chosen portion of the landing pad's barrier, making sure he had a good supply of thermal clips close to hand. With that, he got into a routine of standing, emptying a clip into the enemy ranks, and dropping back down to reload. Geth exploded under his fierce assault, but it was a far lower ratio of Geth destroyed to shots fired than he would have liked.

Next to him, Kaidan used his biotics primarily to deal with the enemy, his Throw power in conjunction with his weapons to quickly and efficiently despatch any Geth he could target. Garrus, on the Commander's far side, used his sniper rifle to deal with the more dangerous individuals near the back, the Rocket Troopers and Snipers. The Turian accounted for a monumental number of foes within a short period of time, proving that he had earned every inch of respect he had been given as Omega's Archangel.

On the far side of the pad, Tali used a combination of Tech attacks and her shotgun to Eliminate any Geth who showed their glowing 'eyes' over the edge of the pad. Her VI drone, flickering over the battlefield, distracted many of the synthetics long enough for one of the other Quarians on the pad to score a killing hit.

They held out in this manner for what felt like hours, but could have been no more than minutes. Shepard saw Garrus reluctantly pick up the last of his thermal clips and slot it into his sniper rifle just as he expended his own final clip, dropping his assault rifle and drawing his pistol.

The cluster of survivors paused at the sound of a set of very heavy footsteps approaching. At first, Shepard dared to hope it was the sound of dozens of Quarian feet marchin in unison, but his hopes were swiftly dashed by the emergence of a hulking shape from one of the many streets feeding out into the clear area around the landing pads.

Towering above the other Geth, this monstrosity walked about on two legs like a Prime, but would dwarf one of those machines like an elephant standing next to a bull. Its torso was as broad as the shuttle, and the head perched atop the gargantuan body looking comically small in comparison, in spite of actually being the size of a weapons crate. Each arm ended in a huge fist, four thick metal fingers that could snap a man in half clenching and unclenching menacingly. It thudded forwards, approaching the landing pad with a slow inevitability. It muscled its way through the ranks of Geth heedlessly, trampling those too slow to get out of its way. At the sound of another pair of thunderous footsteps, Shepard turned to look over his shoulder, seeing a second towering monstrosity lumber into view.

"What the hell are those things?" Kaidan exclaimed.

"Goliaths!" Tali shouted. "Designed for moving heavy equipment. Don't let it get a hold of you!"

Shepard leapt back as a massive fist slammed down on the pad, buckling the metal as though it were paper.

"Yeah, thanks for the advice!" He shot back.

Kaidan's form flickered with blue light, and a bolt of dark energy leapt from his palm to strike the machine's chest, knocking it back a pace. Shepard scuttled away from the massive dent in the landing pad, lifting his pistol defensively. He fired at the colossal machine a few times, the bolts being deflected effortlessly by its thick armour.

The pad shuddered under his feet as another huge hand crashed down on it powerfully, announcing the arrival of the second mech. One of the Quarians screamed as his legs were crushed in the mechanical grip. The Geth swept him up into the air, swinging him around like a toy in a child's grasp. The alien's body swung from side to side until the movement became so powerful that his spine snapped in half with a loud crack. The limp body sailed through the air above the enemy ranks, landing in a messy pile.

Shepard tumbled back out of the way of a new attack from the Goliath before him, rolling across the metal of the pad until he struck the far barrier. He winced as he felt himself roll over an uncomfortable shape, the strange presence digging into his hip. He looked down to see the Geth memory core sitting there, glowing dimly, and an idea sprang into his mind.

"Tali, do you think you stun this thing for a second?" He said, pointing to the massive machine.

Tali looked at the Geth for a moment before activating her omnitool. She tapped out a few commands, and the interface sparked for a few moments before going dead. A bolt of electricity arced out from her outstretched hand, striking the Geth dead centre. The machine jerked as the raw power went through it before slumping on its joints, motionless.

"Whatever you're doing, Shepard, do it fast! This thing won't stay down for more than five seconds!"

"That's all I need." Shepard said confidently.

He instantly sprang into action, racing across the landing pad. His feet thumped against the metal surface, launching him upwards. His foot tapped the barrier bounding the landing pad, propelling him towards the inert machine. His hands scrabbled at the Geth's shoulders as he clambered up, finding a precarious purchase on the Goliath's back. He reached up to the nape of the machine's neck, tearing at a seam between metal plates there. He pulled the plating loose, reaching into the exposed wiring underneath. He brought the Geth memory unit up and locked it into place there. He heard a loud whine begin in the machine's bowels, prompting him to leap from the machine's back.

The Goliath jolted upright, looking about with a measure of confusion. It looked to the Commander for a moment before turning to the attacking Geth. It waded into their midst, making its way towards the second Goliath.

The two titans locked fists, wrestling with one another in a fierce struggle.

"Shepard, what the hell did you do to that thing?" Tali asked in amazement.

"Legion's stored on that memory core. I figured he'd have no trouble taking over that body for a while."

"How did-? Never mind. I'll get it out of you on the ship."

The survivors turned their attention back to mowing down the smaller Geth, Garrus using the last of his shots to take out two Troopers standing in a line before using his omnitool to cause havoc where he could, Overload bursts going off amid the living machines in brilliant white flashes. Kaidan continued to use his Biotics, sending Warp blasts into the mechanical masses. Tali, her omnitool burned out by stunning the Goliath, focused on using her shotgun to send clouds of metal winging into the horde, while the remaining Quarians worked as a unit to hold the main body of the enemy ranks at bay. Shepard used his ammo conservatively, firing off a couple of shots when he saw an enemy's shields flicker and die, finishing the vulnerable Geth off quickly.

Meanwhile, the Legion-possessed Goliath continued to slug it out with the other one, exchanging punches that would have demolished a skycar. Dents appeared in their shells, the remnants of the immense impacts their thick metal hides deflected.

With startling speed, Legion's mammoth fist darted out, clenching down on the Goliath's head and crushing. The Geth screeched in protest before falling silent, it's head popping off of its neck. The body of the giant dropped to the ground, sinking deep into the soil at its feet.

With it's adversary defeated, the Goliath turned to look for a new foe. The Geth forces, aware that this behemoth was not an ally, turned a large portion of their fire on it. The Goliath shuddered under the attack, managing to take a few steps forward and sweep a half dozen Geth off their feet in a shower of demolished parts. Then a powerful shot from a Rocket Trooper struck it on the back, close to the neck. The memory unit was knocked loose, tumbling to the ground. The Goliath froze for a few seconds before its original programming asserted control of its body and it turned, resuming its attack upon the landing pad.

"Should have known it wouldn't last." Shepard grumbled. "Tali? Think you can stun it again?"

"My omnitool's burnt out. I couldn't hack a door right now!" She shouted back.

Shepard fired the last of his bullets at the Goliath frantically, trying to aim for weak spots but not making any noticeable dent on it.

The Goliath loomed overhead, lifting a metal fist into the air, preparing to slam it down on the landing pad and break it in half.

"NO!"

Shepard looked about for the source of the cry as the Goliath glowed brightly, a blue-white aura flowing across its limbs as it lifted into the air. It groaned in protest as it drifted upwards in a cloud of biotic energy.

"Stop it!" Gillian shouted, stepping out from where she had been hiding with Jano. Her outline shone brightly, a biotic beacon in the dimness of the landing pads. "Leave them alone!"

The Goliath stuttered in the Geth language for a couple of seconds before a shriek of tearing metal resounded over the survivors, the machine's body imploding. It was compacted into a cube about the size of a man, sharp edges and severed wires sticking out from it at odd angles. The metal block dropped to the ground with a loud thud.

The Geth froze for a moment, staring at the tiny scrap that was all that remained of the giant robot, before turning to look at the young biotic. Jano grabbed her and hauled her back into cover as they opened fire, only just dodging the incoming hail of bullets.

Many Geth retained their focus on the group of survivors, continuing their advance on the landing pad. Shepard hurled his pistol at the nearest one in disgust, angry at the lack of ammunition, and made ready to meet them in hand-to-hand combat, no other weapons remaining to him. Around him, his friends and allies, out of ammo and desperate, made ready to do the same.

As the Geth tensed, preparing to charge at them, Shepard held up a hand, tilting his head.

"You hear that?"

Over the noise of the approaching Geth, the Commander could make out the noise of many feet tramping through the streets, their numerous thumps joining together in the uniform chorus of a battle march.

Dozens of Quarians poured into the area around the landing pads, their rifles chattering loudly as they unleashed a vicious attack upon the rear ranks of the Geth.

Synthetics fell apart under the hail of metal, their numbers decimated by the sheer ferocity of the Quarian assault. In moments, only sparking parts remained.

Chuckling, Kal'Reegar emerged from the heart of the Quarian ranks, firing his weapon at a still-struggling Geth without even looking at it.

"Shepard. Getting into trouble again, I see." He spared a nod for Tali. "Ma'am. Glad to see you're in one piece."

"About time you got here, Kal." Tali said, a smile in her voice. "We were worried you'd miss the party completely."

"You know me, ma'am. I couldn't pass up the chance to empty a few thermal clips at so many of the synthetic bastards."

"We're glad you made it, Kal." Shepard said, searching the ground near the landing pad until he found Legion's temporary home, clipping the memory unit back onto his belt.

"How is the Seerah, Kal?" Tali asked.

"We've held the Geth off pretty well. But I'm a little worried. They were pushing pretty hard, but then they just backed off all of a sudden. They're up to something, I just don't know what."

"Hell of a fight, Shepard!" Jano congratulated, running up with Gillian in tow. "I don't think that many Geth have been destroyed since the uprising."

"It's been a long night." Shepard said, rubbing at a stiff shoulder. He turned to Gillian. "You have an impressive talent, Gillian. I don't think I've seen a biotic as young as you with that much power."

"It's not really… I don't really know how to-" Gillian stammered, blushing at the praise. "I can't really control it."

"It was still impressive. Hendel was a good teacher."

"Yes." She said slowly. "He was."

Kal'Reegar jerked as his comm beeped. He stepped away from the crowd of celebrating survivors for a moment, listening to a voice on the far end. After a few seconds, he stepped back over.

"Damn it!" He cursed explosively.

"What is it, Kal?" Tali asked nervously.

"It's the Seerah. The Geth are attacking again, in much larger numbers. They've already breached the perimeter my guards set up. They're on the ship!"

"Keelah, no!" Tali gasped, her hands beginning to shake. "The children, the clean rooms!" She turned to Shepard. "We have to get there, now!"

"We can take the shuttle." Shepard said. "Kal, you'll need to get your troops back there, double time."

"Aye!" Kal snapped off a salute, breaking into a run and shouting for his soldiers to follow him.

The Commander led Tali, Jano, Garrus, Kaidan and Gillian back to the Kodiak, helping Jano to load Legion's body aboard. In moments, they had taken off and were skimming through the sky above the colony on their way to the Seerah. Shepard hunched tensely over the controls, urging the craft to go faster.

As they reached the halfway point in their flight, a bright flash off to one side drew the Commander's attention. The Moreh's drive glowed brilliantly as it shuddered, preparing to begin its slow ascent into the sky. The Kodiak's comm unit beeped as someone sent a transmission on all channels.

"You may have won today, Shepard, but my work cannot be stopped!" Daro'Xen's voice resounded over the comm.

"Commander, did you hear that?" Kal transmitted moments later.

"It's the Moreh, Kal. Xen's leaving."

"Keelah!" The Quarian made it sound like a curse. "We can't let her get away!"

"He's right." Jano said over the Commander's shoulder. "If she gets away, then we'll be allowing a considerable threat to the Flotilla to roam free. Who knows how many ship captains she has in her pocket."

"We can't just let the Geth overrun the Seerah!" Tali exclaimed. "There are countless civilians in there!"

"What are your orders, Tali?" Kal prompted.

"Shepard, what do I do?" Tali asked, her voice sounding lost.

Shepard kept the Kodiak on a steady heading for a few moments, thinking it over. He considered whether to allow Xen to escape, but to save the colony in the process, or to lose the colony, but prevent having the Quarian Flotilla threatened by a madwoman.

He turned back to Tali, his mind in turmoil. He looked into her glowing eyes, full of fear for her people and indecision over what was best, and opened his mouth to tell her his decision.

**Author's Notes: Whew! another long one today, but I guess it's a good way to do justice to Tali. Had a number of delays to this chapter, including a virus on my computer when I was only a couple of hundred words from the end.**

**Anyway, another difficult choice for Shepard in this chapter. Should he let Xen get away and risk a Quarian civil war, or should he sacrifice the future of the Quarian race to put a stop to her? You decide! Head to my profile page and let your voice be heard!**

**If you're unsure of who Hendel and Gillian are, I'll direct you to Mass Effect: Ascension.**

**I'll get to working on the next mission, and will write the interlude chapter following this one once I know the result of the vote, so I'll update in about two or three weeks. The vote will stay open for one week, closing on Monday the 18th of July at midday GMT. Make sure to get your vote in before then.**

**Until I next update, stay well and please, review, review, review.**

**P.s. Props go to BloodIronAngel, Inverness, Nadrek, and General-Joseph-Dickson. Thanks for your kind comments, criticisms and banter. I always enjoy being able to discuss my story with others, giving me a chance to improve it. Thanks, guys (or girls).**


	30. 30: Hope Sustained

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 30: Hope Sustained**

"We need a decision." Kal's voice echoed through the comms insistently. "Do we try and stop Xen, or save the Seerah?"

"Shepard?" Tali pleaded, the glow of her eyes slanting as their corners creased, her expression obviously furrowed with the stress of the situation. Seeing his friend in such distress, he felt his heart tense.

"We can't sacrifice this colony, even to stop an individual like Xen. Your people need to make this work if they're to survive. We go to save the Seerah."

Tali nodded slowly before turning to the comms.

"Lead your men to the Seerah, Kal. The colony comes first."

"Understood, ma'am." The seasoned Quarian marine replied crisply.

"I hope we don't regret this, Shepard." Jano said stiffly. "Xen is a serious threat, both to the Flotilla and to the Geth."

"You'd really condone sacrificing all of those lives in exchange for stopping one power-mad Admiral?" Tali asked incredulously.

"Sometimes the needs of the many exceed those of the few." The Quarian replied evenly. "We have an entire fleet whose interests we need to look out for."

"I for one think we're doing the right thing." Tali insisted.

"We'll deal with Xen later." Shepard said confidently, steering the shuttle towards the looming bulk of the Seerah.

~o~0~o~

On the ground, the Quarian troops under Kal'Reegar's command had formed a secure perimeter around the Seerah, moving in slowly, cautiously. A number of Geth remained outside, picking through the bodies of the slain defenders of the ship. Clearly the main bulk of the synthetic army had moved inside, threatening the vulnerable civilians within. Seeing that regaining dominance over the ship was paramount, Shepard angled the shuttle towards the top of the ship, landing next to an airlock in its roof. He, Tali, Jano and Garrus disembarked. With reverent care, the Commander handed the memory core containing Legion to Kaidan.

"Keep the engines running and be ready to come to the rescue if things get really screwy in there." He ordered. "And keep Legion safe."

"Will do, Commander." Kaidan saluted, sliding behind the controls of the small craft. Satisfied, Shepard turned to the timid Gillian.

"Stay with Kaidan on the shuttle. You'll be safe here."

The wide-eyed girl nodded mutely, clinging to the safety harness that attached her to her seat. This done, Shepard turned to his friends.

"Let's move!" he barked.

~o~0~o~

Inside, all was deathly quiet. Shepard felt an itching tension rise across the nape of his neck, untrusting of the peace that dominated the upper halls of the Seerah. His rifle drawn, he turned to Tali.

"We need to make sure the main control points are secure. We'll start with the bridge. Which way?"

"Just keep following the corridors forward." Tali said, pointing. "Every passageway leads to the bridge eventually. Every Quarian should be able to find the way to their captain, no matter the size of the vessel."

"A bit like finding your father's room in a house." Garrus commented. "Master bedroom's always got the most prominent spot."

"Well, a ship's crew is all one big family, when it comes to Quarian culture." Jano explained.

The team proceeded down the murky passages, dodging around the vast array of shipping crates threatening to block the way. Overhead, the lights flickered dimly, causing the shadows amidst the unending cargo to dance deceptively, giving life to the darkest corners.

"Where is everyone?" Garrus asked, jittery.

"They'll have fallen back to the cargo bays and living areas." Tali answered. "In times of crisis, we have designated muster points, where we can perform a full head count and prepare for evacuation if necessary. Only essential personnel will remain at their posts. And seeing as we're not in orbit or engaged with an opposing enemy vessel, that means there'll only be crew on the bridge and tending to the power generator and life support systems."

"I'll take it from the fact we've still got light and my suit registers a breathable environment in here that those systems haven't been hit yet." Shepard murmured, looking around carefully.

"The Geth are probably focusing on corralling all the civilians into one easily contained area." Jano said bitterly. "After that-"

"Keelah, don't even say it!" Tali interrupted. "I will not let this happen!"

"It's okay, Tali." Shepard soothed. "We'll stop them."

"The bridge will have internal sensors tracking any synthetic signatures inside the ship." Garrus muttered. "We should be able to track the Geth that way."

After a few minutes, the squad found themselves approaching the front portion of the ship, having skirted around the massive spherical structure that housed the Seerah's agricultural facilities. They made ready to round the final few twists in the corridors before the sound of gunfire brought the Commander up short. The squad listened for a while, able to easily make out the mechanical stuttering that interspersed the fighting. Jano tilted his head.

"Geth weaponry. I'd know that sound anywhere." He said firmly. "No sounds of other kinds of weapons, though. Odd. The Seerah defence force has been equipped with standard thermal clip weapons. We should be able to hear them, too."

Shepard eased his way forward much more cautiously, almost moving at a snail's pace. He approached the final corner and peered around.

Beyond, he saw about a dozen of Daro'Xen's Geth hammering away at a pair of heavy, sealed doors. The metal glowed where it had been struck repeatedly by the white-hot ammunition that Geth weapons used. He instantly understood what they were trying to do. The Geth made use of weaponry that encased their bullets in a sheath of plasma, allowing them to burn through armour in a devastating fashion. While not hot enough to burn through a door, certainly a steady onslaught of radiantly intense fire would take out even the most resilient of blast doors eventually. Judging by the tide of spent ammunition cells around the feet of the machines and the dull orange glow of the doors, they had been working like this for some time, possibly even before Shepard had decided to come to the Seerah's aid. The bridge would be breached in moments and he knew that, had he chosen to apprehend Xen, he would not have been in time to save the Seerah from the Geth, not before her crew were all slaughtered by mechanical hands. He turned and scuttled back to his comrades.

"Got twelve contacts up ahead. They've almost burned through the bridge doors, so we've got to move fast. Garrus, you hold back and do some damage. Jano, Tali, stick with me and get ready to charge into the opening Garrus is going to make. They've got us in the way of numbers, so we're relying on surprise to take them out quickly."

"Aye aye."

"I hear you, Shepard."

"With you, Commander."

This said, Shepard moved back to the corner, flanked by the two Quarians. Garrus took up a position behind them, his sniper rifle at the ready. He moved to lean out and bring the Geth into view and, at a nod from Shepard, unleashed the fury of his weapon upon the unsuspecting opponents.

The moment the first Geth fell, a round hole puncturing its cranial shell and allowing a glimpse of the immensely complex wires and circuits within, the Commander began his headlong charge. He did not yell out, nor did he chant or count or anything else, he simply focused on putting his feet to the deck in a rhythmic fashion as he lifted his assault rifle and fired. Beside him, Tali and Jano used their shotguns in unison to send a storm of shining metal winging at their synthetic foes.

The first line of Geth was caught completely off guard, their metal shells bursting open like overripe fruit, allowing their innards to spill out onto the floor in a tangle of sparking wires, shattered microchips and slick coolant. In moments, five Geth lay prone, lifeless, while another three had their shields stripped away.

The few brief seconds it took for the squad to charge at the mechanical force was all it took for the sentient machines to realign their shields, focusing their energy to keep their barriers strongest where they faced their new enemy. Bullets now rebounded off powerful shields, ricocheting off walls, ceiling and floor dangerously. Even Garrus' remarkably accurate fire could not take them down in one quick shot, only sufficing to drain the power of the Geth shields significantly.

Tali paused in her charge, lifting her omnitool threateningly. A beam of light flashed from it, resolving into a bright round shape behind enemy lines. Looking about curiously, the VI drone leapt into action, using its weak electroshock probe to jolt the Geth around it. With a number of the enemy distracted in this way, the little Quarian was able to bypass their confused runtimes and hack one of the platforms, lending another weapon to the Commander's cause.

Jano continued to charge, racing into the midst of the Geth. His shotgun ran hot once more and, rather than reload, he swung it butt-first, slamming the weighty object into one Geth's torso hard enough to buckle the metal shell. Dropping his gun, the Quarian began laying into the machines around him with lightning-fast strikes, snapping an arm here and twisting a leg there, disassembling two robots before they could even process this new an unconventional threat. Their shields, designed to deflect high-energy and high-velocity attacks, did little to weaken his blows as he lashed out with balled fists and powerful feet.

Shepard focused on keeping his friends safe, his assault rifle shuddering in his grip. He accounted for three more Geth on his own, one drawing dangerously close to Jano, before the fighting came to an abrupt halt, all of the machines dead or dying. The one remaining platform, hacked by Tali, remained standing for an instant longer before an overload from her omnitool fried its systems.

The squad paused for a moment, regaining their composure. Jano looked through the newly created scrap, cooing with satisfaction as he scooped up a Geth shotgun, which he promptly slung on his back. He picked up a pair of squat pistols, stowing them on his belt, and then retrieved his own gun, inspecting the reloading mechanism carefully. A quick slap of his palm dislodged the stuck clip and he grunted with satisfaction, holstering the temperamental weapon.

Tali walked up to the thick blast doors and thumped he clenched fist on it once, twice, thrice. They waited a moment for the ringing echoes to fade before a voice sounded out over the speakers built near to the ceiling in the corridor.

"Who is there?" The voice was timid, weary, and untrusting.

"It's me, Captain Las'Vanya. It's Tali'Zorah."

"Prove it." The Quarian on the other side of the door demanded firmly. Clearly she suspected some sort of Geth trickery. Perhaps a voice modulator, or something equally complex.

"Authorisation code One-Five-Zero-Qesh'Nal-Naga-Seven." Shepard's communicator had no trouble translating the numbers, but the words that were clearly Quarian letters remained in their native tongue, no equivalent to be found in any Earth language.

"Opening the door." The voice responded, after a moment's hesitation.

The doors eventually groaned apart, sticking momentarily as the parts deformed by the Geth attack wedged in the doorframe. Just on the other side, a line of Quarian marines blocked the way, rifles out and aimed at the squad. Behind them, a slight Quarian woman waited tensely, ready to order the doors to slam shut at the first sign of trouble. All present within relaxed as they recognised Tali and Jano.

"Stand down." The Quarian ordered, ushering her forces away from the door. Her voice was cracked with worry, and suggested she was well advanced in years. Her enviro-suit was worn, hastily repaired in places, and bore the marks expected of one who had experienced a lot in her lifetime. Shepard would not have been surprised if she had removed her helmet to reveal rapidly greying hair and scores of wrinkles creasing her features, had she been Human.

Captain Las'Vanya turned back to the Commander and his allies.

"My apologies, Admiral Zorah. I had to ensure the safety of my crew. You cannot be too careful where the Geth are concerned."

"I understand, Las'Vanya. I would have done the same." Tali said sympathetically.

"Are you secure here?" Shepard asked, getting straight to the point. "Have you any wounded?"

"We sealed off the bridge before the Geth could get here. Most of our critical systems are secure, but internal security measures are offline."

"Internal security measures?" Garrus asked, keen to learn what resources they could make available to themselves.

"All ships in the Flotilla are capable of raising impenetrable atmospheric and particle barriers at certain key points in their passageways." Tali explained. "Such countermeasures could effectively trap an invading force, or contain a pocket of atmosphere during a hull breach. We also have comm jammers to confuse boarders, non-lethal turret emplacements to subdue any threats to the crew, and we are capable of scrambling the artificial gravity in certain sections."

"Why would you need to scramble the gravity?" The Turian pressed.

"It's a very effective way of immobilising enemies. You try fighting your way through a corridor if you're not sure whether then ceiling is the floor and vice versa." Jano responded. "If done right, we can hold an invading force in the centre of a passageway, unable to move."

"All of your countermeasures are non-lethal." Shepard commented. "You don't have anything we can use to destroy the Geth?"

"No. And there are two very good reasons for that." Tali answered. "Firstly, we have to be very careful with any sort of weapons fire within the ship. A stray bullet could short out our life support, or cause a hull breach."

"And the second reason?" The Commander asked.

"Space Haze." Jano muttered.

"What's that?" Shepard wondered.

"Space Haze." Tali answered. "Sometimes we call it 'Fleet Heat', because the victims of it always feel far too hot. Living on a ship all of your life can sometimes be… stressful. A Quarian suffering from it will feel claustrophobic, start to sweat in his suit, and grow more and more agitated. Eventually, they freak out. Sometimes they attack those around them, or worse."

"Worse?"

"Once, when I was young, still in my bubble," Jano related. "A close friend of the family had an attack. He barged onto the bridge, killed the captain, and hijacked the ship. He put it on a collision course with one of the primary Liveships. Had he not been apprehended, the Flotilla would have been short of one third of its capacity to grow its own food."

"The biggest danger of all," Tali resumed. "is if they decide their suit is just too hot. They start to take it off."

"I fail to see how a Quarian striptease is worse than hijacking one of your ships." Garrus murmured.

"You're forgetting about our immune systems." Tali rebuked. "One Quarian going maskless could infect the population of the entire ship. A great many people could die from the infection. But at the same time, we don't want them to die. Non-lethal suppression systems allow us to take them out safely."

"I see." Shepard mused. "How would we go about retaking control of those systems?"

"You'd have to go to the main control interface, in Engineering." Las'Vanya offered.

"But first we need to find out where the Geth are." Jano said. "What are your internal sensors telling you?"

"Not much." Las'Vanya said flatly. "They're tied into the internal security system."

"There must be some way for us to track them." Tali muttered, stepping over to a console and tapping away at it, her entire stance suggesting a powerful focus on the technical task.

"Maybe if we realigned the external sensor dishes to emit their signals inwards?" Las'Vanya said helpfully, stepping up next to the slight Admiral.

"No. Their signals would interfere with one another. Plus, the ship's hull would present to much of a barrier to get a clear reading in the first place."

"What about a low-intensity magnetic burst?" Jano suggested. "We get a reading of the nearby surroundings, and then we work out how the ship's innards affect the reading. The power should be low enough not to damage any of the ship's systems. Kind of like a toned down ladar."

"That won't help either." Tali dismissed. "Each ping would take five minutes at least to give us a reading. Besides which, are you really sure the Seerah would not be damaged? No, we can't do that. What if we used the ship's kinetic barriers to-"

"What about Damage Control?"

Shepard fell silent as three pairs of Quarian eyes turned to face him, a little surprised from being interrupted. He readied himself for the inevitably patronising explanation of how his idea would not work, and that he should leave the ideas up to the more mechanically apt Quarians, but pressed on with his suggestion.

"If the Geth are moving through the ship, they'll be trying to break into the ship's systems wherever they go. Damage Control shouldn't be wired into the security network, so it should still be up and running. We don't need to see the Geth to find out where they are, we just need to see what they're breaking."

The room was silent for a moment as all of the Quarians present chewed over this idea.

"That's… a very good idea, actually. Much cruder than expected, but effective." Tali admitted. She turned and began working at the console again. Garrus, standing behind Shepard, chuckled loudly.

"You Quarians!" He started, putting his foot in his mouth without thinking. "Always looking for the complicated solutions when a simple one is staring you in the face."

"Garrus, I still have my shotgun." Tali muttered over her shoulder.

"… I'll be quiet now." The Turian replied meekly.

"You do that. The grown-ups are working."

Shepard stifled a laugh at the pair's antics, shaking his head in amusement. He waited with folded arms as Tali pulled up the required readings.

"Okay. I think I've got them." She said with a measure of satisfaction. "I can track them back to the boarding ramp. After gaining access to the ship, they split into two groups. They've been attempting to hack various terminals along two paths. One leads to Engineering, and the other… Oh Keelah!"

"What?" The Commander asked, tensing at the tone of her voice.

"The second group has almost reached the primary Cargo Bay. That's where the civilians would have been moved."

"Oh, ancestors preserve us!" Las'Vanya gasped. "I evacuated the occupants of the clean rooms to there. The children…!"

"Any word on where Kal'Reegar is?" Shepard asked, hoping that keeping his voice firm would assure the Quarians.

"Give me a second," Tali activated her comms. "Kal'Reegar, do you copy?"

"Loud and clear, ma'am!" The seasoned marine's voice sounded over the transmission.

"Where are you, Kal?"

"Just broke the Geth perimeter. We're ploughing our way through the synthetic bastards right now, making our way towards the bridge. There's not as many as I was expecting, though."

"That's because they've concentrated themselves around the main Cargo Bay. They're going after the civilians."

"Son of a Nathak!" The marine cursed. "Alright. What are your orders, ma'am?"

"Head for the Cargo Bay. Protect the colonists at all costs." Tali responded firmly.

"Understood."

"In the meantime, we need to deal with the Geth in the engines." Shepard said. "God knows what they're up to down there, but it can't be good."

"Hang on a minute while I take a look…" Tali suddenly froze, her spine stiffening as she read something troubling.

"What is it now?" Shepard asked, growing a little tired of the constant worsening of the situation.

"They've set the core to overload." Tali said flatly.

"What the hell?" Jano asked incredulously. "Don't they realise they'll blow themselves up with us?"

"Something tells me that these Geth are not worried about self-preservation. Xen really wants to make sure that no one lives through this." Shepard grumbled. "How long have we got?"

"About fifteen minutes." Tali said, reading off the numbers. "Shepard, we must stop this. If even a fraction of the chemical contaminants in that core manage to vent into the atmosphere, this planet will be uninhabitable for Quarians. We'll still lose the colony."

"I understand." Shepard nodded.

"What about Kal'Reegar?" Garrus interjected. "He'll need some extra firepower to wade through all those Geth."

"He's right." Shepard said, still facing the Quarians. "Jano, go help Kal'Reegar to defend the Cargo Bay. I know you've got the combat skills needed to do this."

"I'll send some of my troops with you." Las'Vanya offered, pointing to about half of her troops, leaving her with a small squad to hold the bridge. Jano saluted before turning to leave, a string of Quarians following him closely.

"Tali, you're with myself and Garrus." The Commander ordered.

"Just like old times, huh?" The Turian chuckled as the team marched out of the bridge, the heavy doors slamming shut behind them.

"Well, you're just as annoying, so I guess so." Tali shot back.

"You know, I'm not sure I like this Admiral Zorah." Garrus said to Shepard. "What happened to the sweet little girl we met on Pilgrimage?"

Shepard smiled behind his face plate, not deigning to reply. Instead, he focused on keeping a steady pace as they rushed towards the stern of the ship.

~o~0~o~

Several minutes later, they had reached the end of the ship. They paused before another pair of heavy doors, these having been forced open, and looked about cautiously before proceeding. Shepard was relieved to find that the corridors in the upper reaches of the ship had been fairly empty, the main Geth force being focused on the lower decks and around their two objectives.

Garrus scuttled forward, inching his way up to the open doors and glancing in, using his visor to scan the room carefully. He beckoned his companions forward, motioning for Shepard to take a look inside.

Beyond, Shepard saw a moderately large cluster of Geth platforms around the engine core. Troopers, Hunters, Destroyers and even a pair of Hoppers bustled around, tinkering with the engine here and there. Towering over them, a Prime oversaw all of the work in silence. Shepard analysed these enemy troops for a few brief moments before turning back to his friends and issuing his orders, making use of silent hand gestures in order to avoid detection by the Geth beyond the door. Once his allies nodded in confirmation, he turned to the door and dropped into a crouch, ready to charge in at full tilt.

Garrus slowly, methodically, pulled his sniper rifle from his back, planting one bony knee on the floor while he steadied himself. He lined up a shot and, with the tiniest of twitches of his finger, fired. The white-hot bullet darted into the engine room, striking one of the Geth Destroyers, puncturing the fuel tank it used to power its flame-thrower. There was a high-pitched whine, rising in tone, before the machine vanished in a brilliant orange ball of flame. Several of its fellows, all clustered in close around it, were cast to the deck by the blast, shields stripping away under the intense heat.

In the time it took for this to happen, the Turian had lined up more shots, one to a second Destroyer, detonating it in the same fashion, one puncturing the head of one of the Troopers, and one stripping away the shields of one of the Hunters.

While Garrus rained down such confusion and devastation upon the Geth, Shepard darted into the room, finding cover behind a towering pillar of pipes and wires stretching from floor to ceiling. Tali was close behind him, moving much more nimbly to traverse the far side of the room. They took up positions on either side of the door, and waited.

The Geth charged at the door, attempting to press forward into the Turian's fire in the hopes of overwhelming him with sheer numbers. Garrus ducked and dodged as fire from Geth weapons pinged off the floor and walls around him, using the doorframe for cover.

Shepard waited a few more seconds until the first of the synthetics charged past his hiding place, putting itself between Tali and himself. He opened up with his rifle, tearing into their unsuspecting flank, while Tali did the same. Caught in the crossfire, Geth dropped by the handful, torn apart by the twin attacks.

The Commander was about to gun down yet another Hunter, its camo flickering wildly as it tried to cloak, when a thick, silvery grey arm reached over his shoulder, plucking the gun from his hands with an unnatural strength. He looked around to see one of the Geth Hoppers latching onto the pillar above his head, dangling upside down as it hurled his rifle far from his grasp. Sinewy thick muscles forged from some advanced polymer covered its body, giving it the flexibility and strength many of its cousins lacked. Being made from this strange substance robbed it of the protection that the armoured shells gave its kin, but it still possessed the resilience of a machine, and without a weapon it would be hard to take down.

A rock-hard fist punched into the Commander's sternum, forcing him to stagger back a step or two. He raised his arms protectively, trying to block a few of the vicious blows. He knew that he risked being surrounded by the Geth if he did not retrieve his weapon and return his focus to the main body of the enemy, but this new threat presented too much of a danger to him to ignore. He chanced a glance over to his comrade to notice with a flash of despair that Tali, too, faced one of the Hoppers. Only Garrus' lethal accuracy kept the Geth from overwhelming them.

Tali dropped into a coiled crouch, like a spring under tremendous pressure. Robbed of her gun, the Quarian made ready to use her omnitool to defend himself. As the Hopper lunged for her, she swivelled, one arm darting out. In her clenched fist, she gripped the knife from her boot tightly, using it to slice at synthetic muscle. The Geth stuttered in protest as one of its legs ceased to function.

The Quarian darted around the Geth, striking at its back to send it staggering. As the machine tottered on the ball of it's one remaining foot, Tali lunged forward, slamming her omnitool into its back. The device sparked, sending a massive surge of energy into the machine, shorting it out and sending it plummeting to the floor.

Shepard turned his attention back to his own problems, ducking as the Hopper swiped at him. He was caught off-guard by the follow-up, a low sweep with the other arm that caught him across the gut, sending the air hissing out from between his lips in a painful rush. He stumbled back a couple of steps, aware of the Geth trying to circle around him, threatening to close in on all sides. Knowing the danger, the Commander dropped down and lashed out, catching the Hopper across the back of the knee. It felt like kicking a tree, but his kick was powerful enough to buckle the joint, knocking the Geth off one foot. Without giving it a chance to recover, he kicked the second leg out from under it, causing the machine to land on top of him with a powerful thump. He winced as the full weight of the machine dropped on him, managing to roll out from under it. The Hopper's clawed fingers scrabbled at his armour, eliciting tortured shrieks as they scraped away the upper ablative layer, scoring a painful series of scratches along his leg. He kicked the Geth in the face, shattering its 'eye', effectively blinding it.

Before the machine could recover enough to stand, The Commander rolled away from it, finding his rifle. He stood and unloaded half of his current clip into the Hopper's vulnerable back, tearing it apart in a flurry of mechanical gore.

As he turned his attention back to the main Geth force, he noted that it had been greatly reduced. Only a handful of man-sized units remained, and of the larger Hunters only one could be seen, which swiftly fell to Garrus' fire. Shepard felt himself relax a little before the thunderous thud, thud, thud of heavy metal feet reminded him of the most serious of threats in the room.

_Oh, right_. He thought inwardly, sarcasm permeating his thoughts as the Prime stepped forward, heavy guns warming up already.

Shepard managed to retreat behind the pillar just as the first stream of bullets headed his way, firing wildly as he ran. His hastily fired bullets bounced off the Prime's shields, but a few found the smaller tragets, further thinning the enemy ranks. The Prime plodded towards the Commander for a few moments before an explosive shot from Garrus caused it to stagger, attracting its ire. The machine turned and launched a rocket at the Turian, the projectile going wide. Taking advantage of this distraction, Tali emerged from behind her cover. The Quarian had drawn her pistol, and was using it to send a withering barrage at the Geth. The monstrous machine began to turn to face this new threat just as Shepard emerged from hiding, pouring a couple of clips into its back. The barriers around the synthetic shimmered and fell, allowing the Commander's shots to tear into its body. Smoke began to pour from the holes the attack left, the massive automaton shuddering as its power began to fluctuate uncontrollably. A quick shot from Garrus finished it off, removing the distinctive head from its shoulders.

The engine room seemed deathly still in the silence that followed the battle, the rumble of the engine barely registering to Shepard's ears before they recovered from the recent gunfire. As Shepard and Garrus took stock of their ammo reserves and attended to any injuries, Tali darted over to the main engine control panel. In moments, she had prevented the core overload and regained control of all systems. She turned to the Commander with a satisfied grin in her voice.

"All done. Captain Las'Vanya should be able to reassert control over the defence systems and immobilise the remaining Geth."

"Great job." Shepard commended. "Let's go see how Jano and Kal are holding up."

"Agreed. The sooner this night is over, the better." Tali replied enthusiastically, although het weariness was evident. "And after that, I will be needing a long drink."

"I don't believe this." Garrus chuckled as he drew close. "Is Tai actually offering to buy the next round?"

"Sure, Garrus." The Quarian replied with a giggle. "I'll buy you any levo beverage you like."

Shepard just laughed as he led his two old friends out of the engine room.

~o~0~o~

The Cargo Bay bustled with activity. Quarians swarmed across almost every available surface, putting things back the way they belonged. Once more the Commander found himself comparing them to insects repairing their hive. He pointedly did not stare at the neat row of bodies lining the corridor outside, more and more being added to the long line as Quarians ferried their fallen out of their living spaces. He had to admire their resolute nature, even under such stressful conditions. There would be time for grieving later, but at that moment all that mattered was getting their ship, their home, their life, back to one hundred per cent.

He eventually found Jano moving about amid the wounded, overseeing the movement of several dislodged crates of supplies in order to free up more avenues for his kin to traverse. He clutched one arm to his side painfully, clearly badly injured, but refused any medical care that was offered him.

"I'm fine, damn it!" He snapped at one Quarian nurse who tried running her omnitool over his damaged arm. "Go see to someone else. There are others who need you more than I do."

"Jano?" Shepard called. The Quarian spun around, his posture relaxing as soon as he spotted the Commander returning with both of his comrades.

"Shepard." He almost sighed with relief. "I knew you'd beat those damn Geth as soon as the defences came back online, but I'd worried what price you'd had to pay to save the ship."

"We're all in one piece, although I think we're all in sore need of something tall, cold and filled to the brim with alcohol." Shepard said dryly.

"From the looks of thing, you could do with a lot more than that, Jano." Tali said sharply, indicating his arm. "What happened?"

"Geth Hopper got the jump on me." The Quarian sheepishly admitted. "I'll live."

"Not if you don't get someone to take a look at it." The slight Admiral rebuked. "Go find a medic right now. I'll not have you risking an infection because you're too stubborn to accept treatment."

"But Admiral, there are too many Quarians in need of treatment more than I am. Kal'Reegar was-"

"No buts! Get- wait. What's wrong with Kal?" Tali's voice dropped an octave as worry overtook her. Jano gestured silently for the squad to follow him.

They made their way past the final few banks of crates, to where a series of white tents had been erected to create a cluster of makeshift clean rooms. A pair of guards on duty stepped aside as Tali nodded to them stiffly, allowing them to walk amid the tents. Jano led them to one in particular, bringing them to a halt before it's transparent door. Inside, a Quarian doctor worked on a patient, swathed in an envirosuit that was more heavily built than most. The patient's suit had been pried open, revealing a torn chest and heavily damaged stomach. Sterile machines worked on his exposed organs, stitching ruptured tissue together.

"Kal!" Tali exclaimed, recognising the suit's pattern immediately.

The patient twitched, head jerking up. Even in this state, the Quarian kept his mask on, unwilling to risk any kind of infection being breathed in.

"Ma'am." The soldier greeted through clenched teeth.

"You're awake?" Tali asked in disbelief. "Why hasn't the doctor sedated you?"

"There's too much to do, ma'am. My troops need me. Don't worry, the doc's got so many painkillers running through me, I probably wouldn't feel it if you hurled me into the sun."

"What is it with Quarians being such stubborn bastards today?" Garrus asked jokingly.

"I have a duty to the Flotilla, and then a duty to myself, not the other way around." Kal responded flatly.

"Kal, I want you to take the sedatives. I'm asking you, as a friend. Don't make me order you as an Admiral."

The marine sat stiffly for a moment before sighing, his lungs visibly heaving in his open chest.

"Yes, ma'am."

Tali nodded to him before turning to the doctor, standing next to the door.

"How is he?"

"He took a bad hit to the torso. Tore up most of his organs pretty bad. We've got synthflesh generators running to grow him some replacements. As far as we can see, infection has been kept to a minimum. As long as he gets plenty of rest, He should recover in time. Thank you for convincing him to take the sedatives."

"Thank you, doctor. Carry on."

Tali turned away from the tent hesitantly. Sensing her distress, Shepard placed a comforting hand upon her shoulder.

"He'll be fine, Tali. You'll see."

"Thanks, Shepard. I guess things could have been a lot worse. Thank you, for choosing to save the Seerah. We could have lost so many more good people."

"But we still let Xen get away." Jano added bitterly. "She'll be who knows where by now."

"Maybe the Normandy can track her." Shepard offered. "Speaking of which, I could really use you on the squad again, Tali."

The Quarian looked at him thoughtfully, obviously tempted.

"I'd love to, Shepard. But I have a responsibility to my people. With Xen still on the loose, and an entire colony to help recover, I can't leave with you."

Shepard felt his face drop at the refusal, but he nodded in understanding. Much like his old friend Wrex, Tali now had commitments that prevented her from joining him, much as it pained him to admit it.

Tali nodded, comprehending the Commander's disappointment, before turning to Jano.

"I am sorry for your loss, Jano. Your ship has left you behind."

"The crew of the Moreh supported Xen's scheme. I could not go along with that. I will accept the burden."

"'Burden?'" Shepard asked curiously. "What do you mean?"

"To be one of the Nav'ameh, the Marooned, carries the heaviest stigma a Quarian can bear. It is worse than being an exile." Tali explained. "There is nothing more important in our society than one's own crew, or family. To have them turn their backs on you, to leave you behind, is something heinous in our culture."

"That's bullshit!" Shepard protested. "Jano has been marooned because he stood up for what was right, for the good of the Flotilla! You can't punish him for that!"

"I know. It's not right, but these are the laws of our people." Tali said sadly. "I cannot rewrite them."

Shepard fumed in his helmet, furious at the situation his new-found friend would have to face. Once again, Quarian politics threatened to put justice on the back-burner. He paced for a few seconds before an idea leapt into his head.

"What if he was no longer considered a part of the Moreh's crew?"

"You suggest transferring Jano to the crew of the Seerah?" Tali asked. "That would not work. In order for him to transfer, he would need to be approved by the Conclave representatives aboard, by which time his status as one of the Marooned would be known."

"Maybe he can't join the Seerah, but he could join the Normandy."

Jano jolted upon realising what Shepard was offering. Tali tilted her head, her stance full of warmth upon realising what her old friend was doing for the marine.

"That… could work. The Normandy has been recognised as part of the Migrant Fleet by the Admiralty Board's recognising me as part of its crew. And as the captain that represented me during my trial, you are so far the only recognised representative to the Conclave and the Board, meaning only you would need to be consulted to accept him into your crew- Keelah, I sound like Auntie Raan, looking for loopholes in my own laws!"

"You'd really consider allowing me to join your crew, Commander?" Jano asked tentatively.

"Definitely. I've seen you fight, Jano. You've got talents, and would be welcome on board. Besides which, we could always use some Quarian ingenuity aboard."

"Thank you, Shepard." The Quarian replied sincerely. "I will do what I can to make you a proud Captain."

"Least I could do, considering the number of times you risked your neck to save me today."

"Another stray, Commander?" Garrus chuckled. "What is it about you that draws them? Welcome aboard, Jano."

~o~0~o~

"Commander, the last of the Quarian shuttles has landed in the Normandy's Cargo Bay. Transfer of supplies should be complete in moments. Admiral Zorah has expressed her wish to speak with you before she disembarks."

Shepard looked up at EDI's steady monotone, turning away from the mission report he had been reading.

"Thank you, EDI." He muttered as he stood, making his way back to the elevator that took him from his cabin to the Main Cargo Bay.

The doors hissed open, allowing the Commander to walk into a hive of activity. Quarians scuttled about, unloading heavy crates from the shuttle that squatted in the centre of the Bay. Some bore markings that indicated they contained various resources, including a large crate of Element Zero. Others contained fuel, spare parts, and there were even a couple of crates of Dextro-based food for the Normandy's Turian passengers and her newly acquired Quarian soldier.

Said Quarian was watching the work pensively, arms folded across his chest. Shepard walked over to Jano, patting him on the shoulder.

"Jano. You alright?"

"Commander." The Quarian greeted. "Just… thinking. Last time I left my people, it took me over twelve years to get back, and the years I spent away were hardly pleasant. Now, I am leaving them behind once more, and this time the chances of my return are even slimmer. We face the Reapers, who, from your and Tali's accounts, seem to be a threat like no other. Odds of success are low, odds of returning unscathed are nonexistant."

"Nervousness is understandable. But we'll pull through." Shepard assured.

"I hope so." Jano said quietly.

"Is there anything you need? Anything you want to collect before we go?"

"All of my possessions were on the Moreh, Commander. I have nothing left to gather. I have said my goodbyes to my friends on Andairas, and Tali has already spoken to the Admiralty Board. I am vas Normandy now, much like she was while under your command. My only regret is that I cannot present you with a gift, as is our custom."

"It is not needed. Your assistance in our war is enough."

"Perhaps. Nevertheless, I will see what I can do to help improve the Normandy. I may not be the most technically focused Quarian around, but I still know a few tricks."

"Maybe you can help Jacob in the Armoury. Combat seems to be more your style."

"Hmm." The Quarian said thoughtfully. "I think I have something I can give you. To a Quarian, suit integrity is of paramount importance. Thanks to this, the Admiralty Board okayed a prototype system to be installed in all enviro-suits issued to members of the colony. It regenerates the ablative layers of our suits, repairing the physical defences, essentially preventing infection via suit rupture by resealing the breach. I could apply this technology to the combat armour of all of your squad members."

"Sounds useful. But if this is classified Flotilla technology, do you really have the right to give it to us?"

"I think, given how much you have done for the Quarians, they would not begrudge you a defensive edge that you will sorely need in the days to come."

"It's much appreciated, Jano."

"So, I see you're still knocking about. Take it the whole Pilgrimage thing went well, then." Shepard turned at the new arrival to the conversation just in time to see Jack stride out of the elevator. She wore a wide smile, her eyes glinting. "Jano'Yorish nar Zimah."

"Jackalee?" The Quarian asked incredulously. "Is that really you?"

"I'd ask the same of you. Impossible to be sure, what with those buckets you guys wear on your heads." Jack chuckled. "I got one suggestion: clear visors."

"Look at you, all grown up." Jano said fondly. Shepard got the feeling he would have liked to embrace her, but everyone present knew that Jack was not a cuddler. At least, not in public view. "What's with the hair?"

"Joined a cult. Everyone died. Moved on." Jack explained simply. She made it clear with her stiff posture she did not wish to speak any further on that topic..

"I'll… let you two catch up." Shepard said, excusing himself and making his way to the Quarian shuttle.

As the Commander rounded the craft, he caught sight of Tali. She was checking off a list of supplies, making sure everything that was bound for the Normandy had been transported.

"Kon'Tala, where are the auxiliary field bleed monitors? Have they been offloaded yet?" She waited while one of her subordinates answered her. "Well, get them shifted. Have Fadu'Zaan help you."

"Tali." Shepard called. The Quarian looked up from her task.

"Shepard. I'm glad I caught you before I left."

"EDI told me you wanted to speak with me."

"Just… wanted to say goodbye. You're going off into who-knows-what kind of danger, risking everything."

Shepard smiled upon realising her concern for him. The pair had always been fast friends, and he knew it pained her to allow her old crew, as much family as friends, to head off into unknown danger without her.

"You sure you can't come with us?"

"I'd love to, Shepard. But my place is here." Tali shrugged before leaning forward, wrapping the Commander in a warm embrace. He returned the gesture before letting her go.

"You'll be missed Tali."

"Hopefully I'll see you again soon." The Quarian reasoned. "I've given Jano the co-ordinates for the Flotilla, so you can make your way there to speak with the Admirals when you've got time. There is talk of me returning to the Flotilla myself. With Xen on the loose, we need to make preparations." She hesitated for a moment. "There is something else."

"Anything, Tali."

The Quarian turned to the shuttle, gesturing to someone inside. A shape detached itself from the back wall of the craft and stepped into view. Shepard was surprised to see Gillian walk out, looking about timidly.

"Hello, Gillian." Shepard said, a little surprised. "Tali?"

"She lost Hendel, Commander. There are no more of her kind among my people. She needs to be among Humans."

"We have a dangerous mission, Tali. The Normandy will be no place for a girl like her."

"I know. All I ask is that you look after her until you have a chance to deliver her to a safe place. Kahlee Sanders knows her. Perhaps she will be prepared to keep her safe."

"Okay." Shepard acceded. He turned to the girl. "Welcome aboard, Gillian. Do you have anything with you?"

The girl mutely pointed to a small crate on the shuttle. Shepard nodded, stepping over and lifting it off the craft and onto the Normandy. Gillian followed the Commander as he led her to the elevator, waiting patiently where he left her crate while he turned back to his old friend.

"Take care of yourself, Tali."

"You too, Shepard." Tali held up her hand in farewell. "Ancestors protect you. Keelah Se'lai."

~o~0~o~

Shepard wandered through the CIC, having left Gillian in Kelly's capable hands, instructing the yeoman to make sure that the young biotic was settled properly. As he walked past his terminal, EDI informed him of the departure of the Quarian shuttle. He nodded quietly before pressing the control on the door to the Tech Lab.

The doors hissed open, revealing Mordin standing at his workbench. Laid out on the cold metal surface, Legion's inert form glinted dully in the artificial light. Wires fanned out from various access ports, running a myriad diagnostics. The Salarian professor ran his omnitool over the Geth, eyes creased with focus. The memory core that housed the synthetic's runtimes lay on another table, under identical scrutiny. The professor looked up at the Commander's entry.

"Shepard. Was examining Legion, attempting to reactivate. Fascinating challenge. Never really had chance to examine Geth programming in depth. Of course, analysed hardware during time in STG, but software was always erased before we could perform tests. Added complexity of Legion's multiple runtimes. Thoroughly enjoyable task."

"Have you made any progress in repairing him?" Shepard asked, not letting the Salarian's fascination irritate him. Some may have taken offence at Mordin's seemingly caring more about what could be learned than actually fixing his comrade, but Shepard knew that it was just his way of performing his task. He was just as eager to return his ally to active duty as the Commander, and would do what he could to make that happen.

"Some progress. Consulted Tali for pointers on how to work with Geth code. Of course, she was occupied with her work in supplying the Normandy, and somewhat distracted by the needs of her colony. Nevertheless, have made good progress thanks to her assistance. All hardware has been repaired, and am now prepared to begin transfer of runtimes."

The Salarian leaned across and waved his omnitool over the memory core. The device sparked, and the wires linking it to the Geth shell glowed brightly. The machinery hummed quietly, lights flickering on across the Geth's body. It jerked a couple of times before the professor fastened a couple of restraints to prevent any damage to the hardware. With a flash, the Geth's 'eye' flickered on, focusing as it looked about. Once it went still, Mordin began removing the wires and restraints. The machine sat up straight, gears groaning.

"Legion?" Shepard asked. The Geth's face spun to look at him, eerily silent. The Commander decided to press it for a reaction. "Are you alright?"

The Geth looked about in a sort of mechanical confusion. Shepard got the feeling that, had the Geth been an organic, it would have clutched its head.

"Can you hear me?"

"Yes." The reply contained a little static.

"Damage report."

"We estimate that this platform has sustained heavy damage. Our runtimes remain intact, but our hardware only has sixty-five per cent functionality. Self-repair systems are inactive."

"Was unable to comprehend the intricate workings of the self-repair system." Mordin admitted. "Combination of nanobot minifacturing and liquid polymer generation, more complex than anything encountered before."

"We will be capable of providing advice to aid Solus-Doctor in his efforts to repair this platform." Legion offered.

"I'll leave you two to get to work, then." Shepard said, backing out of the room as the Salarian and the Geth proceeded with the repairs.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard made his way around the Galaxy Map, aiming for the cockpit on the opposite end of the Command Deck. He stepped aside as a pair of laughing children rushed by. Miranda's progeny appeared to be enjoying themselves aboard the Normandy. As he approached the prow of the ship, the Commander took note of a light chuckle from the pilot's chair. He emerged from the long corridor to see a small figure next to Joker's seat, reaching across to tweak certain controls. Another child sat in the navigator's chair, scanning the star charts with a careful, studious eye. The Commander smiled as he pondered how like their mother they were, possessing the same rock-hard focus combined with a desire to expand their understanding of the Universe.

"Now, increase the yaw to one zero five point four." Joker said gently. The child standing by his knee obediently pressed a series of buttons on the control interface, and the Normandy smoothly executed the manoeuvre, the stars beyond the cockpit's viewports wheeling by swiftly. "Good job. We'll have you flying this old bucket in no time."

Shepard stood in silence for a few moments, watching the piloting lesson. Joker's voice hummed with admiration, clearly surprised at how quickly the kids picked everything up. After a couple of moments, the pilot sensed the new presence over his shoulder and looked back.

"Commander! I was just… uh…" The pilot grew flustered, obviously worried the Commander may take issue with him allowing a child to be in control of the multi-billion credit warship that they all depended upon.

"It's alright, Joker." Shepard chuckled. "Just came forward to let you know our newest heading."

"Good." Joker said, perhaps a little faster than he'd intended. "Been itching to get going. Not that I have anything against the Quarians, mind you. And seeing Tali is always fun. It's just that I'm never too sure how they'd react if they knew our entire ship was an AI. They get tetchy enough about Legion, you know?"

"Hopefully, after our work here today and Legion's contribution, they'll be a little more open-minded."

"I just wish I'd been able to do something, you know?" Joker muttered bitterly. "I tried to catch that ship, but she used the planet as a shield while her core warmed up. I couldn't risk shooting her out of the sky without damaging the planet. Then, she blasted out of there like she had a Reaper fleet on her tail. The Normandy had the speed to keep up, but she managed to keep herself far enough away that we couldn't land a good enough shot. Then she was gone, and we couldn't leave you guys behind to go chasing her halfway across the Galaxy."

"Did EDI manage to get a heading?"

"I manage to make a rough estimate of where the Moreh was about to jump to." EDI answered coolly. "I calculate a seventy-six per cent probability that Admiral Xen is travelling towards the Perseus Veil, or its immediate vicinity.

"Geth space? That can not be good."

"Could be misdirection. Have us go scouring the Veil for her while she heads back to the Flotilla and starts a war." Joker guessed.

"We'll just have to risk it. She wasn't worth sacrificing thousands of lives for. I couldn't let her Geth destroy the colony."

"No doubt your choice to save the colony will be appreciated. It wasn't easy, Commander, but you did the right thing. If you'd gone after that crazy Admiral and let the colonists die, I don't doubt that the Quarians back on the Flotilla would have taken offence. I bet they'd assume you were more worried about her hacking your Geth allies than saving Quarian lives."

"There was no winning with a choice like that." Shepard said solemnly. "Seems I'm being forced to make a lot of decisions like that lately."

"Aww, man. Is this about that Aratoht thing again?" Joker asked, in the same way one might bring up that the Commander had forgotten to take the trash out for the third week in a row. "Shepard, there was nothing you could do. Stop living on that asteroid. We need to focus on making sure the Reapers don't do that to anyone else, starting with Earth. It has been three years since I last had a decent cheeseburger, and they can only make them right in New York, America. So, y'see, we've got to save the world, for cheeseburgers!"

Shepard laughed loudly at that one.

"Still got your priorities in line, I see." He managed through his chuckles.

"So where are we headed next, Shepard?" Joker asked eagerly.

"Meroxis. A Turian colony world. EDI should already have the co-ordinates."

"Turians. Great." Joker muttered. "Just what I need. A bunch of aliens with sticks shoved so far up their butts that they can't even nod their heads."

"C'mon, Joker. Garrus isn't so bad."

"He was, right up until you found him on Omega. Since then he's just plain scary at times. As for Delexia… she's nice, but I get the feeling I really, really don't want to piss her off. For one thing, I've seen her knife collection. And how often she likes to polish and sharpen them. I reckon if you give her a hug it'd be like cuddling a cheesegrater."

"What is it with you and cheese today?" Shepard asked, feeling glad to engage in a conversation that didn't revolve around the fate of the Galaxy, for once.

"What can I say? I was kinda hoping you'd get the hint and take pity on a poor, starving helmsman."

"Sure. Like that's going to happen." Shepard smirked. He turned away and began walking back towards the CIC, lifting a hand to wave over his shoulder. "Seven long hours 'till the end of your shift, Joker. Enjoy!"

Shepard stifled a chortle as Joker, grumbling loudly, turned back to his console. In moments, he was swiftly explaining the principles behind the Tantalus Drive Core to the two children keeping him company.

**~o~0~o~**

The next morning, Shepard strode onto the Crew Deck, fresh after his long night's rest. The moved around the curve of the elevator, entering the Mess and dropping himself into an available chair with little ceremony. Across from him, Ken slurped happily at a bowl of thick, gooey beige sludge. The Scottish engineer saluted him with a tap of his sticky spoon to his forehead.

"Commander." He said brightly. "Sleep well?"

"Like the dead." Shepard answered with a smile. His chuckle died in his throat upon catching Ken's expression and realising the double meaning that phrase had for a man like the Commander. "Sorry. Poor choice of words."

"Well… I guess you are the only one aboard who'd know what that felt like." Ken managed awkwardly. Both he and his superior looked up as a shadow was cast across their table.

"He bothering you, Commander?" Gabby asked, placing a hand on Ken's shoulder. Without waiting for an answer, she turned to her cohort. "Hurry up, Ken! You were supposed to be on shift fifteen minutes ago. Hurry up and finish that crap and get moving."

"Crap? This is the finest porridge you'll find in Citadel Space, lass!" Ken objected indignantly. "One of the crowning achievements of my culture!"

"You sure?" Gabby countered. "I mean, I did just see a bucket-full of something that looked just like that leak out of one of the coolant lines on the sub-deck. Coolant lines which, if you are not fixing them within the next minute, will provide a nice, cool home for your ass after I shove it in there!"

"Alright, alright! I'm moving." Ken protested. As he stood up, Shepard heard him mutter something. "Crazed, jumped-up harpy."

"What was that?" Gabby's tone was cold enough that Shepard felt certain that the coolant lines could have easily taken a break.

"I was just saying that I love it when you speak to me sharply." Kenneth answered quickly and smoothly.

"Ugh! Get moving, you pig!" Gabby swatted him across the back of his head.

Shepard chuckled as he watched the two engineers retreating. The entire display, of course, was obviously purely in jest. The entire crew was aware of how close the pair were. In fact, Shepard was surprised that two individuals of such intelligence could not have noticed the attraction between themselves. He shrugged. They'd need to find out on their own terms.

He was drawn out of his reverie by yet another shadow falling across his table. He turned to look up into Miranda's sharp, well-defined features. The ex-Cerberus agent's demeanour was stiff, professional. The Commander wondered for a moment if this return to the old, more unbending Miranda was partly thanks to her protracted absence from the ship and some subconscious need to 'catch up' on everything that had been allowed to slide during her time in her father's clutches. Or perhaps it was her way of compensating for the more recent turn of events surrounding her 'children'.

"Commander." Her tone, just like her posture, was solid, unyielding. "Do you have a few minutes?"

"Of course, Miranda." Shepard said, standing. She gestured with her head, and he followed her away from the tables and to her office, behind Rupert's galley. Inside, Miranda took up a position behind her desk, while he made himself comfortable in one of the chairs facing it.

"I… want to know where I stand, Shepard." She began slowly.

"What?" Shepard asked with some surprise. His thoughts whirled back to prior to the mission through the Omega Four Relay, back when a compliment had been picked up in the wrong way. He dreaded having to go through a similar tactful rejection once more. Fortunately, Miranda continued, making it clear that that wasn't the case.

"My role aboard. Before… all of this… I was your Executive Officer, your second-in-command. But now… now, you've got Alenko. He's been a part of your crew for much longer than I have, and he has been running things admirably since you escaped from custody. Logically, it would be understandable for you to choose him as your second-in-command."

"But…" Shepard said slowly, prompting her to speak her mind.

"But I ask that you do not ignore my experience, Shepard. I am more than up to the task, and I want to devote my talents to the mission in the best way possible."

The duo were silent for a few seconds, the Commander studying the Loyalist. Shepard let one hand cradle his chin while he summoned his words.

"I know." He began simply. "And this isn't the first time I've considered this. I need to do what's right for the ship, for the mission." He took a deep breath. "And that's why, effective immediately, I am appointing you officially as my Executive Officer aboard the Normandy. Your duties will remain the same as when you were last aboard. Keep me abreast of any issues the crew faces, make sure everything's running smoothly, and provide tactical analysis when you feel that it is needed."

"However," He spoke up as her chest inflated and her mouth opened to thank him. "You are only Executive Officer aboard this ship. Out in the field, Kaidan is my second-in-command."

Miranda sank back into her seat a fraction, a mite of… disappointment? Offence? Shepard could not be sure. Realising the need for an explanation, he was quick to oblige.

"I feel that this is the best use of both your talents and Kaidan's. You have experience of running an operation, of leading a team composed of engineers, scientists and intelligence operatives. You and I both know that The Illusive Man's trust was well-placed when he appointed you the head of one of Cerberus' cells. But, Kaidan has more experience out in the field He has spent his life working with soldiers of every class, nationality and creed, and I want all of that brought to the table when I'm out there getting shot at."

"Of course." She admitted. "You're right. Thank you, Commander."

"Good." Shepard said, relaxing. That wasn't so bad. "Now, as my Executive Officer, what's your opinion of the last mission?"

"Andairas?" Miranda asked. "I believe we are making a grave mistake, allowing Xen to go free. She must have a lot of influence in the Migrant Fleet."

"What makes you say that?"

"Come on, Shepard. She managed to manipulate events in such a way that her ship was allowed to be a part of the colony project. Tali allowed me to look at the plans, and I was able to learn that the Quarian Conclave had ruled that only one Liveship would be provided to the project, along with a small escort. Only Tali was meant to be sent, rather than two Admirals. Then suddenly a great many representatives aboard the Flotilla began clamouring for more resources to be diverted to this project, including the second ship, the Moreh, and a second Admiral to be present. Xen must have pulled some strings to ensure that she was sent.

"Aside from that, she managed to conduct these experiments without being discovered. From your report, I understand that the amount of Geth materials being funnelled into her work should have been noticed at some point. Unless a great many Quarians were endeavouring to cover it up for her."

"So we could be looking at a large faction within the Migrant Fleet?" Shepard asked.

"Possibly. It is impossible to say for sure how many ships are involved in this, but there's a good chance that, should they be exposed, it will split the Quarian fleet in two."

"And I allowed their leader to slip through my fingers. We could have stopped everything right here!" Shepard cursed.

"Not quite. Capturing or even killing Daro'Xen would merely have deprived the rebel faction of their leader. It is possible that they would continue their work without her, although that work would have been much less efficient. In the end, we have no way of predicting how this chain of events will unfold. It could be that this was the best choice. I mean, at least with this course of action the Quarians are more likely to listen to you when you ask for their assistance in combating the Reapers."

"Maybe you're right." Shepard sighed. "I hope you are."

"Which brings me to our newest crew member, Jano."

"I take it you've had a chance to get to know him, then."

"Of a sort. I need very little time to really get to understand someone. As I've told you, my estimates of potential allies and enemies are very rarely wrong."

"He proved himself quite capable during our mission on Andairas." Shepard offered.

"I don't doubt it. I saw him training down in the Cargo Hold earlier this morning. He is an accomplished hand-to-hand combatant, but his skills with a rifle leave something to be desired."

"He mentioned he was one of the Quarian Wardancers. From what I've heard they're some sort of sect of Quarian Martial Artists." Shepard explained.

"Yes. The Wardancers believe in strength through the purity of the body. They therefore work night and day to hone their bodies to their peak efficiency through rigorous training exercises. If anything, they preach that the betterment of oneself leads to the betterment of those around you. A respectable viewpoint."

"How do you know all of that? It's not like the Migrant Fleet is exactly falling over itself to share the secrets of Quarian culture with the rest of the Galaxy."

"Just because Cerberus is focused on the betterment of the Human race above all others does not mean that we are ignorant of other cultures. During my time working for the Illusive Man, I spent a great deal of time and effort learning all that I could about many different races." She smiled. "It's amazing how often they can surprise you. The week I spent studying Krogan music was particularly enlightening."

"Krogan music?" Shepard asked dubiously. He had heard many examples of Krogan music while frequenting places like the Afterlife on Omega. It sounded as though the burly aliens were trying to make love to the instrument at the same time as they were breaking it into thousands of tiny fragments.

"The songs tied into their rituals and customs. Their battle laments are nothing like what you hear over the extranet. Some of it… is quite moving, actually. The sorrow they feel for their forsaken glory is very powerful, and it shows. Enough to make a Salarian reconsider the wisdom of the Genophage."

"I see." Shepard managed awkwardly. He still found it hard to picture a warrior like Wrex or Grunt actually singing. He shrugged, moving his train of thought on. "So you think Jano will be a valuable member of the team?"

"I don't question his hand-to-hand skills, but I have my reservations about allowing him to run about on the battlefield."

"Really?"

"Think about it, Commander. He's a Quarian. They face enough danger simply setting foot in a combat situation. Most of their troops employ tactics that require them to keep their distance from the enemy, and for good reason. Their reliance upon enviro-suits makes close-quarters fighting very dangerous. Having a Quarian on the team who actually seeks out the enemy to take them on hand-to-hand? Reckless."

"I think you'll find that those suits are hardier than you give them credit for. The Quarians have been making them for three centuries now, so they've had time to make sure they're resilient. Besides, you didn't see Jano fighting those Geth. They couldn't lay a single finger on him."

"That's as may be, Commander." Miranda answered primly. "But I ask you to be cautious in allowing him to engage the enemy. If he were to fall seriously ill, he would become more of a burden to the mission than an asset."

"…I understand." Shepard sighed. "You're right."

"I'm always right, Commander." She smirked. "But I know how much it pains you to admit it."

Shepard returned her smile, chuckling.

"Don't worry. I always look out for my crew." He assured.

"I know you do. That's what makes us so willing to follow you into the jaws of death." Shepard nodded at the warmth and sincerity in her voice. "If you judge Jano to be an asset to the team, then I support you in that decision. After all, we didn't go astray with Tali on board."

Shepard got to his feet, nodding to Miranda.

"Thanks for the chat, Miranda."

"Any time, Commander." She said, turning back to her desk. "In the meantime, I'd best get back to work. You've really let the filing go all to hell while I've been gone."

Chuckling, the Commander turned and left, the doors hissing closed behind him.

**~o~0~o~**

The Commander leaned back into the yielding synthetic leather of the couch in the Port Observation Lounge, staring out at the stars as they whipped past, flickers of blue around them as the Normandy moved at speeds that exceeded that of the light they emitted. Stars that were brought closer by the ship's journey through space glowed and sparkled with a blue light, while those that drew further and further away with every second glimmered redder and redder. Shepard had always found this example of the Doppler effect to be beautiful, an entrancing sight that he made a point of appreciating at every opportunity. It symbolised the technological advances that brought the Galaxy together, allowing easy travel from one system to another.

He took a sip from the glass of liquor he had poured himself, closing his eyes as he savoured the slight burning sensation it caused him as it slid down the back of his throat. Twin ice cubes tinkled in the glass, slowly diminishing in the subtle warmth of the ship. The Normandy's interior was slowly heating up, the intense power needed to keep her running at FTL speeds threatening to overpower her systems and fry the crew. This, of course, would not happen. Long before there was any real risk to her passengers, EDI would bring the ship out of FTL near a suitable planet and discharge all of the pent-up energy and heat in the hull. Shepard anticipated seeing a star system filled with mysterious worlds to heave into view any minute now as the Normandy performed this routine task.

There was a quiet hiss from behind the Commander, followed by a set of footsteps. Etarn walked into view, nodding to Shepard as he made his way past, selecting a slim bottle made from green cut glass from the top shelf. He poured himself a measure and stepped up next to the viewport, looking out at the grand vista.

"Commander." He nodded, enjoying a small sip of his drink.

"Etarn." Shepard greeted. "How are you doing?"

"I am well, Commander. Just taking a short break. I have been in contact with my people within the Hegemony. Preparations are underway for negotiations with Gorm's regime."

"Negotiations?" Shepard asked with surprise. "I thought we were going to remove him from power."

"I said that we needed to remove his efforts to wage war upon the Human race. It's his prejudice that threatens my people. He is still a capable leader. There is a reason why he was able to rise to such power."

Shepard nodded silently.

"Nevertheless, if he cannot be discouraged from his belligerent and self-destructive course, then he will need to be removed from power. We cannot fight the Reapers if our two peoples are locked in a pointless war."

"Do you really think he could start a war with Humanity?"

"I think, if he had a mind to, he could convince my people to ally with the Reapers. He is a very persuasive individual, and Batarian hatred for Humanity runs strong, especially after Aratoht."

"And you think that you can talk him down?" Shepard asked.

"I hold out a measure of hope. He was once an honourable man." The Batarian's voice was wistful, ponderous.

The duo were silent for a moment, before the ship shuddered under them, the distorted view outside resolved into a clear, starry vista, a large, white star surrounded by numerous vibrant spheres occupying the near view. The closest glowed with an emerald hue, milky white clouds scudding through its atmosphere. Etarn sighed.

"Nice. Reminds me a little of home."

"Home?" Shepard asked curiously. "But Khar'Shan was nothing like that."

"Oh, I am not referring to Khar'Shan, Commander. I was reared on one of the Hegemony's colonies, a tranquil little world called Belkan'Aya." The four-eyed alien smiled fondly.

"A nice place?"

"Indeed. Its rainforests were famous among my people, and the emerald beaches were a very much sought after vacation destination."

"Emerald beaches?"

"Yes. Belkan'Aya was very rich in a stone you Humans refer to as Jade. Most of the sand created by the world's oceans is a rich but light green colour. An unusual trait, to be sure, and one that brought the colony much wealth."

"So you were fairly well-off, then?"

"We lived a comfortable life, but we were not wealthy. My father worked in the primary spaceport, while my mother was a waitress in one of the many resorts."

"Any siblings?"

"Two. Both brothers."

"So how did you go from such a humble start to leading a political party?"

"Not without paying a terrible price." The Batarian replied flatly. He took another swig of his drink before continuing. "I was just about to enter adolescence when my father was stricken with a debilitating ailment known to our people as Bol'Kare's fire. It is a painful disease that cripples the victim's nervous system, rendering any movement exceedingly painful. Eventually, total paralysis sets in."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. At least when his time came, my mother was with him. There is nothing more important than having your loved ones by your side when you face death."

"So what happened after that?"

"My mother could not afford to maintain our family. Eventually, my brothers and I were sold into slavery to pay for father's treatments."

"Your own mother sold you into slavery?" Shepard asked incredulously.

"You forget, Commander, that slavery is an integral part of our culture. Better that than being turned out onto the streets by ourselves." Etarn chided. "Anyway, it turned out that our new master was a kind one. My brothers were given prominent positions within his house."

"And you?"

"I was never really satisfied with my lot in life. Once I was fully grown and into my adult years, I ran away from my master. I fled in the night, taking to the streets. In a short measure of time, I had joined and assumed control over one of the many gangs that roamed the night."

"Impressive."

"I can be very persuasive, when I need to be." Etarn smirked. "And our society is one based upon what you can take for yourself. By proving my abilities in this way, I was brought into contact with certain circles of society. I soon climbed the ranks of the social ladder, finally breaking into politics. Several years down the line, and here I stand today."

"There's no denying that you've done well for yourself, Etarn." Shepard said, lifting his glass.

"A little too well, if you'd ask me. It was my dedication to pressing forward, to moving on up, that in part cost me my marriage."

"You were married?" Shepard asked in surprise, amazed to find yet another layer to his unusual ally.

"Yes." The Batarian replied awkwardly. He sighed. "If its all the same to you, Commander, I think I had best get back to my work. Thank you for listening to my ramblings."

"No problem at all, Etarn." Shepard said warmly, realising that he may have touched upon a sensitive topic there, but making a note in his head to learn more later. "Thanks for sharing."

"Be well, Commander."

With this farewell, the Batarian vanished, leaving the Commander to stare out of the viewport as the green-white planet passed by under the ship.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard yawned as he stepped onto the Engineering Deck. The Normandy was well on its way to Meroxis, having fully discharged its heat build-up during their last stop. EDI had helpfully informed him that they would arrive the following morning. They had been en route for several days now, having to cross the immense distance between the remote Quarian colony and the equally remote Turian one, and Shepard had been finding himself at a loose end for some time now. His armour had been so meticulously cleaned that he worried the gleam would betray his position to any enemies he might encounter in the field, the paperwork generated by the last mission had been filed and re-filed at least a half-dozen times, and the Commander was reluctant to return to the Port Lounge for fear he develop an alcohol addiction. Besides, he and Garrus had burned through the best stuff a couple of nights ago. So here he found himself wandering the Engineering Deck, aimless.

He glanced out of the window looking down on the Cargo Bay which, thanks to the late hour, had been cast into darkness. A few lights blinked on the more complex containers, monitoring their volatile contents or simply maintaining an electronic lock, providing next to no light. Underneath his feet, the gentle thrum of the drive core travelled through the deck, a rhythmic pulse that was fairly relaxing.

"What good will that do?"

He turned as a pair of voices filtered through the open doors to the auxiliary Port Cargo Hold. Grunt's voice rumbled through the air, bored and impatient, while Jano's answered him, calm and long-suffering.

"It'll help you to stay in one piece on the battlefield."

Curious, the Commander wandered over.

"Bah! A Krogan doesn't need that. I can do a good enough job on my own."

Shepard poked his head through the door to see the hulking Krogan standing to one side, arms crossed impatiently across his bare chest. The burly alien had stripped off the upper portion of his armour, which Jano had now laid out on one of the tables in the Hold to work on.

"Did you know Doctor Archer has a box under his desk dedicated to containing just the metal he pulls out of you after every mission? I could manufacture weapons for everyone in the squad three times over, and still have enough left over to make myself a new suit of armour."

"I pulled through it!" The Krogan replied dismissively.

"Yes, but if you keep on running into enemy fire like you do, then eventually you're going to get yourself hurt bad enough that you become a burden to us. I want to postpone that as long as I can." Jano's tone was that of a weary parent speaking to a stubborn child.

As Shepard stepped into the room, drawing their attention, he glanced at Grunt. He had never seen a Krogan out of his armour, the warrior race tending to spurn more vulnerable forms of clothing. Even their normal day-to-day clothing was made with thick, leathery material that protected their bodies or reinforced with metal plates. The alien's body was covered with thick, bulging muscles barely contained beneath tautly-drawn yellowish-brown scales. Plates, much like the one that adorned his forehead, covered the more vulnerable parts of his body, such as the sides of his body running from his armpits to his hips and his belly. It was clear that the alien's physiology did not permit much flexibility, favouring durability.

"Battlemaster." Grunt greeted.

"Commander." Jano said, not looking up. "I'm just working on Grunt's armour. Took me long enough to convince him to let me see it."

"So I was hearing. What do you think you can do?"

"This is a fascinating little piece of Krogan technology, actually. The armour plates contain a liquid that hardens upon impact, but remains pliable when not under intense pressure. It's… a lot cleverer than what I gave the Krogan credit for."

"If you're going to start spouting that techno-crap again, then I'm going to go find something to eat." Grunt muttered, striding out past the Commander. Shepard watched him go for a moment before the doors slid shut.

"You two getting on alright?" He asked.

"Grunt… does not have a lot of respect for Quarians. He thinks we are too weak, that our immune systems have made us into a species unfit to fight. That we should stay off the frontlines."

"Grunt's a soldier, through and through. He doesn't realise the value of a tech specialist. If you can't break it down, blow it up." Shepard reasoned.

"I think he's also threatened in part by the fact that I am a skilled hand-to-hand specialist. He doesn't think a being as frail as I should claim to be proficient in such things." Jano shrugged, keeping focused on his work. His sleek, black enviro-suit gleamed in the artificial light, numerous patches covering over the many bullet holes he had received during the past mission. "I should tell you, I gave the co-ordinates of the Migrant Fleet to your pilot, Commander. We can head out there when you are ready."

"Thanks for that, Jano. We'll head out there as soon as we've got the time." The Commander assured.

"I've got to say, though, working on this ship is a rare privilege. Her technology is marvellous! Such a drive core, and so much space inside! Were this a Flotilla vessel, she'd house at least three hundred Quarians. The get by with a crew of a couple of dozen, its amazing."

"EDI does most of the work." Shepard admitted. "Half of the time, we're just taking up space inside."

"Ha! Indeed. She is a marvel in herself. And so friendly."

"If you don't mind me saying, you seem to have less of a prejudice against AIs than most Quarians."

"I don't really see the wisdom in holding a grudge for three hundred years. Sure, the Geth took our home planet, but we did attack them first. A reaction born of fear. Fear of what we were not ready to understand, but a stupid fear, nonetheless." The Quarian's face mask turned to Shepard, and he got the distinct feeling that Jano was smiling. "Besides, your Legion proved to be a reliable ally."

"So… you'd be in favour of the Quarians using AI once more?"

"No. I feel that forcing an AI to serve you is tantamount to slavery, and I do not support that. But I do feel that the technology cannot be ignored. Perhaps that is why Xen felt she could have me as a part of her crew. Too few of our people share this opinion." He sighed. "Sitting around ignoring what is happening beyond the Perseus Veil is not going to achieve anything. We need to figure out how to coexist with the Geth, otherwise we are as foolish as the Quarians who attacked them in the first place."

"Do you think that could happen?"

"If enough people got their heads out of their asses and worked towards it, then yes. And I think this could be a distinct possibility. After Tali's trial, your encouragement to sue for peace reached many hearts. In fact, I believe that may have been part of the reason why Tali was appointed as an Admiral. Many see her as a voice of reason who will not rush off into a war that would do more harm than good."

"That's good to hear. Maybe someday I'll actually be able to retire." Shepard smirked.

"I don't think we'll ever see the day when the Galaxy doesn't need the glorious Commander Shepard." Jano chuckled back. He straightened from his work, closing up a segment of Grunt's armour. "So what can I do for you, Shepard?"

"Just wanted to talk, is all." Shepard answered. "I like to get to know the people I'll be working with."

"A noble thing. There are too many leaders who think remaining distant from their associates is a good thing. But how can you understand your team if you've never conversed with them? So what did you want to know?"

"Jack told me a little about you. She said you belonged to a gang called the Varren Skulls?"

"Ah, yes." Jano's voice took on a distant tone, as though he were gazing at something in the distance. "I was on Pilgrimage, looking for something glorious to bring to my new captain. I'd hoped to join the crew of the Idenna, one of our more prominent ships. Of course, such a vessel doesn't just take anyone on board. I had to find something special." He chuckled. "I was foolish. I passed up many good finds because they weren't good enough in my eyes. I even had a chance to bring a large freighter back to the fleet, but I refused the opportunity."

"You can hardly blame yourself for wanting to make a good impression."

"Ah, but I can, Shepard. Quarians are meant to think about the good of the Flotilla, to do everything they can to make life better for their fellow crew. But I wanted prestige, to make a good name for myself. I was selfish. And in the end, I paid for it."

"What happened?"

"I ran afoul of some Krogan I was dealing with, a pair of nasty mercs working for the Blood Pack. They roughed me up, took everything I had, and left me rotting in some sewer on Omega. I'm lucky they didn't sell me into slavery or strip my suit for parts."

"Not exactly the best neighbourhood to find yourself stranded in."

"Indeed not. Anyway, I managed to ingratiate myself with a Quarian exile named Golo. I didn't like it, but I had to make ends meet. I worked as a courier for him, earning my keep, but nowhere near enough to get out of there. I was trapped, until fate gave me my window of opportunity.

"Golo had me escort a shipment from the Docks District to the Smelter District. During this operation, I found myself unattended for some time with the goods. Golo had no idea that I was prepared to betray him, so his guard was down. I boosted the shipment, found a freighter heading away from Omega, and traded the goods for passage to the next stop. I was through the first Mass Relay before Golo even realised something was wrong. I assume he never found out where I went, because I never saw or heard from him again." He paused. "At least, until he led a squad of Cerberus soldiers in an attack on the Migrant Fleet, but he wasn't looking for me then."

"So that's when you found a nice, secluded spot to call home and founded the Varren Skulls?"

"Just about. I roamed for a while first, looking for a place where I figured I couldn't be found. Pretty soon I had gathered a motley collection of misfits and down-and-outs around me, including Jackalee." At the last name, there was a ghost of a smile in his voice.

"You two were close?"

"Like brother and sister." Jano confirmed. "Or maybe more like father and daughter. We're not that far apart, age wise. I reckon there's about ten years between us, but I always felt that she looked up to me like a protecting influence. I didn't like it, when I had to leave her and the others behind, but I needed to go home. Sometimes the Flotilla just… calls to us, you know?"

"I hear you." Shepard nodded, understanding fully. All too often when he'd been groundside for a while he felt the call of the stars. He just felt more in his element on the move, with a ship's deck beneath his feet. He was drawn out of his thoughts by Jano picking up his tools again.

"Thanks for stopping to chat, Shepard. I'd best get back to work. No telling what's around the corner for us, and I'd rather make sure we're as ready as we can be."

"Alright, Jano. Take care." Shepard said, standing straight and turning to walk out of the Hold. The Quarian waved absent-mindedly as he got back to work on Grunt's armour.

Shepard walked along the stretch of corridor that overlooked the Cargo Hold, making his way to the elevator. He was almost midway past the broad window when a flicker of light caught his eye. He turned to look down into the massive, empty room, catching sight of the slight figure standing before the large doors that allowed the shuttle to enter and exit the Normandy. The tell-tale glow of biotic blue was unmistakable. Curious, he stepped into the elevator and tapped the control to take him down a level.

**~o~0~o~**

Gillian's face scrunched up with concentration, her outstretched hand quivering as she tried to rein in her thoughts, trying to attain the focus she needed. Blue flames danced across her skin, flickering from fingertip to fingertip. Tears brimmed in her eyes, brought forth by her perpetual squint of focus.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Gillian jumped at the sudden voice, twisting to look towards its source. The biotic energy that had collected in her palm, let loose by her loss of concentration, shot out in a lethal bolt into the shadows.

Jack's arm shot out, a shimmering white bubble forming around the clenched fist. Gillian's bolt struck this hastily erected defence and was swiftly absorbed. The young girl, shocked at the near disaster, began to tremble with fear.

"I- I- I'm sorry!" She stuttered.

"Watch where you're aiming that crap." Jack replied gruffly.

"I- I—uh… It's just that… I'm not very good at… I don't focus so well." Gillian managed.

"I'm not surprised." Jack said bluntly. "Your stance is all wrong. There's no power to your posture. You want to hold the hand to your centre, draw the power in to it. Then, you throw it out and all of that mojo goes with it, just like… this!"

As she finished, she flung her hand out, and the biotic bolt raced from her palm, a massive ball of dark energy that boiled its way across the Cargo Hold. It struck one of the empty crates, sending it rocketing towards the far wall as a dented mess.

Gillian looked after the crate with a measure of shocked awe, her jaw agape. Seeing Jack glaring at her expectantly, she tried to imitate the pose, drawing her hand inwards and flinging it out. The biotic energy trickled along her arm sluggishly, barely eliciting a ripple in the air. Jack shrugged.

"A start. Now, try and picture your hand shooting out to hit your target, really put your mind behind the shot."

She moved up beside the girl, nudging her hand and shoulder.

"Try and keep yourself loose. When you tense up, the links between your eezo nodules don't flow as well. Restricts your power. So draw it back and… let it go!"

This time, when Gillian flung her hand out, a bolt just as large as Jack's one shot out across her arm, striking the crate the convict had launched across the Hold. The metal shattered under the assault, metal splinters blasting across the deck. Jack stared at this, a strange quirk to her right eyebrow.

"Not bad." She permitted herself to say. "Now, let's work on your targeting. Your biotics won't be worth shit if you can't hit the broad side of a battlecruiser."

Back near the elevator, Shepard leaned back on the bank of computer consoles just before the entrance to the Hold. Having just arrived to see the convict talking to the young biotic, the Commander had been worried at first. Was Jack going to be her usual abrasive self with Gillian? He couldn't be sure. But now he could see that, odd as it may have seemed, the pair were actually bonding, in some form. He smiled as he watched Jack instructing the much younger biotic in certain forms and techniques. He let the weight transfer from his feet to the console he leaned against and just watched the pair.

**Author's Notes: Okay, here we go. I apologise for the lateness of the update. Been rushed off my feet these past two weeks, and just not had a chance to type. But I'm happy with this chapter, as I feel I've had a chance to help certain characters grow.**

**Please, tell me what you think. Any and all feedback is very much appreciated. Also, if you haven't already, please go to my profile page and take a look at the poll. Choose your favourite three squad mates. I like to know what my readers think, who is going down well and who needs to be worked on. Again, and criticism will be appreciated.**

**And finally, I'm going to get on the same bandwagon as many authors I read on this site. I am amazed by all of the incredible fanart I see these days, and would be interested to see what the artistically inclined among you can come up with. What are your impressions of what Etarn looks like? What do you see when I write about the Revenant? I don't have an artistic bone in my body, so I couldn't do any of this, but I'd love to see what you can come up with.**

**One final point: Do you think the rating for this story is appropriate? I put a Mature rating on it, mostly because of Jack. But do you think this story would be better classed as a T story? Or should I keep it M? Let me know!**

**Anyway, I'm going to get back to work now. See you all at the next update!**


	31. 31: Through The Fire And The Flames

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 31: Through The Fire And The Flames**

"What a filthy little mudball."

Delexia's comment drew a smile from the Commander, standing behind Joker's chair while the pilot brought them into orbit around the greasy orange sphere the Turian Hierarchy had christened Meroxis. Shepard had gathered his ground team for this operation in advance of their arrival, something about the situation making him uneasy. The planet had gone silent over three weeks ago, shortly after the colony had announced some sort of discovery under the planet's surface. The Commander was all too familiar with how dangerous ancient and previously unseen tech could be, and feared the worst for the colonists on the surface. He turned to look at the rest of his team. Close behind him, Delexia stood next to Miranda, both staring at the view out of the front of the cockpit with disapproving stares. Behind them, Mordin talked with Feron, going over the geological scans the initial expedition had taken of the Turian world. Shepard cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Feron, what've we got on this place?"

The Drell stepped forward, bringing up some information on his datapad.

"Meroxis. A garden world on the borders of Turian space. Discovered by the Turians six years ago. Initial colonisation began four years ago, expanding into its second stage last year. Just over a month ago, they found something during their excavations. No real details on what it was, but the Hierarchy sent a team of their top scientists almost immediately. Just over three weeks ago, the colony went silent."

"Hold on…" Delexia interrupted. "I thought you said it was a garden world. Look at that grease-ball out there."

"My scanners are detecting considerable geological instability within the planet's crust, centred upon a depression in the Northern Hemisphere. Thermal output suggests that there is a pocket of magma beneath the depression approaching critical pressure."

"A volcano?" Joker asked. "No biggie. We've taken those on before."

"Scans indicate the pocket of magma is upwards of two hundred and fifty miles wide."

There was a sudden silence. Joker whistled quietly.

"That explains why the colony lost all communication." Miranda muttered. "A volcano that size would kick up a considerable ash cloud, even prior to the main event. With that much dust and debris in the atmosphere, off-world comms would be impossible. But that doesn't explain why they haven't sent a ship up to try and use the nearest comm buoy."

"Possible that ship was disabled by particles in atmosphere." Mordin theorised. "Ash and dust gets into engine intakes, clogs mechanism, renders drive inoperable."

"Why hasn't the Hierarchy sent anyone to investigate?" Shepard asked.

"The Hierarchy bureaucracy moves slow enough that I could walk there and still arrive before their investigation." Delexia said scornfully. "Traditionally a ship will only be sent to investigate a silent project after a full twenty days with no contact. The higher-ups don't want to commit a ship to investigating a colony if it turns out to be an equipment malfunction."

"So that means an investigation will be en route by now." Miranda said. "We'll need to get down there and see what's going on before they get here. The Hierarchy has not had a good track record of sharing technology with other races."

"Our main objective is to find out what happened to the colonists, and render assistance as needed." Shepard said firmly. Even though Miranda had left Cerberus far behind, old habits died hard. "Then we find out what they dug up and if we can use it."

"Of course, Commander." Miranda said quietly, bowing her head in apology.

"EDI, what's the situation with that volcano? Are we at risk any time soon?" The Commander asked.

"Uncertain." The AI responded. "My readings are somewhat irregular. The tremors are not consistent with the final hours or days before an eruption, but the heat build-up indicates that the volcano could reach the critical pressure within the next two hours."

"So basically we have no way of knowing when this thing's going to go off." Shepard grumbled.

"Unfortunately, that is correct."

"Shouldn't we take the Revenant with us? If these ruins do turn out to be Prothean, his perspective would be useful." Miranda suggested.

"Good point." Shepard agreed. "Maybe he can make sense of anything we come across."

"I shall notify the Revenant to meet you in the Main Cargo Bay." EDI intoned helpfully.

"Right." Shepard turned back to Joker. "We'll take the Hammerhead down there. Make sure the shuttle's ready to come get us should anything go wrong."

"Aye aye, Commander." Joker confirmed.

**~o~0~o~**

The Hammerhead bustled its way through the rough skies above Meroxis' surface. Turbulence tossed it from side to side as it dropped through boiling grey clouds. The Commander wrestled with the controls to keep them on a straight heading, having to continually adjust their course as powerful winds tugged at the tiny craft.

"Watch it, Shepard!" Delexia yelled as one stomach-turning jolt almost sent her hurtling across the cramped cabin.

"Working on it." Shepard managed through clenched teeth. "Normandy, you still read our transmission?"

"Got a lot of static, but we hear you, Shepard." Joker replied quickly.

"Keep tabs on our frequency. No telling when we'll lose contact." Shepard instructed.

"Understood." The pilot's scratchy response came through.

"Fifteen kilometres out from the colony, Shepard." Miranda informed him. "We're still too high. You need to drop us down a couple of thousand metres."

The Commander nodded before powering down the drive gently, allowing the Hammerhead to drop sharply, wobbling as the unpredictable wind tossed it from side to side.

"Descending to five thousand metres…. Four… Three…" Miranda read off flatly, as though she were explaining what Rupert had cooked up for breakfast. "Two thousand… exiting the lower cloud layer… now."

The front viewscreen suddenly went from blank grey to dusky black, lit by vibrant orange and hazy white. A massive spire of black rock arched up before the craft, the dirty white glow of the clouds overhead serving only to accentuate its darkness while a strange orange glow crept around its edges.

"Woah!" Shepard hauled on the controls to bring the Hammerhead out of its descent, sending it into a headlong tumble towards the slopes of this unexpected mountain. The craft whirled and whirled, its occupants groaning as wild G-forces pulled at them. Their speed slowly began to decrease, its hesitant reduction paining the Commander.

"Come on!" He growled as he punched a few controls, setting the various drives to fire at different intervals to slow them down.

The hover tank continued to spin towards the rugged black slopes, bright white drives firing in all directions as it decelerated. It drew close to the ground, and skimmed the side of the mountain, its tail and gouging a shallow ditch in the soil as it pulled out of its dive.

Inside, the squad shuddered as they relaxed.

"Too close." Shepard said, his eyebrow quirking in amusement as the exciting adrenaline of the near miss struck him.

"I don't understand." Miranda muttered, checking the screen before her. "Navigational telemetry had us ninety-two miles to the west."

"Possible magnetic distortions caused by particle in atmosphere interfering with navigation console." Mordin suggested. "Similar to interference disrupting communications."

"So which way now?" Shepard asked, bringing the Hammerhead to the mountain's peak.

"This is part of the mountain range bordering the supervolcano's crater." Miranda explained. "Just turn into the crater and head for its centre. The settlement will come into view soon enough."

The Commander followed her directions, carefully steering the Hammerhead through the gloom, passing over minor hazards in their path and skirting around larger ones. He found it hard going, trying to find his way through the murk created by the ash cloud, but eventually tiny pinpricks of light appeared ahead and to the right. He altered his heading to aim for them, drawing close to the settlement and coming to a halt between a pair of prefabs. The squad stared out of the viewports, looking for any sign of life within the still settlement.

"Quiet." Delexia commented. "Where is everyone?"

The team jumped to a man at the sudden insistent thumping from the hatch in the side of the vehicle, hands darting to weapons. The loud knocking continued stubbornly, prompting Miranda to lean across as hit the door control as she slid a breather unit over her face. Keeping their weapons trained on the portal, the rest of the squad followed suit.

A Turian stood on the other side of the hatch, encased in a heavy suit of armour that concealed every feature. The only way Shepard could tell she was female was the lack of a fringe on the back of her helmet. Other than that, she was just as bulky and angular as Garrus. Even Delexia didn't quite fill out her matt-black armour in the same burly way.

"'Bout time someone got 'round to getting out here!" She shouted jovially, turning to Delexia automatically. "Allow me to extend a very warm welcome to Meroxis! And when I say warm, I mean it! Volcanic activity has given us a very unexpected heat spike these past few days. Come on down to the bunker. I'll make sure someone comes and covers up your engine intakes for you."

"Thanks." Delexia said, bobbing her head. "But I'm not the one you need to talk to, hon. The Human at the wheel's in charge."

"Human? You mean this isn't a Hierarchy extraction op?" The Turian sounded dubious.

"You know how the Hierarchy works. Ten days before they will do anything. We were in the neighbourhood when word reached us that you'd gone silent, and decided to take a look."

"By the spirits! What is that thing?" Their Turian contact exclaimed, jumping back as the Revenant unfolded his lanky frame from within the Hammerhead. Due to its resilient physiology, the Collector had no need for protective gear, so it moved about with no breathing mask obscuring its glowing yellow eyes. The one eye blinded by Garrus back on Omega was a dull, milky white orb that looked even more sinister than his three other eyes, even through the obscuring dust clouds whipping past.

"This is the Revenant. He's our Prothean expert." Shepard explained.

"That thing's a he?" The Commander smirked behind his helmet that that was the one fact the Turian chose to struggle to accept. "What the hell is it supposed to be? What kind of a name is 'Revenant'?"

"One with a story behind it." Delexia answered for Shepard. "But shouldn't we get inside? I don't want to have to stand out in this stuff for any longer than I have to."

"How'd you even find out about this place?" The Turian asked warily, distrust clearly growing in her stance.

"We have friends in high places." Shepard said flatly. "They have the right connections in the Hierarchy to be concerned about this colony. But the important thing is, we're here, the Hierarchy isn't. You really gonna turn us away at a time like this?"

"… I guess you're right. This ain't the time to be picky." The colony representative said reluctantly, leading them to a doorway in the side of one of the prefabs. "Come on in. Sorry about the mess, but we weren't exactly expecting house guests."

The Commander and his team filed inside, stamping their feet to dislodge a thick layer of ash that rose around them in a grey cloud. The dust settled as the inner door opened, allowing them through into what had formerly been a large storage hangar. Now, it resembled a refugee shelter. Makeshift beds had been spread out on the floor in every corner of the building, stacks of crates shoved aside to make more room for the tremendous press of bodies that had taken up occupancy of the massive, hollow structure. Dozens of pairs of eyes turned to inspect the newcomers, a mixture Turian faces twisting with a mixture of both hope, anxiety and impatience as they took in the sight of the newly arrived Turian, her one Salarian and two Human companions, and the being who had greeted the squad. The most attention, however, was given to the Collector bringing up the rear. Eyes widened and fearful whispers rippled out from the doorway as mothers reached out to grab a hold of their children and men straightened with a borderline aggression, clearly expecting the strange alien to be a trouble-maker.

The Turian leading them paused by the door, removing her helmet with a sigh. She rubbed at her eyes wearily. Judging from the sluggish way she moved and the bleary haze in her eyes, Shepard surmised that she had not slept in quite a while. As Delexia caught sight of her face, the gruff Turian pirate gasped.

"Stanara?" Her voice was thickly laden with surprise.

"Wait… Captain?" The Turian seemed equally surprised. She cried out happily as Delexia removed her helmet, stepping forward to grasp the Turian's hand firmly and pat her on the shoulder. "It is you! I thought I recognised the voice!"

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question!" The Turian, Stanara, chuckled.

"I take it you two are acquainted?" Shepard asked, removing his helmet. Behind him, Miranda and Mordin clipped their breathers to their belts. Delexia, smiling broadly, turned to face the Commander.

"I apologise, Commander. Commander Shepard, meet Stanara Gaellion, the best fence this side of the Terminus."

"I'm just a humble trader these days, Captain. I got out of that business years ago."

"Stanara, you're not on the Starborn anymore. You can drop the Captain. It's just Delexia now." The Turian pirate turned to the Commander. "Stanara used to be a part of my crew aboard the Starborn." She explained. "She left five years ago to start a family." She paused as she turned back to her old friend. "How is Chegrun, anyway?"

"He's fine. Still back on Palaven. He had to stay behind to look after the girls."

"You've got kids? Congratulations!"

"Yeah, two girls. Hana and Jesali. Three years old now."

"So what brought you out here?"

"Got to put food on the table somehow. I'm out here making sure the colony gets all the supplies it needs. I know the right people to get food and fuel at a killer price, and I get a cut of what money I save the colonists."

"Who's in charge here?" Miranda asked, a little more sharply than Shepard would have liked. She clearly wanted to get to the point of their mission here. Stanara seemed unfazed by this.

"Jursh Varsden is the Director. Come on, I'll take you to him."

She turned and strode off through the bustle of Turians in the building. Shepard and his team were quick to follow. The Commander carefully picked his way through the crowds, once or twice catching a sharp elbow as he found the press of bodies. He noted, however, that the Revenant was given all the room he needed. Standing taller than the Turians, the insectoid alien was in the centre of an island of empty space, everyone falling away as he drew close, as though they feared he carried some sort of plague.

"Feels like the whole colony's in here!" Delexia grumbled as she dodged around a small family huddled together.

"Once the volcano began spouting up all of the ash, we had the colonists fall back to three storehouses in the settlement." Stanara explained. "No one goes outside without a breather, and they have to get permission from the Administrators."

"The Administrators?" Shepard asked.

"The Director, the Lead Scientist, our Chief Engineer and our Security Chief. They've formed a council of sorts. We defer to them on any and all matters that affect the colony."

"Hmm. Populace confined. Unable to harvest crops. Status of supplies?" Mordin asked.

"Things are getting tight. Vrachin Murr, our Security Chief, has begun rationing what we have left. The ash and the toxic fumes have destroyed all of our crops, so we're relying upon what we had stored up. The main problem is water. All of the nearby water sources have been contaminated, so we're putting our water through recyclers as many times as we can, but there's only so many times you can re-use the same cup of water before it stops benefiting the body."

Stanara finished talking as she guided the squad to an area of the storehouse that had been cleared of all obstructions. The press of bodies was much less intense here, the Turian refugees giving their leaders a respectfully wide berth. At the centre of this clear space, as trio of Turians stood locked in some kind of debate. Their voices kept low, they finished their discussion and turned to Stanara and Shepard's squad, examining the new arrivals with a critical eye.

The first was a physically imposing male, towering over the rest of the aliens present. His eyes glinted a feral yellow, reminding the Commander of an eagle's predatory gaze. His shoulders were broad, almost table-like, while his torso tapered down to a narrow waist, giving him a distinctly triangular silhouette. His entire being radiated with power, and Shepard had no doubts as to the alien's strength.

The next in line was another male, this time much more slight than his fellow. His features were sharper, more studious, and his gaze glinted with a learned vibe. He stood at about the height of a normal Human male, short for a Turian, and appeared more physically frail than the beings around him.

The final Turian was a female, who's intense glare was openly hostile. Shepard got the feeling off her that she was counting off every second that those around her delayed her from infinitely more important tasks, and begrudged the Galaxy every damn one. He surmised it was the strongest courtesy she could extend that she wasn't sighing with impatience and tapping her feet in fidgety unrest.

"Commander Shepard, may I introduce Director Jursh Varsden, Director of the colony," She began, pointing to the frail Turian male in the centre of the group. "Vrachin Murr, Chief of Security," The imposing male. "And Dilena Gasren, Chief Engineer. Director Varsden, this is Commander Shepard of the Normandy. He has come offering aid as it is needed."

"A Human vessel?" The Turian replied sharply. "And just what interest does the Alliance have in our colony?"

"I was in the neighbourhood when I was informed that the colony may be experiencing some form of distress, so I decided to come by and see if you needed any help." The Commander explained.

"Commander, do not try to lie to me. It sticks in my gizzard something awful." The Director responded shrewdly. "You're here for the ruins, are you not?"

The Commander's mouth worked while he tried to formulate a response, but he could see the intelligent gleam in the alien's eyes and knew it would not be worth it.

"It's part of the reason we're here, yes. When we'd heard that you'd gone silent shortly after uncovering ancient ruins, we'd feared that some technology within had activated, causing harm to you and your colony." He admitted. "We thought that, if this were the case, we should try to secure the technology to contain the damage."

"And ship it back to some Alliance facility where you can turn it into a weapon, no doubt." Dilena, the Engineer, huffed.

"That wasn't our intention." Shepard answered defensively.

"No. More likely you'd give it to your Cerberus allies to study." The Security Chief, Vrachin, accused sharply. When the Commander turned to him, his mandibles flared triumphantly. "Yes, I keep abreast of the news, ex-Spectre Shepard. I know full well which organisations you nest with."

Shepard was unfamiliar with that particular Turian phrase, but understood its meaning. Before he could shoot back a sharp response, the Director, Jursh, raised a three-digited hand.

"Enough! Shepard has extended an offer of aid. Given our circumstances, we would be foolish to refuse. The earliest we can expect the Hierarchy forces to arrive is three days from now, if they send their ships as soon as they can. I will speak with Shepard. Vrachin, Engineer Gasren, please return to your duties."

The two Turians looked ready to object, but held their tongues. As they stalked off, Jursh clicked his mandibles in amusement.

"Thank goodness for the tier system. Had they shared the same tier as I, I doubt I would have been able to tolerate them for as long as I have."

Shepard pondered what he meant for a moment, before realising he referred to the tiers present in Turian society. He smiled, nodding. The Turian's wolfish grin vanished, replaced by a more serious expression.

"Your arrival is timely, Commander. Our situation is becoming rather dire. Last night the concentration of particles in the upper atmosphere reached the point where our solar farms no longer function. We're running through what's left of our battery reserves as we speak."

"Why weren't you able to take a ship up and signal the Hierarchy?" Delexia asked.

"Most small craft have been grounded by the atmospheric distortions so much material in the atmosphere creates. Our larger freighter, the Danassa, has been disabled by the ash. It clogs the intakes up just as fast as we can clear it. We finally managed to erect a structure over it this morning, but getting all of the junk out of it and making it ready to fly again is taking time."

"When did this all start?" The Commander asked.

"About three weeks ago, just after we dug up the ruins. Seismic activity went off the charts, and we experienced a fairly large eruption about three hundred miles away, after which the land started spewing smoke and ash into the atmosphere like nobody's business. We're a small colony. We're not outfitted with military spec vehicles like that tank you dropped down in. None of our craft had the shielding to protect them from the electrical distortions this amount of crap in the air creates, so we lost the functionality of the last of our vehicles within hours."

"Do you think the ruins had something to do with the eruption?" Miranda asked, her icy eyes glinting as the mental wheels spun.

"I don't see how that could be. We didn't have much time to inspect the ruins, so I doubt we activated anything that could have done this. It just seems to be bad luck that it happened on the eve of such a discovery."

"Have you had anyone study the ruins?" Shepard asked.

"Haraki Gurran, our Lead Scientist, has gone to inspect the ruins on several occasions. However, he has unearthed nothing spectacular. Prothean antiquities are outside of his field."

"How can you be sure that they're Prothean, then?" Miranda asked.

"Well of course they'd be Prothean. What else could they be?" The Turian scoffed. He turned back to Shepard. "He went out to take a look at them this morning, actually, and hasn't reported back. I was just about to send someone to check on him, actually. Perhaps you would like to accompany Stanara to the ruins, take the opportunity to have a look at them yourselves?"

"Shouldn't we focus on helping you with the evacuation first?" Shepard asked.

"Like I said, I've got people working on the Danassa as we speak. Can't really do much until that's ready, and your little hover tank is hardly big enough to shift a decent amount of people. Better for you to focus on securing the research while I deal with keeping my people safe."

"Alright. How do we get out there?"

"Take your craft. You'll need it to cross the distance safely. Stanara will direct you to the ruins."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard peered out through the front viewport, scanning what little of his surroundings his eyes could pick out through the murk. The closer to the ruins the Hammerhead progressed, the thicker the ash drifting down from over head became, and the more difficult the Commander's job of steering them safely to their destination grew.

"That's us at the co-ordinates." Stanara informed him. "The ruins should be in sight any second now."

As she said this, a squat array of buildings hove into view out of the ash. None were over one story tall, and it appeared that they had been erected fairly quickly. Shepard surmised that the Turians had raised them to protect the ancient artefacts within, a hasty measure until something more permanent could be put in place, although that seemed highly unlikely now.

"Just drive past the first few rows of storage shacks." Stanara instructed. "The entrance to the ruins is an old landing bay, easily big enough for your vessel."

Shepard followed her directions, guiding the Hammerhead through the makeshift complex towards the centre. The craft approached the lip of a huge excavation, a wide, deep bowl scooped out of the land. At the centre of this, the ruins stood out powerfully. Shepard's breath caught in his throat upon seeing the massive domed structure, flanked on either side by two spires, each about half as tall as the Normandy was long. The dome itself was easily large enough to house the Hammerhead and a half dozen vehicles like it. The structures were formed from a dull metal, coated in a thick layer of black dust. There were no windows in any of the three buildings, and the only visible opening was the wide maw in the main dome that Stanara told Shepard to aim for. The Hammerhead slid inside, settling down in the Landing Bay next to a small civilian craft, a boxy shape perched upon four wheels. Lights flickered on as they prepared to disembark, powerful white beams emanating from panels overhead that were flush with the ceiling. Shepard marvelled at that.

"The facility still has power?"

"We were just as surprised as you, Commander. Even the facility on Ilos had only minimal power remaining after all of this time, and that was by far the most intact site unearthed. This site boasts a considerable power reserve, and shows no signs of running out any time soon."

"Incredible." Mordin muttered. "Normally, fifty thousand years without maintenance would render any power system inoperable. All power storage devices currently known would not hold power for such a long time. Suggests continuous power generation. But how is this done? Must be very efficient system."

"I wouldn't know the answers to any of those questions." Stanara answered flatly. "We've only been able to scratch the surface here, just the top two levels. We haven't even managed to get into the spires yet."

"The top two levels?" Miranda asked curiously, looking around with a focused eye. "How many are there?"

"Dozens, maybe more. Judging by what we've been able to decipher so far from the terminals we've come across, this facility goes quite deep into the planet's crust."

"Where's your scientist?" Delexia asked.

"Gurran? He should be around here somewhere. His rover's still here, and anyone trying to walk around outside without some kind of vehicle would be just plain stupid. He's usually in the agricultural lab. He seems to enjoy it there, although for the life of me I can't see the attraction."

Shepard and his team followed Stanara out of the Landing Bay. They travelled through a corridor that led away from the entrance until they reached a flight of stairs, leading downwards. Their footsteps echoed dully off the grime-encrusted walls as lights flickered on and off as they needed them. They progressed through the floor at the foot of these steps, passing several empty labs. The Commander gave them a cursory glance, spotting what looked like a weapons testing range, a medical lab and a tech lab, overflowing with unfinished electronic devices. He saw Mordin practically twitching with barely constrained enthusiasm, eager to explore, and a smile crept across his face. For the Salarian Professor, this was like being a child receiving a tour of Santa's workshop, and Shepard understood that it was taking a lot of willpower for Mordin to stick with the group.

He turned to his Collector comrade, and saw a different, more reserved air to his stance. The Revenant looked around with a well-restrained curiosity, taking in every detail he could through a cursory glance. Shepard imagined he was cross-referencing everything he saw with what he knew of Collector technology, looking for any leads that could help him better understand the facility. Wisely, the alien had not mentioned his personal interest in the ruins while they were in the company of Stanara or any of the other colonists. He doubted they would be thrilled to learn one of the Collectors, a race known for kidnapping the inhabitants of remote colonies, was in their midst. Shepard suspected that they'd be even less happy to learn of the connection between Protheans and Collectors. It seemed all too likely that they'd leap to the conclusion that they were only there to steal any artefacts and leave the colony with not even a scrap of the untold wealth that the ruins might hold. The Commander shrugged mentally, turning back to face the way Stanara was leading them.

Finally, they reached a set of glass doors. Beyond, they saw a very broad array of plants, running wild throughout the lab. Roots and vines trailed across the floor to form a thick carpet, new generations of plants growing from the decomposed remains of their predecessors. Some plants had grown to have thick, tree-like trunks, while others bore more fruit than leaves. Some of the plants had taken on strange, exotic hues, including a pure-black bush bearing what looked like glossy purple-black potatoes. One massive plant dominated the rest, its roots managing in places to curl around the lesser plants in a parasitic embrace, while it took the centre stage, pushing back every scrap of vegetation that threatened to encroach upon its spot in the middle of the lab.

In the midst of this organic chaos, a slight Turian figure could be seen. Skinnier than a Salarian, but taller than most Turians, Haraki Gurran looked like a Turian skeleton dressed up in a scientist's clothes. His face was gaunt, eyes more sunken than normal for his species, while his tightly drawn cheeks pulled his mandibles back along his face. His fringe drooped wearily, limp from a lack of proper nutrition. Shepard instantly saw in him a man who put his work ahead of himself, forgoing the basic necessities of life in order to have a few more precious minutes to finish that last equation, or submit that final report.

"Haraki?" Stanara asked, stepping through the door. After a moment's silence, she tried again. "Professor!"

Haraki jumped as though he had been shot at, turning to look at them with a surprised stare.

"Oh." The Turian scientist had a surprisingly soft voice, no strength behind it at all. "Stanara? Who are your friends?"

"Haraki, this is Commander Shepard. He came here to find out what happened to the colony, along with his colleagues, Delexia Tanis, Miranda Lawson, and Mordin Solus."

"Delexia? The captain you told me about?"

"The same." Stanara glanced over to Delexia with a smile. "I brought them out here for a closer look at the ruins. Made any discoveries today?"

"Actually, yes." The scientist grinned. He produced a datapad, which he handed to Stanara. "I've made some progress in deciphering the data stored on the terminals in this lab, uncovering the research they were carrying out here. It seems that the Protheans were running some experiments to increase crop yield on their colony worlds. Genetic modification and the like. The most interesting part of their research, however, is their attempts to fuse mechanical, inorganic tissue with their crops. I haven't been able to discern the true purpose of these modifications, but the nutritional content of the crops created by this process is through the roof. It may be that they were researching ways to directly manipulate the specific characteristics of a generation of crops, compensating for the particular needs of a specific year."

Shepard tensed as the Turian mentioned the nature of some of the work carried out in the facility. His eyes darted towards Miranda and Mordin, catching sight of the well-concealed alarm their gazes flickered with. They had picked up on the significance of the research, too.

"They were creating organic-machine hybrid species?" Shepard asked slowly.

"That's what it looks like." Haraki answered. "Why?"

"No reason." Shepard replied lightly. "Would you mind if we took a look around?"

"Not at all! I've barely scratched the surface here, so feel free to take a look in the other labs, see what you can unearth."

"I'll stay with Haraki, see what else he's dug up today." Stanara offered. Shepard nodded before turning to his allies, gesturing for them to follow him.

The squad made their way out of the agri-lab, following the Commander to the lab on the opposite side of the corridor. Shepard pushed the panel beside the door, waiting while the door slowly ground open. Once inside, he waited for his companions to follow and then closed the door behind them. Inside, the lab contained a neat array of workbenches, lined up in two rows. The far wall was occupied by a series of whirring terminals, their screens that not-quite-black that told the Commander they were active. Shepard made sure the doors were shut securely before turning to his friends.

"We may have a problem." He said gravely.

"Indeed. Mechanical/organic hybrid familiar technological concept by now." Mordin's tone was sombre. "Never encountered research belonging to original Protheans that incorporated such experiments. Likelihood of coincidence is much lower than likelihood of Reaper influence."

"The question we need to ask ourselves is, how much of the technology here is Reaper in origin?" Miranda interjected. "And can we afford to ignore it?"

"Miranda, you of all people should know the dangers inherent in handling this kind of technology." Shepard said sharply. "After everything Cerberus had blow up in its face while you worked for the Illusive Man, do you really think that this is going to be any different?"

"It's because of all of those incidents that I appreciate the value of what we might have here, Shepard. Anything that we can use to better understand the enemy and maybe even look for a weakness should be analysed. We said it ourselves when we arrived here, the power system in this facility must be immeasurably complex. Imagine what we could do if we could even make a start on understanding this technology. Our ships could remain at FTL speeds for much, much longer. We could engage in firefights without having to break off to discharge built-up heat as often. Such an edge could be crucial in battle."

"Maybe, but not if it means we risk losing our minds to this facility." Shepard objected firmly.

"The real issue at hand is, how have resident the Turians been affected?" The Revenant interrupted.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Delexia asked with a measure of alarm. "You don't think they've been indoctrinated, do you?"

"Hard to tell." Mordin explained. "First to be affected would be those with most frequent contact with technology. Only been a few weeks since initial discovery, unclear whether sufficient time has passed for indoctrination to fully take effect."

"This is all dependent upon if this is actually Reaper technology." Miranda objected. "Shepard, don't be so quick to dismiss something like this. It could be perfectly harmless! Those Turians show no signs of indoctrination!"

"And it could just be a matter of time before we start seeing some Turian Husks wandering around here." Shepard fired back.

"I need to go warn Stanara." Delexia said urgently. "We've left her alone with that scientist! She could be in danger!"

"Delexia, wait!" Miranda almost barked as the Turian reached for the door controls. "We don't have enough data at the moment. There may be no threat, in which case we'd be causing a panic for nothing."

"She's my friend!" The Turian snarled. "I know you Cerberus types find it hard to believe we aliens actually have feelings like that, but I'm not about to leave her alone with a potentially dangerous alien zombie thing!"

"And what if she's already indoctrinated?" Miranda didn't even rise to the bait of Delexia's insult. "You'd be tipping our hand to an already dangerous enemy. Better to make sure she's in danger first before trying to save her."

"Why you cold, heartless bit-"

"Enough! Both of you!" Shepard almost shouted. The Turian, her mandibles splayed in a threat display, settled back on her feet, her muscles visibly relaxing. Miranda let her hand drop from where it had been clenched in the small of her back, the gathered biotic energy dissipating swiftly. All four companions turned to face the Commander.

"We can't do anything until we know what we're dealing with here." Shepard said firmly. "Mordin, can you have a look through these terminals here, see what you can find out. The first sign of any Reaper information, you let me know. Revenant, give him a hand."

"Understood." The Salarian nodded before scurrying over to the terminals. The Collector followed, taking up a position at the next terminal along. In moments, they were digging through mile after mile of code, their fingers a blur over the consoles. Meanwhile, Shepard turned back to Delexia and Miranda.

"Stanara is not indoctrinated." Delexia asserted firmly. "We've been friends for years. Hell, we even grew up in the same town! I know her, and I'd know if something was up."

"Indoctrination is a very subtle process." Miranda contradicted. "Saren showed no signs of being under Sovereign's control until he attacked Eden Prime, and Cerberus sources indicate that the process of subverting his mind could have begun as many as twenty years prior to that incident. He was able to get close enough to his protégé and fellow Spectre, Nihlus, to shoot him from point blank range without him suspecting a thing. Do you really think that your instincts are more finely tuned than a Spectre's?"

"My instincts are fine." Delexia snarled. "I trust them a lot more than I trust you. And right now they're telling me that I ought to put my fist right through your-"

"Stop it! Both of you!" Shepard barked again. He was swiftly growing tired of their bickering. "We're not jumping to any conclusions here, okay? Mordin, tell me you have something."

"One moment…" the Salarian muttered over his shoulder before beginning a rambling monologue. "Prothean encryption unusual. Perhaps enhanced by Reaper technology? No matter. Can use data collected from Collector Base and Reaper IFF in order to decipher. Ah, not quite done yet? Hmm. Perhaps need additional Prothean data? No, can't be it. Wait! Perhaps using wrong dialect of coding. Let's see… nearest Prothean ruins previously discovered are in Hades Gamma Cluster."

"You may also want to try the dialects of the writings found in the Voyager cluster and in Styx Theta." The Revenant offered.

"Will give it a try. Uploading new dialects, comparing with encryption used in Prothean ruins unearthed on Palaven… success! Have full access to systems."

"Good job." Shepard patted the beaming Salarian on the back and nodded to his Collector squad-mate. He looked over the professor's shoulder as the alien worked.

"Analysing data, will be a moment." Mordin's eyes creased with focus, almost narrowing to slits as he read the information in front of him. "Seems that facility was part of much larger colony. Large-scale research and development lab. Responsible for biological enhancement of food sources, weapons testing, initial concept technology manufacture, research into advanced starship design. Many different fields all analysed within this one facility."

"Was it a military outpost?"

"No. Commercial in nature. Similar to Sirta Foundation or Binary Helix. Government funded, producing goods and technologies to be distributed without cost to the public."

"They were giving all of this stuff away for free?" Delexia asked dubiously. She clearly found the concept strange, possibly even distasteful, Shepard wasn't sure which.

"Apparently economy on this planet was not based upon currency. Individuals received allowance of food and a residence, in return for labour in fields, in factories, or in this facility. No rich, no poor." Mordin explained, still running through the files before him.

"Sounds utopian." Miranda muttered.

"It obviously didn't last." Shepard said. "Is there any mention of the reapers in there?"

"Accessing staff logs." Mordin responded quickly. "Cross-referencing word 'Reapers', analysing context. Also searching for mention of related words and topics. Ah! Found three logs. Decoding for visual display."

A static-filled image popped up on one of the screens. It flickered erratically, occasionally giving glimpses of the subject of the recording. Shepard caught sight of a large, round eye, what could have been a hand, a mouth full of blunt herbivorous teeth, and at one point he thought he saw a tentacle, although it could have been a blurry arm.

"Apologies. Recording is corrupted." The Salarian informed them all. "Visual data disrupted, but audio content remains. Translating… done!"

"Project log, dated fifteenth day of the tertiary quarter, Year twenty-nine thirty-two. We have uncovered a strange artefact deep under the planet's crust. All work on the new geo-thermal power plant have been put on hold until we can safely bring the relic to the surface for further study. Watches-from-shadows maintains that it is a relic of the Yalah, but I fail to see how it could have survived for fifty thousand years and still remain intact. Needless to say, we have requested that the Citadel Ruling Circle dispatch one of their foremost experts on the Yalah to analyse the artefact and give his opinion."

They waited for a few seconds as the static-filled screen froze, the recording coming to an end.

"Watches-from-shadows?" Delexia asked curiously. "What kind of a name is that?"

"Translation software operates literally. Unable to recognise name from context." Mordin explained. "Every name has an ancient meaning, lost in old dialects. Even Delexia has meaning in old Turian dialects. Roughly translated into modern language, it is rendered 'Blood-red Sun'."

"What did it mean by the 'Yalah'?" Miranda mused.

"Maybe the Yalah were to them what the Protheans are to us?" Shepard theorised. "The previous cycle's victims? Any insights, Revenant?"

"The name has no meaning for me." The Collector said flatly.

"Well I've never heard of them before." Delexia supplied.

"Reapers very efficient in their sterilisation of Galaxy." Mordin explained. "Very little left of previous civilisation. With every cleansing, more of previous civilisations are discovered and destroyed."

"What does the next log say?" Shepard asked. Mordin complied by tapping a button, bringing up a second log. This one was so badly corrupted that the visual element was non-existent.

"Project log, dated twenty-first day, primary quarter, Year twenty-nine thirty-three. Our efforts to excavate the ruins under the surface have finally paid off with the unearthing of the last structure. Work has resumed on the geo-thermal plant, and now I can finally help Watches-from-shadows with his research into the relic, now designated 'the egg'. I don't know what's inside that thing, but Watches-from-shadows grows more and more obsessed with every passing day. I keep finding him asleep at his desk, his food untouched. I must admit, I am curious as to what secrets the egg might contain…"

"This sounds all too familiar." Miranda said.

"I agree. Most likely this 'egg' is a Reaper device. And from the sound of things, it was already corrupting the Protheans that found it." Shepard agreed. "I just hope we're not too late for the colonists. What's in the final log, Mordin?"

Another video played on the screen, filled with static like the first. This time, though, Shepard caught sight of something unsettling. An eye flickered into focus, glowing with a malevolent yellow that the Commander had seen somewhere before, in the eyes of Collectors possessed by Harbinger.

"I understand it all clearly now. The Reapers are coming. They will purify the galaxy. Many will perish if they try to resist. But they are not the enemy! The Reapers come, not to destroy, but to help, to heal, to bring us up to their level of existence. They will help the worthy to ascend to a plane of being where death and sickness have no power over us! But the people will resist. They do not understand like I do, like Watches-from-shadows does. The way is clear. If the colony resists, it will be pummelled into the dust, and all will die. We must disable the defence turrets, and allow the Reapers to land peacefully. Then only the truly ignorant shall be killed, and many shall be allowed to live on, in the image of our saviours. This is why they cut us off from the Citadel, to prevent our false leaders from urging us to fight in a war that would do more harm than good. I will not hesitate in accomplishing the will of the Reapers. I go now to do as they command…"

"I think that tells us all we need to know." Shepard said, waving his hand for Mordin to dismiss the playback.

"It sounds to me as though the Reapers had already begun to influence these Protheans to view them as benevolent creators." The Revenant observed. "Seeing the Reapers as a kind force meant to help the Galaxy's inhabitants must have been the first stage of subverting my people to worship them."

"We need to find out whether any of the colonists have been exposed to this device."

"And how do we do that without alerting any potentially indoctrinated thralls that we're on to them?" Miranda asked.

"Simple. Disrupt signal from device." Mordin explained. "Thralls will become distraught at loss of signal, revealing their indoctrinated status."

"A workable plan." Shepard admitted. "But first, I'd recommend getting Stanara and Haraki out of the way. If either of them has been indoctrinated, they will definitely try to keep us from harming this 'egg' thing."

"Shouldn't be too difficult." Delexia said optimistically.

"We should also look out for any further research terminals." Miranda added. "I'd like to have a chance to download the schematics for this advanced power system. If we-"

The former Cerberus operative's words were interrupted by a thunderous roar. The lab rattled as tremors passed through the floor and walls, and the lights overhead flickered and dimmed.

"What was that?" Delexia asked anxiously, hand reaching for her pistol.

"An attack?" Miranda wondered. "Do you think someone else knows about the ruins?"

"Hmm. Doubtful." Mordin muttered as he turned back to the terminal, looking for a very specific system. A series of sensor readings popped up at his prompting. "Disturbance seismic in nature. Related to volcanic activity."

"Are we in any immediate danger?" Shepard asked sharply, concerned for the well being of his squad.

"Uncertain. Intensity of disturbance disconcerting, but not clear evidence of immediate risk of eruption. Seismic event of this size-" Mordin sniffed deeply. "Difficult to predict."

The Salarian genius continued tapping away at his console until an image appeared. It took only a few moments for Shepard to recognise the dome and two spires at the top of the image, deducing that it was a map of the facility. He was amazed at how deep the facility went, extending dozens of levels downwards. On either side of the facility, different strata of rock were represented by various bands of colour, all bending into one bright white layer around the furthest reaches of the facility.

"By the spirits… This place is massive!" Delexia breathed. "It must go down for miles!"

"Four point eight one miles, to be precise." Mordin commented. There was a note of admiration in his voice.

"What's all this?" Miranda asked, pointing to the bright white section surrounding the lowest levels of the facility. Mordin's brow creased while he analysed the readings.

"Troubling." He sniffed. "Lower levels of facility extend down into magma chamber itself. Geo-thermal power plant mentioned in logs is now surrounded by molten rock."

"But we're still getting power?" Shepard asked, eyebrow twitching questioningly. "That doesn't make sense."

"Power plant still intact. Appears facility was built with this eventuality in mind, and is protected by powerful kinetic barrier."

"Impossible." Miranda scoffed. "The power requirements for a shield that could hold back liquid rock would be beyond imagining. Even to hold lava back for just a few hours is beyond anything we've managed to come up with. To hold it back for thousands of years is even more unbelievable."

"Shields haven't been in operation since last revolution of cycle." Mordin informed her, his tone like that of a college instructor. "Original intent was to protect machinery from intense heat that builds up that far underground. Fifty thousand years ago, magma chamber may have been much, much deeper underground, but time, tectonic movement and fractures in rock from construction and operation of plant have drawn magma up closer to the surface. End result, Turians stumble upon ruins, enter, power systems activate automatically in presence of organics and magma is drawn up final short distance, eroding rock around lower levels. Shields have been under serious strain at most for a month, no longer."

"Even so, holding back the power of a volcano for a month is impressive." Shepard said, crossing his arms.

"My people's power systems were nowhere near as potent as that." The Revenant commented thoughtfully. "This technology must have just been developed as the last culling began. Had the Reapers arrived just a few months later, imagine the difference this could have made."

"Although systems analysis reports drop in shield strength of thirty eight per cent. Shields will not hold forever. Also, sensor readings record steady ride in temperature as magma chamber continues to expand through fractures in rock." Mordin informed them.

"So the shield will be weakening at an increasing rate." Miranda concluded. "How long does this place have?"

"Possibly another two weeks. However, that is not the real issue here." Mordin straightened from his work at the terminal. "As magma chamber expands, less and less stands between it and the surface. Planet's crust literally crumbling beneath our feet. Not long before surface breached. After that, shields will not matter. Even if facility survives eruption, it will be seated atop a sea of molten rock. With no means to hold itself up-"

"It will sink into the planet." Shepard finished for him. The Salarian nodded. "Then we haven't got much time. Let's make sure there are no civilians in danger first. Come on."

This said, the Commander turned back to the door, crossing the corridor and entering the agricultural lab.

Inside, the lab was a mess. Several panels had dropped down from the ceiling, tearing through the lush vegetation growing within. Some small fires had started where trays of chemicals had been knocked over, various volatile substances reacting violently with one another. Fortunately, the damp plants, combined with the humid atmosphere of the lab, had prevented these fires from becoming life-threatening, the tiny blazes only managing to fill the air with a thin, irritating smoke. Some of the workbenches had fallen over, adding to the chaos and making every step Shepard took a treacherous one.

In the middle of this, Stanara kneeled next to the prone form of Haraki. The scientist's forehead bore a wide gash which oozed thick blue blood profusely. He was groaning loudly, evidence that he was still alive, but it was clear he was in no condition to move on his own. Shepard quickly vaulted a fallen desk and kneeled down next to Stanara.

"How is he?"

"There was a crash, and then the whole ceiling caved in!" She explained in a panicked voice. "One chunk hit him across the head! What's going on?"

"It's the volcano. We're running out of time." Shepard explained briskly. He activated his omnitool, administering a dose of medi-gel to help the Turian scientist recover. "Grab his arm, help me carry him."

Between the two of them, they managed to manhandle Haraki out of the lab and into the corridor. The scientist, his head buzzing from the rough knock he had taken and his senses swimming in the medi-gel, mumbled and chuckled drunkenly as he was carried to safety. Once the group had reached the corridor, Delexia took Stanara's load off her, allowing the Turian merchant to help guide them back to the Landing Bay.

The floor trembled from time to time on their journey back to the Landing Bay, a constant reminder of the danger that lurked underfoot. Every time the facility groaned in protest around them, the Commander's feet began to speed up of their own accord.

Finally, as the vibrations echoing through the facility became an almost constant companion during their trek, the group rounded the final corner, flooding into the Landing Bay. They rushed to the all-terrain vehicle that Haraki had arrived in, bundling the unconscious scientist in the back. Stanara clambered into the driver's seat as the Commander made sure that Haraki was secure in the back.

"Get back to the colony as fast as you can. Tell Director Varsden to get your ship space-worthy ASAP. This volcano's going to go, and we need to get your people off world. "

"What about you?" Stanara asked timorously.

"We'll salvage what we can from the facility, and then make our way back to the settlement to help with the evacuation."

"But I-"

"Stanara?" Delexia interrupted. "Please, do as the Commander asks. We'll be fine here." She reached over to clasp her former comrade's hand. "Take what isn't nailed down-"

"And burn the rest." Stanara finished with a smile. "Take care, Captain."

"I always do." Delexia smiled as she stepped back from the vehicle. With a nod, Stanara turned the craft around and sent it arrowing off across the crater's pockmarked surface. The squad watched until it vanished into the grey murk.

"Come on. We've got to get moving." Shepard commanded, turning to head back into the facility.

As they moved across the floor of the Landing Bay, a powerful rumble shook the metal at their feet. It continued for some time before reaching a fever pitch. Shepard spun around at a shrieking noise to see a part of the ceiling break free and tumble to the deck with a crash. More debris rained down around them, many chunks easily big enough to kill any one of them.

"This is getting too dangerous. Back in the Hammerhead, people." He decided.

"But Shepard!" Miranda protested. "We can't just give up the technology here."

"We can when it could cost our lives." The Commander replied firmly. Miranda opened her mouth to make further protest, but held her tongue.

They turned back towards the Hammerhead when another tremor passed through the building, more intense than the last. Shepard looked to the ceiling just in time to see one of the large panels that formed the roof part ways with it's fastenings, plummeting to the floor below. Reacting without thinking, the Commander lunged forwards, grabbing Miranda around the waist and hauling her back just as the panel crashed to the ground where she had been standing. The pair tumbled backwards in a tangle of legs and arms, finishing their chaotic roll with the Commander atop Miranda, using his armoured form to protect her from the falling debris. Beside them, Mordin, the Revenant and Delexia dodged more of the deadly cascade. Shepard looked up as the pummelling sensation on his back ceased, casting his gaze about to make sure that it was safe to stand again. His eyes darted back to Miranda's surprised expression so close to his own face. Her heavy breathing fluttered across his cheek, and from the way her gaze struggled to retain its focus he got the feeling it was due to the excitement of being so close to more than just death.

"Not a word to Jack." He said firmly.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Commander." Her voice replied playfully. "Much as I'd enjoy making Jack jealous, we need you with both arms attached."

"Seriously. Not. A. Word." He rolled off her, allowing the pair of them to stand up.

They stood just as the ceiling above them groaned again. A large portion of the dome sagged low, the metal bars responsible for helping it keep its shape struggling with the suddenly uneven load.

"Everyone get back!" Shepard barked as he began to run towards the corridor they had just vacated. Miranda, Mordin and Delexia swiftly followed suit, with the Collector brining up the rear.

With a scream, half of what remained of the roof caved it, clattering across the floor behind them. Metal girders embedded themselves in the floor around them, punching through the metal plates to pass through the floor below. The squad had only just made the safety of the corridor before a final crash brought several tonnes of metal tearing down to block the doorway, sealing them inside.

Shepard waited a few moments for the dust to clear before speaking.

"Everyone alright?" He managed between choking gasps of air, his suit's breather having come loose in the scramble for safety. Thick dust clogged his airways and brought tears to his eyes.

"I am undamaged."

"A few scrapes, nothing more."

"Unharmed. Ready to proceed."

"All good over here, Shepard. So what's our next step?" Delexia asked.

"Depends." Shepard said flatly. "Miranda, can you tell if the Hammerhead is still operational?"

"The VI is still responding, and it reports only minimal damage. I think we got lucky, and most of the debris missed it."

"So let's get it to blast us out of here." Delexia said, rubbing her hands together.

"First of all, the VI is not complex enough to operate the weaponry." Miranda explained. "Secondly, with the building in this weakened state, do you really want to trigger any sort of sizeable explosions? You'd bring the place down around our ears."

"Well do you have any better ideas, Cerberus?" Delexia shot back.

"Cut it out!" Shepard said angrily. "We need to focus on getting out of here. Mordin, you had a look at those plans for the facility. Is there any other way to the Landing Bay?"

"Yes." Mordin said, bringing up his hastily downloaded schematics. "Most levels of facility serviced by this main passageway or auxiliary passages tunnelled through the rock to the surface. Auxiliary tunnels will be unusable by now, because of seismic instability, but there is a second main passage to the Landing Bay, freight elevator that services the power plant. Would need to head down to lower levels to access it, but would present viable alternative for return to surface. Elevator shaft would be reinforced to support weight of plant machinery being transported, so highly unlikely to be damaged by seismic tremors."

"Better than nothing." Shepard muttered. "Looks like we're going to get that closer look at the labs in here. Stay close, and keep your eyes open. We already know there's a Reaper artefact in here, so keep an eye out in case it made the Protheans leave behind anything especially dangerous."

**~o~0~o~**

The squad moved slowly through the corridors, scanning every dark corner as they moved further and further into the facility. The near-constant trembling of the walls around them was an ever-present reminder that they were in danger of meeting a very sudden and explosive end, prompting a rising knot of anxiety in the Commander's gullet.

"Commander."

Miranda's voice broke the silence so unexpectedly that Shepard's hand twitched a fraction of an inch towards his gun, but his self-control reasserted itself in time to avoid any incident. He looked over to see the former Cerberus operative looking through a pair of open doors.

"Looks like some sort of weapons lab." She informed him.

"Anything useful?" He asked, stepping up alongside her to glance in, reluctant to waste any time on a potentially fruitless search.

"Perhaps." She muttered.

Without waiting, she strode into the lab, stepping up to a workbench that occupied the centre of the room. She began digging through the pile of materials that occupied the bench, lifting datapads to glance at them for a moment, clipping the ones that still had power to her belt. The damaged, lifeless ones were cast to the floor with little ceremony. After a few moments of digging, the lifted a fallen piece of machinery and looked underneath

"Now we're getting somewhere."

Shepard stepped up next to her, glancing at the object of her attention. Secured tightly in a metal cradle, a large shotgun gleamed brightly in the light, smooth lines and sharp angles combined to create an elegant form. As she touched the cradle, a blue-purple light blinked on the device before it released the gun, allowing her to lift it up gently.

"It'll take me time to decipher the notes on what they were doing here, but I'm guessing that this was the end result. Care to have a look, Commander? Maybe you can spot any modifications to the weapon itself."

Shepard inspected the gun closely, running his fingers over the stock and barrel appreciatively. He tried letting it sit in his hands like he would any other weapon and was amazed at how… right it felt in his hands. As he glanced down, he saw a couple of parts slide back and forth to better accommodate his grip and realised the gun was designed to adapt to the wielder. He lifted it up to test its aim and found it really easy to keep steady.

"I don't know what the firepower's like, but it's really comfortable to carry." He murmured as he walked around the workbench. Once he was on the opposite side of the bench to Miranda, he turned away from her and pulled the trigger.

In the next instant, the room was filled with a brilliant purple light. A tiny point of light escaped the muzzle of the gun and swiftly expanded in size, a ball of indigo fire roiling through the air. By the time it reached the far wall, it was roughly the size of a man. It splatted against the wall before fading. The wall glowed a dull orange. The squad was silent for a moment.

"Well that was anticlimactic." Delexia sighed. "Pretty lights, but nothing to back-"

She fell silent as a perfectly round hole as tall as a man appeared in the wall, the metal that had been struck by the weapon cascading to the floor in a shower of dust. The Turian pirate stared dumbly at the new portal that had been created.

"Disintegration. Impressive." Miranda muttered appreciatively.

"Indeed. Technology has been attempted by Salarians previously, but experiments so far have been… less than satisfactory." Mordin chattered. "Wonder how Protheans achieved the effect. Ionised plasma bolt, perhaps? Expands upon contact with air, absorbed into target material, after which it destabilises molecular bonds, reformatting target into dust. Would explain why it took so long to affect wall. Dense materials would take longer to properly penetrate. Will work much faster on a person, or even on synthetic beings."

"Hey, Shepard? If you don't feel like carrying it, I wouldn't mind carting the disintegration shotgun thing around for you." Delexia offered, her admiration for the device clear in her tone.

"I'm good, thanks, Delexia." Shepard chuckled. He tilted the weapon to gaze into the loading mechanism. "I'd say I've got four shots left in this thing. Once we get back to the Normandy we can have a go at figuring out how to manufacture more ammunition for it."

He then slotted the weapon on his back, fitting it to the point where his heavy weapons were normally holstered. It compacted upon coming into contact with the magnetic plate back there, folding up into a small package about the length of the Commander's forearm.

"Let's keep moving."

**~o~0~o~**

"Anybody else noticed that it's getting warmer?"

Delexia's question was met with stoic silence as the squad marched down yet another empty corridor.

"Not that I'm complaining. Turians prefer it warmer. Palaven's closer to its sun than most habitable worlds, so we're better adapted for warm weather. But given the circumstances, I'd rather be feeling the cold right now."

Shepard had to admit, he was very much aware of the tight confines of his armour. Sweat dripped down though the opening around his neck, creating an uncomfortable trickle down his spine. His hair stuck to his scalp in a slick matt, while rivulets of salt ran across his cheeks.

He glanced over to Miranda and noted with more than a touch of jealousy that she appeared to be unaffected by the intense heat that was bothering him. The Revenant also seemed unfazed, but Mordin seemed to be suffering the most out of the entire squad. The Salarian's skin was wrinkled and looked very dry, and even his breathing seemed a little ragged.

"Mordin, you alright?"

"Salarians amphibious in nature." The professor replied. "Not suited to overly arid environments. Will be fine once we leave this facility."

"Anything we can do to help?"

"No. Should be fine, as long as we are quick to leave. Would prefer to avoid exposure to higher temperatures."

"How far to the power plant now?"

"Not far. There are a couple of elevators that will take us down a dozen floors each." The Revenant explained. "After that, we're pretty much there. Then it's just a short trip through the plant to the freight elevator, which will take us all the way back to the surface."

"Why did the Protheans only make one elevator that goes all the way to the surface?" Delexia wondered, a hint of complaint in her voice.

"Elevator shaft that long and narrow would be unstable, unable to withstand pressure of its own size." Mordin explained. "Larger structure of freight shaft can endure the strain. Only room for one such passage in facility."

Finally they reached a pair of thick metal doors. Mordin scuttled over to the control panel and in a few moments had the elevator open and ready for the Commander and his squad. Shepard stepped in and pressed the 'down button', shuffling out of the way as the team filed in.

They stood in silence for a few moments as the elevator began it's slow descent. Eventually, somewhat unsurprisingly at this point, Delexia was the one to break the silence.

"This thing could benefit from some music." She commented.

"God no." Miranda said, maybe a little too quickly.

"Just sayin', would make it a little less dull on the way down."

"Can provide some musical accompaniment, if you wish." Mordin offered. "Have performed in many trans-species productions, including a few Turian sand-and-earth plays."

"How- your knees don't even bend like- what?" Delexia was at a loss for words. Shepard had to stifle a chuckle as she stuttered, struggling to process the mental image the Salarian had given her. Eventually, he interceded on her behalf.

"That's… kind of you, Mordin, but not right now. Perhaps when we get back to the ship, you can show her some of the performances in your repertoire." Shepard tried not to grin as he noted Delexia's both terrified and curious expression behind the Salarian's head.

At long last, the elevator whooshed to a halt at its destination, allowing the squad to file out into another laboratory.

"Oh my."

Shepard inwardly echoed Miranda's whispered sentiment upon observing the contents of this new laboratory. It was far larger than any they had seen so far, extending away from the elevator at least fifty metres, while also possessing a similar width. Numerous strange cradle-like machines occupied the lab, arranged in neat rows, with various workbenches arrayed among them. All of the machines were occupied by a large, humanoid figure built out of a gleaming, reddish-brown metal not unlike copper in appearance. Shepard stepped up to one of the machines to inspect the cradle's captive.

The machine locked within was tall, easily a foot taller than a Turian. Its broad shoulders rivalled those of a Krogan. It was neckless, its head incorporated into its shoulders. Two wide eyes glinted dully in what counted as its 'face', no light contained within. Its arms were held out to either side by the machine, thick, bulky appendages that spoke of great strength. Not hands had been attached yet, leaving a cluster of wires dangling out of it loosely. The torso tapered down to a narrow waist, accentuating the burly shape of the machine, while fairly short legs ending in large, square feet hung down from the machine, the cradle holding it just high enough that its feet did not touch the floor.

"Mech factory." Shepard muttered. "But what were these things meant to do? Are we looking at an army, or a work force?"

"Unlikely that this was a military project." Mordin answered. "Protheans only spacefaring species of their time. No known opponents to engage in combat. Records indicate that civil war was very uncommon."

"That weapons lab we just saw would argue with your sentiments." Delexia pointed out.

"Disintegration gun could have many uses. Mining, for example. Not necessarily offensive weaponry."

"Mordin, Revenant, see what you can unearth. Look for some sort of main control station. We might be able to find some of the project lead's logs." Shepard commanded.

The two aliens set off further into the lab, searching for any sort of terminal. As they settled down to begin searching through the lab's files, Shepard moved over next to the Revenant. The Collector glanced over at him briefly before turning back to his work.

"Is there something you require, Commander?" He asked over his shoulder.

"Are you okay? I know this has all got to be a little strange for you."

"I relish the opportunity to examine what my forebears left behind here. But to see it all so… lifeless… is a little unsettling. I see the rooms and my mind tells me that this should be a bustling nest of activity. I do not recall this facility directly, but the memories I carry tell me of many more like it, although they have all been discovered and looted by your civilisations, or destroyed."

Shepard was about to ask another question when the console in front of the Revenant beeped loudly. The Collector leaned forward to read the display more closely.

"I have located some audio logs left behind by the project lead."

"Let's hear it."

Shepard waved the rest of the squad over. Delexia slapped Mordin on the shoulder forcefully, pulling the Salarian out of his trance-like state of concentration as he studied one of the terminals. Once they were all gathered around, the Revenant ran the first of the audio logs. It was scratchy, but the section recovered by the Collector was clear enough to be understood.

"-ing some trouble with the power draw of the mining lasers on these mechs. R&D upstairs claim they've found a new method of getting through the rock below us, a system that has a lower power draw. The board wants me to start installing this new disintegration tech on the latest batch as a test. Watches-from-shadows made a noise, as always. He said that they should allocate the resources to his project instead. I'm getting pretty damn fed up of hearing about his precious 'egg'. But, the board ignored him, thank the Yalah. We're just waiting on the schematics for the new attachments, and then we can get to it."

"There's your answer." Miranda said once the recording had concluded. "A labour force for excavating the tunnels beneath us. That gun we picked up must have been a prototype."

"The colony must have fallen to the Reapers pretty quickly." Delexia commented. "Looks like everything stopped right in the middle of a new batch."

"Is there anything else?" Shepard asked the Revenant.

"Two more recordings remain."

"Go ahead."

In this recording, the same voice could be heard, but it had a much more panicked note to it. The owner's breathing was heavy, as though he had been running.

"I don't know what's going on! Watches-from-shadows just went crazy and killed most of the board! He's… different, now. All metal and glowing lights. He's headed for the control centre for the colony defences. Everything went silent topside about five minutes ago, and I'm pretty sure it's connected. I'm going to fight back the only way I can. I've set the second batch of mechs on the assembly lines, and programmed them to head for the surface and wipe out any intruders they come across. I've set some to use the old mining laser configuration, so that they can be finished quicker. It's something, but I don't hold out much hope that they'll prove to be very effective. They're designed for mining, not combat. I leave this message in the hopes that the Citadel Ruling Circle manages to contain whatever the hell is going on here and eventually find this recording. Maybe it can shed some light on what led up to the incident."

"A brave move. But ultimately it would have been a case of too little, too late." Miranda commented after a thoughtful silence.

"At least the poor bastard tried." Delexia muttered. "Damn sight more than many would do when faced with impossible odds."

"Mechs wouldn't have been as easily overcome as he hypothesised." Mordin interjected. "Built to be very sturdy for work in underground environment. May have held out for some time."

"Yeah, just long enough to be indoctrinated like that Watches-from-shadows." The Turian's tone was now slightly bitter.

"There's still one more recording after this one." Shepard reminded them. He nodded to the Revenant again.

This time, the voice was serene, at peace.

"The third batch of mechs is almost complete. Not that the last batch did any good. It's not even worth it to finish these ones. I'm going to deactivate the assembly lines. Let the Reapers come. I will not fight them any more."

The squad did not speak for some time. Delexia bowed her head respectfully, while the Revenant simply powered down the terminal.

"Damn it." Miranda cursed. "Indoctrination. Just like every other time."

"No point in dwelling on it." Shepard said firmly. "Mordin, did you find anything on your search? Maybe some data on the power system the base has been using?"

"Actually, yes." The alien replied. "Was able to find out that data regarding power system is stored on separate network in spires above ground. All completed projects are filed in secure database there. Once we reach surface, will be able to download all necessary data there."

"Good work. Let's keep moving."

Shepard turned to go, but saw Miranda staring at something. Following her gaze, he caught sight of a terminal whose screen was filled with scrolling data.

"Miranda? What is it?"

"That terminal." She pointed. "It's working on its own."

Shepard reached for his gun as the import of her words sank in. He stepped over, looking at the flickering streams of information rolling across the display. Mordin stepped up next to him.

"Unable to determine exact process running at this moment." He muttered under his breath as he tapped a few buttons, receiving no response. "However, camera attachment is active. Someone may be watching."

Without waiting for any further data, Shepard lifted his pistol and fired, destroying the terminal. Mordin yelped as he leapt out of the way of the shower of sparks that spewed forth from the shattered remains.

"If we're being watched, that means we're not alone here. Keep an eye out." He instructed.

"Do you believe that there may be some indoctrinated colonists down here with us?" Delexia asked anxiously.

"I doubt it." Miranda answered dismissively. "The other colonists would have said something."

"Unless they're all indoctrinated." The Turian pointed out.

"That wouldn't make any sense. Why let us get this close to the Reaper artefact? Why not subdue us as soon as we landed?"

"True." Delexia nodded slowly.

"Seems likely, however, that scientist may be indoctrinated. Has had extensive contact with ruins." Mordin offered. "Logs indicate that at times Reapers were exerting their will within days or hours. Inefficient, however. Accelerated process causes loss of ability in thrall. Longer time to assert control retains efficiency and ability of thrall. However, Haraki has had contact with ruins for over a month now."

"We'll deal with him when we get back to the surface." Shepard said firmly. "Now let-"

He paused as he noticed the Revenant staring off aimlessly. The Collector's head twitched minutely.

"Revenant? Everything alright?" The Commander asked carefully.

"I… I can hear them." The alien replied distantly. He shuddered. "They are here."

"Who? The Reapers?" Shepard's voice rose in alarm. "Where? Are they attacking?"

"No… not like that." It sounded as though every word was an effort for the Revenant. "Their… relic. The artefact. It exerts their will for them. It is reaching out to us."

"Is it trying to take control?" Shepard's hand reached for his gun, ready to draw it to protect himself and his friends. Whether he could bring himself to shoot one friend to save three others was something he was not sure of.

"…Yes… but not in the way you mean. It is the indoctrination signal. The device is aware of us now, and it will try to subvert our minds."

"You make it sound sentient." Miranda commented.

"Given what we know of Reaper construction methods, it may well have once been sentient." The Revenant answered. "But that is no longer fully accurate. It is more akin to… a complex VI, now. It has one purpose: create new thralls to aid in the invasion."

As the Revenant spoke, Shepard heard a strange echo. He spun on his heel, gun raised as he aimed at the source of the noise, only to fail to see anything.

"We've got to get out of here." He muttered. "Fast. I'd rather not go anywhere near that thing, but it would be a good idea to make sure it's destroyed. Mordin, did you find any mention of where this 'egg' thing is housed?"

"Uncertain of exact co-ordinates, but logs indicate that size of artefact prevented moving it to surface. Will likely be on lowest levels, next to power plant."

"Then we'll look for it on our way out. But we won't waste too much time looking for it. The sooner we're out of range of its signal, the better."

"How do you exactly plan to take this thing out?" Miranda asked.

"I'm Commander Shepard." He answered simply. "Big explosions are kind of my thing."

She grinned back grimly as they turned to leave.

Before the squad could take a step, every terminal in the room lit up brightly. Words and numbers began racing across them in a blur. With a whine, the assembly machines began churning. Parts began slotting into place on the partially-built mechs.

"Looks like it recognised the name, Commander." Delexia lifted her gun to aim at the nearest machine. "What's the plan?"

"Run!" Shepard ordered.

The assembly lines clanged loudly as they resumed their work, producing the final appendages for this latest batch of mining mechs. As Shepard bolted past the awakening machines, welding arms spat sparks out in orange arcs, working to attach the new parts produced. The mechs' right hands were large nozzle-shaped assemblies, long barrels like the one on the new weapon he had strapped to his back. The left hands, meanwhile, were massive metal fists, four clunky digits clenching and unclenching powerfully.

A chorus of thunderous thumps heralded the completion of the first few ranks of robots, swiftly followed by even more as row upon row of machines released their mechanical captives. The eyes set in the mechs' faces lit up with a menacing blue glare as the machines turned to look at the intruders.

Shepard was almost halfway to the exit from the workshop, with Miranda and Delexia following closely behind and Mordin and the Revenant bringing up the rear of the column when the first of the mechs lumbered into their path. It lifted its weapon arm menacingly and unleashed a powerful blast. The blinding fireball blasted past the Commander, missing the squad by mere inches. A desk became the victim of this attack, collapsing into dust in moments. Without thinking, Shepard lifted his rifle and fired, scoring a few hits on the unshielded synthetic. The bullets riddled its chest, leaving a trail of punctures, until they finally found the robot's weapon arm. The device glowed brightly, light seeping out through the newly created holes, before exploding powerfully, knocking the robot off its feet. The stricken machine remained inert on the floor once the smoke had cleared.

Another mech loomed over the Commander, approaching around a whirring assembly machine. Its weapon began to whine as it turned it upon Shepard, only for its servos to groan in protest as a biotic glow surrounded its arm, throwing its aim off. Beside the Commander, Miranda twisted her outstretched arm sharply, and the mech's arm was torn off, whirling through the air overhead to smack into one of its comrades with a loud clank.

The squad's progress slowed as mechs approached from all sides. Some of the machines carried different weapon arms, possessing much longer, sleeker barrels. These alternate forms fired powerful lasers that cut through the machinery around the Commander, effortlessly passing through inches of metal like a hot knife through butter.

Shepard winced as he felt a sharp impact in the small of his back. His shields registered a disastrous drop in power as they shrugged aside the shot from an enemy laser, glittering chaotically as they struggled to remain intact. The Commander turned to the source of the attack to see three mechs circling around an assembly machine to flank the squad. Realising the danger, the Commander scanned his surroundings for a way to swiftly deal with the threat. His eyes darted to the assembly machine itself, and the gas canisters that fed the welding arms as they worked.

"Mordin! Incinerate!" He barked, his economy of words belying the intensity of his focus on taking out the mechanical foes.

The Salarian glanced over briefly before catching his meaning, dropping down into a crouch behind a workbench as he tinkered with his omnitool. He leapt up into view at the same time as a jet of flame left his outstretched palm, coalescing into a fireball that bolted across the distance between himself and the assembly machine.

In the next instant, the room was bathed in bright light as the machinery detonated. The mechs, just coming into firing range, were caught in the blast and torn to pieces, sending white-hot pieces of metal and sparking wiring raining down across a wide radius. Mordin winced as he dodged out of the way of a few pieces of scrapped mech.

"Flammable! Or inflammable. Forget which!" He shouted as the explosion triggered a couple of others, setting off a chain of destruction that raged across the length of the room.

"Shepard! We need to get a move on!" Delexia urged.

"Revenant! Clear a path!" Shepard shouted over the clamour.

The last Collector turned to face towards their distant object and concentrated. Biotic energy curled around his hands in a swirling vortex. With a roar, he threw both of his hands out, palm first. The dark energy released itself in the form of a powerful Warp blast, elongated and expanded to create a tunnel of ultra-dense air. This cone of biotic energy tore through the enemy ranks, splitting the robots caught in the direct path to pieces and flinging those only partly caught into the air in a spectacular display. Shepard recognised the technique as an enhanced Shockwave, and for a moment was quite impressed at the sight. Then both he and his friends were dashing headlong into the newly created breach, Miranda and the Revenant leading the way with their biotics while Delexia and Mordin took up the rear, the former blasting away with her shotgun at an insane rate while the latter used his omnitool to sow chaos among the mechs. Shepard held his position at the heart of the squad, splitting his attention between the foes in front of them and the much larger pursuing force.

They finally reached the door that led out of the assembly factory, where the Revenant dispatched the last of the mechs between them and escape by lifting it into the air and shredding it with a Warp blast. Miranda stepped over the wreckage and began working on the door, attempting to bypass the lock. The Collector moved to cover her, his biotics flaring brightly. Even so, Shepard noticed a slight flicker to them, as though the alien was growing weary of maintaining such focus for such a long time.

Mordin and Delexia caught up with them as Shepard moved up next to the Revenant, the three of them taking defensive positions next to the Collector as they protected Miranda. As a unit, they faced the mechs, firing and using their abilities like a well-oiled machine. They were mowing down the mechs as they came into view, but Shepard could see in the distance that many more still remained to be destroyed, and the assembly lines that still survived were hard at work putting together more of the machines. The squad could not hold their position indefinitely.

"How's that door coming, Miranda?" He asked tersely.

"Almost- there! Got it!"

"Everyone through the door!" He commanded sharply. He lifted his rifle and emptied the clip at the nearest enemy, reducing it to scrap.

"Ugh!" Shepard's head snapped around at the pained cry from Delexia, only to see the Turian stumble back. The gun in her hands fizzled for a moment before crumbling into dust, as did the armoured gloves that she wore. The Turian looked at her empty and now unprotected hands in surprise for a moment, and then back up at the mech that had fired the shot.

"You son of a bitch!" She yelled venomously. "That was a Hahne-Kedar Falchion! You'll pay for that!"

As she seethed, she drew a small device from the back of her belt. It was a tiny, round disc about the size of the Commander's palm. Green lights flashed on it, moving in a spiral inward. She flung the disc with a practised motion, sending it whirring through the air. It buzzed straight for the mech, striking it in the chest powerfully and embedding itself as deep as it could go. Delexia turned to the door and scurried through, motioning with her hands that it would be wise for the others to do the same. Mordin and the Revenant were first to comply, swiftly followed by Miranda. Shepard waited a moment, firing a few more shots wildly, and then back-pedalled through the open door. Miranda reached for the control on the other side of the door and it whooshed closed. As the two halves approached, the Commander caught sight of the mech struck by Delexia's strange device. It shook for a moment before an explosion tore it apart, taking two of its comrades with it. Impressed, he turned to her for an explanation.

"Shuriken grenades. My own design. Basically adapted from small scuttling charges, and then souped up a bit." She shrugged. "Normally for use against large vehicles, but I was pissed. That shotgun was damn expensive."

"I'll buy you a new one if you show Mordin how to make more of those little trinkets of yours."

"Deal." The Turian smiled.

"Commander? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this door isn't going to hold them." Miranda pointed to a dully glowing orange spot on the doors. "They're already trying to burn through."

"Damn. Should have known that wouldn't hold them for long."

"One moment." Mordin held up a single digit as he stepped over to the controls. "Possible that facility's shielding mechanism can be internalised. Re-align three of the emitters to aim inward, and… done! Door should remain intact for at least ten to fifteen minutes."

"Doesn't this mean that the shields are no longer working outside the facility?" Delexia pointed out.

"Only for small area. Deemed it more preferable to avoid having enemies pursuing us than to protect portion of the facility we will not need. Majority of facility's defences remain intact."

"Sacrifice a lab on the far side of the complex that we're never going to see anyway." Shepard surmised. "I can live with that. Fifteen minutes should be long enough to get off this floor. Let's keep going."

The squad began moving on down the corridor, frequently consulting the map of the facility that Mordin had downloaded to make sure they were on the right path. They passed many more labs on their way, although most of these were in some form of disarray, possibly due to the disturbances the volcano had produced. They found another weapons lab, where Shepard was able to download schematics that promised to make assault rifles more accurate over larger distances, and Miranda unearthed a datafile pertaining to equipping heavy pistols with ammunition modified to have explosive tips. The squad swiftly collected these packets of data for further analysis aboard the Normandy, all the while continuing to make swift progress towards the second elevator leading downwards.

Finally, they arrived at the elevator that would take them down to the power plant. They filed in and waited patiently as it began its descent. They stood in awkward silence for a few moments before Delexia once again broke the silence.

"Hey Revenant."

"Yes, Tanis?"

"Been meaning to ask. From what I've heard the others say about Collectors and such, I'd always heard that you all could fly. Why don't you? Could be a useful ability on the battlefield."

"Aside from the fact that it makes you more of a target for enemy fire?" The Collector countered. "I do have wings, as did every one of my kin. However, the tissue used in their construction is very delicate, and cannot be regrown. Mine were damaged during a fierce firefight with Vakarian and Massani. I have attempted to repair them many times in the Normandy's Med Bay, but the regrown material is not resilient enough to support my weight in the air."

"Huh." The Turian was silent for a brief instant. "So… you know how you're a bug-thing?"

"I am insectile in nature, yes." The Revenant replied patiently. "What of it?"

"So do you need to do any other bug-type habits?"

"Such as?"

"Well, say you see a nice bunch of roses. Do you feel the need to hump them?"

"Really!" Miranda huffed. "Is this the sort of juvenile discussion we're going to have to tolerate from now on?"

"Well?" Delexia ignored Miranda's words while Shepard stifled a snicker.

"I do not, no." The Revenant replied.

"Well what about-?"

"Miss Tanis, I believe it would be safe to say that, seeing as my species is sentient, the majority of known insect behaviours would not apply."

The elevator came to a slow halt, discouraging further conversation. The squad poured out into a short corridor. The heat here made the air tangible, and Shepard gasped for breath as his throat and lungs suffered from the blistering heat of every breath. Mordin drew a sharp breath in, the air hissing as it passed through his mouth. The Salarian was obviously pained by the infernal environment, his amphibious nature proving to be a hindrance here. Delexia flinched at the heat, and even Miranda was showing signs of discomfort now, the normally unflappable operative looking quite dishevelled. The Revenant, as always, proceeded stoically, showing no sign of any negative effects from the heat.

_Hardy physiology._ Shepard's mind observed. _Makes sense, actually. Bugs are well known for their ability to survive. Hell, cockroaches are supposed to be damn near unkillable. What better form for the Reapers to impose on the races they corrupt? Gives them a durable slave race. Same would apply to the Keepers, I guess._

At last they approached a large pair of double doors that Mordin indicated was the entrance to the power plant. The Salarian swiftly hacked the door, the process having become second nature to him by this point, and the squad filed in. Once more, they pulled up short as their eyes registered the scene inside.

"What the hell…?" Delexia muttered.

The first room of the power plant was a mechanical nightmare. Wires and pipes criss-crossed the room like a spider's web, in some places twisting around one another in a very realistic imitation of vines growing around a larger tree. The walls were covered in a similar chaos of mismatched parts. Set into the floor of the room, six massive turbines betrayed the original purpose of the room as a primary part of the power plant. Water tanks sent pipes plunging under the floor and deep into the rock beyond to find the heat coming up from the heart of the planet, allowing the water inside to become steam that powered the turbines. It was a primitive system, but reliable, and from what Shepard had seen, very efficient in this example.

What drew the Commander's attention, however, was the device at the heart of the room. Set in the midst of the turbines, reaching out tendrils to touch each machine, a massive object loomed over the squad. 'Object' was the best word Shepard could use to describe it, as it defied most words. It was round at the bottom, but the top had split apart to reach out and up. The overall appearance was one similar to coral. Shepard had seen the shape somewhere before: Object Rho on that ill-fated asteroid in the Bahak system. The blue glow that spread across the device's surface like lichen was unmistakable.

"Looks like we've found our 'egg'." He commented.

"Look at the way it's wired into the facility." Miranda pointed out. "It's almost like its… grown to inhabit this place, like a plant."

"Or a parasite." Shepard contradicted. "It must have wired itself into the computer system. That's why the assembly lines upstairs activated. It wanted to stop us."

"I thought these Reaper artefacts were meant to indoctrinate people." Delexia pointed out.

"Well an organic mind is quite a complex system to override." Miranda answered. "A Reaper artefact can do this without any physical link. Imagine what it could do to a computer system it was wired into."

"Doesn't look like an egg." The Turian continued.

"Perhaps that's how it starts out." Shepard reasoned. "Then, once it detects organics, it unfolds into this new configuration."

"We shouldn't spend too much time here." The Revenant cautioned. "I can already feel it probing at our minds."

"What about the device?" Miranda waved a hand expansively at the 'egg'.

"It's too big for us to destroy with what we've got on hand." Shepard answered. "Leave it for the volcano to deal with."

The squad began picking their way across the mess of wires and pipes, slowly crossing the room while making sure to stay well clear of the device.

"Shepard!"

Miranda's shout made the Commander jump. He turned to see her kneeling next to something. He cautiously stepped over to see what had grabbed her attention.

Two figures lay on the floor. Or rather, their armour lay on the floor. Shepard could see nothing of the beings inside. The suits of armour were humanoid in shape, as tall as a Turian but slightly built. He could see from the gloves that they possessed four digits on each hand, and their arms and legs bent in two separate locations.

"Look at how they're lying." Miranda muttered. "It's almost like… worship? Prostrating themselves before their deity, perhaps?"

"I don't think so." Shepard contradicted. He pointed to a puncture in the back of each suit. "Some kind of knife made these. They were killed, then arranged like this."

"Indoctrinated thrall building shrine, perhaps?" Mordin pondered. "Entire room's layout reminiscent of an altar or shrine. Deceased merely decorations? Or sacrificial offerings, perhaps. More likely scenario."

"It's damn creepy, whatever it is." Delexia said flatly. "Let's get out of here and leave this thing to burn."

As she said this, the room shuddered a little, reminding everyone of the impending danger of the volcano. The last of the tremors passed through the floor, only to be replaced by a much closer disturbance. The Egg vibrated furiously, dislodging a few of its connecting cables, and several parts of it began to split, allowing the device to unfold like a piece of fruit bursting its skin.

"I think you've pissed it off!" Miranda shouted at Delexia pointedly. The pair exchanged glares before lifting their guns to aim at the machine.

Shepard glanced at his squad to make sure they were ready, only to see the Revenant clutch at his brow. The Collector's eyes dimmed as he experienced some form of pain.

"Revenant? What's going on?"

"…He's awake."

"Who? Who is awake?"

The Collector's answer was inaudible as a terrifying metallic scream tore out of the Egg, echoing off the walls as it reached a painful crescendo. A shining metal figure strode out of the now open device, wires trailing from its body to connect it to the Egg. Its muscles gleamed with a blue lustre, much like the device it was attached to. The strange creature was humanoid in nature, possessing two arms and two legs, a long, slim torso, and a large, round head. Shepard was momentarily reminded of the old-fashioned image of a round-headed Martian popularised in the media over two centuries previously. That impression remained only until the creature twisted its head to glare at him, two piercing red eyes beaming out from the otherwise featureless face. It raised a single hand to point a claw-like finger at the Commander, a hiss emanating from it threateningly, even though there was no mouth or any other kind of orifice to produce the sound.

It was in that moment that the Commander realised why it seemed so familiar. The creature looked like a fleshed-out version of the abomination Saren had transformed into.

"Shepard." It thundered.

The Commander turned his rifle to the shining being.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Our designation is unimportant." The thing dismissed.

"How do you know who I am?"

"We know a great deal about you, Commander Shepard. We have taken the opportunity to absorb what information we could of the Galaxy's current state through the use of this pitiful grouping of hovels you call a colony."

Delexia growled at the being's mocking tone.

"We?" Miranda queried.

"The collective minds of the beings whose forms we have absorbed. One of whom donated his form to craft this avatar in order that we may impose our will upon the physical realm. We believe his designation was 'Watches-from-shadows'."

"My God!" Miranda gasped. "The Protheans!"

"Indeed." The creature's tone shifted from mocking to amusement. "Their struggles were so… delightful. But ultimately pointless. My creators tore through their defences as though they did not exist. And the greatest minds of their people surrendered their independence to our cause with little prompting."

"Is that your purpose then?" Shepard asked, his finger twitching on the trigger of his gun. "You're here to indoctrinate as many as you can before the Reapers arrive?"

"It is one of our duties. Our primary purpose here is to gather information, to spread dissent among the populace, and to disable the defences of those who must be subdued. With every repetition of the cycle, we grow stronger." It paused as one hand flared with biotic power. A Warp blast darted across the room, crashing into the wall with a screech of tortured metal as wires and pipes disintegrated, torn apart by the unstable energies. "And now you, the single being who has shown the most defiance in the face of our inescapable return, will die."

Shepard dropped into a crouch as another Warp blast roared towards him, gouging a shallow trench in the floor beside him. He instantly returned fire, his rifle chattering loudly as it sent a stream of white-hot bullets racing towards the avatar. A shimmering purple field flared up around it, deflecting the attack easily. The ghost of a chuckle escaped the creature as it watched the futile assault. It took a couple of steps forward, brought up short by an insistent tug from the wires that still connected it to the Egg.

"Quick! While its stuck!" Delexia urged, reaching for her hips and drawing a pair of pistols. The twin weapons barked sharply, firing off six shots each in quick succession. A moment later, their heat sinks hissed as they struggled to vent the heat build-up.

Miranda swiftly joined the assault, sending a powerful biotic bolt at the creature before lifting her SMG and firing off a string of bullets. The biotic attack caused a ripple in the creature's Barrier, allowing a couple of bullets to get through. The being roared in pain as tiny holes appeared in its form, dribbled of glassy grey liquid seeping from the wounds.

"Bleed, you bastard!" She yelled, firing off another string of bullets.

The creature reacted violently, howling as it sent a massive shockwave her way. The blast of dark energy boiled as it sped across the floor, casting stray pieces of metal into the air in a chaotic rain. It struck the awe-struck Miranda dead centre, sending her hurtling through the air. She let out a small cry as she landed amid the tangle of wires, a quiet crunch announcing damage to some of her bones.

Seeing his comrade's imminent danger, the Revenant raced in. Biotic energy flowed around his form a moment before a Singularity appeared close to the creature. The miniature black hole sucked at the avatar's Barrier, distorting it unpredictably. This left it open to the follow-up Warp blast the Collector launched at it, sending the towering being reeling.

Mordin, meanwhile, had sidled over to Miranda, kneeling next to her. Shepard saw him lean over her and twist something, summoning a groan of pain from the tough operative as the twisted body part clicked back into place. This done, the Salarian prepared a shot of Medi-Gel to administer to ease the pain. Miranda's pained utterances subsided somewhat after the meds kicked in. In moments, she struggled into a crouch, just about ready for action.

The Commander's attention was torn back to the avatar as it renewed its biotic assault, pummelling the floor around him as it rained down Warp blasts almost as swiftly as he could return fire. Thankfully, the swift nature of the assault meant that it was hurried, unpredictable, and mostly inaccurate. The Commander's shields still took a beating from numerous hits, their power swiftly dwindling. He continued to strafe from side to side, making sure to stay out of the creature's main area of attack.

"Shepard! Get down!"

Delexia's cry sent the Commander tumbling to the floor, his shoulder striking a protruding loop of thick wiring painfully. He looked up just in time to see the Turian fling one of her modified grenades at the creature's feet. A second incendiary device followed the first. The two grenades struck the floor just inches from the avatar's feet, where they remained, blinking in an increasingly fast pattern. The being had only a brief moment to look down at the pair of devices before they detonated, sending twin gouts of blinding white flame racing up towards the ceiling. The avatar was thrown from its feet, hurled past the Egg to smash into the far wall with a bang. All of the wires linking it to the Egg were torn apart by the explosion, setting it loose. As the creature got to its feet, the Barrier around it flickered for a second before fading.

"It's vulnerable!" Shepard shouted. "Quickly! Attack!"

The avatar roared in fury as it charged at the Commander. It was only as it drew closer that the Commander realised just how tall it was. The creature had to be at least ten feet tall, although it was still very slight, almost as lanky as a Turian. It raced towards him with a menacing lumber, swiping at him with a long arm. One open hand struck Shepard across the chest, lifting him off the ground and hurling him several metres as though he were a toy. He struck the ground hard, feeling a sharp pain in his back as something cracked. His teeth clenched together as he fought the pain, struggling to get back up. The avatar followed him like a hound that had the smell of the fox in its nostrils, one hand reaching out to him. The fingers on the end of the hand stretched out, changing their shape to become menacing talons.

A powerful biotic blast sent the creature reeling, tearing at its shoulder. Off to one side, the Revenant followed up with a Shockwave to put the avatar off-balance, while Delexia stepped up next to him, using her twin pistols to tear into the creature's metallic flesh. Approaching from the other side, Miranda limped along, using her gun more than her biotics to attack, while Mordin lifted his omnitool and sent a bolt of icy liquid tearing across the room at the avatar. The ice bolt struck, splattering the ultra-cold fluid across the being's shoulder. The metallic-organic hybrid shuddered as its shoulder solidified, rendering one arm useless. Seeing the opening, Miranda focused hard for an instant before lifting her hand, using a Warp blast to strike the hardened, brittle shoulder. The tissue shattered under the impact, tearing the arm free of the creature's body. It howled in rage as the severed limb dropped to the deck with a splat.

The avatar glared at the lost limb for a moment before turning and lumbering away from the squad. It retreated towards the Egg, stumbling as it struggled to keep its balance with the loss of mass on one side. Shepard kept on firing at its exposed back, pouring bullets into the shining body to little effect. At last, the creature reached the Egg, placing one hand upon its outer surface gently. The device whirred, and Shepard saw some mechanical arms extend from within. One arm held a newly forged limb, which was placed over the damaged stump that remained of its recently lost body part. The metallic flesh swiftly knitted together to form a complete whole. Other arms and pipes supplied a dose of greyish slime that rejuvenated the being, making it whole again.

"Creature has been returned to full vitality!" Mordin surmised.

"Damn it!" Miranda cursed. "We can't keep doing this all day."

"We need to take out the Egg!" Delexia shouted.

"How? None of our weapons possess the power necessary to even scratch that thing!" The Revenant protested.

"I think I see a way." Shepard said, glancing up at the ceiling. "Keep that thing busy while I work. Try to hurt it as much as you can. The longer it stays regenerating at the Egg, the better."

"You've got it!" Miranda complied swiftly.

The squad spilt, heading off in three separate directions. Miranda and Mordin circled around the left of the Egg, firing at the avatar as often as they could. Miranda used her biotics to lift a torn sheet of metal, flinging it at the shining creature. The avatar growled as the makeshift projectile struck it square in the back, spinning around to turn its red glare on the duo just as the Salarian professor launched an Incineration blast at it. The fireball struck the radiant being in the chest, only managing to char the silvery blue material. This damage swiftly vanished as the Egg sent out a new series of tendrils, rapidly repairing the avatar.

"Draw it out!" Miranda shouted. "Have it keep running between us and the Egg!"

Over on the opposite side of the Egg, close to the way out of the turbine room and deeper into the power plant, Delexia and the Revenant unleashed an assault on the creature's back. The Collector used his biotics to tug at the avatar's legs, causing it to stumble, while the Turian used her pistols to attack weaker spots on the creature's body, such as its joints and head. Two bullets blasted through the avatar's skull, blowing a pair of wide holes in it. The being howled indignantly as it stumbled back to the Egg, allowing the device to restore the lost tissue. This done, it spun around and lunged towards the duo near the exit, judging them to be the more potent risk.

The avatar bounded across the room, at one point vaulting along on the wall as it dodged Delexia's bullets, and hurled itself into the duo. One hand lashed out, its talons glittering as it carved a long gash through the Revenant's chest. Beige-yellow fluid spilled out in a torrent as the alien dropped to the floor, clutching at the grievous wound.

Delexia yelled as she fired, point blank, at the avatar. Her pistols hissed from the built-up heat as she staggered back, frantically trying to reload. Bullet holes riddled its chest, but it didn't appear overly troubled by them. The creature growled, lifting an arm threateningly.

It froze in mid-swing, a couple of wisps of dark energy wrapped around its arm. It looked up at the arm with an air of confusion, tugging at it as hard as it could.

"Move! I can't hold it for long!" Miranda ordered, her fist clenched tightly. Her eyes were screwed tight from the focus of maintaining the Stasis Field. Her abilities prevented her from generating one large enough to hold the entire avatar, and even this smaller one that only encased its arm was pushing her to her limits.

Delexia instantly took advantage of the momentary respite, dragging the Revenant with her as she retreated away from the creature. She pushed the control for the door behind her and slid through, taking the now unconscious Collector to safety.

"Shepard! Whatever you're planning, do it now!" Miranda's voice was close to whisper as she strained to keep her focus. The avatar's movements were becoming more frantic as it put all of its not inconsiderable strength into escaping.

The Commander was aware of Miranda's struggles, but his attention was focused elsewhere. He had managed to pull back from the confrontation, retreating to the wall furthest from the avatar. He cautiously but swiftly made his way around the edge of the room, glancing up at the roof. At last he drew close enough to the first of his targets. A thick support beam crossed the ceiling from the centre of the room, directly above the Egg, to where the ceiling met the wall above his head. He holstered his rifle, reaching further up on his back to draw the strange new gun he had acquired in the lab far above the power plant. He waited for it to unfold in his hands before lifting it to aim at the metal beam above his head. He held down the trigger for a moment, allowing the power to build, before unleashing the blast. The bolt of plasma arced up, striking the beam dead centre. The metal glowed for a moment before turning to dust, the ceiling around it sagging as its support was lost. The severed ends of the beam swung down loosely, dropping to the floor with a clang. One of the broken halves struck the Egg, gouging a thick trench through the durable material.

Sensing the damage to the device, the avatar spun its head around to glare at the Commander. Seeing what he was doing, it screamed in fury, its newfound sense of urgency giving it a burst of strength that allowed it to tear free of Miranda's Stasis Field. It raced across the uneven ground towards the Commander, arms swinging as it lumbered across the uneven terrain.

Miranda and Mordin, seeing the creature speeding towards their Commander, moved to intercept. The Salarian's submachine gun fired furiously, pummelling the avatar, while Miranda's biotics tore at it. At times, her Warp blasts tore massive chunks of glittering flesh free, causing torrents of white fluid to pour down over its body, while at others her Throw and Pull abilities put it off-balance, slowing the looming creature down. By the time the avatar reached the Commander's position, the trio had regrouped, moving steadily around the edge of the room and away from it.

The avatar roared as it lunged at the Commander, throwing its body straight at him. Shepard dropped into a roll, going one way as Miranda and Mordin went the other way. The creature roared past the trio, slamming into the wall beside them with enough force to buckle the solid metal, sending shivers through the entire room.

The squad pushed onwards, only just keeping ahead of the avatar as it pursued them. It unleashed a biotic blast that struck the Commander in the back, draining what little remained of his shields and sending a shock of pain up his back.

At last, the squad had moved far enough around the room's edge that Shepard had a clear shot at the next support beam. He dropped down onto one knee while Miranda and Mordin turned to unload their weapons into the avatar, slowing it only momentarily. That moment was all that Shepard needed, though. Another beam shattered, causing the roof to sag even more chaotically, only just holding together.

With the second beam destroyed, only one remained, close to the way out of the turbine room. Moving as a unit, the trio darted towards it, the avatar in hot pursuit.

Shepard stumbled as he ran, struggling to find his way over the tangle of wires and pipes. Behind him, Miranda's breathing was ragged, both from her injury and from the exhaustion of using her biotics so extensively. The Commander realised that, for the most part, her most recent attacks had solely come from her weapon. She had to be near her limit, and would not be able to continue fighting for much longer.

The squad pushed onwards, until they finally reached a suitable spot for Shepard to make his last shot. He once again dropped into a crouch, lifting his weapon to aim at the final beam.

"When I take this shot, get ready to run." He advised.

"Understood."

"Ready, Commander."

Shepard sighted on the beam, ignoring the loud crash as the avatar landed on the floor. Behind him, Miranda sent the towering being reeling with the most powerful Push she could muster, while an Incinerate from Mordin's omnitool caused it to flinch away to avoid any injury.

The Commander's finger tightened on the trigger, charging the weapon. Half a second later, a massive metal arm swept him off his feet, knocking him head over heels. As he rolled to a halt, his ribs smarting from the impact of striking the floor, he glanced up to see Miranda and Mordin similarly thrown aside effortlessly. The avatar roared as it glared at him threateningly. Miranda, shaken by the sudden turn of the tables, got to her feet shakily.

"What's the plan, Shepard?"

"I can't get a clear shot at that last beam with that thing in the way." Shepard growled in frustration.

"Well, how do we get it to move?"

"…Fire on the Egg."

"What?"

"Fire on the Egg."

"But Commander, our guns won't even make a dent on that!" She protested.

"They don't have to." He explained. "We've just got to convince it we want to damage the thing."

She glared at him for a moment, trying to discern his intentions, before understanding dawned in her eyes. Both she and Mordin turned and opened fire with their weapons, the Salarian interspersing his furious rate of fire with the occasional tech attack. Both fire and ice flew through the air, splatting against the Egg in a spray of smoke and freezing vapour. Miranda tried using her biotics to dent the device, but the blue-white energies flickered weakly, her energy reserves too drained to summon much power. The bolt of dark energy she launched did little more than bounce off the sleek hide of the Reaper artefact.

Shepard glanced over to the avatar to see it watching their attack, amusement in its stance. It was clearly confident that they couldn't damage the Egg, and was more intent on making sure the Commander couldn't bring the roof down on it. He only had two shots left in the disintegration shotgun, and while one would seriously injure it, it would still be intact enough to defend its position, and Shepard could not afford to waste his last round on a shot that might not destroy the creature, and would still leave the Egg intact.

"Come on, we need some power behind these attacks." He prompted.

"Doing the best I can, Shepard." Miranda managed through grit teeth.

"Tasked to capacity." Mordin said as he sent off another Incinerate.

"We need more!" Shepard barked. "Don't hold anything back."

Miranda nodded reluctantly, a gesture imitated by the Salarian. They both lifted their hands, Miranda's lit up by gathering dark energy while Mordin's was encased in the light of his omnitool. The biotic energy around Miranda's hand intensified, her body sagging as she focused. Mordin's palm glowed as a bright flame built up there.

The pair released their attacks in the same instant, Miranda's Warp Blast and Mordin's Incinerate. As the fireball left the Salarian's palm, his omnitool sparked and faded. Miranda dropped to her knees, her breath coming in short gasps and a trickle of blood flowing from her nose to dangle on her lip in a scarlet drop.

The twin attacks struck the Egg at the same instant. The Warp blast tore into the device, sending slivers of strange, blue metal winging in every direction. The Incinerate blast washed over the surface, charring the semi-organic material and causing further damage.

Seeing the damage being done to the Egg, the avatar screeched in indignation. It glared at the squad, unsure of whether they were capable of damaging the Egg any further. Shepard grinned as its eyes met his, pointedly lifting his new weapon to aim at the Egg. The avatar howled with rage and a tinge of fear as the muzzle of the weapon glowed, the charge building in it. The creature leapt forwards, bounding across the floor to defend the artefact. As it charged to interpose itself between the Egg and the Commander, Shepard twitched his aim a little towards the moving target.

The shot left the weapon, arrowing across the room. It struck the avatar in mid-air, hurling the creature back. It tried to struggle back to its feet, only for the legs from the knee down to vanish in a cloud of dust. It stared at the useless stumps for a moment before growling furiously, unable to stand. It looked up at the Commander, red eyes burning with pure hatred, and began to crawl after him. Shepard began moving towards the last support beam, Miranda and Mordin close behind.

"Shepard, I'm spent." Miranda said wearily. "I can hardly stand."

"Omnitool is fried." Mordin added. "Combat effectiveness is much reduced."

"Get to the door." Shepard ordered. "I'm about to bring this place down."

"Aye."

"Understood."

The Commander strode up to the beam, lifting his weapon. Behind him, the former Cerberus operative and the Salarian made their way to the door, following Delexia and the Revenant. The avatar, meanwhile, seeing the Commander approaching his objective, increased its pitiful struggles to get to him, severe legs thrashing wildly while its arms scratched deep gouges in the floor beneath it.

The Commander ignored all of this, however, and focused on the beam over his head. His finger curled around the trigger, and he fired. Without waiting to see the effect of his shot, he turned and ran, reflexively placing the gun on his back, where it folded up as it attached itself to the weapon plate back there.

He charged through the door, turning just in time to see a massive chunk of debris drop down, crushing one of the turbines. More debris struck the Egg, removing chunks of the device's sturdy frame. In the midst of the chaos, the avatar reared up, extending its arms to lean on its palms. It glared at the Commander malevolently, hissing.

"You have stopped nothing, Shepard! The Reapers have returned, and your penance for your resistance shall be having to watch as your world burns! Our destruction shall not change this!"

"We'll see." Shepard countered. "Or rather, I'll see, seeing as you won't be around long enough."

With that, the Commander spun around, waving one hand insolently. The avatar screamed as the door began to slide shut, more and more debris raining down around it. Finally, the solid barrier of the door muffled the rage-fuelled howls.

The squad sagged in the corridor beyond, completely exhausted. Delexia was leaning over the still form of the Revenant, tending to the wide gash running across its chest. Miranda leaned back against the wall, her eyes closed with weariness. Mordin was trying to get his omnitool operational, although he was having little success.

Shepard placed his hands on his thighs, doubling over slightly as he fought to regain his composure. After a few moments, he straightened.

"Status report." He ordered.

"Revenant's okay. Took a bad hit, but the Medi-Gel's fixing him up alright." Delexia answered. "Should be awake in a minute or two."

"Omnitool cannot be fixed in the field." Mordin grunted irritably.

"Here, have mine." Delexia offered, slipping the device off her hand and tossing it to the Salarian. He accepted it with a muttered thank-you, and swapped his own 'tool for it, tightening the fastenings for his smaller wrist.

"Miranda?" Shepard asked.

"I'll be good to go in a second, Shepard." Miranda opened a hand to show him the foil wrapper of a dextrose energy bar she was in the middle of consuming to replenish her energy. "Just… don't expect any more of the theatrics."

"Understood." He turned back to Delexia. "Ammo?"

"Running low, but I've got enough to get myself out of here, provided we don't have to take on another army of mechs, or one of those machine things." The Turian answered.

"Have been relying upon tech attacks previously. Personal ammunition stores remain near full capacity." Mordin muttered as he tweaked the settings of the omnitool.

"I'm pretty much in the same boat, thanks to my biotics." Miranda supplied. "And I don't think the Revenant's fired a shot yet today."

"He's only got one pistol. What good will that do?" Delexia said dismissively.

"Plenty, in the right hands." Shepard countered. "But once he wakes up, his biotics render the point moot."

As if on cue, the Collector stirred, a groan escaping from his throat. Delexia helped him to sit up.

"Ugh." He groaned. "That doesn't feel so good."

"Hey, take it easy!" Delexia urged. "You took a bad hit. The Medi-Gel's still stitching you back together. Just give it a minute."

The Collector struggled to his feet, assisted by Delexia. Once he was standing, Shepard stepped over and helped Miranda. The squad looked at one another wearily, passing an unspoken agreement among each other that they were going to keep moving. At that moment, the floor trembled beneath them. The vibration approached a fever pitch, threatening to tear the corridor apart. Shepard felt more than heard the destruction of numerous parts of the facility around them. Overhead, the lights turned from white to red, pulsing in alarm. A voice spoke out through speakers in the roof.

"Mordin? Translation?" Shepard turned to the Professor.

"General alarm." Mordin explained. "Informing us of damage to sections Gamma through Sigma. Shields have failed. Lava destroying large portions of facility."

"We did just destroy the turbine room." Miranda reasoned. "No power, no shields."

"Will we still be able to get up to the surface?" Shepard asked.

"Auxiliary power should get us out of here." She answered.

"We're out of time, people. Let's get to the freight elevator, quickly!" Shepard ordered.

The squad fell into step behind him, hurrying along the corridors as the facility continued to shudder around them.

**~o~0~o~**

The vibrations were almost constant by the time the squad poured out into the room Mordin's uploaded schematics indicated contained the freight elevator. They glanced behind them to make sure nothing was following, and turned to inspect the room.

The elevator loading bay was a cavernous room, at least fifty metres to a side. There was a large, square hole in the ceiling, directly above a portion of the floor that was slightly raised and surrounded by a safety railing. Four massive pillars, one to each corner, extended from beneath the platform up through the hole and away into the distance above. A single huge motor had been placed on each corner, intended to haul the platform up the pillars.

Shepard tensed when he caught sight of the freight elevator's last load. Arrayed in neat rows, dozens of mining mechs waited silently, their eyes dark.

"Ah, shit." Delexia cursed. "Knew this wasn't going to be easy."

A thunderous roar echoes through the room, bouncing back and forth up the elevator shaft in a mournful cascade. The pillars that permitted the elevator's ascent swayed precariously.

"We don't have time to be picky." Shepard replied. "Mordin, get this thing going. Everyone else, be ready in case these things wake up."

As the Salarian scrambled up onto the elevator, looking about until he found a control console, the rest of the squad took up positions around him, ready to attack the mechs at the slightest provocation.

Shepard turned at a sudden insistent pounding from the corridor they had just vacated. It was a rhythmic triple beat, repeating over and over. To the Commander's ears, it sounded vaguely like a horse galloping. His stomach churned as he ran through the possible explanations in his head. It was no result of the collapsing facility, that was for sure. He arrived at the correct conclusion just as the source of the noise tore into view.

Running on all fours, more like a feral beast than a sentient being, the creature that had once been the Prothean Watches-from-shadows bounded down the corridor. Its body was slightly elongated, using both its hands and feet to power along at a tremendous speed. The red eyes blazed with hate, a ragged hissing noise escaping from the mouthless face

"Mordin?" Shepard called with consternation. Around him, his fellow squad members tensed as they saw the avatar racing towards them. "Mordin, get this thing moving."

As the creature exploded into the room in a flash of gleaming fury, the squad opened fire. Miranda's submachine gun joined Delexia's twin pistols and Shepard's rifle in peppering the creature with bullets, tearing at the silvery blue flesh. The Revenant used his biotics to make the avatar dodge and swerve violently to avoid being overly damaged, its almost supernatural reflexes allowing it to dodge most of the attack. It slowed its headlong pursuit, coming to a halt in front of the elevator platform. It seemed to pause, composing itself, although Shepard could sense the simmering rage under the calm exterior.

"You destroyed the Egg, Shepard." It called. "But it had enough power left to allow us to survive the cave-in in this form. You see, Commander, we cannot be destroyed, not by you. Your technology is far inferior to our own. Why you insist on struggling against what shall be defies comprehension."

"Its what makes us Human." Shepard said in between bursts of fire from his weapon. "But you wouldn't understand that."

The avatar stood still, raising one hand to point a finger at the elevator threateningly. Shepard wondered for a moment what it was doing before an unearthly screech resounded through his head set, almost deafening him. Around the squad, the mechs jerked like puppets pulled by invisible strings. The Commander realised what was happening. The avatar was assaulting the mechs' inner defences via the radio, dominating them through pure technological brute force.

The nearest mech swivelled around to face the squad, weapon arms powering up. It managed to point its weapon arm at the Commander before a biotic Push from the Revenant sent it tumbling off the elevator. As more of the machines powered up, the elevator shuddered, slowly beginning to ascend.

"Quickly! Throw them off the edge!" Shepard commanded, using his rifle to tear into one of the robots and managing to knock it back a couple of paces. He attacked again and again, making the machine take step after step backwards until it finally teetered on the edge. One last shot unbalanced it enough to make it tumble away, hitting the floor with a solid thump.

The avatar screeched as it saw its prey getting away, running forwards. It leapt with all of its might, latching on to one of the pillars that suspended the elevator. The entire structure swayed at the new presence, causing the Commander to stagger uncertainly. The creature clambered up the pillar, drawing closer and closer to the elevator.

"Mordin!" Shepard yelled as he drove the butt of his rifle into the faceplate of one of the mechs. "Can't you make this thing go any faster?"

"Currently at full velocity, Shepard!"

"Come on!" Delexia shouted as she flat-out punched a mech over the edge of the platform. "The Protheans could build disintegration guns and miniature Mass Relays, but couldn't make an elevator go more than five miles an hour? What kind of civilisation were they?" She paused before turning to the Revenant. "No offence."

"None taken. Although I would prefer that you kept hampering our foes!" The Revenant grunted as a Shockwave left its hands to cast a trio of mechs over the edge.

"What?"

"Keep shooting!"

Shepard bit back the stern reprimand to focus, knowing that their banter was just one way of dealing with the stress of the situation. He instead activated a control on hi gun and fired off a single, high-powered shot. It struck his target with incredible force, pushing the mech back. Reeling from the Concussive Shot, the robot had no chance to recover before Miranda shot its legs out from under it, causing it to tumble back down the elevator shaft.

The avatar hove into view, clambering up onto the platform with extraordinary agility. It swiped at a pair of mechs in its way, taking them out of the battle, and made straight for the Commander. Shepard responded by opening up with his rifle, tearing several gaping holes in the shining creature's torso. This did little to slow the creature down as it ploughed into him, knocking him from his feet and sending him sliding across the platform. He stopped inches shy of the edge, struggling back to his feet.

"Concentrate your fire!" Miranda barked authoritatively, attacking the avatar. Beside her, Mordin used his loaned omnitool to blast the Reaper creation with a bolt of ice, making the flesh brittle enough that when Delexia attacked from the other side the bullets chipped off large chunks of flesh. The creature howled angrily, retreating from the squad's ferocious attack. It slipped off over the aside of the elevator, vanishing from sight.

"It's not over!" Shepard shouted, shooting another mech to pieces. "Regroup in the centre! Stay away from the edge of the platform."

The squad obediently fell back to the console Mordin had used to hack the platform, blasting mechs left, right and centre. About half of the machines remained, some still awakening after their millennia-long period of inactivity.

With alarming speed, the avatar leapt back into view, darting out of the way of the Commander's fire as it shot across the platform towards the squad. It ploughed into the team, flinging the Revenant aside angrily, before slashing at Shepard with its claws. The Commander jumped back from the vicious attack, moving forward again to slam the butt of his rifle into the featureless face. The twin red orbs dimmed momentarily, looking a little confused, before refocusing on Shepard with fury in their stare. The Commander winced as a powerful shoulder was driven into his stomach, bearing him up off the platform and into the air. The avatar continued this bull-rush, pushing Shepard closer to the edge. As the Commander's boots scraped against the lip of the platform, he slammed a gloved fist into the avatar's face again, dazing it long enough to gain purchase and push against it. The two combatants locked together on the edge of the platform, each wrestling to throw the other off. Finally Shepard managed to hook a foot around its leg, tripping it and sending the creature over the edge. It vanished almost immediately, its furious hisses still audible as it crawled across the underside of the platform.

The squad moved back to the centre of the platform, working to eliminate the last of the mechs. Only a dozen remained, but that was enough to threaten the beleaguered team, battered and bruised as they were. Shepard's shields had long since burned out, and the weak barriers that appeared around Miranda and the Revenant told a similar tale. With no cover, they had taken a terrible beating, and it showed.

In that moment, Shepard felt pride swell in his chest. Even in the face of such a draining battle, they did not falter. Miranda, her eyes sunken from exhaustion, her normally perfect hair thrown into disarray, kept on fighting, taking down one then another of their enemies. The Revenant, grievously wounded, continued to use his biotics to hurl the mechs over the edge. Delexia, missing her weapon of choice and with her armour badly compromised through damage, had a firm set to her mandibles as her guns ran hot from the sheer mass of firepower she was slinging into the opposing ranks. Mordin just kept on going, using his new omnitool to just as much effect as his old one.

At last the final mech fell, riddled with so many bullet holes it resembled a colander. The squad looked about carefully, wary of the fact that the avatar was still lying in wait for them.

"I'm out." Delexia said, ejecting the last of her thermal clips. Shepard responded by throwing her a couple of his spares, allowing her to reload one last time. Miranda and Mordin mentioned that they were in a similar situation, down to their last few shots, while the Revenant claimed to only possess a handful of shots for his lone pistol, although he claimed he would not need it as he still had some energy left to use his biotics. Shepard glanced down at the reloader mounted on his wrist, noting that only two clips remained in the mechanism. After that, he may as well have been armed with a baseball bat.

The Commander glanced upwards, spotting a glimmer of light far above but approaching more and more swiftly. They were not far from the end now.

A flickering shadow moved in the corner of the Commander's eye. He craned his neck to get a better look at the source of the movement, only to see the shadow suddenly begin to grow bigger at an alarming rate. His eyes widened as he realised what he was looking at.

"Look out!"

He barely had a chance to shout out the warning before the avatar crashed into the platform, causing it to swing from side to side wildly. Miranda yelped as a massive, shining foot struck her in the shoulder, sending her stumbling backwards. Revenant retreated swiftly, a biotic glow surrounding his hands as he sized up the enemy, looking for a weak point. Mordin simply dropped into a roll, swiftly carrying himself away from the avatar. Delexia was caught underneath the creature's second foot, the breath rushing from her lungs as its incredible weight pressed down on her.

Shepard strafed to the side, crouching low to dodge as the avatar swung a massive metal hand at him. His rifle barked loudly, the salvo sending the avatar stumbling back far enough to release Delexia. The Turian scrambled out of the way, clutching at her damaged chest.

"Push it back to the edge!" Shepard yelled over the cacophony of his own rifle.

Miranda nodded, bringing her gun to bear and unloading the last of its bullets at the creature. Mordin did the same, similarly depleting his ammo supply. The Revenant gathered a wave of dark energy around himself, letting loose with a growl. The tide of biotic energy washed across the platform, striking the avatar dead centre. The creature was forced backwards, slipping off the edge. It caught the lip of the platform with both hands, swiftly beginning to climb back up.

"Delexia! Any more of those shuriken grenades?" Shepard asked.

The Turian looked up at him and nodded weakly. She pulled the last of the explosive disks from her belt, passing it to the Commander. Shepard pressed the button in the centre, setting the flickering lights flashing. He then looked up at the avatar, took aim, and uncurled his arm with a grunt, throwing the grenade.

The projectile spun through the air, emitting a quiet whine as it bolted towards the shining creature. It finished its arc by striking the avatar squarely in the brow, directly between the malevolent red eyes.

The avatar looked confused for a moment, unsure of what the new presence in its head was. It tried to pull itself back onto the platform, only for the ensuing detonation to remove its head completely in a gout of white flame. The stricken body went stiff for a moment before relaxing, slipping off the edge of the platform. Shepard raced over to the edge to see the slivery form vanish into the shadows below, tumbling chaotically. He waited a couple of seconds before a loud crash reached his ears, announcing the avatar'' arrival at the bottom of the shaft. Only then did he relax.

"Its dead." He said conclusively.

"Nevertheless, let's put as much distance between ourselves and it, just in case." Miranda murmured from where she slumped on the platform. Shepard stepped over to help her up, the operative wincing as she straightened.

"Ow!" Delexia yelped as she stood. "Think I might have broken a rib."

"Mordin, see what you can do for her." Shepard ordered. The Salarian complied quickly.

"Commander, we're almost out." The Revenant informed him, looking up.

When Shepard glanced upwards, he noted with a measure of relief that they were close to the surface. The opening doors that led to the floor of the Landing Bay could be seen just a couple of dozen metres overhead. As the thick metal portal ground open above them, a light rain of debris tumbled down, parts of the Landing Bay roof that had struck the doors. The squad sheltered by the control console, the revenant raising a biotic shield to deflect the more dangerous pieces of rubble. Finally, the elevator slid to a halt, rising to sit flush with the floor of the Landing Bay. The Commander almost sagged with relief when he laid eyes upon the Hammerhead, sitting patiently in the centre of the Landing Bay. Behind it, the pile of rubble that had blocked off their initial means of escape squatted menacingly, and the commander felt an almost taunting feeling run through him upon seeing it.

_Better luck next time._ His mind gloated.

"Looks fairly undamaged." Miranda commented, inspecting the Hammerhead. "Should be no trouble to clear the engine of debris."

"Shepard." Delexia's sharp tone caused the Commander to tense. He looked around to see a tight expression on the Turian's face. She pointed to a spot closer to the main doors leading out of the Landing Bay.

Just inside the entrance, the Turian ATV that Stanara and Haraki had left in waited quietly. Seeing this, the squad tensed. Shepard and Delexia drew their weapons, Miranda and the Revenant prepared their biotics and Mordin activated his omnitool.

"Ammo." Shepard muttered.

"Only got two shots left, Commander." Delexia muttered.

"No ammunition remaining." Mordin answered.

"My pistol was lost in the final confrontation with the avatar." The Revenant said, biotics swirling around him brightly.

"I'm out." Miranda replied.

"And I've just got two clips." Shepard felt like he could spit. They were close to getting out of here, and he was damned it he was going to let an indoctrinated Turian ruin their winning streak.

"Haraki must have been indoctrinated during his time in the ruins." Miranda surmised. "That Egg thing had infiltrated the system, it wouldn't have been hard to find him."

"What did he do with Stanara?" Delexia asked coldly.

"I'm fine, Delexia." Stanara's voice echoed around the Landing Bay. The squad whirled to the source of the voice, spotting the Turian emerging from behind a pile of rubble. She appeared to be very shaken. "Thank the spirits you're alright!"

"Stanara!" Delexia's tone flooded with relief. "What are you doing back here?"

"It was Haraki! He woke up and started howling like a mad creature. He knocked me out, and when I woke up, we'd arrived back here. I saw him running off into the ruins. I stayed around to make sure you were okay. You haven't been answering your radio."

"The facility must have cut off all signals." Delexia guessed. "After the cave-in, we had to find an alternate path."

"I was worried that the quakes had trapped you in there!" Stanara's voice filed with relief. Her expression hitched for a moment as a new thought occurred to her. "Haraki's still in there."

"Leave him." Miranda said firmly. "He's indoctrinated. If we find him, we'll have to kill him. Let the volcano do our job for us."

The Turian huffed, a little put out by the stand-offish attitude. Shepard stepped in.

"She's right. Our main concern is getting out of here." He turned away from Stanara to look to his own squad. "We need to get to the spire, download those schematics for the power system. An advanced technology like that will be crucial in fighting the Reapers."

"Stanara, is your ride okay?" Delexia asked, striding over to the Turian vehicle. Behind her, Miranda, Mordin and the Revenant set to work clearing what rubble had landed atop the Hammerhead. "I'll help you get it going. You head back to the colony, see what you can do to help-"

Her words trailed to a quiet halt as she opened the back door to the vehicle, making ready to jump inside. She recoiled from the scene within, her gorge rising as the metallic stench assaulted her nose. Inside, the walls and ceiling of the craft were coated in a thick layer of royal blue blood. Entrails covered the seats, and a detached Turian head lay forlornly in the middle of the rear storage area. Haraki's surprised expression glared back at her, a pleading scream frozen on his lips.

Delexia spun from the vehicle to look at Stanara, only to see her old friend holding a pistol to the commander's skull.

"Stanara! No!"

Shepard tensed as he heard the firing mechanism being cocked right behind his head. He went very still, knowing that at that range his barriers would do nothing to stop the bullet from providing his head with a new sunroof. Behind him, Stanara looked over at Delexia, her eyes bleary, as though she were awakening from a dream. Over to one side, Miranda, Mordin and the Revenant scrambled down from atop the Hammerhead, readying a wide variety of attacks.

"Stay back! All of you!" Stanara said sharply, her clear tone of voice contradicting the sluggish way she moved.

"Stanara, what are you doing?" Delexia's voice was pleading. She took a couple of slow, careful steps towards the Commander and his attacker.

"I must do as they command."

"They? Oh, Stanara, please. Not you…"

"I found this… thing, in the rubble." She muttered like she was reading a script. Her body shuddered, but the hand holding the gun remained stock-still. "A little locket. It was beautiful. All silver and blue. I thought I'd bring it home to Hana and Jesali. But then it bit me, and it wouldn't let go. I tried to tell someone, but it hurt so badly. Then the voices came. In the middle of the night, when I was alone, when I was not paying attention, they whispered to me at every opportunity. They told me about the riches that could be mine, if I just figured out how to keep the ruins all to myself. I just had to work out how to keep word from getting out. First, I made sure that the databases that Haraki found were all corrupted. I guided him to all the labs that held useless technologies, kept him on a wild Nathak chase. Then, I made sure that the Danassa couldn't leave to bring more scientists." Her voice hardened. "And then you showed up."

"You sold your soul, just to make a few fast credits?" Delexia asked incredulously.

"The wealth under our feet would allow me to rule as a Queen for the rest of my life. Why would I want to pass that up?" Stanara chuckled before her face dropped. "I have two daughters to raise. I just want to make sure they have a good life ahead of them. The fear that they could end up stripping on Omega keeps me awake every night."

"Stanara, the Reapers aren't going to let you raise your children." Delexia spoke slowly. She was only a few metres away now. "They want to wipe everything out. How do you intend to raise your kids when there's no world left to raise them on? How do you intend to survive the coming purge?"

"That's the beauty of it. After you showed up, they spoke to me. They know what you are planning to do, how you want to unite the Galaxy to fight in a war that cannot be won." Her eyes glinted with angry tears as she glared at the back of Shepard's head. "You'd allow us all to be wiped out in one final act of defiance instead of submitting peacefully and living. They told me that, if I were to kill Commander Shepard, the Turians would be spared." She turned back to Delexia. "Don't you see? One bullet, one pointless Human life, and our race will be saved."

"The Reapers will never uphold that bargain." Shepard said. "Once they've wiped the rest of us out, they'll turn you into their slaves. Is that what you want, to see your daughters turned into mindless machines?"

"You shut up!" Stanara seethed. "I'm going to be a hero. My actions today will save lives for generations to come!"

"Stanara, you can't believe this." Delexia stressed. "The Stanara I know wouldn't believe that killing one person will make the world a better place. It's those things in your head. They've messed you up. But I know you can fight this, Stanara. You know why? You're one of the spirits-be-damned Starborn, is what you are. So show me who you really are, and do the right thing."

Stanara's eyes opened wide, and she struggled for breath. She glanced over to her former captain, tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Delexia. I can't fight this." Her finger tightened on the trigger.

The shot rang out thunderously in Shepard's ears, leaving him with a painful ringing. He dropped to the floor, a numb feeling in his heart. Blood poured into his eyes, partially blinding him. A moment later, he looked around in surprise, amazed that he still could. He reached up to the warm trickle that ran down past his ear, feeling the line of torn flesh that the bullet had cut on its way past his head. Confused, and still a little dazed from the shot, he looked up.

Stanara looked at her gun in confusion, wondering what had made her twitch like that, putting off her aim just enough. She looked down, spotting the gaping wound in the left side of her chest from which poured profuse torrents of blue blood. A surprised look on her face, she looked up to Delexia, the Turian pirate still aiming her gun at her former crewmate.

"Captain?" Stanara's fingers went limp, dropping the gun she had so recently been holding to the Commander's head. She collapsed to her knees and keeled over. She would have struck the floor had Delexia not darted forward to catch her.

"Stanara, I'm sorry." The Turian seemed to be on the edge of tears.

"It- it's okay, Captain. You did what you had to do." Stanara managed between ragged gasps. Blue foam bubbled in her mouth, blood mixing with spittle as one of her lungs was her airways clogged with the viscous liquid.

"Mordin! Get over here!" Delexia yelled.

"No. It's too late for that. At least now the voices are gone…" Stanara struggled to speak. "I'm sorry. I let my greed get in the way of my judgement, became a slave to… those… those things."

"No. You fought the best you could." Delexia reassured. "I'm proud to count you as one of my crew."

"Heh. All these years away, I always missed that old boat." Stanara's voice grew distant. "I wish I could have seen her one more time. Ganterri still assing about in the cockpit?"

"You know it, old friend." Delexia's lower lip quivered as she struggled to smile. "I'll be sure to kick his ass for you when I see him next."

"Eh, don't bother. I always liked his pranks." Stanara mumbled, a smile on her lips. "Say hi to the guys for me."

"You've got it."

Stanara's eyes focused clearly for a second, staring straight back at Delexia. Her hand reached out to envelop her old captain's.

"The primary air intake valve control chip is in the ATV. The Danassa won't be able to take off without it." She wheezed for a moment, a pained expression on her face. "Get that to Dilena Gasren, and she'll get the ship off the ground in no time."

"We'll get it done." Delexia promised. "One more daring mission for the crew of the Starborn, right?"

The two Turians shared a chuckle. Stanara winced as pain filled her chest, drawing in a deep breath to say something more.

"Take what isn't nailed down…"

Her voice faded into nothing, a throaty hiss escaping her mouth as she released her last breath. Delexia's eyes clenched shut as she leaned forward, pressing her forehead against Stanara's.

"And burn the rest." She mumbled the end of the Starborn catch phrase into her friend's ear, barely loud enough for Shepard to hear.

The Commander managed to get to his feet, stumbling over unsteadily to stand next to Delexia as she cradled her friend's body. He reached down tentatively and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

The Landing Bay shuddered violently, more debris raining down from above. Behind the squad, the elevator platform shuddered, jumped up a few inches, and crashed down on its supports. There was a creaking noise, and then the entire platform vanished back down the shaft, plummeting into the darkness. Miranda hurried over and stared down the shaft, watching the platform drop.

"Uh, Commander?" She called. "We really need to go."

Curious, Shepard strode over and glanced down the shaft. Below, he caught sight of a menacing orange glow as liquid fire bubbled up from deep beneath the surface of the planet. Alarmed, he turned and rushed to help Delexia up.

"Into the Hammerhead, now!" He barked. "Miranda, get the control chip from Stanara's ATV. Mordin, any way we can seal that shaft, buy ourselves a little more time?"

The Salarian nodded and ran over to a control console, tapping out a few commands. The elevator shaft doors slammed shut with a final clang.

"Have emergency backup power in Landing Bay. Sufficient to power doors and shields for brief time. Putting shields to maximum. Should buy us a short window of time."

"It'll do." Shepard called from the hatch of the hammerhead, where he was helping Delexia lift Stanara's corpse through respectfully. "Now come on!"

Once the rest of his squad was aboard, the Commander slid in, squeezing past Miranda to sit in the pilot's seat.

"Strap yourselves in. This could get rough."

He powered on the Hammerhead's engines, lifting the craft off the floor less than gracefully. The vehicle scraped over a pile of rubble, moving towards the door.

Before the Hammerhead could safely exit the building, a fountain of glowing orange spurted up into the air directly in front of the door. The rock around the building disintegrated into molten slurry, swiftly becoming a lake of glowing orange. The entire structure shuddered as it began to sink, the molten rock bubbling up around a glittering blue barrier.

"What the hell?" Shepard swerved the tank away from the door, scraping along a wall.

"The facility's sinking into the magma!" Miranda gasped.

"Can't we do something?" Delexia asked.

"What? This thing isn't capable of surviving a trip through molten lava." Shepard managed through grit teeth as he moved around in the confines of the dome. "It's only because of Mordin raising the building's emergency shields that we're not already deep-fried."

"There must be something we can do, besides wait until we're all medium rare to well done!" The Turian protested.

"Mordin, any ideas?"

"Wait… yes! Got it!" The Salarian scrambled forward, eliciting an indignant shriek from Delexia when he put a hand where it didn't belong. He reached the forward controls and began typing swiftly. "Modulate shield frequencies to point oh-nine-eight gigahertz, change barrier profile to elongated shape, expand, and increase Mass Effect core output by two hundred per cent. Creates tunnel of impenetrable air."

"We can use this to bore out?" Shepard asked.

"In theory."

"I do not like this plan." Delexia said flatly upon hearing this.

"Will need to avoid prolonged exposure. Will rapidly heat up to the point where our own bodily fluids will cook our flesh."

"Can't I just take my chances with the certain fiery death instead of the certainly painful fiery death?" The Turian asked.

"How long do we get running this configuration?" Shepard continued.

"Forty-five."

"Forty-five minutes? That's good." The Commander sounded quite confident about the plan.

"Forty-five seconds."

"Oh."

"Seriously, just let me out here. I'll walk."

"Suck it up, Delexia, we're going in." Shepard pointed the Hammerhead towards where the door had been.

"Remember, aim upwards." Miranda reminded him.

"I'll keep that in mind." He deadpanned. She sighed, but refrained from further comment. "Okay, hang on to your asses. We're going in!"

He gunned the engine, sending the Hammerhead blasting straight out of the building. Behind them, the shield flickered and died, allowing the lava to flow in and consume the building. In moments, nothing remained of the facility except for a few strange strata in the molten rock.

The Hammerhead groaned the moment it hit the lava, its core struggling to push it through the thick material. All around, all Shepard could see was blinding yellows and oranges.

"Hull temperature is at one hundred-thirty degrees Celsius, Shepard." Miranda informed him.

"Thirty-five seconds of power remain." Mordin timed.

Shepard's brow furrowed as he urged the craft on, angling up as best as he could tell. At that moment, doubt assailed his mind. What if he got the angle wrong? They could travel for hundreds of miles in this impenetrable muck and not have any clue where they were. They could end up on a course for the centre of the planet and he'd be none the wiser.

"Five hundred degrees, Commander."

"Twenty seconds remain."

"Oh great spirits, please don't let me die in this tin can." Delexia prayed.

Where were they? Had he veered to the left too much? Were they going around in circles?

"One thousand degrees, Commander."

"Ten seconds."

"At least make sure I feel no pain, or let Cerberus die first."

He'd been wrong. They should have been out by now. They were all going to dies in here.

"Oh, great. The heat sensor just burned off. Figures."

"Five seconds remain."

"Four."

"Three."

"Two."

The Hammerhead burst out of the lava like a whale leaping above the waves. It splatted down on the molten surface and bobbed there for a moment before arrowing across the surface. Its hull glowed like the sun, slowly turning a dull yellow, then orange, and then finally red. Moments later, the craft was back over solid ground.

Inside, the squad whooped. Mordin sat back in his chair, Miranda sagged forward, head in hands, Delexia punched the roof, and the Revenant bowed his head in relief. Shepard remained focused on piloting the craft.

All aboard jumped as the radio crackled to life.

"Shepard! Come in damn you! Where the hell are you?" Joker's voice sounded over the comms.

"Joker! Are we glad to hear your voice!" Shepard felt like he could laugh, or cry, or both.

"Shepard! Thank God! We've been trying to raise you for ages. EDI's reading major geological activity down there. That thing's about to blow, and your signal's right in the middle of it."

"How long do you reckon we have?"

"My calculations estimate that the maximum time until eruption is twenty minutes, Commander." EDI answered promptly.

"Just enough time to get back to the colony and fix their ship." Delexia said.

"Commander! The spire!" Miranda pointed. "It's still intact. We need to recover those power system schematics."

"Not time." Delexia countered. "If we're going to save the colonists, we've got to pass on the data."

"Needs of civilians outweighs needs of science." Mordin sniffed. "Must save colony."

"We need technology to fight my old masters." The Revenant pointed out. "We cannot allow this final gift from my people to be wasted."

"Lives are at stake!" Delexia protested.

"And how many more lives will be lost if we pass up this technological edge?" Miranda asked. "We need to think of how we're going to fight the Reapers. Without every single scrap of technology we can pull together, our ships will be torn apart in seconds."

"Technology worth moral cost?" Mordin added, stepping to Delexia's aid. "As physician, understand value of recognising sanctity of every life one encounters. Sometimes, have to choose who to save. Delay treatment of one with long-term illness to heal more grievous injury that places new patient in immediate danger. Would expect a fellow medical professional to sympathise."

"This is up to the Commander." Miranda said, turning to Shepard. "Save the colony, or save the data. Where are we going?"

**Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I believe that, so far, this has been one of my favourites. Please, read and review. I really need more feedback to let me know what I'm doing right.**

**Anyway, Shepard faces yet another choice! Which path will he choose? Please head to my profile page and submit your vote for the Paragon or Renegade path. The poll will close in one week.**

**I'd like to thank Raidster, BloodIronAngel, general-joseph-dickson, and Katamariguy for all their discussion via PM. **

**I spoke with a few people about the rating of the story, and am going to stick with M. Its better to be safe than sorry, right? And many people say they wouldn't have found this without the M rating.**

**I'm also still looking for any fanart inspired by this fic. One item I'm particularly interested to see is some sort of tattoo/clan marking for the crew of Delexia's ship, the Starborn. As you can tell, their battlecry/catchphrase was 'Take what isn't nailed down, burn all the rest.'**

**Anyway, once again, please enjoy this latest chapter, review, and vote in the new poll. I'll go get to work on the next mission. See you in a week or two.**


	32. 32: Out Of The Frying Pan

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Author's Notes: Okay, so the vote result was as follows:**

**Save the Colony: 11 votes.**

**Save the Data: 10 votes.**

**Wow. A really close vote there. For a couple of days it looked like it was going to be a tie! Really happy to see a spread of opinions here. That's what I want to see in ME3. Choices that will split the players. No obviously 'good' choices, but just the lesser of two evils or the greater of two goods.**

**Chapter 32: Out Of The Frying Pan…**

Shepard let out a sigh of frustration, keying in the command to set the Hammerhead wheeling around to face towards the colony. He gunned the engines, sending the craft darting across the shuddering soil.

"We're going to go help the colonists." He said firmly.

"Shepard, no!" Miranda protested. "We can't just leave all of that data to be destroyed!"

"I sacrificed a colony once to fight the Reapers. Never again." Shepard answered, his face stony.

"Sometimes these difficult choices need to be made. For the greater good." The former Cerberus operative tried to reason. "Think of the potential value of that technology, Shepard!"

"That's funny. For a second there, you sounded a lot like someone I used to work for." Shepard snapped. "We didn't get on very well."

Miranda opened her mouth to protest further, but Mordin reached out to place a restraining hand on her shoulder. The Salarian's eyes creased at the corners in a warning expression. She sat back in her seat, lips pressed firmly together in a disapproving line.

All around them, plumes of superheated air puffed up out of the ground, blasts of steam hot enough to cook a man, should he be caught in the eruption. Some of these infernal clouds bubbled up under the Hammerhead, making it bob furiously from side to side, and at one point almost tipping it over.

Finally, after a couple of minutes of this frantic progress, the dim silhouettes of the colony buildings hove into view. Shepard powered the Hammerhead through the trembling settlement, making his way to the Danassa on the far side of the colony. At last he caught sight of the ship, waiting out in the open as engineers tended to its underside in an attempt to get her going.

The Commander parked his craft by the foot of the loading ramp, climbing out swiftly. He coughed as he exited the vehicle, realising that he'd forgotten to don his helmet. But it didn't matter. It was only a short sprint into the ship and time was of the essence.

He charged up the ramp, rushing into the ship. Inside, a vast multitude of Turians milled about in confusion and borderline panic, slowing him down. He shouldered his way through, finding his way to the command centre. There, the colony director, Jursh Varsden, stood at the command post above the Galaxy Map, co-ordinating the evacuation.

"Vrachin, you get those supply crate on board right now, and make sure they're secured! Last thing we need is for a half dozen colonists to be crushed by a crate of beans during takeoff. Dilena, please tell me you've made some progress with getting us airborne."

"I'm doing all that I can." The Turian Engineer replied over the ship's internal comms. "The air intake valves just aren't responding. Without them, the engine will just keep on clogging up. We're doing what we can to clear it manually, but its just not enough!"

"Damnit!" The Turian director cursed, fist thumping the railing he leaned against. He looked up, catching sight of the Commander and his squad. "Shepard? What the hell are you doing here? Where's Stanara?"

"Dead. So is Haraki." Shepard explained flatly. His mind whirred, trying to come up with an explanation that would allow them to focus on getting the colonists out as fast as they could. "Stanara was driven mad by the ruins. We had to kill her to defend ourselves. Before she died, she told us that she disabled the Danassa's air intake valves, removing the control chip. We found it in her possession."

Jursh's eyes widened as the Commander produced the vital part. He waved over a junior member of the crew who appeared to have little to do.

"Take this part to Engineer Gasren. Get it to her as fast as possible." The younger Turian nodded before turning to rush off.

"Mordin, Miranda, go with him. Help them get this bird up into the air as fast as you can." Shepard ordered his two companions. They nodded before scurrying after the Turian.

"You've got some explaining to do, Commander." The director said sharply. "I let you go to inspect the ruins and two of my people turn up dead. What happened out there?"

"We reached the ruins and met up with Haraki inside. The tremors caused part of the facility to collapse, leading to his injury. We managed to get him and Stanara out, but were trapped inside ourselves. It was while we were looking for an alternate way out that we discovered a Reaper artefact had been stored there by the Protheans, before it subverted their minds. On returning to the surface, we were met by Stanara, who had also been indoctrinated by the relic."

"She hardly spent any time in the ruins, Commander." Jursh pointed out.

"That's correct, but she did steal a trinket from the site. This turned out to be a piece of the artefact, and allowed it to form a link with her mind. She killed Haraki, and almost killed us."

"This story is a bit hard to swallow, Commander."

"I know, Director, but it's the truth, and I have data that will explain it to you back on the Normandy. But for now, we need to focus on getting everyone out of here. The ruins sank into the volcano, and this colony isn't far behind."

"Alright." Jursh sighed. "We haven't got the luxury of time right now. We're already having to leave so much behind."

"Where can we help?" Shepard offered.

"You still got that tank with you?" Jursh asked, to which Shepard nodded. "Good. We've got a squad of our security personnel still out there in the colony. We don't have insulated radio gear like your squad, so we're having a hard time getting messages through all the dust in the air. Haven't heard from the team in a good while now. Get out there and find them. I won't leave any of our men behind to burn."

"Why did they go out in this?" Shepard asked.

"I sent them out to retrieve some important supplies from one of our warehouses. I'd hoped they'd be back by now."

"Consider it done. Hopefully Mordin and Miranda will have that part installed by the time we get back."

"And then we get off this rock before it blows. Spirits be with you, Shepard."

**~o~0~o~**

The ground trembled under the Hammerhead as Shepard carefully navigated the empty spaces between the vast multitude of prefabs that formed the colony. In some places he had to find his way around the crumbled remains of a building that couldn't withstand the quakes, shattering under the seismic assault.

"We should be coming up on the last known location of the squad." Delexia muttered from the navigator's seat. She appeared completely absorbed in her task, her normal light-hearted manner gone after the incident in the ruins.

The Commander steered the tank around the last of the buildings in their way, pulling out into an open space near the centre of the colony. He brought the craft to an abrupt halt upon catching sight of what awaited them.

The warehouse, one of the largest buildings in the settlement, had failed to stand up to the vibrations coursing through the heart of the planet below. The roof had collapsed, pulling the upper walls with it in a chaotic chain reaction. The ATV used by the guards could be seen, crushed by a tide of rubble spilling out from the devastation that was all that remained of the warehouse.

Shepard slowly moved the Hammerhead around the wreckage, scanning it carefully.

"Revenant, what are the sensors saying?" He asked. Behind him, the last Collector hunched over the sensor console.

"A handful of heat signatures right in the middle of it. Some are very faint."

"Damn." Shepard cursed. "It's never easy, is it?"

"Come on." Delexia said flatly. "The sooner we're done here, the better."

"Agreed." Shepard powered down the Hammerhead. "We'll have to go in there on foot. If we tried blasting our way in we'd be more likely to kill the survivors."

"My biotics will allow us to shift the heavier objects." The Revenant offered.

"I reckon a couple of Concussive Shots would shift anything that's really stuck fast." Delexia said. "The blasts should be small enough not to endanger the survivors or ourselves."

"I wish we had Grunt with us." Shepard said as he opened the entry hatch. "We'd be done in no time."

The trio climbed out of the tank, making their way into the midst of the rubble. Shepard led the way, holding his omnitool in front of himself to scan the debris for any sign of the missing Turians. He struggled through the devastation, climbing over fallen portions of the walls and squeezing under girders that had once held the roof up. Behind him, the Revenant glowed with dark energy as he focused on keeping the way clear, shifting large chunks of metal and concrete with his biotics and setting them down far to the side. Delexia readied a few shots in her rifle, ready to blast any of the more flimsy debris out of the way.

At last, they reached a point close to the centre of what remained of the building. Shepard's omnitool display illuminated the thermal outlines of four beings underneath a large pile of twisted metal and shattered concrete. One of the outlines glowed faintly, while the remaining three were bright.

"Here!" The Commander almost shouted. "Come on!"

The trio set about digging furiously. The Commander and his Turian comrade worked at shifting the smaller pieces, although they were by no means slacking. Most of the time Shepard was straining to lift blocks of broken concrete about half the size of his upper body, his muscles screaming at him after only five minutes. Over their helmet radios, the Commander could hear Delexia's breathing becoming ragged from exertion, although she did not allow herself to slow.

The work was greatly helped by their Collector comrade. The Revenant shifted massive lumps of deformed metal, hurling them aside with alacrity. At one point, a chunk of concrete had wedged in place, too big to shift manually, resistant to Delexia's Concussive Shots, and wedged too tight for the insectile alien to lift biotically. The Revenant simply changed tack, using a Warp blast to shatter the weakened masonry. A biotic field swept the resulting heap of rocks out of the way.

After a couple of minutes, they had tunnelled down a couple of metres, the Commander's 'tool informing him that only a foot of rubble separated them from the trapped Turians. The rubble was tightly packed, compacted by the weight of everything that had landed atop it. He signalled Delexia to step forward.

The Turian pirate took aim at the rubble, waiting for the Revenant to prepare a biotic field. She then fired her rifle, a single Concussive Shot striking the heart of the debris. The press of rocks disintegrated under the attack, the Revenant's biotic field catching the resulting rain of debris before it could injure the Turians below. Once the last of the rubble had been cleared, Shepard hurried forwards, leaning into the new opening.

The room that had proved to be a vital sanctuary was small, about five metres by four metres in size. One side of the room had collapsed, filling with a cascade of rocks and metal. Three Turians peered out, eyes struggling to adjust to the meagre amount of light that seeped in. All bore injuries of some sort, from a badly bleeding head wound to a broken arm to a gash running across the chest of the one nearest the hole. Beside them, a fourth Turian had been laid out respectfully, clearly dead judging by the metal bar that had skewered the poor creature. Shepard could see a couple of body parts jutting out of the pile of rubble that filled half of the room, all that remained of the rest of the squad.

"Thank the spirits!" One of the Turians, the one with the chest wound, exclaimed. He began struggling to his feet, a pained look in his eyes as the movement irritated his wound. He moved over to begin helping the Turian with the broken arm to stand. "We thought no one was coming for us."

"We need to get you out of here." Shepard answered. "Your own vehicle has been destroyed, but we should have enough room for the three of you in ours."

"I'd settle for riding on the roof, if it means getting out of this hole!" The one with the broken arm, a female, replied. The pair helped the one with the head injury to his feet. This third Turian looked about blearily, not fully aware of his surroundings. Shepard got the feeling that the blow to his head had been very bad.

The Commander scrambled into the hole, rushing forward to aid the third Turian to climb up to safety. Delexia reached in and grabbed his hand, guiding him all of the way up. The next Turian out was the female, climbing one-handed as she favoured her injured limb. The Revenant stepped forward to offer her aid. Lastly, the Turian with the chest injury slowly climbed out, groaning as his injury hampered him. Shepard quickly followed, offering a supporting shoulder to the last of the survivors as a pronounced limp became evident.

The group quickly made their way out of the wreckage, hurrying towards the Hammerhead. Once there, they helped the survivors to climb in before Shepard took the wheel once again. Behind him, the Revenant struggled to squeeze in, followed closely by Delexia. At last the hatch slammed shut and the Commander was able to power up the engines.

As the Hammerhead wheeled about onto a heading that would bring them back to the Danassa, a thunderous roar echoed through the buildings closest to them. It was far louder than any of the previous tremors, louder even than the clamour of the collapse of the ruins.

"What was that?" Delexia asked slowly, her voice tinged with dread.

Around them, the ground heaved as a shockwave passed through the settlement, its incredible intensity unmatched by anything they had seen so far. The very soil and rock beneath them shattered, fractures spreading through it like cracks in glass. Dust and ash leapt into the air in an obscuring fog as the shockwave travelled through what was left of the colony, racing towards the Danassa. Buildings groaned under the sudden upheaval, most breaking apart in seconds, some succumbing to a slower, but just as devastating destruction.

"We're out of time." Shepard said, gunning the engine.

The Hammerhead darted forwards, leaving the shattered remnants of the warehouse behind. All around, the colony continued to disintegrate.

Suddenly, one of the prefabs lining the route back to the Danassa split in half, one portion sliding away as the ground beneath it shattered and dropped away, while the other tumbled down to block their path. Behind, another building crumbled, flooding the path behind the tank with debris. Shepard slammed on the brakes, bringing the craft to a sudden halt.

"What's wrong?" Delexia asked, shuffling forward in the cabin to look over Shepard's shoulder.

"The way's blocked." Shepard explained.

"Damn. What do we do now?"

"Hang on, I have an idea." Shepard replied, searching the controls for one command in particular.

Taking a deep breath, he gunned the engine, sending the Hammerhead darting towards the rubble before them. At the last instant, he swerved towards the intact building on the other side of the street, activating the craft's jump jets. The tank leapt straight upwards, flying almost twice as high as the highest rooftop in the settlement. Its forward motion carried it above the intact building just as it reached the apex of its flight, dropping back down heavily.

As the Hammerhead slammed down on the rooftop of the building, Shepard glanced at the rest of the colony. In the distance, away where the ruins had once stood, Shepard could see a plume of smoke ascending into the air, a towering pillar of darkness as wide around as the Normandy was tall. Closer to the Commander and his friends, however, Shepard caught sight of yet more dust rising as the ground under the buildings trembled. As he watched, Shepard caught sight of a few buildings simply vanishing, dropping down out of sight in a flash. It only took a moment for Shepard to realise what was happening. Thanks to the seismic activity, the ground under the colony was collapsing, dropping in on itself.

As the Hammerhead shifted uncertainly, the rooftop beneath it beginning to buckle, Shepard spun it around, looking for another rooftop that looked like it might hold their weight. After finding one, he hit the boost and the jump jets at the same time, easily clearing the space between their current position and the next refuge.

"These rooftops will not hold our weight for long." The Revenant commented. "We will need to maintain a constant speed to avoid being caught in a collapse."

"Got it." Shepard managed through grit teeth.

The Commander worked the engines, keeping the Hammerhead moving from rooftop to rooftop, leaving a trail of shattered and crumbling buildings in its wake. As they worked their way through the chaos, the Revenant opened up a channel to the Danassa. The frequency crackled with static for a moment before a frantic reply came through.

"Shepard!" Jursh's voice was tense, the Turian clearly in a panic. "Where the hell are you?"

"We're on our way, director." The Commander assured. "What's your status?"

"Engines are back online, we're just waiting on you." The Turian explained. "Sensors read a large number of seismic events around the crater. The ground's falling away beneath us!"

"Get yourselves airborne." Shepard instructed. "We'll do our best to reach you before you achieve any kind of altitude."

"Understood. Danassa out."

Through the obscuring dust and ash, Shepard caught sight of a brilliant flash of light. The drive glow of the Danassa's engines pierced even the thickest gloom, the four manoeuvring engines throwing out immeasurable amounts of fiery exhaust in their efforts to propel the ship upwards. With this beacon serving as a more reliable landmark than any navigational equipment they had on board, the Commander angled the Hammerhead straight towards it.

The nimble tank leapt across the colony's skyline, dancing on the rooftops in an intricate series of speedy jumps and agile sprints to cover the distance. Shepard felt beads of sweat drip down over the nape of his neck and down his spine as he focused purely on the task before him, not allowing the slightest distraction.

At last, the final few billowing clouds of obscuring muck shifted to reveal the Turian ship lumbering into the air, as ungainly as a new-born fledgling eagle attempting its first flight. The loading ramp to the cargo hold remained invitingly open, a welcoming yellow square of light against the backdrop of the burnished bronze hull.

Shepard angled the Hammerhead for this shifting refuge, piloting the craft across the treacherous terrain. All around him, the land fell away, taking the buildings with it and robbing him of precious footholds for the massive tank. His eyes locked on one towering administrative complex, taller than all other buildings around it. The flat roof offered a purchase he could not afford to pass up. Shepard expertly gunned the engine, hitting the jump jets just right to launch them up onto this flat surface. The instant the Hammerhead touched down, the building crumbled beneath it, disintegrating in a shower of concrete, metal and glass. The Commander needed no prompting to hit the jets again, sending the craft darting through the air towards the Danassa.

The Hammerhead slapped down on the boarding ramp with a crash, scouring the metal with its drive exhaust. Shepard hit the boost to help it fight gravity as the tank inched its way up the ramp and into the ship. He sagged with relief as the vehicle moved into the cargo bay beyond, spinning it around to face outwards as the ramp retracted and the doors shut.

Through the still-open doors, the Commander could see the boiling surface of Meroxis. The colony was all but destroyed, most of it having collapsed under the seismic disturbance, while the outer edges facing towards where the ruins had once stood were now being engulfed by liquid rock, the orange glow bright even through the dark smog that smothered the planet. In the distance, he swore for a moment that he could see a tiny spire towering above the former location of the ruins, a black finger defiant against the semi-solid fire that blazed all around it. The spire remained intact for but a moment more before the surface of the planet beneath it exploded upwards in a terrifyingly awesome display. Magma, rock and ash fountained up in a mushroom cloud of planetary fury, engulfing the last remnant of the ruins. An instant later, a wave of debris, fire and smoke boiled across the surface of Meroxis, moving almost as swiftly as the Hammerhead had travelled. A pressure wave of air raced towards them as the Danassa turned away, the door finally sliding shut just as it hit.

The ship wheeled to one side, thrown about by the shock wave. Inside, all of its passengers were thrown about like pennies inside a moneybox, the screams of uncountable injured echoing through the passages. The Hammerhead, still held off the floor of the cargo bay by its own drive, was hurled to one side by the sudden movement, striking a metal wall with a tremendous shriek. This scream of twisting metal was echoed on the inside by the cries of its occupants. Shepard was thrown from his seat, striking the roof of the craft with a sickening thump. In the next instant, blackness overtook him.

**~o~0~o~**

Thump.

Shepard's mind rose from the murky depths of unconsciousness, becoming slowly aware of an insistent pounding echoing around in his skull. Pain closely followed each pulse, an insistent pressure across his scalp.

Thump.

His eyes registered the bright light held back by his eyelids, allowing him to realise that opening them just now was probably something he'd regret. As his vision returned, his other senses quickly followed.

Thump.

His ears picked up a number of different sounds. Quiet but rhythmic beeps, one of which echoed the pounding in his head. A selection of footsteps, some sharp and tinny, others soft but heavy. One set clicked about like a clock ticking.

Thump.

His mouth was dry, as though he had spent two weeks on Tuchanka's surface with no water canteen. His saliva tasted… salty? Maybe sour was a better description. Whatever meds he had been given must have tasted foul, although he'd been in no position to protest.

Thump.

His nose twitched. Several smells assailed him, from the clean, clinical air of the Med Bay to the metallic tang of blood, to a sweet, flowery smell he couldn't quite place…

Suddenly it hit him. Perfume. He'd only smelled something like this in one room on the Normandy, and in the presence of one person.

His eyes opened, squinting against the bright white lights, to show Miranda's concerned features moving back and forth at the foot of the bed, her high-heeled boots clacking loudly against the Med Bay floor. Behind her, numerous Turians went about their business, most clad in heavy combat armour, although the medics wore simpler clothes made from fabric.

The Commander stretched to lift his hand to his jaw, feeling the contours of his face as he opened his mouth, flexing the facial muscles as he wore off his weariness. He looked about, spotting the machine to one side that beeped in time with the pounding in his head, measuring his heartbeat. He winced as another wave of pain traversed his skull, the blood moving through his veins with every heartbeat causing him discomfort. Spying the movement, Miranda rushed over to his side.

"Commander." Her voice was steady, professional, but behind the words he could see a measure of relief. "How are you feeling?"

"Unh… Like I just got hit by a Tomkah. What happened?"

"During the eruption, the Danassa suffered some severe turbulence. You hit your head pretty hard against the dashboard of the Hammerhead."

"What's the damage?"

"Fairly minimal, although you will wake up tomorrow with the mother, father and possibly grandparents of all headaches. You got off fairly lightly, all things considered." Her reassuring smile turned just a little wicked. "I guess it's a good thing I let you keep that thick skull of yours when I rebuilt you."

"I am filled with gratitude right now." Shepard shot back sarcastically, sitting up and pressing a cold palm against his forehead. "What have I missed?"

"Quite a bit, actually. We made it into orbit, thanks entirely to Mordin getting that part installed so quickly. Not long after rendezvousing with the Normandy, a Hierarchy ship arrived in-system, and they're currently parked about fifty clicks off our port bow, waiting for you."

"For me?" Shepard asked curiously.

"Well, we all assume it was you. After Director Varsden submitted a report of what had taken place on Meroxis, the commander of the ship demanded to speak with 'the Human responsible for all this'."

"That'd be me." The Commander muttered glumly. "What about the volcano?"

"As I mentioned, the supervolcano erupted moments after you arrived aboard. We managed to achieve sufficient altitude to avoid the majority of the pyroclastic flow, and took only minimal damage, but the rest of the colony, all of the prefabs and vehicles left behind, were incinerated, destroyed."

"It can be rebuilt." Shepard reasoned.

"Not an option, I'm afraid. We've been monitoring the eruption, and we fear this will change the face of the planet permanently. We could be looking at an extinction-level event here, Shepard. The environment is already cooling, thanks to all of the debris in the air. The toxicity of the air is rising as more and more gases are vented from the planet's crust, and major water sources are contaminated. Mordin predicts the planet has a few months left before the last of its ecosystem perishes."

"Did we get everyone out in time?"

"Almost. As you know, half of that squad of guards you saved died before you found them. Aside from them, we only lost Stanara and Haraki. Considering the magnitude of the evacuation, those would be considered acceptable losses."

"Maybe from a statistical point of view." Shepard grunted as he turned to place his feet on the floor by the bed. "But not a personal one. How's Delexia doing?"

"She's… quiet. Last I saw, she was keeping herself busy helping to re-secure cargo that shook loose during the eruption." Miranda explained. "I'm not the best person to attempt to console someone, especially a non-Human, but she needs to talk to someone."

"I'll go and find her." Shepard offered.

"It may be best if you speak to her." Miranda admitted. "But right now you need to speak to the Turian commander. He was quite insistent that he speak with you as soon as you awoke. He's waiting in the CIC."

Shepard sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"Alright. I'm on my way."

**~o~0~o~**

The CIC was deathly quiet, most of the Turian crew having been reassigned to clean-up duty in the lower decks. At this point in time, making room for the colony's vast population was a priority, and only a minimal complement of crewmen were needed to keep the ship in a steady orbit.

Jursh Varsden stood at his post above the Galaxy Map, reading an array of reports that he had received on his omnitool. His mandibles twitched as he focused on his work, eyes narrowed in thought. As the Commander stepped out of the elevator, he turned to glance back, nodding in greeting.

"Shepard. Glad to see you up and about. How are you feeling?"

"Sore." Shepard answered, still rubbing the tender bump that had grown on his skull. "But alive."

"Good to hear it." Shepard turned at the new voice, spying another Turian approaching from the port side of the CIC.

This Turian was old, older than any the Commander had met before. His scales were scratched and worn, the sign of a long and violent life. In some places, vivid white scars had been carved into his features, one of which ran down the side of his mouth. The mandible that would have run over this scar ended suddenly, severed by whatever had marked his face. His armour was a crisp white, patterned with black and red markings. Yellow lights blinked across his chest. As he stepped up, one three-fingered hand clenched into a tight fist and thumped against his chest-plate.

"General Halion Kernis, of the HNV Lanceira."

His voice was deep, a rumble that bubbled up from the depths of his combat armour. The metallic Turian flange only added to the booming quality of the voice. Shepard could instantly imagine that voice roaring out commands in the heat of battle, and being obeyed without question.

"Commander Shepard, SSV Normandy." He replied, returning the greeting. Halion grunted in acknowledgement.

"I know who you are, Shepard." His tone lacked the hostility his words suggested. "What I want to know is what a Human vessel is doing this deep in Turian space."

"I received word of the colony's troubles, and came to investigate." Shepard explained smoothly.

"Just out of the kindness of your heart? I rather doubt that." The Turian snorted. "You came out here for the ruins. That's the only reason anyone would take an interest in a backwater like this. What did you find down there?"

"A Prothean research facility." Shepard admitted after a moment's hesitation. "The ruins went down a lot deeper than anyone could have guessed."

"I see." The Turian responded stiffly. "I wish we'd known this earlier. A Hierarchy research team could have picked that place apart weeks ago."

"And then even more lives would have been put at risk." Shepard countered. "Both from the volcano and from something even more dangerous."

"Oh?" Halion's brow quirked.

"The Protheans uncovered an artefact buried deep beneath the planet's surface. They took it to the facility for study. This relic was a Reaper device, which was able to indoctrinate the scientists to aid the Reapers in their attack on this world."

"Indoctrinated?" Jursh asked.

"A dangerous process that turns organics into servants of the Reapers." Shepard explained.

"I see." Halion seemed perfectly familiar with the terminology Shepard was using. "I presume this was why the Turian who accompanied you to the ruins was killed. Was she one of the indoctrinated?"

"I'm afraid so." Shepard admitted. "If there had been any other way, we'd have tried to bring her back alive. But with the volcano going off around us, we had no time for finesse."

"I understand, Commander. It's too dangerous to keep one of the indoctrinated alive. Hard as it may be to admit it, you did the right thing." Halion's voice softened for a moment, but then he refocused. "What of the rest of the facility? Were you able to retrieve any useful information?"

Shepard pulled an OSD from his belt, containing all of the data Miranda, Mordin and the revenant had compiled during their journey through the ruins.

"This was everything we were able to salvage in the time we had. It's not much, schematics for a couple of hand weapons, some agricultural data and so on. We had hoped to retrieve the schematics for the facility's power systems, as they proved to be considerably more advanced than our own. They kept the facility running for fifty thousand years with barely a dip in power, and the shields that ran off them managed to hold back molten rock for a considerable amount of time."

"An impressive set-up." Halion allowed. "If we could replicate this technology in our own ships, then we'd be able to engage our enemies for much longer periods of time without a fatal heat build-up in our capacitors. An edge like that could turn the tide of a battle. But you said that you 'had hoped' to retrieve it. Am I to take it that you failed?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Shepard kept his voice steady, not showing the regret and disappointment he felt. "I had to make a choice between saving the data and returning to the colony to help in the evacuation. We just ran out of time."

"Unfortunate." The Turian replied. "But unavoidable, I suppose. At least the Hierarchy should appreciate you saving so many civilians. The military may regret the loss of this technology, but the politicians will be glad. They gain their support through helping the people, not making them feel as though they would be sacrificed for some new technology. And let me tell you, it looks a lot better for you to stand here, talking to me with a ship full of colonists at your back than with a single OSD in your pocket."

"The political repercussions don't matter to me, General. It's my job to save lives where I can."

"Indeed. Sometimes I feel that that's a responsibility all too few are ready to take upon themselves in this day and age." The Turian's gruff expression shifted a little, allowing a small smile to shine through. "Thank you, Shepard. I'll be sure to give a full account of your actions to my superiors when I return to Palaven."

"What will happen to the colonists now?" The Commander asked.

"I cannot say for sure." Halion replied. "Relocation will take a great deal of time. Most will probably return to Palaven for the time being. Others will have relatives on different colony worlds. But the Hierarchy will make sure each one is taken care of."

The Turian general turned away from the galaxy Map, waving for Shepard to join him. They left the CIC behind, heading for an empty briefing room. The General turned to face the Commander.

"The Hierarchy is grateful for your work here today, Shepard. But they will not want the Reaper involvement to be discussed with the general public. They do not wish to incite panic."

"How can they still want to turn a blind eye to the Reapers?" Shepard asked incredulously. "They took Earth, for crying out loud! They attacked Omega!"

"As far as the citizens of Palaven are concerned, they might as well be attacking another Galaxy. Everything just seems so far away for them. And the Hierarchy is happy to allow them to continue thinking that for the moment."

"What do the Turians plan to do about the Reapers?"

"The general consensus at the moment is to hold back. Take care of our own defence first, then see what resources we can donate to aid other races." The words sounded bitter in Halion's mouth. "I disagree with this. If the threat is as serious as the reports indicate, then we need to go on the offensive. We need to strike at them as a unified whole rather than hold them off as a divided force. You're trying to get everyone to pull together and fight these things. I respect that. And after what you've done today, I believe that you will be more than capable of leading a united army. You understand that it's not just the gun that makes the soldier, but the dedication, the unfailing resolve. We cannot inspire that in our troops while standing atop a pile of corpses we sacrificed for our own ends. If ever you need the assistance of my ship or my men, we will answer the call."

"Thank you, General. I appreciate that." Shepard bowed his head, understanding the magnitude of the Turian's promise. He was prepared to disobey the orders of his superiors to help the Commander, something that went against their code of duty and obedience.

"I shall return to my ship now." Halion continued. "We have a long journey back to Palaven, and then a debriefing I am not looking forward to. But I will do what I can to incite the Hierarchy to action. I have plenty of friends in the correct tiers of society."

The pair regarded one another respectfully. Shepard straightened, saluting the Turian. Halion inspected the gesture with curiosity, before clumsily mimicking it. After this, the duo parted ways, Halion heading for the airlock and the docking arm that led to his ship, Shepard returning to the CIC to speak with Jursh and retrieve his squad.

**~o~0~o~**

"Hey Commander."

Shepard stepped up next to joker's seat as the pilot greeted him. The Commander glanced out of the forward viewport, inspecting the planet before them.

Meroxis had lost its orange-ish hue, most of its Northern Hemisphere a jet-black due to the sheer amount of debris flung into the upper atmosphere. Shepard could see the occasional flash of fire from within this continent-spanning cloud as the volcano continued to vent its fury. Further away from the eruption, the sky turned a milky brown, still clogged with dust and ash, but not as badly as the air closer to ground zero. The Commander whistled under his breath.

"Miranda wasn't kidding when she said that the eruption was a planet-killer." He commented.

"EDI said that the eruption was big enough to shift the planet three feet to the right." Joker mentioned. "I've scooped you out of some big ones before, but I was glad I didn't have to fly through that thing."

"I'm just glad we got the Turians out of there." Shepard answered. "Speaking of which, how are our friends getting along?"

"The Lanceira is powering up its Mass Effect Core, preparing to make the jump to FTL speeds." EDI informed him. "The Danassa will soon follow."

"Then it's just us and that little cinder you call a planet." Joker said. "So where are we headed to next?"

"Illium." Shepard answered. "It's the next place on Liara's list."

"Great." Joker muttered.

"What? You don't like Illium?" Shepard asked.

"No, no. I like it fine. Its just last time we went there we found out that Liara had turned into this terrifying miniature Shadow Broker who breaks people's kneecaps with her brain and we picked up not one, but two crazed alien killing machines. I'm worried about what you're going to find this time."

"I'll try to keep the crazy crap to a minimum this time." Shepard replied snarkily.

"You do that." Joker muttered in answer.

Shepard chuckled as he walked back down the corridor towards the CIC. As he stepped out into the larger Command Centre around the Galaxy Map, Kelly stepped forward, her usual wide smile still in place as she greeted him.

"Welcome back, Commander."

"Kelly." Shepard nodded his head. "Everything alright?"

"Yes. I just wanted to give you the latest crew evaluation reports." She produced a datapad, which Shepard accepted, scanning the titles of the files contained within.

"Anything else I should know about?" He muttered as he read the data.

"Actually, yes." Here the yeoman's smile slipped a little. "I just saw Delexia pass through, and she seemed quite upset. Its obvious she's taking the loss of her friend very hard. It'd be good if you could speak with her. She respects you, Commander. I suspect it may be because you both know what it means to be responsible for the lives of a crew. She can relate to you a lot better than she can to me."

"I'll go talk with her." Shepard assured her.

"Good. Oh, and I think you might want to check on the Revenant while you're at it. He seemed quite distracted when I saw him on the crew deck."

"Thanks, Kelly."

"Anytime, Shepard."

**~o~0~o~**

Miranda leaned back into the soft leather of the couch in the Port Lounge, gazing out at the stars. Beside her, Kasumi topped up her glass from one of the many bottles she had hidden around the room, safe from the rest of the crew.

She looked over with a smile at Jacob, sitting cross-legged on the floor as he narrated a story to his rapt audience. Miranda's 'children' stared at him with wide eyes as he moved his hands about to illustrate what he was describing. At the back of the gaggle of enchanted youths, Gillian Grayson sat with an intrigued look upon her face. The youngster towered over the rest of the children, being over twice their age, biologically speaking. From a chronological viewpoint, she was at least twelve years their elder, maybe more.

The thought caused Miranda's mind to hitch a little, the brain-bending calculations she had torn herself away from for this brief break threatening to intrude on her peaceful state. She was close to finishing the work necessary to develop a treatment for the accelerated ageing her father had inflicted upon the miniature versions of herself, and only needed a little more time to complete her research. But after she had realised she had completed the same equation for the fourth time, she had been forced to admit she needed a break. Running the day-to-day affairs of the Normandy, combined with her work out in the field had slowed her down and, advanced as she was, she could only go so far before needing to come up for air, difficult as it was for her to admit it. Clearing her mind, she looked back to her old friend, approaching the conclusion of his story. Sitting in one of the chairs closer to the bar, Garrus offered the occasional titbit of information to supplement the former Corsair's tale.

"-So then Garrus comes charging back down the hallway, no less than twenty mercs following him, armed to the teeth!" Jacob chuckled. "The rest of us retreat, looking for a place to hide, when Shepard turns up at the wheel of one of the enemy gunships. He ploughs the thing straight into the enemy, jumping clear just in time."

The children let out a quiet 'ooh!' at that, some leaning forward tensely. One little boy looked as though he was on the edge of cheering for the heroic squad. Jacob grinned as he continued.

"The explosion wiped out the last of the mercs, but Garrus got caught in it, too. He was thrown across the hangar, screaming. Funniest thing I've ever seen!"

"I did not scream." Garrus protested over the rising laughter from the children. "It was a… manly roar of surprise, that's all."

Kasumi burst into a fit of giggles beside Miranda, while the children began sniggering and chuckling as the Turian's mandibles twitched in embarrassment, although the sharp-eyed former Cerberus operative could see the smile hiding behind the alien's expression. After a moment, she felt her lips twitch as the merriment proved to be infection, letting out a quiet laugh of her own.

Jacob glanced at his omnitool, suddenly getting to his feet.

"Right kids, that's all we've got time for today. Sergeant Gardner should be serving up dinner right now."

There were a chorus of protesting groans, most unwilling to leave, but eventually Jacob was able to shepherd them out of the door and into the Crew Mess, leaving Miranda, Kasumi and Garrus in the Lounge. Kasumi watched them leave with a fond glance, sighing as the door slid shut.

"Aw, they're wonderful." She murmured as she sipped at her drink. "You're lucky to have them, Miri."

Miranda nodded, glancing at the closed door.

"Yes." She sighed. "I am."

"You know…" The thief continued. "I think some of them have your eyes. It's cute. I'll miss them when they go."

"I think we all will." Garrus added. "The crew's enjoyed having them around. With a mission as intense as ours, having someone around who can lighten the mood is always appreciated."

"I… wanted to thank you, by the way." Miranda looked at each of them in turn. "Both of you. I understand that you were both part of the team that helped get the children to safety."

"Well, actually, I didn't have much to do with that." Kasumi admitted. "Once we got out of the building, I was put to work taking out gun emplacements around your father's estate. Garrus was in charge of the team that took care of the kids."

"Well… thank you, Garrus." Miranda said. Inwardly, she chuckled. Just over a year ago she would have found it amusing to even imagine being indebted to a non-Human. The Turian nodded graciously.

"I was just glad I could help. Although I have to admit that I didn't do it alone. Elanie and Delexia helped me hold off the security forces. But the one who did the majority of the work keeping the kids safe was Jack."

"Jack?" Miranda asked, a little disbelievingly.

"Surprised? I was." The Turian chuckled. "She was blinded by a flash-bang from one of the guards, and your father put a biotic inhibitor on her. She tried to use her biotics, and the feedback from the device was threatening to kill her, so I had to tear it off. I thought she'd be out for the count for the rest of the mission, but the tough little bitch woke up pretty quickly. Good thing she did, because the guards managed to get a tank into a position where it could attack us. She hauled up a barrier to hold back the enemy fire."

"So she was protecting herself." Miranda surmised, quick to judge.

"I'm not so sure." The Turian contradicted. "I know how you biotics have to focus to channel your powers. She could just as easily have put up a personal barrier and left the kids to burn. What she did was closer to that biotic bubble we needed to use during the attack on the Collector base. Can't have been easy for her, especially when she couldn't see and she'd just had that inhibitor ripped out of her skull."

"He's right." Kasumi added. "Delexia told me all about it. That bubble had to be about twenty metres across. Maybe she couldn't see how big it was, but she definitely knew she was protecting more than herself."

Miranda sat in silence for a moment, staring into her drink thoughtfully.

**~o~0~o~**

The elevator doors hissed open, allowing the Commander to step out onto the Crew Deck. He paused for a moment as Jacob strolled past, guiding some of Miranda's children to the Crew Quarters, where a number of the beds belonging to the Night Shift had been given to the kids. Shepard and the earnest young soldier exchanged a greeting nod, and then Jacob was gone, leading the last of the kids away. Once the corridor was clear, Shepard stepped out, heading for the Starboard Observation Lounge.

The doors hissed open to admit the Commander. Through the open portal, Shepard caught sight of the hunched form of Delexia, sitting on one of the couches in the room. She was facing away from the door, and was unaware of his presence. He approached carefully, looking over her shoulder to see a small device in her hand. Held gently between three fingers, a little box could be seen. Inside, it was filled with sand of various colours. She used one talon from her free hand to disturb the sand, tracing a shape Shepard didn't fully understand.

Suddenly, Delexia became aware of his presence, straightening sharply.

"Commander! Didn't see you there." She stuttered. As she spoke, she pressed a button on the side of the device. There was a hum, and the sand within shifted, separating into many differently coloured strata. "Was there something you needed?"

Shepard sat next to her, ignoring the question. Instead, he looked at the little box she was hastily closing.

"What's that?" He asked out of curiosity.

"What, this?" Delexia looked down at the box. "Oh, its nothing. Just a prayer book."

"I've never seen one of those before. Is this a Turian tradition?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I keep forgetting that you're Human. You wouldn't know about this sort of thing." Delexia opened the box again to show it to him. The sand inside glinted brightly, stripes of green, red, yellow, grey and blue. She explained its purpose as he took a closer look, grasping it between his fingers.

"Turians nowadays mostly ascribe to the Asari philosophies, but a few of us still revere the spirits. We believe that certain locations in the physical realm are frequented by benevolent spirits. A thriving copse of trees, a tranquil lake, a turbulent sea. Families will choose a location to frequent to commune with these beings, adopting the spirits of the locale as their guardians.

"As a space-faring species, it is often the case that we cannot return to our ancestral homes. So, we take a part of our spirit grounds with us. A few leaves from the trees, the water of the lake, the soil under our feet.

"My family originated in the deep deserts of Thakterus, a continent in the Southern Hemisphere of Palaven. Our spirits dwell around an oasis in the heart of the desert. So, when I chose to leave my home and take up this life, I took some of the sand from the desert around the oasis. In this way, I can keep the spirits close."

"And what you were doing just now? The shapes in the sand?" Shepard asked.

"Prayer symbols. I can trace a shape in the sand to beseech my spirits for something. This time… I was asking them to look after Stanara."

Shepard paused momentarily. He needed to tread carefully. His mouth opened a couple of times as he searched for the right words. In the end, the only words that felt right were the ones that were the simplest.

"I'm sorry."

"Ain't your fault she's dead." Delexia said bitterly. "It's mine. I should have known something wasn't right, should have seen the danger before now."

"Reaper technology is very devious. I doubt even Stanara herself knew that something was wrong until the end." Shepard reasoned. "There was nothing to be done. You shouldn't blame yourself."

"Then what should I do, Shepard?" Delexia snapped loudly, her tone approaching a shout. "Just go 'oh well, another one bites the dust'? Maybe you Humans can do that, but we Turians actually feel pain."

Shepard kept his voice low, steady. Now was not the time to incite her. Delexia just needed to vent a little. But she needed him to say something, too.

"We feel pain, just like anyone else." His tone was gentle. "But if you want to make sure the real culprits pay, you need to stop accepting blame for something you could do nothing to stop." He took a deep breath. What he was about to say next was going to hurt. "Back when I was chasing down Saren, he forced me into a position where two of my operatives were separated from the Normandy. A bomb was about to go off, and we were up to our elbows in hostiles. I had time to save one of my operatives. I chose to save Kaidan, but I had to leave Ashley behind to die." He paused, a lump forming in his throat. "Ash was practically family. We were as close as friends could be, and I often wonder, if she had lived, whether there could have been something more there. Leaving her behind was more painful than dying, and I can tell you that from experience."

"How did you deal with it?" Delexia asked.

"I endured." He answered simply. "I still miss her today, and I don't think that's something that will ever change. I'm still troubled by regrets in the middle of the night. If I had been a little faster, could I have saved them both? Why didn't I stay with the bomb, and let Ash go to save Kaidan? But at the time I realised I wasn't to blame. Maybe there was something I could do differently, but ultimately the blame lies with the Reapers. Sovereign indoctrinated Saren, leading him to constructing that facility. As soon as I realised that, I knew that the best way to make Ash proud was to fight as hard as I could. I would be better, for her. And I succeeded. When we faced impossible odds beyond the Omega Four Relay, we came back without a single casualty. And I'm going to make damn sure I repeat the feat when we face the Reapers."

Delexia looked at him for a few long moments, her dark eyes probing his. Finally she let out a shuddering sigh.

"You have a point. I'm no use to anyone if I spend my days wailing. That's no way to make Stanara proud of me." She straightened with renewed purpose. "Right. I'm going to show those Reaper bastards that I'm one Turian bitch they do not want to mess with. And once we take out the last one of those mechanical sons-of-bitches, I'm going to carve Stanara's name in its ass."

Shepard smiled, glad that the Turian's mood seemed to be improving. The tiniest glimmer of grief remained in the beck of her eyes, but her gaze was steady. Suddenly, she reached out, grabbing him by both shoulders. He tensed as she brought their heads together swiftly, expecting some sort of head butt, but was surprised when she lightly pressed their foreheads together. They remained locked in this head-bump for a moment before she let him go, smiling behind her mandibles.

"I'll see you around, Shepard."

The Commander watched her go, noting the sudden swinging to her hips. He sat back, wondering just what had happened there.

**~o~0~o~**

A whirring noise could be heard throughout the Tech Lab as Shepard stepped through the doorway. Against the far wall, Mordin worked in front of a large screen, both of his hands encased in the glow of a pair of omni-gloves, the twin holographic tools manipulating the data before him. Beside him, the Revenant scanned some test tubes filled with a variety of blood samples of different colours, mostly red, some blue, a couple green, and one a soft, pinkish purple. The two aliens glanced over as the Commander walked in.

"Shepard!" Mordin greeted warmly. "How can we help?"

"Mordin." Shepard nodded at the Salarian. "What are you working on?"

"Glad you asked. Was working on new method for acceleration of healing process in Human tissue. Have made breakthrough." The Salarian turned back to the screen, scrolling through the data. "Concentrated dose of Tromosalopane, administered through the bone marrow in the spine, has shown promise in altering rate of cell repair. Potential is considerable. Rapid recovery from grievous wounds in the battlefield, less time necessary to recuperate after extensive surgery, possibly even reduction in rate of ageing. Should be simple enough to adjust for treatment of other species."

"Impressive." Shepard said.

"Not yet. At moment, is simply inspired. Give me an hour, and can show you impressive. Currently trying to overcome immune system response to treatment. At the moment, body threatens to reject treatment, could worsen existing condition, even lead to breakdown of affected tissues. Perhaps if treatment is amalgamated with Primexahane immunobooster- no, no, no! Would cause kidney failure. Unacceptable. Unacceptable."

"It sounds like you've got your hands full, then. I'll let you get back to work."

"Ready for when I am needed." The Salarian said, going back to his research.

Shepard walked over to the Revenant, waiting until the Collector completed his current task. The Revenant looked up, his three functional eyes inspecting the Commander warily.

"Shepard. Is there something you need?"

"Kelly told me that you seemed out of sorts. Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing… wrong, so to speak." The alien said awkwardly. "Our recent excursion into the Prothean ruins on Meroxis has triggered some images stored deep within my genetic memories. I think I finally understand the images I have been glimpsing before."

"The city?" Shepard asked.

"Yes. The city in my visions. The planet was known by the Protheans as Suime. I don't know why, but it held great prominence in the memories of my people. I can see the Prothean star charts in my head now, and believe I can translate it into modern-day co-ordinates, compensate for stellar drift and the like."

"What do you hope to find there?"

"I cannot say. The only thing I am certain of is that the Protheans believed it was of paramount importance. It could contain valuable technology, a data cache, or simply a collection of useless rocks." The Collector shifted uneasily on his feet. "I understand that our mission is important, Shepard. If we do not possess the time needed to investigate, I understand. But I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to investigate this planet."

"Send the co-ordinates to my terminal in the CIC. We'll head out there as soon as we have the time."

"I am grateful, Commander. I hadn't actually expected you to allow us the time for this."

"The more we can learn about the Protheans, the better." Shepard answered. "They've already been through the Reaper invasion, so any perspective they can give us is vital. Aside from that, you're a part of my crew. If you think this is important, then it's important to me."

"Thank you, Shepard."

**~o~0~o~**

The sub-deck was dim, the main lights having been powered down for the night cycle. The handful of virulent red lights gleamed overhead, casting shadows across the deck.

Jack sat on her cot, glaring at the datapad in front of her with open hostility. It wasn't that the information contained within the device angered her, but rather it was just her way to treat all research and learning she was forced to undertake as though it were an annoyance.

She grunted with irritation as she was forced to drag her attention away from the shotgun modification schematics she had had the AI send her, the sounds of footsteps on the stairs leading down to the sub-deck drawing her gaze.

Well… fuck.

It was the Cheerleader, the smarmy bitch the Illusive Man had forced Shepard to take on board so long ago. The one catch that came with the new Normandy, aside from the bugs that Jack had crushed within seconds of moving into the sub-deck. She wore a stiff expression, never a good sign. What she was doing down there, so far out of her normal territory and even daring to encroach upon Jack's, there was no way of telling. But it couldn't be good.

Miranda stepped away from the stairs cautiously, stepping into the convict's adopted living quarters with not a little anxiety. Jack sat on her cot, eyeing the executive officer insolently. She paused at the edge of Jack's 'quarters', realising that there was an unseen line she should not cross. Not if she wanted to leave with all four limbs where they belonged, or at the least without the Commander calling her out for provoking the belligerent biotic.

"Jack."

"Take it up with the Commander, Cerberus. I ain't got time for your shit."

Typical. Miranda's mind muttered. But she steeled herself, realising that allowing Jack's abrasive manner to get a rise out of her would do no good. She took a steadying breath.

"I'm not looking for trouble. I just wanted to talk."

"An' who says I want to talk to you?" Jack shot back. Her arms were folded across her chest.

"Don't be so juvenile." Miranda snapped, losing her grip on her temper despite her resolve to remain in control. Jack obviously picked up on the fact she was getting riled.

"I'm not the one barging into your office this time, Precious. You're in my world now. I'll do as I fucking well please."

"Jack… please. I just wanted to speak with you."

"Then say your piece and get the fuck out. I want to get back to having a nice day."

Miranda seethed internally, but managed to hold her tongue, getting her thoughts in line before opening her mouth.

"I was speaking with Kasumi and Garrus. About what happened on Bekenstein." She said slowly. "They told me that you stayed with the children while you were waiting for evac."

"And what? You wanted to come down here, make sure I wasn't teaching them language you don't approve of?" Her expression turned mockingly worried as shed sarcastically gasped. "Maybe I told them that Cerberus was a bad idea! That running experiments on kids is wrong!"

"Jack, can you please just listen for a second?" Miranda pleaded, approaching the end of her tether. Why had she thought this was necessary?

"Look, I don't care what you came down here to bitch at me about. I'll leave your precious little bitch-spawn alone from now on. Now get the fuck out."

"I came down here," Miranda persisted. "To thank you. Garrus told me about the way that you kept the children safe with a barrier. I- just, thank you, alright?"

Jack was silent for a moment. Her eyes darted to Miranda's for a moment, asking more questions than she would readily voice. Was the former Cerberus operative serious? Did she really risk life and limb just to extend her thanks? What was she actually after?

"Is that it?" She asked eventually, downplaying the import of Miranda's words. A glint of triumph entered her gaze. She was enjoying seeing the 'Cheerleader' forced to do this.

"Pretty much. You may not want it, you might even refuse it, but you have my gratitude."

"Alright, then. I guess if the Commander thinks he needs you on this boat, I can put up with having you around for a little longer." Jack's gaze hardened. "Now get the fuck out."

Miranda opened her mouth to protest, boiling inside. How dare she respond like that, after the lengths she'd had to go to just to summon up the courage to make the trip into the bowels of the ship? Her lips slapped together, almost making a snapping noise as they slammed into a firm line. She stiffly turned to leave, not uttering another word. She was almost halfway up the steps when the convict's voice echoed up after her.

"Oh, Precious?" Her voice had a singsong quality to it. Miranda paused, although she didn't really want to. "You're welcome."

Miranda stomped up the remainder of the steps, making her way to the elevator as Jack's cackle followed her, haunting her footsteps. The moment the elevator doors slid closed behind her, her fist slammed into the back wall, hard enough to make her knuckles crack.

Down on the sub-deck, Jack chuckled to herself gleefully, revelling in the warm feeling the Cheerleader's words aroused in her heart.

**~o~0~o~**

The CIC was filled with activity, the newly awakened Morning Shift rushing to their stations. As Shepard left the elevator, he saw a sleepy-eyed Kelly heading for her console, while Joker could be seen limping up the corridor towards the pilot's chair.

As the Commander stepped onto the Command Deck, he saw Garrus standing awkwardly to one side, running some files through one of the stations that lined the sides of the CIC. Interested, Shepard stepped up next to his old friend.

"Not used to seeing you up here, Garrus. Something up?"

The Turian jumped a little, caught off-guard.

"Commander. I was just cleaning up the latest Gunnery Control reports, making them ready for you."

"Alright, hit me with them." Shepard encouraged.

"I just completed this week's calibrations. Efficiency has been improved by one point two per cent, but we're still only at ninety seven per cent of predicted optimal capacity. I'll keep working on it."

"I'd settle for ninety seven per cent." Shepard said with a smile.

"But I won't. We've got to be perfect for the fight ahead. I'll see if Mordin's got any ideas for potential upgrades to tease out a little more from the cannons."

"Sounds like a plan. Make sure you talk it over with Legion and Jacob, too. There's a good chance they'll have a few tricks you can use."

"Good point." The Turian accepted. "I'll talk it over with them today. Was there anything else you needed, Commander?"

"How do you think we're doing?" Shepard asked. "What are your thoughts on the last mission?"

"The colony?" Garrus frowned as he considered the mission. "It was a tough choice, I'll give you that. But you made a choice, and I personally think it was the right one. It's a shame to lose such a valuable resource, but lives have to come first. Just letting the colonists die seems… a little close to Cerberus' mandate for my liking. But I may be a little biased. The Turian squad mate supporting saving Turian lives? I can see that being considered impartial."

"Do you think the Hierarchy will appreciate it?"

"Well, no politician lost a vote playing the 'saving lives' angle. And sadly, in today's Galaxy we face a society run by these desk jockeys. The politicians may see the benefits of following you. But you will have the support of the lower tiers. They'll be more inclined to follow a man that they know will look out for them."

"How do you think the crew's doing?"

"We've got a lot of new faces here now." The Turian said, stepping from side to side thoughtfully. "And we've managed to track down most of the old team. There's always room for new hires, but we've got a pretty badass team already. I reckon any enemy we face will have a hell of a fight on their hands."

"What do you think of the new recruits?"

"Well, first of all, there's that Jano. He seems like an unusual individual. A Quarian martial artist certainly breaks the stereotypes. But, then again, we've had a Krogan who listens to reason, a Batarian diplomat, a friendly Geth, and a renegade Collector. I think a Quarian brawler just about fits the bill for the kind of unusual we look for on someone's resume before we welcome them aboard.

"I like Delexia. We get on well together. And its always good to have someone aboard who actually understands Turian culture. I can explain it all to you Humans, but it's not the same as being born into it.

"All in all, I think we're doing good. We get on well, for the most part. Although frankly, I'm amazed we haven't had to stop Jack from shoving Miranda out of an airlock yet. Better keep an eye out for that eventual confrontation."

"I'll bear that in mind." Shepard smiled. "Hopefully that won't be a problem this time round."

"And hopefully I'll learn how to fire lasers out of my ass so I don't need to bring a gun onto the battlefield." The Turian shot back, eliciting a chuckle from the Commander. They laughed together for a moment before Garrus sobered. "I'd better get back to my duties, Commander. Maybe we can catch up later?"

"Sure thing, Garrus. You take care now."

"Will do, Shepard."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard dug into his meal with gusto, shovelling a fork-full of meat and potatoes into his mouth. Around him, the Day Shift sat down to their evening meal, weary after the long day.

The Normandy had made good progress, traversing many different Mass Relays until she had finally arrived at the Eagle Nebula. Joker had set the ship on a course through the system, their heading taking them directly to the last Relay that would hurl them towards the Crescent Nebula. The ship would arrive at Illium sometime the next morning, and so Shepard had ordered the crew to get an early night. He anticipated many of them would want to take the opportunity to get off the ship, so they would need to get the tasks of the day out of the way early. He also wanted his squad well rested. He had no way of predicting what they were about to encounter, and he needed them sharp.

A shadow drifted across his table, drawing his gaze upwards. His two eyes met Etarn's four.

"Commander." The Batarian greeted. "Would you mind if I sat here?"

"Not at all." Shepard waved a hand at the seat opposite his. The alien sat down, carefully putting down a plate of food in front of himself.

"I must say, I have been enjoying the food your Sergeant Gardner prepares. I've never had the opportunity to sample Human food before. It is… surprisingly palatable."

"You were expecting something else?" Shepard asked with a smile.

"In a way. I've never come across another species who cooks just to enjoy the taste." He said around a large mouthful of food. "The Salarians only eat to live, so their food always tastes like crap. Krogan take too much pride in spicing their food, thinking the hotter they can take it, the tougher they are. Their stuff would eat your insides away anyway, so the heat just makes things worse. And don't get me started on what the Drell eat. I'm pretty sure I once saw a Drell eat a plate of live insects."

Shepard suppressed a shudder. Etarn chuckled at his discomfort. The pair focused on their meal for a couple of silent moments before Shepard glanced back at the alien.

"I've been wanting to ask you something."

"Please. Go right ahead."

"It's about the last time we talked."

"Ah, yes. I suspected you would wish to know more."

"Only if you're comfortable talking about it." Shepard assured.

"It is no problem, Commander. I simply… needed time to get my thoughts in order. It is a sensitive part of my tale."

"I had no idea you were married." Shepard commented.

"It is not a fact I publicise." Etarn answered. "Some things are best omitted from your biography when you are trying to encourage the support of your public."

"I guess I can understand that. Are Batarian politics really that complex?"

"If you ever find more than three people in the same place, you will always witness some overly complicated social system." Etarn chuckled. "The more people the system presides over, the more complex its rules. The bureaucracy of the Hegemony is no different."

"So how did you meet your wife?"

"It was a marriage of opportunity, for the most part. Hereia's parents held considerable influence over the populace of a number of Batarian colonies. I was an up-and-coming power on the political scene of Khar'Shan. Our marriage was decided mostly without our input."

"An arranged marriage?"

"Of sorts. It is the way of my people. However, I had no parents at the time to make the choice for me, but a patron of mine stepped into the role of guardian in this process. He was the one to make the selection for me."

"That must have been strange. Did you know each other very well?"

"We were passing acquaintances. We attended the same social functions, but we did not possess an intimate knowledge of one another."

"How did you get on?"

"Awkwardly, at first. I poured more effort into my work than my marriage. Eventually, we grew to respect one another. After some time, I grew to care for her deeply." His eyes took on a far-away quality. "She was beautiful, and not thanks to her wealth. She was gifted with grace and elegance unbefitting of my kind. Her eyes were the purest glimmering red, flecked with green."

"You were happy together?"

"Eventually, yes. We had a bumpy start, though. She resented being forced into the marriage, and she was too strong willed to just submit to a husband. But eventually she grew to respect me as I did her. After some time, we were blessed with a child, a boy named Jellin."

"Sounds like the perfect life." Shepard commented. "How do you go from that to being reluctant to even talk about them?"

"My work." Etarn said with a sad expression. "I was not cautious in whom I angered during my rise to power. My rivalry with Gorm Jib'bat had severe consequences."

"What happened?"

"An assassin was sent in the night to kill me. I was lucky, escaping with my life, but as the assassin fled, Jellin got in his way." Moisture gleamed in the alien's four eyes. "He was only twelve at the time, but he wanted to make his father proud by catching the being who sought to do me harm. He was cut down in seconds, and I could only hold him in my arms as the last of his life slipped away."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Gorm is the one to blame. He is the one who let the assassin off the leash." Etarn's voice was hard. "Hereia never forgave me for Jellin's death. After the funeral, she terminated the marriage contract. She told me that it was my weakness that got our son killed. I extended my reach beyond what I was prepared to handle, and couldn't fight back against the reprisal. Then she left. I have not seen or heard from her since."

"How could she just drop your marriage like that?" Shepard asked, feeling indignant at the injustice of his friend's experience.

"It is the way our people live, Commander. You ally yourself with the strongest individual with your interests at heart, and cling to them more tightly than family bonds hold individuals together. Once she believed I had proved myself weak, she left."

"That's complete bullshit." The Commander said hotly. "I'm sorry you had to go through it."

"As am I, Commander. As am I." The Batarian said quietly. He sighed as he scooped up the last of his plate's contents. "I believe I shall retire now, Commander. We have a busy day tomorrow."

"Alright, Etarn. See you around."

"Always, Commander."

The Batarian bowed his head before turning to leave. Shepard watched him wander off towards the crew quarters before finishing up his own meal, heading back up to the loft, falling into a deep sleep as the Normandy continued her journey between the stars.

**Author's Notes: Really happy with this chapter. I feel like I've been able to give a little more depth to some of my characters, specifically Etarn and Delexia. I also really liked the Miri/Jack confrontation. I feel that this is a believeable way for their relationship to progress. they'll never be friends, but they can call a truce, of sorts. Miranda would still resent having to express any form of gratitude towards Jack, and Jack would love every moment of such a confrontation. I hope it came across in a consistent manner.**

**Anyway, got another chapter well on its way to completion, should be done today or tomorrow, depending upon real life. In the meantime, enjoy this chapter and read, review, repeat!**


	33. 33: Harder To Breathe

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Author's Notes: Whew! Two chapters in one week? What did you guys do to deserve this? Seriously, what have you done to deserve this? That's right, nothing! So leave a review this time! ;)**

**Chapter 33: Harder To Breathe**

"Nos Astra Air Traffic Control, this is SSV Normandy SR-2, requesting permission to land."

The Normandy swooped down through Illium's upper cloud layer, dancing through the peach coloured banks of vapour as she made her descent. At the helm, Joker leaned back casually, utterly unchallenged by the task of navigating the trade world's skylanes.

"Normandy SR-2, we have you on our scopes. Alter your heading three point two-nine degrees to the north. Docking complex Seretia Nine, cradle twenty-three."

"Acknowledged." The pilot turned off the comm channel, bringing the ship about onto its correct course with barely a thought.

Behind him, Shepard watched the skies out of the front viewport. He was in what he called his 'casual' attire, his standard battle armour with only a pistol and a rifle. Compared to how he went into most situations, this was exceptionally little armament. Joker glanced over his shoulder at the Commander.

"Y'know, I always liked Illium. Its always sunny, the locals are really friendly, and the lack of regulations make it real easy to get a hold of the latest fetish issues of Fornax."

"Too much information, Joker." Shepard winced. As the chuckling pilot turned back to his console, the Commander looked over to the squad that he had selected for this trip.

Jacob stood to attention, his loadout similar to the Commander's. Beside him, Kasumi lounged back against the top of one of the many chairs lining the corridor leading back to the CIC. One slight hand had snaked out to curl around Jacob's bicep, occasionally squeezing the taut muscle flirtatiously. Feron stood further down the corridor, tapping on a datapad hurriedly. He glanced up as Shepard looked at him questioningly.

"Shepard! Requesting permission to join you for this mission." He closed up the datapad carefully, stowing it on his belt.

"If Cerberus is involved, this probably won't be the kind of infiltration mission you're suited to, Feron." Shepard explained tactfully.

"I know. But this mission has a large bearing on my people, Commander. If they really have discovered a cure to Kepral's Syndrome, I need to see it."

"Alright. Your skills won't go to waste on this op, anyway." Shepard shrugged. He turned back to the front of the ship just in time to see Joker put the ship into a smooth curve that brought it up next to a docking cradle, putting her down with nary a bump.

"Alright, folks. We've arrived, and to prove it we're here." The pilot announced over his shoulder. "Welcome to Nos Astra, Gateway to the Terminus, Sapphire Gem of the Traverse, Birthplace of the Legal Loophole. Watch your step, and try not to sell your souls while your out there."

"Cute, Joker." Shepard deadpanned. "Be sure to leave the porch light on. We might be coming home late."

The squad filed out of the airlock, striding along the docking arm into the open air of the cool Nos Astra afternoon.

Shepard paused to look about approvingly. Whatever people may have said about Illium's cut-throat nature, it was a beautiful corner of the Galaxy. The bright sun hung overhead, beaming down powerfully. The radiant light glinted off the myriad towering spires that made the Nos Astra skyline, giving the merchant city the illusion of being constructed from countless gems. Swarming by through the air overhead, immense traffic lanes criss-crossed the airways, like countless ants scurrying from place to place in neat, orderly but busy lines.

"I love it here." Kasumi murmured. "It's always so nice this time of year. But I could never set up shop here. There's too much competition from the 'legitimate' businesses already operating here."

"You can find anything you can think of here." Jacob responded. "Joker gave me a shopping list, but I don't think I want to go to that part of town."

As the squad approached the end of the docking ramp, an Asari strode out to meet them. Her white facial markings seemed oddly familiar, as did the respectful way she bowed her head upon greeting them. It was only as she spoke that Shepard made the connection. She was the same Asari who had greeted them the last time they had come to Illium.

"Good day to you, Spectre Shepard. Welcome back to Illium."

"Thank you." Shepard bowed his head in return. No reason to rub the locals up the wrong way. "Is there some sort of docking fee I need to take care of, or…?"

"Oh, not at all!" The Asari replied quickly. "Now that your reinstatement has been officially announced to the public, we are able to waive all such fees. Illium may not strictly come under the Council's influence, but we respect their authority here and, by extension, that of all of their representatives."

"Good to know."

"Is there anything I can help you with, Commander? I can offer information on many different locations in Nos Astra."

"We're just here to pick up some supplies." Shepard said noncommittally, unwilling to reveal too much of their reasons for being on Illium to a more or less complete stranger. "If you can give us some information on any medical research firms in the area, I'd be very grateful."

"Well, there's the Asclepius Institute. A small research company partially owned by Binary Helix. If you're looking for the latest tech upgrades for your ship's Medical Bay, they're the people to go to. A lot of their stuff hasn't even reached Citadel Space yet, let alone become widely available."

"Thanks."

The squad nodded to the greeter before moving on. Once they were out of earshot, it was Jacob who broke the silence.

"Asclepius Institute." He muttered. "Figures."

"Something significant about the name?" Shepard asked.

"Asclepius was the Greek god of healing and medicine. Talk about hiding out in the open. I don't think we'd find a bigger clue to who is running the show than that."

"You'd think that Cerberus would try and make their codenames a little more subtle than that." Kasumi said, glancing to the side to stare in through a shop window. "I mean, our cell was called Lazarus for crying out loud! Anyone who has even the slightest idea of what they're looking for would be able to break the code in seconds."

"Personally, I'm not complaining." The Commander replied. "It makes our job a lot easier."

"Yeah, I guess. But the point still stands. I mean, when Keiji and I had any job we needed to co-ordinate over comm channels, we picked a ridiculous name, like Operation Stay-Puft."

"I can't really see the Illusive Man referring to one of his projects as Operation Stay-Puft." Jacob chuckled, soon being joined by Kasumi's light giggle.

"No, I suppose not." The little thief walked in silence for only a moment more. "Hey, Jacob?"

"Yeah?"

"How'd you know all that? About Greek gods and stuff?"

"I liked to read when I was younger." He shrugged.

"Oh my- you're a closet geek!" Kasumi's laughter was barely constrained.

"Am not!" Jacob's protest was loud, but playful.

"Are too! I bet you've even got a random number generator on your omnitool for role-playing games!"

"… But it's not like I use it all that often!"

"Ha!"

"And anyway, you're the one with all those paper books in your-"

"I said, Ha!" Kasumi's tone was triumphant.

"Okay, kids. Reel it in a bit." Shepard chuckled.

"What's the next step, Commander?" Jacob asked.

"Easy. First, we're going to go get a drink."

"Alright! My kind of mission!"

"Any particular reason why we're on a pub crawl instead of heading for the medical centre?" Kasumi questioned. "Not that I'm complaining about the new, more peaceful leaf you seem to have turned over here, Shep."

"Information. I know a matriarch who has her ear to the ground." Shepard explained. "I just hope she's got the bar clean. We need her focused…"

**~o~0~o~**

"Hey babe. Ain't seen you round here for a while. You miss me?"

Matriarch Aethyta barely glanced up from her work, scrubbing the bar thoroughly. She grabbed a glass off the counter, putting it out of Shepard's reach as his hand snaked out to grab it.

"Not so fast, sunshine. You've still got five 'mystery drinks' on your tab from over a year ago."

"Aethyta." Shepard greeted warmly. "You look great. You do something new with your scalp?"

"Cute. Credits. Now." There was a smile behind the Asari's gruff exterior. Chuckling, Shepard swiped his omnitool over the till interface. "So what can I get you?"

"We're actually here for information." Shepard said as he opened up the ordering terminal and selected a couple of colourful-looking drinks for his companions, making sure to make choices with low alcoholic content. They needed to stay on their toes.

"Plenty of that comes through here on a daily basis." The matriarch grunted. "What do you need to know?"

"We're interested in a medical facility, name of The Asclepius Institute. Heard of it?"

"Have I?" The Asari laughed. "Hardly a day goes by that there ain't another press release. Don't you use the Extranet?"

"I'm looking for intel that might not be found in the official press releases." Shepard's hand darted over the Asari's, his omnitool beeping as over two thousand credits leapt from one palm to the other. Aethyta looked about cautiously, making sure no one had seen the lightning-fast transaction.

"We got a function room out back." She spoke loudly before pointing to Jacob. "Seeing as it's your friend's birthday, here's the access codes. On the house." She winked.

Shepard nodded, instantly understanding. He accepted the drinks from the Asari, turning to wave his friends over.

"Come on. I got us a private room."

The squad followed him, filing through a nondescript door beside the bar.

They walked into a cosy little room, mostly occupied by a large table. Against one wall, a drinks dispenser glowed with a dull orange light, advertising a couple of big name brands of alcoholic beverages, including a number of Dextro-friendly drinks. Jacob and Kasumi took up a position in the nearest chairs, tentatively tasting the drinks the Commander had chosen for them. Feron made his was to the corner directly facing the door, his deep emerald-black eyes watching the door unblinkingly. Shepard leaned on the table, waiting patiently.

Moments later, Aethyta walked in, dusting her hands off distractedly. Her sharp gaze landed on the Commander.

"What's your interest in Asclepius?" She asked. "Does this have anything to do with those suicides?"

"Suicides?" Jacob's drink retreated from his mouth, his thirst suddenly gone.

"You mean you don't know?" Aethyta's brow rose questioningly.

"No, we don't." Shepard answered. "Start from the beginning, and tell us what you know."

Aethyta sighed, taking a seat at the table. Shepard remained on his feet, although he sat lightly on the edge of the table.

"Alright. Asclepius started out about four years ago. A small medical research firm under the umbrella of the Sirta Foundation. They were looking into the usual stuff: stronger biotics, more effective Medi-Gel, cure for the common cold, that sort of thing. Recently, though, they were bought out by Binary Helix, and after that they sealed up tighter than a Salarian's asshole. All of their work was 'classified', or still in concept testing. They haven't released any new technologies for over two years, now."

"Standard M.O. for Binary Helix." Kasumi shrugged. "They always like keeping their secrets. Makes it that much more fun to steal 'em."

"True, but to go this long without coming up with something to sell?" Jacob countered.

"Everyone's gotta have a bad day or two."

"That's what everyone thought." The Asari agreed with the slight Human. "Finally, about two months back, Asclepius finally produces a revolutionary new treatment for Human lung disease and for fluid infection. Not a big thing, but worth quite a bit to the right people. Enough to get them noticed. Next day, the Institute's director turns up dead. He hanged himself."

"Pretty unusual, after releasing a successful product." Shepard observed.

"Yeah. But it was put down as a suicide. Everyone claimed he'd been pretty unstable during the previous few days. Maybe the stress got to him. Once the goose lays a golden egg, everyone starts watching it for the next one."

"Not too unreasonable a conclusion." Feron supplied. "I have seen it occur many times during my days of industrial espionage."

"Except that wasn't the end of the story. Two weeks later, rumours start spreading of another treatment being developed, a revolutionary new method for growing new lungs suitable for transplant, again tailored for treating Humans. Three days later, the project lead is killed in a fire that destroyed her lab, and most of her work. Investigation found out from security footage that she turned on all the equipment himself, and cut a gas line. Suicide note was found in her home. Apparently, she was having an affair with the director, and couldn't deal with the loss."

"Again, reasonable, but a little convenient." Shepard surmised.

"Exactly." Aethyta agreed. "Now, we never hear or see from any of the scientists working in the facility. Its like the whole place has gone into lockdown."

"Is that all there is to it?" Shepard asked. He had hoped to have more to go on.

"No." Aethyta's sharp eyes flickered to Feron, sitting in the corner. "Word is they may have been working on a treatment for that Drell disease, Kepral's Syndrome. Nothing official announced, but a Drell dignitary was seen exiting their offices. That, along with a couple of careless words spilled by one of their employees one night after a shot too many of Batarian ale, was enough to set the rumour mill turning."

"Where could we find this employee?" Feron asked, leaning forward, now much more interested.

"You can't." The Asari answered flatly. "He turned up dead in an alley three days ago. Cops put it down as sanders looking for a quick score."

"What about the Drell?" Shepard asked.

"Funny story. Not long after that, he had an accident."

"Accident?" Jacob asked dubiously.

"His skycar ploughed into the side of a cargo transport. Made a huge mess of the skylanes for days. Nothing left of him save a smattering of ash in the wind."

"Sounds to me like someone's trying pretty hard to keep Asclepius' activities off the radar." Kasumi concluded.

"And making a sloppy job of it." Jacob observed. "I'm not so sure this is a Cerberus operation. Their containment procedures are normally very neat."

"Sounds to me like they've got all their bases covered." Shepard countered. "Everyone who could tell us anything is dead."

"Yeah, but its not as simple as that. If you want to keep a project secret, you don't just kill everyone involved. Multiple suicides just leave a pattern for law enforcement to follow, like what we're doing here. Much better for people to vanish quietly. Causes less disturbance, raises fewer eyebrows. People vanish all the time in the Terminus Systems, so what difference do a half dozen more make?"

"Ooh." Kasumi shivered. "I love it when you get all 'secret agent'! Makes a girl feel all tingly in the right places."

She reached out to squeeze his bicep impudently, a flirtatious pout on her lips. Shepard smirked as the battle-hardened soldier actually blushed, blood rushing to his face in a warm flood that left his skin glowing brightly. He left Jacob to endure this for a moment, turning back to Aethyta.

"Do you think you could dig up the addresses of these people? Might be handy if we decide to take a look around for ourselves."

"No problem, babe. I got some contacts that can fix you up with what you need."

With that, the Asari nodded her head respectfully, turned, and left. Shepard turned back to the table and his waiting squad. A sharp cough made Kasumi jump, losing the progress she had made in subtly sliding into Jacob's lap. The former Alliance soldier looked up at Shepard questioningly.

"What's the plan, Commander?"

"I think we can safely say that none of these deaths are all they seem to be. These people knew something that someone else wanted kept hidden. We need to see what we can dig up. I want to get a look at their offices, homes and labs. Kasumi, you're in charge of finding out what you can about the Director. Get a look at his private terminals, dig through any solid data he kept. Find me something that relates to Asclepius. Feron, I want you to do the same for the Drell."

"What about us, Shepard?" Jacob asked. "Maybe you've got the skills for this, but I'm no good at infiltration."

"You and I have two crime scenes to investigate. I'll take the lab, you see what you can find out about the employee who got killed on the streets."

"Spending the evening with Illium's night crowd." Jacob muttered flatly. "Fun. Hey, in the off-chance that I don't end up accosted by some Krogan Sanders and an Elcor hooker, how am I supposed to get into the crime scene, or even to find it in the first place?"

"I've got a few favours I can call in with the Nos Astra police force." Shepard explained. "But we'll also need some kind of I.D. for getting around. If this really is a Cerberus operation, I don't want them getting spooked by rumours of a Spectre and his crew wandering around in their neighbourhood."

"I may be able to assist in this endeavour." Feron offered. "I have, on occasion, been forced to manufacture a great many alternate identities for myself in order to carry out my work. Crafting something that will pass a cursory inspection should be no problem."

"I don't get why we can't just break down the doors and get what we're looking for." Jacob said.

"Because we don't really know what we're after, yet." Shepard explained. "And I don't want to risk making this a public spectacle if it's all going to be for nothing."

"Fair enough." Jacob acquiesced.

"Alright." Shepard clapped his hands together, eager to get to work. "We'll meet back here in… say four hours. Should be long enough to get what we need."

The squad got to their feet, filing out of the room and, after a quick stop by the bar to get the locations from Aethyta, headed in their separate directions.

**~o~0~o~**

**~KASUMI~**

The streets of Illium were growing darker by the moment, the receding dusk allowing ribbons of orange-yellow light to play across the upper reaches of the glittering towers. As the frontline of the night continued its inexorable march around the planet, the buildings left in its wake shone with a vast multitude of glowing yellow lights, like a carpet of stars mirroring the night sky.

As the day retreated, the merchant city took on a new life, the businesspeople and more-or-less legitimate traders of the day being replaced by the shady, the cast-off and the downright criminal inhabitants of the night.

Through all this, Kasumi walked unseen. She made liberal use of her cloak to move around the more threatening individuals she came across, sticking to the more densely populated areas where she could. The last thing she needed was to find herself alone in an alleyway with a bunch of thugs.

She was almost at her intended destination, a towering skyscraper not far from the industrial district. Interestingly, the former director of Asclepius, a man named Anthony Stewart, worked from his luxurious apartment, meaning all of his work was stored in his own home. That certainly made Kasumi's job easier, as she only had to go digging through one location to find what she needed, and there was no need to break into Asclepius' offices just yet. Breaking in there once would be easy enough, but if they needed to return for some as-yet unknown data, she didn't like their chances of having to repeat the feat. Better to leave off breaking into the actual facility until they had all the information they could gather.

Her attention was drawn to the sudden sounds of a scuffle emanating from one of the many alleys that criss-crossed the city. She carefully stepped forward to peer into the alleyway.

A cluster of rough-looking thugs had gathered around a single young man, delivery a very brutal beating. Kasumi could see a couple of Turians, one of whom was rather short, almost scrawny, a human whose ragged clothing barely covered his sinewy but undernourished frame, and a young Krogan, barely out of his first decade but already as tall as most men and almost as wide. The apparent leader of the group was an Asari, her facial marking a dull purple against her dark blue skin. Half of her face had been scarred, leaving one eye a useless milky orb and several of her scalp tentacles twisted and mangled. She watched with a measure of amusement as the Turians held the young man still while the Human and the Krogan took turns roughing him up. The Krogan, in particular, seemed to take a great deal of joy in pummelling the young man, laughing as his huge fists thumped into the man's gut with fleshy squelches. Kasumi watched with a mixture of indecision and horror as the Asari walked up, toting a powerful looking, albeit poorly maintained, shotgun. She placed a hand on the Krogan's shoulder, pulling him back strongly.

"Enough." She said sternly. She turned to the young man, still held fast in the Turians' powerful grip. "Now, the code."

"No." The young man whimpered. "That money's for orphans left behind after all those colony attacks. You can't take it. I won't let you!"

"'Let'? 'Let'?" The Asari laughed, an ugly noise twisted by the damaged to her mouth and throat. "You don't have a choice! Either you give us the code to your omnitool, or we kill you and then get some two-bit Salarian crack it open for us. Either way, we get the money. This way just saves us a lot of time."

"No." The man's voice was firm, resolute. Kasumi, slithering closer through the shadows, could see now that he was just a boy, barely out of his teens.

"Are you sure?" The Asari's voice dropped an octave, taking on a more sultry purr, or presumably that's what she thought. The damage to her throat made it sound more like a catarrh-fuelled gurgle than anything else. "There's nothing I can do to change your mind? I'm sure you've heard a great many things about my people. Maybe I could show them to you?"

The boy's face was stony, although his eyes gleamed with fear.

"No?" The Asari's face twisted with offence. "I think I'll show you anyway, like it or not. It's been a long time since I've had a Human." She turned to the Turians. "Strip him."

The young man yelped as three-fingered hands began clawing at his clothes, the sneering Asari standing over him with a predatory gleam in her eyes. He began to thrash from side to side, actually managing to break the grip of one of his captors long enough to throw a punch at the scrawny Turian's face, crying out in pain as the chorus of splintering fingers echoed the impact of his fleshy hand against the Turian's hard-as-steel scales. Then the Krogan stepped in and grabbed him, thick arms wrapping around his entire body to hold him in a tight, unbreakable grip.

"Let him go!"

Even Kasumi was surprised at the shout, not having been able to contain her anger at what she was seeing. She darted back into hiding as the gang looked about in surprise, trying to find the source of the words. As she slithered through the shadows into a better position to attack, her fingers slowly unclipped the holster on the SMG, drawing the weapon silently.

"Who's there?" The Asari demanded loudly, her shotgun sweeping the shadows. "Show yourself!"

Kasumi remained hidden, sizing up her new-found enemies. Only the Asari bore any kind of gun, although she could see a knife sticking out of the belt of each of the Turians, and the Krogan's fists counted as weapons all by themselves, although he was currently occupied with hanging on to the squirming boy. That left the Human, apparently unarmed but an unknown with regards to hand-to-hand skills. His appearance suggested a hard life, which usually forged tough individuals.

Angry that their new enemy remained unseen, the Asari turned to her subordinates.

"We'll just hack the omnitool later. Graag, break the whelp's neck."

The Krogan looked up at her with a mixture of surprise and gratitude. His hands shifted, gripping the boy's skull. Before he could deliver the fatal twist, a triage of bullet holes appeared in his brow, causing him to release his grip. He staggered back, slumping against the alley wall with a confused look on his face. Three more shots sounded out, removing this expression from his face, while also removing the majority of his face from his head.

Reacting on instinct, the Asari spun and fired her shotgun into the shadows, aiming for where the bullets had come from. The Turians, still shocked at their comrade's sudden demise, spun and charged at Kasumi's position, only to find nothing but shifting darkness. Their knives glittered in their palms as the dropped into combat crouches, looking about warily.

They were completely unprepared when the lithe Human leapt onto the back of the larger Turian, striking his tender throat hard enough to send him reeling, gasping for breath. The scrawny Turian spun to attack, but a heavy boot to the face knocked him onto his rear, looking at the sudden burst of stars around his head in surprise. Kasumi's camo flickered, revealing her clutching the larger Turian's shoulders as he struggled to throw her off.

The Asari's shotgun coughed, the blast of pellets peppering both Kasumi and her victim. The thief's shields deflected the brunt of the impact, protecting her from all but a light bruising. The Turian, unshielded, was less fortunate. His chest exploded in a shower of gore as metal shards tore into him, killing him fairly instantly.

The smaller of the two aliens looked up in shock as his fellow Turian was killed, jaw working soundlessly. He looked to his Asari leader with a glare of betrayal. With a scrape of scrambling feet, the Turian was up and racing out of the alleyway, clearly not ready to risk being killed by the one who was supposed to be looking out for them all.

That only left the Human and the Asari. Kasumi dropped into a crouch, her camo engaging before the blue-skinned alien could bring her weapon to bear. She glanced to the Human, noting the more cautious quality to his gaze now. He wasn't ready to charge into combat if he would risk becoming the victim of friendly fire. Sizing them both up, Kasumi set her priorities.

The Asari gasped as a small shoulder dug into her belly, throwing her from her feet. She tried to lift her weapon to attack, but a sweeping foot caught her wrist, snapping bone and summoning a shriek of pain. She bucked under the weight of the knee suddenly pressed into her chest, staring at her attacker as Kasumi de-cloaked. The thief wasted no time in lifting her gun to the would-be-mugger's head and firing, killing the Asari in a swift burst of blood and brains.

Before the lithe thief could stand, a pair of hands grabbed her roughly. One curled around her neck, cutting off her air supply swiftly and efficiently. The other pinned her hands to the side of her body, gripping her tightly, painfully, on the waist.

"Don't squirm, or I'll break your neck." He threatened, his mouth right beside her ear. His breath reeked of old fish, rotten vegetation, and what could have been excrement for all Kasumi knew. "Don't think I won't. You'll still be warm enough for Enor to have his fun for hours. Now, let go of the gun."

Recognising a stalemate when she saw one, Kasumi obediently did so. She had plenty of other ways of fighting back.

"Good. Now, we're going to walk back to that door there, nice and slow. I got something that'll take care of those pesky hands of yours, then we're gonna have some fun, just you and Enor."

Kasumi did as she was directed, her hand subtly scrabbling at her belt. Unseen by the mugger, her tiny fingers found a grip on one of her vast array of thief's tools, a small, sharp lock-pick that she used on manual doors that couldn't be hacked. She secreted it in her palm, ready to use it at the first opportunity.

Suddenly, her face was pressed into the cold metal of the door, the weight of man's body holding her in place as he retrieved something from his own pockets.

"Here we go." She felt something tied around one of her wrists, a greasy, well-used rope. The knot he tied was tight, enough to cut off the blood flow to her hand. Inwardly, she laughed at him. You never tied the hands separately. It was much more secure to bind them together. "Now, the other hand. Then we can get started!"

Kasumi's hand darted back, the tool gripped in it held like a knife. The tool resisted her thrust for a moment as it met soft flesh, breaking the surface with a little more pressure. The man howled as he staggered back, clutching at his belly. The tool jutted out from a wound that bled profusely, coating his hands in slick, red blood.

"You bitch!" He growled, a feral sound that came from the very roots of his being. "Enor's going to make you pay for that!"

He drew a knife from the recesses of his clothing, waving it menacingly. He took a swipe at her, the dirty blade only missing by inches. She staggered back, caught off guard by the concealed weapon, and thumped against the door behind her. With nowhere to go, she shrank back as he pulled the knife back for a final stab.

_Bang._

The roar of the gun filled the alleyway. The man's head literally disintegrated in a flood of blood, brains and bone matter. With a thump, the headless corpse dropped to the ground, knife tinkling free from limp fingers.

Kasumi looked up from the newly created corpse, staring at the young man who had saved her. He was kneeling, one leg refusing to support his weight. She could see a trail of blood where he had dragged himself across the alley to the Asari's dead body, retrieving her shotgun. The massive weapon shook in his hands, barely supported in his weak state. As Kasumi struggled to stand, he dropped the weapon, sliding to the ground with a sigh. She rushed over to kneel next to him. Her omnitool glowed as she scanned him from head to toe, identifying all the evidence left behind by the gang's beating. She prepared a couple of doses of Medi-Gel, treating the worst of his injuries.

"This will help with the pain, and let you get to a hospital." She explained. "Don't think that you're all better and don't need to go see a doctor. You've got a few bad fractures and some bruising on your insides, and 'Gel can't fix that."

"Thank you." He managed, his eyes becoming more and more focused as the pain faded, the Medi-Gel doing its work.

"I should be thanking you." Kasumi countered. "You saved me there."

"You did it first." He chuckled. "Jonn, Jonn Whitman."

"Kasumi." She replied. "What were they after?"

"Same as most people out this time of night. Something to fuel their habits."

"Why didn't you just let them take it? You can get the money back, but not a life."

"It's not my money. This money belongs to all of the orphans and refugees left behind after all of those colonies went missing a year back."

"You're part of a charity?"

"The Shepards." He nodded.

"Shepards?" Kasumi asked curiously.

"He's the one who inspired the whole thing. Our founder, Mr Verner, met him personally. Says that just meeting the man makes you want to do something to help. After I met him, I know what Mr Verner means."

"You know Commander Shepard?" She asked.

"I met him. Just once. He saved my life, actually." Jonn chuckled. "I was going to join the mercenaries that were going to take down some guy on Omega called Archangel. Didn't recognise him until I saw a newscast later, but Shepard was there, and he stopped me. I'm happy he did, as no one else made it out of there alive, and I probably wouldn't have, either. After that, I knew I had to repay the favour, somehow. I heard about what Mr Verner was setting up here on Illium, got the next shuttle out here, and signed up."

"That's very noble of you." Kasumi congratulated. "Just… try not to be out this late again. Just 'cause it's cleaner, doesn't mean Illium's any safer than Omega."

"I'll try to remember than." He promised.

"Think you can make it to a hospital from here?"

"Yeah." He struggled to his feet, his body growing more steady by the second.

"Okay. I'd better get going." She patted him on the shoulder. "Take care, Jonn."

She watched as he limped off into the night, making his way to the nearest medical facility. Then, after retrieving her SMG and cleaning out the Asari's pockets, she resumed her journey towards the apartment building, just a few blocks away at that point.

**~o~0~o~**

The building was empty, aside from the occasional janitor going about his ignoble chores during the small hours of the night, when he was least likely to be interrupted or, heaven forbid, to cause an interruption. This gave Kasumi a chance to appreciate her surroundings. The building was very luxurious, fitted with every modern convenience. The floors in the main passageways were tiles with creamy white marble, while the walls were panelled with dark mahogany. Expensive paintings lined the walls, while small alcoves held sculptures, precious vases, and even a rare example of Turian glass art, made using the rich and colourful sands of Palaven. The sight of all these treasures made Kasumi's fingers twitch, but she had no time to dawdle. She'd have time for some recreational 'art appreciation' later, possibly with a vehicle with plenty of storage space waiting out the back.

At last she arrived at the door she had been looking for, leading to Director Stewart's place of residence. Firstly, she paused by one of the security cams, allowing her omnitool to do the hard work of breaking through the small device's laughable simple security and set it to loop the same feed of an empty corridor over and over again. It was a simple trick, and not one that would pass a more thorough inspection, but it would last long enough for her to get in, get what she was after, and get out again.

This done, she knelt next to the door and set to work on the slightly more complex locking mechanism. She manipulated the nodes within the system, forming and breaking electronic connections as though it were second nature to her which, by this point in her life, it actually was. In moments she had the lock sliding open. She pushed against the expensive looking real wood door, almost shivering with anticipation at what someone who could afford digs like this would furnish their home with.

It was a shock, therefore, and a crushing disappointment to walk into the apartment and be greeted by an extremely Spartan home. The walls had been left a plain white, while the floor was nothing but cold metal. The few furnishings that adorned the place were clustered together in the centre of this main room, two black leather sofas, a coffee table and a moderately sized holovid interface. To one side, a utilitarian kitchen gleamed cleanly, well maintained.

Disappointed, the little thief walked through the apartment, carefully inspecting her surroundings for any hidden surprises. This man had worked for a medical firm, and they were notoriously paranoid about protecting their work, even down to bugging and booby-trapping their employees' homes. She eventually uncovered a listening device, hidden cunningly in the air vents, and a micro-camera in the clock in the kitchen. This done, she proceeded through the rest of the apartment.

She passed a couple of doorways, glancing in to see a large bedroom that only contained a single bed and a wardrobe. _Not a very social life_, she mentally noted. _No wife or girlfriend to miss him, then_. She then moved on to the next door, finding a bathroom, complete with lavatory, a luxuriously large bath, and a towering shower cubicle made out of frosted glass, the walls and floors covered in deep black tiles.

Finally, through the last door, she found what she was looking for. A small study presented the most lived-in feeling of all the rooms. The walls were covered in tall bookshelves, some dedicated to optical data storage while others actually contained real books and papers. She rifles through a few of these, noting that many of them were project notes from the facility. She moved on from this, though. She needed something she could carry out of here on her omnitool.

She stepped over to the desk in the centre of the room, lifting a few stacks of papers to one side to uncover the console for Stewart's private terminal.

The machine beeped at her touch, powering up swiftly. A text box appeared, requesting a password. It informed her that she had three attempts. Shrugging, she carefully typed in a quick guess. **Asclepius.**

_Incorrect. Please try again._

Kasumi frowned, thinking hard. Men like this tended to be very straightforward with their passwords, preferring to focus on their work than on making up something hard to remember. She made another attempt. **Cerberus.**

_Incorrect. Please try again._

With a sigh, she sat back. She could try hacking her way into the system, but that held a considerable risk that she'd trigger some alarm or something. Many systems like this had a failsafe that wiped all local copies of the data to protect against hackers.

Still thinking, she stood up, moving over to one of the shelves. She let her fingers brush the books, looking through them for any sort of clue to the mind of the director. Finally her fingers settled upon a worn looking old book, well read and falling apart at the seams, even though it had been the subject of many repairs. She carefully pulled it out and flipped through the pages.

It was a journal, of sorts. Screed upon screed of writing and numerous equations filled the pages, all hand written. Her eyes flickered over the words contained within, realising that this was both Stewart's notebook for any project he might currently have been working on, and a diary, containing personal thoughts. Finally she found a page with one word that caught her attention.

Finally, the Asclepius institute is ready to begin its work. It has taken us a great deal of time and effort to reach this point, but now we can make a difference. The scientists that I have managed to gather together are eager, but they have a great many goals. As the Greek god Asclepius required the tutelage and guidance of the centaur Chiron, this Institute needs a firm guiding hand. In this case, I shall be that guide, and as Chiron's instruction led Asclepius to knowledge, mine shall lead the institute to discovery. None of this could have been possible without Janet's assistance. Her connections within Illium's bureaucracy, combined with her financial investment, have been crucial to allowing our work to commence. I hope that we do not disappoint her.

"Hmm." Kasumi grunted.

It seemed to her as though the director viewed himself as the driving force behind the Institute. She recognised the pattern. Many people in charge often held important figures as their inspiration, relating to them more and more as their work continued. It was a good enough clue for her. Replacing the journal on the shelf, she moved back to the terminal, experimentally typing in a third code. **Chiron.**

Password accepted. Welcome back, Director.

Smirking to herself triumphantly, Kasumi started digging through the files presented to her. She scanned file names, looking for certain keywords. She also paid attention to seemingly nonsensical file names, realising that some people thought that having a title that had nothing to do with the project would keep it from being noticed. Finally she isolated a few files that piqued her curiosity. She opened the first one, a video log.

"Log two-thirty-one." Director Stewart's face appeared on the screen. The man was in his late fifties, the weight of his life experience evident in his sagged posture and his weary face. His startlingly green eyes gleamed with intelligence. "Doctor Michaels has made good progress on his project, claiming that he will soon have a workable treatment and will be ready for live testing. Janet is very impressed with his work, as am I. The ability to repair lung tissue with such speed and efficiency is incredible! This treatment could save a great many lives."

_Okay, so we've got the new lung treatments. Nothing sinister there. Might be a good idea to pay attention to this Doctor Michaels. Could be important._ Kasumi mentally noted. She opened another log.

"The Illium licensing board denied us the permission we need for the next stage of our testing. Damn it! We're so close! Don't these bureaucratic assholes realise that this could save countless lives!" The man in the recording paused, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "Janet has assured me that she has a way of helping. She believes a friend of hers can overturn this decision, allowing us to continue."

_Sounds like trouble_. Kasumi's voice sang in her head. Without pausing, she moved on to the next log.

"Our research can resume, thank god. I must say, I had my reservations about trusting this 'Illusive Man' of Janet's, but he has been of great assistance. The board backed down, and we've even been granted additional funding to proceed with our work. There's even talk of a larger company, Binary Helix, investing in the Institute. Things have never looked better. I had my reservations about allowing Cerberus to invest themselves in Asclepius, but it does seem to be benefiting us. And hell, they've got Humanity's interests at heart. If this leads to a revolutionary new treatment that will save even one Human life, then it is worth it."

"Sure, that's what it starts out like. Its only later that the zombies and the screaming starts." Kasumi muttered cynically. She opened another, much newer file.

"I don't understand it. Our product is ready for release, but Janet keeps delaying it. We haven't even announced this to the press yet. She claims that the Illusive Man believes we need to exercise patience here, and wait a few months, claiming that the current political climate is not suitable. I don't understand the reasoning behind it, and wish I could actually speak to the Illusive Man, even over a comm channel. I'll ask Janet again, see if I can convince her to allow me this one concession."

_So… scientist starts to question Cerberus' motives, starts pushing, and they push back, killing him? Doesn't exactly line up._ Kasumi's mind supplied, her instincts shouting at her that something wasn't right there.

"I have decided to proceed with marketing the treatment on my own. The public need this!" Stewart's voice was resolute. "Janet may be angry with me, but that is of no consequence. Hell, I don't even care if her Illusive Man pulls his support. I started this Institute to help people, not to sit on a life-saving treatment!"

Kasumi's brows rose at this. So the director rebelled, going behind Cerberus' backs to release this treatment. He could understand the terrorist organisation being upset about having their orders disobeyed, but murder seemed a bit extreme, even for them. She opened up one more file, dated the day before the director's 'suicide'. The director's voice in this recording was much more furtive, hushed, almost whispering conspiratorially.

"This is Director Anthony Stewart of the Asclepius Medical research Institute. This message is being recorded for transmission to Alliance Command at the earliest opportunity. I don't have much time, as I think they're after me!" He looked back over his shoulder. "Whoever receives this, you need to take a look in section sixteen of the facility. It's hidden under the loading hangar. I didn't even know it existed until two days ago! You need a special passcard to get in, as even employees with level one security clearance can't open the door. Janet has one, as does Security chief Connelly. Cerberus are doing something terrible down there!" He spun around at a loud thump. "I've run out of time. Please, section sixteen. You have to save them!"

The next moment, the screen went blank, the log ended. Kasumi checked the terminal's registry codes. Stewart had tried to transmit a file immediately after the log had ended, but the signal had been blocked, all external extranet access disabled by a seemingly random outage.

_Or not so random._ Kasumi's instincts could smell a rat. _So, he finds out something that will be bad for the facility, and they kill him for it. He has time to record this, but its already too late to send it. It's a wonder that his terminal wasn't cleared._

_No, wait. If the cops had dropped by and the terminal was fried, they'd be suspicious. Its secure enough that they wouldn't get into it without a tech specialist, and Asclepius could claim that any information on here is protected by their patents. The case is probably still in the courts, waiting until the judge decides whether the cops get a look in or Asclepius gets to remove the terminal._

She spun at the sound of footsteps, her body tensing. The noise was faint, but getting louder. The quiet sounds of two men engaged in conversation filtered through the apartment, just loud enough for her to hear.

"Took them long enough to decide." One grumbled.

"Yeah, but we can't completely ignore the courts. Janet may have the courts in the palm of her hand, but they've still got appear to be making the decisions for themselves."

"Yeah, yeah. But if we'd been able to clear the guy's terminal when we were last here, it'd have saved us a lot of time."

"You heard the big lady, no screw ups. We need to make sure everything appears above board. If the cops had taken a look at his terminal and found out it had been wiped, the whole suicide sham wouldn't have flown."

Crap! Kasumi swiftly downloaded the logs and shut down the terminal, returning the study to the way it had been before she arrived. She slipped out into the main room of the apartment, searching for a place to hide. A quiet scraping on the door announced that the two men were about to make their entrance, the door control already beeping as one of them entered the code to gain access.

She glanced back to the study, but that was no good. Better to avoid the one room they were guaranteed to enter. Her eyes darted across the bedroom door, but there wasn't really anywhere to hide there, either. That left the bathroom. Hardly ideal for hiding in. But then the door began to creak open, robbing her of any chance to reconsider. She darted through, just closing the door as the first of the intruders came through.

Inside, she looked about, finally choosing to slip into the shower cubicle. If the intruders entered, she hoped the frosted glass of the cubicle, along with the dark tiles behind her, would hide her from a cursory search. She huddled down as far as she could into the corner of the cubicle, waiting.

Footsteps thudded across the floor outside the bathroom door, heading towards the study. The two men continued to chat as they went about their business.

"What's the old man's password?"

"Chiron."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Some legendary freak. Minotaur, or something. Hell if I know. But it's the same one Stewart used on his terminals at the Institute. Didn't have much imagination when it came to security."

"Got it. What files do we need?"

"Just take 'em all. Then wipe the drive. Leave nothing behind."

"Got it."

There were a couple of loud thumps, followed by a lot of rustling.

"What are you doing with those?"

"Orders are to take all the data we can find, and destroy what we can't take with us. I'm gonna throw all these books and notes in the recycler."

"Good idea."

The duo worked on in silence for several minutes, the peace interspersed by the occasional sounds of the recycler in the apartment's kitchen whirring as it ground the director's collection of books into a fine pulp. Finally, the first of the two men, the one in charge of the data download, spoke as he moved from the study to the main room.

"Data transfer is complete. The terminal's nothing but blank memory units now."

"I'm almost done with the books. Be sure to check his bedroom, just in case he kept a pad by his bed or something."

"Will do."

The footsteps moved around again, echoed by one final snort from the recycler as the second man fed the last of Stewart's library into it.

"That's the last of it." He muttered. "You find anything?"

"Nah. Not even a watch on the nightstand. Guy didn't have much of a life outside of work, I reckon. We good to go?"

"Just about. Give the place on last sweep. I've gotta go take a leak."

_Damn it!_ Kasumi cursed inwardly. She retreated even further into the corner of the cubicle, the cold feeling of the tiles seeping through her clothes.

The door swung open, allowing a tall, muscular figure to step into the bathroom. Kasumi couldn't make out any of his features through the almost opaque glass, but hoped that the same could be true of him, looking in.

The man strode past the cubicle with barely a sideways glance, making a beeline for the lavatory. He stood there and fumbled a bit with his belt, before a loud splashing filled the room as he emptied his bladder.

_God help me_. Kasumi groaned inwardly as the man whistled a couple of bars of some tasteless tune. Moments later, the sound dropped in pitch, becoming a quiet trickle. The man shuddered as he finished off, releasing a loud burst of flatulence. The little thief's hand shot to her mouth to stifle the giggle that rose in her throat, brought on by a mixture of amusement and horror.

With a loud snort, the man flushed the lavatory, turning to leave. Kasumi noted with a morbid fascination that he didn't wash his hands, although at that point she was too relieved to care. She sagged with relief as the door clicked closed, the two men striding out quietly. She waited a couple more seconds, making sure they were really gone, and then left the bathroom, stepping into the main room once more.

Out of curiosity, she walked into the kitchen, glancing down the recycler chute.

Amazingly, one of the many documents thrust down the chute had survived, albeit with a few scratches. It was lodged between two parts of the grinding mechanism, just within arms reach. Kasumi reached in tentatively, flinching as the machine let out a subtly groan, threatening to activate. Obviously it had a sensor that activated when something was put through the machine's mouth. She paused, took a deep breath, and put her hand in quickly. Like lightning, her fingers curled around the journal and pulled it free, leaving behind a few scraps of paper that had caught on parts of the machine.

She scanned the journal closely, elated to note that it was the director's project notebook, containing copies of a lot of the notes he had used in his work. Now that Janet had sent her lackeys around to clean up, they wouldn't miss this valuable find. She quietly pocketed the book, turning to leave.

Minutes later, Kasumi was back on the street, heading back to Eternity to rendezvous with the rest of the squad.

**~o~0~o~**

**~FERON~**

The Drell strode down the broad street, looking to either side at the many different chanceries, the buildings that were the official headquarters of the embassies representing various species and planets. There was a towering skyscraper crafted from glowing purple glass and deep blue marble that represented the Asari homeworld of Thessia and, by extension, the entirety of the Asari Republics. It was flanked on either side by two vastly inferior structures, one of which was a bland grey block that was host to the Turian Hierarchy, home to many dignitaries from Palaven and a couple of other prominent Turian colonies. The second was a vibrant, emerald-green dome that housed the Salarian embassy, with five separate wings dedicated to Sur'Kesh and her three primary colonies, Aeghor, Jaeto and Mannovai. Across from them, a trio of identical office blocks constructed out of black reflective glass, gleaming steel and bland concrete had been erected for the Elcor, the Volus and the Hanar. Next to them, a grand, if somewhat smaller building had been granted for the Human delegates, once again using glass in a multitude of different blue shades in its construction, much like the Asari building. There were even a couple of buildings dedicated to the Krogan and the Batarians, dingy, ill-kept buildings whose dirty facades suggested little to no use.

Feron's goal, however, was a small building in the shadow of the Hanar chancery. The Drell, being a client race of the Hanar, didn't possess the power to warrant a fully-fledged embassy, but were granted a small wing of the Hanar's chancery to house their own diplomatic envoy.

He stepped off the main street, sidling down a side-street that brought him close to the back of the building. Fading into the shadows, the Drell swiftly began climbing up the side of a nearby office block, using pipes and windowsills ad hand- and –footholds. With extraordinary agility, the green-skinned alien scaled the building, clambering onto the roof in a mere thirty seconds. He turned to look across the gap between his current position and the roof of the Hanar offices, gauging the distance. His deep eyes flickered around, searching for a way across. Finally, his gaze found a power line crossing the gap.

Taking a deep breath, he strode over and reached up, wrapping his hands around the thick cabling. It sagged under his weight, but held. With a grunt, he lifted his feet up to hook them around the cable, suspending himself beneath it. Once he was sure he wouldn't fall, he began shuffling along, stretching out and pulling his feet along, looking for all the world like a caterpillar inching along a tree branch.

He made swift progress over the gap, eventually finding himself over the roof of the embassy. He dropped from the line, landing as lightly as a cat, and cast his gaze about, finding the entrance to the building's air ventilation system. He stepped over and began working on removing the grille that blocked the shaft. In moments, he was able to slither into the vents, disappearing from view.

Inside, he worked his way through the system, navigating the labyrinth of airways as though they were the corridors of the Normandy. He had visited the embassy once before, and his eidetic memory allowed him to recall every detail of the inner workings of the building. Cross-referencing this memory with the layout of the vents allowed him to swiftly find his way.

He quickly found the embassy's archives. He popped the grille in the shaft and slipped out, clambering down to floor level silently.

The archive room was silent, aside from the hum of the computer servers contained within. A faint light filtered through from the corridor outside, although at this time of night the amount of traffic in the embassy's hallways was negligible, most of the staff having gone home.

Feron moved through the archives, searching for a terminal he could use. He found one next to the door, and was instantly working to break into the system. His fingers darted across the console, bypassing security measures in the blink of an eye. The Drell did not possess much of a government, and had no secrets to keep, so they felt no need to have some ultra-secure network, so Feron's task was not difficult. At the same time, having to work with a network coded in his native dialect made his work still easier. Almost instantly, he had what he was looking for, a list of dignitaries assigned to the embassy. A brief glance gave him the number of the office assigned to Telnar Voyet, the dignitary that had visited the Asclepius Institute just before his unfortunate accident.

With his destination now clear, the Drell closed down the terminal and returned to the vents. He resumed his slithering journey through the heart of the building, making a beeline for Voyet's office.

It took him some time to find his way from the archives to the office, having to work his way down a couple of floors and at one point having to make his way around a bank of rapidly spinning turbines that blocked his path, but he finally made it to the office with little incident. He had to climb out of the vents into the corridor, making sure it was safe to do so before dropping down to the floor. He quickly darted into the office, closing the door behind him.

The office was well-arranged, warmer than would be comfortable for most humanoid species, but pleasurable for a Drell. The walls were unadorned, although a few good examples of light sconces made from Rakhanese blown glass were spaced evenly around the room. Several comfortable leather seats were arrayed in a semi-circle on one side of a broad wooden desk, facing a much larger office chair made from the same supple red leather.

Feron sat down in the large chair, activating the terminal set into the desk. As it powered up, he took a moment to appreciate the miniature sand garden that Voyet had on his desk, a small tray filled with varying colours of sand. Crystals placed under the surface were fed with various water solutions to encourage growth, and had grown in a rather uncontrolled fashion without a guiding hand. Feron stirred the sand with the tip of one finger, a Drell tradition meant to bring good luck.

Finally the terminal prompted him for the access code. Eschewing trying to guess the password, he instead tied his omnitool into the system, activating a programme that would allow him to hack his way into Voyet's personal files. It was a time-consuming process, but Feron had no point of reference for this individual, no way of guessing his password. Aside from which, the security systems were very lax here, allowing this type of brute-force infiltration to work.

Numbers flashed across his wrist in a shimmering display, slowly running down. He tweaked a few settings, until finally all of the numbers on the readout were zero. This done, it was a matter of seconds to line up corresponding lines of code and force his way into the system.

Once in, he was faced with a dazzling array of files. The majority of the data stored on the terminal was connected to trivial matters, a trade dispute between the Hanar and the Turians that the Drell and the Volus had been asked to mediate, a trash disposal strike on Kahje, and an Elcor offering to supply the Drell with cut-price environmental control systems for their sealed cities on the Hanar homeworld. After about five minutes of digging, Feron was finally met with success. He pulled up a couple of files labelled 'Asclepius', opening the first of the files.

An elderly Drell appeared on the terminal display. His skin was a faded moss green, lightened by age. The expansive portion of his throat was a deep red-brown, while his eyes were filmed over, betraying his poor sight. When he spoke, his voice was a fluid croak, a catarrh-filled gurgle. He was obviously afflicted with some breathing-related condition, most probably Kepral's Syndrome.

"The first shipment has been dispatched. It should arrive from Kahje in the next week."

"Excellent." A new voice, this one female, spoke off-camera. Presumably the other half of a radio communication, then. Recorded for later use, maybe? Insurance against a betrayal? "You have done a good thing today, Mr Voyet. The sacrifice of these samples will benefit your people in the long run."

"And you can guarantee a cure? This is an awfully large price to pay in exchange for a shattered hope upon the wind."

"Cerberus looks after its own." The female's voice carried the hint of a smile. "We are very well funded."

"I am still surprised that you would offer to do this. Your organisation… does not have the best of reputations."

"Words and names are meaningless. Actions and results are what matter. And if this research bears fruit, both of our species shall benefit from the treatments developed. And you will stand to reap a generous reward for yourself, mister ambassador. The Drell who brought the cure to his people. Such an individual will hold high esteem within Drell society. I only hope you do not forget your friends after that."

"Indeed." The Drell ambassador said glumly, clearly unhappy with the implied threat. No matter the power he achieved after this, Cerberus would always be there, looking over his shoulder, applying pressure as needed to benefit themselves. The transmission ended, the screen returning to the file list.

Feron felt a knot form in his stomach. Samples? He hoped it was not what it sounded like. Reluctantly, he opened the next file.

"Voyet." The woman greeted.

"Janet." Voyet's expression, the only one visible from the transmission, was grim. He had clearly hoped to have only minimal dealings with the Cerberus agent. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I've just called with an update on the project." This 'Janet' seemed to be unusually co-operative. Perhaps she was trying to string Voyet along, make him comfortable with their dealings. As long as she appeared to be helpful, he wouldn't suspect a thing. "The work on curing stage one patients is coming along nicely. We should have a workable treatment in about six months."

"And what of the later stages?" Voyet asked sharply. Feron caught the glint of interest in his eyes. Obviously the ambassador was suffering from an advanced stage of the disease. Feron understood his willingness to ally with the Humans now. Such an affliction could severely alter an individual's priorities, allowing right and wrong to take a back seat.

"Stage two and three patients are proving hard to work with. Stage four remains largely untested at this point. However, our difficulties in finding such advanced cases has been a hindrance. However, the Illusive Man has managed to procure us a prime specimen, exhibiting all of the symptoms expected of the very rare stage five patient. With this new material to work with, the speed of our work has increased fourfold. Understanding the most advanced stage of the disease will help us retroactively, increasing our knowledge of the previous stages."

"That is excellent news!" Voyet perked up at the news. In that moment, Feron felt a spark of hatred for 'Janet'. She was playing with Voyet's hopes, offering him a cure that probably would never come, or at least would be delayed until he, an individual who knew exactly what had gone into its manufacture, would reap no benefit from it.

"I just thought you'd appreciate this new information." Janet said. "Take care, Voyet."

"Thank you."

_Patients and specimens. Live testing._ Feron thought as he searched for the next relevant file. _Voyet gave Cerberus test subjects for their work._

Finally, he located the third and final file. Not sure if he could stand to hear any more, he reluctantly opened it.

"Voyet, I'm glad I caught you before your trip to Kahje." Janet's voice was falsely friendly again.

"What do you want, Janet?" The Drell's voice was weary.

"Is that any way to greet your friend, mister ambassador?"

"Enough. Speak your piece."

"Very well. If that's the way you want it…" The Cerberus agent's voice grew more serious. "We need more material to work with."

"What? No! I gave you enough."

"Apparently not. We've run through the last subjects you gave us. Only the stage fours and the stage five remain."

"H-how did this happen?" The Drell asked hesitantly.

"Some of the new treatments… did not go as planned. The survival rate has been exceptionally low."

"Your experiments have been killing them?" Voyet asked incredulously.

"It was to be expected." Janet said emotionlessly. "Surely you are not going to balk at the moral cost now? You're the one who handed them over to Cerberus for a life of medical experimentation. Some would say they are better off now. At least they perished trying to cure the ailment that suppresses your entire species. Better that than dying an ignoble death hooked up to a machine that breathes for them."

"So many deaths was never a part of the deal! Nor was your demanding more subjects!" Voyet replied hotly.

"Consider this a revision to our agreement."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I said no. You won't take any more Drell for your experiments."

"Need I remind you that the blood of the deceased is on your hands as well as mine? Can you imagine what this will do to your career if the public gets to know about it?"

"That is no longer a concern of mine. You have yet to produce a cure, despite all of your empty promises. I shall not live to see my people benefit from this research, and now I have my doubts that you ever had the best interests of my species at heart, anyway."

"You'll really throw your career, your reputation, your life away, just for some outdated set of morals?"

"Yes. I am going to the Primacy, the Asari, even the Citadel. Your facility is about to be blown wide open."

"No. I don't think you will, Voyet." Janet's tone became more dangerous. "I have good news. I believe I have found a new test subject for our research."

Voyet was silent for but a moment before a fearful gasp escaped from his throat.

"You wouldn't."

"No? I don't think you understand just how far I am willing to go for my work here, mister ambassador. It's a shame to end such a… profitable… relationship, but needs must. Goodbye, Voyet."

Feron checked the timestamp of the transmission. It had taken place a mere hour before the accident that killed Ambassador Voyet.

Once he had downloaded the last of the files, he closed down the terminal. Making sure everything was where it belonged, he made his way to the door.

"I don't get why we've got to do this."

Feron pulled back from the door, retreating from the voices advancing towards the office. His eyes darted around the room for an escape route, finally turning to the window. He darted over, forcing the window open and clambering out onto the ledge outside. He pushed the window to, just in time as the door was opened from the outside, admitting two figures. The first was a tall Human, the dark skin of his face marred by a large chemical burn. The second figure was an Asari, a much shorter being with deep blue skin and black facial markings.

"Boss's orders. We're on cleanup duty in connection with all data leaks. I hear Michaels and Dancer got to deal with Stewart's old apartment." The Human muttered. "In the meantime, we get to deal with the Drell's office."

"I hate torching places. Always feels so… messy." The Asari responded.

"Well then, you can deal with the terminal."

"We need anything off it before I fry the thing?"

"Nah. Boss says we don't need any of it. Just burn out the circuits." As he spoke, the Human began waving his omnitool over certain areas of the office. The glowing device sprayed a fine mist over all available surfaces, coating the wall with a gleaming, oily substance.

"Your wish is my command." The alien replied, waving her 'tool over the machine. It sparked as she destroyed its internal workings, reducing it to so much useless metal and plastic in seconds.

In mere moments, the duo had finished their work. The Asari stood up from where she had been sitting behind the desk, nodding to her colleague.

"We done here?"

"Almost. Just let me open the window. The breeze will help fan the flames."

Feron pulled away from the window as two large hands pushed it open. The man's face actually extended out beyond the frame of the window, but he did not look to either side, and so did not see the Drell pressing himself into the side of the building just a couple of feet to the side. The man vanished back inside, allowing Feron to release the breath he had been holding.

"You sure it'll do a good enough job?" The Asari asked.

"I've yet to see it fail. Besides, this is just us double checking. The fuel tanks beneath the building are all set to blow in a few minutes, anyway. The two fires will be more than enough to make sure there's nothing left."

With that, the pair swiftly left the office. The man paused in the doorway, holding out his hand with the palm facing upwards. A tongue of flame leapt up from his palm, dancing sensuously from fingertip to fingertip. Eventually it settled upon his index finger, which he touched to the floor of the office. The second the flame touched the oily substance that now coated the office, it spread across almost the entire floor. Before the fire suppression systems could activate, it had clambered up the walls, turning the room into a raging inferno. This done, he pulled the door shut.

Feron looked around desperately as smoke billowed out of the window next to him, his eyes beginning to water as the irritating fumes blurred his vision. He could see no handholds, no nearby windows or handy pipes to grab a hold of. That only left the way he had come, through the office. He glanced in at the raging flames. Did he dare chance it?

Sighing, he typed in a command on his omnitool, giving his shields a brief boost. It wouldn't be much, and he'd still feel the heat, but the intensity of the flames would be lessened. At least he wouldn't burn as easily.

Silently thanking the arsonist for opening the window, saving him the lengthy trouble of opening it again from the outside, Feron clambered in, darting through the room as fast as he could. Smoke filled his lungs, making his gaze darken and shimmer as he stumbled, but he kept going. He reached the far side of the office, pushing against the door with his shoulder. The portal resisted for a moment, the incredible heat of the office distorting its shape, but finally it gave, allowing him to stumble out into the hallway, where he almost collapsed in a heap, his seared lungs struggling to supply him with enough oxygen.

Smoke poured out of the office, soon filling the upper reaches of the corridor with a thick, swirling grey-white pall. Almost immediately, the fire suppression systems triggered, jets of thick foam coating the walls and floor. The foul-smelling substance momentarily slowed the conflagration, but the inferno in the office was too immense to be stopped, the foam evaporating before it.

Realising that he was not safe where he was, Feron got down on all fours, keeping his head out of the thick layer of smoke around eye level. He scuttled through the corridor, looking for a way down onto the floor below.

After a few minutes of hurried searching, he finally crawled onto the top step of a long flight of stairs leading downwards. Once he had descended half a flight, he stood up, able to breathe clear air once more. He began to make good progress towards the way out.

After about two flights of stairs, the Drell was roughly halfway down the height of the building. Alarms blared around him, stirring the complex's residents from their late-night stupor. Fortunately, the upper floors were empty, but Feron could hear the bustle of a large crowd of evacuees further down the stairs. He slowed, hoping to avoid being seen by anyone. Even though the local authorities would not notice just one more Drell, the perfect memories of the building's occupants would betray the fact that he did not belong there.

He was brought up short by a sudden rumble spreading through the building, emanating from deep under its roots.

_The intruder did mention that they had rigged the fuel tanks under the building to explode._ Feron recalled. _He must have been referring to the reserves kept back for urgent trips needed to be undertaken by members of the embassy._

The building shook and swayed as the tremors continued, cracks appearing in the walls. Screams could be heard from below as parts of the building gave way. Feron leapt back a couple of steps as the stairwell began to crumble, parts of the upper floors breaking loose and tumbling down. A large piece of concrete crashed down on the steps he had just been occupying, tumbling further down the stairs in a chaotic spin. After a couple more turns of the staircase, the rubble came to a stop, caught by yet more pieces of the building. The debris formed a tight plug that blocked the way down completely.

Feron cursed at his bad luck. Robbed of a way down, he began retracing his steps, looking for a way out further up. There was a second stairwell nearby, offering an alternate way down. He ascended to the previous floor and tried the door. The stubborn portal refused to budge, its frame distorted by the tremors. Sighing, the Drell continued his ascent, seeking a way out.

None of the doors leading out of the stairwell would open, all buckled and warped by the damage to the building. Feron continued climbing, aware that the stairwell was filling with smoke as the fire travelled through the building. His lungs grated as they struggled to pull oxygen out of the carbon-rich air.

At last, he found a door not sealed by the damage. At the top of the stairs, the door leading out onto the roof opened freely, not great weight pressing down on it from above to twist the frame. He spilled out onto the roof, followed closely by a billowing cloud of smoke and a rush of hot air as the new opening allowed the air inside the building to move differently, further feeding the flames within.

Feron raced over to the edge of the roof, glancing down. Fires raged in all of the building's windows, the glass long blown out by the incredible heat. As he looked around, the Illium skyline shimmered behind the gauze of the heat haze created by the inferno. Smoke rose above his head in a towering, silvery totem, unshaped by even the slightest breeze. No doubt the column was visible for miles around, even from the taller buildings off in the distance.

On the street, evacuees were huddled together, a couple of medical crews checking them over for any injury. Police struggled to keep the inevitable tide of gawkers and disaster-hunters at bay, the flicker of many holocams dancing around the crowd in a blinding display. To one side, a craft not too dissimilar to the Hammerhead aimed a powerful jet of water up at the building, attempting to quench the flames. The jet of water vanished in a flash of steam the instant it touched the side of the building, adding to the thick cloud of smoke and vapour gathering above the building.

As Feron glanced over the edge, one of the many people watching the devastation pointed his camera at the roof of the building, the gadget's zoom allowing him to make out the sole figure standing there. Moments later there was an outcry as more and more people spotted the Drell. Feron pulled back from the edge, cursing himself for standing there for too long.

Moments later, a rush of wind announced the arrival of a gunship on the scene. The craft lifted up into the air above the building, swinging around in a wide loop as it struggled with the vast thermals caused by the fire. A side door opened, and Feron spotted a trio of police officers leaning out, weapons at the ready. Apparently they had figured out he did not belong there and were ready to take him into custody. As the gunship moved over the roof again, they leap out of the craft, landing lightly on the rooftop.

"Don't move!" One Asari shouted.

"Let's see your hands." Another, a Salarian, commanded.

The trio circled around, trying to surround the Drell. Feron, realising the risk if he was captured here, backed away, moving towards the edge of the roof.

"Don't do it." The third officer, a Human, cautioned, thinking he intended to jump. The truth was, that was very close to Feron's plan, but he had no intention of dying that day.

Moving with the speed of a cobra striking, the Drell darted to one side, racing for the edge of the roof. Before any of the police officers had a chance to react, he jumped, flinging himself as far from the edge as he could. His hand shot out, aiming for the power line that he had used to get to the roof in the first place, his shoulder jolting painfully as it took his full weight. The line sagged and bounced, throwing him from side to side, but he managed to keep his grip, no matter the pain it caused. He managed to get his second hand around the cable just as the police, reluctant to let him get away, opened fire.

Feron twisted his body from side to side, presenting a swinging target that was much harder for the police to hit. As he gyrated wildly, his fingers rapidly tiring, he reached down to his belt, drawing a small knife from its sheath there. He reached up, sawing at the cable furiously. As the police shouted at him to stop, a crowd gathering far beneath him, Feron finally cut the line.

The audience below gasped in terror, awe and fascination as the Drell dropped like a stone. Then the line went taut, snapping his downward plummet into a sideways swing. He tried to angle the line, making for a gap between the building he was currently tethered to and another block of offices. He swung into the narrow alleyway, missing the walls on either side by mere feet. The line caught on the corner it was now bent around, halting his forward progress suddenly. As his fingers slipped on the line, the Drell timed his next move. Spotting a window sill just ahead, he waited until he reached the apex of his swing, when the upward and forward momentum was just preparing to reverse itself, and let go. So precise was his timing, he hit the sill with barely a thump, managing to keep his balance effortlessly.

Gasping for breath after the adrenaline-fuelled stunt, Feron paused a moment to regain his composure, his hands still a little shaky. But he couldn't stop for long. The police would be after him in moments, assuming he was the arsonist. With a grunt, he began clambering up to the roof of this building, looking about for a moment before vanishing into the night, cautiously making his way back to Eternity.

**~o~0~o~**

**~JACOB~**

"Hey there, pretty boy. Lookin' for some company tonight?"

"No thanks." Jacob hurriedly swerved away from the alley entrance where the scantily dressed Human leered at him, her current selection of clothing leaving little to the imagination, rather unfortunately.

"Like it rough, hon? You should try going scaly."

Jacob didn't even dignify the Turian with a response, simply increasing his pace in an effort to leave the district behind.

His journey to the scene of the mugging had taken him through the worst districts of town, forcing him to endure an almost endless stream of propositions from hookers of many different species, offers of an incredible range of hallucinogenic substances at prices he'd never find anywhere else, and one Salarian even opened his long trench-coat to reveal a vast array of old-fashioned timepieces from Earth, assuring him that they were all completely genuine. As far as Jacob was concerned, he couldn't reach his destination fast enough.

At long last, he managed to find the stench-ridden back alley he was looking for. A glowing purple holographic barricade had been erected to seal off the alley, warnings in a variety of languages streaming across it, all saying pretty much the same thing: Crime Scene. Do Not Cross.

The barrier turned red as he walked up to it, emitting a loud beep of denial. Moments later, a Turian policeman sauntered into view, walking through the barrier without issue.

"Can't you read? This place is off-limits. Get lost."

"Dara sent me." Jacob explained.

The Turian glowered at him suspiciously. Without a word, Jacob showed him the ID Feron had manufactured for him. The Turian sighed as he glanced at it. In an instant, his posture changed, becoming a little more apologetic, a little more respectful.

"My apologies, Detective Taylor. I'm Sergeant Kornik. Let me just adjust the barrier to allow you through."

The Turian entered a command on his omnitool, causing the barrier to flicker. Now reprogrammed, the wall of purple light allowed Jacob past. This done, the Turian led him into the crime scene.

"Gotta say, I'm surprised that you're here. I thought the case was pretty much closed."

"Some of the brass thought that maybe the evidence warranted one last look."

"Oh yeah? They reckon it wasn't sanders after all?"

"Maybe, maybe not." Jacob said noncommittally. "Let's just start from the top, run through what we've already got."

"Right, right. Never jump to conclusions, right?" The Turian sighed.

Jacob looked around the scene, scanning every inch of the alleyway with a cursory glance. It was a fairly typical back street, flanked on either side by tall warehouses, their blank walls not offering any windows or doors that would provide a good view of the scene. The ground was covered in a thick layer of filth, the accumulated detritus of the city lying in drifts around their feet. Kornik wandered over to a single spot in the alley where the muck had been stirred up a lot.

"Our victim was found here three days ago. Two stab wounds to the chest, one to the gut. Poor bastard bled out pretty fast, judging from the amount of blood on the scene. Nothing on him of any value. They even took his omnitool, whoever they were."

"Got any idea who he was?"

"Pavel Andreyev. Worked for a medical research facility, name of Asclepius. He was a security guard there."

The Turian's sombre tone upon mentioning that last fact caught Jacob's attention. It made him realise that this hit a little close to home. In one way or another, the officer and the victim both held the responsibility of enforcing order, of protecting people. That kinship made the murder hold special significance for the Turian.

"Next of kin?"

"Got a brother living out in the Traverse. Had parents in the Terminus Systems, but they vanished during those colony abductions." Kornik shifted uncomfortably. "Tried to get a hold of the brother, but he's proving elusive."

"What else do we know about him?"

"Uhh… well, he's a bit of a drinker. Been barred from the Crystal Nova, the Blender, and the Skinned Vorcha. Still frequents Eternity, where the patrons claim that he often reduces himself to a stupor. Not many other hobbies, although when we went by his home we found a pet dog and a fish tank, well cared for. So he might have been an animal lover."

"Nothing really that would get anyone killed, then."

"You think this is premeditated? Someone took a dislike to our vic?"

"I'm not about to discount it." Jacob walked around, looking at the ground beneath his feet. "What about the alley? Find anything of note?"

"Not really. A few footprints, but once you get out of the alleys, the streets don't hold much of a trail. We went through the trash here with a fine-toothed comb, but it was all just crap. If there was anything that might be of use to us, whoever did this took it with them."

"Tell me about the footprints."

"There were a whole load of footprints criss-crossing the alleyway. Most were old enough that we could ignore them, but there were still a lot. A lot of people walked past the vic without stopping. How anyone could ignore a stiff is beyond me, but this is a very rough neighbourhood."

"Were you able to figure out where he came from?"

"Yeah. One set of prints matched his perfectly, heading out of the alley that way." The Turian pointed down the alley.

"Anyone with him?"

"Hard to say. Plenty of prints heading the same way, but there's no way of saying if they were with him or not."

"What is there in that direction?" Jacob asked.

"Residential buildings, mostly. A couple of commercial complexes, some hotels and suchlike. Oh, and the Hanar's Embrace."

"What's that?"

"You haven't heard of the Hanar's Embrace?" The Turian asked incredulously. "It's this big casino, owned by the Asari, actually. Really popular. You should try it next time you're off-duty."

"Actually, I think I'll try it just now." Jacob said, his mind working swiftly.

"What?"

"Our vic is only the latest in a string of incidents that are all connected." Jacob explained. "The others were killed because they knew something, and I think this guy was, too."

"So that's why you're re-opening the case." The Turian deduced.

"Yeah. Anyway, that casino presents the best place to have a clandestine meeting."

"Why do you think that?"

"It's where I'd choose."

"You have experience with this sort of thing?"

"A little. I have a friend who just loves conspiracies and secret agents and that sort of stuff. You'd think she was a part of Cerberus or something, the way she talks about it all." Jacob chuckled, and was quickly joined by Kornik. "If we go there, see what we can find in their security footage, then we'll be able to trace his journey here, maybe find out who killed him." The soldier grinned at the police officer. "I'm sure you wouldn't say no to some drinks at the expense of your bosses."

The Turian laughed loudly.

"You're right. I wouldn't." He pointed a thumb over his shoulder. "I've got a squad car parked on the next street over. We can be there in a couple of minutes."

**~o~0~o~**

The casino was absolutely teaming with life, filled to the brim with revelling beings. Jacob dodged out of the way as a Salarian, very much the worse for wear, was carried out by his Turian and Human companions.

"'m fine." He insisted. "C'mon, guys! It's m' last night of freedom 'fore t'morrow. It's traditional!"

"It's only traditional the first time!" The Turian grumbled. "And this is exactly how you screwed up your last breeding contract. I do not want a repeat of the incident with that Asari stripper."

"For someone who doesn't 'get married', you sure love your bachelor parties." The Human muttered.

"Hey, 've got an idea." The Salarian mumbled. "Let's go back to Eternity. 'm pretty sure that 've still got the number of that Asari."

"Yeah, somehow I'm not so sure she's going to want to see you after the body shot incident." The Turian replied gruffly. "Home time for you."

Jacob and his new Turian friend avoided the fleeing bachelor party, the former Corsair certain he recognised them. Kornik clicked his mandibles in a mixture of amusement and disapproval, watching the stumbling trio as they made their escape despite the Salarian's attempts to resist.

"So which way are we heading?" The police officer asked.

"Security centre. I wanna check the surveillance footage for the night Pavel was killed."

"Right. This way, then."

Kornik led him towards the back of the casino, the duo pushing their way through the immense press of bodies. They walked around huge banks of Quasar machines, followed by the chorus of cheers and groans as the gamblers that had latched onto the machines experienced the elation of success or the disappointment of failure. Jacob caught sight of one Asari waving her omnitool over her machine, and then slamming her forehead into the screen as it notified her that she had lost all of her credits, pleading with the machine for one last chance to recoup her losses.

After a couple of minutes navigating the immense crowds, the duo finally reached the rear of the casino. They found a nondescript-looking door, beside which stood a stern Salarian, arms folded across his chest. He regarded the approaching duo with caution, his face remaining impassive.

"Sergeant Kornik. Nos Astra PD." The Turian activated his omnitool, the glowing device emitting an image of his identification. The Salarian glanced at it momentarily, then glared at Jacob. Kornik looked over his shoulder to his Human companion before turning back. "This is Detective Taylor."

"What does NAPD want with the Hanar's Embrace?"

"We'd like to go through the surveillance footage of three nights ago."

"Warrant."

"Huh?" Jacob asked, caught off guard by the Salarian's brusque, unyielding manner.

"We have a lot of valued clients who do business here. If we were to jeopardise their privacy by allowing just any officer who drops by to look through our surveillance archives, our reputation would suffer."

"Really? More than if, say, it were publicly revealed that this place was involved in a criminal investigation?" Kornik turned to look out at the heaving masses. "I don't know about you, but I'd much rather just let two officers quietly look through the archives. We're only looking to see if someone who was murdered came through here, and who he spoke to. Worst that happens, we don't find anything out. Best case, we find who we're looking for and you never hear from us again. Nobody else need know we were here."

The Salarian looked at him for a moment, eyeing up the Turian's resolve. The two aliens locked stares, matching wills. Finally, the Salarian backed down with a sigh.

"Not worth my job to cause a public scandal. If its as you say and you're just looking for a dead man, then I guess no one could protest against that. Just make it quick, and keep it quiet."

The Salarian opened the door behind him, ushering them through. As he strode ahead of them, Jacob leaned over to mutter into Kornik's ear.

"Ain't exactly big on procedure, are you?"

"Not when it gets in the way of getting things done. Don't complain. I just saved us about six months of useless waiting around, maybe more."

"Damned bureaucracy, am I right?" Jacob smirked.

"You know it."

"Thanks."

Moments later, they were led into a small room, barely more than a closet. The Salarian stood by impassively as the entered, gazing around at the vast array of screens within. A lone Asari sat there, watching the footage being played out with a bored eye. She glanced up at their arrival, turning to the Salarian questioningly.

"Show them the security tapes from three nights ago."

"Sir?" She asked curiously.

"Just do it." He ordered.

"Which ones?" She turned to Jacob and Kornik.

"Our window of opportunity is from about… twenty-one thirty until twenty five hundred." Kornik replied, checking his notes. "That should cover any time he might have spent here."

"What areas do we have that would have been busy about that time?" Jacob asked.

"Well, the food court's always heaving, no matter the time of day." The Asari explained. "During that window, we had the Delaya Sisters on stage in the Planar Lounge. They're always a crowd pleaser. And there was the Kowla final. Plenty of people interested in watching that, so the vid room would have been packed out."

"Hmm. Food court would be the first place people would think to look." Jacob commented. "So it's a bit too obvious. Plus, you're never really secure there. Hundreds of little conversations going on at once all around you, plenty of opportunity for people to listen in. Better to go to a place where everyone's focused on a single thing. If there's a big enough distraction, you can talk in peace."

"That'd leave the Kowla and the Lounge." Kornik commented.

"I've been to a Kowla game before. Far too rowdy. The players are screaming and howling, the crowd's just as bad. You'd never manage to get a word out. We need to look at the Planar Lounge."

"Just a sec." The Asari tapped out a few commands, and the screens blinked. In an instant, the screens showed a dozen different perspectives on the same room, a large lounge with a circular stage in the centre. Around this stage, a vast array of chairs had been laid out, each one occupied. A bar had been placed against the back wall, supplying any number of different and unusual drinks. On the stage, a cluster of scantily clad Asari gyrated in a sensuous fashion, holding the attention of every single occupant of the room.

"The Delaya Sisters." Kornik sighed. "What I wouldn't give to get some tickets."

"Alright. Any sign of our murder victim?" Jacob placed a hand on the back of the Asari's chair, leaning forward to glance at a screen.

Kornik pulled up an image of Pavel, holding it up so everyone in the room could see his features. Jacob set about glancing at the picture, and glancing at the footage, scouring the screens.

They watched for some time as images of the show flickered, accelerated to speed up the process of searching. Jacob saw the Asari dancing, moving about on the stage and through the crowd. Several wild Shatha joined them on stage, the tamed beasts taking part in the act as the blue-skinned aliens stood on their backs, mimed fighting with the beasts bare-handed, and eventually escorted one of the audience members up to interact with the creatures, allowing the beasts to eat from his hands.

At long last, after about fifteen minutes of searching and a couple of false alarms, the Asari's hand shot out, a delicate sky-blue finger pointing at one of the displays.

"There!" She almost shouted. Kornik leaned forward, inspecting the image.

"That's him alright."

"Focus on him." Jacob ordered. "Get as many angles as you can."

The Asari complied, the room filling with images of the same single table. She set the footage to play through at double speed, the man in the image jittering about quickly as time slipped by. In moments, he was joined at the table.

"Stop right there!" Jacob exclaimed. "Can you get an image of her face?"

"Just a sec…" The Asari punched in a couple of commands, and a second later one of the screens showed a young Human female. Raven-black hair framed her face, her skin pale in comparison.

On the other screens, the meeting between Pavel and his new associate proceeded. Their mouths moved in a silent display.

"Can we get sound on this?" Kornik asked.

"No. We're rigged for video only. Not that audio would do you any good. The show would drown out any conversation we could pick up.""

"Vid quality isn't good enough to lip-read." Jacob muttered.

"Sorry, Mac." The Asari mumbled.

"The name's Jacob, not Mac."

"Right, right. I just- never mind."

"We'll just have to figure out where she goes." Kornik concluded, putting the line of inquiry back on track. "Can you follow her progress out of here?"

"Sure." The Asari quickly set the footage to run forward until the woman stood up and left. The video screens then changed, following her as she moved through the casino until she left by the front doors, exiting into the streets.

"Alright." Kornik rubbed his hands together. "Gives us a place to start."

"Can we get an image of the woman leaving the casino, along with a time stamp for reference?" Jacob asked.

"Good idea." Kornik nodded. "We can send that to the office, have them track her movements through the traffic cams."

"That everything you need?" The Salarian asked from the door.

"Yeah, that should do it." Kornik answered, waving his hand dismissively at the alien. "Don't get a knot in your gizzard. We're going."

"Good."

Moments later, Jacob and Kornik were led out of the casino, the staff making it clear they should not return.

"Friendly lot." Jacob commented.

"Pretty much everyone's like that in this part of town. On a planet where the fine print can take your life out from under you, places like this often end up being full of backroom meetings and not-so-legitimate business transactions. You can understand why they don't appreciate the authorities taking an interest."

"I suppose." Jacob allowed.

"Right." Kornik activated his omnitool, opening a comm channel. "I'll just send this image back to HQ. Traffic will have a look through the cam footage, see what they can find. Shouldn't take long."

A minute later, his 'tool beeped. He checked the incoming message, his mandibles flaring with surprise.

"Huh."

"What is it?" Jacob asked.

"Traffic followed her progress through the streets. She stayed on foot for the entirety of her journey, and stuck to the busy streets. Safer that way, I guess. You have no idea what kind of lowlifes hide in the back alleys down here."

"Where'd she go?"

"She went home, apparently. Arrived at an apartment block about two miles away. Here's where it gets interesting. Several minutes later, a shuttle arrives, and she leaves in it. At first glance, it all looked okay. But then a closer look suggests her departure wasn't all that willingly. Might have a kidnapping on our hands here."

"Any sign of who sent the shuttle?"

"That's the worrying thing. It was an Asclepius-registered craft."

"And there's the link we've been looking for." Jacob sighed. "I love the smell of a cover-up in the afternoon, don't you?"

"We need to get over there, look around her apartment for any clues." Kornik hurried his pace, heading for the skycar they had arrived at the casino in. in seconds, they were jetting off into the sky, following the directions that Kornik's contact in Traffic had given.

The apartment block hove into view after a few corners, unremarkable among the myriad similar buildings. As it did so, Kornik pulled up a holographic display screen on the forward viewport, a large screed of data rolling across it.

"Alright. Ran the face through our database to see what came up. Looks like our lady was one Francesca Whiteford. Earth-born. Moved out here seven years ago on a student's license to study at the Nos Astra Academy of Telecommunications. Graduated with honours three years ago, fully qualified to work with FTL comm buoys. Now works in air traffic control. Other than that and a couple of charges of disturbing the peace and a handful of FUIs."

"What was she flying under the influence of?"

"Doesn't say. Apparently the charges were dropped pretty fast."

"That's odd."

"I'll say. Usually we manage to hold onto them until the blood-work comes through. The only ones who get out before that are normally the kids of some rich tycoon or another, but this one comes from a family in the slums of Cairo. She has no connections to anyone with the power or money to secure an early release."

"So Pavel arranges a meeting with some telecoms tech in a casino, talks to her, and then one gets killed while the other is grabbed out of her own home?" Jacob's brow arched. "I don't get it."

"Maybe… maybe Pavel wanted her to send a message? She'd know the way to get onto a comm buoy's priority channel."

"Could be."

"Here, take this." The Turian passed him a headset. The visor on the apparatus was a blue shield, polarised so that the user's eyes remained hidden. Inside, a bright optical display provided numerous kinds of sensory data.

"What's this?"

"Never used an omniscanner before?" The police officer asked in surprise. "This little baby will help you spot things our organic eyes would miss. The magnetic signatures of microscopic bullet debris, latent bodily fluids, both Dextro- and Levo, out-of-place chemicals, even the heat left in an object by a body. Now, the property's been abandoned for three days, so we can forget about heat signatures, but the rest of the list still apply."

Jacob glanced at the display, wincing as the data filled his eyes. He kept the omniscanner off his head for as long as he could. He waited patiently as Kornik banked the skycar into a neat turn, bringing the craft to a halt by the side of the street. The pair clambered out of the car quickly, turning to face the building.

"These two took a lot of risks to get the word out about something." Kornik commented. "Shame they were stopped before they got a message out."

"Oh, they got a message out alright." Jacob answered. "And I'm…" He paused as he donned his omniscanner. "Reading them loud and clear.

**~o~0~o~**

Inside the building, Jacob and Kornik moved slowly. After checking the list of the building's tenants, finding the number of Francesca Whiteford's apartment. They climbed up two flights of stairs, making their way past numerous other doors on their way to the missing girl's apartment. Jacob's hand shot to his hip as the door swung open freely at Kornik's touch, the lock destroyed. The pair glanced at one another pensively before entering.

The apartment was a mess. Furniture had been overturned, a struggle evident in the chaos. Datapads had been cast to the floor in a jumbled spread, some trampled beyond use. Jacob's omniscanner quickly picked up on a trace of blood in the carpet, identifying it as female, Human.

"Got blood here." He shouted over his shoulder. "Could be from our missing girl."

"There's even more over here, Taylor." Kornik waved him over, pointing to a seemingly innocuous patch of carpet. As Jacob leaned closer, his scanner detected traces of a strange substance. A complicated readout popped up before his eyes.

"What is it?"

"Tetra-Dezlopane. In layman's terms, knockout gas. In liquid form when it dripped on the carpet, so probably kept in a supercooled container, most likely on an attackers wrist for easy deployment. As the fluid leaves the container, it becomes gaseous, but the chemical gathers around the nozzle and drips onto the carpet before evaporating, leaving a trace behind."

"These guys were well prepared to subdue her." Jacob concluded.

"Yeah. She struggled for a few moments, probably got herself cut bad enough to leave behind the blood you found, then these guys blast her with a lung-full of sleep in a can, and poof! One captive, all ready to go."

"Good. But we already knew they took her. We still need to know why."

"I'll have a look through these datapads. Maybe she left a message behind or something." The Turian crouched, rifling through the mess on the floor. "Take a look in her bedroom. See if she's got a private terminal or something."

Jacob nodded, turning to head for one of the two doors that left the apartment's main room. He pushed the door open, finding himself in Francesca's small bedroom. The room was similarly disturbed, bedding thrown from the single bed against one wall while the numerous clothes drawers had been emptied out. Jacob checked the closet, only to find a similar state of disarray. He walked past a dresser upon which sat a large mirror, his gaze catching his reflection momentarily. He paused as he noted that he appeared to have been putting on a bit of weight, his hands darting to his waistline self-consciously, but then noticed the subtle deformity to the mirror, distorting what it reflected.

Turning from this, he looked to the desk that occupied the wallspace underneath the single window in the room. A terminal had been built into it, the console glowing brightly. Jacob bent over an tapped out a couple of commands. The display flickered and activated, showing a desktop decorated with a number of pictures of famous singers on the music scene at the moment. Ignoring this, Jacob scanned the files present on the terminal, looking for anything odd.

Suddenly, the terminal sparked, smoke spewing out of the casing. Jacob jerked back as sparks leapt out at him, cursing.

"Find something?" Kornik asked, hearing the noise he was making. The Turian strode through, carrying an armful of datapads.

"Nah. Terminal's fried. Started smoking the second I went looking for anything useful. You?"

"I've had some success. Looks like our girl was a message smuggler, of sorts. She took payment to hijack the priority channels on the nearby comm buoys to get messages out fast. With her help, a message could be sent to the Citadel, to Omega, to Palaven, even, without any delay. Without it, a normal citizen might have to wait up to three weeks for a message to get through."

"Complicated stuff?"

"I'll say. We're talking about hacking military channels on a regular basis, not just here but at the other end, otherwise the messages would turn up on some general's private terminal. She even managed to use the Council frequencies once or twice, although apparently she slapped on a hefty surcharge for that. This girl was a very skilled hacker."

"Explains why her record stayed so clean. A girl with her skills would have no trouble making sure any charges levelled against her went away very fast." Jacob commented. "What sort of messages was she transmitting?"

"A number of criminal organisations made use of her services to arrange smuggling drop-off points, slave exchanges, assassinations… with the messages I've been able to decode on the datapads that survived, we'll have enough dirt to put away at least a hundred of the lowlifes that run the streets around here!" The Turian lifted another datapad from his hastily collected bundle, gasping as he read it. "By the spirits! Nassana Dantius ordered a hit on her own sister! We always suspected… not that it matters now that she's dead."

"Anything about Asclepius?"

"No… nothing here." Kornik muttered as he read through another datapad. "Sorry."

Jacob sighed, removing his omniscanner. He turned to leave.

"It's alright. It was a bit of a long shot anyway, hoping that her abductors would leave something useful behind like that."

"I'll get a unit down here to go over the place properly, give it the full forensic treatment." Kornik offered. "Hopefully we'll be quick enough to do something to help the poor kid."

"Yeah. Maybe that'll-" Jacob paused, his brow furrowing.

"What? What is it?" Kornik asked.

"How old would you say that Francesca was?"

"Twenty-four, according to her records."

"You got a daughter, Kornik?"

"Yeah. Just turned twenty." The Turian said proudly, a smile on his face.

"She use make-up at all?"

"Are you kidding? At that age, it's a wonder if she doesn't go out of the house with a three-foot thick layer of the stuff on her face. All kids that age are the same."

"So you'd expect that a girl like Francesca would have quite the collection herself, right"

"Probably. So?"

"So where is it all? I didn't see any on my way in, and the drawers have all been turned out in here. And I seriously doubt our kidnappers were considerate enough to pack all her toiletries for her on their way out."

"What of it? Maybe she doesn't bother with that sort of thing."

"So the mirror seems a bit out of place, doesn't it? Plenty of chance to inspect your face, but nothing on hand to change it? And that shape. What girl would want a mirror that makes her look bigger than she actually is?"

Jacob walked over to the mirror, running his hand around its frame. He leaned forward, peering behind it.

"A-ha!" He grunted triumphantly.

"What have you got?" Kornik asked.

"This isn't a mirror. It's a display screen for a hidden terminal. Help me look for the control to activate it."

The duo pored over the nightstand and the mirror, searching for a button, switch, or other type of device. Jacob ran his hands down the back of the nightstand, finally being rewarded with a mechanical click as his fingertips found a small depression on the back.

Stepping back, Jacob saw the nightstand transform. Parts unfolded, peeling back to reveal a control console in the heart of the piece of furniture. The mirror shimmered before the silvery reflective surface was replaced with a black screen filled with glowing orange numbers, scrolling past faster than Jacob could keep up with them.

"Bingo." Jacob muttered.

"This could take some time to break into." Kornik muttered.

"I don't think so. A person like Francesca would be confident that this set-up wouldn't be found." Jacob stepped up to the console, inputting a couple of commands. The terminal responded to him. "There we go! Just like I told you."

Jacob ran through the numerous files in the system, homing in on the most recent activity. He selected the last file, a half-recorded message that had been addressed to the Systems Alliance, but was never sent. An image of Francesca's frightened face appeared on the screen.

"Whoever is hearing this, you've got to move quickly! The Asclepius Institute in Nos Astra is carrying out horrible experiments! One of the security guards there, Pavel Andreyev, contacted me to get this message out. He's already being followed, and I'm pretty sure someone tailed me back here!"

She paused to glance over her shoulder furtively. Jacob looked in the same direction, realising she was looking out the window. She must have spotted something moving out there.

"The scientist in charge of the experiments is one Doctor James Michaels. Attached are a number of files that prove his guilt. We can't go to the police here. They've got agents in the system. Please, act quickly, or they'll all die!"

She jumped as a loud thump could be heard over the recording. She turned back, working the controls frantically.

"Error." A synthesised voice could be heard. "Communications uplink is offline."

"Shit!" Francesca cursed. She spun around at the sound of a door swinging open. She looked back at the terminal over her shoulder, whispering. "Shut down."

The next moment, the recording ended, the screen turning black. Jacob stepped back from the terminal.

"Whoever grabbed her must have jammed all comm signals, kept her from getting the word out." Kornik concluded. "She just ran out of time."

"Well it gives us something to work with inside the Institute." Jacob reasoned. "We can look into this Doctor Michaels, see what he's been up to."

"You want me to call it in, see what we've got in our databases?"

"No." Jacob answered, maybe a little sharper than he intended. "You heard what she said. We can't trust anyone else in the police force."

"How do you know you can trust me?" Kornik asked cautiously.

"Well, I don't." Jacob smirked. "But you didn't need to be so helpful in this investigation, not if you were working to hinder my efforts. And you've had plenty of opportunities to stick a knife in my back, but you haven't. That's good enough for me."

The Turian nodded his head, acknowledging the point.

"This is enough for us to work with." Jacob said, pulling the files from the terminal. "I have some associates I need to meet so that I can show them all of this. Then we can make a plan."

"Associates?" Kornik asked warily. "You're not a police officer, are you?"

"Not exactly, no."

"I knew it. So what are you? Alliance Intelligence?"

"No." Jacob answered. "You could say I'm… part of a black ops team. Come on. I can tell you more when we regroup with the rest of the team."

"Alright." The Turian shrugged. "Have it your way. The car's still outside. Just tell me where we need to go."

**~o~0~o~**

**~SHEPARD~**

The NAPD squad skycar darted through the fading light of the evening. The Commander sat back, reading the case notes the Asari next to him had provided on the mysterious fire in the Asclepius-owned lab. Beside him, Detective Anaya worked the controls, manoeuvring through the bustling traffic lanes.

"The lab's owned by Asclepius, but its not a part of the main complex. Used to be a small pharmaceutical research lab, private-owned." Anaya explained. "The Institute bought the place about a year ago."

"Know anything much about what they were doing there?"

"Not really. They didn't make any big announcements about their work." The Asari muttered as she turned the skycar into a steep turn, angling the craft down to the street. "Judging from what debris survived the fire, most of their equipment was to do with organic tissue generation."

"Anyone hurt?"

"The lead scientist of this facility, Doctor Belinda Strauss. She was found in the main lab, although DNA testing was required to identify her, the body was that badly burned. A suicide note was sent to her parents just before the time of the fire."

"Says here that the fire started sometime in the middle of the night?"

"Yeah, neighbouring research firm's fire detectors went off about midnight. Emergency crews got out there about fifteen minutes later, but the lab was a mess, nothing left worth salvaging." As the skycar touched down, she turned to face him. "I'll be honest, I don't think you're going to find anything here. If you were anyone else I'd tell you that you're wasting your time and should go home, but you did keep that Justicar from killing me, so I owe you."

"I appreciate it." Shepard answered. "Just give me a chance to look over the wreckage."

"Alright. I'll be close by if you need anything."

The Commander climbed out of the car, closing the door as Anaya powered up the engine, lifting off into the evening sky. He watched her leave, and then turned to the remnants of the building just off the street.

Very little remained of the Asclepius-owned lab, the majority of its infrastructure burned away. The building towered up three floors, although in places the upper floors had collapsed. Not a single window remained, all blown out during the chaotic conflagration.

Cautiously, Shepard stepped through the empty portal of the front door, looking about with a sharp eye. He activated the torch function of his omnitool, moving the beam of light about carefully.

Ghostly shadows danced across the soot-covered walls, flickering movement that drew the Commander's gaze. Underfoot, the charred and twisted floor creaked as it took his weight, in some places bowing considerably, nothing underneath to support it. Shepard carefully walked around those parts, not eager to fall through.

He found a door that could be opened, tentatively pushing at it. Inside, he found a debris-strewn laboratory. Charred metal desks stood resolutely in place, some covered in shining sheets of glass and metal, the melted remains of the instruments that had once stood on them. Cupboards against the wall had lost their doors, the hinges long since melted under the intense heat. The Commander caught sight of a chair, nothing more than a tangled mess of twisted legs.

Shepard worked his way around the lab, digging through piles of rubble for anything out of the ordinary. He found an almost intact omnitool in one of the cupboards, only slightly damaged by the fire. He scanned it, hoping he might find some notes left by one of the scientists. He was disappointed, the omnitool containing no project notes of any value. He did, however, manage to collect two thousand credits from the 'tool's reserve, feeling momentarily guilty about it. But no one had claimed it since the fire, so he figured no one would miss it.

Once he had finished searching the first lab, he went back to the corridor, heading further into the facility. He made his way through several more minor labs, finally finding the facility's main lab. He paused by the doors, tensing as his ears picked up the sounds of someone else rifling through the wreckage. He drew his pistol, slowly easing the door open.

The Krogan inside the main lab looked up as the door creaked open, his broad features split by a welcoming smile as he caught sight of the Commander.

"Commander Shepard." He greeted warmly. "Its about time you got here."

"Do I know you?" Shepard asked carefully.

"Not directly, but you have made the acquaintance of one of my employer's many… shall we say 'enforcers'." The Krogan spoke with a surprisingly genteel manner, his voice much more refined than most Krogan Shepard had met previously. "Mr Thax sends his greetings."

"You represent Mr Thax?" Shepard asked carefully. He knew the name. Just over a year ago, he had found some questionable shipping information and forwarded it on to the rightful owner. The next day, another excessively polite Krogan had approached him to extend the gratitude of the mysterious 'Mr Thax'.

"Yes."

"What does he want with me?"

"Mr Thax understands why you are here, and what your interest is in Asclepius. He wants to help."

"Really? Just like that?" Shepard was dubious.

"I understand your hesitance. After all, how could you trust one you have not met? But I assure you his motives are genuine. He wishes to return the favour you extended to him over a year ago. Aside from that, he has a vested interest in hindering Cerberus' activities on Illium."

"How did he even figure out I was here?"

"He… has his sources. He almost certainly would not miss the arrival of a Spectre in our starport. Nor would he be ignorant of their interest in a certain medical facility with ties to his former terrorist employers."

"If you say so." Shepard muttered. "So what do you have that can help me?"

"Doctor Strauss was not suicidal. Nor was she involved with Director Stewart. She was a woman dedicated to her work, and nothing would cause her to be distracted from it, much less permit her to willingly destroy that work."

"So someone else started the fire?"

"And killed the poor Doctor. She knew something that her co-workers at Asclepius did not want to be revealed."

"What?"

"That is up to you to find out." The Krogan walked up to the Commander, coming to a halt only inches from him. "The courts would throw out a case that had anything to do with Mr Thax, even if it were only peripherally related. You must find the evidence yourself. We can only point you in the right direction."

The burly alien reached out with a strong hand, taking the Commander's. He clasped it powerfully, Shepard returning the grip, his knuckles creaking from the immense strength in the Krogan's fingers. The Krogan backed away, releasing his grip.

"Good hunting, Commander." He bowed his head. "Have a pleasant day."

The Krogan lumbered towards the door, pausing just before he passed out of sight.

"Doctor Strauss always made backups of her data. She was very thorough in that manner. But the forensics glossed over her office, focusing their attention here, in the main lab. We trust you will perform a more thorough inspection of the facility."

Shepard nodded as the alien strode out of view, glancing down at his hand. A small data chip was nestled in the heart of his palm, a tiny green fleck against the matte black of his armoured glove. He carefully placed it in a small compartment on his belt, keeping it safe.

He quickly followed the Krogan's hint, leaving the main lab behind and heading to the next floor up. He glanced in each of the offices, looking for what could have been Doctor Strauss' office.

One door looked promising, possessing a place of prominence among the vast array of otherwise unremarkable rooms. He tentatively gave it a push, but the door resisted. Frowning, he gave it a harder shove. The door held fast, its frame warped by the fire. He slammed against it, managing to move it a fraction of an inch. Drawing back, he drew a deep breath, and threw all of his weight into the blocked portal.

The door suddenly gave way, shuddering open and raising a plume of dust and soot as it scraped across the floor. Inside, Shepard was confronted with what remained of a fairly large office. The charred fragments of a wooden desk had been scattered across the floor, little more than lumps of charcoal. Some chairs littered the room, melted into unusual shapes. A portion of the ceiling had caved in, allowing a tide of debris to trickle down to fill the far corner of the room, piled almost as high as a man.

The Commander began digging through the office. He opened one of the cupboards lining the walls, finding a stack of datapads that had melted together into one solid lump, and were therefore utterly useless. He moved on to the remnants of the desk, trying to activate the terminal built within it. The machine sparked feebly, throwing out a single image on its holographic screen. Shepard scanned the document, noting that it was the research notes some scientist had compiled about increasing the regenerative properties of Medi-Gel. He looked through it with a little interest. If what it proposed could be done, then much less Medi-Gel would be needed per treatment, allowing a soldier's supplies to go much further out in the field. He downloaded the research, storing it for Mordin to look at later. He tried to open another file, but the machine spat out a cloud of smoke, fizzling as it died, the last of its functionality gone, thanks to the damage sustained by the fire.

He moved on, looking around the office. Nothing really jumped out at him, most of the debris completely useless. He picked up what might have been a small ornament or trinket on the scientist's desk, but was now no more than a fused globe of coloured glass.

Shepard finally came to a halt at the back wall, next to the pile of rubble spilling down from the upper floor. He looked to the wall to see a metal frame there. It must have once house a picture of some kind, but the image had been burned away, leaving behind only the metal frame melted onto the wall.

Sighing with frustration, the Commander pulled out the computer chip that Thax's representative had given to him. What was he meant to do with it? He jumped at a loud beep coming from somewhere in the office.

"Identi-kr-kr-krt-ty confir-ir-irmed." A synthetic voice spoke out all around him. "Welcome, Doctor Stra-a-a-aaaah-"

With a loud groan, the picture fame shuddered. Hidden motors tried to shift the metal rectangle, whining as the frame resisted, unable to shift it. In the burnt-out frame, the now exposed wall behind it split, sliding open to reveal a small storage space behind. A little black device sat squarely in the centre of this hidden place. Shepard reached in and pulled it out, turning it this way and that to examine it.

It was a reinforced data storage device. A sort of 'black box'. The companies who manufactured them boasted that they could survive just about anything, and judging from the fact that this one wasn't even charred, Shepard believed it. He pulled a connection from his omnitool, tying it into the black box. This done, he plugged the computer chip into his 'tool.

The omnitool bleeped, data beginning to scroll across it. The computer chip provided the codes necessary to decipher the black box. Shepard wondered for a moment how Thax had managed to get a hold of Strauss' omnitool ID chip, or possibly how he had made a perfect copy of it, but then he figured it would be wise not to look the gift horse in the mouth.

After a few moments of work, the black box was open, allowing the Commander to browse its contents. He opened up the first few files, reading through a few project notes. Apparently Strauss had been working on a way to artificially grow replacement lungs for Humans, with a secondary concern of being able to replicate the feat for other Levo-based species. All fascinating stuff, Shepard was sure, but it was all beyond the Commander's understanding. He hurried past it, looking for something that he could use.

A couple of minutes of searching yielded little, until finally he came across a very recent series of video logs, recorded transmissions.

"Doctor Strauss." A woman's voice, powerful, confident, could be heard.

"Janet." Another woman, this time an aged woman, her red hair streaked with grey, greeted.

"I'm forwarding some information that Doctor Michaels has uncovered in the course of his research. It should help you immensely."

"Downloading it right now." Strauss paused, reading the new data. She let out a quiet gasp. "I- is- has this been verified?"

"Yes."

"This is incredible! How was Michaels able to come up with all of this?"

"He has been working very hard, hasn't he?" Janet's voice contained a smile.

"This will put my own work forward by at least five years worth of research, maybe even more!"

"I thought you might like it. I'll let you get back to your work."

Shepard activated the next log.

"Doctor Strauss, what a surprise. Have you had a breakthrough?"

"Indeed I have. We've had a breakthrough in Human lung tissue replication. Our first three generations of samples have been very successful, and we now have an easily replicated process. What's more, we've already made significant progress with adapting the process to Salarian, Asari and Vorcha physiology. Further research should enable replication of Drell and Krogan tissue as well."

"That is excellent news!" Janet congratulated. "With this initial stage, we can move on to replicating more vital organs. Just think of the lives that we can save!"

"Exactly." Strauss agreed. "Now, I'd like to schedule a press conference for next week to announce this. We can begin working on distributing this treatment to major medical centres across Citadel Space. I'll continue my research into making it viable for other species and we-"

"Now hold on just a minute, Doctor Strauss. We need to consider our next steps very closely. We don't want to jump the gun here, and we need to make sure our priorities remain in order."

"Priorities?"

"I think we should hold back on announcing this new treatment. We want to get as much research done as possible, explore every treatment we can develop before other research facilities get a look at our work. I also want you to continue working on perfecting Human treatments. Start looking into heart, liver and kidney replication."

"But we've put so much work into other spec-"

"And I appreciate that. But we are a Human-owned company. We need to cater to the interests of our investors."

"But the gratitude we would inspire…"

"I know, I know." Janet said patiently. "Just… continue with the research into Human tissue, Belinda. I'll speak to you later."

Shepard frowned. Why the hesitance to release any information to the public? Were they worried of drawing too much attention to themselves? He could understand the reasoning behind wanting to focus on Human treatments only. A Cerberus operation would want to benefit Humans first, and would only allow aliens to feel the benefits of one of their operations if it somehow advanced Humanity's cause. He opened up the last vid.

"Doctor Strauss. What is it this time?" Janet sounded weary.

"I've been thinking, and I can't in good conscience keep our research to myself any more. People are suffering out there. People we can help."

"What are you saying?"

"I've sent out some information to a number of press outlets. I've arranged a conference for next week."

"Belinda, if you do this, you're finished!" Janet replied angrily. "We'll-"

"You won't do a damn thing." Strauss interrupted. "I was able to retrieve some data from the central archives that is very interesting. You know, I had my suspicions when you sent me Doctor Michaels' data. The progress he has made is incredible. Its unlikely that standard procedure would give him the freedom needed to make this kind of leap forwards. You've been performing live testing! If I even think you're about to shut me down, then I send all of the data to the authorities."

Janet was silent for a few moments.

"So. You have all the angles covered. What do you need, Strauss?"

"I'm going ahead with the release of the new treatment." Strauss responded. "And I want in on what you've got going on in section sixteen."

"Section sixteen is beyond your clearance." Janet said sharply.

"I don't care. What you're doing is beyond cutting-edge, and I want in."

"…I'll see what I can do. No guarantees."

"Remember, one false move, and I go to the authorities with what I know."

The vid trailed off, the Commander's omnitool going dark. There were no more files to be opened. Shepard carefully disconnected the black box, stowing it on his belt. This done, he moved to leave the office, striding down the corridor outside, descending to the ground floor. He was almost to the front exit when a rustling sound echoed past him. He spun around, looking for the source of the noise.

He heard it again, emanating from the stairs leading into the building's basement. The stairway was partially clogged with debris, but navigable. Shepard cautiously walked forward, hand reaching for his gun. He worked his way down the stairs, clambering over a fallen roof beam. He reached the lower floor, picking his way between charred rubble and fallen masonry, and stalked through the dark passages.

"Nyaaaaagh!"

The feral growl, almost a gurgle, echoed out of one of the many rooms on the lower floor. Shepard threw himself against the wall, sneaking closer to the doorway. He peered around the edge of the doorframe, doing his best to remain unseen.

A pack of Vorcha had taken up residence in the burnt-out remnants of the basement. Shepard could see tattered rags piled up in several corners, greasy scraps of material that might have been used as beds. The stench in the room was overwhelming, a mixture of various bodily humours, excrement and rotting food.

The Vorcha in question had gathered in the centre of the room, where three of them tussled over a shred of meat. A fourth one sat back with a satisfied expression on its pointed face, the self-confident gleam in its ruby-red eyes betraying its superior status. Just the fact that it had apparently already eaten enough to not feel the need to fight over the morsel in among the others told the Commander that it was an Alpha of sorts. More Vorcha lined the walls, cheering and jeering at the confrontation. Shepard noted that a lot of them were eating at that moment. Apparently the day's haul had been taken in and divided up, but these last few members of the pack had to fight to see who got the last share. After a moment, one emerged as the clear victor, the other two slinking off to the far side of the room to endure a night without food. Judging from their emaciated appearance, that was a common occurrence. Shepard doubted they'd survive much longer, and wondered for a second if, once they passed on, their corpses would become the next day's rations.

Shepard shifted on his feet, freezing as one of his boots nudged a piece of debris, causing a rattling noise to echo through the burnt out ruin, louder than it should have been. Shepard closed his eyes in irritation as the Vorcha tensed, heads snapping around to glare at the doorway.

Sighing, the Commander stepped into view, hands in plain sight in a show of non-aggression. The goblin-like aliens yowled at his sudden appearance, many of them reaching for weapons. The Alpha stood up, his entire being emanating hostility as he regarded Shepard.

"Raaaagh!" The sound was half-gurgle, half-roar. "This is Bleeder Clan grounds! Soft-skins no welcome here!"

Around him, his fellow Vorcha clamoured similar sentiments. Shepard stepped forward carefully, bringing himself fully into the room.

"I'm here to find out what happened the night of the fire." He said slowly. He didn't want to have to fight these things. "If you can tell me anything about what happened that night, I'll leave quietly."

"Graagh! We tell you nothing! We own this place. You no welcome here! We kill you!"

The Vorcha all around the Commander lunged forwards, many of them wielding knives or some other crude weapon as they charged the intruding Human. Maniacal howls filled the air, the vicious aliens almost salivating at the thought of another meal.

Shepard's shotgun was out and unfolded in the blink of an eye. He spun around and unloaded a blast point-blank into the belly of the closest Vorcha, throwing the alien off its feet and hurling it back into the press of its own comrades, little remaining of its belly save a few torn shreds of flesh. The Commander swiftly turned the gun on another target, killing it with just as much efficiency. He managed to dispatch another trio of the Vorcha in this manner before the alien charge reached him, his arms being enveloped by grasping claws. His shotgun was torn from his grasp, its last shot going off as his fingers struggled to keep a hold of it. This final blast from the weapon tore through the face of one of the Vorcha, sending it reeling in pain.

As the howling creatures pulled the Commander down, he managed to keep one hand free. He used it to swing about, slamming his armoured fist into yielding flesh. A number of the creatures howled as bones snapped and ribs cracked, one of them falling to the ground dead as its head snapped back at an unnatural angle, its neck broken by the force of Shepard's punch. However, eventually even this freedom was taken from him as eight Vorcha struggled to hold him down, two to each limb. Another creature stepped forward, holding a wickedly sharp knife. Grinning, it lifted the knife to strike.

"Wait!"

All of the Vorcha looked up in surprise at the sudden shout, gazing at the Alpha Male with confusion.

"Gruk want to fight soft-skin." He rumbled. "Soft-skin kill many. Gruk want to see how good he is in knife fight."

This comment sent ripples running through the assembled Vorcha. Shepard tried to fathom what was happening here. A small fact leapt into his mind, something that he remembered Garrus telling him about during one of his many tales of his work on Omega.

Vorcha settled most societal issues by force, to the point where it even featured heavily in their communication methods. There would be no respect or recognition for any of the Vorcha if they killed the Commander like this. But after seeing what he was capable of, they were intrigued. The Vorcha who could best him would no doubt gain a lot of prominence among the aliens. The temptation of this recognition had been too much for the Alpha, Gruk, to resist. Shepard felt an idea form in his head. He could use this.

He was released by the Vorcha, allowed to stand and face his challenger. The grinning alien hefted a long, curved knife in one hand, its blade notched a great many times. The Commander was handed a similar weapon, possessing a surprising weight for such a small thing. He noted that his weapon was rusty, but streaks of blood of varying colours could be seen on its handle.

The pack of vicious aliens drew back, forming a clear space in the centre of the room. Gruk circled cautiously along the edge of this clearing, his malevolent red eyes never leaving Shepard's. The Commander fell into a cautious scuttle along the opposite side of the circle, staying well clear of his Vorcha challenger. Around them, the pack's excited babble continued, rising in pitch as anticipation for the fight grew more intense.

Suddenly, when the tension of the fight gave the air around the pair weight and substance, Gruk lunged forwards. His knife swished through the air, missing Shepard by a mere inch. The Commander danced back from the blade, stumbling a little as his booted feet caught rubble on the floor. He retaliated with his own knife, scoring a light gash across the Vorcha's overextended forearm. The creature snarled at the annoyance, but did not appear too hampered by it.

Gruk launched himself at the Commander again, using his bullish strength to force Shepard back. Their two knives met with a clang before parting, the follow-up swing forcing the Human to duck as it sliced through the space where his neck had just been. Shepard stabbed at the Vorcha's leg, but the alien's leather clothing, so heavily weathered that it was thick and durable as metal plating, resisted the vicious point, driving the knife to the side. Before he could pull back from this failed attack, the Vorcha's knee jerked up, striking his chest painfully. Even through the combat armour, Shepard felt the sharp knee drive the breath from his lungs, causing him to stagger about, his feet going out from under him as he shuffled back.

Seeing a moment's weakness in his opponent, Gruk darted forwards. In an instant, he was on the Commander, slavering jaws snarling in the Human's face as he drew back his knife, ready to drive it into Shepard's eye.

Shepard reacted in the only way he could. His entire body bucked under the alien, casting Gruk aside as he rolled in the opposite direction, slowly getting to his feet. As the Vorcha struggled to stand, Shepard raced forward, jabbing with his knife.

Gruk howled in pain, tearing himself away from the Commander. He clutched his now useless arm in agony, glaring at the knife that now skewered the limb, jagged point protruding out of the soft tissue of his forearm while the hilt quivered in the opposite side of the arm. Blood fountained out of the wound, coating the weapon and the Vorcha's arm in slick yellow fluid.

Around the room, the Vorcha pack howled in eagerness and bloodlust, not caring that it was one of their own being bested. They just wanted to see some bloodshed.

Screeching, Gruk took a hold of the knife, pulling it out of his own flesh with one quick tug and not a little howling. He glared at Shepard, murder in his eyes. With a grunt, he flung the knife at Shepard's feet.

"Only fools lose their weapon." He spat. "You keep hold of it this time, soft-skin!"

Shepard reached down to pick up the bloody knife. Only as his left knee touched the floor did he realise just how dangerous this was, his ears picking up the thumping footsteps of the running Vorcha. He just had time to curl his fingers around the hilt of his knife before Gruk struck him, bearing the Commander across the circle and hurling him to the floor. Shepard winced as his bones protested the rough treatment, looking up at his attacker.

The Vorcha stood over him, a sneer on his lips. He licked his own blood off the talons on his injured arm, red eyes glaring at Shepard mockingly. Shepard took a breath as he struggled back to his feet. He was forced to admit, that last move had been a smart one… for a Vorcha, at least. He'd need to be more careful.

He barely had time for another thought before Gruk lunged once more, his foot lashing out to strike Shepard in the gut. This kick forced the last of the air out of Shepard's lungs, bending him double. A second kick struck his collarbone, knocking him back into the press of Vorcha at the edge of the ring.

Thick arms enveloped Shepard's holding him in place. He strained and struggled against the firm grip, but could not break free. Around him, the savage humanoids called out to Gruk, urging him to land the killing blow. Shepard tensed as the Vorcha Alpha stepped over, knife in hand.

"No!"

All shouting stopped at Gruk's howl. Around the Commander, many of the Vorcha looked to their leader in confusion.

"No cheating!" Gruk snarled. "Gruk wins by Gruk's strength. Don't need help!"

The Vorcha seemed truly enraged that anyone else had tried to interfere in his fight. His chest puffed out, intimidating his subordinates into backing down. After a moment's hesitation, the pack released the Commander. Shepard struggled back to his feet, facing the now grinning Vorcha.

"You belong to Gruk, little man." The alien chuckled. It tossed its knife from hand to hand. Shepard noted that the arm he had injured was showing little evidence of the wound he had inflicted upon it. The alien's regeneration had kicked in, healing it swiftly.

The Commander changed tack, going on the offensive. He darted forward, his knife skittering across the torso of the alien to little effect. He jumped back as Gruk slashed his knife across the Commander's belly, the tip of the blade screeching across the surface of his armour. Shepard leaned back in, his clenched fist striking the Vorcha across the jaw. As Gruk staggered back, clutching his head to make the room cease spinning, Shepard darted forwards, his knife jabbing at the alien again. Gruk cried out as he stumbled away from the biting blade, blood pouring from several puncture wounds. As he staggered back, Shepard's foot scythed out, catching the creature's ankles. Gruk dropped to the floor with a crash, and in an instant Shepard was pinning him to the floor, knife held to the Vorcha's throat. Around them, the Vorcha pack whooped like a gang of monkeys, clamouring for a kill.

The duelling pair stared into one another's faces for a long moment, each one exhausted by the fight. Gruk's expression eventually changed from one of expectance to confusion.

"You not kill me now?"

"Why?"

"You win. I die."

"I'm not going to kill you."

The Vorcha was silent for a moment. Its eyes bugged as its jaws worked soundlessly. It suddenly roared angrily.

"Nyaaagh!" It howled, body bucking under the Commander's. "You kill me now! Kill! Kill! Kiiiill!"

"What the hell is your problem?" Shepard asked, struggling to keep the alien pinned. "Do you want to die?"

"Gruk lost. Gruk not Alpha any more. Gruk better off dead. Leaving Gruk beaten worse than killing Gruk."

"I didn't come down here to kill anyone." Shepard protested, his grip on the alien slipping. "I just want answers."

The Vorcha went still. It pondered Shepard's words for a moment.

"Gruk has answers. Gruk help Human, Human help Gruk?"

"Sure." Shepard shifted, easing his grip on the Vorcha. The pair sat up, rubbing at painful bruises or, in Gruk's case, licking open wounds.

"Tell me about what happened here on the night of the fire."

"Bleeder Clan close by, look through streets for food. Gruk see two soft-skins go into building. One short with blue skin, other tall with brown. Gruk hear shots, smell blood in night. Follow soft-skins into building. See tall soft-skin kill scientist with needle, blue soft-skin go into basement, set machine. Then, boom!" Spittle flew everywhere as the Vorcha shouted. "Fire! Burning! Running! Next day, more blue soft-skins arrive, look around. They go, and Bleeder Clan make this their home."

"I see." Shepard thought for a moment as the Vorcha watched him pensively. "Did you see where the blue one left the machine?"

"Gruk find machine, take it for himself!" The Vorcha said proudly. He pulled a tattered looking device from one of his pockets. It was scorched, melted, broken in places, but Shepard recognised it as the remains of an incendiary device. "Gruk try to make it work, bring more buildings down on soft-skins, make more territory for Bleeder Clan!"

"Gruk, I need that device." Shepard said.

"No! It Gruk's!" The Vorcha clenched the device tightly.

"It only works once." Shepard explained patiently. "But I could use it for something else, something much better."

Gruk glanced at the device, then reluctantly gave it to the Commander.

"Only because Human beat Gruk in blood circle."

"Good. Thanks, Gruk."

The pair got unsteadily to their feet. As Shepard stowed the device on his belt, looking around until he found his shotgun and pistol in the clutches of a pair of Vorcha and roughly taking them back. He then turned to leave, only to see Gruk blocking his path.

"Wait, Human!" The Vorcha growled. "You still have to help Gruk!"

"What do you need?" Shepard asked warily.

"You still need to kill Gruk!"

Shepard hesitated, looking at the waiting Vorcha uneasily.

"I'm not going to kill you, Gruk." He said.

"Human made deal! Gruk life not worth anything. Human need to kill Gruk so he dies with honour!" The Vorcha said angrily.

"Find another way to reclaim your honour." Shepard grunted, pushing past the alien.

As Shepard stalked towards the door, the Vorcha parting before him like water before the prow of a ship, Gruk stared at the Human with rage in his eyes. His chest heaved as his ire rose. With a scream that tore up from his prehistoric ancestors through his throat, the alien hurled himself at the Commander's back, drawing his wicked knife to plunge it deep into the Human before him.

Bang.

Bang.

Two shots rang out in the dim basement, and Gruk fell to the floor, clutching at his knees. Shepard lowered the pistol, replacing it at his hip, and resumed his progress towards the exit. He paused by the door, glancing back at the writhing, but still living alien, then left.

By the time any of the Vorcha, still trying to come to terms with the speed at which the Human had drawn his gun, spun around and aimed carefully enough to administer two non-lethal shots, actually thought to pursue him, Shepard was long gone, well on his way to the arranged rendezvous with his ship-mates.

**~o~0~o~**

"Never a dull moment on one of your missions, huh, Commander?" Jacob smirked from his seat against the opposite wall of the private room in the back of Eternity.

The squad had regrouped at the Asari-owned bar, now much quieter as the clientele began their slow, drunken exodus. Aethyta had smiled as Feron arrived first, still dusting flecks of ash off his clothes. Jacob had showed up pretty soon afterwards, the Turian police officer, Kornik, in tow. The Commander had then arrived, battered and bruised, with his armour spattered with Vorcha blood. Kasumi had been the last to arrive, with absolutely nothing out of place about her appearance. The Asari matriarch was unsure which of these arrivals was the most disconcerting. Now, the squad, joined by Aethyta and Kornik, were busily discussing the next step.

Shepard worked his shoulder uneasily, rewarded with a twinge of pain from the joint. He winced as the red-hot knife of irritation traversed his back. It hadn't been right since his fight with Gruk.

"We've lived through worse." He assured, dismissing the young soldier's words.

"I find it hard to grasp the fact that this is all in a day's work for you guys." Kornik breathed. "And to think, I got to work with one of Commander Shepard's team on one of my investigations!"

"Seems like you've all been through a lot tonight." Aethyta remarked. "You sure you want to move against Asclepius now? You really should rest up first."

"No." Shepard said firmly. "We need to act fast. We have proof that this is a Cerberus operation now, thanks to the information Kasumi and Feron managed to dig up. If they get word that the Normandy is here, they'll know I'm after them, and will go to town. As of now, my arrival won't be widely known, so we've still got the element of surprise."

"And moving on the institute tonight, we'll encounter less staff than during the day." Jacob explained. "Less chance of confronting an innocent."

"We know what and who we are looking for." Shepard said. "As far as I can tell, this 'Janet' is the main contact between the Institute and the Illusive Man, and Doctor Michaels could be the lead scientist. If we find their offices, that should point us in the right direction to find Section Sixteen. Once we find that, we'll have all the research in our hands, and can put a stop to whatever is going on in there."

"So what's the plan, Shep?"

"I've got the ID chip that belonged to Doctor Strauss." The Commander explained. "That should get us into the facility easily enough. Then we can start our search."

"As long as the chip is still recognised." Feron cautioned.

"If there's one thing Cerberus isn't worried about, it's the dead trying to break into their facilities." Jacob said confidently. "If they're carrying out the sort of work our investigation suggested, removing defunct ID chips from their databases won't be high on their list of priorities."

"And you're sure of this?" Kasumi asked.

"I used to be a part of this kind of thing." He answered. "This is why you took me along, so I could draw on my past experience. Trust me."

"What's our exit strategy?" Feron asked.

"This is where Kornik comes in." Shepard turned to their new Turian friend. "I need you to stand by, ready to bring in the cavalry if we call for help. Don't tell anyone what you know, as we're not sure who can be trusted in the police, but be ready to help."

"You've got it, Shepard." The Turian said quickly. After that, he stood up and left, the door hissing shut behind him.

"Good." Shepard rubbed his hands together. "We'd best get moving. Gear up."

As Kasumi, Feron and Jacob prepared themselves, Shepard stepped over to Aethyta.

"Thanks for your help tonight."

"No problem, babe. Next time, try to make it a social call, alright?"

Shepard smiled as the unorthodox matriarch slipped through the doors, returning to her bar. In a couple of minutes, the squad walked out of Eternity, heading for the Asclepius Institute.

**~o~0~o~**

The squad crouched out of sight in an alley opposite the Asclepius Institute, watching the building carefully. No lights could be seen within the building, an almost eerie silence having fallen over the facility. This surprised the Commander. Even at this time of night, there should have been some guards patrolling the rooms, some tiny sign of life within.

Next to Shepard, Kasumi watched her omnitool hawkishly. She had tied it into the nearby street cams, using them to scan the surrounding areas.

"Looks good, Shep." She muttered. "Nobody around for a good half mile. I checked the cams in the parking lot under the facility, and it looks like there's no one home."

"What's with that?" Shepard asked. "There should be a few guards, at least."

"Maybe they're using mechs for security." Jacob reasoned.

"Alright. We're going in, guards or not." Shepard concluded. "Come on."

The squad scurried across the street towards the front door of the facility, Shepard leading the way. They hurried up to the doors, the Commander waving his omnitool over the holographic interface. After a moment's hesitation, and a twinge of worry that the borrowed ID may not work after all, the doors whooshed open, allowing the Commander and his companions to file into the building.

"Welcome back, Doctor Strauss." The facility's VI, an echoing voice that emanated from speakers all around, greeted. "Would you like me to log your visitors?"

"That won't be necessary." Shepard said quickly. Suddenly an idea appeared in his head. "But they're unfamiliar with the layout of the building. Could you give them directions to Janet's office and Doctor Michaels' lab?"

"Command acknowledged. Deputy director Janet Dawes' office is located on floor seven. Doctor Michaels operates within lab fourteen, on floor two."

"Let's start with Janet's office." Jacob suggested. "See what exactly she's been ordered to do."

"Good idea." Shepard agreed. "We might find out something about this 'Section Sixteen', while we're at it."

This decided, the squad moved off into the facility, cautiously advancing through the dark corridors. Shepard had his pistol out, covering every angle of approach they came across as the moved forwards. Jacob covered the rear, one hand glowing pale blue with biotic energy, the other clutching a sub-machine gun. Feron and Kasumi stayed in the middle of the pack, omnitools out as they scanned for thermal signatures, dark energy ripples, electro-magnetic distortions, any sign of a potential enemy patrol, a squad of mechs, anything that could threaten the party.

As they moved past a few open doors, Shepard glanced through, catching sight of labs filled with sterile equipment. In the darkness, the machinery took on a more sinister appearance, casting long, claw-like shadows.

"I hate doing science labs at night." Kasumi shivered. "Especially empty ones."

"They're not always that bad." Shepard reasoned.

"Oh yeah? What about that facility on Pragia? That place was creee-py!"

"And then there was the Vorcha cloning lab on Tserete, the Gontale incident, Project Overlord…" Jacob listed off on his fingers.

"Not to mention all the ghost stories Garrus and Tali shared with the crew." Kasumi continued. "Peak Fifteen, those Thorian Creeper facilities-"

"I'm noticing a pattern with this crew." Feron said glumly. "Have you ever stepped into a lab and not had something try to kill you?"

"There's always got to be a first time." Shepard smirked. Behind him, the Drell sighed with resignation.

After a few more minutes, the squad found an elevator. It chimed in response to Doctor Strauss' ID, allowing the squad to ascend to the top floor. They spilled out onto the upper floor, finding a row of office doors opposite the elevator. One of the doors was marked as belonging to Deputy Director Janet Dawes, the name followed by a list of letters that boasted about her extensive education and vast array of qualifications. Shepard stepped up to the door, waving his omnitool over the door's interface. A moment later, the holographic face of a young woman.

"I am sorry, Doctor Strauss." The VI informed him apologetically. "Deputy Director Dawes is currently unavailable. I shall inform her of your desire to speak with her and arrange an appointment."

"Kasumi?" Shepard asked over his shoulder. "Anything you can do to change her mind?"

"I'm sure I can come up with a persuasive argument." Kasumi chuckled as she knelt next to the door and used her omnitool to interface with the VI.

Moments later, the holographic face rippled, her demeanour changing suddenly.

"Welcome, Doctor Strauss." She said. "Deputy Director Dawes will see you now."

The door clicked open, allowing the squad to walk inside.

The office beyond was large and comfortably furnished. A wide window looked out on the glittering Nos Astra skyline, red and pink lights twinkling in the distance as skycars zoomed around the towering skyscrapers. The office itself contained a number of pedestals, supporting a variety of pieces of artwork, from a glass sculpture crafted in waves of red and gold to a vase containing a number of delicate looking flowers. As the Commander moved towards the desk in front of the window, he became aware of an absence at his back. He looked over his shoulder to see Kasumi dart up to one of the pedestals, staring at the trinket on top of it with a mixture of desire and admiration. Jacob stepped up next to her, placing a cautioning hand on her shoulder. She looked back at him, her lower lip protruding in a pleading pout as her fingers danced across the small statuette before her. Smiling, Shepard turned back to Janet Dawes' desk.

He stepped aside as Feron slid behind the console set into the desk, pulling up the holographic interface with a wave of his hand. Shepard stood next to him, watching the screen as the Drell worked.

"Thanks to the time I have spent in EDI's company, I am familiar with certain Cerberus encryption protocols." The Drell explained. "In a facility that has been established as long this one, the security is likely the same as it was before her… defection from the Illusive Man's service. Older projects tend to relax their security after a while. If they haven't been caught after all of this time, why should they worry now?

"So it shouldn't be too difficult for me to- ah! It is done. I have access to the system now."

"Bring up any communication logs you can find. Look for a frequency that has been used regularly." Shepard instructed.

"Easy enough. First, we filter out the communications frequencies for all staff at the Institute, including the deceased security guard and the Director. We also ignore any communiqués sent to the Drell embassy, and begin filtering out the messages between the Institute and Illium's bureaucracy. Take away the one-off messages, and that leaves us with… three frequencies. One goes to the Citadel, namely the Sirta Foundation offices."

"That'll be where they get their basic medical supplies from." Shepard deducted. "Not much help there. What about the other two?"

"They both go to Human colonies. Feros and… Eden Prime."

"Let's see what the Feros one has to say."

"Alright… Hmm." The Drell sat back. "Looks like they've been subcontracted by Baria Frontiers to conduct tests on the colonists there. Something to do with cross-species contamination and... psychic anomalies?"

"That will be because of the Thorian." Shepard concluded. When Feron turned a questioning glance to him, he shrugged. "They were experiencing unexpected medical side effects from their contact with it. I helped negotiate a contract to carry out tests to find out what was going on. This was probably why Baria Frontiers was able to work out such a good deal for them."

"Okay, so probably not the Feros comm channel, then. Let's take a look at the Eden Prime logs."

Feron typed away on the console for a moment, then glared at the display with curiosity.

"Right. The Eden Prime frequency is just a relay. The messages bounce from there to another relay on the Citadel, one out in the traverse, and finally one in the Terminus systems. After that, I can't track the signal any further. Whoever is on the far end of this frequency, they've invested a lot into making this pretty much untraceable. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a dozen more relays beyond what I can trace."

"Sounds like we have a winner." Shepard leaned forward. "What can we salvage from the logs?"

"Just a sec… Right." Feron allowed Shepard to read a list of files that appeared on the screen. "Looks like Janet had regular contact with someone on this frequency once a month, until recently. The last message was four months ago. After that, nothing, although the entity on the other end tried to call at least twice."

"So Janet just decided to start ignoring the Illusive Man?" Jacob asked, wandering over with Kasumi in tow. "Sounds like a rogue project."

"That's what I'm thinking. But what made Janet decide to break out on her own?" Shepard asked, turning back to Feron. "Pull up the final two messages."

The Drell punched out a couple of commands, and the screen went black. An audio file began playing, with two voices that, by now, had become very familiar.

"Ms Dawes." The Illusive Man's confident voice had its usual calm manner, dripping with arrogance. "I trust the experiments are proceeding as planned?"

"Yes, sir." For once, Janet's tone was respectful, subservient. "The new test subject you sent to us, combined with the samples we have acquired from the ambassador, has advanced our work considerably. Using the Drell tissue, we've been able to advance our own understanding of Human regeneration. We're already seeing some results."

"Excellent. How long until we have a viable treatment?"

"Doctor Michaels estimates that we'll have something to show you within two months."

"You've done well, Ms Dawes. Continue the experiments. I shall speak to you in another month."

"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir."

Feron tapped a couple of buttons as the recording came to an end, pulling up the next log. Again, the black screen popped up. The Illusive Man must have limited his calls to voice-only transmissions, keeping his face hidden from his own underlings to preserve his anonymity. Shepard thought back to the number of times that he had seen the Cerberus founder's face. Why had the mysterious tycoon allowed the Commander to know what he looked like, when even the heads of his projects were kept in the dark? His thoughts were drawn back to the terminal as the recording began to play.

"Ms Dawes. I have just finished reading Doctor Michaels' report. Is this information accurate?"

"Yes, Sir. We've had quite the breakthrough." Janet's voice carried a hint of pride. "Every day brings us new discoveries. These treatments should enable us to treat any known Human lung disorder, from asthma to bacterial infection to the removal of cancerous cells. And the theory can be expanded to apply to many other kinds of cells."

"Quite the achievement." The Illusive man congratulated. "It seems that our investment in so many test subjects and in acquiring the services of Doctor Michaels has paid off."

"I agree. We couldn't have done it without them." Janet paused. "However… there is a small problem."

"Oh?"

"Director Stewart is beginning to get restless. He's growing curious about Section Sixteen, and he's becoming impatient with our reluctance to publish any of our findings. I fear he may be planning something rash."

"If he is truly becoming a hindrance to the Asclepius Project, then you must ensure he is removed." A pause, during which Shepard imagined the Cerberus tycoon puffing on his ever-present cigarette. "You know who to contact to resolve this."

"Right away, Sir."

"Anything else to report?"

"There was one thing, Sir. Both Doctor Michaels and myself wish to continue our work here. We believe we have uncovered an avenue of research into curing Kepral's Syndrome."

"The Drell affliction?"

"Yes. Michaels believes we can-"

"No."

There was a long pause, long enough for Shepard to think that maybe the recording had ended. He was about to order Feron to play the final log when Janet's voice spoke up once more.

"You're going to have to explain that to me, Sir."

"The Asclepius Project has achieved its goals: treatment of lung disease in Humans. Now, we can move on to other projects. I am reassigning you to the Ascension Project. Both you and Doctor Michaels will be working under Professor Roinestad in the development of new, more powerful biotic amps for the Alliance."

"But Sir!"

"That is an order, Janet."

"But think of the potential a cure for the Drell offers, Sir." Janet was almost pleading now. Shepard wondered whether it was out of a desire to continue her work, or just a desire to remain in charge of her own operation, her own Cerberus cell. "The Drell have already shown their honour-bound nature in swearing fealty to the Hanar. If we can offer them a cure, the Drell will owe Humanity a debt of gratitude. They would become a client race of ours, much like the Volus are to the Turians.

"Just imagine! Through the Vol Protectorate, the Hierarchy exerts their influence on the Galactic Market. Once we have the loyalty of the Drell, our political standing will advance. The Hanar will thank us for easing the burden the Drell place upon Kahje. The Council races, especially the peace-loving Asari, will look upon us favourably for assisting a race weaker than ourselves. Just imagine the status of Humans with Drell in their entourage as part of the new Drell-Human Compact!"

"That was not the purpose of the Project, Deputy Director." The Illusive Man said firmly. "You will cease all experiments and prepare for transfer to your next assignment. End transmission."

Feron sat back with a sigh as the Commander regarded the blank screen. Jacob whistled quietly.

"Damn." He muttered. "Its safe to say the facility went rogue, I guess. That woman's got big plans, I'll give you that. But enslaving the Drell through kindness?"

"Best way to get someone to work for you: convince them it was their idea." Kasumi reasoned. "Let them think they chose it, they'll walk blindly into it."

"Would that really work?" Jacob asked Feron.

"It did once before." The Drell replied. "It wasn't greed that motivated the Hanar, but the end result was the same. Many non-Drell view the Compact as an unofficial form of species-wide slavery. With something as life-changing as a cure for the disease that overcomes every one of us, I can say with little doubt that we would swear ourselves into Humanity's service."

"But the Compact isn't a form of slavery." Shepard objected. "You're still free to choose how you live your lives, what you do with your futures."

"True, but it would only take the wrong mind forming the terms of the new Compact to cause the agreement to become something much more sinister." Feron cautioned. "A cure made purely to leave the Drell indebted to Humanity would most definitely become a chain around our souls."

"Then we need to find this research, get it to a Council facility." Shepard concluded. "Or to the Hanar. Either way, its in safer hands."

"First we need to find this Section Sixteen." Kasumi said. "Any mention of it on there?"

"One moment…" Feron tapped at the console for a second, before letting out a cry as it sparked, the holographic display going crazy, flickering madly.

"Security breach detected." The Institute's VI said flatly. "Memory purge in progress."

"Kalahira take them all!" The Drell spat, trying to work with the crazily dancing interface. He pulled out his omnitool, working madly on the tiny controls. Moments later, the terminal went blank. Feron growled in irritation, slamming a fist into the desk.

"What happened?" Shepard demanded.

"The terminal was rigged to prevent anyone from learning about Section Sixteen." Feron muttered. "As soon as I started looking, it wiped its own memory."

"Did you get anything at all? A clue to where it is, maybe?"

"Nothing like that." The Drell said glumly. "I did manage to salvage Janet's ID code. If we find Section Sixteen, it should get us in, no problem."

"Better than nothing." Shepard grunted. He straightened up. "Alright. We don't know what kind of alarms that little booby trap set up, so we need to get moving before anyone comes to investigate. Let's get to Doctor Michaels' lab."

The squad stepped into line behind him, quickly leaving the pillaged office behind them.

**~o~0~o~**

"What I don't get," Kasumi said as they ran along. "Is how they've managed to keep working like this for so long. You'd think the Illusive Man would have regained control of this facility, forcibly removing the rogue agents. We all know how he loves to micro-manage everything."

"We did run off with a vast portion of Cerberus' resources when we stole the Normandy." Jacob reasoned. "Could be Cerberus is feeling the pinch. Besides which, the Illusive Man already got what he was after with this project. Losing a couple of employees would be a small trade-off if the treatments they developed were really viable."

"Plus there's the idea of plausible deniability." Feron reasoned. "He let's Janet and Doctor Michaels carry on their experiments. They succeed, he can reap the rewards in due time. They fail, he denies any involvement. Either way, he comes off none the worse, and could potentially profit from the work."

The squad's conjecture trailed to a halt as they arrived in front of the doors to Doctor Michaels' lab. Shepard opened the door with Doctor Strauss' ID and walked in.

Inside, the lab looked much like any other medical facility. Beds lay in neat rows against the walls on either side, while workbenches took up the space in the centre of the room. Against the back wall, glass cabinets full of beakers and test tubes of glittering liquids stood in a line, extending from floor to ceiling.

In the middle of the room, working at one of the benches, a middle-aged man of above average height was engrossed in his work. His mildly thinning hair still retained its original striking orange hue, the grey streaks running through it giving it a metallic lustre. His face was still filled with youthful energy, but small wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and lips betraying his age. As the squad walked in, sharp green eyes darted towards them, the gleam of intellect hiding behind the black pupils.

Reacting instantly, Shepard had his pistol pointed straight at the scientist, his squad following his lead. The ageing man flinched at the hostility in their stance, but didn't back down.

"Doctor Michaels?" The Commander asked.

"Who's asking?" The scientist retorted.

"Commander Shepard, SSV Normandy."

Michaels blanched at the name, clearly recognising the legend.

"And what brings you here?" He tried to feign innocence.

"Stow it." Shepard almost barked. "We know all about the experiments that are going on here. Experimentation on live test subjects, assassination, the works."

"Really? I assure you, I had no idea such things were taking place-"

"We also have proof you were at the centre of it all, along with Janet Dawes."

"I see." The scientist's tone took on a dead quality. "So what do you intend to do? Are you here to kill me, along with any of my accomplices?"

"No. That's not how I work. First, you're going to tell us how to find section Sixteen. We're shutting this place down, permanently. Then, we'll take you in to stand trial."

"I can't allow that to happen, Commander Shepard. My work here is too valuable to be simply cast aside."

"You need to pay attention, Doctor." Shepard said threateningly. "There are four of us, and one of you. We're all got guns, and you're unarmed. There's only one way a fight like this could go."

"On the contrary. It is you who should pay attention to your surroundings, Shepard. You're trying to threaten a scientist while he stands in the middle of his own lab!"

As he said this last word, the Doctor dropped down behind the benches, lifting a pair of test tubes off the table before him and hurling them at the Commander's feet. The test tubes cracked on impact, their contents spilling onto the floor and mixing together. The instant the two chemicals came into contact, a noxious fog sprang into the air, choking the Commander. As the fumes billowed up around Shepard, fire suppression systems in the ceiling activated. On coming into contact with the water, the fumes became even more virulent, the billowing yellow-green cloud spreading across half of the room in a matter of seconds.

Shepard clawed at his belt for his breather, his eyes streaming as the chemicals assaulted them. His ears, nose and throat burned, while his exposed skin itched. Once he slipped his breather over his face, the relief was instantaneous. He looked about, blinking away the sea of tears that filled his vision. Through the fog, he could see Jacob, Kasumi and Feron donning their own breathers. The squad looked about cautiously, weapons at the ready.

Jacob let out a little yelp. As the squad turned to the young soldier, he raised a hand to his neck. He tugged at something, holding it up for closer examination. Shepard saw a tiny needle between his fingers, the tip dripping with some substance. A second later, Jacob's arms began to twitch, and his legs went out from under him. Kasumi rushed over as he hit the floor with a thump.

"Jacob?" Her voice trembled. "Jacob!" Her omnitool lit up, passing over the shivering form of the former Corsair. "He's been hit with an antitoxin. Pretty strong one, from the looks of it. Administering Medi-Gel, but it'll take time to flush whatever it is out of his system."

"Stay with him." Shepard instructed. "Feron and I will go after Michaels."

This decided, the duo vanished into the fog. They remained close to one another, each only just able to see the other through the thick chemical fog.

Shepard scanned his surroundings. He tried to get a thermal reading on his omnitool, but the dense clouds screwed with the reading, rendering the scans unusable. He aimed his pistol ahead of him, spinning to face any ghostly shadows moving about in the murk.

"Over there!" Feron spoke out in a harsh whisper.

Shepard spun to face the way the Drell indicated, spotting a shimmer of movement. He lunged forward, grunting as the corner of a workbench caught him in the gut. He muscled his way past the obstruction, reaching the area Feron had indicated, only to find nothing there.

**~o~0~o~**

Back close to the door, Kasumi tended to Jacob, laying him on his side in the recovery position. Her omnitool monitored his vitals, administering Medi-Gel when needed.

A sudden presence at her back made her flinch, but she barely had a chance to blink before a hand closed around her throat, holding her tightly.

"Lights out, my dear." A voice whispered by her ear. She felt a tiny piercing pain in the soft tissue of her throat, and darkness overcame her. In instants, the sedative had cast her deep into the realm of unconsciousness.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard had reached the back wall, his pistol covering every corner and hidey-hole he came across, by the time the quiet thump caught his attention. His stomach dropped as he noted the noise had come from back the way he and Feron had come.

"Kasumi?" He called, both out loud and over the radio.

Silence answered him.

"Damn it!" He cursed. He turned to Feron. "Back to the door!"

They rushed over, catching a swirl in the fog as a lone shape darted out of the lab, the door hissing shut behind him. Shepard caught sight of an unconscious Kasumi sprawled out next to Jacob. He kneeled down to check on her, noting with not inconsiderable relief that her breathing was steady and she appeared in no immediate danger of expiring. He looked over to Feron, working on the door controls. The Drell muttered and cursed as he tried to hack the door, eventually overcoming the Cerberus scientist's hastily put together locking command. The door hissed open, and the fog began seeping out.

"Help me get them out of here." Shepard commanded, grabbing a hold of Jacob's shoulders and tugging. He hauled the slumbering soldier out of the lab, quickly followed by Feron carrying the slight thief. They carefully placed the pair on the floor outside the door, sealing the lab to contain the noxious fumes. This done, Shepard keyed a command into his omnitool, opening a comm channel.

"Commander, is that you?" Kornik's voice echoed over the frequency uncertainly.

"Its me, Kornik. I've encountered one of the Cerberus scientists working here, and need some backup."

"What do you need, Commander?"

"We need all the exits from this building secured." Shepard instructed. "We can't let any of these guys get away. Also, we need a medical team here. I have two members of my squad incapacitated, and they need treatment. They're stable for now, but if you can get them out of here and to a safe place, that would be appreciated."

"Understood, Shepard. I can have a couple of units there in five minutes."

"Good. Jacob and Kasumi are on the second floor, close to the elevator."

"Consider it done. What about you, Commander?"

"I'm going after the son of a bitch who did this." Shepard said resolutely, closing the channel.

This done, the Commander looked down the corridor, wondering how he was going to find the fleeing Michaels.

"There's only the elevator back this way." Feron reasoned, waving a hand back the way the squad had travelled to get to the lab and the still open doors of the elevator. He turned to look in the opposite direction. "Maybe there's a staircase that way he could use."

"Let's keep moving."

The duo hurried off down the corridor, making their way towards the back of the building. After turning a few corners, they eventually came across a staircase heading down the back of the facility, an emergency exit for when a fire might disable the elevators. Shepard shoved the door open just in time to hear some ragged breathing and the slam of a door echoing upwards from down below. Signalling to Feron, he began swiftly descending the steps.

The staircase went down further than ground level, reaching down to floors deep below the surface. Shepard reckoned there had to be about seven floors under the building, and wondered just how many of them existed in official records.

As they reached about halfway down, Feron's hand darted out, grabbing Shepard by the shoulder and bringing him to a halt so suddenly that the Human almost tumbled on down the stairs. He looked back at the Drell, only to be directed to look more closely at the step he was about to place his foot on.

A small device had been placed on the step, emitting a beam that ran across the staircase. Seeing the threat, Shepard stepped back as Feron pulled a heat sink out of a pouch on his belt. Making sure the two of them were well back, the alien dropped the heat sink, letting it tumbled across the step.

In the next instant, the staircase ahead of them pulsed with bright blue light, arcs of electricity darting here and there. A piercing shriek bounced off the walls all around, leaping upwards through echo after echo. Once the disturbance had subsided, Feron leaned forward, kicking the powerless device with a little distaste.

"Overload mine." He explained. "Nasty little piece of tech. Our runaway scientist is quite resourceful when the occasion calls for it."

"I'm amazed he's managed to get so far ahead." Shepard commented. "He looked quite old."

"He's got access to any number of medical treatments that could enhance his stamina." The Drell reasoned. "I mean, since Cerberus rebuilt you, haven't you felt better, faster, stronger?"

"A little." The Commander admitted. "I guess you have a point. Let's get after him."

"But watch your step this time." Feron cautioned. "A device like that could do a real number on your armour, not to mention the shock you'll get inside."

"I'll keep that in mind."

The duo continued their advance down the stairs, gingerly disarming at least a half dozen more traps laid by the Cerberus scientist. Even with these delays, they made good progress, and finally reached the bottom of the staircase.

In this deepest part of the facility, they were confronted with a small door. Feron quickly disabled the lock, allowing the door to click open a slice. As he made to push it open, Shepard raised a cautioning hand, tilting his head to listen.

Through the door, they could hear Doctor Michaels cursing. A loud beeping could be heard in the background. Shrugging, Shepard pushed the door open to reveal the scientist standing before a much larger, more secure door. He stood at a terminal to the side, muttering grumpily as he entered a series of commands. When the terminal turned an imposing red, he slammed his fist into the console angrily.

"I am sorry." A VI's voice informed him emotionlessly. "A level five lockdown is in place. You are not authorised to enter."

As the scientist worked hurriedly to get past this obstruction, Shepard walked up behind him, lifting his pistol. With barely a twitch, he pulled the trigger, shooting the scientist in the back of the knee. Michaels dropped to the floor, screeching in agony as he clutched at his useless leg. He turned on the floor to see the Commander and the Drell, weapons at the ready. Fear in his eyes, he scuttled back against the locked door.

"Consider that a warning shot." Shepard said gruffly. "Piss me off this time, and then I get serious about it. Now, is this Section Sixteen?"

"Go to hell!" Michaels spat. "Do you have any idea what the Illusive Man would do if I betrayed the project?"

"I think you should be more worried about what the Commander will do to you, Human." Feron warned.

"You don't even work for the Illusive Man." Shepard said, stalking from side to side with a threatening swagger. "Not any more."

"What are you talking about? Of course I do!" Michaels objected. "My loyalty to Cerberus has never wavered an inch."

"Oh, so Janet didn't tell you?" Shepard raised an eyebrow.

"Tell me what?" Michaels asked wearily, although a look of suspicion, fear and hostility remained in his gaze.

"This project ceased to be a Cerberus op several months ago." Feron explained, enjoying telling the Cerberus scientist maybe a little too much. "You've been rogue for the best part of the last four months."

"You're lying." Michaels objected obstinately.

"Feron, play him the logs you found." Shepard ordered.

"_The Asclepius Project has achieved its goals: treatment of lung disease in Humans. Now, we can move on to other projects. I am reassigning you to the Ascension Project. Both you and Doctor Michaels will be working under Professor Roinestad in the development of new, more powerful biotic amps for the Alliance."_ The Illusive Man's voice echoed hollowly in the room.

As the recording played, Michaels' eyes widened for a moment before his head sank. Shepard crouched in front of him, staring into the scientist's face.

"That message was sent over two months ago, Doctor. You've been carrying out these experiments against the express orders of your superior. Janet has lied to you." He leaned back on his heels. "I'm going to stop her, right here and now, but I need to get into Section Sixteen."

"I couldn't get you in, even if I wanted to!" The scientist protested. "The Project has gone into lockdown."

"How do we override that?"

"The order was issued from Janet's terminal. You'd need her access codes to get past."

"Not a problem." Shepard said confidently.

"Are you going to kill me now?" Michaels asked warily.

Shepard was silent for a moment. The Doctor had done many heinous things in the pursuit of new medical breakthroughs. Some would argue that he deserved to die for his work in the Asclepius Institute. But, in the end, he had been a tool of Janet Dawes and, before that, of Cerberus.

"No. But you'll still stand trial for what you've done here." He said firmly. "The authorities will be along shortly. They'll take you in. Cerberus can decide whether you're worth bailing out."

Michaels sagged glumly, resigned to his fate. Shepard tossed him a dose of Medi-Gel to stop his bleeding, and then strode past him to get to the door controls. He waved his omnitool over the controls, selecting Janet's codes from the files stored on it. The doors rattled in response, slowly sliding apart.

The heavy doors ground apart to reveal a short corridor beyond, lined with four additional doors. Other than that, the only feature in this corridor was the squad of mechs standing guard. As the door opened to reveal an unknown entity, the mechs instantly opened fire.

Shepard's tongue caught in his throat as he dove for cover behind the frame of the main door. Swapping his pistol for his rifle. Feron took up a position on the opposite side of the doorway, his omnitool glowing brightly.

The Commander chanced a glance in at these mechs. They were somewhat different from the standard LOKI mech, possessing a much larger, lanky frame. Each arm was actually a long rifle barrel, uncannily steady, giving the machine's incredible accuracy. Their light frame offered them little in the way of armour, which Shepard surmised would make them weaker in close-quarters combat.

Having analysed their enemies, Shepard glanced across to Feron. He used his hands to give a couple of signals, to which the Drell simply nodded.

The Commander focused for a second, going through the mental routine that allowed him to access his adrenal implants. He flipped the mental switch, and the world around him slowed. His reflexes going well beyond the capabilities of a normal Human, the Commander was able to dart out into incoming fire with little risk of taking much damage.

In this heightened state, Shepard raced towards his synthetic foes. He opened fire the instant he could see his enemies, charging the ten or so mechs. He shuddered as a couple of bullets pinged off his armour, but did not slow. By the time he had covered the distance between the door and the mechs, he had managed to land several extremely precise shots to the mechs' legs, arms and heads, dismembering two and severely handicapping a third and fourth. He finished one of the machines with a stomp of his booted foot to its metal head, and fired again with his rifle to tear a hole in the torso of one which was missing an arm and a leg, killing it. As he snapped back to real-time, he planted the butt of his rifle in a fifth mech, ejecting the heat sink at the same time.

A flurry of impacts caused his shields to coruscate, and some of the incoming bullets tore through the barrier and hit his armour, two of which found weak spots at the seams of his suit, eliciting a grunt of pain from the hardy soldier. He turned to face the remaining half of the squad, only to see a blue-white blast of electricity strike one and arc across to a second, reducing them to piles of jolting metal. Back at the door, Feron charged up another Overload burst, his SMG chattering off a string of bullets in the meantime.

The remaining three mechs closed in on Shepard, hindering his movement as he tried to reload his rifle. Another series of impacts got through his defences, causing his armour to notify him that he was taking grave damage. Pushing through the pain, he loaded a Concussive Shot into the rifle, aiming at the feet of the mechs.

The ensuing blast of compressed air threw him back several metres, causing him to land painfully on the metal floor, but it also hurled the mechs away, buying the Commander some time. Another one of the robots exploded in a blue flash under Feron's attack, with the second-to-last fell apart under the Drell's furious rate of fire. The last one struggled to its feet long enough to lumber over to the Commander. It lifted its weapons to fire, only for Shepard to pull the trigger on his own weapon, the string of white-hot bullets ripping its head apart.

In the sudden silence that followed, Shepard struggled into a sitting position. Feron raced over, Medi-Gel at the ready. Shepard groaned as the pain of his injuries eased, no matter how temporarily. He entered a command on his omnitool, and the armour set about recharging its kinetic barriers. This done, the Commander managed to struggle to his feet, growing steadier by the second.

Nodding to one another, the duo set off down the corridor, glancing through the doors they passed. The first two doors led to storerooms. Even though they were abandoned, Shepard still searched them carefully. He didn't want anyone jumping out behind them.

The third room, however, was a laboratory. Peering in, Shepard could see a cluster of scientists milling about. Beds lined the walls, each holding a being covered by a white sheet. Occasionally a scientist would move over to one of these bundles and perform some procedure or another. Overseeing this, several mechanical guards stood as still as stone. These were normal LOKI mechs, although the guns they clutched were no less dangerous than the ones in the hands of the mechs in the corridor.

As Shepard watched, one of the scientists turned around, and he caught a glimpse of her face, recognising her instantly from all the video logs the squad had turned up. He pulled away from the door to avoid being seen.

"That's Janet Dawes!" He said in a hoarse whisper.

"Are you sure?" Feron asked.

"Positive." Shepard replied firmly.

"We can put an end to this if we deal with her." Feron reasoned.

"She's the one pulling the strings here. I doubt any of the agents under her even know that they're no longer in Cerberus' employ."

"Have you recovered sufficiently?" The Drell asked with concern. "Can you handle a firefight like this?"

"I'll be fine." The Commander waved him off dismissively.

The duo crouched next to the door, Shepard waving his omnitool over the door controls. The system recognised Janet's codes, allowing the door to click open. Carefully, Shepard pushed it open.

Janet Dawes looked up as he walked in, her eyes going wide. She backed away as, all around her, the mechs turned to aim at the intruder.

Shepard didn't waste a single instant, dropping into a roll that took him behind the nearest bed. Feron did the same, moving in the opposite direction. Bullets tore into the beds they used for cover, the mechs attacking them without thought for the occupants of the beds. Judging by the lack of pained cries, Shepard figured those patients were beyond caring now, anyway. Anger rose in his throat at this, causing him to spring up and let loose a string of bullets, tearing one of the gleaming white mechs apart before having to drop back into cover.

As bullets raced through the air, the scientists descended into panic, some of them running about in a flurry. One let loose a scream as she stumbled into a mech's line of fire, falling to the floor in a puddle of blood. The rest of the scientists began making a headlong dash towards the door, which the Commander and the Drell did nothing to prevent. Kornik would scoop them up as they tried to leave the building. As Shepard popped up to bring down a second mech, he saw Dawes retreating to the rear of the lab, uncovering a concealed door and vanishing through it. As his thermal clip ran hot, he dropped back into cover, cursing.

"Feron! She's getting away!"

On the opposite side of the lab, the Drell grunted in irritation. He sent an Overload burst sparking into the nearest mech he could see, causing it to drop to the floor in a twitching heap, and shot another mech to pieces with his SMG.

"I'm a little busy right now, Shepard!" He shouted back.

"I'll deal with these mechs. Use your cloak to get after her!"

Feron hesitated for a moment, opening his mouth to object, but decided to hold his tongue. With a brief command to his omnitool, he vanished, the glimmer of his cloak dancing through the air.

Shepard leapt up, throwing out a devastating barrage to hinder the mechs and draw their attention. Two of the machines fell apart, while the remainder turned to the bigger threat in the room. The Commander had to crouch down once again as yet more of the bed he hid behind disintegrated under the assault.

The mechs pressed their attack, pushing forwards relentlessly. Shepard wracked his brains for a way to deal with them. As he leaned around the end of the bed, he counted eight of the machines remaining. Not that many, but more than his shields would cope with in an all-out attack.

As three of the machines stepped up to the opposite side of the bed, an idea sprang into his head. Bracing himself against the bed, he planted his feet against the wall. With a yell, he heaved with all of his strength.

The bed rolled across the floor like a juggernaut, knocking the mechs to the floor. As the bed wheeled over them, Shepard fired his rifle, spraying the trio with bullets. In moments, nothing remained of the robots but loose wires and scraps of metal. The Commander allowed himself a smile of satisfaction. Only five left.

Rolling out of cover, he winced as his shields took a solid beating, power levels dropping like a stone. As he scurried across the room, seeking refuge behind another bed, he fired wildly at the machines, taking down yet another one with a few shots to the chest.

Shepard took refuge behind another bed, allowing his shields to recharge. The remaining four mechs split into two pairs, attempting to flank the Commander. Seeing their ploy, he allowed them to separate, waiting until they moved apart before leaning just far enough out from his cover to fire on the first pair. Without the aid of the second pair of mechs, who were unable to get a clear shot on Shepard, the first duo fell in seconds, one literally losing its head as Shepard lined up a single devastating shot, the other losing both arms before a couple of shots to the chest hit something vital.

The last two mechs proved to be no trouble at all, gunned down in moments as the Commander activated his Adrenaline Rush and burst out into the open with his rifle blazing.

Shepard paused for a moment, breathing heavily as he surveyed the devastation around him. He popped the heat sink in his rifle, ready to move on, when a loud coughing caught his attention. He moved over to the back of the lab, eventually finding a bed with an occupant that still lived. He hurried over, standing over the Drell held by the bed. Black eyes gazed into his own as the alien gathered up enough ragged breath to speak. Shepard gripped his hand in a calming gesture.

"Hey! Take it easy." He soothed. "What's your name?"

The alien gasped and wheezed for a moment before a croaking whisper escaped his lips.

"T- Telnar. Telnar Voyet."

"The Drell ambassador?" Shepard asked. The alien nodded silently. "Why are you here?"

"I was a fool." The Drell sighed, the sound more of a gurgle. "I made a deal with Cerberus, thought I was helping my people. But in the end, they just kept asking for more and more…" His words descended into rough coughing. Eventually his breathing steadied a little. "They rigged my skycar to crash, faked my death. Now they run experiments on me down here. I'm one of the last surviving test subjects."

"Hey, stay with me, now!" Shepard urged. "We'll get you out of here, I promise."

"You're too late to help me, Human." The alien chuckled, coughing once more. "Just bring that woman to justice, I beg of you."

"I promise." Shepard swore.

The next moment, the Drell's hand tightened around the Commander's as his chest bucked, emerald green blood seeping from the ambassador's mouth as he let loose a thunderous cough, his lungs forcing every cubic centimetre of air out of his body and drawing it back in again, only to cough once more. His body spasmed with each cough, his movements growing more fatigued as he drew in smaller and smaller breaths.

Then, all in an instant, he stopped. His breath wheezed out of his throat in a rush, his eyes rolling back in his head as his chest sagged. The trickle of green blood pouring from his mouth trailed to a halt as he went still. All around, machines let out quiet beeps as they registered the lack of vital signs.

Shepard carefully extracted his hand from the Drell's, reverently closing the ambassador's eyes. This done, he turned back to the door through which Feron and Dawes had passed. Holding his rifle with renewed purpose, he rushed to the aid of his friend.

He raced through the narrow corridor beyond, following it to its termination in a large room filled with computer equipment. His pace faltered as he spotted a large bundle on the floor, the prostrate form of Feron. The Drell twitched, under the affliction of some toxin. His eyes darted about fearfully, his mouth locked in an agonised expression.

The Commander realised it was a trap, and kept his pace controlled, no matter how difficult it was to see his friend in such anguish. He stepped forward, scanning every corner of the room he could. The dim light made it difficult to see, and Shepard's eyes struggled to pierce the darkest corners.

Feron left out a grunt of pain, and involuntary moan as his body jerked, drawing the Commander's attention to his friend. Shepard couldn't ignore the threat to the Drell's life, and so, still alert, knelt down next to Feron, readying a Medi-Gel application.

There was a tiny hiss, barely more than a ripple in the still air of the room, and Shepard felt something small strike his side. He froze for a second, knowing full well what had happened, before dropping to the floor, shivering and twisting.

Chuckling, Janet Dawes stepped out of the darkness behind the computer terminals against the far wall. Her omnitool still shimmered over her hand.

"That's a little thing our dear Doctor Michaels came up with. Do you like it? It induces a sort of… neural feedback, I suppose would be the best way to describe it. Any signal is amplified, to the point where your brain can't process even the feel of clothes against your skin. Air caressing your face is as painful as a gunshot, the feeling of your own blood rushing through your veins feels like being set on fire, and it practically hurts to think. Some people can't cope with it. Their minds just… give out. Perhaps that will happen to you, Commander Shepard."

She stalked over to kneel next to him.

"Yes, I know who you are, Shepard. The man who threatened to bring Cerberus to its knees, just by walking away from us. But we won't go down so easily. And, once my work here is complete, our place in the Galaxy will be assured. Our wealth and influence will be unparalleled."

She stood up straight again, walking away from Shepard's twitching form.

"I'm sure you know that I am currently working against the Illusive Man's wishes, but once my work yields its rich rewards, he will welcome me back with open arms. Perhaps he shall even see me as an equal, one to consult on how to direct Cerberus, and through it, Humanity. And then we'll-"

She froze as she felt a sharp pain in her back. Her fingers drifted to the small of her back, curling around the needle lodged there. She pulled it out and glanced at it, horror filling her features. She turned to look at the Commander, now sitting up straight, and tumbled to the ground, going into convulsions.

"Here's a hint." Shepard said smugly. "Make sure that the needle actually went through your target's armour before you turn your back on him."

As Janet continued to twitch on the floor, Shepard moved over to Feron, his omnitool bright on his hand. The device hissed as it delivered a shot of Medi-Gel, alleviating the Drell's pain and causing him to relax.

""Feron? You'll be all right. Just stay still for now, let the Medi-Gel do its work.

Behind him, Janet Dawes struggled onto her belly, crawling away from the Commander. A shivering hand lifted up, omnitool glowing around it. Shepard tilted his head at the sound, turning around just in time to see the rogue Cerberus operative launch an Overload directly at the buzzing computer equipment taking up the rear portion of the room.

"No!" He managed to shout before the arc of electricity struck the first piece of the apparatus. The electrical assault bounced from the first machine to the next, repeating this until every scrap of equipment in the room buzzed and smoked uncertainly. The crackled of raw power cracked and popped in Shepard's ears as, one by one, the computer terminals died.

This done, Janet slumped to the floor, continuing to shiver for a moment before going deathly still. Shepard scuttled over and rolled her over, putting away his omnitool when her glassy gaze met his. The Cerberus scientist had apparently been unable to cope with the neurotoxin, just as she had hinted had happened to many victims before her.

Sighing, Shepard turned back to Feron, helping the Drell back to his feet.

**~o~0~o~**

As the duo walked through the lab once more, Shepard noted the pensive look on Feron's face as he regarded the beds.

"I'm sorry about what happened here, Feron."

"Don't be." Feron sighed. "There's nothing we could have done for them. The one running the experiments has paid the ultimate price, so the souls of these ones can go to the ocean in peace now."

"There's still one door we need to check out." Shepard reminded.

"I am prepared for whatever we face, Shepard. Let us just be done with this place." The Drell said resolutely.

"Alright." Shepard stepped back into the corridor, moving along to the fourth and final door in the secret section of the facility. He used Janet's codes once more to open the door, and walked through.

The next room was small, much smaller than the other labs. A large window had been sent into the far wall, which looked out on a Clean-Room. A door beside the window presumably led to the remainder of the facility, granting access to the Clean-Room, among other things.

This first room, however, also appeared to be living quarters of some kind. A small cot was pushed up against one wall, with a food dispenser and a small cubicle housing a lavatory set against the wall. A desk sat in front of the window, presumably to allow someone to work as they observed what was going on in the Clean-Room. Shepard could see little of the Clean-Room, save for a large, coffin-like machine and a couple of diagnostic terminals. A figure stood before the desk, watching the Clean-Room hawkishly. She turned at Shepard's entrance.

Shepard's jaw dropped in surprise the moment he caught a glimpse of the face of this new figure. Grey hair, wrinkle-strewn countenance, brightly twinkling eyes, the woman was unmistakable.

"Shepard!" Doctor Chakwas gasped, throwing her arms out as she stepped forward and embraced the Commander. "What in the blazes are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question, Doctor." Shepard returned the hug, smiling widely.

"Our friend the Illusive Man, I'm afraid." She replied gravely. "He figured it was wise to put my expertise to good use here. Aside from that, he figured the… personal connection to the prime test subject would encourage me to co-operate."

"'Personal connection'?" Shepard asked, a knot of unease rising in his belly. Chakwas sighed, unable to look him in the eye.

"Its Thane." She said. "When they captured him along with the Normandy, they sent him here. His Kepral's Syndrome is in an extremely advanced stage, which is somewhat of a rarity. Most Drell die before the condition advances this far. Cerberus wanted to study this stage of the disease to acquire a more intimate understanding of it. They've managed to engineer a few inventive treatments for Human lung disorders, and have lately been working on a cure for Kepral's Syndrome. Due to the advanced nature of Thane's condition, I recommended they have him put into cryogenic stasis. We've been keeping him on ice for some time now."

"How long does he have?" Shepard asked, stepping up to the window. Now that he knew what to look for, he could see an outline inside the casket-like device.

"As he is right now? Months, maybe a little more." Chakwas stepped up next to him. "However, we've had a breakthrough recently. We're still working on a way to mass produce it, but we managed to produce a treatment that is viable. The first, and so far only, treatment is currently being prepared by that machine. Thane's already thawing out to receive the treatment. We were going to administer it to him as our first true clinical trial. Once we show that it can cure him, then we'll be able to prove it can cure any victim of the disease."

"That's great!" Shepard felt warmth bloom in his heart. Behind him, Feron straightened, eyes lighting up with hope.

"I thought you might approve." Chakwas smiled. "I assume from your presence here that our captors are all dead?"

"You'd expect anything else?" Shepard smirked.

"Not with you, no. Subtlety was never your strong point, Commander." Chakwas walked away from the window, sitting behind her desk. "In that case, you'll want a copy of the formula to pass on to the Council. They can figure out how to mass produce it in six months or so, and then the Drell will have a cure, at long last."

"Good idea." Shepard admitted.

"Just let me-" Chakwas paused, leaning forward as she squinted at the screen. "Damn it!" She cursed explosively.

"What is it?" Shepard asked.

"The data's not here!" Her fingers danced across the console in front of her. "I have to stop the treatment until I find out what happened."

In the Clean-Room, the machinery ceased whirring, everything going still. Back in the observation room, Chakwas typed in a few queries.

"Blast!" She muttered. "The archives have been wiped. The damn thing doesn't even know what day it is."

"That's what Dawes was doing!" Feron slammed his fist into his other palm. "That Overload fried the system. She wanted to make sure we couldn't get our hands on the cure."

"The dose we have in the casket is the only thing left of the cure." Chakwas explained. "Without the data, we have no way to make more."

"We could always keep that treatment, reverse-engineer the cure from that." Feron reasoned.

"We could…" Chakwas admitted. "But it would never be ready in time for Thane to benefit."

"And what about all the people who would suffer while we were forced to do your work all over again?" The young Drell said hotly. "Without live test subjects, researching a new cure could take as many as ten years to come up with. The Hanar and the Council sure as hell aren't about to permit these kinds of experiments. Thousands could die needlessly!"

"Could we leave Thane in cryo-stasis until the cure is ready?" Shepard asked.

"The thawing process has already begun." Chakwas said sadly. "We can't reverse it. And, after such a long stay in stasis, his body would never survive another freeze. He'll have to wait a full year before he can enter cryogenic stasis again. By that point, it'll be too late. If we keep the cure for the rest of the Drell, we'll be resigning Thane to a slow death."

"The needs of the many outweigh the few." Feron protested. "You need to keep this cure for my people, Commander."

Shepard stepped back from the window, his mind whirling. In the one hand, he held the salvation of the Drell people. Almost every Drell was afflicted by this condition, and many would die before another cure could be developed. But he didn't know if he could condemn a close friend like Thane to such an agonising death as the one he had just seen Voyet suffer. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, unable to choose.

"It's up to you, Commander." Chakwas said. "Do I give Thane the cure, or keep it for his people?"

**Author's Notes: This one took a lot of work. Not 100% happy with it, but I'm 95% there. I got the main plot out there, and think its ready for public viewing. I hope you liked it. Props to Mastermind4892, general-joseph-dickson, BloodIronAngel, and JoeLaTurkey this time for all their helpful criticisms, compliments, advice etc.**

**A few little winks and nods to other frenachises in this chapter. See if you pick up on all of them.**

**Anyway, on to the important stuff! As you can probably tell, there's a vote connected to this chapter. Shall Shepard give the cure to Thane, therefore robbing the Drell of a mass-produced cure within the next few months, or give the cure to the Drell people, and let Thane die. To clarify, Thane will live long enough to defeat the Reapers, but he'd die pretty quickly afterwards without this cure. Obviously, this will have an impact on interaction with Thane throughout the story (conversations on the ship etc,).**

**Please head on over to my profile page and vote in the poll at the top of the page. Poll will close one week from now. Meantime, I'll work on the next mission, which is a big one!**

**So, until the next time I see you, please enjoy the chapter. Read, Review, Repeat!**

**Fainmaca out.**


	34. 34: Awakening

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Author's Notes: Vote Result. I'm a little surprised by this.**

**Give the Cure to the Drell People: 21**

**Give the Cure to Thane: 4**

**Chapter 34: Awakening**

Shepard sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose wearily. It had been a long night, filled with one complication after another. A mission that should have been straightforward had kept on growing more and more difficult, and now there was this. How was he supposed to choose? Thane was a friend, a very close friend. It pained Shepard to know that he would die in such a manner so soon. But now there was a cure within reach, but was one life worth the suffering of thousands more? Sure, only perhaps ten thousand would die or become seriously ill in the time that it would take to create a new cure, but could he allow those lives to sit upon his conscience? Could he ask Thane to live with that kind of burden? The Drell had already made it clear he was prepared to face death, and after resolving his relationship with his son, he seemed to feel ready to accept his fate. For the Commander to take the choice of whether he lived or died from the disease seemed… wrong. He knew full well what Thane would ask him to do, so why did he hesitate. His shoulders sagged as he turned to Doctor Chakwas, reluctant to speak but compelled by his sense of duty.

"Keep the cure, Doctor. We need to make it available to the Drell people. Curing an entire species is more important than one life."

"Thank you, Commander." Feron said gently, bowing his head in gratitude.

Doctor Chakwas reluctantly turned to her console, dialling in a couple of commands. In the Clean-Room, the machinery whirred once again. This time, part of it retracted, a vial of unidentified chemicals being ejected from one part. Mechanised arms removed the vial, taking it to the observation window and depositing it in a small slot. This slot hissed as air cycled through it, and then popped open on the other side of the window, where Chakwas stepped over and removed the vial.

"This is it, Commander. The cure for Kepral's Syndrome."

"Keep it for now. I want you to get to work analysing it the moment we get back on the Normandy. Mordin and Doctor Archer can help."

"Doctor Archer?"

"Oh, yes. I forgot that you wouldn't have met him yet. Doctor Archer joined our crew when we 'retrieved' the Normandy from a Cerberus facility. He's been serving as our Medical Officer in your absence."

"You mean to say you've allowed another doctor to rifle around in _my_ Med Bay?" Chakwas asked with a little offence. Judging from her tone, she may as well have been asking if the Commander had molested her only child.

"Uh…" Shepard's eyes went wide as he experienced feelings similar to those endured by the proverbial deer in the headlights.

"Probably best not to tell her about the Collector you put in there, Commander." Feron muttered.

"_What_?"

"He's very tidy!" The Commander protested, quailing under Chakwas' wrath.

"The fact that you let one of those, those_ things _on the ship, let alone in my office, I- I- just…" The doctor, while small in stature, towered over the Commander in sheer presence as she fumed. She sighed. "There had better be a whole barrel of brandy waiting for me up there." She said in a threatening tone.

"A whole crate, I promise!" Shepard held up his hands in mock appeasement.

"Hmph! Very well." Chakwas turned back to the window. "The thawing process should be close to completion now. Thane will be awake in moments."

The trio turned to the window, watching the machinery anxiously. Suddenly, the doors leading into the Clean-Room from the labs beyond. Four mechs strode into the room, guns ready in their hands.

"No, no, no, no!" Chakwas raced towards the window, hands slapping it as she pressed her face against the glass.

"What's going on?" Shepard asked.

"I should have expected this. When Janet fried the databases, she set into motion the project cleansing protocols. All data erased, all samples purged. They're here to kill Thane, and destroy the body!"

"We need to get in there!" The Commander asked tensely. He turned to the heavy door next to the window, looking to the interface.

"The Clean-Room is airtight." Chakwas explained sadly. "That airlock will take five minutes to fully cycle. The encryption is considerable."

"Five minutes is too long." Shepard said in frustration. "Feron! Have a look at getting us through."

"Aye, Commander." The Drell knelt next to the door, his omnitool glowing.

Shepard gazed through the window as the mechs surrounded the machine. The lid of the mechanical casket hissed open, releasing a billowing puff of white vapour. In moments, the Clean-Room was filled with the gaseous screen. The Commander strained to peer through it, catching sight of only a few shifting shadows.

"What's happening?" He asked.

"It's the coolant. As the machine thaws out its occupant, the chemicals turn to gas. Usually the machine takes the excess gases away, but it's opened early. It shouldn't have done that. Even the mechs wouldn't open the machine like that. They'd wait for it to finish the thawing process."

"Apparently not." Shepard grunted. "Feron, how's it coming?"

"Its not easy. Cerberus really didn't want anyone getting into this lab."

Shepard knew that nagging would not help, and instead turned his attention back to the Clean-Room. A loud whirring could be heard, and the obscuring fog cleared. Shepard straightened as he gained a glimpse of the Clean-Room once more.

"What the?"

The room was empty. The casket lay open, its interior still filled with fumes. On the floor, the prone forms of four demolished mechs twitched uncertainly. Wires protruded from their necks, which had been torn open as their heads were wrenched clear of their bodies, twisted right off.

"He's out!" Shepard concluded. "Feron! Get that door open!"

"Just a moment." Feron muttered. An instant later, the airlock clicked open. Shepard and the Drell swiftly pushed through, Chakwas in close pursuit.

The corridor beyond the airlock ran for several yards, lined with four doors. Shepard slowed as he looked about, scanning the doors. One stood open, leading into the Clean-Room, wisps of vapour drifting through. The other three were closed, their steel exteriors revealing nothing of what lay beyond.

"What's through these doors?" Shepard asked.

"Storerooms, along with a genetic analysis lab." Chakwas replied, pointing first to the two doors on the right, and then the door on the left.

"You two take the storerooms, I'll search the genetics labs." The Commander ordered. Chakwas and Feron nodded, each taking a door on the right while Shepard made his way to the genetics lab.

Shepard opened the door to the genetics lab, stepping through cautiously. The lab was dark, the blinking lights of the machinery within making the shadows jump. The still air weighed down on Shepard silently. As Shepard moved through the lab, a sudden clank made the Commander jump, his hand flying to his pistol. He spun around, looking to the machine that had emitted the noise.

As he stared into the corner of the lab, a whisper of wind whistled past his ear. Before he could react, a pair of green hands rushed by his eyes. One locked around the Commander's throat, while the other gripped his head, pinning him effectively.

"I drop down behind the guard, my hands swiftly finding purchase on his skull. I hold him steady, ready to deliver the final twist. My heart beats in my chest, blood pulsing through my veins as I silently offer a prayer to Kalahira, beseeching her to accept the soul I am about to deliver to her.

"'Kalahira, Mother to all, Queen of the whispering waves, I ask you to accept this life I release from its fleshly bonds. Allow him to swim free with those dearly departed, and grant him the grace of witnessing the warmth of your heart.'"

Shepard's brow creased as he listened to Thane's whispered comments. The Drell spoke in a flat monotone, no emotion in his voice. Shepard managed to gasp in a few breaths, using them to try to talk to his friend.

"Thane… it's me!" He managed. "Shepard!"

"The guard's comrades file into the room, pointing their rifles at me.

"'Let him go!' One shouts. I look to him with cold eyes.

"'We will shoot!' Another warns, finger on the trigger. The click of the cocking mechanism in his weapon echoes about hollowly. In my hands, the guard gurgles incoherently, face turning blue from the pressure I place on his windpipe."

As Thane continued to narrate his actions, relating an unfamiliar scene, Feron and Doctor Chakwas hurried in, alerted by the noise. In an instant, the Drell spy had his pistol out, aiming at Thane behind the Commander's shoulder.

"Chakwas…" Shepard sputtered. "What's going on?"

"I don't know, Commander!" Chakwas replied plaintively. "We certainly didn't do this, whatever it is. Our experiments were purely in relation to the respiratory system, nothing more."

"I've seen this before." Feron commented. "An advanced form of our racial memory flashes. Thane is experiencing one of his more intense memories, but the inhibitor that prevents him from re-enacting his past experiences has somehow… malfunctioned. As long as his environment broadly resembles his memory, he will continue to relive it. My people call it the Awakening Past."

"Thane, listen to me." Chakwas urged. "What you are seeing is not real. You're about to kill one of your closest and truest friends, unless you snap out of this!" She waited a moment, but to no avail. Thane continued to murmur to himself quietly, narrating what he could see through his mind's eye. "He's not responding. How do we snap him out of it?"

"We need something to jolt him out of it." Feron explained, twitching as Thane's muscles clenched around the Commander's throat.

"Thane…" Shepard gasped. "I need you to wake up."

The green hands tightened around his neck.

"The guard makes an attempt at a few final pleas for life, but I have already planned how to defeat his allies. In order to execute that plan, he must die. I renew my grip on his skull, making ready to twist…"

"Thane, please!"

"My hands tense, fingers curling around his jawbone. Sweat trickles down his skin as he senses his end drawing near."

Shepard's mind whirled as he tried to think of a way to talk his old friend out of his waking dream. He thought back to their time spent together in pursuit of the Collectors, of their first meeting on Illium, of their attempts to track down his son, Kolyat, of their many conversations aboard the Normandy…

His eyes widened as realisation dawned in his mind like a sun cresting a distant horizon.

"Thane…" The words escaped from his lips on the barest of whispers, his mind barely clinging to consciousness as the Drell's tight grip kept his airway partly blocked. "This is… This is not what Irikah would want."

Thane's hands froze for an instant before his grip relaxed. As Shepard gasped in a lung-full of fresh oxygen, the Drell assassin released his. The green hands moved away from the Commander's face, allowing him to step away, turning to face his old comrade.

"Shepard?" Thane asked dazedly. He pressed an emerald palm against his forehead.

"Take it easy, Krios." Feron said, lowering his gun. "You were suffering from the Awakening."

"Unh… Have I caused any harm?"

"Only to the bad guys." Shepard assured. "Come on. We've got to get out of here."

"Of course. What has become of the Normandy and her crew?"

Shepard had to admire that selfless quality the Drell possessed. Here he had awoken in an enemy laboratory after months of cruel experimentation, and his first two thoughts were for those immediately around him, followed by his comrades. He spared barely a thought for his own well-being. Such evidence of his character assured the Commander that he had made the correct choice in keeping the cure for the Drell people. A selfless being like Thane would resent the burden of being saved in the place of thousands of his kinsmen.

"The ship's in orbit." He answered. "And now that we've found both yourself and Doctor Chakwas, that's the whole squad accounted for."

"Indeed? You have been busy in my absence." Thane smiled. "It would seem that even Cerberus' best efforts cannot keep you suppressed for long."

"You know me. Damn near unstoppable when I'm pissed off, and the Illusive Man's given me plenty provocation." Shepard placed a companionable arm around his friend's shoulder. "Let's go. I don't know how many Cerberus troops are still moving around in this facility, and I'd rather be gone from here by the time they come to check on the Clean-Room."

With Thane in tow, the squad swiftly left the Cerberus facility, heading back up to the surface.

**~o~0~o~**

"Our men are just finishing their sweep of the Asclepius Institute." Shepard listened patiently as Police Officer Kornik explained the current state of affairs. "We've taken a grand total of thirty-eight employees into custody, pending further investigation. Unfortunately, after the facility's databases were wiped, finding evidence of a direct connection to Cerberus will be difficult. On the plus side, we will be able to charge them with unlicensed genetic experiments, thanks to what we've been able to dig up in the Clean-Rooms on the lower floors."

The Commander glanced over to the medical vehicle close by, where Jacob and Kasumi were being treated by a pair of paramedics. They had come around shortly after being retrieved from within the building, but the chemicals Doctor Michaels had used on them had left them woozy, and Jacob now had a pounding headache. Kornik caught Shepard's concerned glance.

"They'll be fine, Commander. Nothing a night's rest and some painkillers won't deal with. We were able to 'convince' Doctor Michaels to divulge the exact chemical compounds he used to sedate them both, in exchange for treatment to those injuries he sustained." The Turian avoided mentioning what might have caused said injuries, although his smug smirk betrayed the fact that he knew full well what the Commander had done. "Once we had that info, administering the appropriate meds to counteract the effects was a snap."

"Good." Shepard said wearily. "Anything else?"

"Its safe to say that the Asclepius Institute is out of business. All of the department heads are either in custody or dead, along with most of the staff." The Turian looked about uncertainly, making sure no one was within earshot. "What does concern me, however, is the fact that our investigation revealed the existence of security breaches in the Illium Security Force. We have traitors in our midst bought out by Cerberus, and that makes me uneasy."

"At least you know what to look out for now." Shepard said. "I recommend getting in touch with the Shadow Broker to co-ordinate a campaign to expose the compromised agents. Just say that I sent you."

"I'll do that." Kornik nodded. "Thank you, Commander."

As the Turian Police Officer walked away, Shepard's squad approached, Jacob nodding to the Turian as he passed, an unspoken respect passing between them. The squad gathered around the Commander and, together, they headed for the Spaceport, where the Normandy waited for them.

**~o~0~o~**

"Well, I think we could consider this mission a success."

Miranda paced back and forth at the end of the briefing table. Behind her, Feron typed away at the multiple comm terminals installed there, sending reports to Liara. At the table, Shepard leaned on his hands, head bowed forward wearily. Standing at the far side of the table, in front of the door to the briefing room, Thane maintained a stiff pose, hands folded behind his back. Beside the assassin, Doctor Chakwas scanned a series of datapads.

"I'd hardly call it a complete success." Shepard grumbled. "We still lost the data on the cure. It can be replicated from the sample we managed to salvage, but it'll take some time. Too much time, for some."

"Do not allow this to weigh upon your mind, Commander." Thane spoke up. "You made the correct choice. Many more lives will be saved by replicating the cure than would be saved if my people were forced to start from scratch."

"Even though I am reluctant to say so, I also believe this was the best choice, Shepard." Chakwas assured.

"There is an additional matter to discuss." Miranda said, turning to Thane. "Considering the advanced nature of your condition, will you be able to participate in our operations?"

Shepard frowned at her less than tactful approach to the matter. She caught his expression and raised her eyebrows questioningly. He sighed. Even though she had softened considerably in her time on the Normandy, Miranda still suffered from the coldly professional manner that made her seem so aloof to the rest of the crew. Shepard turned to Thane as he spoke.

"My condition is yet to reach the point where my combat ability is impaired." The Drell said flatly. "While I must pace myself, I remain ready to rejoin the squad."

"I have my concerns." Chakwas said. "However, remaining physically active would be good for Thane's lungs. In my opinion, Thane should be allowed to rejoin the squad, on the condition that he comes in to the Med Bay for regular check-ups and notifies me of any complications."

"Agreed." The Drell nodded.

"That's good enough for me." Shepard said resolutely. "Get yourself settled back in here. The Life Support Control Room is still free, so you can move back in there if you want."

"That will be acceptable." Thane nodded.

"Make sure to check in with Jacob. He'll sort you out some new weapons and armour."

"Of course. Will that be all, Commander?"

At Shepard's nod, the Drell turned to leave. Feron quickly fell in step beside him, the two Drell conversing as they left. Once the doors had closed behind them, Miranda turned to face the Commander.

"Are you really sure about allowing him out into the field, Commander? His health issues are a worry."

"He's willing to help us out, and I trust him to know when he has become more of a liability than an asset to our cause." Shepard said firmly. "Besides, after everything he's been through with us, everything he has been witness to, can you really expect him to sit on the sidelines while we go off to save the Galaxy? Thane's going to help us in the war to come, whether we ask him to or not. I'd rather have him work as a part of our squad than as an outside force."

"Very well, Commander." Miranda's tone betrayed lingering doubts, but she would follow Shepard's lead. "Moving on to the next topic of interest, what are we to do with this cure?"

As she spoke, she pointed to the vial of liquid Chakwas had placed on the briefing room table. The chemicals within glinted mysteriously. Shepard regarded the cure, pondering its contents. For not the first time, he found himself holding the future of a species in his hand. He looked to his Executive Officer.

"Why is this even a question? We've got to get this to the Drell on Kahje."

"Not quite." Miranda contradicted. "There is another option."

"I get the feeling I may not like this suggestion." The Commander folded his arms across his chest.

"Please, hear me out, Shepard." Miranda moved around the table so she was facing him, rather than standing next to him. From the far end of the table, Chakwas watched the pair warily. "This cure represents a valuable bargaining chip. We could use this to persuade the Drell to join our cause. I understand that they lack any considerable numbers to contribute to the Reaper War, but they are a race possessing a past filled with war. Drell have always proved to be skilled warriors and master tacticians. Their eidetic memories make them the perfect undercover operatives, never missing a single detail about their opponents. Just think of the value of a unit of Drell working to counter the Reapers' tactics. In a time where we must take every resource we can get, this is something we should not pass up."

"You suggest using the cure to blackmail the Drell into joining the war?" Chakwas asked, in a somewhat accusatorial tone.

"The war will affect them already, they just don't realise it!" Miranda said hotly. "This could be the wake-up call they need to commit to our campaign."

"This sounds a lot like something the Illusive Man would suggest." Shepard warned.

"Not all of Cerberus' methods were unjustified, Commander. Humanity should have learned by now that relying upon the goodwill of different species is not enough. Once we let go of this cure, we have no control over whether the Drell help us or not."

"Extortion is no way to gain allies." Shepard answered resolutely. "We give the cure to the Drell. Its up to them if they want to join our cause or not."

"Yes, sir." Miranda acquiesced reluctantly.

"Good." Shepard straightened, glad to have resolved the issue. "Now, was there anything else?"

"Just one more matter." Miranda answered. "I've made arrangements for us to rendezvous with the SSV Berlin, two days from now. She'll take the children, along with Gillian, and transport them to Eden Prime. I've made arrangements with some old contacts of mine out there to take care of them for the foreseeable future. Since Saren plundered the Prothean beacon, Eden Prime has nothing of much value, and is far enough out of the way that a Reaper attack is unlikely, so they should be safe there."

"We can also hand off the cure to the Berlin's medical officer." Chakwas said. "Doctor Capellan is an old acquaintance of mine. She can ensure that the appropriate entities within the Alliance receive it, and send it on to Kahje."

"Excellent. In that case, the only matter left to consider is where we need to go next." Miranda said, folding her hands behind her back as she looked to the Commander expectantly.

"I'm not sure yet." Shepard replied. "That was the last of Liara's dossiers. I'll need to speak with her, see what else we need to take care of. In the meantime, I suggest the crew takes advantage of the time to rest, make sure the Normandy is at one hundred and ten per cent, and just make sure they're ready for wherever we're going next."

"Understood." Miranda nodded formally, the stiff gesture almost a salute, before turning to leave.

"Well, I guess I'd best go see what kind of mess your new recruits have made of my office." Doctor Chakwas said. "I swear, if they found the liquor…"

"I'm sure they were respectful, Doctor." Shepard assured. "We knew full well you'd be coming back aboard soon enough."

"Indeed. If they believe in you the same way that I do, they would have known it was only a matter of time before you found us all, bringing the crew back together." Chakwas smiled in her motherly way. "Thank you, Commander. Once more you and Jeff have come riding in to the rescue, and now the whole crew is here once again."

"Its good to have everyone back." Shepard admitted. "Although we're still missing a few faces from the old squad."

"Yes, I heard about young Miss Tali. An Admiral, and at such a young age? She has done well for herself. Although, I always knew that she would. She was an intelligent girl, and quite powerful, in her own way. I recall that she carried quite the torch for you, Commander."

"We're good friends. Nothing more." Shepard said hurriedly, a little embarrassed by the topic. Tali's revelation of her feelings had caught him quite by surprise, and he'd always felt bad about the way in which he had let her down. He'd been as gentle as he could, but there was no easy way of delivering that kind of response, especially to a sprightly, bright, beautiful individual like Tali. "After helping her on her Pilgrimage, she feels more like a little sister to me than anything else."

"Of course." Chakwas nodded understandingly. Shepard was grateful when she changed the subject. "Aside from Tali, we're missing Wrex and Liara. I understand that Wrex is still leading his people on Tuchanka?"

"Yes, and things seem to be going well with the Urdnot." Shepard answered. "The tribe has never been stronger, and the Krogan are the most united force they've ever been since the outbreak of the Rebellions."

"A valuable ally indeed. When the time comes, you're sure to have a powerful Krogan force at your back, with a wise leader. Still, I miss him. His stories were often entertaining, and he stood out from most other Krogan. I've never met one so… civil, and reasonable before." The doctor nodded. "And Liara? She still operates the Shadow Broker Network?"

"She's actually the one who made all of this possible." Shepard waved a hand expansively at the ship. "She got me out of prison, and helped me track down the squad."

"A good thing that you assisted her in her rise to power, then." Chakwas pointed out. "Heaven knows how she would have fared had she tried to take on the previous Broker on her own."

"Yeah…" Shepard shrugged. "Anyway, we're here now, and we're ready to kick some ass. I need to find out where we're going next, so I'd better go have a word with Feron, see if he can set up a conference with Liara. You need to go get settled back in, Doctor, so I won't keep you any longer."

"Of course, Commander." Chakwas turned to leave, pausing at the door. "And Shepard? Thank you."

"No one gets left behind." Shepard smiled back at her from the briefing room table.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard found Feron on the crew deck, just leaving the Life Support Control Room. The Drell jolted as he almost walked straight into the Commander as he exited the elevator.

"Oh! Shepard. I was just on my way to see you." He stammered, off-balance.

"Feron. I was looking for you, too. I need to set up a conference with Liara. That was the last of the dossiers she sent to us. I wanted to ask her what the next step is."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." The Drell answered. "I tried to submit my latest report to Liara, but the normal Shadow Broker channels came back with this message."

Feron lifted his omnitool for the Commander to read. Shepard's brow furrowed as he read the short message that came up.

"Code M4? What does that mean?"

"It's a warning message. Every Shadow Broker agent will recognise it. When this code is sent out, it calls for complete radio silence across the network. It means that Liara is currently involved in something so delicate she cannot contact any of her other agents. Essentially, the entirety of the network is dedicated to a single task."

"This sounds big."

"Its huge." The Drell emphasised. "The code has never been used before. There's never been anything important enough to justify shutting down the rest of the network for any period of time."

"So we can't contact Liara just now? How long is this going to last?"

"I can't say. It could be a few hours, or it could be a few days. Whatever Liara is doing, she needs every single bit of concentration she can muster, combined with every last scrap of processing power her network can give her. I imagine she has quite a few stations, planet-spanning installations and even a couple of small fleets paralysed right now while they process whatever task she has undertaken. Frankly, I'm surprised she hasn't got EDI helping her out with whatever it is, although I guess she deems our mission a more important way for her to expend her time."

"Alright. Well, let me know the second the network is running again."

"Will do, Shepard. I'll keep trying to contact Liara, see what I can find out."

The Commander nodded to the information operative before striding past him, making his way to the Life Support Control Room.

Thane looked up from where he kneeled next to a bank of air scrubbers, glancing over to the opening doors before turning back to his current task.

"Shepard. Is there something you require?"

As he spoke, his fingers curled around an inconspicuous bolt protruding from the base of one of the air scrubbers. He pulled the bolt to one side, twisting it three times, until a quiet clunk could be heard. With a hiss, a portion of the base of the Life Support machinery slid open to reveal a drawer filled with weapons. The assassin lifted out a sniper rifle that lay across the top of the neat pile, handling the gun with a muted reverence. He set it down by his side carefully, proceeding to lift out a pair of matching pistols.

"I knew that Cerberus would not think to look here." Thane explained. "It seemed like a wise place to conceal my personal armoury. I only regret not having the time to come over here to retrieve some weaponry back when the Normandy fell into enemy hands."

"It looks like you've got enough armaments for a small army in there." Shepard said appreciatively, noting the mixture of familiar and exotic weaponry the Drell had hidden away.

"In my years as an assassin, I have had plenty of opportunities to accumulate a wide selection of weaponry. I believe this collection presents the tools necessary to undertake any assassination you could imagine, and a few that you could not."

A small smile graced the alien's lips as he lifted out a tiny device. It was little more than a tube of metal, about a millimetre in diameter.

"This was used to take the life of Jin Kael, a Volus criminal mastermind. He had amassed quite the empire, funded by a slave-trading and drug-smuggling operation that spanned a good portion of Council Space. His activities cost the Hanar billions of credits every year, and C-Sec had achieved little in their attempts to find evidence of his activities. Eventually, he became such a problem that my expertise was required. Dozens of assassins had been sent after him, to no avail. But where they had failed, I was determined to succeed.

"I eventually found him on a planet deep within the space of the Turian Hierarchy. He had entrenched himself within the industrial district of a small city. I scaled the side of the building he was hiding within, no climbing equipment, no safety harness, nothing but the strength of my own hands. Such a perilous climb prevented me from bringing any of my typical weaponry, so I was forced to rely upon weapons with next to no range, and the kill had to be silent, lest I alert the guards in the building. Were I discovered, there would be no way to escape, not when it was a case of my bare fists versus the guns of an entire platoon.

"Eventually I had scaled the building, ascending over a hundred floors through nothing but my own strength. I arrived at the window looking in on Kael's bedroom. Drilling a hole through the window, I inserted this blowgun through the opening, and fired a special dart at Kael. The dart was armed with corrosive nanites. In seconds, the Volus' suit was ruptured. The explosive decompression of his suit, combined with the sudden inward rush of an atmosphere toxic to his species, killed him instantly. Quick, painless, efficient."

"I've never heard you talk about your work like this before." Shepard commented. "Do you take a lot of pride in what you used to do?"

"Pride? No, not really. It is more… satisfaction. Satisfaction with the efficient expenditure of my resources, with the most appropriate use of the talents I have been blessed with, and with the just manner in which such a criminal was dealt with. His actions merited his demise, that cannot be denied."

"But not all of your kills would have been so righteous."

"No, they were not." Thane's eyes flickered slightly, his curious double-blink creasing his expression in its unusual way. "But as I have told you, these actions were not my own. My Body merely did as I was commanded. My Soul did not order those deaths, not even the righteous ones. I was the weapon in the hand of my employers."

"How do you feel?" Shepard asked, changing the subject. He sat at the table, looking idly out of the window gazing down on the drive core.

"Are you referring to my time spent enduring Cerberus' hospitality, or my health?" The alien smiled knowingly.

"A little from box A, and a little from box B."

"The good doctor has been most attentive to my needs. Considering the time she has spent studying my illness, both on the ship and elsewhere, I would deem her the most qualified to administer treatment. Aside from that, I am accustomed to enduring the difficulties Kepral's Syndrome presents." Thane sat down opposite the Commander. "As for my time spent at the Asclepius Institute… those are memories that will be difficult to endure."

"I thought you were kept in cryostasis for most of the time."

"Indeed. A kindness Doctor Chakwas insisted upon. I suspect she did so more for my mental benefit than for any scientific advantage this could present to the Cerberus scientists. But still, there are moments that I was aware of my surroundings."

Suddenly, the Drell stiffened. His eyes dilated, gazing at a distant point.

"I lie as still as a corpse, the chilling numbness of the freezing liquid seeping through my entire being. The sarcophagus hampers my movement, barely an inch from my face, and much closer on either side of my body. My slow breath fogs the glass before my face, through which I can see dim shadows moving. One bears the familiar flash of grey, and I sense more than perceive the anxious eyes beneath the silvery crown.

"A stabbing pain in my chest, my lungs fight against the frigid air. As wisps of vapour from the freezing process catch in my throat, liquid pools in the back of my throat. The taste is foul, a mixture of metallic blood, sour catarrh and noxious chemicals. As my airways fill, blackness seeps through my mind, and my soul slips away from my body, the two becoming separated by the divide of unconsciousness."

Thane sagged, his memory releasing him. He gasped for breath, his ragged intake of air catching in his throat. He spluttered for a moment, prompting Shepard to stand, walk around the table and place a comforting hand on his back. The Drell held up a hand to stop him.

"I am fine, Commander. Merely a spasm brought on by the memory." He gasped.

"Is this going to happen a lot?" Shepard asked with concern.

"Unfortunately, yes." Thane said, his breathing stabilising. "I have ways to prevent myself from slipping into my memories, or at least to choose the memory I lose myself in, but I cannot prevent this completely."

"Just as long as we don't have a repeat of what happened in the Institute." The Commander cautioned.

"The Awakening Past." Thane nodded. "I apologise for that. It must have been a result of remaining in stasis for so long. I have never been afflicted by it before."

"Is that a common thing among your people?"

"No. Generally, there is a genetic predisposition toward more… intense… memory flashes in those who suffer from the Awakening. Such a thing does not exist within my lineage. As I said, I suspect that my time in stasis had something to do with it. It is highly unlikely I shall have to endure something like that again."

"Alright." Shepard nodded, patting him on the shoulder before turning to leave. "Well, I'll let you get settled back in."

"Commander?" Shepard turned at Thane's call. "Thank you once again. It is good to be back aboard."

"You're an essential part of this crew, Thane. You didn't really think I'd leave you behind, did you?"

"Indeed." The alien chuckled. "Nevertheless, I am in your debt, Shepard."

The Commander strode out of the Life Support Control Room, a smile playing across his face.

**~o~0~o~**

"Commander!"

The following morning, Shepard looked up from his breakfast as Joker limped out of the Med Bay, flexing an arm stiffly. Shepard swallowed his current mouthful.

"Joker. Everything alright?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah." The pilot turned to look at the Med Bay doors as the Commander nodded. "Chakwas just wanted to give me a quick check-up. Haven't had anyone check up on my Vrolik's Syndrome in a while, actually. Archer's more of a brain doctor than anything else, and Mordin's too focused on his projects up in the Tech Lab. It's great having the Doc back. Really missed having her around."

"Yeah." Shepard moved his food around on his plate as he spoke. "With Chakwas and Thane back, it finally feels like we've got a full crew again."

"Yeah, cause you know, Thane was always my favourite out of your old squad, Commander. I can't believe I've found someone that creeps me out more than Wrex ever did."

"Thane's not so bad." Shepard protested.

"Sure, when he's awake he's fine. I'm just worried about what happens when he goes sleepwalking. Bad enough that we've got a crew of completely batshit operatives on board, but now I need to sleep with one eye open in case the Drell assassin mistakes me for a bad dream? You enjoy making life difficult for me, don't you, Commander?"

"Suck it up, Joker. It builds character." Shepard chuckled.

"With the amount of crap you make me put up with, I should have the best character in charted space." The pilot chuckled. "Anyway, I'd best get back to my chair before our supreme overlord gets grouchy."

"Jeff, I am the result of a complex series of quantum calculations performed within my blue box, designed for the purpose of countering known Reaper tactics and analysing new ones." EDI's voice called down from the ceiling with just a hint of weariness. "Being 'grouchy' is outside of my programming."

"See what I mean? Super-grouchy." Joker grinned. The ship was silent, but Shepard got the feeling that EDI would have sighed, if that didn't prove Joker's point. Chuckling, the brittle-boned pilot walked away.

Shepard turned back to his breakfast. He idly watched the crew going about their morning routine, savouring the peace of the moment. As he ate, he saw Feron walk into the Mess with a preoccupied expression. The Drell strode up to Gardner's station, accepting a bowl of something or other. Without a word, the alien returned the way he came. The Commander shrugged. Most probably Feron was having trouble getting in touch with Liara, and wished to eat while he worked.

Moments later, Gabby and Ken walked in, laughing at a shared joke. They also walked up to Rupert's counter, the spunky Gabby accepting a plate of food without a word. Ken, on the other hand, proved to be a bit pickier, perusing the pots simmering before the grizzly sergeant. He touched the lid of one large metal pan, more of a bucket than a cooking utensil, only to receive a smack to the back of his hand from the cook's ladle. With a grumpy pout, the engineer accepted a plate, following Gabby to sit beside her. An instant after that, Grunt lumbered in. The bulky Krogan loomed over the Sergeant, who smiled and gave him the big pot, the alien taking the entire thing with little ceremony. Grunt then leaned against the Med Bay windows while he ladled the contents of the pot into his mouth, swiftly taking in more food than most of the crew present combined.

As the Commander cleared his plate, Jano wandered into the Mess Hall. The Quarian moved among the crew rather hesitantly, making sure he got in the way of no one. The slight alien made his way towards Sergeant Gardner, who gave him a dextro ration capsule. The helmeted head nodded in thanks as the Quarian stepped away, finding a spare seat opposite Shepard.

"Commander. Is it alright if I sit here?"

"Of course. Go right ahead."

The Quarian sat down, placing the dextro ration capsule on the table before him. He reached up to his neck, drawing out a long, thin tube. He connected the device to the capsule with a hiss, and moments later what might have been the sounds of him masticating his food buzzed through the vocal processor on the front of his mask. A number of the crew glanced over curiously, but Shepard was well familiar with the practice. Although Tali had favoured finding some privacy when she ate, there had been the occasional time when she had eaten in front of the Commander. Jano, however, seemed to have no issue with keeping his eating habits hidden from his comrades, glancing about casually as he drained the ration capsule.

"So how're you settling in?" Shepard asked.

"Well enough. Most Quarians would feel uncomfortable, outside of the cramped conditions of the Migrant Fleet, but I am more accustomed to the relatively… spacious lives you aliens live. My time stranded in Citadel Space allowed me to acclimatise to alien lifestyles more completely than other Quarians on Pilgrimage."

"I can't imagine living in cramped conditions like you have on the Migrant Fleet." Shepard commented.

"Its not so bad. Our crew is our family, so the only thing that could be considered an intrusion upon our personal space would be if we linked suit environments, by which time you're pretty certain you can spend plenty of time with your chosen partner. Otherwise, we do not begrudge our comrades their presence in our lives. It can be quite enjoyable, actually." Shepard could hear the smile in the Quarian's voice. "We're a very social people, Commander. We love spending time dancing together, telling stories, working on technical problems… and the singing! You would truly be blessed if you had a chance to hear a Quarian crew sing, Shepard. The very hull reverberates to the voice of an entire family in harmony."

"Tali once told me Quarians loved to dance, but she never mentioned your people's love of singing."

"Perhaps it reminded her of home. At times, especially after a lengthy Pilgrimage, the memory can be somewhat painful."

"I'm sorry." Shepard said. "I didn't mean to remind you of the Fleet."

"Do not worry, Commander. I do not resent my temporary absence from the Flotilla. I'll see the Fleet once again soon enough. Perhaps, if you are lucky, you will get to hear what Quarian singing truly sounds like, when an entire armada rushes to meet these Reapers, with you riding the crest of the wave. A Quarian fleet going to war is truly a sight to behold, Commander, and it is something the Galaxy has not seen for a long time, for possibly as much as a thousand years."

"What about the Geth uprising?" Shepard asked curiously. "I'd imagine there were a good few fleets deployed during that."

"It is not the same. The Geth uprising was sudden. Our greatest cities began to burn mere hours after the first Geth was destroyed out of fear. We had no time to organise ourselves, no time to do anything but retreat."

"I've never heard much about the actual war itself."

"We tried to formulate a retaliation, but that eventually turned into an evacuation as our leaders authorised the final measure to defeat our rebelling creations."

"The final measure?"

"Nuclear fire." Jano said grimly. "We had very recently developed high-yield Hydrogen Bombs, and we used every last one to stop the Geth. We poisoned our own cities in an attempt to destroy a race of beings that are unaffected by radiation. How foolish can one species be?"

"War is hardly the time to expect everyone to think rationally." Shepard reasoned. "Mistakes are made, shots are fired that should have been withheld, everyone ends up full of regret. Unless you're a Krogan. I think with them the bigger the explosion, the better the day."

"True, but it still feels like a stupid waste of life." Jano muttered. "We'd been holding off the Geth for months before we decided to flee with the Flotilla, but it took only a matter of hours for the cities we'd been fighting for to be reduced to rubble when panicked politicians got involved."

Jano looked down at his empty ration capsule, disconnecting it in a distracted manner.

"But now we're finally working towards having a planet under our feet again." His voice said steadily. "And I'm part of a mission to make sure we get the chance. Can't fail."

"We won't." Shepard promised. "Not with the crew we've got."

"Indeed." The alien chuckled. "The Shepard and his flock. Yours is a significant name, Commander."

"A pretty apt metaphor." The Commander laughed. "Back on Earth, shepherds had big damn sticks for beating down anyone who threatened their flock. That seems like pretty much all I've been doing these past few weeks."

"Well, you haven't just been fending off attackers, Commander." Jano said, his voice stronger now. "You've also been working at getting yourself some pretty impressive sticks to use in your work. You've not only got the most varied team of specialists in the Galaxy, but you've also made sure they're the best equipped. I saw Grunt testing out some modifications Doctor Solus made to his shotgun. Very impressive work."

"In all seriousness," Shepard said after they shared a laugh. "How do you think we're doing? What's your sense of the squad?"

"In all honesty? We have a powerful array of specialists on our side, but we'll need more than just one crew to fight the Reapers. You've made significant progress towards allying the various peoples of the Galaxy to your cause, but you have passed up significant tools and resources. I fear that your compassion may have cost you in ways you do not expect. All the preparation in the Galaxy cannot save you if you have sacrificed sure footing out of some moral reflex to be a hero."

"Sure footing? You make this sound like one of your hand-to-hand regimes."

"Well, as a Wardancer, it would be the analogy I relate the most to. Our art is all about positioning, posture, balance. Sheer brute strength is not enough to win most battles. The more cunning mind, the one that can use the lay of the land and exploit the weaknesses not just of his enemy but also of himself to attain victory, will almost always succeed."

"Almost always?"

"There are some battles that cannot be won, no matter the effort put into them."

"I'd never heard of the Wardancers until I met you. Can you tell me anything about them?"

"We are an organisation of Quarians that specialise in hand-to-hand combat. We believe that purity of the body can lead to purity of the soul, and so train until we reach our peak potential. I am still in the early stages of my training. I only returned to the Flotilla a few years ago, and the training is long and harsh."

"You don't have to attend some kind of school or something?" Shepard asked. "No remote monastery?"

"Our people constantly move about, Commander. Hardly the kind of society where a permanent place of learning could be established. Rather, a master of the order instructs us in the key principles of our training, and we train with every free moment. As many as ten years could pass before we return to our master for more instruction."

"Ten years? How long does it take to become a master?"

"There are some members of the order aged over eighty who have yet to achieve the rank of master. Becoming a true master of your body is not something that comes easily, Shepard. Most beings in the Galaxy never achieve true mastery."

"Quite the commitment, then."

"Indeed. But one I deem worthwhile. Improving the world around oneself through improvement of your own body? An admirable goal, and one I am ready to devote my time to."

"So… with all those years of training, you must know a trick or two."

"I do. Partially thanks to my training, but also partially due to my time spent running with gangs. Some of my manoeuvres can be attributed to Jackalee, actually."

"Oh, really?" Shepard leaned back, arching an eyebrow with interest. As he did so, he caught sight of a flicker of movement to one side of the Mess Hall, behind Jano's helmeted head. A flash of tanned skin patterned with myriad images appeared through the press of the crew, and the Commander caught sight of the pair of hazel eyes flickering over in his direction. Before Shepard could do anything to acknowledge her presence, Jack, who had obviously been listening in, quickly turned and left. Shepard shrugged, looking back to Jano as he started talking again.

"She showed me some… unconventional methods for immobilising your opponent. Unconventional, but effective nonetheless."

"I don't doubt that." Shepard smirked. "So would you be interested in showing the crew a thing or two in the ring? I'm sure one more squad member giving out combat training wouldn't go astray."

"I would be honoured. Are you requesting to spar, Commander?"

"Who, me? No. It wouldn't do for the Commander of the mission to be caught brawling in the ring, unless there was a ridiculous amount of credits involved. Sets a bad example, you know."

"Of course." Jano chuckled. "Well, if you ever feel up to the challenge, It would be my pleasure to explain some of the techniques of the Wardancers. I am sure they will prove valuable in days to come."

"I might take you up on that offer." The Commander smiled. "In the meantime, check with Garrus or Jacob. They're always up for a quick bout."

"I shall consider it, Shepard." With that, the Quarian stood. "For now, though, I'd best return to my duties. I'm supposed to help Gabriella to install some new ionic field modulators in the belly of the ship, below the main Cargo Hold."

"Alright. Good talking with you, Jano."

The Quarian martial artist bowed before turning to leave, almost bumping into Legion as he walked out of the Mess Hall.

"We extend an apology, Creator Jano. It was not our intention to obstruct your progress."

"Uh, no need to worry about it." Jano said, a little off-balance. Shepard could see that having a Geth apologise to him was a little unsettling, to say the least. "It was my fault for not looking where I'm going."

"Engineer Daniels has requested our aid in installing the ionic field modulators beneath the Cargo Bay. We informed her that we would seek your permission before engaging in this task."

"Uhh… yeah, that'd be fine, Legion. I'll see you down there when you're ready."

"Acknowledged, Creator Jano."

Jano nodded uncomfortably before moving away, heading off towards the elevator. Legion turned from the Quarian, tilting its head curiously. It glanced to Shepard.

"Sensor reading indicate raised stress levels evident in Creator Jano. Have we caused offence?"

"No, Legion." Shepard assured. "I think its just a little unsettling for a Quarian to work with a Geth. He'll take a while to acclimatise."

"Understood."

"So, Mordin finally let you out of the Tech Lab?"

"Scientist-Mordin has declared that we are now operating at one hundred per cent. Internal scans do not agree, but self-repair mechanisms will rectify this inconsistency in two point of four hours, Citadel Standard time."

"Have you had time to analyse the data you collected during your stay in the other Geth's memory unit?"

"Affirmative."

"Any clue as to how Xen is controlling these Geth?"

"Analysis of residual code left within the memory unit reveals strands of encryption running through these new Geth analogous with the encryption we encountered within the module supplied to the Heretics by the Old Machines."

"Reaper tech?"

"Affirmative. Calculations suggest a seventy-eight per cent probability that Creator Xen has discovered a relic of the Old Machines and used it to create her new Geth, and a fifteen per cent probability that Creator Xen has allied with the Old Machines in exchange for the power to control the Geth."

"Damn! This makes her a lot more dangerous than we first thought." Shepard smacked a fist on the table, making his plate jump. "I don't think that she'd ally with the Reapers. That's just stupid. With what we know about the reapers, why would anyone seek them out for an alliance?"

"We concur. Creator Xen is intelligent enough to calculate that, once the Old Machines have subjugated the rest of the Galaxy, the Quarian-Creators will not remain unmolested."

"So that means she's got a Reaper relic, and has found a way to use it. We'll need to keep an eye out for her. If it's another virus, like the one the Heretics were creating, then she could unleash it on the true Geth at any time. We can't afford to have an organic-synthetic civil war break out."

"We believe that prevention of this outcome would best be served by travelling to the Creator Fleet. Once there, the Creator-Admirals can be warned of the threat posed by Creator-Xen, and measures to counter her activities can be taken."

"I'll make it a priority. Jano's already given Joker the co-ordinates of the Migrant Fleet, so we can be on our way there at our first opportunity. And when we get there, I want you to join the party that boards the Fleet."

"Shepard-Commander?"

"The Quarians need to learn that the Geth aren't the monsters their grandparents told them about. You're the only ambassador your people have. I want you to represent the Geth before the Quarian people."

"…This choice is logically sound."

"Do I sense a little hesitance there, Legion?" Shepard asked, his lip twitching upwards.

"…No data available."

"Alright. My order still stands, though. When we reach the Flotilla, you'll be joining me when I go to speak with the Admiralty Board."

"Acknowledged."

With that, the Geth turned, heading towards the elevator. Shepard shrugged, finishing his breakfast before anything else came up that required his attention. He gave his plates to Rupert, nodding his thanks, and then turned to head for the elevator himself. His conversation with Jano had set him thinking, and there was a quiet spot on the ship he needed to visit.

**~o~0~o~**

The Engineering deck was quiet. Most of the engineering staff were attending to tasks in other parts of the ship, leaving EDI to monitor critical systems. Aside from the specialists that called this deck home, nobody was about.

Grunt sighed as he paced about in his Cargo Hold restlessly. It had been some time since his Battlemaster had called upon him to break some heads, and he was becoming increasingly aware of the bulkheads pressing in around him. The fact that he couldn't stand up straight without hitting his plates on the ceiling wasn't helping matters. The Normandy was a Human ship, not constructed with aliens of his frame in mind. The longer the Krogan waited for some action, the more oppressive the confines of the vessel seemed

As his brain boiled with frustration, a primal growl sending tremors through his chest, Grunt heard the doors hiss open. He turned, expecting to see his Battlemaster desiring to speak with him. His expression fell as he saw the Quarian step through. He had no time for the alien. Such beings had no place on the battlefield, their frailty making them more of a liability than an asset. The Quarian had attempted to speak to him before, but the Krogan had stalked away in moments, having no time for the weak.

"What do you want. Quarian?"

"I came to speak to you, Grunt of clan Urdnot." Jano said, his voice neutral.

"I have no desire to talk to you." The Krogan said irritably. "Your very presence makes my plates itch. Leave, before I break every bone in that fragile bag of flesh you call a body."

"You've always exhibited hostility in my presence. Why?"

"I told you to leave." The burly alien's words were filled with menace.

"Not until you answer my question."

"I don't answer to you, tinkerer. Be gone."

"No."

"You wish to die?" Grunt growled. "Because that is what awaits you down this path. I am strong enough to tear you apart with just one hand. I have only held back so long because Shepard tolerates you on this ship."

"You resent me because you think I am weak?"

"No. Resent your presence on this ship because I know you are weak. All Quarians are nothing but weakness. Those suits you wear, your pitiful plight at the hands of your own creations, your inability and unwillingness to find a new home, an unending tale of weakness and loss! And now you join our crew, expecting to be treated as an equal."

"I think you don't know what it means to be strong." Jano's voice was solid, rage seething behind his mask.

"Yeah? Well, how about I show you what real strength is?" Grunt lumbered over, standing before the Quarian. The Krogan's immense frame loomed over the smaller alien, Grunt having at least four feet on Jano.

"There is a sparring ring in the Main Hold, is there not? Perhaps we can test our strength against one another down there."

"You're on." Grunt sneered. "Just one thing: no tech attacks. We test our physical abilities, not our equipment."

"Then by the same rule we must spurn our weapons in the ring."

"Hah! These fists are all the weapons I'll need, little man. Go make peace with your gods, I'll see you down there."

"Until then, Grunt."

"Looking forward to it."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard strode into the Engineering Department, noting the peace that had descended upon the deck. He could hear the murmur of conversation from Grunt's hold as the Krogan spoke to some unidentified individual. He chose not to investigate, realising whoever it was may prefer to hold their conversation in private. Instead, the Commander made his way to the steps leading downwards, into the sub-deck.

"Alright. Do it again."

Shepard paused upon hearing Jack's voice echo up from the sub-deck. Apparently she wasn't alone. He dropped down into a crouch to peek into the sub-deck from the stairs.

Gillian stood in the middle of the sub-deck, the bright white light of Jack's 'room' behind her, giving her a dark silhouette. The young girl held an arm out in front of her, hand splayed out with the palm facing upwards. Blue fire trickled along her arm, swirling in a ball in her outstretched palm. Her fingers twitched, occasionally spinning the orb. In front of her, one of the supply crates bobbed uncertainly in the air. One corner dipped heavily, her biotic field failing to completely support it. Behind her, Jack watched hawkishly.

"Come on, focus. You gotta will the field to cover the crate. Any idiot can make something float, you've got to make it float upright. Just make the image in your head. Picture the crate floating steady in the air, then tell it to do that."

"Stay still!" Gillian complied quickly. Moments later, her biotic field flared, and the crate zipped higher into the air, now steady as a rock. Jack nodded appreciatively.

"I didn't mean for you to- never mind. If talking helps you focus the fields, then go nuts. Whatever floats your fucking boat. Now, command the crate to move away. This will be one of the more important techniques you learn."

"Why?"

"Because if you've got some shithead with a knife looking to get his end away, you've got to keep him as far away from you as possible. This'll send him halfway across the system, meaning you can get the hell out of there. Focus enough, you can use it on a whole gang at once."

"Couldn't I just use that Warp you showed me to stop them?"

"No!" Jack snapped, making Gillian flinch and causing her biotic field to shiver, making the crate spin in the air before steadying. "If you try to fight some of the assholes out there, they're going to pull a gun on you. If you're threatened by anyone, you Throw them away, and then get the fuck out of there, we clear? Fighting with your biotics is last resort stuff, got it?"

"I- okay."

Jack grunted, satisfied.

"Alright. That'll do for today. Now go get yourself something to eat. Make sure you keep up your calorie intake, otherwise your biotics will burn you out. The last thing you need is to pass out when you try to use your shit to protect yourself."

"Okay. I'll see you later."

Shepard tensed as Gillian put the crate down and turned to leave, but the girl took the stairs on the opposite side of the sub-deck, meaning he remained undiscovered. The Commander watched for a little while as Jack wandered around her 'room', returning the layout to normal and replacing the crate. Then she sat down on her bed, leaning back as she closed her eyes. Her belly heaved up and down as she slipped into a rhythmic breathing cycle, her shaved head resting on her forearm. It caught Shepard by surprise when she suddenly spoke out sharply.

"You gonna actually come on down here, or are you just gonna sit there jerking off?"

"You don't miss a trick, do you?" Shepard smirked, descending the last of the steps.

"If I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times: This is my world down here. I know everything that happens here." A smile graced her lips, even though her eyes remained closed.

"Nice to see you're getting on with Gillian." Shepard commented.

"I'm teaching her to look out for herself." Jack said off-handedly. "Girl's got talent, that's obvious. But she doesn't know how to use it. Plenty of people tried to teach her, but none of 'em ever had to deal with the kind of fucked-up shit Cerberus puts in their test subjects. Takes a special method to reach 'em."

"I'm surprised you've been teaching her to hold back with her offensive capabilities. I'd have thought you'd be all for wholesale destruction."

"Shows just how much you know about me, don't it?" She turned onto her side, facing the wall. "I am the way I am because of all the shit I've been through. Last thing I want is for someone else to turn out just the same. Maybe if I'd been taught to cut and run a little more, instead of standing and fighting, I'd have lived an easier life, without as many fuck-ups."

"You regret not backing down as much?"

"No regrets, but I got a few times where running away would have hurt a lot less. Besides, the authorities tend to have a problem with you killing everyone who gives you any trouble. I'd definitely have spent less time being chased if I'd shown more self-control."

Shepard remained silent, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. At times, it was hard to tell which one would incense her the least. At others, it was better to just say nothing. Often, having an opinion on a matter important to her was enough to incur Jack's wrath. Instead, he sat on the edge of her cot, regarding her almost bare back.

"I haven't seen you around the ship in a while." He said gently "In fact, aside from when we're out in the field, I don't think I've seen you come out of this hole since Andairas."

"I like it down here." She grumbled defensively. "Just cause I don't want to put up with the shit that the crew's constantly spouting, doesn't mean there's anything wrong. I'm just enjoying my personal space. Is that a crime now?"

"It's just that… I'd thought we moved past this isolationist thing. You seemed to be getting on well with everyone. Well, everyone but Miranda, at least."

"I can deal with the Cheerleader. Hell, I can even put up with you. I just like the peace and quiet, alright?"

"I guess so." Shepard said, unsure that he understood.

"Like hell you do. You don't get me, Shepard. And you probably never will. That's part of the problem with all… this."

"This?"

"You 'n' me, this." Her tone grew more harsh as her ire rose. "How're you supposed to make it work when you don't understand what you're working with?"

"I don't know. But I'm willing to give it a shot. Are you?"

Jack was silent.

"Jack?"

"I don't know, alright! Now drop it!"

"I'm not so sure I should." Shepard said carefully. He was treading on treacherous ground here.

"Well I'm telling you that you're going to!" Biotics flickered around the convict's body, tracing along the darker lines of her tattoos. The skull in the ring of her Omega symbol glittered menacingly, its empty eye socket glowing mockingly as it grinned a sapphire grin. Shepard wisely allowed the topic to slide, for the time being. He tried a different tack.

"Is this about Jano?"

She tensed, the muscles under her ink rippling as she went still. Shepard picked up on the subtle tell. _Got you._

"What makes you say that?"

"Its just that you've been like this since Jano came aboard, and considering your shared past I figured that it may have brought up some memories."

"It ain't none of your business."

"Maybe not, but you're my business, Jack. If there's something bothering you, I want to try and help."

He leaned over, trying to catch a glimpse of her face. He noticed that she was lying with her hand in front of her face, staring distractedly at her wrist. A conspicuous patch of plain skin could be seen there, scarred from the remnants of some past surgery. She picked at the flesh with a preoccupied glare.

"What's that?" He asked.

Her sudden shift from sullen stillness to enraged action shocked him.

"Nothing! Now butt the fuck out! Stop poking your nose where it don't belong!"

Before Shepard could voice a protest, she was on her feet, forcing him to stand and then pushing him out of the sub-deck. Realising that there would be no reasoning with her in this state, he complied, leaving with a single backward glance. He watched her stalk back over to her cot and sit down with a heavy thump, staring at her wrist once again. Acknowledging that this would be a matter that would require patience, Shepard left. If she ever felt up to discussing it, Jack would let him know. He was sure of it.

Just as the Commander stepped out into the corridor running across the deck, he was almost bumped into by the rushing Zaeed. The old mercenary seemed in a hurry to get somewhere, only slowing when he realised it was the Commander he had almost barged into.

"Shepard! Didn't see you there."

"It's alright, Zaeed. What's the rush?"

"That new Quarian just challenged tiny to a fight in the ring. I'm not missing this for a month's pay!"

"What?" Shepard asked, startled. "When did this happen?"

"Not long ago. They're just about to start."

**~o~0~o~**

The Main Hold was a hive of activity, a crowd of curious bystanders having gathered around the sparring ring. Excited mutterings darted to and fro through the mass as crewmen jostled for a better vantagepoint. As Shepard approached, a number of the crew respectfully made room for him to get through the crush, making his way to the ringside. Once he broke through the inner ring of the crowd, he was greeted by the sight of the two combatants already squaring off in the ring. Grunt stood on one side, stripped to the waist to display his mass of muscles. His hump towered above his head, a scaly bulge of flesh sprouting from his shoulders. On the other side, Jano flexed his arms, going through a number of different stances as he prepared for the fight ahead.

"Shepard!"

Delexia's warm greeting reached the Commander over the noise of the rapt audience. He turned to see the Turian standing at the ringside, not far from him. He shouldered his way through the crowd to stand next to her.

"Exciting, isn't it?" She asked.

"It's something, alright." Shepard said cautiously. "I'm not so sure this is a good idea."

"Don't worry, Commander. There's plenty of us poised and ready to break it up if things get out of hand, and Chakwas has been warned. She's ready to administer treatment if necessary."

"What sparked this off?" Shepard asked. "I told Jano he could use the ring to show the crew a few moves, but I never intended for him to do this."

"They've been squaring off since Jano came aboard, Commander. Grunt's been rather judgmental of Jano's combat ability. I think this is Jano's way to prove himself to the Krogan." The Turian explained. "I get the feeling this confrontation was coming, whether you liked it or not. At least this way, they resolve their differences in a controlled environment. The crew can make sure neither of them gets seriously hurt."

"I guess…" Shepard said hesitantly. "I still think this is a bad idea. Jano's going to get pummelled out there!"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Commander. Don't you watch the holovids? The little guy always beats the muscle-bound brute."

"This isn't the vids, Delexia. Grunt's got a massive size advantage here."

"Size ain't everything, Commander." Delexia's brow furrowed as she caught her slip. "Don't get me wrong, it means a lot to a girl like me, but not everything."

"I-" Shepard's sentence was cut off by a sudden roar from the ring. He turned to see Grunt charge at Jano, commencing the fight. Silence fell across the crew as they all stared at the fearsome sight of a Krogan in full charge.

The burly alien covered the width of the ring in a moment, lowering his head as he made a straight line towards the Quarian. Jano reacted in an instant, dropping into a crouch and pivoting away from the charge, nimbly dodging the larger Grunt. The Krogan stumbled to a halt only inches from the edge of the ring, causing the audience to jump back with more than a little fear. His blue eyes narrowed in irritation as he shook his head from side to side.

Before the Krogan could turn around, Jano was on him, three-digited hands slamming into his back in a rapid series of open-fisted strikes. The jabs did little to harm the Krogan, but he noticed them, snarling in annoyance. Grunt spun, one elbow swinging ahead of him in an attempt to strike the Quarian across the face. But Jano was no longer there, dancing back from the outstretched limb. As the arm ceased its swing, the Quarian lunged forward, catching it in a powerful grip. Grunt's eyes widened as he tried to free himself, finding his arm held tight by the slight alien. As Grunt tried to free himself, Jano managed to get his feet around the Krogan's ankle, after which he twisted viciously. Grunt let out a yelp as he crashed to the floor. Jano emerged from the tangle of limbs, apparently unscathed.

Grunt let out an angry growl, climbing back to his feet. As he faced his opponent, he settled into a wrestler's crouch, more prepared for any sudden attack on the part of the Quarian. Jano mimicked his movements, his stance proving the more graceful as his hands wove a complex pattern before him.

Predictably, Grunt was the first to break this tense lull, rushing forwards again. This time, Jano moved slightly less, catching a portion of the Krogan's charge and simply redirecting it, causing Grunt to stumble chaotically. Grunt roared as he struggled to stay on his feet, but remained aloft. He spun, moving fast for a creature of his size. This obviously caught the Quarian off-guard, as a meaty fist connected with his side. A loud wheeze escaped from the lithe alien's mask as he struggled for breath. Shepard saw a holographic warning pop up on the mask's surface, a part of Jano's HUD. Obviously the suit had detected an injury.

Jano recovered fast, dodging the next swing. He blocked the third, turning the massive fist aside with the flat of his palm. Still leaning back from this last punch, Jano brought a foot up, striking the Krogan on the chin. Grunt blinked in surprise at the unexpected tactic, but appeared to suffer no ill effects. By the time he had shaken his head, dispelling the confusion the kick caused, Jano had slipped within his reach, crouching close to his opponent. As Grunt tried to adjust to punch a much closer target, Jano's fists launched into a flurry of action, pummelling the Krogan's gut. Grunt let out a pained snarl at the assault, stumbling back to keep Jano at arm's length.

The Quarian refused to ease up, pressing forwards. He kept launching lightning-fast strikes at the Krogan until a powerful swing caused him to dodge backwards. Grunt then went on the offensive once again, lunging forwards with every jab, using powerful kicks to keep the Quarian off-balance.

Jano quickly began shuffling his feet, blocking each kick with the side of his shin or carrying himself out of reach of the huge fists before rushing back in to land a couple of retaliatory punches of his own. This back-and-forth continued for a few tense moments, until finally the duo broke apart, each one drawing in ragged breaths.

Their respite was brief, as the Krogan would not allow victory to escape his grasp. Grunt raced in again, swinging wildly. Jano reacted by crouching down again, then launching himself into the air, his legs unfolding like springs. He twirled in the air, tumbling over the hump of the charging Krogan. Grunt howled in frustration as the Quarian locked his arms around the Krogan's head, hands grasping the burly alien's windpipe tightly.

Grunt let out a gasp as his throat constricted, but his wide neck made strangulation difficult, so he remained standing, swatting at the weight on his back. After a moment, Jano gave up on trying to subdue the Krogan via strangulation, instead moving his hands to strike certain key points in the soft flesh under the Krogan's jaw. As grunt reeled, dizzy from the strikes to multiple nerve clusters, Jano slipped off his back, legs curling around the Krogan's right leg. The Quarian's hand shot out, palm first, striking the Krogan's knee. Grunt roared in pain as bones snapped with a sickly crunch, the leg suddenly bending in the wrong direction. As the huge alien bowed under the weight of the Quarian, with Jano forcing him to land on his belly and then pinning him there, a deathly hush fell across the shocked audience. Grunt continued to struggle for a moment, but his broken leg, combined with the lock Jano had on one of his arms, kept him from being able to move much at all. With a weary snarl, he lay still. As he did so, Jano's face mask moved close to his ear, the Quarian whispering words that only the Krogan and the Commander, who had clambered into the ring as the fight reached its peak, could hear.

"Just because we have lost so much does not mean that we are weak. Strength comes from how you react to the loss, not how much you must endure. Remember that the next time you judge one of my kind."

Suddenly, Jano released Grunt, standing up stiffly. He nodded to the Commander as he stepped away from the prone Grunt. The pair stepped to the side of the ring as Chakwas, accompanied by Doctor Archer, shouldered their way into the ring, rushing over to Grunt.

"Commander. You seem surprised."

"Maybe a little." Shepard admitted, checking the Quarian over for any signs of suit ruptures. "I'd have said a fight between a Quarian and a Krogan would have been a sure thing. He should have torn you apart."

"And he would have, had he landed any punches. However, our order trains us to be agile enough to avoid getting hit. Without my training, I'd be a smear on the deck by now."

"We'll definitely want you showing some of our crew how to do that." Shepard said, patting him on the shoulder. "If we our crew could pick up even a handful of those moves, We'd have a force to be reckoned with."

"I shall ask around and see who would be interested in receiving tutelage, Commander." Jano said. "But for now, I think I will go rest."

As the Quarian attempted to pass the Commander by, he clutched his side, wincing.

"Jano! Are you alright?" Shepard asked worriedly.

"That was quite a solid hit the Krogan scored." The Quarian gasped. "I believe I will feel the after-effects of this bout tomorrow."

"I reckon that you'd be best steering clear of Chakwas' office for now." Shepard said, looking over to where Delexia and Garrus helped to carry Grunt out of the Cargo Bay, each offering a shoulder to the Krogan as he limped along on one leg, the other one trailing uselessly. The Doctors followed closely, scanning the alien for any injuries. "Maybe you should head up to the Tech lab. Mordin can fix you up no bother, and there's less chance you'll have a run-in with Grunt."

"I do not believe the Krogan will be a problem, Commander. Their species only understands brute force. By besting him, I believe I have earned his respect."

"We'll see." Shepard said cautiously. "Just… don't antagonise him over this, will you?"

"As you wish, Commander."

Shepard watched the Quarian stalk away, making careful progress towards the elevator. The Commander shook his head, looking about at the dispersing crowd. A number of crewmen followed Jano, offering congratulations, but the majority were thankfully heading back to their duties, their day's entertainment over. The Commander waited until most of the crew had left before making his own way to the elevator, heading up to his cabin to file a few reports.

**~o~0~o~**

Grunt grimaced as he took a few tentative steps, his leg barely holding up under him. It had been about five hours since that blasted Quarian had bested him in the sparring ring, and his resilient Krogan physiology had already begun knitting the bone tissue back into a solid whole, but the leg still felt like it was being gnawed off by a rabid Varren bitch in heat. The Human doctors had insisted that he remain in the Med Bay for further observation, but he was damned if he was going to sit on his ass. He'd been pacing ever since he had found himself able to push through the pain and stand up straight.

His thoughts whirled as he glared out through the Med Bay windows, watching the crew buzzing around outside. How had he been beaten? The Quarian was weak, frail, a pitifully small creature barely as strong as an Urdnot Beasthandler's first Varren runt. He was an Urdnot, the strongest of the strong, the most feared and respected clan on Tuchanka. His strength was unparalleled by any being he had yet to encounter. Even the Yahg that had once been the Shadow Broker would appear small in comparison to his rapidly growing frame.

His tank imprints held no image of the fighting style chosen by the Quarian. He could make the connection with traditions other species, namely the 'martial arts' of Humanity and the Commando training of the Asari, but even then Jano's tactics had been like nothing he could have pictured. That sect he had claimed to be a part of, the Wardancers, they must have given him training to increase his potential beyond what his natural vigour granted him. Such knowledge would mitigate the might of many enemies, granting an unseen advantage. Was that his secret? Hidden strength? Grunt had to know.

He was given the chance when he caught sight of the Quarian passing through the Mess Hall. The alien retrieved a ration pack from the galley and turned to leave. Seizing his chance, Grunt hurriedly left the Med Bay, pursuing his former combatant.

"Quarian!"

Every being on the Crew Deck glanced in the Krogan's direction warily, clearly worried that the inevitable rematch was about to start. Jano simply stopped, turning to face Grunt.

"I have a name, Urdnot Grunt. You would show me respect by using it."

The Krogan's lip curled at the icy words, but he kept his indignation in check.

"I would speak with you." Grunt looked about warily. "In private."

Jano glanced at the crew, considering whether or not to force the Krogan to say his piece there and then. He sighed.

"Alright. Let's take this to the Starboard Observation Deck."

The duo made their way there, Grunt limping along slowly. At last the doors to the Observation Deck slid shut behind them, and Jano turned to face the Urdnot warrior.

"What's this about?" He demanded.

"You were right." Grunt managed after a moment of wrestling with a throat that refused to utter the words.

"What?"

"You were right. My perception of strength needed adjusting. Physical appearance is not all that strength can be judged by, nor should it be. In doing so, I brought disgrace upon myself and my name."

"…Is this an apology? From a Krogan?" The alien's tone was incredulous.

"No." Grunt suppressed a snarl, as the Quarian's words hit pretty close to the truth. "It is a confession. I see now that you possess strength, but not in a way that can be readily seen. That quality in itself makes it the more potent. An Urdnot such as myself would be honoured to understand the subtleties of this."

"Are you offering to be my student?" Jano asked warily.

"I wish to learn how to fight like you do. With my power and the agility of your training, I'd be unstoppable!"

Jano was silent for a moment, looking the Krogan up and down. When he finally spoke, it was with a hesitant note in his voice.

"A Krogan with the talents of a Wardancer? My peers would die of laughter at such a notion. But, if it could be done… the resilience of the Krogan form is considerable, and could be regarded as the nearest to physical purity evident in organic life." He straightened. "Are you ready to commit yourself to the training? Not just in body, but also in mind. I shall require your full focus, and your oath that you will follow my instruction."

"I swear by my position as an Urdnot, I shall not waver."

"Okay then. First things first, get back to the Med Bay. You're no good to me with a busted leg. I shall prepare for your first training session. Seek me out when you are healed."

"This leg'll be fixed tomorrow. We Krogan heal fast."

"Good. Until tomorrow, then."

The Krogan limped out, heading back to the infirmary and leaving the Quarian to stare out of the window ponderously at the stars beyond. Truly, this day had been a strange one, although he was pleased with the outcome. He'd intended to earn the burly alien's respect, but had come away with a new student, and an eager one at that. He just hoped he hadn't bitten off more than he could chew…

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard stepped out of the elevator and into the CIC, nodding to Kelly in passing.

"Good Morning, Commander." She greeted warmly.

"Kelly." Shepard nodded. "Any messages?"

"Nothing right now. Although… I had hoped to have a quick word with you, Commander."

"What about?"

"I finished my psyche evaluation of Thane. I thought you might like to hear my conclusions."

"Hit me with it."

"As far as I can tell, his stay in cryo-stasis, along with his ability to slip into his memories have protected him from any serious psychological trauma. I don't expect that to have much of an impact on his capabilities in the field."

"I'm sensing a 'but' approaching."

"Yes, unfortunately. It regards his illness. While both he and I agree that your choice was the right one, facing your own mortality is a changing experience. He claims to be ready to die, but I get the feeling that he's somewhat pre-occupied with it. I'm worried having missed out on a cure to his disease may cause his resolve to falter when he's under fire."

"He'll be fine." Shepard said firmly. "He's got us to look after him."

"True. I guess being surrounded by your friends can give you the strength to face death without hesitation. I still feel sorry for him, though."

"Too late to change our minds now." Shepard replied. "The best we can do is make sure his last few months are filled with good memories."

"Yeah. Makes me wonder… with the Drell having such intense powers of recollection, do you think they carry that with them when they die?"

"I have no idea." Shepard said, a chuckle that had no trace of humour in it dancing in his throat. "I don't really recall much of my own experience."

"Oh, uh… sorry, Commander." Kelly stuttered. "Didn't mean to make you-"

"Don't worry about it, Kelly." Shepard smiled. "Was there anything else?"

"Not right now."

"Alright. See you around, Kelly."

"Commander."

Shepard walked away from the yeoman, circling around the Galaxy Map. He caught sight of Miranda standing at one of the consoles that encircled the Map, engrossed in some task. Curious to see her out of her normal environment of her office on the Crew Deck, he sauntered over. She glanced up at his approach.

"Commander. We've made contact with the Berlin. She'll be arriving in the system in a matter of minutes, and then we can transfer the children over."

"Are you alright?" Shepard asked.

"Of course." Miranda asked with a surprised tone, although Shepard caught the flicker of unreadable emotion in the back of her eyes. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Sending the kids away to a distant colony world while you go into a war you might not come back from… I know I'd be a little hesitant."

Miranda locked her gaze with his, examining his eyes for any hidden messages before realising he was genuine. She sighed.

"I am a little unsure, yes. Not about sending the children away, mind you. It's the right thing to do. They'll be safe on Eden Prime, unless we fail in our mission. If that happens, none of it matters anyway. But the thought that I might not see them again… I'm a little scared, truth be told. More so than when we went after my sister, more than when I found out I was back in my father's hands. I'm not used to this, Shepard."

"You've never had so much to lose before." Shepard surmised. "Even when you were running from your father, you had Cerberus to look out for your sister."

"Yeah." She breathed heavily. "That may be it. I think I understand how you feel every time you go into battle now. You see us all as a part of your family, and I've seen how it affects you when one of us takes a bullet."

"Huh. Never really thought about it like that before, but I guess you're right."

"How do you deal with it? How do you stop concern for your loved ones from making you lock up?"

"Don't let them become a worry." Shepard explained. "Let them be your motivating force. Every time you engage an enemy, remember that taking them down is another step closer to making sure your kids are safe. Let them give you purpose. A soldier with a purpose will fight ten times as hard as a gun for hire."

"That's… quite encouraging, actually." Miranda said, her smile a little firmer now. "Wouldn't have expected such words from a soldier, not even one as accomplished as yourself."

"See? More than just a pretty face." Shepard chuckled.

"You're only a pretty face because I put it back together, Commander." Miranda laughed. "Frankly, I should be given a damn medal for what I achieved with that duck's arse you had for a face before."

"Ouch!" Shepard mocked clutching at an injured chest. "You wound me, woman!"

"Thanks, Shepard." Miranda's smile was strong now, full of genuine happiness and lacking the concern it had carried before.

"Anytime, Miranda."

"Attention, Command Deck." EDI's voice echoed by overhead. "Prepare for docking procedures with SSV Berlin."

"Time's up, I guess." Miranda said. "See you later, Commander."

**~o~0~o~**

Minutes later, the Normandy had safely docked with the Berlin. Shepard waited by the airlock as it cycled its way open, waiting to greet the representative of the Alliance vessel. Behind him, he could hear the jostling of the children as they made ready to depart. Behind this crowd, Chakwas waited with a watchful eye, the Drell cure and all notes she had been able to compile contained in a single folder. Miranda stood over the children, making sure they were ready for transfer over to the other ship. As he glanced over his shoulder, he saw her kneel next to one of the young girls, adjusting an item of clothing that had been put on askew.

"Where are we going?" The girl asked.

"To a safe place." Miranda explained. "The Normandy's not the place for children to live."

"Why?"

"Because we have a very dangerous mission, and people who stay on the ship might get hurt."

"So are you coming with us?" One of the boys asked.

"…No."

"Why not?" A girl asked, twirling her raven-black hair. Shepard noticed the strong resemblance between her and her 'mother'. "If it's dangerous here, you might get hurt!"

This comment was followed by a clamour of concern from the other children.

"It's my job to stay here." Miranda said, her voice strained as she struggled to explain herself. "It's important that I stay on the Normandy."

"But what if you get hurt?" A boy asked.

"I'll do my best not to." Miranda said, although this didn't appear to be enough for the children, who continued to make sounds of distress. Shepard decided to intervene.

"I'll make sure she's okay." He assured, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I promise."

At the Commander's firm words, the children's worry subsided. Miranda spared him a grateful glance. They looked back to the children as yet another one spoke up.

"Where's the lady?"

"What lady?" Miranda asked, confused.

"The lady with the pictures on her skin. She kept us safe with the bubble."

"Jack's probably down on the sub-deck." Miranda said dismissively. "She doesn't come up here that often. Why?"

"We wanted to thank her for helping us."

"Oh. Well, uh-"

"I'll tell her for you, kids." Shepard interrupted Miranda. Again Miranda thanked him with her eyes.

"Commander." EDI's melodious voice sounded out. "The Captain of the Berlin wishes to board."

"Open the airlock, EDI. Let him in."

The airlock hisses with a rush of pressurised air as it split open, the atmospheres of both the Berlin and the Normandy mixing in a blast of cool, clean oxygen. Through the door stepped a towering, slightly built man with narrow features and a sharp gleam to his eyes. He strode onto the Normandy, homing in on the Commander. Shepard accepted his extended hand, grasping it firmly in a stiff, albeit friendly handshake.

"Commander Shepard? Captain Hunter, SSV Berlin. A pleasure to finally meet you."

"Welcome aboard the Normandy, Captain. Glad you could make the detour."

"Eden Prime is not far off our intended course. It wasn't hard to convince the brass to let us make a quick re-supply stop in orbit."

"Well, we really appreciate it." Shepard said.

Captain Hunter turned to look at the children.

"Is this all of them? My count comes up one short." His brow furrowed.

"That'll be Gillian." Shepard explained. "She'll be along shortly."

As Hunter nodded silently, Chakwas strode over, proffering the research folder.

"Captain Hunter, I have a package here for Doctor Capellan. It contains instructions on where to deliver the contents."

"Ah, this is the Drell Cure, right? Don't worry. Doc Capellan will make sure it gets to Kahje."

As the pair chatted, Shepard's attention was drawn by a subtle prompt from his omnitool. He excused himself, stepping back to accept the call coming through on the device. His eyebrow twitched as he noted that it was Feron calling.

"Shepard, Liara wishes to speak with you in the Briefing Room." The Drell informed him.

"Got it. Be right there." Shepard ended the call, glancing up to the watching Captain Hunter. "I apologise, Captain, but an urgent matter has come to my attention. Please excuse me."

"Of course, Commander. We'll begin transferring the passengers over."

As Shepard walked away, he glanced back over his shoulder, watching as Miranda shepherded the children through the airlock. As he watched, she kneeled down and embraced a few of them, stroking their heads as she said goodbye. He nodded, glad to see her extending such gestures to her children. Turning away, he focused on heading to the Briefing Room, somewhat anxious over what Liara might have to say to him.

He moved through the doors to the Tech Lab, coming up short as he realised the room wasn't empty. Jack stood by one of the workbenches, fiddling with a piece of equipment. Beside her, Gillian stood expectantly. Jack looked in the Commander's direction, but continued talking to Gillian.

"That should do it. Now remember, wear this whenever you go anywhere that you don't know. It'll keep any bastard that tries to get the jump on you from actually hitting you, and will buy you a coupla extra seconds to get to cover."

As she spoke, the fastened a belt around the girl's waist, activating a control on it. A flickering blue kinetic barrier flared to life around Gillian, shimmering almost invisibly.

"There." The convict continued. "It's tied into your omnitool now. Learn how to put it up and take it down fast. Better that nobody sees you fiddling with it."

"Okay."

"I hate to interrupt," Shepard said. "But the Berlin's here."

"Just a sec." Jack shot back irritably. She turned back to Gillian, drawing a small item from her belt. Shepard caught the shine of metal as she handed over a compact pistol, about the size of the Commander's open palm. "Here, take this as well. First one I ever stole off a guy. Kept me safe when all my other guns are jammed. You carry that with you, but only use it when you can't do anything else, okay? Last resort only."

"O-Okay." Gillian said nervously, holding the gun as though she'd rather not have it anywhere near her. Shepard suppressed a frown. It was a dangerous thing to give the girl, but he understood that, from Jack's point of view, this was the best way to protect her. He felt a little warmth in his heart to see the biotic showing such concern over the youngster, although he knew better than to mention it to her. Instead he smiled.

Jack placed a clumsy hand on the girl's shoulder, an awkward gesture of farewell and of her hopes the girl would be safe. Jack wasn't the cuddling type, so this was as close as she would get with someone she wasn't sleeping with, and Gillian seemed to pick up on the fact that this went against Jack's nature. The youngster smiled quietly, nodding her thanks before turning and leaving. Jack watched her go silently before turning to see Shepard watching her.

"What the hell are you looking at?" She asked in annoyance before shouldering past him and leaving the Tech Lab herself. Shepard just continued smiling.

The Commander made his way through to the Briefing Room, where Feron greeted him. The Drell seemed a little out of sorts.

"Commander. It's good you're here."

"You finally got through to Liara, then?"

"Actually, she contacted us. She has- it's better if you hear it from her."

"Sounds big." Shepard commented. "Alright. Fire it up."

The table retracted, and the Commander stepped into the imaging circle, only to find himself in Liara's office once more, all external light cut off by the hologram surrounding him. Liara stood at her station, going through data feverishly. She turned as his image flickered into existence in the middle of her office.

"Shepard. I have news for you. I'm sending you a set of co-ordinates. We need to speak in person."

"This sounds important. What's going on?"

"I can't go into details, Shepard. Not over a comm channel. But I can tell you this much: We found him."

Shepard tensed at that, sensing her meaning before she fully explained herself.

"We've found the Illusive Man."

**Author's Notes; Okay, this chapter gave me a little trouble. I still have a little trouble with some of the dialogue, but I couldn't think of a way to improve it just now. May come back and tweak it later. Dialogue is not my strong point. Action: Fine, Emotion: Okay, Mystery: Actually pretty good, Dialogue: Pants. at least that's my opinion.**

**I love the scene with Grunt and Jano in this one. Really helps establish Jano as a part of the crew, but also helps to make Grunt grow into a better warrior.**

**Anyway, I'm gonna get back to work on the next chapter, which signifies the start of what I refer to as Act three. Really making progress now.**

**By the way, my request for any fanart you guys might come up with in relation to this fic still stands. I'd love to see what people make of Jano, or Delexia, or pretty much anything I've written about so far.**

**So, I'll see you guys later. Fainmaca away!**


	35. 35: The Heart Of Darkness

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 35: The Heart Of Darkness**

Shepard stood behind Joker's chair, watching the glimmer of red-shifted light through the forward viewports as the Normandy powered across the distance between stars. The Commander was dressed in a sharp suit, ready to disembark the moment the ship arrived at the destination Liara had chosen. The canny Asari, realising the risks of remaining static with so many enemies who might seek to do her harm, had been on the move for a while now, travelling in the ship that constituted the hub of the Shadow Broker network from system to system. The location she had chosen to rendezvous with the Normandy at was no less reclusive than Hagalaz, however. The chosen system was close to the Galactic Edge, beyond the borders of any Council race's territories. Joker had guided the ship through no fewer than seven Mass relays on their way there.

"Be advised, decelerating from FTL velocities in five, four, three, two…" EDI informed the crew professionally.

A moment later, the Normandy lurched as it dropped into sub-light speed. The entire ship shook as it ploughed straight into a volatile nebula, the forward viewport filling with crackling red light. Overhead, lights flickered as arcs of electricity licked the ship's hulls.

"Ack!" Joker grunted. "Damn it, we've dropped into an ionised nebula!"

"Alert. Kinetic barriers inoperable. Power surges detected in vital systems. Multiple fires detected on decks Two, Three and Four." EDI listed off the damage report.

"Yeah, yeah, we get it EDI!" Joker snapped. "Divert the power from the shields to the secondary thruster arrays. It's doing no good going to emitters that aren't firing. Try to use power conduits as far away from the hull as possible."

"Done." The AI responded almost immediately.

"Get us out of here, Joker." Shepard instructed over the rumble of the ship.

"Really? But I wanted to stay in the glowing red death cloud." Joker snapped back.

The Commander held his tongue. Joker was a good pilot, the best. The downside of that was his tendency to leave his mouth running. It helped him focus.

Moments later, the Normandy burst out of the Nebula, lines of power tracing along its hull for a few lingering seconds. Once they were clear, Joker sagged back in his seat.

"Whoo! Let's not do that again." He muttered, checking a readout. "Looks like we drifted a thousandth of a degree to the right during that last jump. Put us a couple light-minutes off from our intended destination. Why would Liara choose a spot so close to a hostile nebula like that?"

"For privacy." Shepard surmised. "No one would stop in such a hostile environment."

"Jeez. Couldn't she just… I don't know, book a room in a sleazy motel or something?"

"If she ever needs to, I'll tell her you're the man to ask."

"Ouch! That hurts, Commander! Just for that, you're not getting a Christmas card this year."

"That's a little harsh, don't you think, Joker?" Kaidan chuckled as he walked up. He turned to Shepard. "Don't worry, Commander. There's always Shepard Day."

"Shepard Day?" The Commander asked dubiously.

"Oh, didn't you know? They celebrate it on Eden prime every year, to celebrate the anniversary of the day you saved them from Saren's Geth. How did you miss that?" Kaidan raised an eyebrow.

"I've been kind of busy. I did just spend the past three years dead, in prison or being shot at. Sometimes a mixture of the three."

The Alliance soldier laughed loudly before turning to face the front viewport. Through it, they could see Liara's ship advancing on their position, docking machinery at the ready.

"SSV Normandy, prepare to dock with airlock three." A professional voice sounded over the comms.

"This is Normandy. Docking instructions received." Joker replied.

The two craft drifted closer to one another, a long tube extending from Liara's vessel to kiss the Normandy's hull over the airlock on the Command Deck. A loud clank, swiftly followed by a hiss, announced the completion of the manoeuvre.

"Aaaaand we're done." Joker said. "You can step on across whenever you're ready, Commander."

"Thanks." Shepard turned to Kaidan. "Is the squad ready?"

"Just about. They're all a little on edge, truth be told. Are we really going after the Illusive Man?" Kaidan asked uncertainly. "Don't get me wrong, the guy needs to be stopped. But this is a big step, and I have a hard time believing we've actually caught up to him."

"Liara seemed very sure of herself." Shepard said, turning towards the airlock with Kaidan falling in step behind him. As they pressed the button to open the door, Shepard heard the footsteps of his squad-mates proceeding through the CIC towards the front of the ship. "I suppose we'll find out in the briefing."

"Aye, Commander." Kaidan said, although his expression was still troubled.

"Speak your mind, Kaidan. What's bothering you?"

"Its just… with the Reapers invading, shouldn't we focus on working together? I know the Illusive Man has done many bad things, or at least paid people to do them, but Cerberus could be a valuable asset. I mean, they've achieved a few good things too, when they put their minds to it. They brought you back, for one. Rebuilt the Normandy, helped assemble the strongest team of operatives in existence and equipped them with enough firepower to tear a planet apart. Wouldn't we be better off letting Cerberus be?"

"They're a wild card. In the battles to come, we'll need everyone to work together without hesitation. I can't rely on Cerberus to do that. What if they decide the Reaper War is the perfect time to cripple one of the other races to further Humanity's cause? I know the Illusive Man isn't that short-sighted, but you've seen how liberally his servants interpret their orders. We could win the war, but lose our allies in the process, and that's not good for us. In the years following this, we'll need a united government to rebuild. That won't happen with Cerberus in the picture."

"I see what you're saying. We need to prevent Cerberus from becoming a threat later on. By striking at them now, we could reclaim any resources they've skimmed off for their own use, and bolster our own efforts in preparing to retake Earth."

"Exactly." Shepard ducked his head as they passed through the open airlock, glancing back to see the press of bodies as the squad began moving down the docking tube onto the Shadow Broker's ship.

**~o~0~o~**

"Thank you all for coming."

Liara stood before her console in the Shadow Broker's office. She faced the gathered squad, standing in a rough circle under the flickering canopy of white matter swirling around overhead. The young Asari tapped out a command on her omnitool and the floor under this glowing ceiling split apart, rising to form a table about fifteen feet in diameter, large enough for the entire squad to stand around without any jostling. Shepard took up a position opposite the new Shadow Broker, watching her carefully as his comrades stepped up to the table.

The Asari looked pensive, and her normally serene features were drawn tight across her face, shadows under her eyes betraying her recent lack of sleep. Shepard wondered just how difficult it had been for Liara to dig up the information she had to offer. For a system as sophisticated as the Shadow Broker's network to take any time at all to find something out, the task of uncovering Cerberus' primary base must have been monumental.

Kaidan stepped up next to the Commander, similarly noting his old friend's weariness. At the Commander's opposite shoulder, Miranda walked up, nodding to the Asari with a certain familiarity. The caused Shepard's eyebrow to lift. Just how did the pair know one another? When the Commander had helped Liara usurp the Shadow broker's throne, the Asari had had no time to really greet any of his current squad. He shrugged. That would be a story for another day. The remaining members of the squad, all fifteen of them, were arrayed around the table an eclectic mix of races, professions and moral outlooks all united under one banner. Shepard smiled as he surveyed the small army, both old faces and new. All of his old crew mates had gathered, with the exceptions of Wrex and Tali, occupied with helping their respective races, and- Shepard's smile hitched at the thought- Ashley.

Liara smiled wearily at them all.

"That's almost all of us. We're just waiting on- ah, here she is."

Shepard turned at the sound of the door opening, his face breaking into a smile as he spotted the figure walking in.

"Elanie!" He greeted. Around the table, murmured greetings sounded out as squad members recognised the information agent. "What are you doing here? I thought you were still on Bekenstein."

"After our little incident at the Lawson mansion, my identity was compromised." Elanie explained as she walked up to the table, Miranda and Jacob shuffling aside to make room for her. "I was reassigned to this project."

"Elanie was the one who uncovered the data we needed to make our latest breakthrough." Liara explained. "After she proved her ability in aiding you during your mission on Bekenstein, I decided we should meet personally. She's been spearheading my efforts to track Cerberus down since then."

"That can't have been an easy task." Miranda said. "The Illusive man is meticulous in his efforts to remain hidden."

"True, but I had one thing the Illusive Man won't have anticipated." Elanie said. As she pressed a button on her omnitool, a bright sphere of light shimmered into being above her shoulder. Shepard recognised the holographic 'body' of Sykes, Elanie's stolen Synthetic Intelligence.

"Yes, Elanie? Oh, wai- ah! That's a lot of people." It stuttered nervously, jumping back a few feet.

"It's alright, Sykes." The Intelligence Operative assured the glowing ball of light. "They're friends. You remember the Commander, don't you? We worked with him on Bekenstein."

"Oh," The SI said uncertainly. The front of the globe, where the pulsating visual interface glowed, turned to regard the assembled squad. "Hello."

"What is that?" Jacob asked warily. "An AI?"

"Not… exactly." Elanie said. "He is a Synthetic Intelligence. His official designation is Synthetically Intelligent Emotion-driven Construct Seven, but I figured even the initials of that were too hard to pronounce, so I went for the closest name I could think of; Sykes. He likes it, and so do I."

"Synthetic Intelligence?" Mordin asked with curiosity. "Thought that was purely theoretical technology. All attempts to create functional specimens have resulted in unstable constructs. Results of testing in battlefield simulations… messy. Individuals tend to lose control, injure comrades, even self-destruct."

"Apparently Cerberus didn't give up so easily." Garrus muttered gravely. He turned to the two former Cerberus agents, Miranda and Jacob. "Did you know anything about this?"

"Yes." Miranda replied, drawing a surprised look from Jacob. "But it happened a long time ago, before I had risen to the position I held in the Lazarus cell, and before Jacob had even considered leaving the Alliance. The project was shut down after the lead scientist stole the most promising specimen."

"Namely you." Shepard said to Elanie. She nodded silently.

"What is a Synthetic Intelligence?" Kasumi asked. "How is that different from EDI?"

"An SI is constructed in a different manner." Elanie explained. "Its less complex than an AI, and isn't dependant on a Blue Box to contain it. An SI is created by generating multiple minor emotional constructs a little more complex than a VI. These segments are designed to run on a single emotional trigger, such as anger, fear or curiosity. Once enough of these splinters have been created, they are melded together into one larger, and above all sentient, being. Due to their lack of reliance upon a Quantum Blue Box, these Synthetic Intelligences can move from system to system."

"Like the Geth." Samara surmised.

"No." Elanie contradicted. "The Geth remain separate from one another, hundreds of individual runtimes within a unified whole. An SI consists of one programme. Once the emotional splinters are combined, they cannot be separated again. While they do share the similarity of increased strength and intelligence through increased size, that is where all similarities end. An SI is one programme, while the Geth are made up from multiple networks."

"Sounds like Cerberus was dangerously close to breaking the Council's laws on AI research." Garrus said sharply.

"Oh, we crossed the line many times during our research." Elanie said flippantly. "We had no regard for the Council's decisions. We just did as we pleased."

"So an SI is more complex than a Virtual Intelligence, but not as powerful as a true Artificial Intelligence?" Jano asked.

"Yes. Think of it as the stage down from the AI installed in your ship." Elanie answered.

"So why did you flee from the project?" Delexia asked.

"Our first few attempts at creating viable specimens proved to be… not good. Many programmes degraded in seconds of being merged. Some held together until they were spoken to. Others went berserk as soon as they were confronted with a particular problem. One in particular killed five scientists after it was asked to calculate the most logical course of action to take when inserted into a simulation of the Battle of Shanxi. It hacked the security protocols of several mechs standing watch and used them to gun down its handlers before turning the weapons on its own systems.

"Then we had a breakthrough. We managed to create ten viable specimens, ten fully functional SIs that held up under the most emotionally difficult situations. But the Illusive Man wanted to test them to destruction. He ran these programmes through countless no-win situations to find their stress limit. Once that was understood, he had us upgrade the next few programmes to withstand this duress, and planned to repeat the cycle until he was satisfied. Sykes was in test group number three. After seeing six other programmes pushed beyond what they could bear, I knew that I had to stop the tests. So I managed to upload Sykes into a data module, corrupted all research data, and ran as fast as I could. Eventually the Shadow Broker took me in, and in return for protection I have been providing snippets of data from the project, as well as what information I can on Cerberus."

"It was after this that the Illusive Man decided to focus more on full-blown AI research." Miranda explained. "Starting with a facility on Luna and finishing with EDI."

"We saw what happened on Luna." Kaidan said. "We were the ones sent in there to shut everything down when it went berserk."

"What made Sykes so different from the previous SI generations?" Jano asked. Shepard could understand his interest, given his people's past with such creations.

"We backed down in the complexity of the programming. Used less emotional constructs. This helped each SI created to remain stable." Elanie turned to wave her hand through Sykes' interface playfully. "Of course, this means that the stable SIs were more inclined towards certain emotions. In Sykes' case, nervousness and fear. It's why he's so easily startled."

"So how has Sykes helped you to dig up more information on the Illusive Man?" Shepard asked, steering the meeting back on-topic.

"We have been able to put Sykes' talents to use infiltrating the secure networks of several Cerberus cells." Liara explained. "Combining this intel with the data your team has gathered from your numerous encounters with Cerberus and its allies, particularly from the information stored within Victor Lawson's databanks and the archives of the Asclepius Project, we have been able to pinpoint the location of this."

Here the Asari typed in a couple of commands, and a large hologram flickered into being above the table. The squad leaned forward to examine the image. Beside Shepard, Miranda let out a little gasp.

"Minuteman station." Liara explained grandly. "The Illusive Man's base of operations, and the heart of Cerberus' organisation."

Shepard examined the station before him. It was large, that much he could tell from the smaller details. He saw a shuttle hanger nestled in one portion of the station that took up a tiny fraction of the total size of the structure. The entire station was shaped like a bow, one long, curving segment flexing away from a much straighter line. A triangular hub stretched up from its centre, surrounded by numerous solar panels. The Commander recognised the station. It was where he had been taken shortly after his resurrection, and when he had first seen the new Normandy. It was also where he had first met the Illusive Man, albeit through a holographic conference.

"I've been there before." Shepard pointed out. "The Illusive man wasn't there."

"I think you'll find the Illusive Man simply chose not to meet you face to face, Commander." Miranda pointed out. "He's always very careful when it comes to his personal safety. He would have simply remained in a separate section of the station. I've been there to speak with him personally on many occasions, back when he could trust me."

"The main problem is actually finding the station." Elanie explained. "Any Cerberus operatives who receive an invitation to speak with the big man in person have to take a shuttle with a pre-programmed navi-computer. He moves the station on a regular basis to keep it hidden, never staying in the same place for more than a solar month. Only the Illusive Man knows where it is at any one given time."

"How does he manage to move an entire space station from system to system?" Etarn asked wonderingly. "I'd have thought that technology was beyond any Council race at this point in time."

"Our intel suggests that the four Mass Effect cores used to operate the engines responsible for propelling Minuteman to its many destinations are somewhere in the region of ten to fifteen times the size of the Normandy's." Liara said, a grim expression on her face. "It is unclear how Cerberus has managed to overcome the physical strain the station has to endure during such shifts."

"Incredible." Mordin muttered. "Power draw from engines would be considerable. Solar panels supplement power requirements, but still monumental task."

"Enough with the tech." Grunt said irritably. "When do we get to throw it into the nearest sun?"

"More importantly, what kind of shields and guns does the thing have to keep us from doing that?" Zaeed asked, the canny mercenary studying the hologram for any weak points.

"We were kind of hoping to avoid actually destroying the station." Elanie said. As the two more belligerent members of the squad looked at her, she explained herself. "This station represents the most valuable resource Cerberus has. Aside from that, if we can occupy the station, we'll have access to all of Cerberus' secrets. The identities of their agents, the location of their bases, the true nature of their operations. This would effectively finish Cerberus."

"So what's the plan?" Kaidan asked.

"Discovering the first system Minuteman was hiding in was difficult, but once we had that first one, the following systems proved much simpler." Liara summoned a hologram of a generic star system. "We managed to get our advanced recon probes into the systems undetected. They remain hidden inside the star's photosphere, where they monitor all activity. Its through this reconnaissance that we are able to intercept the comm burst Minuteman sends out, reprogramming all Cerberus vessels with the flight route to the new location. We can intercept and decode this data burst, sending a separate probe to the new location before Minuteman even arrives.

"This will allow us to lay in wait in the next system. The Normandy shall hide as close to the star as her kinetic barriers permit. From there, four infiltration teams shall head across to the station once it arrives in system. We'll provide four modified Kodiak shuttles-"

"Why can't we use the Normandy?" Jacob asked.

"Cerberus built this Normandy. They're bound to have countermeasures against her stealth technology." Liara explained. "The four Kodiaks we'll be giving you have been equipped with tactical camouflage that will allow them to approach unseen. Combined with ladar-scrambling devices, this will make these craft undetectable by any means, other than if you pilot them straight into the hull of the station."

"How did you manage that?" Kasumi asked with surprise. "Even the best cloaking technology is only good for something as big as a Krogan, tops. And that's not a Krogan as big as the super-deluxe sized one we've got on board."

"The Salarians have been working on cloaking vehicles for a while now." Liara answered with a small smile. "My contacts in the STG forwarded this latest development on to me. It's still not at the point where we could hide a cruiser, but these shuttles should do just fine, for a little while."

"A little while?" Jacob asked warily.

"Ten, fifteen minutes at the most." The Asari replied. "Not ideal for reconnaissance, but ideal for a covert insertion."

"What will the four teams be doing?" The Commander asked.

"They'll be infiltrating the station at four different points." On the hologram, orange lights highlighted pieces of the station. "Shepard, you'll lead the primary team, consisting of yourself and a small team. Your job will be to find and neutralise the Illusive Man and any command staff you come across. You'll be infiltrating the station as close to the command centre as possible, right here." Liara pointed to a spot in the top wedge of the station. "A secondary objective will be to take control of the command centre. Make sure they can't get any signals out to summon reinforcements."

"And the other teams?"

"They will each be entrusted to disable one of the station's main systems: its FTL engines, its weaponry, and its shields. Once these have been disabled, a fleet of my ships shall be sent in to secure the station."

"Why not just send the damn fleet in first?" Jack asked. "Save us the trouble of sneaking around the fucking thing."

"We'll only have one shot at this." Elanie explained. "If we went in there with the fleet, there's a chance that the Illusive Man will get away. By securing the station through more covert means, we reduce that risk."

"Alright." Shepard said conclusively. He looked about, sizing up the skills of his friends, and made his decision on who to take with him. He wanted someone with as much foreknowledge of what to expect as possible, and he also wanted to bring plenty of firepower in one small package. That led to two choices that many around the table may have considered unwise when combined in a single squad. "I'll take Jack and Miranda with me to handle the Illusive Man."

"I'm coming with you too." Elanie said. She shrugged when the Commander looked to her. "I have enough of a past with Cerberus to have an investment in what happens here, Shepard. Besides, you'll need me and Sykes to help you get past any secure systems that get in your way."

"Fine by me." Shepard permitted. Any help was welcome. "We'll split the squad into three groups of five for the other teams. Garrus, you're in charge of team one. Kaidan, team two. And team three will be handled by…"

Shepard paused, looking about again. He considered Jacob, eager, professional, but young and fairly untested in the ways of command. Zaeed, a juggernaut, to be sure, but set in his ways and all too used to looking out for just himself. Delexia, former pirate captain, but yet to prove her command ability to the Commander. Finally his gaze settled on Grunt. The Krogan had been wild and undisciplined before, all too wrapped up in the glory of battle, but now Shepard could see a gleam of cunning behind those big ice-blue eyes. Grunt had been listening to him a lot lately, picking up on the more refined ways of the battlefield. Shepard chose to roll with his new-found hunch.

"Grunt. I think you're up to the challenge. You'll handle team three. Keep a level head, and keep everyone alive. And then you get to end the day by blowing the crap out of something."

The Krogan grinned widely, almost wolfishly. His fists slammed together. Behind this display of bravado, Shepard could see that the alien was surprised and honoured at the Commander's trust in him.

"Sounds like my kind of party." He chuckled.

"Good." Liara said. "I'll be assigning squads of my own people to bolster the numbers of the other three squads. However your squad, Shepard, will be relying on speed and silence to start with. You'll be better off with just the four of you."

"So when do we need to move out?"

"Any day now." Liara said briskly. "Minuteman has been in the same system for just over a month, and is due to move again. We're just waiting for the co-ordinates to come in."

The hologram over the table flickered and vanished, the light in the room returning to normal. The squad hopped back as the table retracted into the floor. Liara turned away, returning to her terminal.

"I'll keep an eye out for the signal." She said over her shoulder. "My people are re-stocking the Normandy as we speak, and will make ready to move over the insertion shuttles to your Main Cargo Bay. My troops are preparing, so I suggest you do the same."

The briefing having come to an end, the squad began to file out, each pondering their task in the mission to come. Grunt was already talking excitedly with Garrus and Zaeed, seeking pointers on his first command. Shepard, meanwhile, turned back to Liara, walking over to speak with his old Asari friend. Liara glanced back at Shepard, offering him a small smile.

"Is there something you require, Shepard?"

"You seemed… anxious." Shepard said rather simply.

"I cannot lie to you, I am worried. I can tell you where the station will appear, when it is scheduled to move, and provide you with the general layout of its interior, but I have no way of telling you what to expect inside. The Illusive Man may only have a skeleton crew aboard, or he may have a moderately sized army. His escort fleet could contain only a handful of frigates, or may be a considerable armada. There's just no way of knowing exactly what resources the Illusive Man has at his disposal."

"Hey," Shepard placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about it. This is me we're talking about, after all. I had no way of knowing what kind of resources the Collectors would throw at us on the other side of Omega Four, but we came out of there without a single casualty. I hardly think that Cerberus can rival that."

"I think you may be getting overconfident." Liara chuckled. "But I'll admit, you do have a good track record when facing the unknown. I just wish I could come with you. But I have to stay here, co-ordinate my forces. This is the culmination of over a year's worth of work trying to find a weakness in Cerberus' armour to exploit. I cannot allow any failure on the part of my network to compromise the mission."

"I understand, Liara." Shepard squeezed her shoulder. "And I appreciate everything you've done for us. With you here and my team out in the field, we'll get it done."

"Of course you will." Liara's smile seemed more certain this time, genuinely happy. "I'd expect no less." Suddenly, she turned back to the console at the sound of an insistent beeping. "Oh Goddess! The signal! Our probe's received the next set of co-ordinates. Minuteman is on the move!"

Shepard was already moving. He glanced back over his shoulder.

"We'll go prep the Normandy. Have your men load up those supplies and get those shuttles in our Cargo Bay."

Liara bent over her console, going about preparing her resources.

**~o~0~o~**

The Normandy buzzed with tension, the crew rushing about busily. They had been waiting in the Jenak System for just over a day now, waiting for the imminent arrival of Minuteman.

Shepard waited in the cockpit, watching over Joker's shoulder as the pilot manipulated the ship's thrusters to keep her in the photosphere of the system's star, the layer of the blue giant where the blazing gases turned opaque, screening the ship from any form of scanning. The viewports had been sealed to block out the harsh brilliance of the sun, while the frigate's powerful kinetic barriers struggled to keep out the immense heat and radiation of the star. Outside of the protective barrier, the temperatures soared to upwards of four thousand degrees Kelvin.

"Got something on our long-range scanners." Joker muttered, looking to a green light that appeared on his console. "Squadron of long-range scouting vessels. Probably the vanguard of the Cerberus force."

"Cross-referencing with known Cerberus vessels brings back four recognised ladar silhouettes." EDI informed them. "The remaining two vessels are not in my database."

"It's enough to assume that our Illusive friend is on his way." Shepard said firmly. "EDI, have the squad report to the Hangar Bay. I want those shuttles ready to go on a moment's notice."

"Acknowledged, Commander." The AI's interface vanished. Moments later, her voice sounded out through the ship's tannoy. "Attention strike teams Alpha through Delta. Please report to Hangar Bay for imminent deployment."

The ship immediately hummed with renewed activity. Shepard glanced back towards the CIC to see Jacob, Zaeed and Garrus carrying a selection of crates from the armoury to the elevator, boxes of weapons for the gathering squad.

Shepard turned back to Joker as the pilot let out a little gasp.

"Whoa! We just got stage two." He said, watching his read-outs. "Bunch of cruisers and frigates. They're fanning out, searching the entire system."

"No sign of Minuteman yet?"

"Negative, Commander. Although judging by Liara's reports we should be seeing it any second- now! That's got to be it! A contact bigger than everything else."

"Alright. I'll head down to the shuttles. Get ready for when we disembark, and keep us posted on what that station does."

"You got it, Commander."

**~o~0~o~**

**~SHEPARD~**

The Commander entered the Cargo Bay, surveying the four shuttles arrayed before him. Small, sleek and painted matte-black, these were unique. Shepard had never seen them in any production line, even with his privileged access to the vast array of specialised equipment available to the Spectres. These resembled the Kodiak stored above them only in their basic box-like structure. Their profiles were elongated, tapering to a narrow point. A Turian or a Krogan would struggle to stand upright in them, and their passenger compartments could only house a half dozen individuals at most.

Shepard clambered into the third one along, glancing in the open passenger compartments . In the first one, he saw Garrus slide behind the controls of the shuttle. Behind the Turian, his squad of four settled in carefully. Feron was busily reading through what intel he could on his omnitool, familiarising himself with any and all information on the mission ahead. Beside him, Zaeed sat patiently, hands folded around the barrel of the assault rifle clutched between his knees. The Revenant sat opposite the grizzled old mercenary, still as stone, his three functioning eyes taking in everything about him attentively. Delexia still paced about outside the shuttle, the nervous energy of an oncoming mission getting the better of her. The duo of Shadow Broker operatives assigned to their squad waited patiently with the Turian, one of whom was smoking a cigarette.

The next shuttle had Kaidan at the wheel. Behind him, Jacob and Kasumi chatted amicably in the passenger cabin with the Asari and the Salarian assigned to their squad. Outside, Jano stood in a meditative pose, gathering his thoughts. In a lightning-quick flash of movement, the Quarian thrust his hands out, slipping into a series of combat poses, a short work out to keep his muscles loose and ready for action. Thane stood by the hatch, leaning back against the blackened hull of the shuttle with his hands folded before him. His lips moved wordlessly as he recited a silent prayer.

Shepard moved on to his own shuttle, walking around the prow of the vessel to almost run smack-bang into Jack stalking out speedily. The biotic convict was grumbling to herself, flinging her hands up in anger. Her skin quivered and sparked as her raw emotions triggered a build-up of biotic energy in her nervous system.

"Hey!" Shepard part said, part yelped as he stepped back. "What's wrong?"

"I cannot do it, Shepard!" She spat. "I cannot put up with the fucking cheerleader! What in the fuck made you think it was a good idea to bring her along?"

"She's coming with us because I need her to come along." Shepard said firmly, choosing not to probe into what had sparked the disagreement. "She was a part of Cerberus a lot longer than any of us. I need to make sure she's left this behind her. Aside from that, she knows at least a little about what to expect once we're in there. When it comes down to our confrontation with the Illusive Man, we'll need her by our side."

"So why take me?" Jack asked irritably.

"Because if anyone has a reason to be pissed off at the Illusive man, its you." The Commander explained. "Aside from the fact that I want you with me on this mission, if I didn't take you with me to face him, you'd never forgive me. I wanted to give you a chance to even the score. Are you really gonna let Miranda get in the way of you getting your revenge?"

Jack glared at him, her jaw jutting out defiantly. A row of pearly-white teeth chewed her lip as she deliberated over how to respond. Finally, she sighed.

"Alright, Shepard. We play by your rules. But I ain't sitting next to the bitch."

"Duly noted. You'll ride up front with me. Now get in."

As the Commander clambered into the shuttle, the lights in the Cargo Bay turned red. EDI's melodious voice echoed in the large room.

"Warning. Cargo Hold doors opening. All nonessential personnel please evacuate the Cargo Hold."

Shepard tugged the shuttle hatch closed, noting that the other three shuttle crews were doing the same. As the last shuttle sealed itself, the massive door in the belly of the Normandy opened, allowing the harsh light of the star to blast in. Shepard winced as the light screening on the main viewport slowly blocked the light, turning the forward view almost opaque. The Commander slid into the pilot's seat, Jack sitting down next to him.

"Right. This should be interesting." He muttered, powering up the vessel's Mass Effect core.

"Interesting how?" Jack asked cautiously.

"You remember to bring a change of pants?" Shepard asked with a grin.

"Ain't even wearing any right now." Jack leered back.

"Oh, that's nasty." The Commander chuckled. "Cut it out."

"Make me."

"Maybe I will."

"Excuse me, I hate to interrupt, but is this important flirting?" Elanie asked from the back. "'Cause I'd rather we focused on the mission ahead."

"Agreed." Miranda said primly.

"Normandy, this is team Alpha, ready for launch." Shepard spoke into the comm unit.

"Team Beta, good to go." Garrus could be heard saying.

"Gamma is locked and loaded." Kaidan added.

"This is Delta. Just point us in the right direction and watch the fireworks." Grunt's voice trembled with anticipation.

"Acknowledged." Joker replied. "Prepare for launch in three, two, one… Alpha, you are good to go! Good luck, Shepard."

The Commander instantly gunned the engine, sending the shuttle speeding out of the Normandy's Hold. The matte black craft trembled as it jetted out of the star's atmosphere. The instant they were clear of the photosphere, Shepard hit the camo controls, causing the shuttle to turn invisible, or near enough to it. Anyone looking closely may have seen a shuttle-shaped shimmer, but in the vastness of space, against the backdrop of inky black emptiness interspersed with tiny far-off stars, that was almost an impossibility. Moments later, Shepard heard confirmations from the other shuttles that they had disembarked. After that, the comm went silent. The squad had agreed that radio silence was a necessity, and so once they had left the security of the Normandy's hull communications with Joker or EDI would be solely in the case of an emergency.

The team in the shuttle remained silent for a short while, engrossed in surveying their surroundings, keeping a weather eye out for any sign that the Cerberus forces had spotted them. Shepard imagined the same tense silence dominated the other three shuttles.

As the shuttle rounded the star, Shepard heard Jack let out a grunt of surprise, the arms perpetually folded across her chest twitching involuntarily as she spotted Minuteman Station.

The Cerberus installation had wasted no time in placing itself in orbit around the star, curved portion aiming down towards the boiling white surface. A small fleet of vessels formed a net around the station, protecting it from any perceivable threat.

The station was massive. Shepard could easily understand Jack's hesitation upon seeing it. He, of course, had been on the station twice before, both occasions shortly after his resurrection. Miranda had regularly been here, reporting to the Illusive Man with the results of her latest mission or receiving new orders. Elanie presumably had been here before as well, her unchanged demeanour betraying this fact. Shepard glanced over at Jack as she took in the full extent of their objective.

"It's gonna take a lot more than a moon to take this bastard out." She muttered.

"Bigger than Kahje then, I take it?" Shepard asked.

"Much bigger. Still, I like a challenge."

"I always try to please."

The group fell into a cautious silence as the blockade of ships drew ever closer. With uneasy eyes Shepard watched a cruiser their trajectory brought them dangerously close to, ready should it so much as twitch in the wrong way.

The shadow of the massive craft slipped across their shuttle, playing across the interior of the vessel. Shepard felt the breath he had been holding escape in a relieved rush as the immense vehicle receded behind them, the looming hulk of Minuteman becoming large in their forward viewport. As they drew close to their intended infiltration point, a shuttle bay near the crown of the wedge-like protrusion atop the station, the Commander glanced back at Elanie.

"Time." He ordered.

"Four minutes, thirty-six seconds." Elanie replied immediately.

Plenty of time left, Shepard thought. The four teams had decided upon a six minute window to allow their shuttles to reach their destinations. In order to prevent the station from locking any of the teams out, the shuttles would wait by their chosen hangar bays until the decided time, landing in synch with one another to strike at the exact same time.

Seconds ticked by until Elanie counted down the final moments. The second she announced that the six minutes were up, the Commander had the shuttle rush into the hangar bay, touching down lightly. Before a proximity alarm could go off, Miranda had the door open and the squad scrambled out to face the surprised Cerberus crew in the hangar bay. Shepard leapt from his chair, rushing out of the shuttle hatch to join his comrades.

The assault of Minuteman Station had begun.

**~o~0~o~**

**~GARRUS~**

An alarm blared out in the hangar bay the moment the shuttle passed through the atmospheric barrier. Before the mechanics and guards in the hangar could react to the alert, Garrus set the shuttle down, deactivating its cloak. Delexia had the hatch open before the craft even touched down, leaping clear of the vessel while she pulled out one of her many guns. She rolled across the hangar deck, finding cover behind a crate of spare parts as the Cerberus force recovered from their surprise. The guards lifted their rifles to track the rapidly moving Turian, while the various mechanics and technicians pulled pistols from holsters at their hips.

Back in the hatch of the shuttle, the Revenant stood on the threshold of the entrance, holding up a barrier to deflect any incoming fire. Beside him, Zaeed fired off furious streams of bullets, the white-hot arcs of speeding metal tracing lines of devastation through the hangar. Behind this duo, Feron used his omnitool to send Overload bursts soaring into the press of enemies, shorting out shields, omnitools, weapons, even cybernetic enhancements in the case of one guard.

The two Shadow Broker operatives rolled out, taking up positions on either side of the shuttle hatch. Their twin assault rifles chattered as they gunned down several Cerberus agents each with professional determination.

Garrus scrambled out of the pilot's chair, clawed hands reaching for the holster on his back to draw his sniper rifle. He settled into a crouch next to the shuttle hatch, sighting down on the first enemy his visor highlighted. The advanced eyepiece analysed the battlefield, scanning the combat potential of each and every enemy in the hangar, identifying their weapons, combat enhancement cybernetics, kinetic barriers and biotic amps. Using this information, the eyepiece informed him that a bulky Human near the back of the enemy force was the most serious threat. The visor then measured the strength of the artificial gravity, the density of the atmosphere, as well as the inertial force exerted on the interior of the structure by Minuteman's rapid orbit around the star outside. It factored all of these into its calculations, and provided the Turian with a firing solution. All of this occurred in less than a second, as the sniper rifle continued to unfold. The moment he was ready to fire, Garrus twitched one brow, triggering the visor's music function. Thunderous Turian speed metal filled his ears as he pulled the trigger, sending a single bullet racing towards his target. The projectile struck the Human exactly in the middle of his forehead, accurate down to the last nanometer. The Cerberus soldier fell without a word, his head exploding in a shower of gore. By the time his body struck the floor, Garrus had moved on to the next target, going through a similar selection process.

"Press forward!" The former vigilante barked. "Keep them off-balance."

Zaeed nodded, scuttling out of the shuttle under the cover of the Revenant's barrier. He sidled up next to Delexia, pulling a canister from his belt. He pressed a button on the device and hurled it overhead in a long arc. It struck the floor in the midst of the enemy, erupting in a plume of flames. Enemies howled as fire licked at their skin, filling the hangar with the scent of sizzling flesh and singeing clothes.

Feron quickly followed the mercenary, keeping his head low as enemy fire raced by overhead. His black eyes looked about carefully before spotting a couple of fuel containers. He dialled up a command on his omnitool, lifting his hand as the palm was wreathed in glowing yellow light. A spark leapt from his outstretched hand, growing to become a bolt of fire. It struck the containers, causing them to tear apart in a powerful explosion that immolated a handful of technicians, throwing several more across the hangar like ragdolls.

Garrus, still hidden behind the Collector's biotic shield, worked the trigger on his weapon, scoring multiple headshots with each thermal clip. Cerberus troops fell in droves, until finally only one stood between them and the way out of the hangar. He lasted no time at all as a single bullet from Garrus' gun blasted through his skull.

With this final enemy dispatched, the squad relaxed. Their laboured breathing echoed around the hangar. Delexia kept her weapon up, ready should any enemy appear. She glanced over to Garrus, just stepping cautiously out of the shuttle.

"What's the plan, Vakarian?" She asked.

"We've got to get to the engines before this thing has a chance to escape." Garrus said firmly. "Massani, take point. Delexia, watch our six. Feron, I need you and the Revenant to see what you can take from the station's internal networks. Find us a way to immobilise this thing."

"Just stick a goddamn 'nade up the tailpipe." Zaeed muttered.

"You do realise we're talking about a station that would rival the Alliance's Arcturus, right?" Feron asked. "It'll take a bit more than that, old man."

"Why don't you come over here and say that again, Drell." Zaeed said threateningly. "My hearing must be going, 'cause I didn't quite catch that. I could have sworn you called me old man."

"Keep it down." Garrus ordered. "We need to stay focused. We won't have much time before Cerberus gets organised and sends an army after us. Having the four teams moving in sync should keep them disorganised for a while, but we're just twenty-five people against several hundred. Eventually they'll get wise and move against us with the appropriate numbers."

"We'll stay here, sir." Said one of the Shadow Broker operatives, a Human male. "We can keep the way out clear, guard the shuttle."

"Right. Always good to have an exit strategy." Garrus agreed. "The rest of you, move out!"

The squad filed out of the hangar into a corridor beyond, delving deeper into the station. Garrus remained at the centre of the formation, keeping a weather eye out for any sign of the enemy. Overhead, multiple alarms sounded out, red lights flaring as a VI announced the unexpected intrusion.

"There any way we can shut that thing up?" Delexia asked irritably.

"Just give me a second." Feron murmured. He worked feverishly at his omnitool, breaking through layers of coding as easily as a Krogan broodling kills its first Varren. Moments later, the synthesised voice was silenced, and the lights returned to their normal white hue. "Managed to disable the alarms in this sector. The Command centre will still know about us, can't do anything about that, but at least we're not being annoyed by it."

"Any clues on how to disable the engines?" Garrus asked.

"Hang on…" The Drell cycled through more data. "Right. The way I see it, our best bet is to take out the master control circuit for the Mass Effect Field Regulator. It's part of the system responsible for shaping the Mass Effect Field around that station. Take that out, the station gets stuck in its current course, in this instance simply maintaining orbit around the star. They can't move the station away from here, but on the plus side we don't just fall into the sun."

"That's always a bonus." Delexia quipped.

"Sounds like a plan." Garrus said. "Show us the way."

A hologram appeared over the Drell's wrist. A map of their immediate surroundings was depicted, with a blinking light indicating their location and another showing their destination.

"Two decks down." Feron explained. "A few corridors over. Should be easy enough to find. Only downside is an important system like that is bound to be guarded pretty heavily, especially now they know we're here."

"No worries then." Zaeed said confidently.

The squad continued down the corridor, seeking an elevator or a flight of stairs that would lead them to the floor below. They had not gone far before they reached an open area. An atrium of sorts spanned from far above them down towards the depths of the station. About six flights above their current location, Garrus could see the transparent roof of this atrium, allowing a glimpse of black space beyond. Below, almost a dozen floors away, the transparent floor at the very bottom of this structure glowed brightly with the light of the star outside, filtered through multiple layers of light-reducing material to make it bearable for organic eyes to gaze upon. Lining the sides of this towering atrium, the multiple floors gazed outwards in a series of balconies, the shape of the structure held up by evenly spaced pillars. Flowing green plants wove their way around these pillars, brightly coloured flowers dotted throughout the leaves. At each end of the atrium, a staircase led down a floor, creating a rectangular spiral around the open space.

"Nice." Delexia commented. "Peaceful."

"It's certainly a big room." Garrus agreed. "I can see where Cerberus' money goes to. But it does give us a way down. Let's keep moving."

They were about halfway down the first flight of stairs, still gazing about with a little awe, when a thunderous crack split the peace. Garrus reacted in a moment, grabbing Delexia and pulling her down behind the barrier that bordered the staircase to prevent any risk of falling into the open space in the middle of the atrium. Beside him, Feron acted with just as much speed, going prone on the steps to dodge the incoming fire. Zaeed was a little more ponderous, firing off a few shots in the general direction of the incoming fire. The Revenant barely flinched, simply strengthening his own biotic barrier.

"Vakarian!" The giant insect pointed. "Snipers, three floors up."

Garrus chanced a glance, spotting their attackers. Four Cerberus soldiers had set themselves up with a clear shot at the squad's current location, sniper rifles in their hands. Behind these new foes, over a dozen additional soldiers could be seen making their way down the spiralling stairs towards the squad's position. The Turian unfolded his own sniper rifle, unwilling to be so easily contained.

"We've got to get rid of those snipers!" He ordered. "Zaeed, that eye of yours still good for sniping?"

"Does the Grand Dalatrass believe in the Wheel of Life?"

"I'll take that as a yes. Delexia, Feron, keep the bad guys off our back long enough to clear out those snipers. Revenant, anything you can do to make our job easier would be appreciated."

"I shall attempt to remove the snipers from their perch." The Collector responded.

"Good. Now, everyone move on my mark. Ready? Mark!"

The squad sprang into action. Feron and Delexia shuffled along behind the stairway barrier, getting a clear shot across the floor at the top of their staircase. The moment the pursuing Cerberus troops filed into view, their combined firepower cut a swathe of destruction through them, causing the enemy squads to retreat back up the next stairway a portion.

Garrus rose into a crouch behind the barrier, resting his sniper rifle on the handrail as he sighted down on the first sniper to show his head. His visor took a moment longer to compensate for the greatly increased difference, but in little more than a couple of seconds he had a firing solution, and his finger curled around the trigger. Beside him, Zaeed fired his sniper rifle, scoring a hit, although the Cerberus sniper was only wounded, not dead. Garrus waited a moment longer, then fired. An enemy yelped as his blood spurted over the white walls behind him.

The Revenant grunted as he focused his biotic power, sending a tunnel of blue-white fire at the only sniper he could see, the one Zaeed had injured. He clenched his fist, lifting the hapless soldier into the air. With a flick of the wrist, he drew the sniper out a couple of metres, and released him. The Cerberus soldier screamed as he plummeted down through the empty space of the atrium, his screams coming to an abrupt end as he struck the transparent floor below. His comrades spared him a glance of horror as he made his rapid descent, many looking away with a grimace as the sickly crunch echoed up towards them.

In the time it took the sniper to fall that distance, Garrus had lined up a shot on a second sniper, this time only managing to take down his target's shields. He muttered a curse as he dropped back down into cover to change his thermal clip. Next to him, Zaeed took a shot, finishing the sniper off. Garrus bit back an angry growl at having his kill stolen, realising this was neither the time nor the place to bicker over such a juvenile point. Instead, he stood up and fired at the fourth and final sniper, killing him cleanly. The Turian sat down with a smug smile, mentally noting down his two kills versus the mercenary's one.

Feron unleashed a quick burst from his SMG, killing another pair of Cerberus troopers trying to approach the group, while Delexia used her pistol to gun down the final one trying to hide just beyond their line of sight, but failing to entirely conceal his head.

The squad paused for but a second as they gathered their thoughts, but they were offered no respite as the sounds of marching feet echoed from both above and below. At a barked command from Garrus, they were moving once more, swiftly descending to the required deck. They hurried along a corridor, the sounds of their pursuers haunting their steps.

Garrus rounded the final corner, only to pull up short as he spotted the squad of eight guards standing watch over the door leading to the room containing the Mass Effect Core's master control unit. He retreated back out of sight before they had a chance to glance in his direction, motioning for silence from his comrades.

"Got a squad of guards watching the doors." He whispered hoarsely. "Eight of them, and they're on edge. Can't just charge straight in. We've got no cover 'round there, so it'll be a real drudge to take them out, during which time they can seal the door behind them."

"What about ol' bug-eye over here?" Zaeed asked, pointing at the Revenant. "Think you can use a biotic blast to take 'em all out?"

"Not an option." Garrus said firmly. "My visor tells me they've all got fully charged kinetic barriers. They'll be immune to any biotic attack."

"I think I might have a way of dealing with that." Delexia muttered. As her four companions turned to look at her, a devious little smile crept across her features.

**~o~0~o~**

The guards stood stiffly to attention, eyes fixed on the corridor ahead of them. Their barriers hummed with stored power while their rifles sat in their hands. Due to the station-wide alert in progress, the security around certain vital systems had been stepped up, including here at the door leading to the Mass Effect Field Regulator control centre. Even though they knew that a serious threat existed inside the station, the guards were finding their attention spans challenged, their thoughts starting to wander out of boredom.

Their attention snapped back to the here and now as a strange figure stepped into view down the corridor. They lifted their weapons to aim at the approaching Turian, but held their fire. The alien paused for a moment as she lifted her gun, considering opening fire, but reconsidered, turning it away from the guards in a gesture of surrender. At this, the guards began to move forwards, quickly surrounding her.

"Alright, alright!" The Turian muttered as she was surrounded. "You got me. Good game, good game."

"You should have known better than this, alien." One of the Humans sneered. He moved up next to Delexia, taking her gun off her and starting a scan for any other weapons. "What made you think attacking this station was a good idea?"

"Well, you know how it is." Delexia explained flippantly. "I was on my way to one of our rallies commemorating the occupation of Shanxi, but then I just had a thought that Cerberus is a whole load of garbage and thought I'd kill the Illusive Man."

"Shut up." Another guard snarled, poking her in the back with the barrel of his rifle. He turned to the first guard to speak, apparently the leader. "Can we shoot it?"

"Her." Delexia interjected. She widened her eyes innocently as he glared at her. "I'm a 'her'."

"Negative." The leader of the guards said to his subordinate. "Cuff her, take her to Banes."

"Banes? Who's that?" Delexia asked. She waited a moment before, having been ignored, she sighed. "You know what? Never mind. The more important question is, do you have any heavy-duty biotic units in hiding nearby?"

"What?" The second guard, the one who wanted to shoot her, asked in alarm.

"No?" Delexia asked. "Well I do. So… surprise!"

The Turian dropped to the floor. In that moment, her omnitool pulsed, a wave of blue energy washing out from it. Around her, the guards flinched as their barriers sparked, overloaded. Before they managed to recover, their bodies were wreathed in glowing dark energy.

The Revenant stepped into view, his arm encased in biotic energy. He waved his hand, and the Cerberus guards lurched into the air, slamming into the ceiling with a chorus of sickening crunches. They dropped back to the floor, many of them unconscious or dead. Those that retained their senses were quickly dealt with by Garrus, Zaeed and Feron darting out with their weapons at the ready. In seconds, the entire enemy squad had been neutralised.

Garrus looked to Delexia, nodding in approval.

"All targets neutralised, no injuries to allied forces, hardly a shot expended. Not bad."

"'Not bad'? If 'not bad' is all I'm doing, then I'm off my game." Delexia chuckled. "I'm rarely any less than spectacular."

"All right." Garrus laughed. "Let's not let it go to our heads, okay? We've still got the Regulator to take out." He turned to his Drell companion, just finishing up subduing the Cerberus guards prone on the floor. "Feron, think you can get us inside?"

"Give me a second." Feron replied. He walked over to the door, hacking its controls. Moments later, the door hissed open. "Like taking breakfast from a Turian fledgling."

"So not easy at all, then." Garrus flared his mandibles. "You're a miracle worker, Feron. C'mon. We've got to get going."

Inside the room, the squad was confronted with a vast bank of blinking lights and idle terminals. Towers of computer processors buzzed noisily against the back wall. Garrus immediately set about looking for the system they needed, aided by Feron. The rest of the team stood watch at the door, protecting their one avenue of retreat.

"Vakarian! Over here." It didn't take long at all for the Drell to find the console they needed. Garrus moved over, standing at his friend's shoulder as Feron's sharp eyes scanned the controls.

"How long do you think this'll take?" The Turian asked.

"I can't say…. The firewalls are incredibly complex. The vital systems have stronger defences. I think I can get through, but it'll take time."

The duo jumped as a thunderous clank echoed down the corridor towards the squad. At the door, Zaeed looked about sharply.

"That didn't sound good." The mercenary muttered.

Back at the console, Garrus tapped Feron on the shoulder.

"Get it done." He ordered. "I'll go check it out."

The former vigilante strode over to the door as another crunching groan sounded out. The trio at the door tensed, unsure of the source of the noise. Garrus crouched just inside the threshold, tapping his visor to cycle through various scanning modes.

The ceiling of the corridor gave way with terrifying suddenness, the thin metal of an air vent proving no challenge to the horror that spilled out of the gaping hole. It dropped to the floor with a crash, buckling the deck underfoot with its incredible weight.

The mysterious mechanical thing was large, at least as big as a skycar. It stood on four bulky legs, the forward pair slightly smaller than the hind pair. The forward legs ended in a technological cross between hands and feet, sharp talons leaving gouges in the floor. Its body was lean, but covered in plenty of synthetic muscle to give it incredible strength. A long tail whipped from side to side, balancing the machine while also serving as a dangerous weapon. The most unusual feature, however, was on top of the machine's shoulders. The neck split into three parts, each ending with a similarly shaped head. Gaping jaws surrounded an obvious weapons barrel in each intricately styled dog's head, while glowing red eyes stared balefully at the world around them. Garrus recognised what the machine was meant to represent, having familiarised himself with the legend of Cerberus, the hound guarding the entrance to the underworld. This monstrous mechanical hound did the fearsome legend justice, easily serving as a replacement for its mythological inspiration.

The Cerberus mech unleashed a howl as it turned to the team in the doorway, one head opening its jaws just a little wider to allow a brilliant red beam of light to spew forth. The beam struck the wall by the door, melting metal in a splash of flame. Garrus jolted in surprise as he recognised a miniaturised version of the liquid-metal beam the Thanix cannon used.

"Look out!" He yelled, retreating back behind the doorframe as the red beam scored a charred line across the back wall of the room. The Revenant pulled back alongside him, while Delexia and Zaeed took cover on the other side of the door. At his console, Feron jumped as the lethal beam blasted past him.

"What the hell was that?" The Drell asked, cowering behind his terminal.

"Not a clue. Just keep going, we'll deal with this!" Garrus barked back. He turned to his companions at the door. "Fall back, let it come through the door. We'll try to catch it in the crossfire. Zaeed, Revenant, you try to really put the hurt on it. Delexia and I shall keep it distracted. Get ready to move on my mark."

The ageing mercenary and the Collector stepped back from the doorframe, lining up a series of attacks on the strange machine should it show itself through the door. Garrus nodded to Delexia, and the duo made ready to move.

"Mark!"

The two aliens burst into motion, darting out into the open floor in front of the doorway. Garrus, having swapped his sniper rifle for the rapid-fire assault rifle, unleashed a chain of bullets at the creature. Delexia reached for her belt, pulling out and throwing one of her shuriken grenades at their enemy. The device punctured the deck at its feet, the ensuing blast lifting the machine off the deck and slamming it against a wall. The mech let out a monstrous howl as it recovered its balance, charging at the two Turians. Its beam weapon fired again, causing the duo to split up and run in separate directions.

As the Cerberus mech darted through the door, Zaeed and the Revenant unleashed a blistering attack on its flanks. Bullets from the former Bounty Hunter and Warp blasts from the Collector formed a crossfire that ripped into the machine. It screeched with a synthetic voice as unstable dark energy and the raw power of white-hot ammunition ripped into it. The wolf-like machine stumbled.

Just as Garrus felt as though they were seriously damaging the machine, it stiffened. A powerful kinetic barrier flared into life around its body, deflecting the majority of their attacks. The two so-far unused heads, the ones not housing the beam weapon, turned to regard both the Revenant and Zaeed. The one facing Zaeed coughed out a belching gout of flame, tongues of orange and red washing over the mercenary as he swatted at the blaze ineffectually. His shields held up for but a little while before dying with a negative whine. The other head turned to the Revenant, jaws opening wide as it unleashed a bolt of dark energy. This weaponised biotic blast struck the Collector's shields, causing the insectile alien to stagger. More Warp blasts escaped the Cerberus mech's mouth, wearing down the Revenant's defences. All the while, it continued to harry the pair of Turians before it.

Garrus let out a groan of irritation as the red beam caught his shields, the impact tangible even through the defensive barrier and his heavy armour. He hated to think what it would do if it struck him outright. He unloaded a clip at the machine, only to be frustrated by its shield.

"This isn't going according to plan." Delexia said anxiously as she dodged another blast.

"That's for goddamn sure!" Zaeed grumbled as he leapt out of the way of another sheet of flame. "My shields are all shot to hell. We've got to take this thing down, fast!"

"It's about now where some of Shepard's toys would come in handy." Garrus muttered. He turned his head to bark some orders. "Delexia! See if you can overload its shields. We'll hold its attention while you get close."

The Turian pirate nodded warily, glaring at the Cerberus dog-mech with caution. She danced on the balls of her feet, moving her centre of gravity from side to side. She waited, biding her time, until all three heads were focused on other targets, the biotic weapon tearing at the final shreds of the Revenant's barriers, the flame-thrower charring Zaeed's armour and filling the air with the scent of singed hair, and the beam weapon tracking Garrus as he scrambled to escape the scarlet attack. Seeing her opening, Delexia bolted.

Her feet pounded the deck as she raced straight at the machine, head lowered to speed her along. As she drew close, the three heads spotted her sudden dash and began to turn to fire at her, but she was already within range. She held out her omnitool, the interface sparking wildly. As the red beam weapon flashed by her face brightly, arcs of electricity leaping out to strike the mech's kinetic barriers. The defensive system resisted for but a moment before fading, leaving the machine unprotected.

Delexia only had an instant to feel the warm surge of success in her chest before the mech lunged forward, front two appendages grabbing her by her shoulders and pushing her to the floor. The sharp tips of the digits at the end of these forelimbs pierced her armour, eliciting cries of pain from the tough pirate.

"Delexia!" Garrus shouted with obvious concern.

His rifle sprayed the machine with myriad bullets, causing little damage but distracting it, causing one of the trio of heads to twist to fire at him, a powerful Warp blast knocking him back several metres. The Revenant created a Singularity, the biotic gravity well pulling at the mech, lifting it off its Turian captive a little. Zaeed added his fire to that of Garrus', the mercenary's older rifle causing a little more damage as it blasted off chunks of the mech's thick armour. They seemed to be inconveniencing the machine, but it showed no sign of shutting down any time soon.

"Might I suggest a _bigger gun_?" Delexia shouted, straining to pry the metal claws out of her shoulder. She tried to bring her omnitool around to fire another Overload at the mech, but found her hand pinned by the machine standing over her.

"Feron!" Garrus shouted over his shoulder. "We need some help over here!"

The Drell turned from his terminal, hurrying out to face the metallic monstrosity. His omnitool flashed, and flickering light danced across his form as he vanished. His footsteps faded as he moved, until finally he was undetectable to organic eyes.

Moments later, Feron appeared behind the mech. He drew his hand back, omnitool sparking wildly in his palm, and prepared to strike.

As the green fist hung in the air, poised to deliver a lethal blow, the mech tensed. One of its heads spun around to face directly backwards, jaw stretching wide. It released a mechanical howl as the open maw glowed with gathering biotic energies. The long tail on the creature whipped around, catching Feron around the throat. The Drell's eyes bulged as his windpipe was squeezed shut by the powerful mechanical grip, and his fingers went to his neck to claw at the tail. The Cerberus mech made ready to fire.

A powerful shot struck the mech on the side of the head, causing it to stumble and forcing its aim off to the side. The biotic attack rushed by Feron's face, crackling with power. Twenty metres away, Garrus reloaded his rifle, switching back from his Concussive ammunition to the standard bullets. With the mech distracted, Feron was able to swat at it with his omnitool, slapping the sparking interface against the thick metal hide. This done, he swiftly stepped back, disentangling himself from the tail's grasp.

Arcs of electricity leapt from the 'tool, travelling through the machine in a swift wave. The mech jerked as raw power surged through its limbs, shorting out systems. The heads extended far from the body as the neck joints went suddenly stiff, the metal body contorting in a rictus of simulated pain. An instant later, the machine dropped to the deck, smoking in places, twitching in others. The squad kept their weapons trained on the mech for several long moments, waiting until they were certain it would not attack again. Finally, they relaxed, breathing heavily from the exertion of the fight. The Revenant walked over to lift the machine off Delexia's prone form, Zaeed coming to his assistance. Garrus helped Delexia to her feet, checking her wounds and preparing a shot of Medi-Gel. Behind them, Feron got back to work at his terminal.

"They're trying to get the station to jump to FTL, but I've almost finished locking down the engine circuits." He explained as he bent over the console. "Just a few more lines of code and… there we have it. Minuteman is now locked in orbit around the star. She'll be a sitting duck when the Shadow Broker fleet gets here."

"Let's hope the other teams have just as much luck." Garrus muttered as he stowed his rifle. "Even though its unable to move, a station of this size will have the power to tear a small fleet to shreds if its still got its defences."

"Kaidan and Grunt will do their job." Delexia assured. "Kaidan's a pro, and everyone trusts him. As for Grunt… I can't imagine anyone better suited to a mission that involves breaking something."

"You may be right." Garrus chuckled. His mind moved to his comrades, elsewhere in the station.

**~o~0~o~**

**~KAIDAN~**

Kaidan grit his teeth as he slumped down behind a supply crate, clutching at a wound in his shoulder. His shields were taking their sweet time recharging, forcing him to remain in hiding while the Cerberus crew, having been surprisingly on the ball in this hangar, unloaded clip after clip into his cover. Seeing his temporary leader in dire straits, Jacob vaulted over his own piece of cover, his barrier flickering from multiple impacts as he rushed to Kaidan's side.

"Alenko! You're hit." His omnitool glowed, an application of Medi-Gel ready to go.

"That bastard with the rocket launcher caught me off-guard." Kaidan managed through clenched teeth. "Took my barrier out in one hit."

"Looks mostly superficial." Jacob commented, tracing the gash of torn flesh from the bullet that had struck the soldier. "'Gel should have that fixed in no time." Without waiting for permission, he treated the wound, covering it with a hard shell of the healing substance. Kaidan sighed as his pain vanished.

"Jake!" Kasumi shouted across. "Watch out!"

The duo looked over their cover to see a group of Cerberus troops trying to circle around in an attempt to flank them. With barely a thought, Jacob extended an arm wreathed in biotic energy.

"This oughta slow 'em down!"

A blue wave washed over the Cerberus troops, sending them drifting into the air chaotically. Blue fire swirled around them, lifting them up into the air. Seeing his chance, Kaidan employed his own biotics in a quick follow-up attack, a Warp bolt leaping from his hand to slam into the heart of the enemy squad. The instant the unstable Warp energies combined with the Throw field, the dark energy exploded in a ripping, tearing hurricane of gravitational energy. The trapped guards screeched as their bodies were subjected to the twisting power of the vortex, causing some of their body parts to attempt to travel in two opposing directions at once and sometimes feeling as though they were trying to travel in a direction that didn't actually exist. After a couple of seconds of this, the twisting cloud of power collapsed in on itself, dropping the broken bodies of the guards to the floor. There was a lull in the enemy fire as some of the guards stared in awe and fear.

"Note to self:" Jacob muttered. "Mixing biotics is badass!"

"I'll keep that in mind." Kaidan gasped, still winded from his recent injury. "In the meantime, we've still got a lot of enemies to get through."

"Not a problem." Jacob said confidently, leaning out of cover. "Just gotta deal with that- Shit!"

A rocket exploded close to their cover, flinging the former Cerberus soldier off his feet. Kaidan rocked from the explosion, feeling his eyebrows crisp from the blast of fiercely hot air. He reached out to drag the dazed Jacob back into cover.

"Jacob? Hey, stay with it, Taylor!" He urged, turning to the rest of his squad. "Krios! We need to lose the heavy! Kasumi, Jano, draw his fire!"

The thief and the Quarian nodded as they braced themselves, preparing for a synchronised dash. They burst out of cover in the same instant, zigzagging across the hangar floor as they presented two moving targets that wove past one another. The heavy hesitated a moment before focusing on Jano, following the Wardancer with his rocket launcher. Roaring through the air, three blazing projectiles were launched in quick succession, blasting towards the Quarian. Jano managed to dodge the first, tumbling forwards in a headlong leap as the rocket struck a crate behind him. The second one didn't even come close as the Quarian leapt on top of another crate, dancing along as the rocket blasted past to explode against the ceiling above and behind the Quarian. However, his luck ran out with the third one as it hit the crate he was standing on, the explosion throwing him back in a jumble of twisted limbs. He rolled out of sight in a pile of spare parts, although his laboured breathing could still be heard, magnified by his mask.

With the alien eliminated, the heavy trooper turned his attention to the thief. He looked back in her direction, only for his brow to crease. Where did she go? The barrel of his rocket launcher swept back and forth, looking for any sign of the lithe little Human. An errant flicker drew his attention, making him twitch to the left and fire a rocket. His attack scored not hit, however, exploding harmlessly off to one side.

Frowning irritably, the heavy turned his attention to the shuttle. Seeing the two Shadow Broker operatives covering the entrance to the shuttle, he fired a rocket at the craft, striking it solidly and sending the two operatives scrambling for cover.

Another flicker drew his attention as Kasumi de-cloaked in the middle of the hangar, glaring at him defiantly. Now that he had a proper target, the heavy smiled grimly, aiming at her and allowing his weapon's IR sensor to do the majority of the work as he fired.

Kasumi watched the rocket blast out of the barrel of the weapon, holding still a moment more before launching into a swift dash across the hangar. The rocket twitched to the side to follow her, locked in on her heat signature. As the projectile pursued the Human, it soon became clear which one would prove to be the fastest. Sensing the rocket drawing close, Kasumi altered her angle of movement again, aiming straight for a pair of troopers that harried her movement. Before they could react, she leapt up onto the crate before them, diving over their heads in a graceful somersault that turned into a rapid tumble towards the next piece of cover. In the same instant, the rocket struck the helpless troopers, reducing them to ash. The heavy trooper gaped at the sudden turn of events, shocked by the speed with which his weapon had been turned on his comrades, the flight of the rocket having only been about two seconds.

Kasumi popped into view again, making her way back towards her allies. The heavy narrowed his eyes, lifting his weapon to aim at her one more time. He fired the last rocket in the barrel of his gun, the recoil of the gun making his stagger back a step. As the readout beeped that the weapon was empty, the heavy clicked open the loading mechanism on the side, ejecting the spent power cell.

Before he could crouch down to reload with a fresh cell, a thunderous crack echoed through the hangar. The heavy's eyes narrowed in confusion for an instant before his nervous system finally registered the damage to his brain from the single bullet that had carved a perfectly round, half-inch wide hole in the middle of his forehead and out through the back of his skull. He dropped to the deck, dead with his rocket launcher still gripped in stiff hands, muscles clenching from the tangle of signals the compromised nervous system now transmitted.

"Go unto the sea." Thane muttered reverently as he ejected the spent clip from his sniper rifle, reloading for the next target to spring into view.

Without the heavy fire support, the Cerberus guards soon fell to the squad's combined fire, Jacob, Thane and Kaidan supplementing their attacks with their biotic abilities. In moments, Kaidan had gunned down the last of the guards, leaving their hangar empty. The squad paused to regain their breath, Jacob helping Kaidan to stand up straight until the Medi-Gel kicked in and gave him the strength to stand on his own.

"A good start." Kasumi said with a grin. "Now that we're properly warmed up, what's the next step?"

"Got to find the shield generators." Jacob said, bringing up an image on his omnitool. "Now I can't guarantee this, but if Cerberus build all their stations the same, then the shield systems will be somewhere around here." He pointed to a segment of his image of the station. Kasumi regarded him with an arched eyebrow.

"Didn't you use to work on this station, Jakey? I'd think you would have known your way around a little better."

"I was here a grand total of three times." Jacob replied seriously. "Once immediately after I was recruited, and twice with the Commander. Miranda came here a lot more often, so she may know the layout a bit better, but neither of us was allowed to roam freely. The Illusive Man made sure we wouldn't be a threat to his security. Frankly, I'm surprised to find out the rich bastard was actually on this thing. I thought he had another base for himself in some far-off part of the Galaxy."

"There's bound to be a few terminals we can hack to get more precise directions." Kaidan reasoned. "In the mean time, we follow Jacob's instincts. Organisations tend to follow patterns with their base layouts, so it's a pretty safe bet to say that Cerberus would keep their shield generators in the same general location on their stations."

"We'll remain with the shuttle, sir." The foremost of the two Shadow Broker operatives assigned to Kaidan's shuttle said. "Keep your escape route clear."

"Good. Now the rest of you, move out!"

The squad made their way out of the hangar, delving deeper into the station. They rushed through empty maintenance areas, avoiding the routes Jacob deemed the most likely for the guards to take in response to the clamorous alarms blaring out overhead.

They made good progress through the corridors, meeting little resistance on their way to the shield generators. At one point they were forced to move through a general living area, a complex of sleeping quarters, galleys and recreational areas. Kaidan felt the hairs on the nape of his neck rise as he scanned the empty rooms around them.

"I don't like this." He muttered.

"Tell me about it." Jano answered. "On a Quarian vessel, this area would be heaving with bodies. I'm guessing this is quiet, even by your standards."

"Where is everyone?" Kasumi asked nervously.

"There's a station-wide alert been triggered." Jacob explained. "So far we've only caused trouble in one hangar bay, not enough of a disturbance to draw the attention of the entire security force. They've gotta be moving to intercept the other teams."

"Nevertheless, certain crewmen should still be present in an area such as this." Thane reasoned. "I suspect they have cleared the area to better prepare an ambush. We would be wise to exercise caution."

"Agreed." Kaidan nodded. "Jacob, Jano, stick with me. Thane, you've got our backs, right?"

"Of course." The Drell nodded, slipping back a half dozen paces. He tapped a control on the earpiece he wore to receive squad communications, allowing a holographic HUD to appear over his eyes, scanning various visual frequencies for anything anomalous.

"Kasumi, cloak and scout ahead."

"You got it."

In a blink, the thief had vanished, her footsteps echoing hollowly as she darted ahead of the squad. The group continued moving forwards, weapons out and at the ready. Ahead, the faint flicker of Kasumi could just about be seen stepping forward cautiously.

The squad finally came across a galley, unusual in its sheer size. Row upon row of work surfaces crossed the room, creating a labyrinth of drawer blocks, cookers, sinks and recycling units. Kaidan reckoned that this one galley could have prepared food for over five hundred crewmen in one sitting. He suppressed a shudder as he caught sight of the abandoned equipment, creating strange shadows on the walls in the dim light of the room. As Kasumi approached the entrance, Kaidan heard a sudden sharp intake of breath from the assassin behind him.

"Kasumi-"

Thane had no time to finish his warning as the shimmer that was Kasumi stepped across the threshold of the galley entrance. The frame of the entrance glowed brightly as arcs of electricity leapt out to strike the thief, making her shout in pain. Jacob and Jano rushed forward, pulling her clear of the entrance and the strange sparking trap.

"Anti-cloak device." Thane explained. "It detects the light-bending field and uses it to channel electricity into the user. A very expensive and very much sought-after piece of equipment. I had heard it was still only hypothetical technology."

"Obviously not anymore." Kaidan said grimly.

"My apologies, Miss Kasumi." Thane knelt next to where Kasumi sat in a daze. "I did not see the trap until my visor registered the EM pulse of its activation."

"Its okay, Thane." Kasumi managed. "Should have been more careful. Check every door you have to pass through. It's practically the thieves' motto."

"We'll need to find a way past this." Kaidan said, pointing to the entrance.

"Not so." Thane interjected. "The technology only targets individuals wearing an active Tactical Camouflage system. We should be able to just walk through."

"But now we pretty much can't use Kasumi's cloak for fear of setting another one of these off." Kaidan sighed. He turned back to the little woman. "You good to move?"

"You bet." Kasumi struggled to her feet. "Lead on, glorious leader."

"So now I get to stand at the front just in case there's another trap in our way? Thanks." Kaidan smirked. The rest of the group chuckled at his weak attempt to lighten the mood.

They'd moved about halfway through the galley before the waiting Cerberus forces sprang their trap. Doors slammed open on either side as guards poured in, mechs unfolding from behind cabinets at the far side of the room, and a pair of turrets extending out of what had looked like air vents in the ceiling. Kaidan was instantly pushing Kasumi to the floor, activating his biotic Barrier to deflect a portion of the incoming attacks. He dialled up a control on his Tech Armour, becoming encased in a glowing corona of holographic light. Bullets bounced off the nigh-impenetrable barrier, leaving Kaidan untouched.

As Kaidan dropped down behind a counter, he saw Jano and Jacob do the same, the former vaulting over one worktop and roll to a halt behind a cooker, while the ex-Corsair found refuge behind a refrigerator. Thane, meanwhile, remained at the entrance to the galley, the distance between him and the enemies allowing him to bring out his sniper rifle.

Kaidan chanced a glance at the enemy ranks. The quick peek earned him a decent pummelling, his shield strength dropping sharply, but he managed to get a quick head count, spotting over two dozen enemy contacts, ten or so LOKI mechs, as well as the two gun turrets. Just as his shields dropped and his Tech Armour began taking a beating, he slid back into cover, tactics buzzing through his mind.

"Jano!" Kaidan barked. "Get in close and take on the mechs. See if you can put that Quarian skill with tech to good use. Kasumi, deal with those turrets. Jacob, stay with me and give them some covering fire!" He turned back to the Drell at the door. "Thane, you keep doing what you do best."

The squad nodded, neatly sliding into their assigned roles. Jacob and Thane persisted in their attacks with their preferred weapons, the Human using his assault rifle in conjunction with his biotics, Lifting enemy contacts into the air to rip them apart with his Incendiary Ammo, while the Drell focused on just using his sniper rifle, equipping it with Shredder Rounds to better injure his organic targets. As the assassin moved from target to target, his uncanny aim allowed him to score head-shot after head-shot, felling enemies in droves.

Jano slid around the counters, rolling from one piece of cover to another as he raced towards the enemy ranks. As he moved, he drew a matching pair of submachine guns from their holsters on his hips, activating a control on each to convert their ammunition to Disrupter Ammo, which would be devastating to synthetic enemies such as the mechs he faced. This done, he zeroed in on one pack of mechs moving around the side of the room in an attempt to flank the squad with their organic allies. With a spurt of speed, the Quarian leapt over a final row of counters, landing square in the middle of the enemy mechs. He moved like mercury, gliding among the mechs as though they were not there. His SMGs chattered, unleashing a deadly storm of electrically charged bullets. The mechs jolted as their circuits shorted out, dropping in moments. Those that the Wardancer failed to strike were damaged by the crossfire created by his presence in their midst, the robots' programming lacking the complexity to know that firing at an enemy stood in front of your allies was a bad thing. It took only a few moments for the cluster of six machines to be reduced to none.

Kasumi, meanwhile, activated her cloak, making sure she was a good distance away from the trapped door before she did so. She had no wish to experience the painful effects of that again. Having turned invisible, she proceeded to scurry in the opposite direction to Jano, heading for the left side of the room. She scuttled around a bank of counters, skirting a group of guards seeking to hem Kaidan and Jacob in. Rolling over another counter, she found herself approaching the first of the duo of heavy armatures. It whirred around, firing off furious streams of bullets at any members of the squad who showed themselves. Kasumi remained close to the floor, now moving more slowly, praying her cloak wouldn't falter. She examined the turret carefully before making her move.

The turret was a form of rotary cannon, twelve barrels over a metre long and about half an inch wide. The entire frame of the turret jolted with every shot, the barrels sliding back independently as a bolt of white light blasted out of the muzzle. These tiny balls of charged plasma arced across the room, splatting against walls, counters and occasionally Kaidan or Jacob's barriers. Where the projectiles struck metal, they erupted in a tiny blaze, melting a small portion of whatever they touched. Where they struck shields or biotic fields, they burned with a bright electrical sparking.

She turned her attention to the more intricate workings of the turret. There were very few visible wires, and it seemed as though the main workings of the control mechanism were housed in the ceiling, leaving little opportunity to hack the machine, so she'd have to rely upon simply overloading the system instead. A little more risky, a little less likely to work, but also requiring less elegance or precision. She shrugged. At least the shields would be easy to get through.

Scuttling a little closer, like an invisible crab, she tapped out a few commands on her omnitool. Her kinetic barrier flickered, its frequency shifting. With the barrier jolting with charged energy, she slowly reached out to the turret's kinetic barrier. As her altered barrier came into contact with the weapon's defences, it emitted a sharp whine before fading.

With this defence removed, the thief was able to move closer. She then worked with her omnitool again, charging up an Overload burst that she released into the machine. The turret shuddered, electrical arcs dancing along its surface in a brilliant display. With a sigh of bending metal, the turret went dead, its gun barrels pointing down at the floor powerlessly. This done, the thief went to work on the second heavy armature.

Kaidan kept working on whittling down the enemy guards, noting with irritation that, no matter how efficient the squad was being, they couldn't gun the Cerberus troops down fast enough. For every one they accounted for, the enemy moved forward another few metres, the cover-rich environment of the galley helping the enemy just as much as it helped his allies. Growing more frustrated, the former alliance soldier summoned a cocoon of biotic energy around his hand. Concentrating, he elongated it into a funnel of unstable energy, launching it over the tops of the counters straight at a knot of guards. The Shockwave barrelled across the room, ploughing into the enemy with disastrous results. Hapless guards soared through the air, accompanied by a chorus of screams. Kaidan noted with not a little satisfaction that a number of the guards struck the ceiling with loud snapping noises before dropping back to the floor limply. The remainder tumbled across the room, striking counters and the floor powerfully, but managed to stand afterwards, albeit a little stiffly, as though they cradled grave injuries.

Jano, meanwhile, had managed to reach the remaining half of the mech force. With little ceremony, he leapt into the fray, firing his weapons indiscriminately. One SMG ran dry, its thermal clip at capacity, so he was forced to holster that weapon, as he had no free hand to reload. He kept the second gun out, using it to tear through the mechs. He used his now free hand and his feet to deliver powerful kicks and jabs to the mechs, on several occasions delivering strong enough attacks to cause the mechs' arms and legs to break loose. Once, he even managed to land a punch to the neck joint of one mech, snapping the head back to an unnatural angle, sparking wires exposed to the open air. The Quarian drew back his hand, ripping the exposed wires away with it, and the machine dropped to the floor, destroyed.

Thane maintained his steady stream of fire, the crack of his sniper rifle deafening in the enclosed area. Finally the guards were so few and so cautious that he had little chance to hit any of them. Frowning, he cautiously moved forward, swapping his sniper rifle for his SMG, the Drell nimbly made his way to Kaidan's position.

"This is taking to long." He warned. "The Commander is counting on us to reach the shield generators swiftly."

"I know." Kaidan said, firing his rifle blindly overhead to keep the enemy bunkered down.

"I fear we may have already delayed too long. The Shadow Broker fleet could be outside as we speak."

"There's not that many of them left." Kaidan reasoned. "We just need to push them back."

There was a loud, buzzing crash from the far side of the galley, and Kaidan's comm beeped.

"That's the second turret, glorious leader!" Kasumi's bright voice chimed.

"Good work. Now double back. We need to regroup."

"I can create a little chaos back here, help you guys out."

Kaidan paused, considering it.

"Alright." He responded before turning to the rest of the squad. "Jano! Get back here!"

As the Quarian found his way back to the squad, Jacob, Thane and Kaidan made ready to move out. Each one summoned a biotic Barrier around themselves, Kaidan reinforcing his with his Tech Armour. Once the four of them had gathered, they tensed, waiting for a signal from Kasumi.

That signal came quickly, a flash of light followed by an ear-piercing shriek. The guards howled as their eyes and eardrums were assaulted, momentarily stunning them. The squad took their chance, bursting out from cover. With so many foes blinded, the fire they were forced to weather was much weaker than it could have been, allowing them to charge across the galley in moments. Kaidan and Jacob began gunning down the guards who had been stunned by Kasumi's flashbang while Jano and Thane went after the more aware targets, using a combination of the Drell's biotics and the Quarian's hand-to-hand skills. Once they had closed to melee range, the guards' combat ability was severely reduced, and they barely lasted a few moments. In seconds the last of the guards had been dealt with, and peace fell across the galley, allowing the squad to pause for a few moments to catch their breath.

"Nice work, Kasumi." Kaidan thanked.

"I do my best." She smiled under her hood.

"I guess we should never underestimate the value of the element of sur-priiise." Jacob chuckled. Kasumi regarded him, her lips turned down with disapproval.

"Don't do that."

"What?" Jacob asked, brows creased in confusion.

"Don't say it like that. Makes you sound like a rapist. Or a really bad adult film actor."

"But I-" Jacob began to protest before Kasumi lifted her hand, snapping it shut like a crab claw.

"No."

"What-"

"I said no."

"Okay, let's get moving." Kaidan said, smirking at Jacob's hapless expression.

"Hang on a sec." Kasumi said, holding up a hand. She walked over to a small doorway in one side of the galley, cautiously testing it. It opened into a storeroom. "Great. Food store. There should be an inventory computer in here. I can hack it… and then we'll have proper directions to the shield generator, rather than just our best guess."

The squad was silent for a moment as she worked her magic. In moments, she had access to the network, and had downloaded the layout of the deck they were currently on, as well as the ones immediately below and above it.

"Okay. Shield systems are not far from here at all. We can get there in no time."

"Great. Lead the way." Kaidan ordered.

**~o~0~o~**

Minutes later, only one final twist in the corridor lay between them and the shield generator control room. Kaidan, ever cautious, had sent Kasumi and Thane on ahead to scout out the lay of the land. He tensed as they came hurrying back, a preoccupied look on the Drell's face. Kasumi's expression was unreadable behind her hood, but her mouth was turned downwards.

"Got a heavy squad guarding the door." She explained. "Couple of normal troopers, some heavies with grenade launchers. Main problem will be the heavy mech they got watching the door, plus a soldier in one of those AESIR battlesuits. Must be on high alert now, protecting the vital systems with as many resources as they can spare."

"This'll be a real bitch to get past." Jacob muttered.

"All obstacles can be overcome." Thane said stoically. "We simply must find our way to circumnavigate this one. We have a varied skill-set, we should be able to cope."

"Alright, here's the plan." Kaidan said with confidence. "Jacob, summon as powerful a Barrier as you can. I'll crank my Tech Armour up to the max. We go in first, take the bulk of the incoming fire. Jano, Thane, you keep close behind us. Use our defences for cover, and try and cause as much damage as you can. Kasumi, I need you to cloak, get in close to the heavy mech, try and strip its defences without getting caught."

"Consider it done." The thief promised.

Jacob remained silent as he focused on surrounding himself with a luminescent cocoon of biotic energy, a swirling ripple of blue and white. His features strained a little as he poured all of his concentration into making the Barrier as strong as he could, working until the air around him was almost dense enough to hinder movement. While he was busy doing this, Kaidan tweaked a few settings on his omnitool, adjusting the power going to his Tech Armour. A quiet whine could be heard coming from the power cell in his armour, located on his waist, as his holographic armour grew more opaque, becoming a pure shell of yellow light. With this done, the two men nodded to one another, clutching their rifles with renewed purpose. As they began marching towards the corner of the corridor, Thane and Jano fell in step behind them, SMGs held in firm hands. Kasumi activated her cloak, vanishing from sight in a flash.

The moment the squad rounded the corner, the Cerberus guards unleashed a devastating barrage, a veritable cloud of metal and explosives racing the squad's way. The troopers unloaded clip after clip from their rifles, the heavy troopers staggered back from the recoil of their grenade launchers, the YMIR mech's arms chattered as the chain guns blasted away and the AESIR began striding resolutely towards them, launching rockets from its shoulder cannon at the cluster of targets pressing towards them.

Kaidan staggered as his varied defences took a battering, the ultra-dense air of his kinetic barrier, the semi-hard light of his Tech Armour and his combat armour channelling a small percentage of the impacts to his body, resulting in a multitude of pinprick-like impacts getting through to his flesh. He would have compared the sensation to being attacked by hundreds of mice that had somehow learned how to box. He winced at the onslaught, but kept going. Beside him, Jacob's face creased with effort as he tried to keep his Barrier at full strength. Both soldiers kept their fingers down on the triggers of their weapons, accounting for several of the weaker ordinary troopers. One of the heavy troopers burst into flames from Jacob's Incendiary Ammo, while another fell to the floor with a line of bullet holes stitched across his gut by Kaidan's weapon.

Behind this almost impenetrable wall, Thane and Jano used their SMGs to pepper the enemy with bullets, forcing the weaker troopers to fall back for fear of being cut down. Jano focused his attacks on the AESIR, trying to whittle its defences down before it could get close enough to be a threat. Kasumi was nowhere to be seen.

In seconds, the charging squad had clashed with the Cerberus troops, Jacob and Kaidan engaging the bulk of the lighter units while Thane held back to make better use of his weapon at range. Jano quickly darted forward into the fray, slipping around the back of the AESIR. He leapt onto the back of the Human in the battle-suit, kicking at the shoulder-mounted weapon until it finally broke free with a snap. He tried to move his focus on to damaging other vital systems, but a massive mechanical hand darted up to grab him, metal fingers curling around his waist powerfully. With the screech of grinding metal, the arm snapped out, flinging the Quarian away like an insect. Snarling, the Human in the machine made ready to charge Jano, still slumped against the wall he had struck, but a thunderous crack echoed through the corridor. The AESIR staggered for a moment before it dropped to the floor, the canopy in front of the face of the operator shattered by the bullet that had killed the Human inside. At the back of the squad, Thane coolly reloaded his sniper rifle, selecting a new target from the large variety before him.

At the rear of the Cerberus force, the YMIR mech took several shambling steps forward, finding an angle of attack that didn't threaten its allies. Once it had a clear shot, the machine launched a rocket, striking Jacob hard enough to strip the majority of his biotic Barrier away, pushing the tough soldier back a few steps. It lined up a second shot when a tiny shape materialised at its feet, a slight Human holding up her omnitool.

"Catch!" Kasumi crowed as she launched the heavy Overload burst at the mech. Before the machine could get a shot off at her, she had vanished once again, leaving the blast of electrical energy to splat against the machine's shields. It jerked and jolted as its systems struggled to cope with the power surge, but managed to keep on its feet, although its shields were toast.

Unseen by the machine, Kasumi appeared again, this time standing a few paces behind it.

"Thane! Try and hit a few weak spots. Its vulnerable around the arm and leg joints!"

With calm reserve, the Drell lifted his weapon to his eye. Even while standing fully upright in the middle of a battle, the alien's arm was steady as a rock, keeping his aim perfectly still. He lined up his shot on the mech as it turned to face its diminutive attacker, bolting around its feet. He paused a moment, dropping down into a half-crouch. As the machine continued to turn, he found the perfect shot, and fired.

The bullet tore through the air with a dreadful ripping noise, a white bolt of unimaginably hot metal travelling at an appreciable fraction of the speed of light. It struck the mech under the arm, directly in the sweet spot between armoured plates. The bullet tore through the mech, bursting out of the far side of the neck and tacking a substantial portion of the head with it. The YMIR dropped to its knees, an insistent beeping coming from its chest. The squad, familiar with the volatile nature of the machine's power core, knew full well to get back. As the others drew back, Jacob shouted out in concern.

"Kasumi! Run!"

The thief was well aware of the danger, and was already bolting away as the beeping from the mech rose to a fever pitch. She darted past the scared and confused guards, who quickly turned to follow the squad in their retreat. Half a second later, the YMIR detonated.

The boom sent tremors through the frame of the station, a terrible rumble that was felt in the furthest part of the structure. The rush of compressed air hurled the squad down the corridor, the atmosphere compacting in front of the wave of flames with enough force to break bones and shatter glass. At the front of the fleeing team, Thane was thrown with enough force to cause him to lose his rifle as he slipped into a headlong tumble. Jano, Jacob and Kaidan, much closer to the blast, felt their shields strip away from the rush of superheated air that followed the thunderous crash. Kasumi, at the back of the group, felt the shockwave hit her like a train, the crackle of damaged bones accompanying her as she struck a wall. The Cerberus troops, too slow on the uptake, failed to get out of the blast radius and were incinerated in the wall of flame that overtook them.

As the roar of the explosion retreated, those of the squad still able to move, in this case just Jano and Jacob, looked back to see the mushroom cloud of the explosion wash through the massive, ten metre wide hole in the ceiling. All the nearby doors had been blown in by the devastating blast, and the doorway to the shield control room was no more, the walls blown to pieces for twenty metres in either direction.

As their hearing slowly returned, followed by the fading of the radiant light that stung their retinas, Jano and Jacob set about helping their squad-mates to their feet. Kaidan stood with a grunt, favouring one foot slightly. A quick scan of an omnitool revealed a minor sprain, nothing more, and a shot of Medi-Gel from his own armour's systems soon dealt with that. Thane had managed to get away with only a few mild bruises and cuts, nothing even worth treating. They turned to look for Kasumi, only to spot her slumped against a wall, her head drooping to one side.

"Kasumi!" Jacob shouted in dismay, racing over to her side. He knelt next to her, lifting her head to look for any sign of life.

"Unh…" She gasped, her eyes darting about underneath her hood dazedly. "Ow."

"You alright?" Jacob began scanning her with his omnitool.

"My leg." She rubbed her thigh distractedly, wincing at the pain. Jacob turned his attention to the limb, readying a shot of Medi-Gel.

"Hmm. Looks like it's a pretty bad break. The Gel will hold it together, but you ain't running nowhere on it."

"Lucky I've got a big strong man here to carry me then." She smirked impishly. Jacob smiled back, glad that her pain was not so intense that she had lost her sense of humour. Once he had finished treating her injuries, he dutifully allowed her to slip an arm around his neck, hoisting her up into his arms to carry her about.

"Right." Kaidan said. "Let's go deal with these shields."

The squad proceeded through the ragged opening that had been the doorway to the shield generator control room. Inside, they found a room that had been filled with computer equipment. After the explosion, a lot of the equipment was now either lying in the middle of the floor in a sparking heap of scrap or mildly smoking against the near wall. The equipment against the far wall, thankfully, had been largely undamaged, giving Jano a station to get to work on. The Quarian tangled his fingers together, extending his arms above his head until his knuckles cracked.

"Okay… this won't be a moment." He set to work typing in a few commands.

As the Quarian got to work, Kaidan began walking about in the room, surveying the remaining active screens. He found himself largely unable to decipher the vast lines of code racing across the screens, but one display drew his eye. He examined the readouts with a little more interest.

"Got a few system readouts over here." He commented to the others. One final detail caused alarm to rise in his throat. "Hold on… no, no, no!"

"What is it?" Jacob asked, stepping up next to him.

"The engines are still online, and they're getting ready to make the jump to FTL!"

"That was Garrus' squad." Kasumi observed.

"Guess they've been caught." Jacob said flatly.

"But if we go to FTL, we'll be out of reach of any reinforcements." Kaidan said, worry in his tone.

"Is there anything we can do from here?" Thane asked.

"No." Jano muttered over his shoulder. "The engine systems are kept separate from the other vital systems. We'd have to get down there to do anything."

"We haven't got time for that." Kaidan said. "We'll have to- wait… yes! Engines have just gone offline. The station's not going anywhere!"

"Looks like the cuttlebone came through, then." Jacob said.

"Jake! Be nice." Kasumi chided.

"I'm through the firewalls." Jano called. "Just give me a second… done! Shields have been deactivated."

"Good work Jano." Kaidan congratulated. "What will it take for Cerberus to get them back up?"

"Well, first of all, they'll have to be able to match wits with Quarian programming. Not impossible, but unlikely. Then, they'll need to get down here to undo my work from the same terminal I used." He paused, lifting his omnitool. The terminal sparked, going dead. "So I'd say quite a while."

"Excellent." Kaidan turned to look out of the door, back they way they had entered. "Now it's down to Grunt and the Commander…"

**~o~0~o~**

**~GRUNT~**

Grunt sat in the back of the shuttle, face contorted in a grimace of discomfort as he bounced along. The passenger compartment of the shuttle was far too small for his frame, and his temper was not helped by being forced to share the cabin with Legion, Mordin and Etarn, as well as the two Shadow Broker operatives Liara had assigned to their craft. Samara had been nominated to pilot the shuttle, although the Krogan felt that that had been more to do with the Asari's reluctance to be crushed in the tiny cabin with five males and a machine instead of her actual piloting skill.

"We are approaching the designated hangar." The Asari exile's melodious voice drifted back from the front of the craft.

"Good. I was just about to tear a hole in the hull of this thing." The Urdnot warrior snarled.

"Compromising the integrity of the exterior pressure hull of this vehicle would result in the death of all organics contained inside within three-point nine seconds. Rapid decompression would result in rupturing of organic tissue, followed by a rapid drop in temperature leading to snap-freezing of all bodily fluids." Legion said flatly. "We do not recommend this course of action."

"Thanks for the unnecessarily unpleasant details." Etarn muttered glumly. "Just what I needed right before a dangerous mission- an especially gory description of a way I could end up dying."

"Both of you, shut up." Grunt growled. "Get ready to deploy."

"What is the plan?" Mordin asked.

"Go in there and kill them all, then blow up whatever guns this station has." Grunt looked at him incredulously. How complicated did the alien need to make it?

"Shouldn't we consider something a little more… elaborate?" Etarn said as tactfully as he could. "Perhaps something that doesn't get us all killed?"

"If you don't like it, stay with the damn shuttle." Grunt said threateningly.

The Batarian glared at him, but held his tongue as Samara brought the shuttle in to land. As the craft touched the floor of the hangar with a light bump, the guards inside instantly opened fire, their combined weaponry causing the shuttle to shiver from multiple impacts.

Etarn opened the hatch to allow the squad to scramble out, the Batarian taking the lead. He was swiftly followed by Legion and Mordin, then by the pair of Shadow Broker operatives assigned to the shuttle, and finally Grunt shouldered his way out of the tight compartment, followed by Samara.

The Krogan let out a roar as he drew his shotgun, activating his Incendiary Ammo. Without a backwards glance to his comrades, he raced out from behind the shuttle, charging at the enemy ranks. Behind him, Etarn let our a growl of frustration before ordering the Shadow Broker operatives to remain close to the shuttle, then leading Mordin, Legion and Samara to a better vantage point to engage the enemy from.

Grunt darted across the hangar floor, bullets bouncing off his armour harmlessly while his Claymore coughed out clouds of bullets in a relentless stream. In seconds, his powerful legs carried him to the nearest enemy force. He ploughed into them, thrusting the butt of his shotgun into the face plate of one foe before a meaty fist demolished the ribs of another. The Cerberus troops fell before the Krogan's wrath like wheat in front of a harvester until Grunt's battle-suit was coated in a slick sheen of blood and miscellaneous body parts, giving him the appearance of one of the ancient Krogan war spirits.

Panting from a mixture of bloodlust and exertion, the Krogan looked about just in time to catch sight of a heavy trooper taking aim at him. The mighty Urdnot warrior barely flinched as his foe fired a rocket that missed him by the barest of margins, slowly stepping forward with his gun clutched tightly in his hands. The sounds of the rest of the team engaging another enemy unit faded to near silence as the pounding of the burly alien's blood filled his ears. His pace picked up, his eyes narrowing as he glared at the Cerberus trooper struggling to reload his weapon. His field of vision constricted to include only the trooper, all other distractions sealed out by his battle focus. He was a predator, charging at his prey, and nothing else mattered.

The heavy trooper managed to reload at last, firing off a second rocket at the towering hulk of muscle charging his way. The projectile struck the Krogan in the chest, the thunderous impact sending shock waves through his armour, rattling his rib cage and pounding his many internal organs. Grunt took no heed of the hit, his momentum allowing him to barely slow as he ran through the explosion, bearing down on his newest nemesis. Lips curled back savagely as he ran, teeth grinding and flecks of saliva sputtering from his maw as he unleashed a brutal roar. He threw his shotgun to the floor, grasping fingers reaching out in front of him as he charged. The terrified Cerberus trooper barely had time to even think about turning and running before the alien had caught him.

One meaty fist clutched at his throat, lifting the Human into the air. The Krogan's free hand found his rocket launcher, grabbing the barrel of the weapon so tightly that the mighty fingers crushed it closed, rendering it useless for anything but scrap metal. Grunt threw the gun aside, icy blue eyes glaring at the rapidly darkening Human face only a few inches from his own. The Human gasped for air, veins bulging on his neck as his life slowly ebbed away.

With a snarl, Grunt grabbed the Human's lower half with his free hand and pulled, muscles dancing under his armour in a rippling tide. Accompanied by a chorus of snapping bones, twanging tendons and ripping muscle, as well as the wet sliding sound of splitting kin, the Cerberus trooper's head came away from his shoulders, pulling the length of his spine with it. Blood sprayed across the Krogan's already gore-covered physique as he dropped the decapitated body to the floor, little more than a sack of meat and broken bones now. He held the skull of the dead man in one hand, glaring at the pain-filled expression that had been his last. With a derisive snort, the Krogan clenched his fist, crushing the skull and its still-warm contents. Tossing the grisly remnant aside with barely a second glance, Grunt picked up his shotgun again, turning to find the team he was responsible for.

Etarn had managed to guide the rest of the team to an easily defendable spot, where he was directing Samara to use her biotics to hold the enemy back while Legion and Mordin used their technical abilities to inflict damage at range. From time to time, the Batarian would glow with biotic light as he focused on sending a Warp blast barrelling towards an enemy that had escaped the Asari's notice and threatened to get around the squad's flank. Under their combined fire, the remaining enemies didn't last long.

With the initial wave of foes dealt with, all of the squad but Etarn relaxed. The Batarian, meanwhile, strode over to the indifferent Grunt with a furious expression.

"What the hell was that?"

"What?" Grunt stared back at the four-eyed alien, looming over him with just a hint of menace.

"Running off during a combat op. Shepard put you in charge of us, that means you've got to take some responsibility for directing us in battle."

"What it means is that I don't take orders from you." Grunt stepped closer, but the alien diplomat didn't flinch. "If you don't know what to do after all this time, why are you even on this squad?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Grunt saw the others watching warily. Mordin fidgeted in his usual manner, but something about the furtive way he moved suggested he was on the verge of flinching away from the confrontation. Samara stood with her hands by her side, ready should things escalate. Legion remained motionless, its white 'eye' watching curiously. Etarn was similarly aware of this.

"It's not our job to just run blindly into enemy fire. We have to make sure we complete the mission objective as quickly as we can, with minimal risk to ourselves. You don't just abandon your team mates to go see how many enemies you can slaughter before they bring you down, you stick together and accomplish the objective. If you aren't fit to lead this team-"

"What? Are you going to replace me, four-eyes?" Grunt sneered. "I'd like to see you try."

The Krogan sighed.

"You know what? Seeing as you think you can do better, do what you like. I'll do what I do best, you stay back here and make a plan." With this scornful comment, the burly alien sauntered away. He spared a glance back over his shoulder. "Geth! Find out which way the weapons systems are. Give me a direction to point and shoot."

Legion stood still, facial flaps lifting and dropping in a rhythmic fashion.

"Accessing station internal wireless network. Bypassing firewalls. Performing requested data-mine. Processing. Processing. Objective complete. Target systems are located three decks below current location, fifty nine point two metres stern-wards. Uploading recommended route to allied omnitools."

"Whatever. Let's just get moving." Grunt strode out of the hangar, heading down one corridor pointed out by the Geth's information. Etarn glared after him before sighing irritably, nodding to the others to move out. They walked along in silence, several metres behind the sullen Krogan.

"Analysis indicates that Grunt-Urdnot's refusal to integrate fully with allied units threatens unit cohesion." Legion said, its vocal processors turned down just low enough not to be heard by Grunt. "A lack of unified operation in combat threatens structural integrity of allied units."

"Indeed. Krogan arrogance a risk." Mordin muttered. "Liable to either get himself killed, or indirectly cause injury to one of us."

"What would you suggest?" Etarn said bitterly. "Shepard put him in charge of this team. He'll do whatever he damn well feels like, no matter what we tell him."

"I suggest endurance." Samara whispered. "Abide by the Commander's orders. He knows what he is doing. If Shepard believes Grunt will succeed in leading this team, we should trust his judgement."

"Hrmph." The Batarian grunted. "Very well. We follow the Commander's instructions… for now."

**~o~0~o~**

The squad had made little progress after a few minutes, held back by a cluster of Cerberus troopers holding a narrow bottleneck to stop their advance. Several shield-bearers could be seen in the midst of the opposing force, forming a nigh-impenetrable wall of flickering blue as they held their position. Behind them, troopers and heavy troopers fired over their heads at the squad, forcing even the resilient Grunt to seek cover. The two forces traded bullets for some time, neither really causing damage to the other.

"Grunt!" Etarn called over the noise of battle. "We should fall back, find another way around. We can't afford to stay here much longer."

The stubborn Krogan obstinately shook his head.

"We don't run from anything! Keep pushing!"

"Listen to me, damnit! If we keep this up for much longer we're going to start taking some hits. We need to get out of here."

"No!" The snarl was almost a roar as the Urdnot warrior sent a Concussive Blast at the enemy, staggering a number of them. "We push through. Give me some cover!"

"Grunt, wait!" Etarn yelled as the Krogan stood up, running out from behind his cover to charge straight at the enemy. The moment he was in view, the Cerberus troops unleashed a devastating barrage directed at him, his huge form providing an ample target. The Batarian cursed his comrade's recklessness. "Ancestors curse you! Legion, Mordin, covering fire! Samara, with me! Let's try and distract them."

The squad rolled into action at the diplomat's orders, the Geth unfolding its sniper rifle and emptying clip after clip at the enemy. Mordin's SMG ran hot as he threw out a massive stream of bullets, achieving little more than forcing the shield-bearers to flinch. Samara and Etarn focused on trying to pull at the shields, twitching them to the side with their biotics to allow a momentary vulnerability for their allies to exploit.

In the few seconds it took Grunt to cross the distance between himself and the enemy, the squad had managed to gun down only three enemies, two shield-bearers and a heavy trooper. As the Asari readied another biotic attack, one of the enemy riflemen took advantage of the momentary distraction caused by her need to focus. A thunderous crack echoed through the corridor, and the former Justicar fell with a cry, her biotic Barrier having been stripper away by the shot. Purple blood flowed profusely from a wound in her side, just below the shoulder. Seeing an ally in need, Etarn let out a cry of dismay.

"Samara!" He looked up as the fire of Legion and Mordin slackened off. "Keep going! Help Grunt!"

With that, he scrambled over to Samara, bringing up his omnitool. The Asari's breathing was ragged as every intake of air sent pain rushing through her chest. She glanced to her Batarian comrade with pain-filled eyes, biting her lower lip as she stifled an agonised shout. Etarn quickly scanned the wound, his four eyes creasing in worry as he received the results.

"The bullet's still in there, lodged up against one of your ribs. I'll need to remove that before the 'Gel can do its work. It's going to hurt."

"Then I suggest you attend to it swiftly." She gasped between clenched teeth.

Etarn moved her arm as gently as he could to get a better view of the wound, aware of the sharp intake of breath she made as the muscles in her arm and chest moved around the injury. Carefully, he drew a knife from his belt, taking his time to make sure he had the right angle. Once he was ready, he looked into her eyes apologetically, and pushed the knife into the wound, guiding the tip with his free hand.

As the tip of the blade sought the errant piece of metal, the Asari's normally serene face creased in agony, throat throbbing as she held back the tortured scream. Her right hand shot out, grabbing a hold of the Batarian's arm tightly, fingers clenching and convulsing in an effort to quell the pain. Etarn winced as the fingers pinched the flesh of his forearm to the point of creating a numb sensation reaching past his elbow, but allowed her to maintain her grip. No doubt his discomfort was nothing compared to what she was going through. As he continued his work, the suppressed shriek found its way out past her lips in the form of a growl of agony, her vocal chords tensing too much to allow any more noise out.

Then, in a sudden movement, the blade found the bullet, forcing it out. The Asari exile sagged to the floor, panting heavily, as her eyes clouded with the delirium of pain. Etarn quickly cleaned the wound and covered it with Medi-Gel, sealing it. This done, he gave her a second shot of the substance via injection, in order to counteract the pain. He then lifted her chin to make her look into his lower set of eyes.

"Samara, listen to me." When the sapphire hues gained some semblance of focus, he continued. "That's the wound sealed, but you've got to give the 'Gel some time to work. Stay down, and try not to move." When she nodded a weak affirmative, he released her face, returning his attention to the battle at hand.

As this was happening, Grunt had completed his headlong charge, reaching the enemy force with only a tiny scrap of his shields remaining and more than a few new holes in his armour. Blood flowed from a wound in his brow, a relatively harmless injury that caused a river of viscous orange fluid to blur the vision in one eye. Grunt barely slowed, shotgun coughing as it reduced first one then another enemy into nothing more than a limp pile of body parts. The Cerberus troops tried to back away in fear, but the combination of the Krogan's wrath, Mordin's continuous stream of fire and Legion's deadly skill with its sniper rifle quickly tore the disorganised force apart.

Fire in his eyes, Grunt turned to look back to his allies. His hump shuddered as he breathed heavily, the fog of war clouding his vision.

"These opponents are not worthy to fight me. Come on! Let's go find more of a challenge."

"Slow down, damn you!" Etarn barked back. "We've got wounded here."

The Krogan looked back scornfully as the Batarian helped Samara to her feet, helping her to walk by lending his shoulder for her to lean on.

"If she can't keep up she should stay here. Can't have her slowing us down."

In an instant, Etarn's face twisted in a sudden explosion of rage. He took a furious step forward, threatening to throw Samara off balance before he remembered his injured burden and stepped back, pointing an accusatory finger at the burly alien.

"This isn't her fault, its yours!" He spat. "I told you we needed to go back, but you wouldn't listen. If anything, you're the one who's slowing us down with your damned Krogan pigheadedness. I can't for the life of me understand why Shepard would pick a fool like you to lead this mission."

Grunt stiffened, lip curling.

"What did you call me?"

"You heard me. You're a fool. A weak fool."

Grunt crossed the distance between himself and the Batarian with a menacing gate, glaring down at the smaller alien. Behind the diplomat, he saw Legion's rifle rise and Mordin's omnitool begin to glow, the duo ready to come to Etarn's assistance. The Krogan didn't care. He had been insulted, and he couldn't allow the Batarian's words to slide. As he brought his face in to within a couple of inches of Etarn's, the Batarian barely flinched.

"Say that again." His voice was a loud rumble, purring through his chest menacingly.

"You're not fit to lead this team. You bring shame upon yourself, your clan, and your Battlemaster. If we were still on Khar'Shan, you'd have been fed to the Varren for incompetence."

Grunt unleashed a roar, hauling one fist the size of Etarn's head back over his shoulder, ready to hit the alien so hard his head was sure to separate from his shoulders. The clenched fist swung forwards with a rushing inevitability, but suddenly Grunt felt it catch in the air. His brow creased as he tugged at his arm, finding it stuck in thin air, held as tightly as if it were encased in stone.

"That's enough." Samara's voice strained as she held out a hand, biotic fire rolling across her fingers as she focused on maintaining the Stasis field around the Krogan's arm. "We have a mission. Let's do as Shepard ordered, and you can resolve your differences on the Normandy."

Etarn nodded reluctantly, but Grunt remained sullenly silent, still trying to break the Asari's mental grip on his fist.

"Grunt!" Her voice was sharp, as was her breathing. Etarn could see that it pained her to exert herself in this fashion with such a recent injury. "Do as your Battlemaster would command. If you cannot, I shall leave you here in a complete Stasis field for Shepard to come looking for you later."

At the mention of the Commander, Grunt relaxed, a troubled look entering his eyes. Shame filtered through his mind as he thought of what his Battlemaster might say about his attitude this day. He'd never seen the Commander threaten his own troops to motivate them. Shepard had always been able to inspire obedience in his troops, but there was more to his leadership than just being a skilled warrior. The Krogan's eyes narrowed a fraction as that word played through his head. Obedience… That was what he had tried to force from his allies, but that wasn't what Shepard exacted from his squad. What the Commander achieved was much more than blind obedience.

Images from his tank training ran through his mind, or Krogan running into vastly superior firepower with little regard for themselves, the whips of ruthless Battlemasters at their backs. They went into any situation, not caring about what lay in store for them. Shepard's squad did much more than that. They knew full well what lay before them, and yet they still went in, willing to follow his orders to the bitter end. That was so much more than obedience. The fierce loyalty the Commander managed to inspire in even those who might once have been counted his bitter enemies sent shivers of shame through Grunt's multiple hearts. His actions clearly didn't match up to the standards of his Battlemaster's example. He let out a sigh that was a mixture of irritation and acquiescence.

"Fine. I can let it go until we get back to the ship."

With that, the former Justicar released her hold on him, and the squad moved off, Grunt in the lead. He reluctantly moved at a pace that allowed for Samara's injury, troubled thoughts running through his head.

**~o~0~o~**

The squad exited an elevator on the floor they needed to get to, scanning their surroundings carefully before advancing. Grunt remained at their head, moving with somewhat less caution than the others. The anger he felt at being defied was almost tangible as he stomped on ahead. Etarn still supported Samara, the latter still a little weak from her injury. Mordin and Legion guarded the duo, watching either flank.

The room the elevator had deposited them in was large, with the far wall beyond the team's current field of vision. It was dimly lit, the artificial lights in it struggling to provide adequate light. Vast bundles of wires and pipes ran along the walls, floor, and even sometimes in thick bunches overhead, although none ran along the actual ceiling. This was because the ceiling was taken up with now fewer than twenty immense pipes, some wide enough to fly the shuttle down while others only reached about a metre across. Grunt looked up at them with a dismissive eye, while the rest of the squad gazed on in wonder.

"What are those things?" Etarn asked.

"Gun barrels." Grunt muttered. "Big ones."

"Dreadnought and station-based Mass Effect Accelerator weaponry requires long barrels." Mordin explained. "Longer barrel of the weapon, more time can expose projectile to Mass Effect Field in order to accelerate it close to or beyond speed of light, increasing destructive potential of ordnance. These accelerator cannons possess greater length than any type of dreadnought have observed."

"Scanning complete." Legion spoke up. "We estimate these weapons to be approximately two point nine kilometres in length. Dependant on chosen form of ordnance, this station would possess considerable firepower."

"Estimated damage these weapons could cause?" Mordin asked.

"Using standard ferrous slugs favoured by most Human based technologies, we calculate that the primary weapons," It indicated the two thickest barrels. "Would be capable of destroying a ship of comparable size to the Council-owned Destiny Ascension in one hit, without kinetic barriers."

"Wow." Etarn let out a quiet whistle. "A single barrage from this thing could take out pretty much any ship our current technology level can produce."

"Affirmative."

"How do we break it?" Grunt asked impatiently.

"We should be able to upload a virus to the weapon targeting mainframe in order to disrupt the operating matrices. This virus will spread from the Mass Accelerator cannons to the GARDIAN batteries and torpedo arrays, fully disabling all weapons systems on the station." The Geth answered.

"Where can we find the targeting mainframe?" Etarn asked.

"It is located in the centre of this room, underneath the primary field generators. Addendum: Such a system is liable to be heavily guarded. Prepare for hostile engagement."

"Good." The Krogan muttered. "Some real action at last."

The squad moved on a little further, making cautious progress through the massive complex, weaving in and out around large pieces of machinery and clambering over errant bundles of wires over a metre thick. All the while they were accompanied by the powerful thrum of the weapons systems and the occasional grinding noise as parts of the machinery overhead moved into new configurations.

Grunt was just beginning to wonder at the lack of guards impeding their progress so far when he rounded a stack of computer processors to see their objective- the massive computer core responsible for processing all of the calculations needed to run the vast array of weapons the station carried. The Normandy had a similar array, but it was nowhere near as big as this, with Minuteman's core dwarfing the Normandy's by at least a factor of twenty. The humming machinery reached almost to the tubes running along the ceiling, spreading out in every direction to entwine itself into the wires and coolant pipes that surrounded it. Three layers of catwalks encircled it, metal gantries that allowed access to the myriad terminals plugged into the machine.

The core was surrounded by guards, all watching with powerfully alert expressions. Grunt could count at least twenty normal Troopers within his field of vision, along with a half dozen Heavy Troopers, a squad of Shield-Bearers, a handful of Cloakers, and a pair of riflemen. This impressive force was further bolstered by a unit of LOKI and FENRIS mechs and two Cerberus guards wearing AESIR battle suits. It appeared that the other squads had caused enough trouble to warrant having the extra guards assigned to such a critical system. Grunt turned as he sensed Etarn step up next to him.

"Ahhh… crap. That's a lot of targets."

"We can take them." Grunt said confidently, eyeing up the enemy force to identify the strongest threat.

"Hey, Legion!" The Batarian waved over the Geth. "Can you wirelessly upload the virus from here?"

The sentient machine was silent for a moment, 'eye' spinning as it ran millions of streams of data simultaneously.

"Negative. A physical link to the system is required. The weapons systems have been insulated against hacking attempts."

"Damn. So we've got to figure out how to get past these guards."

"Enough of this. Let's just be done with it and gut them all." With that, Grunt began drawing his shotgun, making ready to charge in.

"Grunt! Stop!" Etarn struggled to keep from shouting out and alerting their foes. "At least use some semblance of tactical thinking this time.

"Fine." The Krogan grumbled. "You take the Salarian and close in from the left. Samara and the Geth move in on the right. I'll take the middle."

Without waiting for any sort of confirmation, the Urdnot warrior stood, checking his gun. Before anyone could stop him, he raced out of cover, heavy feet pounding on the floor as he rushed the nearest cluster of guards.

"Damnit!" Etarn cursed for at least the hundredth time that day, frustration reaching boiling point. "Move out, before the idiot gets himself killed!"

The squad split, Samara taking Legion around one side while Etarn and Mordin flanked around the other side. With the enemy force distracted by the charging Krogan, they were caught unawares as the two pairs closed in with a pincer movement. As Grunt reached the first Cerberus guard, quickly blasting through him with his Claymore, Etarn summoned a biotic field around himself. He zeroed in on the nearest of the AESIR units, eyes narrowing as he shaped the dark energy under his control into a tunnel of rippling blue energy between him and his chosen foe. He felt his stomach flip as the physical forces acting on his own body twisted, dragging him forwards ever faster. In the blink of an eye, he had accelerated to a tremendous speed, covering the distance between his current position and his enemy incredibly quickly. Hardening the biotic barrier around himself as he reached the AESIR, he struck the armoured Human with enough force to knock the battle-suit off balance. Not allowing the Cerberus soldier to recover, he leapt up onto the shoulders of the machine, SMG firing wildly as he sought to bring it down quickly. All around him, the AESIR's allies hesitated to shoot for fear of harming their comrade, giving Etarn a moment of safety as he struggled to take the heavy unit out of the fight.

As the Batarian took on the AESIR, Mordin stealthily approached the nearest Heavy Trooper he could find. Lifting his omnitool, the crafty Salarian fired a single needle at the Human, striking him in the nape of the neck. The Human had just enough time to reach up to his neck before the toxin in the needle took effect, wracking him with pain. The Human fell with a cry, dropping his rocket launcher as his muscles contorted, his nervous system fighting against him. Before his comrades could even rush over to see what was wrong, the Human gave a shuddering gasp and went limp, eyes losing their focus as the light went out behind them. As the nearest Cerberus troops leaned over the stricken Trooper to see what was wrong, Mordin launched his follow-up attack. A bolt of fire flew from his 'tool, striking the recently deceased Human. The blast of flame quickly consumed the corpse, expanding in a rapid wave to ignite the nearest of the guards, setting four of them alight in quick succession. As the Humans flailed ineffectually against the inferno that consumed the armour meant to protect them, cooking them alive, the Salarian moved away from the enemy force, a satisfied smirk on his face. Not one shot was fired in his direction, so distracted were the Cerberus guards by the Batarian fighting the battle-suit and the sudden explosion that torched their allies.

Etarn, meanwhile, had succeeded in removing the operator's canopy from the AESIR, exposing the female Human inside to the open air. She looked up with a startled expression as he reached in, grabbing her by the throat. Enhancing his strength with his biotics, the diplomat hauled her forcibly out of the machine, casting her to the floor with a grunt. Without a further word, the Batarian slipped into the machine, tugging the canopy shut behind him. He glared at the controls in confusion for a moment as bullets started to ricochet off the suit. He experimentally lifted his arm, satisfied to feel the gyros whine while the metal limb twisted to mimic him. Apparently most of the functions were motion activated. Good. All the easier for him to turn it against its masters, then. He took a cautious step, then another. Turning to face the suddenly anxious Cerberus troops. Lifting one of the arms, he fired the wrist-mounted gun, shocked by the tremendous recoil of the gun. One Cerberus Trooper fell dead from a powerful gunshot to the chest, the power of the weapon turning his torso into little more than bloody meat with the occasional splinter of what had been his armour embedded in it. Smiling menacingly, Etarn set to work pursuing the Cerberus guards, chasing them into hiding.

Grunt, meanwhile, rushed the frontline of the enemy. He barged into one Heavy Trooper trying to line up a shot with his rocket launcher, tossing the Human aside as though he weighed nothing. He caught another Trooper across the face with the butt of his Claymore, following up with a shotgun blast at point-blank range to swiftly kill him. The next two Troopers quickly fell to the might of the Krogan-designed gun, only managing to land a couple of hits before they died. He turned to find the next target, only to have a FENRIS mech crash into his side, eliciting a bellow of rage as the Krogan staggered from the force of a quarter tonne of metal striking him at high speed. The dog-like mech glowed briefly before a blast of flickering electrical energy pulsed out from it, washing over the Urdnot warrior. Grunt let out a growl of anger as he shotgun beeped a warning, the electrical parts of its firing mechanism shorted out from the Overload blast. It would take time to reset itself. In the meantime, he was stuck in the middle of an enemy squad. Face contorting in rage, the Krogan grabbed the mech by a foreleg and a hind-leg, lifting it into the air with ease. His muscles squirmed as he pulled, straining until a shriek of twisting metal heralded the sudden fountain of sparks that escaped from the machine as its metal hide split open like an overripe fruit, the burly alien throwing the two newly created halves in opposite directions with a snort of disgust. HE then reached out to grab the head of one of the LOKI mechs trying to get in close, crushing it with a powerful twist of his wrist. Still waiting for his weapons to reactivate, the Krogan kept swinging as the Cerberus troops pressed in like a relentless tide.

Samara and Legion, on the other hand, had established a secure location on the edge of the battle. The Asari struggled to use her biotics to hold any approaching enemies off while the Geth put its engineered precision to good use gunning down Cerberus troops at range. One moment it would land a perfect shot on a LOKI mech, disabling it by hitting just the right spot on the mech's shell, the next it would manage to put a bullet between the eyes of a Heavy Trooper trying to use his rockets to flush them from their cover.

Samara let out a pained groan as she lifted her arm to summon another wave of biotic energy to fling Troopers aside.

"Legion! I do not know how much longer I can sustain these attacks for."

"Consensus achieved. Hostile units are too numerous for current allied unit configuration to succeed." The Geth spoke flatly as it fired twice, accounting for two more Troopers. "We suggest falling back and regrouping with Grunt-Urdnot."

"Very well. Let's-"

Her sentence was interrupted as she tried to move out from behind her cover. A rocket exploded almost directly in front of her, the blast pushing her back into cover.

"Heavy!" She shouted to Legion. The Geth lifted its sniper rifle, seeking the source of the attack, but found itself unable to get a clear shot.

"Shot obstructed. Unable to engage hostile unit."

The Geth was forced to duck back into cover as a group of Troopers unleashed a salvo of bullets at it, many pinging off its metal shell harmlessly, although one hit a sensitive spot, sending error warnings coursing through its synthetic mind.

"Hostile tactics altering. Allied unit movement impeded by presence of hostile units in flanking manoeuvre."

"Oh goddess…" Samara murmured as she chanced a glance over their cover, seeing the four Shield-Bearers moving in on their location, two to each side. She fumbled for her communicator, signalling the rest of the squad. "We need some help over here! We've got enemies hemming us in on every side."

All too soon, the enemy Shield-Bearers had closed in on them. Legion picked up its assault rifle, hammering the shimmering blue barrier of one of the hostiles. After a full clip had been emptied at the Human, his shield still held up, although it flickered uncertainly. Slamming a fresh clip into the gun, the Geth fired once more, finger twitching fast on the trigger to send a lightning-fast barrage at its target. Finally, the blue shield shut down with a whine, allowing the Geth's attack to rip through his armour and into his chest, killing him. But this was far too inefficient a method for eliminating the enemy, as three Shield-Bearers remained, all pressing in on the duo.

Samara blocked a vicious punch from one of the surviving Shield-Bearers, dodging the woman's gauntleted fist. The mechanised hand clenched and relaxed before swinging again, coming within a hair's breadth of striking the Asari. Samara knew that one hit from the armoured fist would crush her ribs or break a limb, so she focused on keeping mobile, struggling to hold off the relentless assault. As she backed away, the Asari's heel caught on the floor beneath her, causing her to stumble. Before she could recover, the attacking Shield-Bearer lunged forward, bearing her to the ground. With a triumphant smile, the Cerberus soldier lifted her armoured fist to strike.

There was a loud hiss, followed by a sickening crackle. The Shield-Bearer's expression turned from one of triumph to confusion as a misty white fog spread across her body, solidifying where it went. In a second, her face twisted in fear as the icy substance travelled up her neck, freezing her face in a scared grimace as the extremities of her body solidified. In the next instant, a string of bullets struck the snap-frozen woman, causing her to shatter into a myriad fragments. Samara glanced up to where Mordin could be seen standing atop a stack of spare equipment, holding his smoking SMG in one hand.

"Never saw me coming." He muttered in a satisfied tone as his omnitool faded, temporarily drained from the Cryo Blast.

Samara spared him a smile before her attention was drawn to her second Shield-Bearer, now angered by the loss of his comrades. He readied to charge the former Justicar, hoping to use his shield to strike at her. Before he had taken three steps, she flung out a hand, mustering what energy she had left to send a burst of dark energy his way. The biotic attack burst upon his shield, shattering the energy barrier and sending him staggering back. Before he recovered his footing, the Salarian scientist took aim and fired three times, once through the heart, once through the head, and once through the throat. The man fell without a word.

The duo turned to spot the last of the Shield-Bearers, only to see him locked in combat with Legion. The pair strained, synthetic muscle against artificially augmented fist, neither really having the advantage. Both of their hands were locked as their faces hovered inches apart, neither giving an inch. Then, with shocking swiftness, the Geth scythed out with a foot, catching the Shield-Bearer across the back of the knees. As the surprised Human fell, the machine twisted, bringing an elbow up. As the pair dropped to the floor, the metal joint came into contact with the Human's throat with a sickly crunch, the shocked Cerberus soldier releasing a stunned gasp before perishing.

Gasping from exhaustion, the victorious trio turned to scan the rest of the battle, searching for their comrades. Surprise showed in Samara's eyes as she spotted Etarn operating one of the AESIR battle suits to mow down Troopers left right and centre. As she watched, he lifted a foot and stomped down, crushing the head of the last FENRIS mech. Grunt, meanwhile, was in the centre of a massive cluster of enemy soldiers, blood flowing from many wounds as he wielded his shotgun one-handed, killing some enemies with the deadly hail of fire it spat out with every pull of the trigger, and killing others with his free hand, his innate Krogan strength coming into play and giving him the clear advantage. The second AESIR lay at his feet, one of the arms torn completely off to show the bloody stump that was all that remained of the operator's limb, and the operator's canopy smashed in, the head of the Human that had been inside the machine now a pulpy mess.

Samara was about to direct her allies to go to Grunt's aid when a subtle movement off to the side caught her attention. Her head snapped around as she looked for the source of the movement, spotting a shape clambering over the top of their mission objective, the targeting computer core. She gasped as the newcomer moved into full view.

It was a mech, but of a model she had never seen or heard of in all her time roaming Asari space. It moved about on four powerful legs, jointed in four places to grant them almost limitless mobility. Metal claws on the end of these legs allowed it to grip surfaces, offering a spider-like ability to clamber up sheer surfaces. Its body was long and thin, granting it a wolf-like appearance. The head was its most unusual feature. Shaped like a crescent moon, the head was almost completely flat with no life-like features. Instead, the inner edge of the crescent, angling away from the body, glowed with a sinister white light. Energy buzzed along this edge, arcs of crackling power that betrayed the fact that this was its weapon system.

As she watched, the machine, bigger than a YMIR mech although not as tall seeing as it went about on all fours, clambered down off the computer core. It stalked over to the cluster of Cerberus troops with Grunt at its heart. Oblivious to this new arrival, the Krogan kept on fighting the swarm of foes around him. The new machine stopped a little way away, lifting its 'head' to take aim. The light around its head grew brighter as some kind of charge built up.

"Grunt!" Samara shouted with concern.

Grunt either did not hear her or chose not to listen, so engrossed was he in killing the Cerberus guards, but Etarn heard.

Still in the AESIR suit, the Batarian turned at the Justicar's anxious cries. Spotting the massive mech taking aim at Grunt, he sprang into action. The AESIR suit, badly damaged during his fight with the Cerberus forces, whined in protest as he pushed it to move swiftly. Seeing the strange machine's weapon reach its peak charge, he threw himself forwards.

The mech's weapon discharged just as Etarn reached Grunt's position, forcibly throwing the Urdnot warrior out of the way. The blast from the weapon struck the AESIR suit squarely in the chest, sending it and its Batarian occupant soaring backwards. Sparks and flames erupted from the battle suit as it landed in a heap on the floor. A moment later, the operator's canopy opened, allowing Etarn to crawl out. He moved slowly, painfully, and when he rolled over he revealed a livid series of burns running up his left side.

In a state of shock after the near miss, Grunt staggered to his feet unsteadily. He stared at the new arrival with a mixture of awe and confusion before looking to Etarn, still lying on the floor in a near motionless heap.

The mech clanked forward on its huge feet, readying another blast for the prone Batarian. Seeing the danger to his squad-mate, the Krogan raced across the open floor, scooping up the Batarian with one hand and bounding to a stack of crates that provided a modicum of safety.

"Salarian! Get your ass over here!" He bellowed.

As the professor worked his way around, dodging the new mech's weapon blasts and any stray remnants of the Cerberus force, Grunt knelt down next to Etarn, scanning his wounds pensively, unsure of what to do.

"Why the hell did you do that?" He asked.

"We may not always act like it," Etarn managed breathlessly, a chuckle catching in his throat. "But we're both on the same team here. Besides, Shepard would kick my ass if I let the bullet magnet get killed."

"I could have taken that shot." The Krogan protested.

"No, you couldn't." Etarn's four eyes clenched in pain as he coughed. "You might not have noticed it, but even I could see your armour was weakened from the firefight. Just charging on in there stripped away the ablative layers of your suit. If that thing had hit you, it'd have probably cut you in half."

Grunt looked down at his armour, noticing for the first time exactly how much fire he had taken. Entire layers of his armour had been stripped away, like layers on an onion. Charred circles surrounded bullet holes that allowed rapidly clotting streams of blood to streak the normally clean white with orange. As he was watching, the power cell on his belt hummed, re-establishing his kinetic barriers. With this much damage evident, he was hard pressed to contradict the Batarian. As the realisation of what the alien had done for him filtered through his mind, Grunt found himself uttering words that he rarely, if ever, said.

"Thank you."

"Do not mention it." The Batarian struggled. "We are crew. That is almost as close as family."

Grunt stared as the Batarian slipped into unconsciousness. What the hell was he doing? Here one of his allies lay critically injured, all because of his inane lust for slaughter and glory. When his Battlemaster had entrusted his squad, individuals that may as well have been children, brothers and sisters to Shepard, he had tasked Grunt with the responsibility of getting them through this mission intact. His responsibilities included so much more than just blowing up the enemy guns, he had to make sure everyone came back from it as well. Shame filtered through his brain. This Batarian knew that. He understood the necessity to look out for one's clan, preparing to make any sacrifice to keep them safe, and yet here Grunt stood, the four-eyed alien's blood on his hands, literally. He felt his fist clench as resolve flooded his veins.

"Mordin!" He barked at the Salarian as he raced into their cover. "See to him."

With that, the Krogan took up his shotgun, turning to the lumbering mechanical enemy stalking about between them and their objective. He spared a glance over to the far side of the field of combat, catching sight of Samara and Legion holding the mech's attention, doing an admirable job of avoiding the with fire it was launching from its weapon in a long, brilliant beam. Images flickered through his head, memories from the tank of Krogan warlords using canny tactics to ensure victory, of alien generals and their preferred methods of war, and memories of his time spent with the Commander. Of Shepard's war against the Collectors, of the vast array of foes they had destroyed. These images and memories buzzing through his mind, the Urdnot warrior moved to engage the enemy.

"Geth! Combat Drone, now! Keep it distracted. Asari, keep it off balance!"

Glancing to the Krogan warily, unsure of what he might have planned, the duo complied. Legion's omnitool glowed, creating a holographic combat drone that buzzed out to zap at the mech's head with its shock probe. The mech turned to track the bright annoyance, weapons blasts missing it by a wide margin as the little globe darted about.

Samara, meanwhile, used her biotics to create a Singularity almost directly underneath the mech. The hefty machine staggered as it scrambled to escape from the pull of the gravity-distorting bolt of dark energy.

As the mech tottered uncertainly, grunt dashed in, pumping his shotgun repeatedly. Clusters of shrapnel bounced off the mech's armoured hide, leaving scratches and dents but causing little damage. Changing his tack, the Krogan shifted his aim, targeting the weak joins around the nearest foot. With a screech, the metal talons of its foot sheared off, causing the machine to stumble a little more. As it turned to fire at him, Grunt retreated, finding refuge behind a crate of spare parts.

"Samara! Rip it open! Legion, take out more of the joints."

The pair complied, showing a little more confidence in their burly leader. The Geth fired shot after shot, weakening knee joints and even landing a shot to the mech's neck. Samara, meanwhile, launched a devastating series of Warp blasts, striking its side and causing metal armour plating to contort and rip as unstable magnetic and gravitational forces ripped at it.

Pausing a moment to allow his shields to recharge, Grunt watched the machine stumble about, main weapon firing wildly. Timing it carefully, the Urdnot warrior paused for but a moment before dashing out. With a roar of exertion, he leapt atop the machine, clawing to stop himself from falling. He powerfully hauled his way up the spine of the writhing mech until he found the head. His strong fingers scrabbled for purchase before reaching into the neck joint. He growled as he hauled for all he was worth, straining until a tearing noise rewarded his efforts. With a shriek of tearing metal, the head of the mech came free, wires, bolts and pipes snapping as they failed to withstand the Krogan's might. As the massive, crescent moon shaped head dropped to the deck, the mech fell silent, sagging on its legs. With a ponderous inevitability, the machine began to tilt to the side, crashing to the floor like a mighty tree felled by a woodsman's axe.

The squad sagged with relief, all worn out in some way or another by the fight. Grunt nodded to Legion to get to work on the computer core before hurrying over to where Mordin and Etarn were. Catching his anxious glance, the Salarian nodded in the affirmative, much to the Krogan's relief.

"Burn trauma serious, but treatable. Should be fine, once returned to Normandy for further treatment. Have done what I can here."

"Accessing computer mainframe." Legion called from the nearest terminal. "Bypassing firewalls, overriding security software. Processing… done. Virus uploaded, system offline. Mission objectives accomplished."

"Any word on the rest of the squad?" Grunt asked.

"Engines registering as offline. Vakarian-Garrus' mission successful, status of team Beta uncertain. Shield generators remain functional- rectification: Shield systems now offline. Alenko-Kaidan's mission objective complete. Status of team Gamma uncertain."

"What of the Commander?" Samara asked.

"Station security on high alert. Possible indicator of attack on command nodes. However, it is possible this is in reaction to the activities of teams Beta, Gamma and Delta. The status of team Alpha remains unknown at this time."

"They're on their own." Grunt grumbled. "Come on, let's get back to the shuttle."

**~o~0~o~**

**~SHEPARD~**

"Need some help here, Shepard!"

The Commander glanced up at Miranda's call for help, busily trying to reload his rifle. The squad was pinned down in the centre of a cargo bay, seeking refuge behind various stacks of crates. Shepard and Elanie had found cover together, alternating bursts of fire as they sought to hold their foes off. Miranda was crouched behind another crate, separated from the rest of the squad by an unfortunate gap. Jack was even further away, using her prodigious biotics to tear at any enemies she could catch sight of. The squad was worn down from the seemingly endless stream of foes, but still held strong.

Miranda had called for assistance due to the cluster of guards moving in her direction, too numerous for her to shoot at on her own and drawing too close for her to safely use her biotics. Seeing her predicament, Shepard tried to gun down a few of the approaching Troopers, but couldn't get a clear shot on them due to the stacks of crates. He tried to move out from behind his own cover to get a better line of sight, but the Cerberus soldiers moving in on his own crate fired the moment he tried to emerge, forcing him to draw back into hiding. Catching a glimpse of the threat closing in on Miranda, he looked for a new tactic to try. Finally, an unexpected idea erupted in his head.

"Jack! Clear the rubble!"

The convict looked over with a measure of irritation, hesitant to come to the assistance of the former Cerberus operative, but as Shepard glared at her with a warning in his eyes, she sighed.

"Hang onto your asses!" She yelled, flinging out a glowing hand.

A Singularity burst into being in the middle of the enemy squad, sucking a number of the guards into its event horizon before they could even shout in alarm. Others managed to escape from the gravity well with much difficulty, their shields stripping away in seconds. Without this vital defence, Miranda was able to stand and empty a clip at the enemy force, killing almost every one of them. However, as she tried to reload, the gun jammed with a grinding clank. Miranda glared at the now useless lump of metal in her hands, slapping it irritably. She looked back up just in time to see the last of the Cerberus Troopers charge her. Having lost his rifle to the Singularity, the Trooper drew a knife as he darted towards her, leaping forwards to tackle her.

His attack never landed, a sudden blue aura swirling around him. He looked about in surprise before both he and Miranda looked over to the source of the biotic attack. Jack clenched her fist, drawing it back in towards her chest, before flinging it away from her in a swift motion.

"Fly, bitch!" She crowed as she released the Cerberus Trooper, sending him spinning away in a long arc before he struck the far away wall of the cargo bay with a wet crunch that could be heard even at this distance.

"I almost had him!" Miranda said defensively as she turned from where the Trooper had landed. "That one counts as mine!"

"Snooze you lose, Cheerleader." Jack sneered as she slipped back behind her cover. "My amp, my kill. Maybe if you invest in some halfway decent crap instead of that standard issue pea-shooter you'd actually get a decent head count on one of these missions."

"That was pure chance!" Miranda protested. "This gun is top-of-the-line!"

"Whatever. Still didn't do the job, so I had to do it for you."

"Why you-"

"Hey, kids!" Shepard shouted sharply. He waved a hand at the remnants of the enemy force that was trying to close in one his position. "Little focus here, maybe? Get your heads back in the game!"

"Sorry, Commander." Miranda drew her still functional pistol, firing selectively at any troops she could see from her current location.

"Yeah, yeah, boss man." Jack snarked. "Whatever."

The remaining enemies took no time at all to finish off, the combined biotics of Miranda and Jack, aided by Elanie's technical skills and Shepard's sheer damage output with his weapons swiftly eliminating any defences they had. Once the last Cerberus guard lay dead, the squad relaxed, standing up cautiously.

"That's the third unit we've encountered." Miranda observed. "Not as much as I was expecting. I guess attacking on multiple fronts has managed to keep our enemy divided, making our job easier."

"That's what we were counting on." Elanie muttered as she consulted her omnitool. "Just two decks down from where we need to be. Not far now."

"Good." Shepard nodded. "Let's get this done. Salvage what thermal clips you can, then we move out."

As the team moved off through the station, quickly finding their way to a corridor that Elanie's map of the station indicated would lead them to an elevator and allow them to ascend to the deck the command centre was located upon, Shepard became aware that Jack had sidled closer to him.

"Something on your mind?" He asked, knowing the pre-occupied look upon her face all too well. She'd borne the same expression when she stepped onto the then Ceberus-owned Normandy for the first time, just before they had landed on Pragia to destroy the last remnants of her unhappy childhood, and once again when she had stepped through the Commander's door on that night before the mission through Omega Four.

"Yeah." Jack said simply, knowing better than to argue with the Commander.

"You worried about what we're going to find?" Shepard angled for some sliver of understanding.

"Nope. We've seen plenty of rough shit in our time, Shepard. Ain't nothin' these bastards can throw our way that'll phase me. I'm worried about what you're going to do, though."

"Me?"

"I know how you work, Shepard. You try to do the right thing all the time. But this ain't the time for growing a conscience, Commander. We're here to kill the bastard in charge of all of this. Don't you pussy out on me and try any crap like taking him in alive."

"The Illusive Man should stand trial for everything Cerberus has done, Jack."

"With his connections? Sending him to jail would be just as bad as letting him go free. Same result in the end, too. He'll never hang for his crimes, Shepard. Not unless we put the noose around his neck and give him a solid shove off a cliff."

"You've put a lot of thought into this, haven't you?"

"Shepard, his scientists stole me from whatever life I had, raised me to be a weapon, damn near killed off anything I had left inside that was Human. It's only 'cause I'm too fucking stubborn that I ain't batshit and locked up in some loony farm somewhere. You could say I have a basis for carrying a grudge." She turned her head to stare at him meaningfully. "So when we find this miserable little shit I need to know you're going to shoot his fucking brains all over the nearest bulkhead, not try to play nice with him."

"I don't know what's going to happen, Jack. Cerberus has been studying the Reaper threat for longer than anyone else in the Galaxy. We'll need anything they have on them. Aside from that, God knows what kind of resources the Illusive Man has at his fingertips. I want to make sure we can use those before I go shooting first and asking questions later."

"So interrogate the son-of-a-bitch, then waste him."

"We'll see, Jack." Shepard tried to offer her a reassuring smile, but she ignored the gesture. "Don't worry about it. I know what I'm doing."

"That's debatable." She huffed, increasing her pace.

Shepard was about to speak to her once more before Miranda called out from up ahead.

"Commander, you may want to have a look at this." She said, leaning forward to peer through the glass portion of one of the many doors lining the corridor.

Shepard strode over, glancing through. What he saw was a weapons lab, filled with diagnostic equipment and work benches. Nondescript in every aspect. He was about to disregard the lab when the contents of one of the benches caught his eye. An intake of breath announced his gleeful surprise as he pushed the control to force the door to slide open.

The Commander hurried in, stepping up to the workbench and gazing down at the weapon held there with an almost affectionate look on his face.

"H-yes! I wondered where you'd got to."

He picked up the massive tube held in the scanning cradle, enjoying the incredible weight of the device tugging at his shoulders in a familiar fashion. He examined the cautionary yellow of the weapon's barrel, complimented by the polished steel around the muzzle of the gun and the butt. His finger curled around the huge trigger, barely able to stretch his hand far enough to accommodate the sheer size of the gun. His grin widened as he took in the radioactive warning sticker on the side of the gun.

"The old Cain… I guess Cerberus didn't throw it out after all." His tone was somewhat nostalgic, remembering the very few times his situation had been dire enough to warrant its use.

"Never got that name." Jack muttered as she watched the Commander handle the heavy weapon. "Cain? What's that mean?"

"Cain is a figure from the early portion of the Christian bible." Elanie explained. "He killed his brother, performing the first murder. Just as he personified the Human capacity for violence, so does this."

"Murder personified, got it." The convict nodded. "Hey… mind if I hold it for a while?"

"Oh god…" Miranda groaned. "Please don't. I'd rather live."

"Maybe some other time, Jack." Shepard said diplomatically. "When we're not in an enclosed environment with an overabundance of targets for you to use it on."

"Pussy." Jack pouted. "I was only going to blow the place up a little bit…"

"Let's keep going." The Commander urged, stowing the so-called 'nuke launcher' on his back. With the Cain back in his arsenal, Shepard suddenly felt much more confident, and much more dangerous.

**~o~0~o~**

The Commander marched at the front of his team, rifle out and at the ready as they moved down the final stretch of corridor leading up to the heavy doors that marked the entrance to the station command centre. His eyes roved about warily as they advanced towards their goal. The corridor was empty, noticeably so. He didn't like it, and given his knowledge of how Cerberus operated he was on edge waiting for the jaws of the inevitable trap to spring shut on them.

His paranoia was soon justified when the team was only a few metres from the command centre. A brightly flickering kinetic barrier flared into life directly before them, blocking all means of advance. The Commander stepped forward cautiously, prodding at the obstruction with the muzzle of his rifle.

"Elanie?" He turned to the Shadow Broker operative. "Can you get us through this?"

"I'll give it a shot." She answered. Drawing out her omnitool, she typed in a few commands. "Out you come, Sykes."

The SI flickered into being, looking around cautiously.

"A-are we getting shot at again?" He asked cautiously.

"Not at the moment." Elanie smiled at the synthetic being's over-exaggerated timidity.

"Oh. Good." The SI said in relief. "What do you need?"

"Can you get us past this barrier?"

"Hang on."

The glowing orb of light drifted over to the wall next to the barrier, touching a wall panel cautiously. With a visual 'pop' the SI disappeared, vanishing into the systems stored within the wall.

As the squad waited, they became aware of the sounds of approaching troops behind them.

"But of course." Shepard sighed. He turned to his comrades as he waved for the biotic convict to follow him into the recess created by a nearby door. "Jack, with me. Miranda, you and Elanie take up a position on the other side."

The squad was about to comply when Sykes reappeared.

"Elanie! I need some help over here."

"Damnit." Elanie sighed.

"Go. We can handle whatever's coming." Miranda assured her. The spy nodded her thanks, running over to where her SI waited. She activated her omnitool once more as Sykes transmitted a burst of data. Multiple streams of data appeared in front of her in a holographic interface, a twisting puzzle of numbers and letters that to the untrained eye appeared to be so much gibberish. She immediately set to work pulling the stranda of data apart and sending her results back to Sykes.

Shepard, meanwhile, kept his gun trained on the corridor they had just travelled down, watching for the first sign of the enemy force pursuing them. He was soon confronted with the first rank of the enemy squad, a line of four Troopers marching in unison. He didn't even wait a moment before his rifle fired, downing one of the Cerberus soldiers swiftly and sending the other three scattering. As he took aim on a second Trooper, the second rank of the enemy squad came into view much more cautiously. This unit contained two Cloakers and two Heavy Troopers, who unleashed a barrage of rockets at the squad without waiting to take aim, hoping to scatter the Commander's team early in the conflict.

Without a second thought, Shepard twisted, gabbing Jack around the waist and bearing her to the deck.

"What the fu-oof!" She yelled in surprise, the sound somewhat muffled by the nearby explosion.

Miranda shifted her focus from the normal Troopers to the more dangerous Heavies. In an enclosed area like this, those rockets could be fatal even if they missed. She narrowed her eyes as she summoned a biotic bolt around her fist, hurling it with a grunt. The blue shard of dark energy expanded into a Warp blast, striking one of the Heavies and sending him reeling, his weapon clattering to the floor uselessly.

"Hey, Shepard?" The Commander turned at Jack's words. "This is fun and all, but could you move? Kinda wanna get back to the action."

With an embarrassed expression on his face, the Commander rolled off her, allowing her to get back to her feet. The convict smirked at him momentarily before turning back to the battle, unleashing a Shockwave that sent the Cerberus Troopers tumbling away. Her resolute gaze faltered as the third wave of enemies strode into view.

"Ahh… shit. Gotta Heavy coming our way, Shepard."

The Commander glanced over, suppressing a groan as he spotted the lumbering hulk of metal shuddering into view. No sooner had the YMIR mech strode into view than it opened up with its chain gun, sending Miranda scuttling for cover in another doorway.

Shepard got back to his feet, levelling his rifle at the nearest Trooper. A couple of shots was all that was needed to dispatch the Cerberus goon. As he sought a new target, he turned to Miranda.

"Take out the shields on that mech!" He ordered. "Jack, think you can get through its armour?"

"Does a Drell shit in the desert?"

"Then do it the second Miranda deals with the shields."

"Got it!"

Shepard focused on the last of the Heavy Troopers moving on the team. He carefully lined up a shot, waiting for the Heavy to pop up and try to fire his rocket launcher. As the target moved into view, Shepard's finger tightened on his trigger, readying to fire. In the next instant, the rifle jerked to the side, sending his shot horribly wide. He glanced up in confusion as one of the Cloakers shimmered into existence right in front of him. The Commander raised an arm to fend off the impending attack, but the savage kick still sent him reeling back. He blocked the follow-up attack, his forearm going numb as it caught the ferocity of the second kick full-on. He shifted he feet a little to find better purchase, then lunged as the Cloaker attempted to land a powerful punch to his gut. He caught the onrushing hand in a powerful grip and twisted, forcing the Cloaker to spin around and be caught in a strong arm-lock. Another brutal tug of the arm caused the shoulder to pop loose, accompanied by a shrill shriek from the Cloaker. Shepard shoved him forward, drawing his pistol and delivering a killing shot to the back of the Cerberus soldier's skull in one fluid motion. The body dropped with a wet thump.

Miranda, meanwhile, was busily tweaking settings on her omnitool. The palm interface began to spark wildly, blue bolts of energy escaping from it in a potent storm. She paused a moment, eyeing up her target, readying her attack.

"Just fucking hit it already!" Jack's exasperated shout sounded out harshly as she lifted a normal Trooper into the air, her biotic energies twisting the poor soldier in an unnatural way and dropping him.

Unfazed by the convict's harsh words. Miranda took her time, waiting until the YMIR had to pause in its devastating chain-gun barrage to allow its barrels to cool. Then she stood up abruptly, unleashing the blue bolt stored in her hand.

The Overload blast roared towards the mech, striking its shields with a crackle and a whiff of ozone. The shields coruscated irregularly, shining and dimming. Then, with a quiet whine, the kinetic barriers faded. Miranda glanced back at Jack with not a little satisfaction.

"Whatever." Jack huffed. "Watch this!"

The biotic convict, glared at the mech, the furrow on her brow deepening as she summoned a biotic field around herself. As an intense aura of dark energy bathed her form, Miranda recognised the field as being somewhat similar to that of a vanguard's Charge ability, but at the same time this one flowed differently. Jack threw her a confident smirk before racing towards the mech.

Her movements were not as quick as those of a charging vanguard, but still possessed the swiftness of biotically enhanced limbs. The YMIR noticed her, firing a rocket at the biotic cocoon hurrying its way. The projectile struck the biotic field, the explosive energies of its detonation being deflected by Jack's sheer willpower manifesting in her abilities. Her pace faltered, but she kept moving. Once she was only a few metres from the mech, she let out a growl as she jumped. The dark energy around her tensed, completely obscuring any sight of the biotic as she raced into the air. She soared as high as only an extremely competent biotic could jump, almost touching the ceiling several metres above. Once she reached the apex of this highly enhanced leap, the dark energy field shifted just a little. She caught for just a moment in mid-air before her upward and forward motion turned into downwards motion, sweeping her back to the deck in a roaring rush. The luminescent bolt with Jack at its heart thundered back down, the motion of the manoeuvre helped a little by the station's artificial gravity. By the time she reached the YMIR's location, she was moving with the inevitability of an Alliance cruiser.

The blue-white ball of physics-twisting energy with the convict in its centre struck the mech with a terrible crash. The massive machine was hurled off its feet, scraping back along the deck several metres. Such was the impact that it left a YMIR-sized dent and a wide furrow in the solid metal floor. The mech itself was badly dented, many armour plates splitting under the pressure. Its face cracked as the biotic straddling its chest released the last of her momentum in a powerful punch. There was a crackle, and a pop, and then the head snapped off, rattling away from the inert body.

"Fuck yeah! Not so tough without a head, are ya?"

"Activating self-destruct." The mech's separated head droned flatly. An insistent beeping sounded out from its chest, approaching a crescendo rapidly. Jack's eyes widened at this latest development.

"Aww… shit."

She hurried away from the mech, unable to use her biotics again so quickly after a powerful display like that. A Trooper tried to stand in her way, but a reflex reaction made her knee connect with his crotch, sending him tumbling to the floor in a whimpering pile. She shouldered past the last Heavy Trooper and dove towards the Commander, the mech exploding behind her just as she struck the deck, rolling into cover just in time to avoid the shockwave. Behind her, the last two Troopers, one of them the one she had just 'persuaded' to get out of her way, as well as the final Heavy Trooper, burst into flames as the wash of superheated air struck them. A brief silhouette could be seen outlined against the flames as the final Cloaker, his camouflage unable to cope with the overabundant energies it was enduring, appeared and then rapidly vanished in a burst of flames. The peal of the exploding mech rumbled through the squad's internal organs disquietingly for several seconds, rising to a point where it ceased to be sound and just became a pure physical presence within their mind and their body. Five or ten seconds later, sound and light returned to the corridor, showing that nothing remained of the enemy force save a few piles of ash and a sooty circle on the floor where the mech had lain.

Back at the barrier, Elanie picked herself up, having been knocked off her feet, and resumed hacking the last obstruction in their way. Next to the Commander, Jack exulted in her most recent 'masterpiece'.

"Whoo! Now THAT'S how you kill those Cerberus fuckers!" She gloated, turning to leer at Miranda. "Let's see you top that, Cheerleader!"

"This isn't some kind of contest." Miranda frowned. "This is a battlefield. Go have your juvenile competitions with the Krogan."

Shepard shook his head, seeing full well that his XO was a little peeved at being upstaged like that, but also knowing that Jack wasn't able to take the full credit for the kill.

"Be honest, Jack. You couldn't have done it without Miranda taking out the shields." He reasoned.

"But-" Jack frowned while Miranda brightened a little behind her back. "Not the point! I landed the killing blow!"

"If you're all done trying to out-compete one another," Elanie called sharply. "That's the barrier down."

"Good job, Elanie." Shepard nodded. "We're almost there now."

The squad, still a little dazed from the apocalyptic nature of Jack's last kill, collected themselves, moving towards the door at the end of the hallway cautiously. Once there, Shepard glanced to his comrades, making sure they were ready down to the last woman, then activated the control that would open the door to the command centre. As the metal halves slid apart, they moved through hurriedly, guns out and scanning all around them. As they caught sight of the contents of the room, they slowly came to a halt.

The command centre was a circular room, about thirty metres in diameter. It was brightly lit and split across two levels, the upper mezzanine circling around the back half of the room in a crescent shape, creating a ceiling above the door. A huge viewport looked out at the star below, multiple light screens dimming the overpowering luminescence of the sun so that the staff within could operate without being blinded. This viewport curved around the wall, covering nearly a third of the command centre's wall and raching up about three quarters of the way towards the ceiling of the second level.

A bank of terminals arced away from the door, circling around the circumference of the room to finish back at the entrance, and two computer arrays running in straight lines ran across the centre of the room, facing so that the operators could look at the viewscreen. Both arrays sat in recesses in the floor, allowing those not working at the arrays to look down on those assigned to the terminals. Holographic displays blinked over every terminal.

The command centre was filled with various operators working at their stations. Cerberus insignias stood out prominently on uniforms as the entirely Human workforce simultaneously looked up at the Commander's arrival. A quick glance around showed Shepard at least twenty technicians and miscellaneous computer operatives all busily going about their assigned chores.

In the centre of this crowd stood an imposing figure. Wearing a suit of combat armour that the Commander recognised as a pure white variation of the Cerberus Assault Armour, this man was about six and a half feet in height with a powerful, muscular build. His hair was steely grey, cut close to the skull in a noticeably military fashion. His complexion was ruddy, a sure sign of an active and very outdoors oriented life. As he turned to look towards the intrusion, Shepard was surprised to see a face marred by a collection of scars that easily had Zaeed beaten. The eyes staring out from this disfigured expression were a piercing green, glaring with malevolence. As this obvious leader looked at the squad, his upper lip curled, an expression that creased his left cheek in a strange fashion and caused the skin beneath both eyes to stretch, further highlighting the foremost scar on his face, a vivid white line traversing the bridge of his nose and angling sharply down across his right cheek until it split into three branches that ended by the corner of his mouth, down over the contour of his jaw and onto his neck, and just below his ear. Shepard hesitated to imagine just what kind of horrific injury had resulted in that scar, and what might have caused it.

The squad came to a halt in a rough semi-circle facing this prominent figure, the rest of Shepard's team splitting their attention between the main figure and the multitude of technicians around the room.

"Commander Shepard." The man's voice had a haughty quality to it, a strong superiority. "You took your time getting here. I expected more."

"Who're you?" Shepard demanded, his pistol aiming at the man's forehead. He chuckled at the Commander's confidence.

"I suppose you've earned that much by making it this far. I am Armistan Banes."

"Impossible." Miranda spluttered. "Banes died years ago."

"Did the Illusive Man tell you that, Miss Lawson?" Banes sneered. Miranda held her tongue, holding back the biting remark that rose in her throat

"In my experience, rumours of someone's death should not be accepted unless you see the corpse." Shepard said dryly. "Sometimes not even then."

"Ha! Too true." Banes laughed. "I see why the Illusive Man took a liking to you."

"What are you doing here, Banes?" Shepard asked, pistol not moving.

"What does it look like? Directing my forces."

"You work for the Illusive Man?" Elanie asked.

"Ha!" He chuckled again. "I don't work for anyone. The Illusive Man and I are business partners, sharing an equal amount of responsibility for Cerberus."

"Bullshit." Jack snorted. "Everyone knows that the Illusive Man's the top dog."

"Everyone also knows that the Cerberus of ancient mythology possessed three heads, but no one thought to peer into that metaphor too deeply, did they?" Banes asked sharply. "You'd surprised just how much 'everyone knows' when you keep on suggesting it to them. The Illusive Man manages our political and financial operations, and serves as a figurehead for most of our operatives to look to, while I take care of almost anything military."

"What happened all those years ago, Banes?" Shepard asked. "What was all of that with the ship in the Sparta system?"

"The Alliance was moving in on anyone they could link to Cerberus, and they'd managed to find evidence hinting at my involvement. They came after my ship, and I received this-" He pointed to his scars. "-before we managed to get out of there. After that, we concluded it was for the best for me to 'disappear', so we decided to fabricate my death, providing a corpse with the appropriate features and subtly altering his DNA to match mine. We set my badly damaged ship on a course that took it to the Sparta System, and I retreated from the galactic scene for several years."

"Enough. Where is he?" Jack demanded impatiently.

"Ah, Zero. One of our finest disappointments." Banes chuckled. Jack's frown threatened to cause her face to turn in on itself, but a cautioning glance from Shepard kept her silent.

"Stop playing games, Banes. We're here to shut Cerberus down. Tell us where the Illusive Man is, and things won't get ugly."

"You're in no position to threaten me, Shepard." With that, Banes nodded upwards.

Shepard looked up, turning to see a row of Cerberus soldiers standing on the edge of the upper level, assault rifles out and aimed directly at the squad. At this range, with so many soldiers aiming at them, the squad wouldn't get two feet before they were cut to shreds.

The Commander felt a presence behind him, and tried to spin around, only to feel a powerful arm curl around his neck. Another hand gripped his hand, clenching so tight that his fingers loosened against his will, dropping his pistol. In one swift move, his assailant had pinned him. He struggled for just a second, freezing as he felt an icy presence at his throat, a knife. His squadmates, tensing to come to his aid, similarly halted as they spotted the risk to the Commander.

"Now, now," A husky voice spoke from just behind the Commander's ear. "Let's not do anything so hasty, huh? Wouldn't want dear Shepard here to get hurt, would we?"

Shepard's brow creased. That voice… he knew it from somewhere. His mind raced as he tried to recall the name. As his captor forced him to turn and face Banes once more, he noticed one of the terminals next to where he had stood was now unmanned. Apparently this man keeping him from moving had been stationed there, suggesting he was a technician, but the speed and skill with which he had incapacitated him contradicted that. So an operative with considerable combat experience. As he analysed his attacker's method's he realised he recognised the hold that was being used. He'd been taught this exact move back during his training with the Alliance, specifically during his final months of training as a candidate for the N7 level of the Alliance military. As this realisation crept over him, he finally made the connection in his mind, understanding why the voice seemed so familiar.

"Kai Leng?" He asked incredulously.

"Hey, Shepard. How you been?" The way he asked the question was so casual, he might as well have bumped into Shepard on his way to go grocery shopping.

Shepard's mind went back to his days in training. He had shared a barracks with Leng during Basic, and the pair had gone on to excel in most activities assigned to them. They had never really seen eye-to-eye, Shepard finding Leng far too quick to resort to violence and just a little unstable to boot. He had only got worse when he had been accepted for N7 training alongside Shepard and three others from their unit. Shortly after completion of his training, the young man had been involved in a bar fight which resulted in the death of a Krogan at Leng's hands, a crime that got him sentenced to twenty years in an Alliance prison. Apparently the sentence hadn't stuck.

"Oh, you know. This and that." He replied as lightly as he could. "Got my own ship, died, came back, got another ship."

"Yeah, that's real good to hear." Leng's voice whispered in his ear. "I ain't been so lucky. Not since you left me in that bar to take the rap for that little scuffle by myself."

"I had nothing to do with that." Shepard said defensively. "You're the one who picked a fight with a Krogan. You're the one who stabbed him.

"And you're the one who went crying to the Colonel about it." The blade shifted around Shepard's throat, teasing at the skin. Shepard's spine trembled at the sheer stony calm in his voice. "And now here we are, with you trying to kill the only people who bothered to help me out. Funny how things work out, isn't it?"

"You're already acquainted?" Banes asked. "How charming."

"Shep and I trained in the same unit. He was a stuck-up alien lover back then, too. Too many principles to do his job right."

"Fascinating. Why the Illusive Man expressed such confidence in his ability to lead us to victory I'll never know." Banes muttered.

A sudden beeping emerged from one of the terminals, causing Banes to whirl around. A startled tech typed frantically at the console.

"What's going on?" Banes asked sharply.

"FTL flare in-system, a big one." The tech answered anxiously.

"Damn it! How many ships?"

"Scanning… they're still dropping down to sub-light, but so far we've got a dozen cruisers, twenty frigates, a couple of carriers… oh god. Four dreadnoughts!"

"Not a coincidence then." Banes said. He whirled to glare at Shepard. "This is your doing! Your little friend the Shadow Broker, perhaps?"

As if in response, the every comm channel crackled with an incoming signal.

"Minuteman Station, this is the Shadow Broker." The deep, rumbling voice Liara used for her alternate persona sounded out. "You are surrounded and outmatched. Stand down and prepare to be boarded."

"Sir? We've got another ship on our scopes. It's the source of the signal. Doesn't match any known profiles. Its taking up a position in the centre of the fleet."

"Oh my…" Banes almost clapped his hands gleefully. "She actually came here in person! I guess your personal safety means a lot to her."

"You'd be amazed at what playing nice gets you." Shepard smirked.

"No doubt I would. But it doesn't matter. We're not looking to fight today." He turned to a subordinate. "Get us out of here. Signal the fleet to protect us as we move out, then follow us after five minutes."

The tech leaned over his console, typing in the commands. Moments later, a loud grinding noise could be heard as the station vibrated, but nothing else happened, that station remaining motionless. Banes looked over with a questioning glare.

"Sir, we have a negative on engine activity. Mass Effect Field regulators are unresponsive."

"Oh, I see." Banes smirked. "So that's what all those extra squads you have running around are doing. We thought they were just a distraction from the real threat. No matter, this station is well protected and ready to take on any attacker. Mass accelerators to full power, ready spread of high-yield slugs on that frontline. GARDIAN systems on standby."

"Sir, negative power readings on weapons systems. Operating software will not boot."

"Ha! Of course." Banes' voice dripped with sarcasm. "How thorough of you, Commander. I suppose it's too much to ask that the shields are still working?"

"Yes, Sir." The tech responded glumly. "Shields are down."

"Check on the status of Prometheus." Banes ordered.

"But sir, that hasn't been fully tested yet-" The tech protested.

"I gave you an order!" Banes snapped.

Shepard felt a twinge of concern in his chest.

"Prometheus?" Miranda asked.

"I'll take that as a sign you didn't know how to shut it down." Banes smirked. "Good job we kept it separate from the standard weapon arrays. Power up the main cannon!"

"Yes sir."

"Would you like me to tell you a little about the Prometheus Project?" Banes asked tauntingly. "It's a little something our techs cooked up after analysing the Thanix cannon installed upon your ship. Instead of making a beam, it uses EM fields to create a single bolt of molten metal and then fires it at just under the speed of light. Capable of bypassing all but the most powerful shields, it'll tear apart any ship we can build with current technologies."

"Sir, Prometheus is at fifty per cent. Gunnery control is requesting a firing solution."

"Ooh, so many targets. I wonder which one we should go for?" Banes mocked the Commander, who struggled against Leng's grip. "Maybe your little blue friend on that strange ship of hers?" He turned back to the tech. "Target the Shadow Broker hub-ship."

"Understood."

"No!" Shepard strained against Leng's powerful grip.

"I'm glad you're here, Shepard. The command centre offers a spectacular view directly over the main cannon."

Leng twitched to force the Commander to turn and face the massive viewport, gazing out over the length of Minuteman Station. As he was forced to watch, the upper hull of the station split apart, allowing a massive weapon to unfold from just under the surface. This gun as immense, at least two kilometres long. Two barrels ran almost the length of the station, menacingly glinting in the light of the nearby sun. As Shepard watched, lights flickered on along its length, Mass Effect generators responsible for accelerating the loaded projectile to near-unimaginable speeds. The station shuddered as the massive weapon rotated a fraction, adjusting its angle of attack to aim directly at Liara's ship. Immediately, more messages echoed over the comm.

"This is the Shadow Broker to all allied vessels, target that weapon before they have a chance to fire it."

Shepard felt a surge of hope when he saw a number of vessels move in to engage, but they were swiftly distracted as the Cerberus ships blocked their advance, swiftly descending into a firefight. Birght flashes announced the fire of a multitude of Mass Accelerator cannons, and a number of ships, both Cerberus and Shadow Broker, burst open, their hulls torn asunder by the fearsome power of their enemy's guns. In the midst off all of this, Liara's ship remained exposed as the Prometheus Cannon continued to power up.

"Sir? Weapon is at one hundred per cent." A tech informed.

"Fire." Bane's voice took on a predatory tone as he leaned forward, hungry to see the enormous weapon go to work.

The crash from the firing weapon was immense, a deep rumble that couldn't escape the confines of the station due to the vacuum of space. Instead, it reverberated back and forth through the metal structure of the station, a deafening roar that caused the more timid of the Cerberus crew to cover their ears and cower. The station actually shuddered backwards from the recoil of the gun, moving back several kilometres from the sudden shock of the blast before its stabilisers steadied it once again.

Shepard watched in horror as the reddish-white bolt left the barrel of the gun, blazing towards the Shadow Broker hub-ship in a blinding arc. Liara's ship began to spin away, but was too slow, too sluggish. If it were hit, it was certain to be destroyed. The Commander found his gut clenching as his heart urged him not to watch, and yet he found himself unable to turn his eyes away from the scene.

In the last instant, the bolt blasted past the ship's bow, missing by a mere mile or so. It struck a cruiser behind the ship, ripping through its hull like a fireball through wet paper. The cruiser hung in space for a moment, a gaping hole running from one flank to the other and offering a clear view of the stars beyond, then erupted in a catastrophic explosion, literally disintegrating as the terrible energies of the ultra-dense liquid metal slug were unleashed, breaking its parts down into their component atoms. The screams of the crew could be heard over the comm for an instant before a sound like a relentless wave crashing on an indefinitely broad beach washed away all their pained cries, leaving nothing but static-filled silence in its wake.

Bane's face contorted with a mixture of pleasure at the devastating power of his experimental weapon, and anger it had not hit its intended target.

"What happened?" He growled.

"Recoil from the weapon put our aim off, sir. We can compensate for the next volley. Should we fire again?"

"Yes. This time, hit the right ship!" He seethed. He turned back to Shepard, an arrogant, mirthless smile on his marred face. "At least now you know what awaits your Asari friend."

Shepard struggled again, trying to loosen Leng's grip on him, glaring helplessly at Banes as the tech counted off the numbers, rapidly approaching one hundred per cent again. His eyes darted over to his allies, seeing them paralysed by uncertainty upon seeing their Commander incapacitated, themselves surrounded and outgunned, and one of their most powerful allies about to be reduced to no more than dust on the cosmic wind.

"Seventy-five per cent…" The tech counted off tensely.

This time Shepard closed his eyes in resignation as the numbers rapidly passed ninety. Now that he had seen the power of the weapon, he couldn't bear to see it used on his friend. Images leapt unbidden into his mind, or Liara trapped in that Prothean cell, of their fight against her mother on Noveria, swiftly followed by consoling her back on the first Normandy. Of her proud smile as she watched him receive the Council Medal of Honour for his role in defeating Saren. Of their reunion on Illium, followed by their mission together to take down the old Shadow Broker. All of these images faded as they were replaced by an imagining of her facing the apocalyptic power of that weapon, her features disintegrating before his mind's eye.

"Did somebody call for some big goddamn heroes?"

Shepard' head jerked up at that all too familiar voice sounding over the comms. He glanced to the viewscreen as Joker unleashed an ecstatic warcry, possibly quoting half of the action films in his prodigious collection all in one breath.

The photosphere of the nearby star rippled as a black arrow burst forth from it, the graceful shape of the Normandy soaring straight towards Minuteman with a blast of power. The metal under her prow unfolded to reveal the twin barrels of the Thanix cannon, which glowed menacingly as the frigate raced through the midst of the battle, her skilled pilot putting her through an insane series of complex manoeuvres that left the dumbstruck crew in the Minuteman Command centre struggling to keep up, their eyes moving too slow to follow. Shepard's triumphantly proud grin threatened to cause the top of his head to drop off as Joker crowed loudly into the comm channels one final time as the Normandy raced across the bow of Minuteman station, angling straight towards the muzzle of the Prometheus weapon, playing a deadly game of chicken with the immense weapon, so large it dwarfed the entire ship he piloted.

"Yippe-Kay-Yay, you Cerberus motherfuckers!"

The Thanix cannon fired, the beam if blue light entering the muzzle of the Prometheus and exiting out the back of the gun, through its firing mechanism. As Joker put the Normandy into a spin, he kept the cannon firing, scoring a devastating line of molten metal across the base of the weapon and the hull plates beneath it. The Normandy raced on, leaving the demolished gun in its wake and arrowing straight towards the command centre. The crew inside dove for cover as the frigate darted past only a scant few metres from the viewport, turning away to go join the firefight between the two opposing fleets.

As the Normandy dashed away, a loud rumble echoed through the station, turning into a full-blown tremor as the Prometheus cannon collapsed in on itself, falling through several decks as its systems continued to explode. The station began to list unpredictably as the massive weight shifted within it.

Sensing his opportunity, Shepard made use of the disturbance to catch the distracted Kai Leng off balance. His head rocketed back, catching the former alliance soldier across the bridge of his nose with a satisfying crack. Leng cried out as Shepard then rocked forward, pulling him off his feet with a powerful twist. As the pair landed on the floor, Shepard rolled until he was on top of Leng, using his strength to break free at last.

As the Commander got to his feet, Shepard's team had gone about dealing with a number of the Cerberus troops threatening them. Jack had instantly summoned up the power to Charge the guards on the upper level, her abilities allowing her to blast her way up there in a single gravity-defying leap. In the next instant she had her shotgun out and was dealing horrendous amounts of damage to the Cerberus soldiers at point blank range.

Miranda meanwhile, was making more use of her tech abilities on the techs in the lower level. She'd Overload a terminal to scatter the techs, then a blast from her SMG would rapidly convince them to flee rather than be slaughtered. In moments, the command centre was emptied of non-combatants, making the squad's job easier as they had a clear shot at the real threats now.

Elanie, meanwhile, had engaged Banes. The pair traded small arms fire across a pair of computer terminals, only managing to land the occasional hit on one another. As Elanie stood to fire at the Cerberus leader again, Banes activated his omnitool, striking her with an Incineration blast that threw her from her feet. Then the Cerberus operative activated another control and vanished in a shimmer of light.

"Damnit! He's got a cloak!" She warned the others, although they were all equally occupied with their own battles. Shepard was already facing off against Leng, making ready for the mother of all brawls. Frustrated, the activated a command on her own omnitool. Seconds later, Sykes flickered into being next to her.

"Yes, Ellie- Aah! What's going on! People are shooting at us." The SI began to flicker as his systems destabilised from the emotional feedback of his anxiety.

"Sykes. Sykes!" Elanie barked to snap him out of his panic. "Stay calm. I need your help here. There's a man out there with a cloak. I need a small EM burst to show him to me. Can you do that?"

"But Ellie, there's people out there with guns!" Sykes protested. "I can't!"

"Sykes, this is a big Cerberus leader we're fighting. I can't let him get away!"

"…Cerberus?"

"Yes, Sykes."

"So he's one of the ones who ordered- ordered what they did to me?"

"Yes."

With a sudden crackle, the normally blue-green SI interface turned red. When he spoke again, Elanie could tell that his normally dominant emotional splinter had taken a back-seat to a different one, one that had been triggered by the new information. It happened from time to time with SIs. Their emotions would swap around depending upon their current environment. A kind of synthetic schizophrenia. Now, sykes spoke with rage in his voice.

"I'm doing it. Be ready."

With that, the SI hovered off, drifting about menacingly like a small, spherical red shark. He paused in the middle of the room, and a light blue pulse throbbed around him. He dipped in the air, and the pulse rolled out away from him in a pale blue tide.

It wasn't much, but when it would come into contact with cloaking fields, the pulse would briefly highlight the wearer, much in the same way a character from the vids would thrown paint over an invisible being or use smoke to spot them.

As the pulse washed across the room, Elanie spotted the tell-tale shimmer not far from her location. In an instant, her SMG came up and several bullets arced out, striking the invisible Banes with a hollow rattling sound, bouncing off his armour. The impact was enough to deactivate the cloak, the field distorted too much to bend light anymore. Seeing that he had been discovered, he snarled as he lifted his rifle to return fire.

Leng lunged forward, forcing the Commander to dodge to the side deftly. He moved with a speed Shepard would have expected from a serpent. Although, to tell you the truth, the two bore a certain similarity Shepard looked at the once familiar features now that he was free from the soldier's grip, taking in the signs of severe weathering Leng now bore. The face was older, much older, and he'd apparently been on the losing side of a particularly savage fight not too long ago. Shepard wondered for a moment where the scars on his face came from, disfiguring the proud Eastern expression he had once worn. His eyes still bore their same intensity, their brown irises flecked with amber giving his gazer a feral hint. He walked with a pronounced limp, one of his thighs in particular paining him apparently.

"I have your friend Anderson to thank for this, Shepard." Leng growled. "Treacherous bastard couldn't face me in a straight fight, so he shot me in the legs instead. Now I'll get him by taking out his favourite pet."

Shepard bristled at being mocked like that, but held his tongue. He simply glared back at the Cerberus assassin's predatory grin, waiting a moment before giving his even reply.

"Better Anderson's pet than the Illusive Man's bitch."

Leng's face twitched, but he was too well trained to get riled up. He simply smirked.

"That was a low shot, Shepard, even for you."

"I aim where it hurts." Shepard shrugged.

"You can't beat me. I know your every move. We went through the exact same training."

"Really? So you've fought a rogue Spectre, killed a sentient machine that only wants the destruction of all organic life, destroyed an entire species of super advanced aliens, not to mention died and come back like me? Wow, you have been busy. And we've got so much in common! We should definitely go out for coffee."

"Maybe some things have changed." Leng admitted reluctantly. "But you're still just as arrogant. And just as soft. Maybe I shouldn't be fighting you. Maybe I should go after that whore with the ink up there," He pointed to Jack on the second level, sneering. "Don't think I missed the way you look at her. The great Commander Shepard falling for a common criminal? That's just too good!"

"You're going nowhere near her." Shepard seethed.

"Ah, and there we have the chink in your armour! That's your problem, Shep. You get too attached to things! Besides, what's to say that I haven't already laid my hands upon her? She was certainly in our captivity long enough. And she has such beautiful soft lips…"

"Raaagh!" Shepard knew he was losing control, but his heart pumped so furiously he didn't even want to hold back. His roar was primal, powerful and terrifying. All around the room, members of the ongoing battle looked around in surprise as the Commander charged like a rampaging bear. Even Jack turned around from having just headbutted a Cerberus Trooper so hard it was doubtful he'd wake up for a month, staring with awe at the comet of rage racing towards the Cerberus assassin.

Kai Leng was ready for him, neatly sidestepping the charge and lashing out with a sharp jab to Shepard's gut. The Commander barely felt it, lumbering to a halt and spinning to rush his old comrade again. Again Leng dodged the attack, this time kicking at Shepard's shin. The red veil dropping over the Commander's vision kept the pain from affecting him, but he still stumbled, catching himself on one knee. This only served to further enrage him, sending another snarl tearing loose from his lips. He spun, launching himself at Leng again. This time he was ready for the assassin's dodge, altering his course slightly to strike Leng in the stomach.

Kai Leng's breath rushed out of his mouth in one gasp as he was borne to the floor. He tried to lash out at the Commander, but Shepard's rage had been unchained, and he did not relent as he set about savagely beating the Cerberus operative. Nothing else could draw his attention away as he sent rock-hard fist after fist into the man's face, continuing long after his hands were stained with a mixture of Kai Leng's blood and his own, seeping from split knuckles.

"Commander!" The sharp cry seeped through his enraged psyche, but he didn't begin to descend from his adrenaline-fuelled rush until a strong hand gabbed the wrist of his raised fist, halting his final punch in its upswing. Eyes still bleary as he glared at the offender, he was shaken from the confusing high by the sight of Miranda's concerned features.

"That's enough, Shepard." She said sternly.

"God damn it, Shepard." Jack said approvingly as she descended the steps to the lower level, looking at the pile of mush that had been Leng's face. "What the hell did that guy say to make you flip out like that? I thought he was an old army buddy."

"He… brought up some troubling memories." Shepard explained lamely. He could tell Miranda had seen through it all too well, but Jack merely accepted his words.

"Well he's twelve different kinds of fucked up." She surmised. "That leaves Banes to deal with."

Go…" Shepard gasped, dizzy from the rush of blood to his head. "I'm right behind you."

Jack and Miranda nodded, turning to where Elanie saw chasing Armistan Banes, the duo trading bullets in a battle of attrition. Sykes buzzed around Banes' head annoyingly like a glowing red wasp, but did little to harm the Cerberus leader.

Shepard took in a final deep breath before standing, drawing his rifle. He glanced down to Leng's inert corpse with a grunt of distaste and kicked it away before turning back to the battle at hand.

Banes' breathing was ragged as he moved from one patch of cover to another, his barriers taking a battering from Elanie's SMG. His shield strength dropped still further as Miranda joined the fray. As he retreated from that attack, a Warp blast struck close to him, throwing him from his feet. He scrambled behind a computer terminal, glaring at the trio of women closing in on his position. A snarl crossing his features, he readied his assault rifle, selecting the phasic ammunition setting. He'd take out Zero first. Her lack of armour made her an easier target, and the specially modified ammo possessed an electro-magnetic property trhat would cut through her biotics in a blink. Once she was down, he'd go after the former scientist, Johanson. He'd use an EM blast on the pestering little drone she had buzzing around, and then use it again to take out her shields. That only left Miranda. Her joint focus on a mixture of biotics and technical skills made taking her on a little more complicated, but he'd leap that hurdle when he came to it. He checked the ammo reading one last time, ensuring he had a full clip, and tensed to leap out with his gun blazing.

He froze as the muzzle of a pistol pressed up against the back of his skull. The subtle click of the firing mechanism ensured him that if he so much as coughed the wrong way, his brains would be taking a vacation on the floor.

"Drop it." Shepard's stern voice commanded. Banes winced. Apparently Leng hadn't been up to the task. He let out a sigh as he lowered his rifle to the floor slowly and carefully. You just couldn't get the staff these days.

"Now stand up, slowly. Put your hands behind your head and face the wall."

"You won't kill me." Banes smirked. "I'm too valuable alive."

"Maybe. But you'd be surprised what I could let Jack do to you that would still leave you alive." Shepard growled. The gun jabbed into his skull again. "So don't test my patience. Against the wall, now!"

Recognising the dangerous edge to the Commander's voice, the Cerberus leader complied silently. Once he was facing the wall, the gun retracted, but Banes held no illusion that there wasn't at least two weapons aimed directly at his vital areas, ready to rip him to shreds before he could even so much as twitch.

"So what now, Shepard?" He asked. "We wait here until your Shadow Broker sends her troops over to arrest me?"

"Where's the Illusive Man?" Shepard demanded.

"Oh, I see. Tell me, just how important is it to you that you find him?"

"What do you mean?" The Commander asked warily.

"You came here for the Illusive Man. I'm just a bycatch. I can tell you where he is, you have the power to let me go. See where this is heading?"

"You'd really trade the Illusive Man in for your own safety?" Miranda asked in disgust.

"I'm a practical man. I know just what awaits me if I ever set foot on an Alliance world again. I'd rather avoid it, at any cost."

"Think about who you're talking to, Banes." Shepard said severely. "Do you really think I'd let one terrorist get away in exchange for the chance of catching another one?"

"I thought you might, after what he did to your crew. I know I would."

"That's the difference between us. I'm a professional. I don't let my personal feelings get in the way of my better judgement."

"Really? Because your actions on the Collector Base say otherwise. As did your little outburst just now. I've never seen such a savage beating delivered by one man. What must Leng have thought of that? What do your allies think of it?"

The last question caused Shepard's gaze to twitch involuntarily to the rest of his squad. He noted they regarded him with caution now, as though he'd crossed some unknown line. Banes chuckled at his silence.

"Nevermind, Shepard. My terms remain the same. Let me go, and I'll tell you where you can find the Illusive Man."

The gunshot sounded out thunderously in the confines of the command centre, as did Banes' agonised screams immediately afterwards. The Cerberus commander collapsed, clutching at the bullet-wound that had pierced straight through the soft tissue of his lower abdomen, missing his vital organs by the slimmest of margins as it ripped through skin and muscle. It was a precise, expertly made shot, not immediately life-threatening, but just about as painful as it could be and, if he didn't get treatment soon, it would cause him to bleed out.

Shepard held his smoking pistol steady as he glared at Banes, lining up another shot.

"Tell me what I need to know, Banes. I got more bullets than you've got safe places to shoot. Best part is I can do this until you black out, then wake you up again with Medi-Gel and start over."

"Go to hell." Banes spat.

"Already been there once." Shepard shot back sharply, crouching in front of him. "Doubt they'll have me back a second time. I made a pretty big mess. You, on the other hand, I wager they'll be all too glad to get their hands on. Want me to send you there a little early?"

The squad flinched as the Commander brought his gun up right beneath the struggling man's chin, ready to send a bullet up through his brain and out of the top of his skull. Jack took a half step forward, hand reaching out tentatively. She stopped though, realising interrupting the interrogation could reap lethal consequences. Concern still etched her face, though. Shepard was dancing along the summit of a very dangerous slope.

Banes failed to see all of this, his entire field of vision filled with the wild-eyed Commander holding a gun to the soft tissue of his neck. He tried to remain bold in the face of this threat, but his resolve finally fled from him.

"Alright. Alright!" He gasped. "I'll tell you where he is."

"Smart move." Shepard drew the pistol away, leaning back on his heels.

"He's two decks straight down, locked away in his office. You'll need the codes to get in before he has a chance to run. Here." Banes' omnitool lit up, passing along the data. "That'll get you through."

"Anything else we should know about?" Shepard asked sternly.

"That's everything I know." He assured desperately.

"It better be." Shepard threatened. "'Cause if it isn't, then I'll-"

Shepard was interrupted by a sudden scuffle from close behind him. He whirled, pistol seeking whatever threat the noise might have presented. He froze at what he saw.

Face an unrecogniseable mess, Kai Leng had managed to get back to his feet unsteadily. Blood flowed from his nose, his mouth and from a split cheek. One of his eyes was nearly swollen closed while the other was a bloodshot red. His hair was matted from the blood, a greasy, sticky mess. His jaw hung loosely in his mouth, clearly broken in at least two places. The beaten and battered operative had managed to sneak up on Elanie, his silent movement surprising given his injuries, and now held her in a tight grip, a knife held to her throat. Even through the damaged mask that was his face now, he still managed to leer at the Commander mockingly.

"And now the tables have turned again, Commander." Banes said smugly. "Leng will kill the girl, unless you allow us to leave."

Shepard suppressed a snarl as he examined the situation. Leng had been smart in choosing a target that couldn't use biotics to defend herself, but he also knew that Miranda and Jack wouldn't have time to focus their energies into an attack before the knife traversed the Shadow Broker operative's throat. Elanie was a tech specialist, she had no close-quarters abilities that would help her to get out of this. Leng was even managing to use her head as a shield from the Commander's bullets.

"So what's it to be, Shepard? My captivity, or the girl's life?"

Sighing, Shepard lowered his pistol, stepping aside. Banes grunted as he got to his feet, smirking as he walked past both Shepard and the ongoing hostage situation. Leng followed, dragging Elanie with him. As the two Cerberus operatives stepped out of the door to the command centre, Leng shoved Elanie back at the Commander, paused to wink at him knowingly, then slammed the door shut.

"I'll see you later, Shepard." He leered as the two halves locked together before him.

There was an electronic click, followed by a dull buzz. Elanie rushed to the door controls, but they were powerless.

"Damn. They locked it, then shot up the circuits. I couldn't open this electronically even if I had a full workshop at my disposal."

"Is there any way to get after them?" Shepard asked.

"We'd have to find a way around. There'll be a door out in the upper level. Only problem is, we don't know where they're going."

"Then we leave them for now. We came here to get the Illusive Man." The Commander said decisively. "Gather your stuff. We're moving out."

The squad followed him up the stairs to the second level, exiting the command centre without a backward glance. As they strode through the corridors, looking for an elevator, Elanie stepped close to Shepard.

"Thank you." She said awkwardly. "For saving me. Banes is a dangerous man to leave alive. The choice couldn't have been easy."

"The thing about men like Banes is they keep giving you second chances. We'll get another chance to catch him. We wouldn't get a second one of you."

"An… interesting way to look at things." Elanie said ponderously. "Regardless, thank you, Shepard."

"You're welcome."

She quirked her head to the side at his graciousness in accepting her thanks, then returned her focus to face the oncoming danger. At the rear of the squad, Jack scowled possessively, although neither participant of the conversation saw it.

**~o~0~o~**

The Illusive Man stood in the centre of his office, reading various reports on a holographic interface the followed him around the room. Behind him, an image of the star below the station cast a hauntingly dim light around the room, creating as many shadows as it eliminated.

Tall, stright-backed, well groomed, this gentleman was the very definition of elegance. His impeccably pressed suit was designer, purchased with no real upper limit to the budget in mind. The cigarette between his fingers was filled with genetically modified tobacco, all of the harmful chemicals having been removed several generations ago to turn the formerly deadly habit into a harmless, non-addictive hobby. In his other hand he cradled a glass of Bourbon, ice drifting through it lazily. He took a sip, closing his eyes appreciatively. He suffered only the best liquor, as was befitting of Humanity's last and greatest hope to survive the coming war.

He winced, hand reaching up to brush at his brow. Another one of those damn headaches. They were becoming more and more frequent, which he found understandable, given the circumstances. His personal VI detected the slight rise in his pulse, and instantly leapt to help him.

"Are you well, Sir?" It asked.

"Just another headache. Nothing to be concerned about."

"Should I request the Med centre send up some pain suppressants?"

"No. I need a clear head if I'm to understand what they're planning."

"Very well, Sir." The VI said stiffly. It didn't ask who he meant by 'they', but only because it had been programmed not to be overly intrusive.

The Illusive Man turned back to his work, reading a couple more reports from his operatives in the Styx Theta cluster and one from an information broker on Omega, still recuperating from the devastating attack.

He sighed as his communicator beeped, glancing at the ID of who was calling before answering.

"Banes." He kept his greeting simple.

"Harper, you've got to get out of there!" Banes' voice was breathless. "Shepard's coming your way, and he's pissed!"

"You weren't able to neutralise him?" He asked sharply.

"We… underestimated him." Banes admitted reluctantly.

"Then you're a fool." The Illusive Man said with a biting tone. A sneaking suspicion arose in his mind. "Just how much persuasion did it take for you to give up my location?"

"I did what I had to do to get out of there alive." Came Banes' defensive reply. "And I suggest you do the same."

The Illusive Man bit back the angry response, knowing full well that not only had Banes offered up his location, but he had also given the Commander the access codes in order to buy himself the time to flee the station. Banes was only calling to let him know about the Commander's approach in case of the unlikely occurrence that the Illusive Man escaped, in which case he could deny the betrayal. He quickly closed the channel, banishing Banes to make his own escape. A determined look on his face, the Illusive Man glanced over to the door leading into the office before turning to stalk into the darkness beyond the holographic representation of the star. He had no time to make a proper escape now. Shepard was too close. He needed to get ready for the confrontation.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard hurried at the head of the small column, making swift progress towards the location Banes had identified as the Illusive Man's office. The pair of doors at the end of the corridor were nondescript, almost identical to every other door in the station, save for being a little larger, a little bulkier. The Commander came to a slow, almost reverent halt at the doors, hesitating over the significance of this moment. At last, after decades of terrorism, and over a year since Shepard had been forced into the uneasy alliance, the Illusive Man was about to be neutralised. The fact that Shepard would be avenging the three months of hell his crew had just been forced to endure held no small part in his eagerness to get on with it.

Elanie hesitantly walked over to the door's interface, entering the command to open up. As the locks slid back, Shepard looked to each of his crew. Elanie, a former Cerberus operative that had defected to the Shadow Broker's organisation. Miranda, a woman that had done the same for him. And finally Jack. So cruelly abused at Cerberus' expense, if not under their orders. Forever hounded by the shadowy organisation, either to continue the experiments or simply to exact retribution for her many acts of vengeance upon their operatives. As he looked to her, she gave him a quiet nod. She was ready. He felt a swell of pride in his chest. She showed no sign of nerves about the coming confrontation, simply stalwart dedication to following him into hell and back if necessary.

"Be ready." He cautioned, unsure of what to expect within.

The doors slid open smoothly, allowing them to step into the office of the Illusive Man. They did so cautiously, wary after their near blunder in the command centre.

The office was apparently empty, a fact that set alarm bells ringing in Shepard's skull. The luminous representation of the star rotated in the centre of the room, with a small chair sitting before it, which would have allowed the occupant, had there been any, to watch the star. A holographic array of screens glowed above that chair, a virtual workstation sorting a vast array of information. Other than this, the rest of the room had been cast into darkness by the poor lighting. All was silent.

After a few moments, the squad started to feel the tension getting to them.

"That fucker Banes lied to us!" Jack spat. "I bet he wasn't even on this station when we got here!"

"No. He was here." Miranda said firmly. "He'd never leave Minuteman unless he absolutely had to."

"Like maybe getting word that Commander Shepard was lying in wait for you in the next system?" Elanie posed.

"You think that there was a leak in the Shadow Broker's network?" Shepard asked.

"It's possible." She admitted.

"More than likely Banes managed to get a warning out." Miranda said pessimistically.

"Then he won't have gone far." The Commander concluded. "And he didn't come out this way. We'd have seen him. Search the room for another way out."

The trio of women nodded, fanning out. Miranda went left, Jack went right, and Elanie stepped over to the Illusive Man's holographic desk. As the others scanned the room, she began leafing through the files stored within, reading them curiously.

"Anything interesting?" The Commander asked.

"Various mission reports, military intelligence, dossiers. Much like the stuff I sent back here all the time when I worked for them." Her brow furrowed. "Hmm. He's been focusing on tracking the Reaper expeditionary force's movements and working on ways to counter their advances."

"Anything useful?"

"A few things." She held up her omnitool, pulling down several files. "Looks like they've developed two kinds of mechs to fight the land battles. One is called the Cerberus, mark 2.0. Imaginative name, considering it's got three heads, each armed with a different weapon."

"Why?"

"Very effective against the Husk infantry the Reapers have used to date. Unarmed opponents are cut down systematically. You deploy a cluster of these things, the Husks won't even get close to you. Of course, not sure how it'd fare against the tougher varieties, but something that mows through the chaff and let's your specialised troops focus on the big things should be a big help."

"If we get these schematics to Liara, she can have several companies churning these things out before you can blink."

"Done." She pulled up another file. "Okay, this one is the Minotaur. A powerful body, capable of scaling almost any known surface, much like a souped up version of the Geth Hoppers. It's got a head shaped in a crescent, like a pair of horns. It uses these horns to create a directed energy beam capable of cutting through Reaper armour. Planned tactics are to deploy a pack of these things to dismantle a grounded Reaper. Pretty impressive, if it works. Cut the enemy into bits while they can't fly away."

"Take it, along with anything else you can get your hands on."

"I'll do my best. Some of this stuff might be more heavily protected than others, putting it out of my reach. Projects like that Prometheus cannon Banes tried to use."

"Right." Shepard nodded, turning away as she got to work. He looked to Miranda and Jack, slowly, reluctantly returning.

"Nothing." Jack said bitterly. "No secret door that we could find, no hidden panic room, no even a goddamn john for when he needs to bleed the lizard."

"Charming." Miranda barbed. Turning to the Commander, she straightened. "Nothing on that side. We could do a full sensor sweep of the room, but we'd need Mordin or Legion for that, plus some equipment from the Normandy. I doubt we have time for that."

Shepard frowned.

"There's got to be something… something we've missed…"

He paced about, trying to think. He stepped over past Elanie, gazing at the star in the middle of the room. He watched a sunspot dance across it, blinking out as quickly as it had appeared, a loop of flame washing out from it in a realistic imitation. Then, like a fire sparking in his mind, the idea flared up. He reached out to the hologram, his fingertips passing through it.

"Hah!" He crowed triumphantly. "I knew it had to be here. Come on, let's-"

His satisfied words were quickly silenced as a massive metal fist swung out of the hologram, striking him across the chest. He was flung across the office with a grunt of pain as the hologram faded to reveal three shapes lying in wait. Two YMIRs and an AESIR battle-suit stood in formation, tensing in anticipation of the battle.

Shepard glanced around at the spread of weapons that had been dislodged from his back during his impromptu flight and scrambled to pick up the nearest one, his trusty assault rifle. He got to his feet as the trio of women in his team scattered, getting out of the way of the twin streams of bullets from the YMIRs and the occasional rocket from the AESIR.

"You've made a big mistake, Shepard." The Illusive Man's voice echoed out through the AESIR's canopy, amplified by a vocaliser in the suit's systems. "Cerberus isn't your enemy here."

"Oh yeah, tell that to the crew you just put through hell for the past three months!" Shepard spat back.

"You brought that upon yourselves." The Illusive Man countered. "After you made it clear you would not stop until you had dismantled our organisation, we had to keep you all contained. Making a profit or benefiting scientifically from your various incarcerations was merely good business sense."

The AESIR shuffled forwards as the YMIRs covered it with their chain-guns, wary of the squad.

"Humanity needs Cerberus, Shepard. Look at where we are right now. Earth has been captured, the government has lost its main base of operations, and the Parliament is paralysed with fear. Cerberus needs to step up and enforce some kind of order to make sure Humanity remains strong in the coming conflict."

"With you at its head?" Shepard asked rhetorically. "I don't think so. We deserve a chance to choose for ourselves who leads us."

"These ideals will have Humanity destroyed, our home planet left a burnt up cinder!" The Illusive Man protested. "You'd sacrifice our chance at a stable future for your own jaded set of morals? This is our survival we're talking about!"

"And that's exactly why we need to be careful what we allow to happen to us during the war. The state we emerge from the war in will decide what kind of species we are. I'll not let that be corrupted by your influence."

"Brave words, but foolish." The AESIR dropped into a battle crouch. "We'll just have to stop you the old-fashioned way."

The YMIRs twitched, one firing at Miranda while the other tracked Elanie. The pair ran from the bullets that stitched twin trails of bullet holes in the deck after them, nimbly dodging out of the way.

Shepard, meanwhile, raced up to the AESIR. Slipping inside of its reach, he leapt, grabbing a hold of the operator's canopy. This AESIR was heavier than any other he'd seen, with more resilient seals around joints and the edge of the canopy. As he scrabbled for a purchase, a massive metal fist found him, tugging him away with a jerk. The Commander could see the Illusive Man's form behind the canopy, regarding him dispassionately.

"You had great potential, Shepard. Such a shame you let your principles get in the way. You had the chance to be the greatest of us."

"I'd sooner shoot myself." Shepard said defiantly.

"Suit yourself." The machine drew one arm back, the hand changing into a compact chain-gun while the other hand lifted Shepard higher, readying to fire at him. At point blank range, the bullets would turn him into a fine mist in moments. The Commander tensed, ready for the final shot.

"Hey!"

All faces turned at the sudden shout, even the normally implacable YMIRs.

Jack stood to one side, cradling a large bundle in her arms. Shepard's eyes widened as he took in the blocky contours of the Cain, his sphincter clenching as he saw its barrel pointed roughly in his direction. The biotic wore a determined expression as she wielded the minor monstrosity, quite calm considering the power she held in her hands. She glared at the canopy of the Illusive Man's AESIR.

"You remember me, you son of a bitch?" She asked, a dangerous drawl to her voice. "You called me Subject Zero, but my name is Jack. It's the one thing you fuckers ain't taken from me while you were busy ruining my life. Everything bad that happened to me was because of you."

"Zero," The Illusive Man said slowly. "I've tried explaining it before. Cerberus had nothing-"

"You just shut the fuck up right now!" She exploded, finger tightening on the trigger of the weapon. "Just shut up! You did it. Whether you asked them to or not, the scientists used your money, your ships, your resources. You made it possible for them to play god, then left them to it so you could deny me when I came back to bite you in the ass." She took a steadying breath. "Well now I'm here for what I'm owed. Revenge. And to do that, I want to introduce you to a friend of mine. Illusive Man, I want you to meet my big… fucking… gun."

The end of the Cain glowed, orange light escaping in tiny flickers. The whine of the device rose to a fever pitch as she struggled to keep it aimed at the enemy.

"Jack, no!" Miranda yelled over the rising noise. "It'll hit Shepard, too!"

Jack ignored her, holding down the trigger until the gun jumped, firing off a single projectile.

The explosion was deafening, as always. Shepard suspected it was made worse by the confined space of the room. Miranda and Elanie were thrown to the floor, the latter landing with a loud crack while the former used her biotics to catch herself. Jack was thrown onto her ass, the Cain clattering away lifelessly, its ammo expended.

Shepard opened his tightly clenched eyes, amazed at the fact that he was still breathing. He looked about, spotting the two smouldering wrecks that had been the YMIRs, demolished in an instant. He looked to the AESIR, seeing it sparking uselessly only a couple of feet away, its systems fried by the shockwave of the explosion. He looked up as Jack turned to look at Miranda with a smirk.

"Who said anything about me aiming it anywhere near Shepard?" She asked dryly. "And don't complain. Feel lucky I wasn't aiming it any closer to you."

The Commander turned at the scraping sound from the toppled pile that was the AESIR. The canopy opened, expelling the occupant readily. The Illusive Man was shaken, badly bruised from rattling around inside the suit, and just a little dizzy at what had happened. Parts of his expensive suit had been scorched by overloading systems, causing smoke to rise from him in faint wisps.

Shepard was on him in an instant, drawing his pistol and placing it flush with the tycoon's temple. The Illusive Man barely flinched as the Commander loomed over him, his fiery expression promising swift retribution for any funny business. The Cerberus leader simply glared back, defiant even in defeat. But there was something else in his stare, too. Shepard couldn't quite place it. Frustration? Resignation? He wasn't sure.

"This is a big mistake, Shepard." He tried to reason with him. "You need Cerberus. You need me, if you're going to win this war."

Shepard's brow furrowed at that. There was something about the way he said those words that made it seem like he was referring to more than just the sick experiments Cerberus would carry out. He was concerned with more than simply his own freedom.

"Explain." He demanded.

"I can help you to counter the Reaper strategy." The Illusive Man explained. "I have a way of tracking their movements."

"How?" Miranda asked curiously.

"Before I founded Cerberus, I worked as a freelancer, a mercenary employed by the Alliance. I was assigned to Shanxi during the out-break of the First Contact War. During my time there, both myself and my team discovered a Reaper artefact beneath the planet's surface. One member of my team was killed by an energy burst from the device, and I was exposed to a tiny portion of it's power as I tried to save him. This energy burst left me… changed."

"Shit, he's indoctrinated!" Jack snapped, pumping her shotgun to ready a blast that would remove the Cerberus leader's face.

"Do you really think I would resurrect Shepard if I were serving the beings he threatens?" The Illusive Man asked derisively. "That would make no sense whatsoever. No, I was not indoctrinated like Saren. I was simply… advanced. We have spent a great deal of time studying Reaper indoctrination technology. The last subject to be implanted with it was subverted within days. But for some reason my own implants are not progressing. Perhaps they are present in my system in insufficient numbers. Perhaps my physiology simply prevents then from multiplying. All we have been able to deduce is that they pose no threat to my mind, and the only outward displays of their presence are my eyes." He pointed to the glowing blue orbs, so alien in a Human's face.

"And how does this help us fight the Reapers?" Shepard inquired cautiously. He wasn't ready to believe him yet, but what he had said made sense.

"Are you shitting me?" Jack spat. "You can't seriously be buying this! He's lying through his fucking teeth! Just waste him already."

"I want to hear him out before I decide one way or the other." Shepard replied much more evenly, turning back to the man he viewed as his enemy.

"Since my… alteration…" The Illusive Man struggled to find the right words. "My mind has been in tune with the Reaper neural network, a trans-galactic communications net that they use for instantaneous communication in every corner of the Galaxy, as well as with the group in Dark Space beyond the Galactic Fringe. The signal is undetectable, and cannot be jammed."

"Wait a minute." Elanie objected. "A Galaxy-spanning comm network would have been discovered by now. If its as extensive as you say, then the comm hubs would be all over the place."

"They are. The network uses the Mass Relays. The Council has barely scratched the surface of what the Relays can truly do. I've had Cerberus analyse the technology, and it led to the development of the Quantum Entanglement Communicators."

"So you can listen in on what the Reapers want for lunch." Jack drawled. "Whoop-de-fucking-do." She fell silent as Shepard glanced her way meaningfully.

"Through my connection, I can eavesdrop on their plans from time to time. The connection is sporadic, and I have to be careful to ensure I am not detected, but I can grasp the general gist of their plans."

"Alright then." Shepard said, still aiming the pistol at the Cerberus leader's head. "Here's a test. What are they doing now?"

"Just half an hour ago they launched a small force to attack Arcturus Station. They should be beginning their assault any moment now."

Shepard tensed at the news. Arcturus was the only thing protecting the Relay leading into the Sol system. If that was lost, so was the Galaxy's ability to head through the Relay to liberate Earth. Still wary of the dubious source of information, he decided to get a second opinion. He opened a comm channel.

"Liara. This is Shepard."

"Shepard! It's good to hear your voice. Are you well?" The Asari's tone hummed with concern.

"We're all in one piece down here. Listen, I need you to try and get in contact with any agents you have assigned to Arcturus Station."

"Why- nevermind. I'll be a moment."

The squad waited tensely for the Shadow Broker to get back to them. Jack leered at the Illusive Man as she rubbed her hand along the barrel of her shotgun, barely restraining herself from blowing his brains out right then and there. Miranda paced about with a much more preoccupied expression, while Elanie simply stood patiently, watching both her former boss and her newest one.

"Shepard." Liara's voice returned. "How did you know? I'm just getting reports in of an enemy fleet attacking the station. No word on whether it's the Reapers or not, but that's not too big a leap of imagination."

"Roger that." Shepard answered. "Stand by for further instructions."

"Understood."

"Shepard, we've got to get out there!" Miranda's voice had an urgent edge to it. "We need to hold Arcturus if we're to stage a successful offensive against the Sol system. Not only that, the Parliament is on that station. We'll lose all of our leaders in a quick strike."

"I have already dispatched a number of vessels to aid in the station's defence." The Illusive Man said. "But if the Reapers are present in any kind of numbers, our chances of success are greatly reduced."

"Arcturus is more important than Cerberus, Commander." Elanie reasoned.

Shepard let out a grunt of frustration. Nothing was ever straightforward. With a resigned sigh, he dialled up his commlink again.

"Liara, have your ships disengage. Head for Arcturus. We need to hold off this attack."

"I- yes, Shepard." Liara replied.

"Shepard to Normandy, I need you close by, ready to do a pickup. We're heading for Arcturus. Signal the squad. We need to get out of here as quickly as possible."

"You got it, Commander." Joker's crisp answer came quickly.

"What do we do with this bastard?" Jack asked, prodding the Illusive Man with her shotgun. "Can we shoot him now?"

"Shepard, you need me. Not just for the intel I can provide, but for my influence. Cerberus is powerful, more so than you would believe. Do you really want to leave that in the hands of a man like Banes?"

"I'm not sure that would be any worse than leaving it in the hands of a man like you." Shepard replied sharply.

"Banes doesn't command as much respect as I do. His directives are too obviously ruthless. I have the loyalty of our operatives, he has their fear. If you want Cerberus to help you in the battles to come, you need me alive and here, leading my people."

"He's right." Elanie admitted slowly. "I may not like it, but we need Cerberus at full strength and ready to work with us. Banes seems like the guy who'd let his hatred of you get in the way of his common sense. At least we know this guy will do what is necessary to keep Humanity alive, and won't let his personal vendettas get in the way of saving lives."

"Are you shitting me?" Jack burst out. "Why is this even a question? He needs to die!"

"His death achieves nothing save to weaken a potentially powerful ally." Miranda said. "I didn't realise before we got here just how strong Cerberus is, even with the loss of an asset like the Normandy."

"Tell me we can at least drag his ass back to the Normandy and haul him up before the Council." Jack said, her voice bordering on pleading.

"No good." Elanie said flatly. "You really think he's remained free and clear this long just by hiding on a moving space station? His connections make him legally untouchable. Any trial would be torn apart in his defence before he even arrived at the courthouse. Its doubtful he'd even stay in jail for more than a week."

"Shepard?" Jack turned to him desperately, begging him with her eyes. She needed to see this man die, the man who was at least partly responsible for all of her suffering.

Shepard felt a lump rise in his throat as indecision gripped him. He looked down at the Illusive Man, eerily calm with the pistol less than an inch from his face.

"What's it going to be, Commander?" He asked warily.

**Author's Notes: Whew! Took a lot of work, this one. Still not 100% about Grunt's bit.**

**Been looking forward to this chapter for a while now. The big confrontation. Cerberus vs the Normandy, with a Shadow Broker fleet in the background. I hope you enjoyed it. This represents the end of yet another story arc, bringing us to the end of the second act. I****'ve tried to mix in a bit of book/comic canon to help flesh out the story a bit, while also expanding on some of the great as yet unanswered questions of ME, like who is Armistan Banes?**

**A few quotes from books/movies/TV series in this one. See if you can find 'em all.**

**Now, there's a vote tied to this chapter. However, I have thought long and hard about this, and I feel one outcome is better for the narrative than the other. So, I have already decided to write one of the choices rather than the other, in order to give you the best story I can. Now, I'm still going to put the poll up on my profile page, and I still want you to vote, purely as a rhetorical exercise. I want to see which choice you'd go for if this happened to your Shepard in-game.**

**I may be AFK for a while, so I apologise in advance if the next chapter takes a while. Bear with me, I'll get there eventually.**

**Props go to General-joseph-dickson, BloodIronAngel, Mastermind4892 and Liege Lord for being able to chat with them via PM about this fic. Seriously, I love being able to discuss the story with interested fans, its good points, its poor points, the downright terrible stuff. that's the way to get better at it.**

**Also, in case any of you missed it. Please check out my expansionary fic Mass Effect 3: Resistance. It chronicles the journey of a character that appeared a while ago in this story, and what happened to him after Shepard left. it's just a little aside to this story, closely tied in, much like the Redemption comic was linked to the second game. It helps me explain a few things that you'll be seeing very soon, and gives me a break from writing Shepard.**

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter and please, read, review, repeat!**

**Fainmaca out.**


	36. 36: The Enemy Advances

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Author's Notes: Vote Result:**

**Spare the Illusive Man: 15**

**Kill the Illusive Man: 5**

**Certainly did not expect that result! Anyway, sorry this chapter took so long, but here it is at long last. Enjoy.**

**Act Three: Retaliation**

**Chapter 36: The Enemy Advances**

The Arcturus Prime Mass Relay hung in the vastness of space, its sweeping, curving lines and dirty grey hull standing out in sharp contrast to the black backdrop dotted with myriad tiny pinpricks of infinitely distant light. The gyroscope at the heart of the machine was a blur of motion, holding the burning core of element zero that powered the ancient device in place more securely than the mass of a star could hold a planet in its orbit. This brilliant blue core shone with blinding light, untold power stored within. This cast a faint glow across the outreaching arms of Arcturus Station, the grandest and most precious of Humanity's creations. The gargantuan station was the seat of governmental power in the Systems Alliance, home to the Parliament headed by Prime Minister Amul Shastri, and it was also the primary stronghold of the Alliance Navy, represented in this sector by the First Fleet under Admiral Kastanie Drescher, recently promoted to this prominent position after many years of loyal service at the head of the Second Fleet. At this moment in time what remained of the Fifth fleet, commanded by the stern Admiral Steven Hackett, joined the First Fleet in patrolling the immediate area around Arcturus Prime. Given what they were guarding against, dedicating two fleets to this task was viewed as a tactically sound move. Several ships belonging to both fleets could be seen drifting almost lazily between the Relay and the station, some moving in broad curves over the main hub of the station.

The hub of the station was shaped in a modified style of the Stanford Torus, a classical design that all virgin civilisations seemed to gravitate towards upon taking their first steps towards the stars. The bulbous disc spun at a rate of once per minute, nestled between two long prongs of metal and glass, akin to two tower blocks turned on their sides, that served to stabilise the structure. The disc was actually a framework to support a massive ring of metal, a doughnut approximately five kilometres in diameter that served as the main living space of the station. Within, the vast population of the station, now mostly composed of soldiers, engineers and Council or Parliament representatives, moved about on decks radiating out towards the outer circumference of the ring, the centrifugal force of the ring's motion providing adequate gravity to allow them to go about their normal activities. At the centre of the disc, a stationary segment stood out prominently, the central command module. This was the only part of the station to truly rely upon artificial gravity provided by powerful Mass Effect Field generators within the lower segments of the structure, the centrifugal forces of the station's rotation insufficient this close to its centre to exert any kind of downward force on its occupants.

One broad viewport looked out over the length of this station from this central hub, its panoramic view extending outwards between the two prongs and out over the disc. The corridor behind it was empty, possessing no real purpose beyond conveying people from one point in the station to another and past this breathtaking vista. At times, the view could be... peaceful, if not downright relaxing.

It was because of this quiet quality that the strict, imposing figure had chosen to seek refuge here. Pacing about restively, he sought calm and focus from the absorbing view before him, but the turbulent ripples dashing through his mind robbed him of any serenity he might have gained.

Standing at an impressive height of almost eight feet, Septimus Oraka, former general of the Turian Hierarchy's Allied Armed Forces, or AAF, was every inch the typical Turian. His head fringe was well kept, sweeping back away from his scalp in a severe plane, razor sharp edges narrowing to neat points. His white facial markings contrasted sharply with his deep-set eyes, eyes that glinted with the wisdom of many years of experience on the front lines followed by even more decades of work running the battlefield from a command post. Here stood a Turian who had seen damn near everything, faced innumerable unknowns with barely a twitch of his mandibles, and not just survived, but come out the other side the clear victor. And yet here he was, brought low by one small, fragile Asari.

Why did they assign her, of all people? Why did the Council choose the one being he would be most pleased to have working at his side, and find the most painful company to endure? He allowed a grunt of irritation to escape between his jagged fangs as he glared at his reflection in the viewport, shooting a venomous stare at the red-and-black-clad Turian image looking back at him.

A quiet hiss behind him caused his focus to dart to a section of the reflection just above his shoulder, allowing him to glimpse the individual that had walked through the doors and taken up a position behind him. He suppressed a shudder. It was her. He took in a steadying breath before turning to face her.

"Sha'ira." His voice was flat, cool.

"Septimus." She returned the greeting, her gentle tones conveying much more agreeable feeling than his. He chanced a look at those enchanting eyes, large compared to her other features, wide enough to draw even the strongest-willed soldiers into their dark, ageless gaze.

"Is there something you need?" He wanted her to get to the point, then leave. Just being around her caused his pulse to race painfully.

Her gracefully thin lips twisted downwards in a grimace of distaste, a negative expression that had no place on such a face.

"Is this how it must be between us, Septimus? I had believed that we were past this ill feeling."

The former general sighed, his shoulders slumping a fraction.

"I cannot control my heart, Sha'ira. My desires are not so readily put aside as yours seem to be. I wish I were like the Asari, living for such great spans of time that emotions and relationships become mere trivia, and attachment is something to be ignored or avoided."

"That is not the way of things, Septimus, and you know it. We feel just as strongly as Humans, Turians and even the Krogan. We grieve for relationships that cannot last, endure the same emotional binding to those we care about, and experience the same euphoric feeling when with the ones we love."

At this last, her sky-blue hand reached up to gently caress the side of his face, cupping the left mandible in an endearing gesture. For once, he risked truly locking his gaze with hers, seeing the raw emotions running high far behind those deep black orbs. He could see the warmth of her heart when she looked at him, but also the pain of their closeness. As he realised this, shame welled up within him. He professed to care for her, yet he caused her much suffering by his refusal to accept her inability to reciprocate his advances. Her position made a personal relationship impossible, no matter how much she herself may desire it. His head dropped a few inches, slipping further into the soft caress of that turquoise palm. She saw all of this, and her sadly smiling expression softened.

"The Council is relying upon us to work together here. We must not allow our history to colour our contribution to this operation."

"I'm still not sure what we're supposed to do here." The Turian grumbled. He raised a hand as Sha'ira opened her mouth to speak. "I know why the Council sent us, and I understand that part. One representative from each Council race to help monitor the situation should the Reapers move beyond the Sol system. But the Humans could do that just as well without us."

"Humanity needs to know that it does not face this threat alone. Our presence here is a small way that the Council can remind them of this."

"The stakes hardly seem in proportion, though. The Humans have lost their homeworld, their primary base of operations lies only one Relay jump from the enemy stronghold and complete destruction, and their foremost warrior is away on what seems like a fool's errand to unite the most hostile factions of the Galaxy in an effort to prepare us for a counteroffensive. Mean while our people only risk a retired general, a single Asari approaching matriarchal status, and a Salarian with what I think may be a background in the Special Tasks Group."

"Oh, do not remind me about that." The lithe Asari chuckled. "His constant war stories try even my patience."

This managed to evoke a smile from the glum general. Septimus looked down on her with fondness, his mandibles clacking quietly. He was about to say something more when the lights overhead abruptly turned an alarming shade of red. The scarlet light turned the Turian's armour completely black, illuminating his white facial markings in a ghostly pink. With barely a moment's hesitation, he nodded for the former Citadel Consort to follow him, his instincts urging him to rush to the Command centre.

Moments later, Septimus barged into the Command Centre, sharp eyes darting about until he located a knot of individuals standing before the primary viewscreen eyeing up an image of the Arcturus system. The first of these figures was a slight Human woman in the highly starched royal blue of an Alliance admiral. Her chestnut hair was shorn close to the skull, all the better to keep it out of her eyes. Narrow brown eyes placed fairly widely apart watched the proceedings inside of the Command centre with an attentive gaze. This was Admiral Kastanie Drescher, commander of the First Fleet and foremost among the circle of equals that was the Alliance Admiralty.

Beside her, former Councillor, now turned Admiral, David Anderson stood to attention. He had been promoted to this rank after his efforts in extracting the Council from the besieged London, the Alliance brass having decided he was the best informed and most highly qualified man to lead the Arcturus Defence Initiative, as it had been christened. He was responsible for relaying directives between the First and Fifth fleets and the station, and ultimately was the final authority on any decision that might affect the security of the system.

The final member of the triumvirate that held the most prominence in the Command centre was a Salarian. His wide, almond shaped eyes were narrowed with worry, pupils outlined in red against equally dark irises contracting in an alien expression of anxiety. His muddy-green skin was pale and wrinkled with age, just one sign of the years of experience he bore. He wore a clean, well-maintained suit of combat armour, lightly made in the fashion usually reserved for tech- or biotics-oriented troops. He reached up to pull at one of his pair of cranial horns distractedly, a clear sign of Salarian concern. Lieutenant Colonel Mannovai Hanikra Molianis Koll Mas Yeva Deridan, much more simply known as Deridan, was the individual selected by the Salarian Union to represent his race on Arcturus Station. Septimus had spent much time in his company, the pair reminiscing about past military exploits. The Salarian had never explicitly stated it, but the nature of his missions strongly suggested that he had been a member of the Special Tasks Group.

The trio focused their attention on a young servicewoman assigned to the sensor suite as Septimus stepped up next to them, Sha'ira in tow. The young woman's soft mid-Asian features creased with a measure of fear, surprise and confusion. Meanwhile, the low alarm continued to sound out above their heads, although it was somewhat muted here in the Command centre so that the crew could think clearly.

"And you're sure?" Drescher asked, ever the cautious operative.

"Yes ma'am." The youngster nodded. "Awaiting visual confirmation, but our sensor probes are picking up the signal. SSV Tucuman is heading to investigate."

"That won't be nearly enough." Anderson said dismissively. "We need to send in at least three cruisers and a dreadnought. Tucuman isn't even equipped with one of the new Grav-cannons!"

"We're not committing any more resources to this until we can confirm the danger." Drescher asked cautiously. "Once we have a visual, then we'll act."

"These things can tear through a cruiser in seconds!" Anderson protested. "You won't even get visual confirmation before all of those soldiers are dead!"

"The signal's coming from Arcturus Three." Deridan pointed out. "We'd have to pull forces from our line around Prime."

Drescher regarded her fellow Admiral contemplatively, held by indecision. Finally she sighed.

"Send in the Montreal, the Edmonton and the Tripoli." She conceded. "The Etna's equipped with a Grav-cannon. Send her in."

They waited for a few tense moments as the orders were relayed. Drescher dealt with a brief but heated communiqué from Admiral Hackett aboard the Krakatoa as he protested robbing his detail of so many resources, but eventually he realised the potential threat and conceded. As they waited, Septimus felt the tension rising to a boiling point as they waited, until finally Deridan could no longer hold his tongue.

"This makes no sense!" He said sharply. "Why are they attacking through Arcturus Three?"

"We know that the Reapers can realign the Mass Relays. We saw that when they attacked Omega." Anderson answered. "They must have gone around by a different route to attack the station from behind."

"If they can use a different route, why bother attacking Arcturus?" Septimus asked.

"Arcturus may not be their only way out of Sol, but it's our only way in." Drescher pointed out. "Eliminating our presence here will keep us from making a direct attack to retake Earth. Even if we find a way to take the fight to these things, the war will drag on a lot longer."

"Ma'am?" The servicewoman piped up. "Visual feed coming through now."

"Put it up on screen." Drescher ordered.

The map of the Arcturus system was swiftly replaced by a live video, relayed from the prow cams of the Tucuman. As a single entity, the staff in the Command Centre, Human and alien alike, drew in a sharp breath.

A single freighter darted through space, running as though the legions of Hell were chasing after it. What burst into being beside the Relay designated as Arcturus Three was something much, much worse. Menacing, ancient, and all too definitely real, the gargantuan form of a Reaper was hot on the tail of the freighter.

"By the goddess..." Sha'ira muttered under her breath.

"How long until the ships are in range and able to engage?" Drescher asked sharply.

"Still four point eight light minutes out, ma'am." The servicewoman answered swiftly.

"I don't understand." Sha'ira said, her brow creased questioningly. "How can we be seeing this if the ships are not there?"

"These are high-magnification images taken from hundreds of kilometres away. The light takes so long to get to our ships when they reach the point at which they are able to discern the target that several minutes have passed. So what we are actually being shown is what happened several minutes ago when these ships arrived in-system, the instant our sensor buoys began sounding the alarm."

"Let's hope that freighter's still in one piece." Anderson said flatly. "Whatever it is, the Reapers want to stop it. I want to make sure that anything they're not happy about persists."

"Four minutes is a pretty optimistic time to hope that a small freighter can hold out against something like that." Drescher said grimly. "Frankly, they're doing well to have made it to a Mass Relay before it reduced them to atoms."

As the group watched the screen, they saw the freighter perform some impressive manoeuvres to keep itself ahead of the Reaper, dodging blasts of furious red fire emanating from the machine's tentacles as it powered along. The ship possessed an impressive turn of speed, and seemed to be holding its own. This lucky streak soon came to an end, however, when a red beam clipped its ventral hull plating, venting the contents of a cargo bay to open space and putting its flight profile off, causing it to wobble unpredictably.

"Come on, come on..." Anderson almost pleaded. "Just a couple more minutes."

Septimus felt his pulse quicken as the Alliance ships finally reached the beleaguered freighter, their weapons blazing as they rushed the Reaper. The massive machine-being turned to the new threat, reeling back as the Etna charged up her Grav-cannon and fired, the series of singularities tugging at its hull before the secondary bolt struck its body, punching an ugly hole through its main section, ripping through the purple-blue carapace and into the sparking machinery within. The cruisers accompanying the Alliance dreadnought soon opened fire, a couple of them wielding a cannon that set the Turian's brow twitching. He instantly recognised the Thanix technology, but did not deign to comment upon it before his allies. However the Humans had managed to get a hold of the classified Turian research, they had certainly put it to good use on their vessels.

The Reaper put up a good fight, holing the Tripoli and severely crippling the Montreal before the Etna scored another hit with her Grav-cannon, prompting the machine to whirl and attempt a retreat. The Alliance vessels scored a few more hits before the machine reached the Relay and vanished. Drescher reeled the pursuers in before they charged after it, wisely choosing to keep her forces within reach. She ordered them to escort the damaged cruisers and the recently rescued freighters back to the station. Once the ships were well on their way back to Arcturus Station, the Command staff sagged with relief, the alarm finally being deactivated as the threat level descended. Deridan, was the one to break the uneasy silence, his face trapped in a troubled scowl.

"Only one ship? Seems arrogant, even for them."

"Clearly an attack on the station was not their intention. It was just that their pursuit of the freighter took them into the system." Sha'ira reasoned.

"We need to find out what that freighter had that the Reapers wanted destroyed so badly." Anderson said, turning from the screen to head down to the docking bays, ready to meet the victims of this sudden, mysterious attack.

**~o~0~o~**

The freighter, whose transponder code identified as the Rogue Endeavour, touched down none too gently in the docking bay as Anderson, accompanied by Septimus, Drescher, Deridan and Sha'ira, watched carefully. It sat in the middle of the large bay in silence for a few moments before a boarding ramp folded down from its belly, allowing five crewmembers to step out, a Human, a Turian, a Krogan, a Salarian and a Quarian. Anderson's eyebrow rose to see such a diverse crew, but he'd seen stranger sights, so he shrugged it off.

"Welcome to Arcturus station." He stepped forward with a hand extended, briefly grasping the outstretched hands of each member of the newly arrived group in turn. "Admiral David Anderson, Arcturus Defence Initiative."

"Captain Saion Nerius." The Turian nodded formally. "Thanks for your help out there. Things were getting kind of hairy."

"Do you have any wounded?" Anderson asked.

"Nothing but a few bumps and scrapes." Saion answered, before his face fell. "The only real injuries were Faron and Nara. They were in the secondary hold when it got torn open."

"I'm sorry." Anderson said sincerely.

"Don't be." Saion answered briskly. "You didn't kill them. That damn thing did. But at least it was quick."

"Come on." Anderson encouraged. "We need to talk."

"Right." The Turian captain turned to his crew. "Segs, Nishto, Garatt, get to work on that hole. I want the old girl patched up as soon as possible. Nats, with me."

The Salarian, the Krogan and the Quarian nodded before turning back to the ship, walking around the landing gear to inspect the damage to their craft. The Human, a woman of no more than twenty, twenty-five years of age, stepped up to follow her captain.

In minutes, they had been escorted to a small briefing room where they could talk in private. As Anderson ushered both Captain Saion and his Human crewmate into a pair of seats, the Council representatives and the pair of Admirals taking seats opposite them, the door to the small office opened and an unexpected figure stepped through. Tall and refined, the impeccably dressed Amul Shastri, Prime Minister of the Systems Alliance, raised a few eyebrows around the room, not least of all those of Admiral Anderson.

"Mister Shastri, what an unexpected privilege. I thought the Senate was in session right now."

"Just finished. I thought that interviewing survivors of a Reaper attack was of more importance than negotiating the tariffs on Volus grain transports to the colonies in the Traverse."

"With all due respect, Mister Prime Minister," Drescher began severely. "I believe this debriefing would be best conducted by those involved in the ADI."

Anderson instantly understood his fellow Admiral's true concerns. Drescher had always been a strong proponent of removing the Alliance Senate from Arcturus Station, reasoning that having such key political resources in the same location as such a vast array of military resources turned the station into too tempting a target for their enemies, and made the Alliance vulnerable by 'keeping all of their eggs in one basket', as the saying went. She clearly not only felt that having the Senate on such a prominent target was a risk, but having the Prime Minister himself come down to debrief two complete strangers was almost beyond considering. But Shastri would not be cowed. He merely took a seat next to the frowning Admiral.

"Nonsense! These newcomers have performed an incredible feat, facing one of our Reaper enemies and escaping with their lives. Such bravery should be acknowledged, not hidden away."

Drescher glared for a moment before shrugging in resignation.

"As you wish." She grumbled.

"Excellent! Now, onto the matter at hand. Captain... Nerius, isn't it? And this lovely young lady must be Nats."

He smiled broadly as he offered to shake hands with each of their guests. The newcomers, somewhat awe-struck by his presence, numbly returned the gesture. Anderson raised an eyebrow at Shastri's knowledge of their guests, but didn't question it. All present faced the Prime Minister as he began the questioning.

"Perhaps you could begin with a description of what led to you arriving in the system with a Reaper in tow."

Saion leaned forward, thinking carefully. As his spoke in his deep, grinding voice, Septimus drew out his omnitool, recording the captain's words.

"We were on a supply run between Eden Prime and Tanlaria, out in the Verge. We arrived in the Vereus System, and were in orbit around one of the planets, making an unscheduled discharge stop. Been having a little problem with the drive core recently. It tends to run up a higher charge than you'd expect. We couldn't get to a proper station quickly enough, so the nearest planet had to do. We're about seventy-five per cent done when a massive fleet drops through the nearest Mass Relay. Biggest damn things we've ever seen that could move. At first, I thought Nats was running on red sand when she read off the sensor readings. Anyway, as they ran past the planet, they must have picked up on our transponder, because one of them peels off and heads straight for us. I don't stick around to make sure they're friendly, but retract the charge arrays and turn tail. That damn thing followed us through two Relay jumps before we got here. We got very lucky, lasting as long as we did."

"Indeed." Deridan said pointedly. "Any other ship would barely have lasted a few seconds in the face of that kind of fire-power."

"What can I say? I'm a very good pilot." Saion smirked.

"Vereus..." Sha'ira said ponderously. "That's on the outskirts of Asari space."

"How many ships are we talking about?" Septimus asked keenly.

"Twenty, maybe two dozen of the things. Who cares? One's more than bad enough."

"They came through the same Relay you used to come from Eden Prime?" Deridan asked.

"Yes."

"So that means they were heading in one of three directions." Anderson concluded, scanning a map of the known Relay network on his omnitool. "Into Asari space, into the Skyllian Verge, or into Council space."

"Any of those is a troubling development." Drescher said flatly. "And with them apparently destroying all possible witnesses, we'd likely have little or no warning of which planet they've chosen as their target."

"What can we do against this kind of force?" Shastri asked the two admirals.

"Without proof of what their target might be, nothing." Drescher answered. "The fact that such a large force is on the move is troubling enough, but being unable to track them adds a whole new level of complexity to any counteroffensive we try to mount."

"We can try to get a message to the Citadel. Maybe it'll reach the Council in time for them to mobilise some sort of fleet to counter them." Anderson suggested.

"Consider it done." The Human Prime Minister promised.

"In the meantime, I'll speak with Hackett." Drescher stood to leave. "We'll shuffle our fleets around a bit. Now that we can confirm the Reapers could approach from any direction, we'll need to cover Relays Two through Six as well as Arcturus Prime."

"Thank you for your information, Captain." Shastri nodded to Saion. "You've been most helpful."

"Well, I could hardly keep this all to myself, could I?" The Turian chuckled. "You did just pull our gizzards out of the fire."

"Is there anything you require? Parts, a repair crew?"

"Just some tools and the time to get to work on the old girl. We'll have her up and running in no time. She may not look it, but the Rogue Endeavour is a tough old bird."

"Very well. Please, excuse me. There is a lot to be done."

With little ceremony, the meeting broke up. The two admirals set off in the direction of the Command centre, discussing defence strategies. Amul Shastri made his way to the Senate chambers, from where he would proceed to his office to attempt to contact the various political entities of the Galaxy to spread the warning. The triumvirate of Council representatives stuck together, uncertain of what they could do to help. As they watched the Turian Captain Saion and Nats heading off back towards the docking bay and their ship, Septimus became aware of his Asari friend's downcast mood.

"Sha'ira, are you well?" He asked gently. He was rewarded with a small smile.

"A little worried, old friend. The Reapers are dangerously close to the colonies of my people. I imagine you would feel the same alarm if they had been sighted on the edges of Hierarchy Space."

The retired Turian general nodded glumly before joining his comrades as they set off, seeking some quiet place to contemplate the day's events.

**~o~0~o~**

Almost an hour later, Septimus was chatting with his two companions in one of the station's bars when the alarm sounded out for the second time in the same day. The trio did not hesitate as they broke into a dead run, heading straight for the Command Centre.

In the Command Centre, they found themselves confronted with the now familiar hive of frenzied activity that demonstrated some emergency or another. Anderson stood over the staff, barking out orders sharply. Drescher was nowhere to be seen. As the Council representatives rushed in, they noticed the captain of the Rogue endeavour, along with his Human companion, watching with a mixture of alarm and curiosity.

"What happened?" Deridan asked sharply. Anderson turned from his work to answer.

"Everything's hitting the fan down here. Our defence net around Prime is under attack."

"Where's Drescher?" Septimus asked.

"Getting the Prime Minister and the Senate to the evac shuttles. It's real this time. A Reaper force unlike anything we've seen."

"How many?" Septimus' tone was strong, carrying not a hint of the nervousness he felt.

"Thirty." Anderson turned to Saion. "Looks like we're seeing that strike force you encountered."

The Turian captain was silent as he watched the proceedings. His arms were folded pensively. Septimus could understand that. Having just so recently faced one of the mechanical horrors, he would no doubt have felt very unsure of having to deal with a full strike force.

"I don't understand this." Deridan muttered. "They use an alternate route to leave Sol, are discovered, then retreat back to Earth and launch an attack through our most heavily defended Relay?"

"Maybe the strike force was a ploy." Sha'ira reasoned. "Were we not preparing to move our troops to defend the other Relays in the system, further weakening our blockade around Arcturus Prime?"

"Yes. And that's just why we're taking such a hammering." Anderson grunted. "We're pulling all forces back to Prime, but Hackett's already lost some ground. They're on their way here."

"What defences does this station possess?" Deridan asked, thinking of ways to utilise potential resources.

"Our armaments are considerable. We're even kitted out with a few experimental large-scale Grav-cannons. If we can get the fleets back here in time, we should be able to hold our own until we get some reinforcements."

His words were immediately greeted by a menacing rumble, followed momentarily by a long, slow shockwave passing through the frame of the station. In that instant, all lights in the Command Centre died, throwing the surprised staff into darkness. As emergency lighting came on, the room was filled with an almost panicked chatter.

"Status report!" Anderson barked.

"Negative power readings on all systems, sir." A serviceman informed him. "Even my omnitool's dead."

"That blast was internal." Deridan surmised. "Probably an explosion designed to generate an electromagnetic pulse. The EMP would have fried all active systems, and a good portion of the auxiliaries."

"Damn it!" Anderson cursed. "We're dead in the water. Our ships won't stand a chance without the station's guns, and we've got no way of warning them!"

As the crew looked about in the pale lighting, all became aware of shapes moving in the large window set in the side of the room that looked out over the station. They could see several Reapers drifting closer with purpose in their movements, setting up a perimeter around the station. In seconds they were hemmed in on all sides.

"God damn it, get every man out there that can wield a spanner working on getting power back up!" Anderson ordered. "And somebody find out where that EMP came from!"

Septimus' mind whirled at the sudden disastrous turn of events, trying to think of what might have happened. He thought back to the explosion, trying to work out in his mind direction and distance. His keen intellect swiftly worked through the problem.

"That blast was about three decks down, a few hundred metres aft of here. That would put it at about-" His eyes widened. "The docking bays!"

As he spoke those words, a wet slicing sound reached his ears. He spun to see Sha'ira stiffen slightly as pain assaulted her before sagging to her knees, blood pouring from a large, gaping wound in her abdomen. Behind her, the Turian captain, Saion, grinned wolfishly as he lifted up talons that had extended far beyond the normal length one would expect of a Turian. The long, almost sword-like digits were slick with purple blood, slightly curved and tipped with razor-sharp hooks. They glinted with the slight sheen of metal, hinting at their non-organic nature.

"Sha'ira? No!" His dismayed howl turned into a furious roar as he drew his pistol and fired wildly at the friend-turned-enemy standing over the body of the woman he loved.

Saion charged from one side while his Human ally, Nats, commenced with a chaotic charge through the weak servicemen of the Command centre. Anderson looked about in surprise as the room descended into chaos. Deridan was shouting something hastily, but Septimus didn't hear it. His world was filled with the mocking grin of his fellow Turian, eerily enhanced by a newly present blue glow behind his eyes.

**~o~0~o~**

**~MINUTEMAN~**

"What's it going to be, Commander?"

Shepard glared at the Illusive Man, finger muscles twitching as the trigger of his pistol danced back and forth, teasing the bullet within with the promise of being fired. His mind whirled, a myriad faces coming to mind as he debated the decision internally. He thought of his men, killed on Akuze for a simple experiment. Of Corporal Toombs, held captive for well over a decade as a part of their studies. Admiral Kahoku and his men, slain for straying too close to the truth behind those experiments. He thought of Miranda and Jacob, made into fugitives thanks to the Illusive Man's wrath, of the rest of his crew, made to suffer for three long months because he did what he felt was right. Finally, he thought of Jack, his dear Jack, subjected to an entire childhood of torture and abuse, then hounded for the rest of her life. They all screamed in his head for justice, for vengeance, urging him to pull the trigger, to just end the Cerberus tycoon's life then and there. And yet... he found his own heart resisting. The voices of those wronged by Cerberus sharply cried out in outrage at his hesitance. What was he doing? He couldn't let this man, this villain, walk away! But he had more to think about than petty vengeance, justified or not. With every ounce of his willpower, he managed to lower the gun.

"I'm not going to kill you." The words stuck in his throat, threatening to choke him with rage.

"_What!__"_ Jack's voice was nearly a shriek of indignation. "What. The. Fuck! Oh, hell no! We are not letting this fucker walk."

Her shotgun was in her hands, lifting to blast the Illusive Man's face clean off the front of his head. She had almost pulled the trigger, but then Shepard was standing in front of her, unflinching even with a shotgun pushed up against his chest, the barrel only inches from his heart. At that range, his kinetic barriers were only a drain on his suit's power cell, and his armour would be about as effective as a wet paper bag.

"Jack." His voice was firm, relentless. "Put the gun down."

"Fuck you!" Her voice was venomous, but held a plaintive note. As she grew more distraught, her language gradually degraded into a single, long string of curses. "Get the hell out of my way. I'm wasting the bastard!"

"We need him, Jack." Even though his voice offered no room for negotiation, it still had a gentle quality to it. His eyes were creased with regret and apology. "Without him, Cerberus will destabilise. Instead of a unified organisation, we'll be forced to deal with hundreds of operatives all working towards their own agendas. If Banes manages to assert his authority over the remaining cells, we have no guarantee he'll help us fight the Reapers. At least with him in charge," He waved a hand at the Illusive Man. "We can trust him to do what he can to help us fight the Reapers."

"Haven't you been paying attention?" She asked in exasperation. "Don't you understand all the shit they put me through? All those years I lost to some fucked-up experiment?"

"I know, Jack. I know. But the decision has been made." Shepard tried to speak as gently as he could. Her deep brown eyes locked with his, rage burning through them. "I understand that you-"

"No. You don't." She spoke bitterly, but her shotgun dropped. "Alright. Fuck you guys."

She spun and stalked away, leaving the Commander to deal with the Illusive Man. The tycoon stood, dusting off his expensive suit.

"You're making the right choice-"

"Don't think I'm done with you yet." Shepard interrupted him sharply. "Cerberus as you knew it is finished, you hear me? Liara's staying behind, and she's going to assimilate your personnel into her network. As of now, Cerberus is a wing of the Shadow Broker network. You're here to co-ordinate the surviving Cerberus operatives and serve as an advisor to Liara. You're going to give her everything. Your revenue streams, your research, all of those politicians and military figures you've got in your pocket. That gun, the Prometheus cannon? That's going to be shared with her and with the Alliance R&D branch. Your man Banes? Keep him on a tight leash. He's got the potential to cause serious trouble. Same goes for Kai Leng. If I hear of him so much as roughing up a Batarian for his pocket change, I'm going to stick the Cain up your ass and pull the trigger, clear?"

"And what if I refuse to meet these preposterous demands?" The Illusive Man asked, bucking at the orders already.

"Well, This station's blown halfway to hell, with no shields, no weapons and no engines. I could just leave you here and have Liara open up with a few of her Grav-cannons. Is that what you'd prefer?"

"Very well, Commander." He grumbled.

"And one final thing." Shepard said sharply, drawing the full attention of those eerily glowing eyes. "When we move to take back Earth, and I put out the call, you'd damn well better be at the head of a full fleet of Cerberus ships. 'Cause if you don't show up to help take back your own homeworld, then what I'll do to make you pay for it will make indoctrination look like a pleasant alternative. Is that understood?"

The way the Commander enunciated those last three words made it clear that any answer other than 'yes' would bring hasty retribution. The Illusive Man could only nod silently. With that, Shepard turned on his heel and walked away, Miranda and Elanie in tow. Once they had left the dark office, Miranda leaned closer to the Commander.

"I think he damn near pissed himself at that last bit, Commander." Her smile was small but genuine.

"That's what I was going for." He offered back. His lips twitched upwards in a small gesture before dropping again once they caught sight of the distraught Jack pacing about further down the corridor. He opened his mouth to speak to her, but she glared at him before turning away, offering him a one-fingered salute as she stalked back to where they had left the shuttle. The Commander sighed. He was not looking forward to smoothing out this problem. But he couldn't get too preoccupied with it. He had bigger problems at the moment. Namely, the threat to Humanity's strongest fortress and their best hope of striking back at Earth.

"Joker, do you read me?" He spoke into his commlink.

"Loud and clear, Commander. What's going on? Everyone just stopped fighting. Did we win?"

"In a way." Shepard said cryptically. "I need EDI to compute the quickest route back to Arcturus station. We're needed there. Then signal the rest of the squad. I want them all back on the Normandy inside of ten minutes."

"Aye-aye, sir." The pilot didn't question Shepard's instructions. He'd been a part of the Commander's crew long enough to understand when to simply do as ordered, rather than try to discover the reasoning behind the command. Once he had signed off, Shepard turned back to his comrades.

"Come on. There's no time to waste."

**~o~0~o~**

**~NORMANDY~**

Shepard paced tensely behind the pilot's seat, watching out of the front viewports as the red-shifted starscape of faster than light travel raced by. Joker hunched over his console, continually making corrections to keep them on as straight a course as he could. As the Commander turned and strode back the way he had just come for what felt like the millionth time, the pilot's patience finally reached its limit.

"Hey, Commander? Not that I don't like the company or anything, but do you mind? You're just about to wear a hole through to the Crew Deck. We'll get there when we get there, not a second sooner. You making the ship lighter by wearing out the deck plates won't do a damn thing to change that."

"Sorry, Joker." Shepard said distractedly before immediately resuming his pacing. Joker sighed.

"Look, can't you at least go be a nervous wreck back in the CIC? We're almost there. Just take a breather and chill."

"Okay, okay." Shepard conceded. He paused before turning to head back down the corridor. "How long until we hit Arcturus Five?"

"Ten minutes. That's two less than the last time you asked. Now scram! If you really want to get there quick you need me to not be distracted."

Shepard finally took the hint, heading off down the long corridor towards the CIC and the Galaxy Map. As he ascended the steps to his normal position above the Map, Kelly sidled up to him a concerned look in her eyes.

"Commander, are you alright?" She asked warily.

The Commander looked back at her with tired eyes. He hadn't slept in what felt like an eternity, first having to deal with the tension of the mission against Cerberus, and now the anxiety of the attack on Arcturus. His eyes felt hot, dry and too small for his eyesockets, and the rest of his face felt heavy, the skin warm and strained. He badly needed his bed, but refused to rest until the mission had been resolved.

"No. I'm not alright." He admitted. "And I won't be until Arcturus is safe again."

"You're worrying too much, Shepard." The yeoman tried to put on as soothing a tone as she could. "There's nothing to be done until we get there. Why tear yourself up about it beforehand?"

"For three years, I was the only one in the Galaxy who did anything about the Reapers. I don't know how to do anything but worry." He leaned forward on the rail overlooking the Map wearily, letting his forearms take the brunt of his weight.

"You're not alone in fighting them now." Kelly assured. "Find some comfort in that."

"They're just so relentless!" He said bitterly. "We destroy their Vanguard, they start up another scheme to bring themselves back. We destroy the Collectors, they carry on with the Dholen Relay. We destroy that, they take Earth. Now, we're finally making some headway in uniting the Galaxy, and we risk losing Arcturus. How can we fight something like that?"

"Don't allow it to wear you down. Focus on something more important." She paused, clearly hesitant about what she was going to say next. But her last sentence had already committed her to the course of action. "Have you spoken to Jack yet? She seemed very riled by the outcome of the last mission."

"I think it'd be best if I avoided the lower decks for a while." Shepard admitted. "Chakwas doesn't need any more patients today, especially not with Etarn still in critical condition."

"I hope he'll be okay." The yeoman said sincerely. "But I really think you should deal with Jack sooner rather than later. Her grudges have a tendency to… fester."

Shepard was about to speak when a quiet chime from EDI's interface warned him that the Normandy was about to perform its final jump into the Arcturus System. He looked back at her with an apologetic glance.

"Deceleration in three, two…" Joker's voice counted off overhead. "In orbit around the Mass Relay now. Calculating transit mass and destination. Relay is responsive, receiving approach instructions. Prepare for Relay jump. Commencing final approach. And… there!"

The ship shuddered, that familiar inertia tugging at the Commander as the ship was hurled across a vast portion of the galaxy art significantly higher speeds than those her normal drive could manage. In an instant, she dropped into the Arcturus System, countless light-years away.

Immediately the lights in the CIC dimmed. They knew they were dropping into a combat zone, so Shepard had ordered that the stealth drive be activated the instant they descended from FTL speeds. This meant reducing all power consumption throughout the ship to ease the strain on the capacitors in the hull, including nonessential lighting.

As Shepard straightened at his post, the Galaxy Map before him was swiftly replaced with a holographic image of the system as the ladar systems mapped their immediate surroundings. In an instant, the half dozen Mass Relays of the system appeared, swiftly followed by Arcturus Station. A moment later, the Reaper fleet appeared in all of its terrible might. Shepard's stomach dropped to see so many of the machines in one place. What remained of the First and Fifth fleets was being harried by the gargantuan machines. The Reapers displayed little damage themselves, but the human vessels had been cut down to less than half their original numbers, and those remaining were considerably hampered by damage sustained in the drawn out fire-fight. He glanced back over his shoulder as Kaidan, Garrus, Miranda, Mordin and Elanie stepped out of the elevator, taking up positions close to him as he considered the situation.

"EDI, what have we got?" He asked, closely scanning the images.

"My scans indicate that Arcturus station is currently inactive. Little to no power readings from within. However, there are a number of life signs, clustered around the docking bays and Command Centre."

"How'd they manage to take out Arcturus without destroying it?" Kaidan asked.

"It would appear that the power core is intact. However, I am detecting residual radiation emanating from a rupture in the hull located around what was formerly a docking bay. It is possible that a nuclear device was detonated within this bay, destroying the bay and the immediate area around it and creating an electro-magnetic pulse that disabled the station."

"Testifies to the durability of the station if such a small area was destroyed by the explosion." Miranda commented.

"Hmm. Part of blast would have been diverted out into vacuum by weaker opening of bay doors." Mordin observed. "But EMP would still affect station. Clearly did not wish to destroy Arcturus, otherwise more direct method would have been used. Why? Tactically defensible location? Unsuited for size of Reapers. Valuable technology? Unlikely. Unlikely. Reaper tech very much superior to our own. Ah, yes, yes! EDI, names of important personnel assigned to Arcturus station?"

"There are currently three admirals of the Systems Alliance assigned to the station, Admiral Steven Hackett, Admiral Kastanie Drescher, and Admiral David Anderson. In addition, the Alliance Senate, including Prime Minister Amul Shastri, are present in-system. Following the Reaper attack on Earth, the Council assigned three representatives to oversee the Arcturus Defence Initiative."

"The Senate was still present?" Miranda said sharply.

"Yes. In an interview, Prime Minister Shastri stated that he believed they should not be seen to run and hide from the threat of the Reapers."

"A stupid gesture to try and boost morale among the remnants of Humanity." Elanie said with disapproval. "It reeks of desperation to curry favour with the voters. No one wants to vote for a coward."

"Sometimes a smart coward is better than a stupid hero." Garrus commented. "Well, more likely to survive a few extra months, anyway. EDI, what were the names of those Council reps assigned to the station?"

"Septimus Oraka, once a general in the Turian Hierarchy, now retired, Citadel Consort Sha'ira, and former Special Tasks Group operative Deridan Yeva."

"Deridan?" Mordin asked in surprise. "Knew him during work on anti-Geth weaponry on Felrium. Good kid. Suspected he would advance far in STG. Not much respect for elders, though."

"And we've met Septimus and Sha'ira before." Kaidan commented.

"Understand Reaper stratagem now." The Salarian began to pace about excitedly. "Hope to capture personnel with high-level clearance. Any one of Council reps could hold secrets to Council defences. Fleet movements in Hierarchy space, location of tactically valuable Matriarchs in Republics, spawning grounds of Dalatrasses within Salarian Union. Secure codes, secret armouries, all data valuable in any attack. Human prisoners less valuable considering mostly subdued nature of Humanity with loss of homeworld-"

"Thanks for reminding us, Mordin." Shepard drawled, a little put out by the off-hand way the scientist said it.

"Merely stating observed facts, Shepard. No offence intended." Mordin said quickly. "But Admiral Anderson or Hackett could present value as emotional trigger considering personal relationship with you. Maybe provoke premature strike against Earth, loss of many valuable resources because was not ready to face them. Capture of Senate would also paralyse remainder of Alliance."

"So we should expect plenty of husks on Arcturus looking for them." Miranda surmised.

"I cannot differentiate between Husks and Humans, operative Lawson. The basic biology remains the same even after the process." EDI said apologetically. "However, I am detecting several alien life forms aboard the station. Two Turians, two Salarians, a Krogan, a Quarian and an Asari."

"Home in on the Asari." Shepard ordered. "She's got to be Sha'ira. We'll worry about finding the others later."

"The Asari life form is located in section Delta Eighteen of the habitation ring. Her signal is very faint."

"Then we haven't got much time." Shepard set his mind to forming a plan. "Our first priority is getting to those Council reps. If they're who the Reapers are after, then we've got to make sure they don't get them, no matter what."

His allies nodded grimly, understanding just how far they may have to go to ensure the Reapers were denied a vital resource.

"Even stealthed the Normandy wouldn't get close to that thing." Kaidan objected. "How do we get in?"

"We've still got those cloaking shuttles Liara gave us, don't we?" Shepard looked to Elanie.

"Unfortunately, two were damaged in the firefight, and their cloaks no longer function. A third one was missing when the squad returned to collect it." She answered.

"Banes." Shepard muttered, his fist clenching angrily.

"Indeed." Elanie easily overcame the interruption to her train of thought. "So we've only got one left."

"So we're going to have to go in with a small strike team." Shepard concluded. "Okay, I'll take Mordin, Samara, Thane and Zaeed with me for this one. That covers biotics, combat and tech in a neat package. Mordin, I need you to be ready to analyse any Reaper tech we come across, be it a bomb or a toaster. Make sure you've got everything you need."

"Can do, Shepard." The Salarian nodded, turning to head back into the Tech Lab behind the CIC.

"Kaidan, I want you up here when I'm gone. I need you to contact whoever's leading the remnant of the ADI fleets, and begin co-ordinating our resources. If we get Arcturus back online, be ready for the extra firepower. But you'll also need to be ready in case we can't fix it and we've got to cut and run."

"You've got it, Shepard."

"Miranda, I need you to use your contacts, Cerberus and otherwise. Muster up what forces you can to join the fight here. If Liara's ready to move again, let her know she's needed here. Every cruiser we can aim at these things helps."

"You can count on me, Commander."

"And Garrus, I want you to help Kaidan. All of the major players here are Human. See if there are any Turian tactics we can put to good use out there."

The experienced Turian nodded silently. There was no need for words in a friendship as tempered by the fires of time and hardship as this one. Shepard smiled at that, glad he had so many people on his side he could rely upon.

"Good. EDI, bring us in as close as you dare, and have my squad assemble in the Main Cargo Hold."

"Yes, Commander."

**~o~0~o~**

**~EN ROUTE TO ARCTURUS STATION~**

The squad assembled in the shuttle travelled in silence, their tension almost palpable. Samara sat stiffly in her seat, eyes closed as she meditated to maintain some kind of calm. Thane, next to her, folded his hands before his chin, lips moving as he muttered prayers to several of his many gods, seeking the calm and focus needed to get through the coming mission. Zaeed, meanwhile, had his own spiritual regimen to go through to brace himself, systematically taking apart, cleaning and reassembling his rifle. Mordin kept himself occupied by scanning a series of documents on his omnitool. The frantic Salarian had left several experiments running in the Tech Lab, and would continue to dwell upon them until the very last moment before they disembarked from the shuttle.

Shepard expertly piloted the shuttle through the empty vacuum, weaving between the Reapers forming the blockade around Arcturus. As they drifted past one of those massive machines, Zaeed's nerves finally reached boiling point.

"Are you sure those things don't know we're here?" He demanded.

"The cloak's engaged. They wouldn't spot us even if they looked straight at us." Shepard explained.

"What about our drive emissions trail? The cloak won't hide that."

"Drive emissions are minimal." Mordin answered. "Somewhat akin to spatial disturbance caused by passage of weapon round. Tiny ripple, barely shows up on most scopes. With battle raging so closely, easy to assume simple errant missile or stray accelerator slug. Drive output of a starship, however, much more obvious. Think of spatial distortions and drive emissions as similar to ripples in fog. Crude analogy, but sufficient. Shuttle's trail indistinct. In fact-"

"All right, all right." Zaeed grumbled. "Sorry I asked."

"Stay sharp." Shepard cautioned. "We're just about to land."

The Commander guided the shuttle towards the underside of the central hub, finding the huge rent where whatever had disabled the ship had exploded. He angled towards the opening, wincing as the shuttle's system's flickered. The residual ionised radiation was causing havoc in the electrical systems. But that wasn't as disconcerting as the contents of the hangar he was drifting into.

The bay had been torn open, literally, by an explosion from within. Parts of what looked like it might have been a freighter at one time drifted lazily through the airless space. Scorch marks ran up the walls, a thick layer of sooty scarring spreading out in all directions. Some shards of the hull of the destroyed ship had been embedded in the ceiling, the walls, even the outer pressure hull of the hangar. As Shepard negotiated to treacherous metal stalagmites and stalactites, he spotted a couple of limp forms floating ahead of the shuttle. With a sickening lurch, he recognised the corpses of two Alliance engineers. Their skin was charred beyond recognition, and any surviving organs had ruptured during the rapid decompression of the hangar, making it impossible to identify them. They glittered with a coating of frost, the sub-zero temperatures of space freezing any bodily fluids left to them. Steeling himself, Shepard steered past this grisly remnant of the explosion.

The far wall had been ruptured by the explosion, presenting a small entrance to the corridor outside of the hangar. The Commander guided the shuttle into this opening, the craft barely fitting. He cautiously set it down in the buckled corridor, deactivating the cloak. The radiation hanging around outside would serve to keep the vessel hidden from any scans, so it was fairly safe to leave it visible.

"Expanding the Kinetic Barrier to block off the corridor." He explained as he entered in a few final commands. "Should hold in the atmosphere long enough for us to get through the next door without venting the whole station. Still, breathers on, just to be safe."

"Gravity's out in this section." Zaeed observed, looking back into the hangar where so much debris drifted like a grotesque metal snowglobe.

"Not a problem." Shepard commented, activating the magnetic soles of his combat boots. The others did the same. "Now, there's a good chance we're going to run into some Husks. Remember, a straight shot to the head will put them out like a light. Anything else is going to take longer, so take your time and make your shots count. Also, make sure they don't get too close. We don't want them frying our shields." He looked over to Samara, who had produced her omnitool. The Asari was ready to scan the surrounding area for nearby life forms. It wouldn't tell them whether anyone they detected was friend or foe, but it would give them a heads up.

The squad nodded before tensing as Shepard reached for the hatch, opening the shuttle to the freezing exterior. There was a brief rush of air as the atmosphere struggled to equalise with that contained by the kinetic barrier, causing Shepard's ears to pop, and the temperature dropped dramatically, inspiring a shiver up his spine.

They clambered out swiftly, heading straight for the nearest door. A brief moment of Thane's time had the door open, allowing them to file through quickly. With the door shut behind them, an additional barrier between them and the harsh environment of space, the Commander felt much more confident. He activated his omnitool, opening the map he had downloaded from Alliance records. He scanned it briefly, locating the series of landmarks he had planned out to get them from the shuttle to where the Asari lifeform had been detected.

"Follow me." He commanded.

They wove through the twisting maze of corridors, making their way towards the outer habitat ring. The corridors around them were silent, eerily devoid of life as they progressed through various office complexes.

"I do not understand." Samara said quietly, almost reverently. "I thought EDI detected many Human life signs within the station. Arcturus was home to many thousands. Why have we not yet encountered any survivors?"

"The station's been powerless for quite some time now." Zaeed surmised. "Plenty of time for their forces to infiltrate it. It's a safe bet we've got Husks running around mopping up the survivors."

"All the more reason why we need to get moving." Shepard said. "There's no telling how many might already have been converted."

"If they were converting Humans, surely we would have seen the Dragon's Teeth by now?" Thane asked, referring to the massive spikes used to convert Humans, both living and dead, into the hideous, pallid shock troops of the Reapers. Shepard had been forced to destroy countless hundreds of them, maybe even thousands. It irked him to be forced to 'kill' so many of these Human shaped things, but they lost their Humanity the moment they went on the spikes, being transformed into something else entirely. Shepard looked back to the Drell, unsure of how to respond.

"We can't worry about that." He said.

As they spoke, they drew closer to the end of the corridor they currently occupied. Before the Commander could open the door, Samara raised a hand.

"Wait." She pointed to her omnitool. "There are several beings in the room beyond."

"Species?"

"Six Humans, one Quarian, one Salarian."

"Doesn't tell us if they're friendly." Zaeed said, a little disappointed.

"What do you think, Mordin?" Shepard turned to the scientist, who cupped his chin in one hand.

"Hmm. Difficult to say. Never encountered Husks of other species. Humans known to have compatible biology, but other species remain unknown. Possible, of course, given fact of Saren's implantation, but that was performed over decades, not hours. Perhaps necessary to counter biological incompatibility, given Dextro-DNA. Similar process required for Quarians? Cannot say without further data. Inclined to assume Quarian conversion process not perfected. Number of Quarians in Galaxy too few to make viable source of servants or genetic material. Unlikely Reapers would invest resources in research in return for so little reward. Salarians also remain unknown. Is shorter life-span worth overcoming?"

"You would be inclined to assume they are not indoctrinated, simply because the Quarians and Salarians would not be worth converting?" Thane asked.

"Statistically probable conclusion. Cannot guarantee accuracy of hypothesis, but possesses certain credibility." The Salarian shrugged. "Only one way to find out if correct."

"He's right." Shepard said. "If they're friendly, we can't ignore them. If not, we can handle that many enemies. Weapons at the ready."

With that, waited while Thane set to work on the lock. In seconds, it was open. Shepard charged through the opening doors, rifle held up and ready to tear into the first flash of pale blue-white flesh he saw. Samara and Zaeed followed, one lifting arms that glowed blue with biotic power while the other readied an incendiary grenade to hurl at potential enemies. Mordin was next, his omnitool flickering ominously while Thane readied his sniper rifle, scanning the room in a moment.

The room's occupants flinched at their sudden appearance, but made no aggressive movements as they moved back in fear. The foremost of the group, a Quarian in a red-and-yellow environment suit, reached instinctively for his pistol, but didn't draw it. As he studied the group, he relaxed.

"Keelah! You're Human! Thank the ancestors."

Shepard examined the strangers carefully before lowering his gun. There was no tightly drawn flesh, no odd machinery, not a glint of the blue light so synonymous with Reaper indoctrination. He relaxed. They were safe. He looked about warily, sizing up the room's occupants. Aside from the Quarian, the only alien in the room was a yellow-skinned Salarian. His green eyes glinted brightly in contrast with the black and blue armour he was wearing. The Humans dotted around the room appeared to be civilians, all wearing a wide variety of casual clothes.

"Who are you?" He demanded.

"Nishto'Vara vas Tinoay. Are you here to rescue us?"

"Its one reason I'm here." Shepard replied tactfully.

"We've been hiding in here for hours! Those, those _things_ roaming the halls! Moaning, grabbing, staring… what are they?" The Salarian's voice had a manic edge.

"You're better off not knowing, trust me." Zaeed interjected before Mordin, who had opened his mouth, could give a gruesome explanation.

"Tell me what happened here." Shepard demanded.

"Well, Segs and I were here as part of a crew making a delivery." The Quarian explained. "We run a courier service out of Elysium, and the Alliance paid us to make supply runs to the station. As we were unloading the cargo, an explosion made the whole station shudder, and the power went off. Even my omnitool was knocked out. I was lucky my suit was well insulated, otherwise it might have lost power too, leaving me vulnerable to unfiltered air."

"The EMP." Thane concluded.

"Moments later, we heard screams. A horde of these… creatures come racing through the corridors. We turned and ran. Other people stood and fought, but I could hear them screaming seconds later. But we managed to stay ahead of the monsters long enough to get here. The Humans had already made it to this room. They let us through the door, we locked ourselves in, and they moved on."

"Do you know if anyone else survived?" Shepard asked.

"I'm afraid not." The Quarian said apologetically. "We got to safety here, and that was all that mattered to us. Can you get us off this station?"

"Do you think you can get to your ship from here?" The Commander inquired.

"My ship was damaged when whatever blast caused the EMP rocked the station. One of the landing supports collapsed, and she's almost on her side. I'd never be able to get her off the deck."

"Damn." The Commander pulled up his schematics, looking for an alternate route. "Okay, there's a bank of escape pods two decks up, a couple of hundred yards closer to the command centre. I can't guarantee that you'll make it through the blockade around the station, but I can message the remaining Alliance ships to give you as good a chance as they can. Get to the pods, send out a signal on this channel," He transmitted the codes. "And then wait five minutes. Head for a small frigate called the Normandy. You'll be safe with her."

"Thank you." The Salarian said warmly. "We'll warn any survivors we meet on the way."

"I'd appreciate it." Shepard nodded. "Meanwhile, we've still got work to do. The location of that Asari signal wasn't far from here." He turned to his squad. "Come on."

With that, they left the cluster of survivors behind, heading for the main space of the habitation ring of the station. After a brief few minutes, they received Nishto's signal, and Shepard opened a channel to the Normandy.

"Shepard to Normandy, come in Normandy."

"Normandy here, Commander. You're calling sooner than I'd have thought. Something wrong?"

"We've encountered some survivors. Apparently there's a large Husk presence on Arcturus. I've instructed them to head for the escape pods. In five minutes, they'll be launching. I need both you and the remnant of the ADI fleets to provide a distraction for them. Pick them up, make sure they get to safety."

"Aye-aye, Commander." Came the prompt response.

"Good. I'll signal you if there's any new developments." Shepard closed the channel.

As the squad advanced, they arrived at yet another set of heavy metal doors. Shepard waited anxiously while Thane knelt next to the doors, working to bypass the lock. With a whoosh, the two halves of the door parted, allowing the squad to step through cautiously.

The wide-open space of the habitat ring curved away from the doors on both sides. Large tracts of real, Earth-grown vegetation had been transplanted into the artificial living space, creating vast fields of grain to feed the station's inhabitants, forests that swayed in artificially created breezes, and rolling meadows of well maintained grass. Overhead, the inner portion of the habitat ring was transparent, allowing a glimpse of the rest of the station, showing the Commander the far side of the ring and the underside of the central hub. The distant sun of the Arcturus System could be seen as well, its light magnified by the clear material of the ring's roof in order to illuminate the interior. Shepard had no doubt the meagre ultraviolet rays of the sun were also supplemented by artificial means to create a more Earth-like atmosphere for the vast array of vegetation.

This multitude of greenery was interspersed with the occasional cluster of buildings, none over three stories in height. Most of them looked like some kind of housing, but some of the buildings could have been well appointed offices or even shops. The Commander, having visited the station more than once, knew that only the very well off could actually live in the habitat ring. Most inhabitants of the station lived in the deck's closer to the outside of the ring, right under the pressure hull, in vast living complexes where one may be lucky if they saw the blackness of space even once in a day. Aside from the select elite living up here, the habitation ring was reserved solely for the station's oxygen producing needs and for growing its food. An unintentional but not discouraged use for the ring was as a massive park, a place where many would come to relax and walk among the plants, or to stargaze during the ring's night cycle.

The squad stepped out into the ring, striding into a plaza in the midst of one of the small groupings of buildings visible. They looked about cautiously, but could see no signs of life. They paused for a moment to take in their surroundings.

"I had heard of the gardens of Arcturus." Thane murmured. "But I had never expected them to possess such elegance. While a little humid for my taste, I can appreciate the beauty here."

"I've been on the station plenty of times before," Zaeed explained. "But they never let me into the habitation ring. I guess the toffs living up here would have complained if they saw someone looking like me wandering about."

"Section Delta Eighteen is this way." Shepard prompted.

They moved through the empty streets as quickly as they could. After passing a couple of silent buildings, Shepard became aware of faint sounds that he recognised. His fingers tensed around the trigger of his rifle as the groans of the pallid Husks became louder. Around him, the squad prepared for combat.

They rounded a corner to finally spot the Husks shambling down the next street, arms limp by their sides as their heads, barely supported by narrow necks, leaned lazily to one side. There were only ten of them. As the squad stepped into view, they turned as one, operating on the same set of instructions. All together, they immediately charged the group.

Shepard didn't hesitate, even with the ghastly nature of his enemies. He fired carefully, ripping a line of holes through the chest of one Husk before managing to strike the forehead of another, dropping the second one in an instant and slowing the first one considerably.

Samara tensed the biotic field around her arms, sending out a wave of dark energy that struck one of the Husks square in the chest. The lumbering monstrosity took a couple of steps before coming to a hesitant stop. It seemed to struggle with its own body for a moment before dropping to the deck limply, a stream of grey fluid leaking from its mouth. Shepard recognised her Reave technique, a biotic attack that basically destroyed a target's insides, bypassing outer defences. It was a difficult and draining technique, but inarguably effective.

Thane had dropped back, drawing his sniper rifle. Calmly, coldly, he sighted on the head of the first Husk he set his eyes upon. The rifle cracked in his hands, leaping back from the recoil, and a neat round hole appeared in the centre of the forehead of that target, a spray of brains, gore and machinery bursting out of the back of its head as the bullet escaped. A quick click of the loading mechanism had a second bullet ready to be fired, and the deep green-black eyes began seeking a new victim.

Mordin opted to use his omnitool, firing a bolt of ice that struck the street under the Husks' feet, causing three to lose their balance. The Salarian's SMG quickly tore into one of the prone enemies, ripping it to shreds. He further wounded the second of the fallen before it managed to clamber back to its feet.

Zaeed drew an Incendiary Grenade from his belt, lobbing it at the front ranks of the enemy. Two Husks squealed and groaned as flames consumed their flesh. One was quickly silenced by a bullet from Shepard's rifle, while the other went quiet as it dropped to the ground in a pile of burning guts and wires.

A second shot from Thane's weapon killed another husk, and Mordin's omnitool fired a ball of flames this time to consume yet another of the pale horrors. Shepard unloaded the last of his clip at the already wounded creature from his initial outburst, finally finishing it off. This left the final husk to be ripped to shreds by a warp blast from Samara, nothing but tatters of flesh dropping to the deck where it had once stood. With the last of the husks dead, the squad relaxed, although the tension still remained in the back of their minds. Zaeed was the first to speak out.

"No way that's it." He grumbled.

"Indeed." Thane nodded. "Those creatures did not seem as challenging as my memory led me to expect. They also lacked significant numbers."

"Samara, got a read on Sha'ira?" Shepard asked.

"Not far from here." The Asari scanned her omnitool. "However, there is another signal, much closer. Turian, just two streets over."

"Let's go check it out." The Commander decided. "Whoever it is, they might know something."

The squad nodded in agreement before following the Commander as he made his way past a few more grandly appointed buildings, guided by Samara. At last, they approached the ornate façade of a sprawling two-story mansion on the edge of the cluster of buildings, nestled just within the borders of one of the forests dotted across the habitation ring. Cautiously, Shepard led them through the front gate and up to the wooden double doors that formed the main entrance. The Commander tensed as he noticed the doors were ajar. With great care, he teased the doors further open, glancing inside at the main foyer. The squad slowly filed in, covering every possible angle of approach. Mordin was the one to break the tense silence, pointing at the smooth orange-red marble floor.

"Blood. Turian. Freshly spilled." He muttered, kneeling next to a small pool that had collected around the seam between four tiles. Thane hurried over to join him, probing the tiny puddle with a testing finger.

"This blood has barely begun to thicken. Dextro-based coagulants work very fast. Either the person who spilled this blood was very ill, or they passed by recently."

"Quantity suggests serious injury." Mordin's large eyes narrowed. "Unlikely to be accidental in nature. Was attacked?"

"Most probably." The Drell nodded. "But not here. The form of the puddle does not match that of an ongoing attack. This pattern suggests they were fleeing from whatever caused the damage."

"He's right. A gun or a knife would have spread the mess all over the goddamn place." Zaeed muttered from here he stood, holding his rifle loosely, almost casually.

"Samara, which way now?" Shepard prompted.

"I believe they are upstairs." The Asari said, eyes fixed upon her wrist.

"Whoever this is, they're likely panicked. No sudden movements. Don't give them cause to lash out in defence. We don't want them hurt." Shepard warned. Most of the squad nodded at the order, but Zaeed just shrugged, a gesture that said 'yeah, yeah'.

They moved through the dark hallways, ascending a flight of grand dark-wood stairs to the upper story. There, they followed a hallway lined with doors until they reached one that Samara indicated was the one they were looking for. Shepard stood facing the door for a tense moment before pushing the door open, rifle at the ready.

A single male Turian was in the room beyond, sitting in a chair rather awkwardly. Blue blood seeped from a series of bullet wounds across his torso, further staining his clothes with every breath he took. He sat at a desk, readying an application of Medi-Gel. In front of him, the medicine dispenser unit that had been attached to the wall was in pieces, disassembled by his hands. The Commander wondered at that for a moment, but assumed that the alien had done this because the machine was broken, his urgent need for something to stop the bleeding coming before leaving the house's belongings intact. Shepard could see why the device was not functioning. In the pile of disassembled pieces, he could see that a few vital parts were missing.

"Please!" The Turian shouted. "Don't shoot!"

"Who are you?" Shepard demanded, a little disappointed it wasn't Septimus. He was eager to find his old acquaintance before any misfortune befell him.

"Saion Nerius, of the Rogue Endeavour." The Turian stammered. "I'm sorry about the house, but I needed to fix myself up…"

"It's okay." Shepard said a little more gently. "I'm Commander Shepard. I'm here to find any survivors."

"Shepard? I know that name! You're the Human Spectre, right?" The Turian stood, a little unsteadily. Mordin hurried over to run a scan of his injuries, while Thane loaned a shoulder for him to lean on.

"Where were you when the attack took place?" The Commander asked.

"I was in the Command Centre, talking with some of the station's command staff. An Admiral Anderson, I think." Saion explained. "My crew and I stumbled across a fleet of those things moving through a system in Asari space. They sent one machine to hunt us down, and chased us here until the Human vessels managed to fend it off. We were giving our report when a whole bunch of the things burst through the blockade around the Relay leading to Earth. Then the power went out in the station, and those monsters started swarming through the hallways. I was injured in the crossfire between our own guards and the creatures. I think that's why they ignored me afterwards. I saw them carrying off those they thought to be alive. I managed to crawl all the way here through the ventilation system."

"You mentioned that you arrived here in a ship, the Rogue Endeavour? What happened to your crew?"

"I lost track of my four crew mates during the attack, a Human female, Nats, a Quarian called Nishto, a Krogan named Garatt and a Salarian called Segs."

"We bumped into the bucket-head and the frog a coupla floors down. They were hiding with some Human survivors." Zaeed explained.

"Were they alright?" The Turian asked with concern. "Nishto's suit didn't rupture, did it? Last time that happened we had to hunt down a Quarian ship on a mining expedition to get him the appropriate treatment. We nearly lost him."

"They're fine." Shepard soothed. "We showed them the way to the escape pods. Our ship's working on picking them up now."

"Good." Saion sagged with relief, although his expression remained tense. "I hope the rest are okay."

"If we find them, we'll make sure they get out okay." Shepard assured. "Did you happen to see the Council representatives at any point?"

"No, I'm sorry. But I did hear some shooting close by on my way here. Perhaps, if they are not who you seek, they can point you in the right direction."

"Thanks. Do you think you can make it to an escape pod?"

"Its safer with you." The Turian shrugged. "I'll stay close, if it's all the same. Don't worry, I can look after myself."

Shepard hesitated for a moment, but was forced to agree. One survivor on his own wouldn't last long against a group of Husks, especially injured.

"All right." He acceded. "But stay very close. It's going to be all too easy for someone to disappear with the things wandering the station now."

"You've got it." Saion said, all too eagerly. As the squad turned away, the ghost of a smile crept across his face, but he managed to contain it before anyone could see.

**~o~0~o~**

The habitation ring was growing brighter, its day cycle just beginning, when the squad, with the limping Saion in tow, reached the point where Samara's omnitool indicated they would find the Asari. Their pace increased as time went on and the signal became fainter and fainter. Emerging from the boundary of one of the demi-settlements dotted across the ring, Shepard came to a slow halt, taking in the structure that had become the refuge of the signal they were following.

Sprouting up from beneath the rich soil of the habitation ring and reaching up to meet the transparent ceiling far above that kept the atmosphere from rushing out into space, resembling the trunk of a massive tree of steel and glass, one of the support struts responsible for maintaining the structure of the ring loomed overhead. Even this structure had been put to use, not a cubic inch being wasted where possible. Windows spiralled up around the pillar, behind which lay comfortable offices, expensive shops and a few luxurious apartments. At the base of the tower, the wide door to an elevator shaft remained imposingly shut.

Shepard had taken but a few steps out from cover to take in the strut before a gunshot echoed out, sending up a plume of loose soil from where the bullet landed.

"Sniper!" Shepard yelled.

The Commander and his companions reacted instantly, racing back into cover within the protection of the streets they had just left behind. Shepard chanced a peek to see where the bullets were coming from and, although another shot sent him back into hiding, he managed to spot a broken window about thirty stories up the pillar. He looked over to Thane. The Drell nodded silently, peeling off from the group to find another angle of approach on the pillar in order to find out more about its defender.

"That ain't a sniper rifle." Zaeed surmised. "If they're using an assault rifle at this range, they must be desperate, using what they can grab. Definitely not attackers, then. You invade a station, you make goddamn sure you've got enough weaponry and ammo to do it."

"So probably the people we're looking for." Shepard concluded.

"Shepard, I have a visual on the target." Thane's calm voice filtered through the comms. Shepard turned back to the pillar, looking about for any sign of his friend. He saw nothing, but was not surprised. The Drell could evade the eyes of even the most alert of guards. "Thirty-first floor, inside what appears to have been a computer hardware store. Salarian, male, carrying a rather worn-out Mattock assault rifle. Injuries to his right arm, his lower jaw and the left knee."

"You going to tell us how much ammo he's got left in his gun?" Zaeed asked sarcastically.

"Three shots. And two thermal clips in his ammo pouch," Thane answered without skipping a beat. Shepard couldn't tell whether he was being serious or participating in the joke. "I have him in my sights. Should I take the shot?"

"Negative. He may be one of the Council reps." Shepard cautioned. "Be ready, but don't fire unless I give the order."

"Understood. Awaiting further instruction." The Drell said in his clipped, professional manner. The Commander turned back to his other companions.

"Stay here and wait for my signal. I'll try to approach them alone."

"Be careful, Shepard." Samara warned, radiating concern.

"Aren't I always?" Shepard asked with a grin.

"Hell no. That's why you've been dead once already." Zaeed fired back sardonically.

Shepard turned away, carefully placing his rifle on his back. He then lifted his arms, holding his hands with the palms facing outwards, and walked slowly into view of the pillar again. He strode forward as confidently as he could, although his gut tensed when the thought of a bullet from the Salarian in the pillar going through his skull danced in his imagination. A treacherous shiver in the base of his spine tried to override his motor functions to make his turn and run, but his will was strong, and he pressed forward.

"He sees you, Shepard." Thane's voice buzzed in his ear. "He's tracking you with his rifle, talking to someone else in the room behind him." There was a pause. "He's saying something, but I'm having trouble reading his lips… He's taking the shot! Get down!"

Shepard's survival instincts kicked into overdrive, screaming at him to turn and run. But his sheer willpower, combined with the bull-headed stubbornness that had got him through so many dire situations before, fought down the panic. Instead, his body compromised by stopping in the middle of the open space, neither advancing nor retreating.

"Shepard! Get out of there!" The Drell's voice possessed a tension he had never heard before, the pressure of the situation finally breaking his unflappable demeanour.

A single shot rang out, striking the Commander's shields. He staggered back as the force of the shot was transferred through his barriers to his shoulder, forcing him back a step, but he did not turn and run. He held his ground firmly.

"He's lining up another shot. Commander, what are you doing? Get out of there!" Thane paused, struggling with a decision. "I'm taking the shot."

"No." Shepard's voice was strangely serene, even in the face of death. "Hold your fire. That is an order."

"I- yes, Commander." Shepard knew that that would not hold the Drell back for long. Professional as he was, he wouldn't let Shepard die needlessly.

Less than a second later, Shepard's stance was vindicated by another update from the assassin.

"Somebody's speaking to the Salarian. Human, male. Can't see his face yet… it's Admiral Anderson!" The relief in the Drell's voice was very much in evidence. "He's talked the Salarian down."

Shepard relaxed, but kept his hands up in a gesture of peace. He waited a moment until a shout reached down to him.

"Who goes there?" The familiar voice was tired, but strong.

"Commander Shepard, of the Normandy. You wouldn't happen to know where I can find some tenacious old bastard of an Admiral called Anderson, would you?"

"Shepard!" Anderson's tone lifted with a mixture of hope and relief. "Should have known you'd turn up here. Hang on, we'll throw the rope down."

As he waited, Shepard signalled the others.

"I'll go check everything's alright up there. Secure a perimeter, and let me know if anything happens."

"Understood." Was Thane's crisp reply.

"Yeah, yeah."

"I'm on it."

"On it!"

Shepard looked back to the pillar in time to see a rope unfurl from the broken window, dangling down just a little bit off the ground. Taking a deep breath, he clambered up the rope, his mind flickering back momentarily to his training sessions on this very station, deep under the soil in one of the decks below, where he had done pretty much the same thing on a daily basis. He was quite pleased with himself when, upon nearing the top, he found himself barely tired out by it. He was still in as good shape as when he had been a young, fresh-faced recruit.

He clambered up the side of the pillar using the rope, until finally he hauled himself into the store that had become a temporary refuge for the small group of survivors. He looked about carefully, taking in the condition of all four of them. As Thane had pointed out, the Salarian had minor injuries, but his right arm was hampering him somewhat as he stood next to the window with the Mattock rifle slung under one arm. Further into the shop, an Asari lay on the floor, her features, once so familiar to the Commander, now drained of almost all pigmentation by blood loss. A grievous wound had pierced her torso, running straight through her body from her back to her front. Purple blood still seeped from the wound, the insufficient application of Medi-Gel barely covering the opening, let alone going to work on the internal damage. A Turian, his features tense with worry and sorrow, leaned over her. He appeared to be relatively unmarked, although his armour had a few dents in it. Shepard's heart went out to them upon spotting Sha'ira and Septimus, realising that there was probably little to be done.

The room itself was a well-kept computer hardware store. It occupied the entire floor of the pillar, its circular walls made almost completely of glass to allow a panoramic view of the habitation ring. Shelves criss-crossed the floor, holding various computer chips, omnitools displayed on artificial hands, and display screens that had now gone sullenly dark. In the centre of the room, the wide circular elevator shaft passed through on its journey upwards, the spine of the pillar and the most stable part of the structure.

He turned to Anderson, inspecting the older soldier for a moment. He was unharmed, but the creased around the corners of his eyes and the deep shadows above his cheeks spoke of the stress of the past day. He offered a hand to the Commander, who shook it eagerly.

"Good to see you again, Shepard. We were starting to think we wouldn't get out of this alive."

"Things have certainly gone to hell since I was last here, Admiral. What's the situation?"

"We're in pretty bad shape. I was in contact with a few clusters of survivors spread out across the station, but they've gone silent, one after another. It's fortunate that Admiral Drescher managed to get the Senate out before that damn EMP went off."

"We found some survivors on our way here. They've gone to the escape pods now, and Joker's going to pick them up."

"Good. Wouldn't want them sticking around here to be found." Anderson's tone was sombre. "There are indoctrinated servants of the Reapers aboard. More sophisticated than Husks. They show very little sign of conversion, just like Saren. It was one of them that caught us off-guard and wounded the Consort." He pointed over his shoulder at the Asari.

"Well then, we can't afford to stick around much longer." Shepard concluded. "If there are no more survivors, as you say, or even if there's only a few left, that's nowhere near enough to run the station. If we can't power it up, we need to scuttle it."

"Scuttle Arcturus?" Anderson asked incredulously. "Are you mad? Do you know what this means to Humanity?"

"I'm aware." Shepard said evenly, swallowing the bitter taste in his mouth. "But I also know the value of this station in the wrong hands. If we can't take it back, we need to keep it out of Reaper control. We're not ready to take the Reapers on, especially not when the only forces in system are what's left of the ADI fleets. I have some reinforcements en route, but they won't be enough for anything but a tactical retreat. The Arcturus System is lost, Admiral. We just haven't admitted it yet."

Anderson glared for a moment, before sighing.

"You're right." He relented. "Better that it's reduced to scrap than turned into a weapon pointed at us."

Shepard glanced past the Admiral at the wounded Asari. He bit his lip as he tried to work out how to get her to the shuttle. The elevator was out, thanks to the damage the electro-magnetic pulse had caused, so the only way down the pillar was via the rope dangling out of the window. Sha'ira was too weak to climb down herself, so they'd have to lower her, but they couldn't do that without risking further injury. She needed a little more attention before she could be moved. He pulled out his commlink.

"Shepard to ground team. Come in ground team."

"Ground team here, Commander." Thane replied. "No movement as yet out here."

"Pull back to the pillar. We have wounded here in need of preparation for transport. Mordin's going to have his work cut out."

"Understood. On our way."

Moments later, the rope twitched as the first of the squad clambered up. Mordin, breathing somewhat heavily from the climb, scrambled into view, barely pausing before moving over to kneel next to Sha'ira. Shepard saw the Salarian, Deridan, brighten upon catching sight of him, but his offered greeting died before the first syllable as the doctor rushed past to deal with his patient first. As the rope began to bounce again, the Salarian scientist set to work.

"Hmm. Internal haemorrhaging. Damage to secondary kidney and primary liver. Spleen intact, but bruised. Mild abrasion to left lung. Damage mostly to muscles rather than organs. Fortunate. Easy to treat. Although… field dressing is sloppy. Soldier's work. Amateurish. Little more than container for spilt blood now. Will have to remove, clean wound and start from scratch."

Septimus, hovering behind him, bristled at the derision of his work, but held his tongue. All that mattered was that Sha'ira was healed.

As Samara clambered into view, swiftly followed by Thane, the Salarian set about repairing the internal damage and properly stopping the bleeding. With the former Justicar available to lend her gentle hands to the work, the rudimentary surgery went off without a hitch, although the Consort remained very pale. After five minutes, the doctor had completed his work, patting his hands together with satisfaction.

"Have done what I can. Medi-Gel is working to repair damage, but body must do most of work. Not up to anything strenuous, so should avoid combat and use of biotics, but can travel, as long as pace is reduced."

"Thank you." Septimus said sincerely before going to kneel by Sha'ira again. She was slowly becoming more lucid, the light-headedness of her blood loss still plaguing her.

"Now, on to you, Deridan." Mordin said, turning to his fellow Salarian. "Disguising broken arm well, but cannot fool me. Needs splint."

"I'm fine." The Salarian Lieutenant Colonel dismissed.

"Arrogant to proceed with such injury. Thought time in STG had taught you to admit when needing treatment. Allow me to look at it. Do not want a repeat of mission to Perneusa."

"That was twelve years ago!" Deridan protested.

"Yes, but Private Nixal still lacks right foot. Should know. Helped him purchase mechanical prosthetic on Omega last year."

"Alright." The Salarian sighed. "Do your worst."

As the two Salarian's settled in one corner to work on the broken arm, they began chatting. Shepard picked up a few stray words, including numerous mentions of Tuchanka, as well as a number of Salarian names he had heard Mordin mention before. Although they had initially seemed grudgingly civil, it seemed they were actually good friends. While they worked, the Commander turned back to the window just in time to see Saion finish his ascent.

As the Turian dusted his hands off, the atmosphere in the store cooled by several degrees. There was a moment when all present went silent before the survivors burst into action. Before Shepard could blink, Deridan had drawn Mordin's SMG from its holster and aimed it at the Turian survivor, Anderson had dropped into a crouch that had him finish up by retrieving Deridan's discarded Mattock, and Septimus had lunged forward with a roar. The Turian general's arm shot out, lifting Saion off the floor and pinning him against a wall by his throat. Saion barely blinked.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Shepard shouted in surprise as he heard Thane unfolding his rifle behind him. The ominous hum of Samara's biotics thrummed from somewhere close to Sha'ira, and Mordin had drawn his pistol. The Commander raised his arms, trying to calm everyone down. "Hold on, Septimus. This is Saion. He's a survivor we picked up on our way here. He's an ally."

"He is no such thing!" The Turian spat. "He's one of them, the one who hurt Sha'ira!"

Shepard paused, looking to the other Turian's face for some kind of confirmation. The flat, emotionless way he glared back at his kinsman spoke volumes, and had Shepard reaching for his own pistol. Still, he had to ask.

"Is this true?" He demanded. The Turian's eyes darted to him, and now he could see the light behind them, a bright blue luminescence that was growing in the heart of the pupils, coming towards the surface like a shark rising from the depths. There was no denying where his allegiance lay now. "What is your purpose here?"

"Our masters are beyond your comprehension." Saion's voice had changed. Now it possessed the deep, bass quality that the Commander had come to associate with the Reapers.

"I comprehend that they die just as easily as anything else." Shepard said strongly. "Just like any of their servants who get in my way."

"You have yet to face the true power of one of our masters' servants. " The Turian's voice was arrogant, mocking.

"I've faced plenty of your masters' slaves before. The Geth, the Collectors, countless Husks…"

"The Geth were nothing but a tool enlisted by Saren Arterius to further his own campaign. The Collectors were the result of fifty thousand years of degradation from what we had originally intended for them. As for the Husks, you have yet to come to know the meaning of the word. Those that came before were nothing."

"Explain." Shepard demanded. He didn't expect Saion to answer such an abrupt request, and so was surprised when he received an explanation.

"The Husks you have encountered before now are the creations of lesser servants. Firstly imitations created by technology gifted to the Geth, beings too primitive to fully grasp its capabilities. This was their test to discern whether they were deserving of ascendance. They were not. The ones utilised by the Collectors were once again crude replicas of our technology. Such pale imitations are not worthy of the fear they are shown, and show just how inferior these races are."

"If they're so terrible, why keep using them?"

"The pale degradations you have seen are all but eliminated now, making way for the true format to be created."

"The true format?" Samara asked hesitantly. Shepard could understand her trepidation. He didn't like the sound of it either.

"Servants created by the Reapers themselves, creatures of greater power than any you could imagine. Creatures indistinguishable from the beings around them. We shall infiltrate every level of your society, starting with the Council representatives present here. Perhaps even you shall be converted, Shepard. What a victory, to convert our greatest enemy into the foremost of our servants!"

"Enough!" Septimus growled, threatening to crush the not-Turian's throat with his arm. "We're putting an end to thins, right now!"

"You cannot stop it." Saion's face grinned. "The infiltration has already begun."

"What?" Shepard asked sharply.

"You sent Nishto and Segs to the Normandy, did you not? She is a fine vessel, perfectly designed for travelling unseen. And, with the permissions of a Spectre, well placed for getting operatives into any location we so desire. In fact-"

Saion was interrupted by the terrible crack of a gunshot, half of his face vanishing in a splatter of gore that sprayed across Septimus' armour. As the Turian general flinched, the creature's arm slashed out with a glint of shining metal. Septimus staggered back, clutching at his now torn open armour. A glint of blue seeped from a shallow gash across his belly.

The squad did not hesitate, unleashing everything they had. Mordin launched an Incineration blast while Samara used her biotics to try and grip the creature, but Saion was too fast. Using supernaturally fast reflexes, he dodged both attacks, launching himself upwards. His face still gushed blue blood, one mandible hanging loosely on one strip of scaly flesh. He struck the ceiling, lengthening claws on his hands and feet digging into allow him to scuttle along like a spider.

Thane, Anderson, Shepard and Deridan unloaded their clips at the creature, but his speed and agility meant that precious few shots landed. Even those that hit him appeared to cause little damage. Saion paused in on the ceiling of the store, turning to look back at them with a malevolent blue glare. For a moment, Shepard saw what Saren had become after his noble sacrifice on the Citadel to stop Sovereign. There were similarities, but Saren's indoctrinated form had seemed more incomplete. This was a full-blooded version of an indoctrinated servant, a creature of incredible potency and a terrible threat. He could see where the claws would retract and remain unseen, and that set him to wondering what other kinds of upgrades the reapers may have forced upon the former Turian. The overall result was a creature the Commander found unsettling, causing him to wonder if the dead faces of the zombie-like Husks was a preferable alternative. At least you could see them coming a mile off.

Saion leapt from the roof, landing directly in front of the broken window. He turned to stare at Shepard.

"I'll see you soon, Commander." It almost chuckled as it spoke.

"Hey, arsehole."

The creature turned inquisitively at the harsh voice. There, standing in the frame of the broken window, Zaeed Massani held a large, broad-muzzled shotgun. Standing at point-blank range, he pulled the trigger twice, sending two bursts of metal shrapnel tearing into the Turian Husk-creature, eliciting a fountain of gore that turned his blood red armour a royal blue. The monster that had been Saion stumbled back from the blast, struggling to keep its innards from spilling out across the floor.

"Get out of the goddamn way."

The creature howled in pain and anger before lunging for him. With a speed that betrayed his ageing appearance, the former bounty hunter dodged to one side, only receiving a light graze from Saion's deadly claws. The Husk-creature stumbled for a moment as it failed to meet any resistance in its headlong dash, but was unable to stop before it went through the window, roaring as it tumbled down out of sight.

Zaeed picked himself up from where he had landed, pumping the shotgun to reload. He glanced at the tide of red streaming down one arm, shrugging indifferently, before looking to the Commander.

"What the hell was that? You started the killing without me!"

"That was Saion. He was indoctrinated by the Reapers and… upgraded." Shepard explained, unsure of how to describe it. Frowning, he looked over to Mordin. "Did you understand any of what he said?"

"Hmm. Advanced form of indoctrination carried out by Reapers themselves. Makes sense, actually. Creation of Husks always seemed like waste of resources. Weak combat troops insufficient reward for investment of conversion technology. But, if Husks encountered so far are only inferior copies of true design, then should expect many more of Saion's kind to appear."

"They've gone to a lot of trouble to make sure they looked normal." Thane observed.

"Also sensible. All stories heard about Reaper cleansing cycle mention indoctrinated servants seeding chaos and betraying location of places of refuge. Creating of covert operatives tactically sound."

The squad tensed as an ear-piercing shriek rose from the foot of the pillar. As one, they rushed to the window, looking down. There, about six stories down, Saion's body clung to the side of the pillar, claws digging in deep. It reared up like a wolf howling at the moon, that terrible sound reverberating from its throat. After a moment, howls could be heard throughout the surrounding artificial countryside. Pale bodies began running through fields, forests and small settlements, all racing towards the pillar.

"Bloody hell." Zaeed breathed.

"No way we're fighting our way through that." Shepard concluded. "We've got to hold this place until we get a chance to make a run for it."

"I suppose there's no hope that the damn things can't climb?" Zaeed asked. Moments later, the first of what Shepard was now thinking off as the 'old' Husks reached the base of the pillar and, without a moment's hesitation, began scaling the sheer surfaces, pale fingers finding purchase in the smallest of crevices.

"Thane! Zaeed! Sniper rifles. With me. Samara, Mordin, ready anything that can dislodge them. Ice, biotics, whatever you've got. Wait until they're high enough that the fall will kill them."

The squad lined up in a neat rank of five, leaning out of the window to watch the approaching horde. In seconds, Thane and Zaeed had started firing, quickly sending a number of Husks tumbling back to the ground. Shepard followed suit, his quick reflexes letting him jump from one target to the next without hesitation. The Husks made for easy targets, possessing no fear or sense of self-preservation. They simply rushed into the line of fire with no hesitation, not even dodging as the bullets zinged by overhead or killed one of their comrades climbing beside them. Sometimes Shepard would hit a Husk just so, and it would tumble into the ones coming up behind it, dragging them off the side of the structure with it.

Samara and Mordin worked to keep the front rank of the enemy horde back, the Asari's biotics and the Salarian's tech skills quickly sending clusters of Husks plummeting down to smash on the ground in a mess impact.

As Shepard popped the heat sink in his rifle for the third time, he became aware of an additional presence at the window. He saw Anderson, Deridan and Septimus step up, each holding a weapon resolutely as they unleashed hell upon the mass of bodies scaling the pillar. Even Septimus, who only had a pistol from their small stock of weapons, did not hold back from throwing as much metal as he could at their opponents.

This blistering hail of fire held back the front ranks for a couple of frenzied minutes, until Saion, still present in the heart of the horde, let out another roar. The Husk rush faltered, a large number of the pale bodies splitting off to move further around the pillar.

"They're trying to flank us." Shepard warned. "Quick! Take out the other windows. Cover all sides of the pillar. Fan out!"

The team nodded as one, spreading out until every angle of approach was covered. Windows shattered as the defenders got into position, resuming their attack on the oncoming Husks. Shepard remained at the first window, sniping the Husks as quickly as he could. He launched a couple of Concussive Shots, causing groups of pale bodies to tumble away from the pillar and making holes in the front rank, but every time he made an opening, another Husk would surge forward to continue the advance. As much as he hated to admit it, the enemy was making progress.

The turning point came when the Husks finally managed to swarm close enough that the squad's sniper rifles became inefficient, forcing Thane to swap out his favoured weapon for an SMG while Zaeed and Shepard drew their assault rifles. Sensing their prey was becoming more vulnerable, the Husks dashed forward, ascending the final few floors with ease as bullet after bullet ploughed into them. The burst fire nature of the assault rifles worked against the squad, forcing them to waste a lot of ammo for every head shot they landed, meaning they spent more time trying to just land a kill. In this close quarters fight, Samara and Mordin really came to the fore, managing to sweep masses of pale bodies off the side of the pillar. Thane, too, began using his biotics to attack, rather than his rarely used SMG. Zaeed changed his tactics, dropping Incendiary Grenades on the husks. The canisters would burst open in mid-air, sending waves of liquid fire washing over many Husks, sending them dropping to the ground like flaming meteorites. Deridan stepped up to the challenge as well, displaying some surprisingly well developed biotic powers, something of a rarity for Salarians. Shepard, Anderson and Septimus kept up the assault with their various weapons. The Turian general showed that he had indeed earned his rank, showcasing some impressive accuracy with his pistol, while Anderson, showing familiarity with the older model Mattock, managed to achieve nearly a one-shot, one-kill policy.

After only a couple of minutes of this frenzied defence, the Husks finally ascended to their floor, clambering up in ragged numbers. Even considering the horde's vast size, the squad had managed to thin the numbers somewhat, leaving a pile of Husk corpses stacked up at least ten feet deep at the foot of the pillar all around. As they tried to scramble into a standing position on the squad's floor, Shepard and his allies kept on gunning them down, but their position was quickly being compromised.

"Fall back to Sha'ira!" Shepard commanded. "Back to back!"

The squad swiftly closed up, forming a ring around the wounded Asari. Even in her injured stupor, the blue alien had the presence of mind to pick up a discarded pistol, firing it at any Husks she caught sight of. She could manage little in the way of turning the tide of the battle, but she managed to peg a few Husks, slowing them down enough for another squad mate to finish them off. Shepard wasn't about to reject any help in this fight.

The Husks pressed in on all sides, but they couldn't get close enough to the squad to cause any real damage. The trio of biotics were managing to send groups of Husks hurtling to their destruction off the edge of the floor, while the more weapon-oriented members of the group simply kept unloading their clips into the mass of pallid flesh.

"Keep it up!" Shepard encouraged, pausing briefly to reload. "Don't let them get close enough to take out your shields!"

"Yeah, thanks!" Zaeed shot back sarcastically. "Never woulda thought of that!"

Shepard didn't respond to that, knowing it wouldn't do to argue in the middle of such a tense situation. Instead he turned back to the oncoming Husks. He could see their numbers thinning now, less and less appearing over the edge of the floor, but they had drawn dangerously close. His stomach dropped as he heard a cry to his left, seeing Mordin go down under a pile of a half dozen Husks. He caught a few glimpses of the Salarian's terrified face beneath the writhing mass. He cried out his old friend's name, rifle chattering as he turned to attack those pinning the professor down. Samara looked over from her position and, seeing the threat, unleashed a shockwave that tore the creatures from the scientist's prone form. Shepard glanced to the Asari as he helped Mordin get back to his feet.

"We won't last much longer at this rate. We need to clear this floor out." He said meaningfully. Samara looked at him for a moment before nodding silently. He felt a twinge of guilt at making the request. He knew that this was asking a lot of her.

The Asari frowned for a moment as she struggled to muster the needed energy, raising her arms above her head. A pair of Husks dashed at her, but Zaeed quickly gunned them down. The biotic clouds around each of her upraised fists intensified, growing in size and potency with each passing moment. The Husks continued to press in, not affected in the slightest by the ominous sight. As Samara focused, the air around her hands began to purr ever so slightly as the molecules vibrated wildly. This purr rose in volume until it was a quiet roar in the squad's ears. Samara's knees started to shake as all of her power flowed into the attack, until finally she could barely take it any longer. The only signal she could spare in her focused state was a silent nod to Shepard.

"Everyone get down!" He yelled, just before dropping. Around him, the rest of the squad did the same, Anderson and Septimus placing themselves protectively over Sha'ira.

The Asari exile's hands slammed down into the floor, leaving twin dents in their wake. Centred upon her, a massive blast of dark energy radiated outwards, catching anything in its path. Shepard clutched at the floor, struggling for purchase as the powerful biotic tidal wave threatened to drag him away. Around him, the rest of the squad struggled with the same powerful force, Mordin even being swept along a couple of metres by it before finding sufficient purchase to hang on to. The Husks, however, were not so lucky. Like a house of cards caught in a powerful breeze, they were swept away from the squad, tumbling out of the shattered windows. Plaintive moans and shrieks could be heard diminishing rapidly as they dropped to the ground far below. Over these tortured shrieks, Shepard heard more and more windows shattering both above and below them, blown out by the force of the biotic explosion. The pillar swayed, its structure twisting from the after effects of the blast. A few tortured shrieks of twisting metal cautioned the squad against doing anything rash.

Releasing his grip on the floor, the Commander stood on unsteady feet. He cautiously walked over to where Samara knelt on the floor, head slumped, shoulders drooping. He placed a hand on her shoulder, silently congratulating and thanking her.

The squad's relief was brought to an abrupt end as the pillar shivered, sending more creaks and groans running through its structure. The rumbling shake happened again and again, a rhythmic thump, thump, thump. With a howl of rage, Saion leapt into view. His face had partially repaired itself, as had his ruptured belly, the Reaper tech quickly setting about ensuring that its vessel was intact. Given time, Shepard could see that the mechanism would once more make the Turian indistinguishable from beings that were not indoctrinated.

"An impressive display, Shepard." The Turian growled. "But ultimately pointless. You will die here, Shepard, by my hand or at the hands of one of my kin."

"I've taken out far worse things than one Turian." Shepard replied boldly, lifting his rifle and firing off a couple of shots, which Saion dodged out of the way of with ease.

The squad attacked in earnest after this brief exchange. Mordin and Zaeed took refuge behind one of the few shelves still standing, sending brief bursts of fire at the dodging Husk creature, while Thane helped Samara seek refuge behind the cylindrical elevator shaft, the pair sending the occasional biotic bolt blazing towards the fight. Septimus and Anderson covered Sha'ira, keeping her safe while they tried to fend off the leaping Turian. Deridan raced to one side, hoping to draw Saion's attention by triggering a singularity close to him. The indoctrinated alien took the bait, following the Salarian doggedly.

Shepard emptied his clip at the creature as he dashed for cover behind an overturned desk. He slammed a fresh clip into the loading slot, then turned just in time to see Saion land on the floor, arms and legs spread out like an insect. On all fours like this, the creature glared around, looking for a target to vent its wrath upon, when a small metallic clink made it look down. A tiny metal cylinder rolled to a stop against its clawed hand before erupting in a blast of flame. The pillar of fire engulfed Saion, hiding him from view as it licked at the ceiling and washed across the floor. His howls sounded out loudly. The Commander leaned back from the fire, being close enough to feel his eyebrows starting to smoulder from the heat.

The flames died as quickly as they had started, leaving a black spot in the Commander's vision that pulled at his gaze. He blinked, shaking his head to clear the blind spot. As his vision returned to him, he saw what remained of Saion stand erect. The Turian's flesh had mostly burned away, leaving charred flakes of scales and muscle crackling loudly. The metal in his body was now in evidence, running through his bones and internal organs. His skull had been replaced in its entirety with a metal replica, wires descending out of it to infect his entire form. Glowing an eerie white, a false heart could be seen pumping powerfully.

"I cannot be stopped, Shepard!" The Turian monster breathed, a chuckle in the back of its throat. "The Reapers have granted me immortality!"

"Good." Shepard said flatly. "I always love a challenge."

Without flinching, he lifted his rifle and pulled the trigger, sending several short bursts of bullets at the Turian Husk. At such a close range, the rifle tore into Saion easily, blowing off chunks of burnt flesh and sinister metal by the handful. The Husk growled before leaping back and up, clutching the ceiling as he scuttled away.

Shepard took a step to follow, but froze as he felt something lurch underfoot. He looked down to see the floor ahead of him begin to fracture, a spider's web of cracks criss-crossing his path. He looked up to see the ceiling above him in a similar sorry state. He looked about for his squad, making eye contact with Zaeed.

"You got any more of those little toys left?" He asked.

"A couple, yeah. You need 'em?"

"Keep them ready for when I signal you." Shepard instructed. He then turned to Thane. "Ready a biotic pull for when I shout, okay? You'll know the target."

"Yes, Shepard." The Drell nodded.

"Good. Now everyone, stay in cover! Let him come to me!" With that, Shepard turned and raced towards the Turian Husk, dancing across the damaged floor warily as he ran. His rifle chattered in his hands, peppering the Turian corpse with flashes of metal. Saion howled in fury, turning and bounding towards the Commander, his claws tearing chunks out of the ceiling.

Shepard backed up, heading back towards the damaged section of the floor. As his feet reached the edge of the charred section, the former Turian caught up with him, swinging at the Commander with a powerful arm. Shepard felt the air rush out of his lungs in one whoosh as he tumbled away, managing to stop just short of the edge of the floor. He got to his feet quickly, aware of the long drop behind him. The floor buckled gently under his weight, the lack of support making it weak. He needed to get away from the edge before a section of flooring snapped away, taking him with it.

The Commander made to run back towards the centre of the store, but Saion was quickly upon him. The Turian's weight bore him to the floor, making it shiver uncertainly under their combined weight. The duo wrestled on the floor for a few seconds, going dangerously close to the edge at one point, before Saion raised an arm and slashed at the Human with his wicked claws. Shepard groaned in pain as the claws went straight through his armour, tearing at the flesh of his arm and drawing a spray of blood from a nicked artery. Instantly Shepard felt the injury begin to sap him, and that realisation galvanised him into action. With a roar, his leg shot out, catching the Turian on the side and making something crack within. As the creature doubled over in response to the damage, Shepard rolled out from under him before turning and running. He darted back to the burnt section of the floor, stopping almost in its centre. He turned back just in time to see Saion loping across the ceiling. The Turian Husk raced towards him, maintaining a good pace until it hit the worst of the damage caused by Zaeed's grenade. The ceiling failed to hold his weight, crumbling under his claws and sending him tumbling to the floor in front of the commander. Shepard raised an arm to protect himself as more and more debris rained down from a widening hole. He turned back to his allies.

"Now!"

Thane's reaction was instantaneous, a biotic field enveloping the Commander and hauling him free as the worst of the damage gave way, dropping a sizeable portion of the ceiling on the remaining Saion. At the same time, Zaeed lobbed another grenade, Mordin complimenting this with an Incineration blast of his own. The combined inferno burned even hotter than the first, the shrieks of what had once been Saion echoing out from its heart. This blaze, combined with the falling debris, proved too much for the floor, with it finally giving away with a series of thunderous cracks. With the Turian Husk trapped in it, the burning pile of rubble dropped out of sight, a pair of follow-up crashes heralding its passage through a couple of floors below. Everything went quiet.

Lying on the floor where Thane's Pull had cast him, the Commander struggled to get his rapid breathing under control, easing back onto his feet. He winced as his leg, badly injured by a piece of falling metal, protested each step, but he held strong, stepping right up to the edge of the hole Saion had fallen through. He'd faced too many fantastical foes to simply accept the death of his opponent. He had to be sure.

Flames still burned on the floors before, carpets and furniture set alight by the rubble's passage. It had stopped three floors below, where it smoked merrily. The upper half of the creature could be seen protruding from the pile, clearly inert. The metal Turian skull lolled back limply, almost seeming to stare back at the Commander balefully.

"That's it." Shepard sighed, finally relaxing. "He's dead."

"'Bout goddamn time." Zaeed muttered, standing with a groan. It was only then Shepard noticed the many wounds he had sustained during the fight with the husk horde. The old mercenary's armour was riddled with scratches and splits where dead fingers had broken through, and he walked with a pronounced limp.

Shepard moved to examine the rest of his squad, but his eyes were drawn back to the hole in the floor as a bright white light shone up it. Looking down, dreading that he might see some Reaper trickery reviving their servant, he raised his eyebrows as he saw Saion's body twitch. The heart at its core pulsed uncertainly, erratically. Its pace began to increase, reaching an incredible rate. White light flickered along the outline of the corpse, tinged with blue. The corpse began to radiate massive amounts of light, building up to something. Just what, Shepard could not say. But it only took a second for him to decide it fell into the category of Bad News. He turned to his friends.

"Get back!"

The explosion dwarfed anything that had occurred during their fight with the Husks, the blast making the pillar sway even more uncertainly. Shepard was thrown to the floor, grunting as more bones cracked in protest of the rough treatment. Behind him, the floor around the hole lifted, bowing upwards like a massive lung inflating, before dropping with a shriek of tearing metal. This proved to be too much for the tortured structure, causing most of that side of the store to peel away, tumbling away in a shower of metal and glass. The tearing, groaning racket continued for several seconds before ending in a final thump.

Getting back to his feet, Shepard chanced a look over the precarious edge. For no fewer than eight floors below them, the side of the pillar had fallen away, either dislodged by the explosion of the Husk corpse or ripped away by plummeting debris, raining masses of rubble across the ground beside the pillar. The pillar now bowed to one side in a pronounced fashion, the weight of the remaining side pulling it outwards. The structure creaked dangerously. It would not hold for long.

"What the hell was that?" Shepard asked.

"Unsure." Mordin answered. "Maybe Reaper-designed power core within Husk? Damaged in fall, overloads, explosion."

"We need to get out of here." Shepard said, stating the obvious. He looked for a way out. The rope they had used to scale the pillar in the first place was long gone, lost during the Husk siege. It was too far to jump, and even if it hadn't been they couldn't try that with Sha'ira's injuries. His eyes settled upon the elevator shaft. It had no power, but he had a pretty resourceful team.

"Mordin, can you get that elevator up here?"

"Can try."

The Salarian set to work, kneeling next to the control panel. He lifted his omnitool, activating its Overload function. A massive jolt of energy flowed into the system, giving a quick boost that soon had the elevator racing up to their floor. In that second, the pillar began to shiver even more, a growing rumble.

"What's going on?" Shepard demanded urgently.

"Elevator motion has destabilised pillar!" Mordin explained. "Collapse imminent!"

"Zaeed! Help me get these doors open!" Shepard began tugging at one half of the elevator doors. The grizzled bounty hunter did the same for the other side, helped by Deridan and Thane. In a second, the four of them pried the doors open wide enough for everyone to pass through. As the elevator finished its ascent, allowing them to clamber aboard, Septimus scooped up Sha'ira, carrying her through the door. Samara walked in leaning wearily on an elevator wall, while the rest of the squad filed in quickly Anderson and Shepard were the last to enter, the latter looking back just in time to see the ceiling of the floor they had been standing on collapsing, metal tearing metal on its way down.

"Time to go, Mordin!" He urged. The Salarian nodded and activated the elevator, sending it down.

They moved maybe half a floor before the elevator jerked, catching on the buckling elevator shaft as the pillar deformed. There was a loud twanging from above, and then the elevator dropped sickeningly fast, gaining speed.

"Mordin?" Shepard shouted over the rush of the plummeting elevator.

"Support cables severed!" The Salarian shouted. "Brakes non-functional. Cannot stop descent."

Shepard glanced about anxiously. If they continued to fall at this rate, they'd smash into the bottom of the shaft with enough force to reduce their bones to so much jelly inside their skins. Even worse, they could risk punching through the decks below until they hit the exterior pressure hull, ripping their way out of the station into the unforgiving vacuum of space. An idea sprang into his mind.

"Samara! Thane!" He yelled, the scream of rushing air deafening in his ears. "I need you to catch this thing!"

The pair looked at him with surprise. Thane in particular looked doubtful.

"I do not possess the power for such a feat, Commander."

"I am too fatigued, Shepard." The Asari protested.

"Its that or die!" Shepard shouted back. "You don't need to stop us, just slow us down enough that we don't die on impact!"

"I can do it."

Shepard turned at the confident statement, looking with surprise at Deridan. The Salarian readied himself to summon the biotic fields necessary, eyes creasing around the edges with concentration. His determined expression quelled any doubtful query Shepard may have had.

The Salarian grunted as the elevator was swallowed up by pulsating blue light, a slight hitch shivering through its frame as the dark energy took a hold of it. The decrease in speed was infinitesimal, but when Thane and Samara added their efforts to the mix, the elevator began slowing at an increasing rate.

Shepard watched the floor counter tensely as it counted off the distance to the bottom of the shaft, willing the trio of biotics to succeed. They were still travelling too fast when they passed the tenth floor, but the decrease in speed was tangible now, the rising feeling in their stomachs vanishing.

He closed his eyes as they passed the third floor at far too high a speed, much faster than any elevator he had ever been in before, clenching his fists in preparation for their sudden, high-speed demise.

The elevator struck the bottom of the shaft with a crash, throwing the group off their feet was the metal continued to vibrate noisily from the impact. As Shepard rose into a kneeling position, clutching at his head to silence the ringing that echoed through his skull, he was comforted to hear everyone around him groaning in pain. Pain was good. It meant they were still alive to acknowledge it. A brief check revealed only a broken wrist for Mordin, a bad sprain to Zaeed's ankle and a bleeding nose for Deridan, the price he paid for putting his biotics to the test.

"Just like N7 training, right Shepard?" Anderson grinned, rubbing a jarred shoulder. Shepard smiled back.

A cautioning rumble overhead reminded them that they were still in danger. Instantly, Shepard was on his feet and prying the elevator doors open. Beyond, he saw an entrance foyer leading out of the pillar. The windows dotted around the walls had all shattered and chunks of the ceiling had fallen as the pillar continued to shake itself apart, but it was holding together, at least for a little while.

"Quickly!" Shepard urged, breaking into a run.

The squad and the group of survivors dashed headlong towards the inviting light of the double doors leading out. Thane, Anderson and Deridan were closest behind the Commander, with Septimus, weighed down by Sha'ira, and Zaeed struggling along behind them. Samara and Mordin brought up the rear, both struggling with injuries from the fight and the fall in the elevator. They wove around collapsing segments of the room, making swift progress across the room towards the door. Finally, the Commander reached the door, shooting out the glass panels instead of pausing to open the doors. He ducked his head as he rushed out, enjoying the thin breeze in his face that told him he had made it out. Behind him, the rest of the group burst out into the open air, keeping up their hectic pace as they endeavoured to get away from the pillar. Shepard finally reached the safety of the nearby buildings, turning to look back as his companions dashed into cover.

The pillar had bellied out to one side, stretching and flexing while emitting a loud groan. It finally reached its limit before a terrible shriek escaped from deep within. The last intact part of the support strut, the elevator shaft at its heart, snapped in half, causing the remainder of the pillar to disintegrate into thousands of chunks of metal, plunging down into the artificial countryside all around in a chaotic hail.

The deadly collapse continued for several long moments, echoing throughout the habitation ring. Once it had ended, silence descended, the occasional rumble of an echo the only noise for a good few moments. Smoke drifted across the group's location, obscuring what remained of the pillar. When it cleared, all that was left of the support pillar were a few pieces of metal and glass protruding upwards from the ground and dangling down from the transparent roof of the ring. The rest was now spread out across the grasslands and forests in burning craters. A few pieces had struck the nearby settlements, starting some fires that glowed ominously in the distance.

The squad sagged with weariness, breathing deeply as the realisation of just what they had lived through sank in. After a moment, energetic back-slapping and congratulations passed between them, the warmth of the feeling that, no matter what the universe had thrown at them, they had thrown it back in the universe's face flowing through their veins. Shepard allowed them to bask in the adrenaline of the last few moments for just a little while, opening a channel to the Normandy.

"Joker, this is Shepard. Do you read me?" He waited a few moments before his call was answered, but the reply was full of static.

"-mmander? Yo-… -s breaking u-."

"Joker? Joker, if you can hear me, then listen very carefully. The survivors aboard those escape pods sent your way are indoctrinated. Do not let them onto the ship. Destroy the pods. It's a trap, I repeat, it's a trap! Do not let them aboard the Normandy."

"-hear you, Sh-… -ods now. Wi-… -up."

"Damn it!" Shepard cursed. "I don't know if the message got through." He looked back at their most recent mark on the station's scenery. "We'd best get moving. I want to get back to the ship as quickly as possible, before anything can happen. Besides which, I'd bet a hefty sum that noise was heard in the next system. We won't be alone here for long."

"Shepard, before we set off, you should know that there were more crew members than just Saion, the Salarian and the Quarian." Anderson informed him.

"How many?"

"Two that we encountered, a Krogan called Garatt and a Human, Nats. Of course, there's no guarantee that's all."

"So at least two more of those advanced Husks, maybe more." Shepard reasoned.

"Different biology makes assessment of potential abilities difficult." Mordin piped up. "Each species could be adapted in different ways to suit different natural proficiencies. Example being Turians, adapted to take advantage of reach and flexibility, natural agility and claws to make them agile melee combat units."

"Well, hopefully we won't have to fight them." Shepard said. "If we make a straight run for the shuttle, we can get back to the Normandy and scuttle this station. That should finish them off for us."

"When has any of our missions ever worked out like that?" Zaeed asked cynically.

**~o~0~o~**

The group hurried through the streets of one final settlement, nearing the point where they had entered the habitation ring. They had made good progress, encountering no resistance on their way. Shepard held no illusions that that would continue. As they paused to orient themselves at one crossroads, Shepard realised they were close to the way down to the corridors and, ultimately, the docking bay where the shuttle waited.

"Not far now." He encouraged. "Just a few decks down and we're there."

They found the doors leading down into the lower decks, still ajar from Thane's hack on their way up, an event that felt like it had occurred days ago after the strain of the past couple of hours. Shepard in the lead, the group of nine made a beeline across the square towards the way out of the habitation ring.

They froze as a figure stepped out from the doorframe, standing in their way. A small Human woman, no more than twenty years of age, with a slight build and reddish-brown hair. Her piercing green eyes examined the group closely, conveying no emotion beyond slightly bored interest. The most unsettling fact of her appearance was the fact that she carried no weapon of any kind. Presumably this was the 'Nats' Anderson had mentioned.

"Shepard. You killed Saion."

"How do you know?" The Commander asked cautiously.

"What one of us sees, we all see." She pointed to her temple. "What we become aware of, our masters process and respond to."

"You don't have to do this." Shepard tried to reason. "You can fight it. Saren did."

"Saren was incomplete. We are the true examples of what organics can become if they would just submit."

"I'd sooner die than become a mindless slave!" Shepard said defiantly.

"And so you shall. We have no use for you, and your mind is not worth subjugating."

"We beat the Turian easily enough." Zaeed said confidently. "You think you're any better? Think you got a shot?"

"We are all created equal." The woman replied flatly. "We all have our advantages and disadvantages. Where one fails, others may not. Nevertheless, we deemed it wise to make certain of our victory this time."

Shepard turned at the sound of throaty howls echoing from the streets around them. This was all much quieter, though, than the loud thumping noise that reverberated between the buildings, steady as a heartbeat. Shepard was reminded of the heavy steps of a gigantic animal, trudging across a vast plain. An instant later, the source of the noise hove into view. Tumbling through the air, dropping from the last rooftop onto the concrete street behind the squad with enough force to send cracks snaking through the street all around it, a huge Krogan, at least a match for Grunt in size, flexed his arms expectantly. His plates were a vivid green, while his eyes were blood red. This must have been the 'Garatt' from the Rogue Endeavour crew. The armour he wore was light, for a Krogan, but still almost as thick as a shuttle's pressure hull. From gaps in the armour, Shepard could see that the alien filled it to capacity with bulging muscles. He could only imagine what the Reapers might have done to upgrade the already impressive creature. Behind the alien, more Husks filed into the square, moving out to surround them.

"You got a plan, Shepard?" Anderson asked out of the corner of his mouth.

"For now, pick someone you don't like and let them know about it."

"Human ingenuity at its finest."

"What can I say? I'm a man of simple tastes."

The Krogan was the first to commit to the battle, racing forward with a hungry roar. His maw stretched just a little farther than was natural, revealing an array of glinting steel teeth. His eyes flashed brightly with a sinister scarlet hue as his feet struck the street surface hard enough to fracture the already damaged concrete. He made a beeline for the Commander.

Shepard easily side-stepped the charge, lashing out with a powerful punch to the alien's gut as he raced by. His arm jolted painfully, an agonising shiver running through his bones. He stumbled back in surprise, holding a numb hand as he looked at this latest foe with renewed surprise. Thanks to Cerberus, Shepard's bones, muscles and skin were all greatly enhanced. A punch like that would have staved in the front end of a skycar and was well capable of stopping a normal Krogan in his tracks. This indoctrinated specimen didn't even appear to feel the impact, simply grinning maliciously. He leaned forwards, stretching out with arms like the limbs of a mighty tree, scooping the Commander up in a massive bear hug.

A warning popped up on Shepard's HUD, cautioning him that the suit was enduring incredible pressure, rapidly approaching the limits of its ability to maintain structural integrity. He could hear metallic groans as panels folded inwards, pressing down on his ribcage powerfully. In but a moment, the armour would give way and the Commander would be crushed within.

The Krogan stumbled for a moment at two biotic blasts struck it in the back, followed quickly by the sharp retort of an assault rifle and the chatter of an SMG. Shepard's squad rushed the creature, giving him the momentary distraction he needed. The Commander lunged forward, his skull connecting with the armoured plate on the Krogan's brow. Stars wheeled in his vision as nausea gripped his throat, but the surprising manoeuvre, combined with the attack on its back, made the Krogan drop him, allowing him to slither away.

"Keep back!" The Commander yelled as he stood somewhat unsteadily. "Don't let it get a hold of you!"

The Krogan roared as it charged again, but Shepard had the good sense to avoid trying to engage it one-on-one, strafing sideways as he brought his rifle up to rip into it.

His focus was short-lived, however, as a sudden sickening feeling overwhelmed him. Gravity around him made a sudden U-turn, lifting him into the air in a spinning vortex of unstable energy. He looked about for the source of the attack to see the woman glowing as she manipulated the dark energy into a usable form. Her arms glowed with biotic power, but something was wrong with it. The light had red-shifted, suggesting an amp operating on an as yet undiscovered frequency or something else entirely. Either way, it warned of increased potency, something that was proved when, still holding the Commander aloft, she hurled a Warp blast at him. The twisting nether-energy ripped into the Commander, making him cry out in surprise as his shields simply disintegrated, allowing the attack to tear into his armour and body. He struggled to maintain coherent thought as every atom of his body attempted to move in a different direction to its neighbours.

The woman landed a couple more blasts before Anderson, roaring in rage, charged at her. The butt of his rifle connected with her chin, snapping her head back at an unnatural angle. Distracted, her biotic field dropped, casting the writhing Commander to the floor. She turned and, her head snapping back to its original orientation with no apparent side effects, glared at the old Admiral. Anderson was not cowed, flipping his rifle around to send half a clip tearing into her belly. The indoctrinated Human howled at the damage, retaliating with a Shockwave that hurled the Admiral away with ease.

Septimus and Deridan, meanwhile, focused on holding back the normal Husks. Their guns barked out, mowing down the pasty creatures with ease. The pair stood guard over Sha'ira's prone form, keeping the Asari safe at all costs. The Husks swarmed in, approaching in ever increasing numbers, drawing closer even with the large number of them gunned down with every passing moment. Eventually, their paltry defence was overwhelmed, forcing Deridan to summon up a biotic Shockwave to throw the approaching mass back, fatigued as he was. As the Salarian sagged to one knee, a Husk raced in behind him, unseen by either the former STG operative or the Turian general. While Deridan struggled to regain his breath, the Asari he was standing over opened her eyes. Catching sight of the danger, a pale blue hand shot out, lifting the Husk into the air and sending it wheeling away to crash into the wall of a nearby building. The Salarian looked down at the injured, exhausted Sha'ira, nodding his thanks before turning back to fighting the pale enemies.

Shepard was occupied with fighting the Krogan, aware as he was of the other dangers all around. The burly creature hounded him persistently, continually forcing him to dance backwards as it lunged with a powerful fist or a devastating kick. The indoctrinated alien was showing signs of damage, blood and conductive fluids running from many bullet holes across its chest, back and arms, but none of this seemed to slow it down. It howled whenever Mordin or Zaeed attacked it with fire, but would soon pound out of the blaze, patting out smouldering flesh and once again targeting Shepard. It seemed to especially dislike the Commander, possibly recognising him as the most potent threat on the battlefield.

Desperately thinking of a way to fight the juggernaut, the Commander looked for any weakness the creature may have had, seeing little to work with. Instead, he lifted his rifle, storing it back on the holster plate on his armour. He then reached further across his back, to the compact device stored across his spine. He unfolded Jacob's armour piercing weapon, the device the Normandy crew had taken to affectionately calling the 'Shredder Cannon'. He loaded one of the four shots he carried, still running to keep ahead of the Krogan, then spun and pulled the trigger.

The weapon jumped in his hands, sending the bright bolt darting towards the Krogan Husk. It punched through his left chest, easily piercing the armoured torso and burying itself deep beneath the ribcage. There was a brief pause as the Krogan looked at the damage uncertainly before looking up at Shepard with a leer on its face. It took another step forward before the detonation of the round threw it off its feet. A spout of flame washed out of its chest, spraying gore across the square. Half of the chest-plate of the armour was incinerated by the blast. The creature groaned as it struck the ground, rolling away several metres before coming to a sudden, still stop. Zaeed stepped over cautiously, emptying a clip from his assault rifle at point blank range into the face and chest. He then dropped an Incendiary Grenade, detonating it as he walked away. The Krogan's corpse burned merrily behind him, sending up a column of foul-smelling smoke.

Thane and Samara had moved their attention onto the Human woman attacking Anderson, peppering her with Warp Blasts. She had thrown up a biotic barrier to protect herself, the shimmering red shield holding strong even against the power of a former Justicar. She retaliated by using a Pull field to cause the pair to lift into the air, the duo letting out yelps of surprise as they drifted closer to her. Once they had drifted closer, she lifted her arm into the air, sending them arrowing upwards swiftly. She then slammed her hand down, bringing them crashing back to the ground powerfully. Samara went limp as a series of loud snaps warned of several broken bones. Thane was dazed, but clung to consciousness.

Seeing the threat, Shepard drew his shotgun, charging in while the Human Husk gathered some more energy to itself. His shotgun coughed twice, ripping more flesh from the now visible metal skeleton underneath. The Human, Nats, shrieked loudly, drawing the attention of the remaining normal Husks. They all turned at the sound, seeing the Commander attacking her. As one, they left the Council reps, rushing straight at Shepard.

Mere feet away from the Commander, a wall of flames burst into being. He turned to see Mordin and Zaeed approaching, using their talents to protect him. The Husks, undeterred, ran on through the flames, although many were consumed in their passage. Those that hurried through the flames and remained intact on the other side quickly succumbed to the attacks of the old mercenary and the scientist.

Knowing the situation was well in hand, Shepard turned back to face Nats. He fired again with his shotgun, but the attack was deflected by her renewed biotic Barrier. She smirked at him from beyond the defence, knowing that it would hold back his attacks. She summoned a new biotic field, readying to fling it at him.

Shepard tensed for the attack, ready when it was launched. He dove to the side, rolling to get out of the way. Even so, he still felt the mild burning caused by the near miss of the Warp blast. His shields, attempting to recharge, once more found themselves drained. As he rolled, he came up into a kneeling position, firing his gun. Nats flinched back from the unexpected attack, her barrier shivering uncertainly as he landed three more shots. She spun away, flinging another Warp at him. This one struck, eliciting another grunt of pain before the Commander shook it off. They worked at each other in this way, exchanging brief bursts of fire and biotics in a deadly back and forth rally.

Finally, the creature danced too close to the Commander, allowing him to land a powerful blast to her chest. Nats flew back, her barrier in tatters, her body bloody and broken from the harsh fight. Shepard stepped over to her, shotgun in hand. He looked down into the bruised face, the features of some woman who had died some time ago during the invasion of the Earth. There was no trace of the individual she had been, only the memories the Reapers had kept within her mind to help sell the deception. Now those eyes burned with malice for everything organic. He didn't hesitate. Lifting his gun, he fired it directly into her face, more or less causing her entire head to evaporate into a fine red mist.

Shepard turned just in time to see Zaeed and Mordin close in on the last few Husks. Septimus and Deridan, still watching over Sha'ira, attacked the rear of the small force, quickly helping to whittle their numbers away. It wasn't long before the last pale creature fell and the squad was able to relax. Shepard moved over to where Thane and Samara still lay, helping the Drell get to his feet weakly. He then checked on the former Justicar, relaxing when he verified she was still alive. She had a couple of broken ribs and a nasty break in her arm, but one he applied a quick dose of Medi-Gel she seemed in much better shape, quickly coming to. He waved over Zaeed to help the groggy Asari stand, waiting while the group gathered.

A rumbling sound drew their attention, a number of weary groans escaping from tired throats as they turned to see what was turning up now. What they saw made them all pause, an unexpected sight even considering the kind of day they were having.

"By the goddess…" Shepard heard Sha'ira mutter.

Rising from the smoking ring that Zaeed's grenade had left, the body of Garatt shambled to its feet, glaring at the squad. It leaned down, scooping up a severed arm it had lost when the Shredder Cannon had done its work. It held the limb over the stump, pausing for a moment. Shepard stifled a gasp of surprise as he saw muscles and sinews twitch and stretch, knitting back together. In seconds, the limb was reattached and fully functional. As the Krogan's face turned back to the squad, Shepard saw just how badly burnt the creature had been, but all of this was being undone as its skin crawled across its features, rapidly repairing itself. In moments, the only sign of any recent battle damage was the scarring to its armour.

"Appears Reapers have enhanced Krogan regeneration. Process is much more rapid." Mordin observed. "Krogan stubbornness and durability also upgraded."

"You don't say." Anderson drawled. "This is going to be one tough son of a bitch to take out."

"Maybe, maybe not." Shepard replied cryptically. An idea had leapt into his mind. "Anderson, stick with me. We're going to draw its attention and get it close to one of these buildings. Mordin, Zaeed, slow it down as much as you can from a distance. Samara, Thane, think you've got one last Warp blast in you?"

"We can help, too." Deridan offered, nodding to himself and Sha'ira, held in Septimus' arms. The Asari wore a brave face, although her skin was still far too pale.

"Alright." Shepard nodded. "Wait for my signal."

With that, the Commander burst into a run, his old mentor and friend close behind him. The duo raced towards the Krogan, splitting off in two different directions and firing at it furiously with their assault rifles. The creature roared as it broke into a run, closing the distance between itself and Anderson incredibly fast. The admiral only just managed to dodge out of the way before the Krogan lunged forward, swinging with its two meaty fists. Anderson retaliated with a burst of fire from his Mattock that ripped into the alien, destroying one eye and punching a few holes in its chest. The Krogan roared, trying to catch the nimble little Human in its grasp.

Shepard hurried up behind the monster, leaping onto its back. He managed to find purchase on the armour, holding on with one hand as the other aimed his assault rifle at the back of the creature's head, just behind the brow plate. He only managed a couple of shots, sending bullets tearing through the alien's brain, before it writhed under him, racing backwards. In a moment, it had crossed the distance towards one of the buildings and rocked backwards, slamming Shepard into the wall. The Commander gasped as his lungs were crushed, but managed to remain in control. He tensed before leaping from the creature's back, rolling away as it swiped at him with a huge fist. He stood up and started backing away, reaching onto his back for the Shredder Cannon once more. The Krogan, seeing what he was doing, growled angrily, determined not to have a repeat of the last time the weapon had been fired.

Shepard leapt back, finally finishing unfolding the gun and bringing it to bear on the creature. With a triumphant smirk, he pulled the trigger.

The gun whined in his hands before jolting, and then nothing happened. No projectile left the barrel, no damage was dealt to the Krogan, nothing. Shepard looked down at the weapon in consternation, frowning when an error message popped up informing him that it had jammed.

The only thing that stopped him from turning the air blue with his extremely varied vocabulary was the sudden lunge from the Krogan Husk, forcing him to jump back out of reach. It attacked again, but he dodged again. Although he was managing to keep ahead of it, Shepard could feel himself tiring, while the creature showed no signs of fatigue. He stumbled as he took another step back, catching a foot on a broken piece of concrete. The Krogan saw his chance and rushed in, a massive foot connecting with the Commander's gut to send him rolling away. Shepard groaned as he struggled to get back to his feet, feeling the sharp pains of a cracked rib. He looked up to see the Krogan lumbering towards him.

"Shepard!"

Anderson dashed up to the creature, his rifle chattering. The Krogan turned to face him, a look of surprise in its expression, before taking a wild swing at the Admiral. Anderson dropped into a roll, displaying the speed and agility that had caught the attention of the N7 programme all of those years ago, sliding between the alien's legs and spinning to shoot it in the back. The Krogan howled in indignation before turning to its new antagonist, the Commander forgotten. Flames burst against its back as Mordin and Zaeed used the fact that it was far enough away from both the Commander and the Admiral to safely attack it, but this moment soon passed as it drew close to Anderson, making any incendiary attack a threat to the Admiral. Anderson kept ahead of the creature's advance, constantly ducking and weaving while peppering it with bullets from his rifle. The Krogan roared as it finally closed the distance, surging forward with its toothy maw bared. Sharp teeth tore into the Admiral's shoulder, drawing up a cry of pain. The alien's head jerked to one side, throwing Anderson against a wall as though he were a ragdoll. Anderson looked up from where he had landed next to the wall, looking over to Shepard.

"Do it!" He yelled.

"Get out of the way, Sir!" Shepard urged.

"Now, Shepard!" Anderson's voice grew urgent as he lifted his rifle, firing at the Krogan from where he had slumped. The creature began moving towards him, ready to finish the job. "That's an order!"

With the Commander torn, his military training took over. Realising the greatest need, he lifted the Shredder cannon, reloading the jammed round. He lifted it, taking aim at the exposed back of the Krogan. Then he lifted the gun a few degrees, pulling the trigger.

The round shot out, striking the wall above the fighting duo. The building shook for a moment before the round detonated, showering Anderson and the Krogan with dust and debris. The building groaned, cracks spreading through its walls.

"Now!" Shepard yelled to his allies.

As one, all four biotics lifted a hand, blue fire flickering along to the fingertips. Four bolts of varying intensity shot out, striking the weakened wall. Even Mordin, Septimus and Zaeed helped, lifting their weapons and firing at weak points in the wall. The combined attack was enough to rip the wall apart, sending it cascading down in a chaos of rubble on top of the combatants. The Krogan, seeing the threat, turned to run, but was swiftly overcome, buried under the avalanche of metal and glass.

Shepard stepped forward cautiously as the dust cleared. Half of the building had simply spilled onto the square, creating a small hill of debris. There was no sign of either combatant.

"Anderson!" The Commander shouted with a hoarse voice.

There was no response.

"Sir!"

"Shepard! Over here!"

The Commander turned at Zaeed's shout, rushing over to help the mercenary dig through the rubble. He finally saw what Zaeed had spotted, a Human hand protruding from the rubble, blood-stained and broken. The pair dug through the rubble in a frenzy, quickly excavating the body of David Anderson. Shepard's stomach dropped when he saw the Alliance Admiral's silent features, covered in the grime of the day and completely motionless. He sagged, completely lost for a moment.

"Prof! Get your arse over here!" Shepard dimly heard Zaeed's shout, but paid it no heed. Instead, he felt hollowness within, and for just a moment he found himself back in orbit over Virmire, lamenting the loss of another close friend. He was barely aware of Mordin's presence as the Salarian activated his omnitool.

"Have pulse." Shepard's head snapped up at the news. "Weak, but there. Cannot treat here. Need to get him back to Normandy."

"I'll take him, Commander." Zaeed offered, showing surprising care as he scooped the Admiral up. Together, the trio and the unconscious Admiral climbed down off the pile of rubble.

Shepard froze as he saw another slab of metal shift, something underneath it struggling to be free. It slid aside to reveal the furious features of what had once been Garatt, struggling as the rubble pinned everything below the waist.

"There's no goddamn way!" Zaeed cursed. "The fucking thing still ain't dead!"

"Station will be destroyed soon regardless." Mordin dismissed. "Leave him to die."

"I'm not taking that chance." Shepard said resolutely. "Zaeed, I need your grenades. Then take everyone and head for the shuttle. I'll deal with this."

"Be quick, Shepard." The former bounty hunter warned as Shepard took the last two canisters off his belt. "I want out of this shit-hole ASAP."

"I'll be right behind you."

The Commander turned back to the Krogan Husk as the rest of the group headed off down into the lower decks, making their way to the shuttle. Shepard stalked over to the creature, kneeling just out of reach so he could look the creature in the eye.

"Your Human friend- Nats, was it? - she told me that you see and hear what each other experiences, and that all of that information goes back to your masters. That's good. Because I want your masters to hear what I'm about to say." As he spoke, he laid out the Shredder Cannon and the Incendiary grenades beside himself, in easy reach. "I want them to know exactly what awaits them if they do not cease all hostilities and leave us in peace."

"The Reapers are fearless." The Krogan snorted, half chuckling. "They are beyond anything you can comprehend."

"Oh, I've heard that plenty of times before. But I don't believe it. You see, I'm pretty good at reading people. Little tells can show you whether a stranger means you harm, what an enemy is about to do next, whether an ally can be trusted. A good soldier considers more than just the enemy's weapons. He also learns to look for things that can reveal what isn't being shown. People who try to pass themselves off as fearless, they often overcompensate with other emotions, usually rage, arrogance, overconfidence. But deep at the heart of it all, they're so scared they fear even to entertain the thought, because the second they do, all of their resolve will flee. And when I look at your masters, I see a lot of arrogance, a lot of rage, and a lot of overconfidence. Deep down, they're very afraid. They're afraid of failing. Afraid that their vanguard will burn here in the galaxy while the rest of their fleet suffers for all eternity out in the far reaches of Dark Space, cold, hungry, running out of power over millions upon millions of years. But most of all, they're afraid of me. They know I'm strong and determined enough to beat them. They know that, of all the enemies they have faced across the entire life of the universe, nobody's presented as big a threat to their continued existence as I have. They're afraid of me. And they're right to be."

The Krogan squirmed under the rubble, struggling to escape, but even his incredible strength was not enough.

"We cannot be defeated!"

"Oh, really? Maybe you should double check with Sovereign, or with the Collectors. Twice I've defeated your plans to return to the Galaxy, and I'm doing a damn good job screwing up this attempt. I've beaten you before and you can bet on me finding a way to beat you this time."

With that, the Commander lifted the two Incendiary grenades, lobbing them down to roll to a halt next to the Krogan.

"You hurt someone very important to me, so now you're going to die. Painfully. But before you finally die, think about this; This is how I react to you hurting one person that matters to me. How do you think I'm going to treat the ones who took away my entire planet? Let you masters know I'm coming for them, and be sure to warn them that I am pissed off."

With that, the Commander stood, taking a few steps back as he lifted the Shredder cannon to his shoulder, sighting up on the prostrated Krogan. The creature managed to raise its head one last time, making eye contact with the Commander. Even in death, it remained defiant.

"We were the first to be born in this Galaxy. We soared between the stars when your pitiful planet had yet to form from the cosmic dust! You are the interlopers, the invaders. We belong here!"

"No, you belong dead." Shepard replied flatly, before firing.

The last two projectiles smashed into the Krogan, the first piercing his shoulder and digging deep into his chest. The second punched through his brow plate, settling in his brain. As the creature howled in rage and pain, Shepard turned and broke into a run. Behind him, the two Incendiary devices burst open, sending up twin pillars of flame that incinerated the Krogan. A moment later, the twin thumps of the two Shredder rounds exploding silenced the Krogan forever, sending pieces of flesh and metal soaring into the sky to tumble to the ground in a wide circle around the now empty square. Behind the Commander, the doors to the habitation ring slid shut, closing out the gory scene.

**~o~0~o~**

**~NORMANDY~**

Joker's brow furrowed as he manoeuvred the Normandy through the battlefield. The nimble freighter had long since abandoned its stealth system, needing to utilise every once of power it could muster to help the Arcturus Defence Initiative fleets.

"EDI, I'm getting a little resistance from the secondary port drive thruster. Can you check it out?"

"The system reports full functionality, Jeff. There may be a physical fault my sensors have not picked up on. I can have crewmen Rolston and Davias check it out, but would need to power the thruster down for their safety."

"Forget about it. Divert some power to the primaries. Any sign of those escape pods the Commander mentioned yet?"

"I have detected a number of life forms, including the Quarian and one of the Salarians, moving towards the escape pods. They should be launching momentarily. I have yet to receive the signal, though."

"Alright. Give it a minute. What's our best angle of approach?"

"An approach from a ventral angle of seventeen degrees on a planar angle of thirty five degrees from stellar north would provide us with the least amount of resistance. Only three Reapers would be within firing distance."

EDI was, of course, referring to the standard way of navigating in space, a task made difficult by the lack of any significant gravity. This method of positioning oneself involved determining the plane of the Milky Way, treating the massive swirling disc as the central point that items could be considered above or below. In this way, ventral approach angles could be positive or negative in relation to the 'altitude' of the target. Stellar North was determined by one's position within a system. The direct line between a target and the system's primary sun was considered their 'north', and so to approach a target from its 'north' would involve flying directly between it and the sun.

"I can dodge three of 'em." Joker said confidently. "Get ready to divert more power to the forward shields and the primary thrusters. I want in and out quick."

"Ready." The AI responded crisply.

"Joker, I'm picking up a smaller Reaper attacking the Krakatoa." Kaidan's professional tone sounded through the ship's intercom. "We should give Hackett a hand. Set a course to intercept."

"Yes sir." Joker answered, brow rising as the young soldier's controlled manner. The former Alliance Lieutenant had certainly grown in command capability since the pair had first met. Back on the first Normandy, Kaidan had seemed so meek, unassertive, but now he was barking out orders with authority, as competently as any drill sergeant.

"Hold on." Down in Gunnery control, next to his prized cannons, Garrus was also watching a visual feed of the battle. "Look to those larger ones holding back. They're poised to attack Drescher on the Cambodia. Make sure that we don't fall into the trap."

"You're right." Kaidan admitted. "Suggestions?"

Another thing that made Kaidan stand out from the cookie-cutter soldier. He listened to his subordinates, willing to take advice even from those not belonging to his own species. He reminded Joker of the Commander in that way.

"Admiral Ponias Farren once used a tactic to overwhelm an enemy force that proved to be most unexpected. He had the Turian vessels form up in three ranks, five deep, almost touching one another. They then expanded their barriers to their limits, creating a combined field around the entire group that was stronger than anything any one ship could create." The Turian paused. "I believe Humans used to do something similar, during your Roman Age. A tactic called a 'Testudo', or tortoise?"

"Combining defences to make something much more potent." Kaidan surmised. "Transmit instructions to the fleets. Make sure the Cambodia is at its centre. I want to make sure Drescher and the Senate are kept safe."

"Aye-aye."

Moments later, the Alliance vessels were falling into formation, the Normandy at the front of the small fleet. Joker expertly kept the frigate close to his allies, sometimes flying within a few metres of his fellow Alliance vessels.

The block of ships darted through space, angling towards the Krakatoa. As they drew close, the Reaper antagonising Hackett's vessel turned to face the oncoming attack, but its attacks were cast aside by the combined shields. The ADI ships opened up, using Grav-Cannons, variations of the Thanix weapon emplacement, and normal GARDIAN systems. Under the brutal assault, the smaller Reaper, no more than a kilometre in length, soon lost its defensive barriers, and was quickly destroyed. A cheer rebounded through the comm channels at this small victory, but their relief was short lived as more reapers closed in on the formation. With the Krakatoa in their midst, the cluster of ships was forced to fall back, losing two frigates and a cruiser during the withdrawal.

"Jeff, I am detecting the signal." EDI spoke up.

"Alright. Inform the ADI that we're peeling off briefly to pick up those pods. We'll be back as soon as we can be."

"Joker, we're breaking formation." Kaidan spoke up from the CIC. "Have we heard from those survivors Shepard mentioned?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good. I know you'll get us through in one piece."

"Just hang on to your ass, Sir. This is going to be an interesting ride."

He pilot quickly sent the Normandy arrowing towards Arcturus Station. The trio of Reapers EDI had mentioned tried to attack, but missed by wide margins, the Human's talented piloting easily outmatching their ability to track him. After only a few moments, he caught sight of the tiny metal capsules bursting out of the side of the station, like the eggs of a fish being scattered into the sea.

"EDI, get the cargo bay doors open. This'll be tricky, but I can handle it."

"Jeff, you should not attempt this manoeuvre at these velocities." The AI warned.

"I can do it." Joker replied firmly. "Just do as I say."

"…Very well. Opening bay doors."

Joker's brow furrowed as he tried to focus on multiple things at once. Firstly he had to control the ship, making sure he would intercept the rapidly moving escape pods. Secondly he had to be aware of the Reapers on his tail, firing vivid red beams after the frigate. Thirdly, he had to bear in mind his proximity to the station, making sure the ship would not plough into the massive wall of metal that drifted through space so close by.

"Time to intercept- five seconds." EDI informed him flatly.

Joker's hands were perfectly steady over the controls, not a flicker of hesitation in his posture.

"Four, three, two, one-"

His eyes were unblinking, his gaze not shifting from the pods before him. They were approaching too fast, as any of his instructors would have told him, as any other pilot in Council space would have protested, calling him a madman to even try. But Joker knew better. He'd dropped the Mako down onto Ilos, threading the needle between towering spires at incredible speeds, having to endure a margin for error barely any larger than the missile he had been launching, and still almost managing to throw the vehicle on top of Saren, missing by mere metres. Three times he had saved the Commander from an erupting volcano, twice in a ship that was supposedly too big to enter any kind of atmosphere. He could handle this.

The ship raced past where the escape pods hung in space, engines blasting them along at incredible speed. The ship spun, angling away from the station. The Normandy whipped past the pursuing Reapers, darting away to rejoin the fleet. The crew inhabiting the CIC and the corridor leading up to the bridge waited tensely for EDI to speak.

"All three escape pods have been safely collected within the cargo bay. No significant damage to the pods, or to the Normandy."

The cheers were even louder than those that had heralded the destruction of the Reaper earlier. Killing one's enemy was one thing, but saving an ally from their clutches was far better.

"Kaidan? Miranda here." The former Cerberus operative's crisp voice sounded over the comms. "I'll take Jacob with me to meet the new arrivals."

"I thought she was in the comm room, Commander's orders." Joker muttered.

"I was, Joker. But I've done all I can. Either help is coming, or it isn't. This is a better use of my time."

"EDI, you left the mike on again!" Joker chided.

"My apologies, Jeff." EDI's tone was one of mild amusement, something unusual to hear from a computer interface.

"Miranda, you go ahead and meet the survivors." Kaidan spoke over them. "Joker, get us back to the frontline."

"Yes, Sir."

**~o~0~o~**

Miranda's foot tapped impatiently on the floor of the elevator as it slowly descended to the cargo bay. Beside her, Jacob raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Something the matter, Miri?" He asked.

"Just tense, is all. We should be on that station, helping the Commander."

"Don't worry about it. Shepard knows what he's doing. If he thinks he only needs a small strike team, then that's all he'll need."

"It's not him I'm worried about. What sort of contribution are we making if we just sit here on this ship all the time?"

"That's hardly what we've been doing, Miranda. Each one of us has seen more combat in the past few weeks than all of our years before joining this crew combined."

"I just… don't like feeling useless."

"You're not. I don't even get how you could think that. Don't get me wrong, I like nothing better than being out there, doing what needs to be done, but we've also got to learn to trust the Commander, even when he makes decisions we struggle to agree with."

"Damn it, Jacob. I'd forgotten how annoying you are when you make sense."

The pair smiled at one another, their old friendship obvious. They turned to face front again as the elevator reached its destination. The doors parted with a grinding whirr.

Beyond, the escape pods sat in the centre of the cargo bay expectantly, thrusters ticking as they cooled. Miranda strode up to them, waiting patiently for them to open. Jacob waited behind and to the side, watching with a strange feeling of unease.

The first of the pods opened with a hiss, allowing a Quarian to clamber out, followed by two Humans. The second of the pods contained a Salarian and another pair of Humans, while the third one contained only two Humans. Of these, the Quarian seemed to be the leader. He stepped over to the two members of the Normandy crew.

"Welcome aboard the Normandy." Miranda greeted formally. "I am Miranda Lawson, Executive Officer to the Commander, second-in-command aboard the Normandy."

"Nishto. Nishto'Vara vas Tinoay."

**~o~0~o~**

Joker manipulated the four main drives of the Normandy, sending her into a spin as he fired at the back of one of the gargantuan creatures in the fray. He looked up from his controls at a sudden ping on the comm unit.

"Normandy, this is Admiral Hackett. Do you read me?"

"Normandy here, Sir. What can we do for you?"

"We're taking too much of a beating here. We have to pull back. I'm calling in a full retreat."

"But Sir! Arcturus-"

"Is already lost. I won't risk what remains of the ADI fleets, along with the Senate aboard the Cambodia. The cost of continuing this battle is too great."

"Help is on the way, sir!" Joker protested.

"Look at the force we're facing, Moreau! Unless you have the entirety of the Council fleets coming to save the day its unlikely we'll make a dent in them."

"Shepard's still on the station."

"I'm aware, but the Normandy has the capability to remain in the station a little longer to allow him the chance to escape. We've already seen how the advanced stealth drive can give you an edge." Hackett paused, clearly unhappy with having to back down like this. "Just help cover our retreat, then go back for Shepard."

"Aye-aye, Sir." Joker finally said reluctantly. "Where do you need us?"

"We need to create a defensive screen around the Cambodia. Move to-"

Hackett's voice dissolved into static, a sudden loud squeal deafening the pilot. Joker clutched at his ears.

"EDI! What's going on?"

"Our comm signal is being jammed, Jeff. I am detecting a hack occurring from within the ship. Attempting to-"

EDI's voice vanished in the same squeal of static, causing Joker's expression of worry to deepen.

"EDI? EDI! What's happening?"

"Jo- …pard. Do y-… e?" Shepard's voice could be heard faintly over the comms.

"Commander? Your signal's breaking up."

"-ker? Jok-… an hear me, - liste- … carefully. The survivor-… esca- -ods sent your-… et them onto the ship. Destroy - …peat, it's a t-… let them ab-… andy."

"I can't hear you, Shepard. We've just finished picking up the escape pods now. The comms are going all screwy. Hope you're nearly done in there, Commander. The ADI fleet's making a dash for it. There's something strange happening to EDI, not sure if it'll affect whether we can make a pick-up or not."

The comms remained silent after that, not a blip of signal getting through. Joker sighed.

"Damn it." He turned in his chair. "Somebody get down to the AI Core and check on EDI!"

A moment later, the ship went dark, all power vanishing in an instant. As the ship's engines cut out, sending the Normandy into a lazy spin through space, joker leaned over his controls again.

"What the hell?"

Back in the CIC, Kaidan began barking out orders.

"What's going on? Somebody get down to engineering, find out what happened to the power. Where's the emergency lighting?"

As the Lieutenant tried to get a handle on the situation, an air vent close to his position rattled. An instant later, the cover to the vent dropped off, clanging loudly in the darkness, and then all hell broke loose.

**~o~0~o~**

**~EN ROUTE TO THE NORMANDY~**

"Come on, come on!"

Shepard urged the shuttle on, both with his words and with his posture, leaning over the controls tensely. Ahead of them, the Normandy grew steadily larger. The closer the shuttle got to the much larger ship, the more obvious it became that the frigate was dead in the water.

"Joker! Kaidan, Garrus, anybody!" He almost pleaded with his commlink. No answer was forthcoming. In anger, he slammed the control console of the craft. "God damn it!"

"Shepard, you must calm yourself." Thane's placid voice came from over his shoulder as a green hand clasped his upper arm. "We will stop these creatures. Of that I am certain."

"I can't believe I was deceived like this!" Shepard spat. "I should have known."

"How?" The Drell asked pointedly. "Was their disguise not convincing? Did they not appear just like any other being in the Galaxy? They are unlike anything we have yet encountered, Commander, and they are designed to deceive. Nobody could have guessed their true intent."

"But I should have been more cautious! If I'd been more careful, I'd have kept them on the station until I could be sure of their allegiance."

"On what grounds? That you had never met them before? You would never have forced an innocent being to endure Arcturus needlessly. Such an act would have been cruel, unbefitting of your character."

"But I should have-"

"My people have a saying. It was written in one of the holy texts of Kalahira. 'The turbulence of the tides of yesterday are not created by the beauty of the Moons of tonight'. Its meaning is simple; you must not dwell on what has passed, but appreciate the opportunities given to you in the moment. You were deceived, but you must see past that. You now bear the responsibility to ensure your ship, your crew, your loved ones are safe. You should not undertake such a task with your mind clouded by doubt and regret."

Shepard looked back to the assassin, his eyes meeting the eternally deep black-green hues of the alien. As he did so, he felt the tension pour from his mind, a sigh escaping from his lips.

"Thanks, Thane."

"It is a lesson I learned off a very close friend of mine." Thane smiled. "If he had not taken the time to help me, I would have lost the chance to speak with my son before the end. I am merely glad to return the favour."

Shepard turned back to the controls.

"We're almost there." He muttered. "Still no response. Must be a jamming field in effect, stopping even the personal commlinks. We won't be able to get into the cargo bay with the ship unresponsive like this. Luckily, I think we've got another way in."

He brought the shuttle around, coasting along the top of the Normandy. He spotted the place he wished to go, bringing the black vessel in to lightly kiss the hull. Once he had placed the craft over the window belonging to the Loft, his cabin, he powered up the docking mechanism, a powerful magnet that attached the craft to the hull of the Normandy, making an airtight seal over the window.

This done, Shepard got up from the pilot's chair, clambering back into the main passenger compartment. The interior of the craft was more akin to a refugee hospital than a covert insertion craft. Mordin tended to two patients at once, stretched to the limits of his abilities with so little supplies. Anderson was still unconscious, although he remained more or less stable, if barely alive. Sha'ira, though, had taken a turn for the worse. Her exertion of her biotic abilities during the fight against the Krogan had caused a number of her dressings to give way, re-opening some of the internal injuries. She now lay gasping on the floor of the craft, clutching at Septimus' clawed hand weakly. Shepard sized up the rest of his squad, from noble Samara to weary Zaeed to stoic Thane.

"Mordin, you stay here and look after the patients. I'll send someone up to help you get your patients to the Med Bay once we've secured the ship. Thane, Samara and Zaeed will come with me."

"Good fortune, Shepard." The Salarian said over his shoulder. "Will be here if needed."

Nodding, Shepard turned from the doctor. He kneeled down, reaching for a hatch built into the floor of the shuttle, popping it open. Beneath, he was confronted with the window of his bedroom. Below that he could clearly see his bed. He drew his pistol, taking aim and pulling the trigger.

It took all six shots of the thermal clip, but finally he managed to crack the toughened transparent material. Another clip sent a large web of cracks through the window, finally allowing the Commander to use his combat boots to shatter it. This done, he dropped through, landing on his bed unsteadily. He jumped off the bed to allow Samara and Thane to descend gracefully. Finally, Zaeed dropped through, striking the bed harshly in his descent. This final impact proved to be too much, the spine of the bed breaking in two to dump the old mercenary on the floor. Zaeed looked up in surprise as the Commander gave him an exasperated look.

"Sorry 'bout that, Shepard." He apologised, although the apology lacked real sincerity.

"No time for that." Shepard dismissed. "Come on. We've got a ship to save."

The squad quickly moved from the Commander's sleeping area to the little space that led from his door to the elevator. The Commander pressed the button to summon the elevator, but nothing happened. Brow creasing, he tried again.

"They've taken out the elevators. Probably a good few other systems, too."

"How did they manage to overcome EDI?" Thane asked, a little pensively.

"These are Reaper creations." Samara reminded. "More advanced than anything we have yet encountered."

"We can't rely on EDI helping us." Shepard said firmly. "We've got to find our own way around. Zaeed, come help me with this door. There's a service tunnels that connects to the elevator shaft that'll take us down to the CIC."

The duo strained against the sealed door, opening it in moments. The squad clambered through, glancing down for a moment to see the roof of the elevator far below. The tunnel Shepard had mentioned was a little above them, on the opposite side of the shaft. A quick climb using all available handholds allowed them to get to it.

Shepard led the way through the tunnel, followed by Samara, then Thane, with Zaeed bringing up the rear. The tunnel was narrow, forcing them to move through on all fours. The moment Shepard scrambled into it, he felt a brief twinge of claustrophobia. Should anything go wrong, there was little he could do. He could not turn, and putting four heavily armed soldiers into reverse was difficult, if not impossible. They could only press onwards, no matter what they faced.

After a few metres, the tunnel took a sharp turn downwards, the rungs of a ladder allowing Shepard purchase as he made the dizzying descent, headfirst. As he reached the half-way point between the Loft and the Command Deck, he reached a crossroads, one path leading back towards the stern of the ship, two angling to either side and downwards towards the Crew Deck, and the final one heading straight for the prow of the ship, running through the floor under the Commander's cabin to terminate above and behind the cockpit. Shepard chose this final path. As he laid a cautious hand on the first rung of this new tunnel, a clattering noise from one of the downward-facing tunnels made him pause. He looked for the source of the noise, but saw nothing. He continued on his way towards the Command Deck.

Finally, he found the hatch he needed. He carefully opened it, moving to drop through into the CIC.

A sudden shot made him flinch back from the hatch, shielding his face.

"Hold your fire!" He yelled. "It's me!"

There was a long pause.

"Commander?" It was Kaidan's voice. "Is that you?"

"You were expecting someone else?"

"Well… yeah, actually. What the hell are you doing here?" Kaidan asked as the Commander slipped through the hatch, followed by the rest of his squad.

Below, the crew of the Command Deck had gathered around the Galaxy Map, armed with pretty much the entire contents of the Armoury. Even Joker and Kelly clutched at guns, looking anxious as they stayed close to the more combat-capable members of the crew. There were a couple of members of the squad present, too, namely Etarn, Elanie, Feron and Kasumi. They must have been on the Command Deck during the incident, stranding them there. Shepard could see the low level of morale among the crew, realising they needed him to seem confident.

"We would have come through the front door, but I lost my keys." Shepard joked. "What's the situation here?"

"I don't know what happened, but after we picked up those escape pods, everything went offline. There have been these… things, crawling through the vents. Every time I try to send a crewman to investigate, they come back wounded, or worse, don't come back at all. We've already lost two to their injuries, crewman Stesta and crewman Alvarez."

"It's the survivors. We found out that they're indoctrinated servants of the Reapers. I tried to warn you, but the signal had been jammed by that point. Their purpose is to infiltrate normal society to undermine it in preparation of the Reapers arriving on that world. Once they learned they could get aboard the Normandy, they leapt at the chance. They want her for her ability to get in and out of a system undetected."

"Damn. What do we do?"

"First we have to get EDI back in control of the ship." The Commander said decisively. "I'm not sure how, but if we get down to the AI Core we can ask her. Do you know who was on the Crew Deck?"

"Garrus was in Gunnery Control. Not sure who else was there. Miranda and Jacob were sent down to the Cargo Bay to meet the survivors."

Shepard paused at that thought. He hated to think of having two of his crew in such peril, but he had to think of the rest of the ship first. The many lives of the crew outweighed the former Cerberus duo.

"We can't worry about them right now." He concluded. "First, we get the ship back under our control."

"I'm coming with you." Kaidan said. Behind him, other members of the squad stepped forward with the intention to follow him.

"No. Stay here, with the crew. Keep them safe. If these things are in the vents, they could attack at any time."

Almost on cue, a scuttling rang above their heads, an eerie scratching that made the hairs on the back of the Commander's neck rise.

"We have to move." He said. Kaidan saluted in return.

"Sir. Good luck, Commander."

Shepard turned, heading back to the hatch. He was about to reach up to climb into it when a loud clang echoed through the CIC. Shepard spun in time to see one of the covers over the air vents drop down, allowing a blur of motion to spring forth into the midst of the crew. There were yelps of surprise as feet and fists flashed out in a devastating flurry. Numerous crewmen were knocked to the ground, clutching at serious injuries.

The Commander drew his rifle as the figure, one of the Human survivors, stood up straight, a biotic barrier flickering into life around him.

"Shepard. A shame you cut our last conversation so short. But now you have no ammunition for that big gun strapped to your back, no buildings to drop on top of us, yet you still fight? Why do you resist? You must see by now we do not relent."

Shepard did not deign to respond, simply lifting his rifle and firing. Beside him, Thane and Samara used their biotics to rip at the creature, dual Warp blasts tearing little strips of flesh from the creature. Zaeed added the fire of his rifle to that of the Commander's, laying down a devastating barrage.

The Human Husk, a smug expression on his face, simply leapt out of the way, bounding across the ceiling, the curved walls, occasionally the floor and sometimes the seats and other fixtures of the CIC. He moved almost too fast for the commander to track him, barely being touched by the attacks coming from the squad. These attacks were further supplemented by fire coming from the Command Deck's defenders, Kaidan ordering them to fall back to the elevator door, a position that they could defend some of the crew could not attack, having to drag their injured comrades away from the creature.

Shepard emptied a clip at the Husk, the bullets being deflected by the creature's barrier with ease. The Commander frowned.

"Samara, think you can put out a Singularity? I need you to sap its shields!"

The Asari nodded silently, straining as she focused to create the next attack. She flung a hand out, creating a miniature black hole at the heart of the Galaxy Map. The image of the Galaxy shimmered and twisted at the strange gravitational distortion, while all the seats twisted to lean towards the dark, lightless spot the blue-skinned alien's mind had formed. The Husk, caught leaping past it, was thrown to the deck, his barrier shimmering uncertainly. The spherical shield elongated as it was drained by the Singularity, tendrils of red energy flashing away into the maw of the biotic attack.

Seeing his chance, Shepard stepped forward, fighting the incredible pull of the Singularity. He took aim, unloading his rifle into the exposed back of the altered Human. The creature shrieked at the attack, flesh and machinery being torn to shreds in seconds. Finally, Shepard's rifle ran hot, its clip needing changed. The Husk, however, was not done. Still it squirmed, struggling to get to its feet. As Samara's Singularity faded, the former Justicar drained, the creature began to rise to its feet. Shepard made to reload his weapon.

This however, was not needed, as another source of gunfire quickly opened the Husk's skull, finishing it off. Kaidan lowered his rifle, the muzzle still smoking.

"You'd better get going, Commander. Don't worry. We'll be fine up here."

**~o~0~o~**

The service tunnels echoed hollowly as Shepard found himself once more crawling along like some sewer rat, swiftly approaching the Crew Deck. They'd passed the first crossroads and were quickly nearing a second junction, one that led either aft towards the Drive Core or forward towards the Med Bay. He shuffled along the second of these paths, finally reaching a hatch that fed into the Med bay. He once more carefully exited the service tunnels, finding himself confronted with the muzzles of several rifles, all of which dropped upon the crew recognising their Commander. Garrus, apparently their appointed leader, most visibly relaxed upon seeing his old friend.

"Shepard. Its good to see you."

"Garrus. You alright?"

"We're holding it together. Don't know what these damn things are that keep popping out of the vents, but they're a damn pain in the ass."

"They're indoctrinated. I'll explain later. For now, I need to get into the AI Core."

"Good luck with that." The Turian sighed. "The doors are sealed. I've got Jano and the Revenant working on it, but its been stumping them for over an hour now."

"Thane? You've got experience in getting into inaccessible places. See what you can do to help them."

"As I must." The Drell bowed before walking over to kneel next to the Quarian and the Collector. Shepard, meanwhile, stayed with his Turian comrade.

"How many are on this deck?" He asked, wanting to account for all of his crew.

"About a dozen crewmen, plus the doctors and other medical staff. We've also got Delexia down here. She's been a big help in keeping everyone safe when those things show up. We're holding, but there have already been a number of injuries. It's keeping track of the things that's the trouble. They keep turning up where we least expect 'em. We even had one turn up in the ladies' restroom. 'Lex was pissed about that."

"'Lex?"

"Oh, sorry. Its what we call Delexia."

"Commander, we require your assistance." Thane called from the door.

"What is it?"

"We've found a loophole in the lockout." The Drell explained. "The Husks neglected to deactivate the Commanding officer's overrides. I suppose they figured you wouldn't be getting back here. All code input methods have been deactivated, but the palm scanner's still functional."

"Good job." Shepard congratulated. "So all I need to do is put my palm here?"

The Commander placed his hand over the holographic interface, blinking at the sudden tickling sensation of having every contour of his hand scanned by the door's locking mechanism.

"Correct, now just wait a moment while we engage the appropriate code triggers… done."

Shepard backed off as the door slid open, revealing the dim interior of the AI Core. Thane, Jano and the Revenant backed away from the door, tensing as they waited for any sign of their enemy. Behind Shepard, Samara, Zaeed, Garrus and the other various crewmen gathered did the same.

The AI Core was its usual, gloomy self. Red lights at the back of the room gave it a sinister hue, while the blinking lights of the Normandy AI's blue box decorated the walls with a festive pattern. Legion's limp form lay to one side, a crucial power line pulled out of the back of its head.

In the centre of the room, Nishto turned to glare at them, red eyes glinting behind his mask. The Quarian stood before the primary memory module of EDI's blue box, one hand placed on either side of the device. His fingers had ripped free of the enviro-suit's gloves, stretching out to long points. These fingers sparked as they touched the blue box, creating a connection between the Husk and the AI.

There were no words this time. The collective consciousness of the Husks had said enough to the Commander. Nishto simply charged, arcs of energy leaping from his hands as they parted company with the blue box.

Shepard's rifle shot up, firing wildly at the approaching alien. He and the Crew Deck's defenders backed up at the sudden charge, stepping out into the Mess Hall so that the creature could not get close to them. The Quarian Husk kept on coming, lashing out at them with his long claws. One hand sparked as an electrical charge built up in his palm, an Overload burst that struck one of the Normandy crewmen, eliciting a cry of pain as he dropped to the ground, spasming from the electrical shock.

Samara quickly stepped forward, using a biotic Push to launch the Quarian back into the AI Core as the squad formed up as best they could. Shepard, Zaeed, Thane and Garrus blocked the door to the Med Bay, forming a rank of impenetrable fortitude to counter the creature.

As the Commander took aim at the Quarian once more, he became aware of another scuttling noise in the Crew Mess. With a crash, another of the Human Husks burst into view, laying into the crewmen. The Normandy crew backed away from the creature as Samara, the Revenant and Delexia formed up, the former pair using their biotics to harry the creature while the latter hefted a shotgun that she used to score some powerful hits on the Husk.

His concentration split between the two battlefronts, the Commander was caught off-guard as Nishto launched a renewed attack. A strange grey sphere of some unknown substance arced out from the AI Core to splat onto the deck at Shepard's feet. The instant it did, it erupted upwards into a vast, choking cloud of grey-green fumes that set the four defenders in the door spluttering. Shepard felt his strength sapped as the fumes worked their way into his lungs, inspiring weakness in his limbs. His allies needed no telling to get out of the cloud.

Nishto barrelled out of the now undefended doorway, launching himself at Garrus. The Turian let out a cry as the Husk kicked and punched him, bearing him to the ground.

"Garrus!" Shepard cried out as his rifle tore into the Quarian's flank. Nishto let out a yell of pain before scurrying away, leaping out of the Commander's line of fire. Shepard rushed over to his old friend to make sure he was alright. The Turian looked up at him blearily.

"Shepard, I don't feel so…" His voice drifted off lazily as his eyes slid shut. The Commander hurriedly checked his vital signs. The Quarian's claws must have been tipped with some kind of poison or sedative, a biological agent. He gave Garrus a shot of Medi-Gel to counteract it, but the Turian wasn't waking up any time soon.

Leaving Garrus to sleep whatever it was off, The Commander stood to see Samara and the Revenant pursuing the Human Husk with their biotics, while Delexia struggled with her jammed weapon. The Human appeared quite ragged, one of her arms having been lost in the fight to leave a stump of sparking wires, leaking conductive fluid and stringy flesh. As Shepard watched, the Human strayed too close to the defenders, allowing a powerful Warp blast from the Revenant to knock her back into the far wall with a loud crack. As she slid to the floor, still struggling to get up, Thane rushed over, snapping her neck quickly and efficiently to finish her off. The Husk went limp, lifeless. Nevertheless, Delexia, ever the realist, unloaded another clip from her gun into it, making sure it was dead.

That only left the Quarian. Shepard turned in time to see Zaeed knock it to the ground with a Concussive blast. As the mercenary reloaded his weapon, Jano surged forward, his pistol scoring a few hits. The Quarian Wardancer dodged out of the way of another Overload blast from the Husk, colliding with it as it struggled to its feet. The pair of masks were inches apart, the laboured breathing of one countered by the harsh growl of the other. Their luminous eyes glared from behind the masks.

After a moment, they parted, stepping back just a pace before lunging at one another again. Jano's arms flexed as he deflected a number of blows, his hand-to-hand skills countering the abilities the reapers had granted to Nishto. Mechanical speed and power met organic grace and evasiveness, neither finding a foothold to gain the advantage over the other.

They continued on in this manner, back-and-forth, for a few tense moments. Shepard could not take a shot for fear of hitting his ally, so he instead chose to close the distance. Ducking below the flailing arms, the Commander launched himself at the husk, striking him in the side. Nishto howled as he was borne to the floor, mask cracking as it struck the deck. Jano stepped over as Shepard tried to keep the Husk pinned. With a practised move, he placed one three-toed foot on the back of the Quarian creature's neck and pushed. There was a loud click before the creature went still, all signs of a struggle escaping from it.

Shepard let out a long breath as he stood up, keeping his hand close to his gun in case the Husk so much as twitched. Once he was certain that the Quarian would not re-awaken, he turned to head back into the AI Core. He activated the primary terminal, tapping in the code to bring EDI back online. Moments later, there was a bright flash as the AI Core was filled with holographic light, then all went dark again. Shepard was relieved when, after a brief pause, EDI's interface appeared above one of the emitters in the room.

"Ah. Excellent. My functionality is restored. Thank you, Commander."

"I need a full status report." Shepard commanded. Straight to business.

"Of course. One moment." The blue box hummed as she processed incoming data. "All systems remain intact. Although the engines are off-line. I am detecting interference within the drive core. One life form, Salarian, is present within the drive core."

"Is there any way for you to deal with him?" Shepard asked.

"Negative. All options available to me would present a danger to other life forms on the Engineering and Cargo Decks."

"Are there any Husks in the vents?" Shepard asked, wanting to know where the last of the survivors were.

"Four Humans that are not a part of the Normandy crew are present in the service tunnels, moving fast. They are all heading down to the Cargo Deck."

"Getting ready for a last stand, or maybe an escape." Thane said, stepping through from the Med bay. "The Crew deck is secure, Commander. With the elevator online, we can head down to the drive core when you are ready."

"Good. Go find Samara and Zaeed. We'll head down in a minute."

"I shall commence regaining control over the ship." EDI informed him. "It should not take me long to purge the system of any remnants of the code the Husks used to send the ship into lockdown."

"Okay." Shepard said, stepping away to join his team. "You do that. We'll get the engines back online."

"Very well. Logging you out, Shepard."

**~o~0~o~**

The elevator hummed as it carried the squad down to the Engineering Deck. It only took a few moments before they arrived, stepping out cautiously. As he stepped out, Shepard looked ahead of himself, peering through the window that looked down over the cargo bay. Within, he could see the three escape pods sitting all too innocently on the deck. In front of them, the prone forms of Jacob and Miranda lay peacefully, eyes closed, hands bound. There was no sign of any of the Husks. An obvious trap, and one the Commander wasn't about to spring. He had to deal with whatever was stopping the engines first.

They stepped up to the doors to Main Engineering, only to jump back as a loud thump echoed through the corridor. They looked over to the source of the noise, the door leading to what the crew affectionately referred to as 'Grunt's Pit', the Port Cargo Hold. Stepping over, Shepard called out.

"EDI?"

"Yes, Shepard."

"Have you got control of the door locks on the Engineering deck?"

"One moment… Done. Do you wish me to open the doors?"

"Just the one to the Port Hold."

"Very well."

The door hissed open, allowing a shotgun to whip around to point at the Commander. Shepard barely flinched in the face of this threat, simply glaring until Grunt, with a small, embarrassed look on his face, lowered the weapon.

"Battlemaster." He bowed his head. "Sorry about that. Thought you were one of those things."

"Been getting that a lot since I got back." Shepard smirked. "Come with me. We've got a Salarian Husk to deal with."

"A Salarian?" The Krogan scoffed. "How bad can it be?"

"You'd be amazed, Tiny." Zaeed said cynically. "Tell you what, we'll lock you in Engineering with the thing. We'll ask you after five minutes how bad it is."

"Fine. I'm coming."

The squad moved back to the doors leading to the stairs above the sub-deck. They tensed as they made ready to open the doors, weapons aimed as the two halves slid apart. Beyond, Jack looked up in surprise from where she was kneeling by the prone form of Kenneth Donnelly. Behind her, Gabby jumped in fear, but relaxed upon recognising the new arrivals.

"Thank god! Shepard!" She breathed. "We thought help would never come!"

"I just thought that she was never going to stop bitching about help not coming." Jack grumbled, resuming her ministrations. "We need to get this idiot up to the Med Bay. He's taken a pretty bad knock to the head. Probably lost what few brain cells he had left."

"The elevators are back online." Shepard informed her. He turned back to the Krogan. "Grunt, help her get him to Doctor Chakwas. Gabby, you stick with them."

"No argument here!" The engineer said, quickly leaving Engineering. Grunt let out a sigh of irritation before helping Jack to get Ken to the elevator, leaving the squad to enter Main Engineering.

They passed through the final set of doors, finding themselves confronted with the workstations where Ken and Gabby normally worked. The stations were dark and silent, an eerie sight. Shepard disregarded this, instantly moving past to enter the area where the drive core was housed. He looked up at the massive silvery sphere, the device responsible for the ship's movement, its power and its shields.

Segs, the Salarian Shepard had met on Arcturus Station, was here. The Salarian had changed drastically since they had last met. Spines had sprouted from his back, running in a line down his spine and along his arms. These protrusions sparked wildly, arcs of electricity leaping from the Husk to the drive core. He clung to the side of the sphere, silently communicating with the machinery, keeping it from activating. As Shepard stepped into the room, the alien looked back with glowing blue eyes. It let out a shriek before lunging, leaping from the side of the drive core to land behind the Commander, in the midst of the squad. There was a bright flash before Shepard's HUD informed him that his shields were no longer functioning. Before his gun could be brought to bear, the Salarian was gone again, leaping up to cling to the side of the drive core's chamber. A quick glance to the Commander's companions revealed that they were in the same situation as himself, except for Samara, who relied upon her biotics to create her shield.

"Samara, bring him down from there so we can land a few good hits!" Shepard ordered.

The Asari nodded, lifting her hand to point at the Salarian. Narrowing her eyes, she took a breath before launching a biotic attack, catching the Husk with a blue field. She grunted as she pulled back her hand, mentally hauling the Husk from the side of the chamber.

In mid-air, the Salarian pulsed with its strange energies, the spines along its back conducting the power through its body. A single burst of power strobed out from it, releasing Samara's mental grip on it. The biotic field dissipated, allowing Segs to drop down to the deck. Shepard's brows rose at the sight. The Salarian was not displaying biotic abilities, but the power field he emitted seemed to counteract the gravitational and magnetic properties of the former Justicar's powers. This was something that the Commander had heard about, but only as a theory. Nobody had been able to create the technology.

Nevertheless, the Salarian was now within easy shooting distance. The Commander, accompanied by Zaeed and Thane, opened up on the creature, peppering it with bullets. The Salarian screeched as its flesh was torn apart, making it appear even more unnatural, if that were possible. It glared at the Commander before scuttling away, vanishing underneath the drive core.

"Come on!" He shouted. "We can't let it get away!"

They leapt over the railing of the platform that kept them out of the drive core chamber, gingerly entering the delicate part of the ship. They hurried to where they had seen the Salarian vanish, spotting an entrance to the service tunnels running through the belly of the ship. Shepard moved forward cautiously, readying to follow the creature into the confined place. He could not deny the anxiety he felt at entering the narrow tunnels.

A sudden impact in the small of his back brought a cry to the Commander's lips as he was sent tumbling forwards, falling into the tunnel. Behind him, Segs engaged the rest of the squad at close quarters. Another burst from the spines on his back sent arcs of electricity through the unprotected Thane and Zaeed, causing them immense pain, while Samara struggled to keep her biotic barrier strong under the assault.

Shepard tumbled down the tunnel, bouncing off the sides in a series of jarring impacts. He finally hit the bottom of the tunnel, directly under the hull, with a loud thump, the cracking of one of his arms sending bright flashes through his vision. He was dazed for a moment before shaking his head to clear it, struggling to untangle himself. He then dragged himself back up the tunnel, clambering out to see his three companions just about managing to keep the Salarian at a distance while keeping up a steady attack. The Husk had yet to spot the Commander ascending out of the tunnel, which Shepard took advantage of. He lifted his rifle, steadying it across his injured arm, and fired at the Husk's back.

The bullets tore into the Salarian, blasting off a couple of the spines. Segs shrieked in outrage, glancing over at the Commander before performing a tremendous leap up to land upon the platform that led to Main Engineering. Before Shepard could do anything, the Husk dashed out of the drive core chamber, disappearing into Main Engineering.

"Quickly! After it!" He ordered.

The squad didn't hesitate, running after the Husk. They clambered back out of the drive core chamber, quickly following the Husk out of Engineering and into the corridor that ran the width of the ship. They arrived just in time to see the Husk shatter one of the windows with a mighty punch. It then leapt through to the cargo bay, landing with a huge crash on the deck below.

Shepard barely hesitated, leaping through after it. He struck the deck powerfully, a shock running up his legs. He turned his downward momentum into a forward roll, coming to a sharp stop on his feet with his gun out. Behind him, the deck clanged as Zaeed imitated the manoeuvre. Samara and Thane used their biotics to make more graceful landings.

They paused. Somehow, even with them pursuing him so closely, the Husk had managed to vanish. They scanned the bay carefully, searching for any sign of him.

"EDI, where is he?" Shepard shouted to the air.

"Behind you, on the ceiling." The AI responded quickly.

Shepard spun, gun at the ready. The moment he caught sight of the creature, clambering across the ceiling like a spider, he opened fire. The Salarian let out a loud howl as it lost its grip, dropping to the deck. But this was no sound of anger. Shepard paused as he recognised it. Saion had released the same noise upon calling the horde to the support pillar. Segs was not voicing his rage. He was calling for help.

"EDI?" Shepard called, an anxious feeling in his stomach. "Have any free members of the squad meet us down in the cargo bay. I think things are about to get rather hectic down here."

No sooner had he spoken than several hatches and vents clanged open, spilling out the four remaining Husks that had infiltrated the Normandy. They dropped to the deck with thunderous steps, hands already glowing with biotic power.

"Take cover!" Shepard managed before four biotic blasts ripped through the air towards them, scattering the squad.

The Commander found refuge behind the bank of consoles before the elevator door. Once there, he frantically typed commands into his omnitool, trying to restart his shields. Finally the capacitors whined as they began charging once again. With a proper kinetic barrier in place once more, Shepard felt better prepared to attack, standing up and unleashing the contents of one thermal clip at one of the Human Husks.

From one side of the bay, Zaeed leaned around one of the big assemblies that ran down the bay in two rows. He further harried the Husk Shepard was attacking, blasting away most of its barriers. The old mercenary was soon forced back into hiding, however, as the Husk's fellows smothered his cover with biotic energy.

Samara and Thane, meanwhile, focused on attacking the Salarian Husk. One would Lift it, then the other would strike it with a Warp blast before it could use its anti-biotic pulse to break free. In this way, at last, they wore it down to the point where a final Warp blast from Thane sent the creature tumbling to the deck. The Drell made sure of the kill by firing his SMG three times into its skull, spreading a pool of green blood and white fluid across the deck.

They had no time to celebrate the small victory, however, as one of the Human Husks moved in, one of its attacks striking Samara in the back. The Asari crumpled up, overwhelmed by the strength of the attack. Thane rushed to her side, trying to drag her out while hampering the Husk's advance with his SMG.

Shepard was forced to deal with the last two Husks, severely hampered by their twin attacks on his cover. His shields, so recently restored, were rapidly draining away under the assault, while his rifle sent bullet after bullet at the creatures, only to be deflected. He looked about, seeing his allies falling back from the servants of their enemies, and he felt a surge of desperation. After everything they had faced, all of their triumphs, to be defeated by four of his own species was just insulting.

Just as the two Husks he faced reached his cover, rounding either side of the bank of diagnostic and inventory computers, a quiet hiss from behind the Commander caught their attention. They hesitated one moment before a thunderous crack heralded a bright flash which caused one Husk to tumble backwards.

"Right on your ass!" Grunt's bloodthirsty howl caused Shepard's heart to soar. He turned to see the Krogan charge out, accompanied by Delexia, Etarn, the Revenant, Jano, Elanie, Kasumi, Jack, Feron and Kaidan come racing out of the elevator, all bearing weapons of a wide variety. The cargo bay was filled with the sound of gunfire as the squad poured out of the elevator, the Husks falling back under the brutal assault. Yelling proudly, Shepard joined the charge, as did Zaeed and Thane. Together, the squad quickly decimated the Husks, ripping them apart one by one. In moments, the battle was over, the four former Humans torn to shreds.

In the sudden silence that followed, Shepard bowed forwards, hands placed on his knees as he breathed deeply, thoroughly exhausted. He looked up as Kaidan walked up to him, still holding his rifle.

"Was that all of them?" He asked.

"One Quarian, one Salarian, six Humans. That's the full set." Shepard assured.

"Good." The soldier sagged with relief.

"We need to make sure all Husk materials are properly contained." Shepard instructed. "I don't doubt Mordin will want to take a look, but we don't know what tech the reapers used in these guys. Take every precaution."

"Will do, Commander."

"We'd also better get the injured up to the Med Bay, Miranda and Jacob included."

"I'll take care of it, Shepard." Kaidan assured him. "In the meantime, I think you'd better get back to the CIC. God knows what's happened while we've been out of action."

"I'll get right on it." The Commander assured, turning away. He nodded to the rest of his squad, expressing his thanks silently, then stepped into the elevator, heading back up to see what he'd missed.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard stepped out onto the CIC, looking about with relief upon seeing his crew getting things back to normal. As he walked out, Kelly strode by. He reached out and caught her arm.

"Kelly, can you send a few crewmen up to my cabin to help Mordin? He's in a shuttle docked over my window, and he's got some patients that will need attention."

"Consider it done, Commander." The yeoman promised, quickly heading off to speak to some of the crew about her new task.

Shepard nodded, stepping up to his normal post above the Galaxy Map.

"Give me the situation, Joker." He called.

"Commander! Its good to have things back under control." The pilot's voice came through the comm from the cockpit.

"What's the status of the ADI fleet?" Shepard asked.

"Just before we lost the comm array, Hackett was calling for a full retreat. We're abandoning the system, Commander."

Shepard sighed, but he knew it was the only logical option.

"It was to be expected. They hit us too hard this time. Any word from Liara or Cerberus?"

"Not yet."

"Nothing? No reinforcements, not even a signal saying they're on their way/" The Commander was disappointed, but not surprised. Both fleets had taken a beating around Minuteman, and would have taken a long time to make ready for any confrontation with the Reapers. The hope that they would deliver any force to turn the tide of the battle was remote at best.

"Nope."

"Alright." Shepard leaned over the railing, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Open a channel to Admiral Hackett. I need to know what's going on right now."

"Just a sec."

"Shepard, is that you? Where the hell is the Normandy? We're getting torn apart over here!"

"Admiral, sorry for going off the grid. The Reapers managed to get some agents aboard the Normandy. How goes the retreat?"

"We're getting our asses handed to us down here, Shepard. The Reapers have us surrounded." The Admiral informed, his signal going scratchy for a moment, presumably as his ship took damage.

"What do you need us to do, Sir?"

"Our priority is to get the Cambodia out of here. Both Admiral Drescher and the Senate are aboard. Get her to the Relay, then get yourself out."

"Belay that, Hackett." Another voice, that of Admiral Drescher, came over the same channel. "We need to ensure that Arcturus Station does not fall into enemy hands. It needs to be destroyed."

"How can you expect the Normandy to destroy that station on its own?" Hackett asked incredulously.

"I don't." Drescher answered evenly. "You are to call off those ships you've committed to defending the Cambodia and attack Arcturus."

"That's ridiculous! You'll be destroyed!" Hackett protested.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. The Cambodia is a tough vessel. Regardless, it is more important that you make sure that the push to retake Earth is as easy as possible. Robbing the enemy of this resource is one such way."

"This is insane! Shepard, do not commit the Normandy to this plan."

Shepard realised what the wise Admiral was doing. As a Spectre, Shepard didn't have to take orders from either of them. They could only advise him of the best course of action. If he disobeyed Drescher, she could not hold it against him. As a Council representative, it was his job to ensure the health of the Alliance as a Council entity. In one sentence, Hackett had reminded Shepard of his responsibilities and his freedom to act as he saw fit. Once again, an impossible choice lay before him. His hands rubbed at his face wearily as he considered his options. If he committed to saving the Cambodia, Hackett would follow. If he chose to attack Arcturus, the Admiral would be compelled to back him up rather than risk every asset Humanity had in the system. Sighing wearily, Shepard opened his mouth to give his decision.

**Author's Notes: Whew! This one fought me a little. Still not 100% happy with the pace of the second half, but could not find a way to improve it. I'd appreciate any suggestions.**

**I apologise for taking so long to update. A pretty crazy month, combined with minor illness and being away for a while all conspired to keep me away from this fic. Oh, and my computer broke, just to add insult to injury. Probably from me writing too much. ;)**

**So now there's a new vote to be completed. Please, head on over to my profile page and let your voice be heard.**

**This chapter deals with a concept I feel quite strongly about. namely, the husks. I don't feel that super advanced beings would really create armies of zombies to serve them. How does dead flesh and machinery help them in their harvest? It just makes creatures that they can't melt down into Reaper slurry. I feel that it makes more sense for the Husks to be creations of the Reapers' servants, actually turning out to be poor imitations of the real thing that Reapers can create. Think about Saren. For the most part, he looked normal. Then he was able to reveal extraordinary abilities that Sovereign had granted him. All myths and tales of Reaper invasion feature traitors and double agents planted among the unharvested. This makes more sense in a Galactic Invasion. I think its also more sinister, and would make a good mechanic in-game. You could never be sure the NPC you were talking to was free in his mind, or serving the Reapers. Normal mooks in the street could suddenly hulk out and cause chaos before changing back and fading into obscurity. You can't do that with the godawful left 4 dead wannabes Bioware are parading out now.**

**Sorry for the rant, I just really hate the idea of the Banshees and Cannibals revealed so far. If I wanted a zombie shooter, I'd buy one.**

**Thanks go to the usual suspects, BloodIronAngel, general-joseph-dickson, Inverness, Mastermind4892 and so on. I'd also like to thank Liege Lord, saaziel and everyone else who has reviewed, PM'd, and favourited this story.**

**I run on criticism, positive and negative, so please, let me know what you think! Whether you loved the story, hated it, want me to die a painfully spiky death or just appreciate the silky smooth taste of Guinness, let me know. Also, while I'm here, I'm still looking for any fanart about this story.**

**One final thing: There are a couple of fics I really think every Mass Effect fan should have a look at. The first is Fight For The Lost by LuxDragon. Also make sure to look up For Tomorrow We die by ElectricZ, and pretty much anything by JoeLaTurkey. These three are absolute geniuses (genii?) and, while they get waaay more reviews than me, they definitely deserve it and much more. So head on over and let them know what you think.**

**Okay, so now I'll sign off and let you guys get to reading this. Fainmaca away!**


	37. 37: Flight

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Author's Notes: Vote Result:**

**Save the Cambodia: 7**

**Destroy Arcturus: 7**

**A slightly awkward tie in the vote this time. In the interests of keeping the story moving, I'm going to have to break the tie by casting my own. Shepard has been a Paragon up until now, so I'll vote for Saving the Cambodia. I apologise to those who may feel cheated by this as they voted to destroy Arcturus, but I need to make a decision otherwise the story stalls. **

**Chapter 37: Flight**

The Commander slumped over the railing protruding over the Galaxy Map, his head drooping low. He felt tired, there was no other word for it. Not tired from the mission he had just returned to, although he couldn't deny the weariness in his muscles. The tiredness pressing down on him was mental, emotional. He was tired of constantly facing such impossible odds, tired of feeling like his was the only ship dedicated towards fighting these things, tired of being the only sentient being in the entire Galaxy entrusted with these decisions. He was a soldier, not a politician. His job was to kill the bad guys, not decide the course of entire civilisations. Now he was being asked to choose between giving the Reapers a valuable war asset in their occupation of the Arcturus System, or allowing the remnants of Humanity's government to die, along with a prominent Admiral in the Alliance. Drescher seemed confident of the Cambodia's chances in her transmission, but Shepard could hear the resignation in her voice. There spoke a woman prepared to die to deny the enemy a vital asset. A brave individual, clearly.

For a few moments, Shepard considered leaving the Cambodia to her fate. What had politicians done to help fight the Reapers over the past three years? The only things the Alliance government had done when he had warned them were brand him a lunatic and then try to sell him out to the Batarians. Time and again, they'd only proved to be a bunch of feckless, do-nothing, self-serving bureaucrats. He owed them nothing. All it would take was one word from him, and they would never trouble him again. Maybe that's what was needed to fight the Reapers. Perhaps the Galaxy needed new leadership, the military rising to power to take more positive action against the Reapers. Maybe that would improve their chances in the war to come.

But what of the people? What of those who relied on the politicians to give their lives structure, to lead by example? The military could enforce order and ensure the servitude of the populace, but they couldn't inspire them like a charismatic politician. With the loss of their chosen leaders, could Humanity really be counted on to give their all? If he chose to replace the politicians of the Alliance with military leadership, would he be compelled to do the same for the other races? If he made this choice, he risked starting down a dangerous path, one that may be difficult to escape from.

Then there was the matter of Arcturus Station to consider. The station was the only significant platform in the system, Arcturus' star only possessing a series of gas giants in orbit around it, lacking planets with any appropriate surface to land or build anything on. This was the main reason why the station was necessary rather than a ground-based starport. In addition, the station was located perilously close to Arcturus Prime, effectively protecting the Mass Relay from any invading force. Could Shepard risk allowing the Reapers to transform the station into such a valuable foothold? On the other hand, could he allow such a valuable symbol to be destroyed? Even captured by the Reapers, it survived, just like the Earth, and could be reclaimed.

"Shepard, we need a decision." Hackett prompted.

The Commander jolted. He'd drifted into a momentary daze, his indecision and hesitation taking control for a brief second. He couldn't afford to allow the difficulties of his position to paralyse him like that. He needed to make his choice, and fast. With a sigh, he pinched the bridge of his nose, standing up straight. There was only one choice he could make.

"Set a course for the Cambodia. We need to save the Senate."

"Aye-aye, Commander." Joker responded quickly.

"Understood, Shepard. The ADI will follow the Normandy." Hackett said.

Within seconds, the holographic map of the system showed the main body of what survived of the Arcturus Defence Initiative fleets moving towards the beleaguered Cambodia, the Normandy leading them.

A hiss from behind the Commander caused him to turn. He saw Mordin step out of the elevator, heading for his Tech Lab. The Commander arched an eyebrow, meeting the Salarian's gaze. Mordin looked back, quickly answering the unspoken question.

"Council representatives moved down to Med Bay. In care of doctors Chakwas and Archer. Hard to be certain of likelihood of recovery, condition critical. Just retrieving some equipment."

"Don't let me hold you back." The Commander nodded his head, dismissing the Normandy's Science Officer. Mordin turned and vanished into the tech Lab, returning a moment later with a device that Shepard couldn't even begin to figure out. In seconds, the Professor was gone, a quiet chime from EDI drawing Shepard's attention.

"Commander, Crewman Hadley wishes to inform you that the shuttle has been removed from the Loft window and is now safely stowed in the Cargo Bay. Your window has been sealed with a temporary armour patch."

"Thank you, EDI. Now let's get these bastards who're ruining my day." Shepard growled.

"All hands, brace for evasive manoeuvres." EDI warned.

The crew set about bracing themselves on various parts of the room. Some found empty chairs to occupy, strapping themselves in, while others simply tightened their grip on the railing around the Galaxy Map. Those who had the misfortune of needing to move about in the CIC did so at a near run.

Instantly the ship slid into a hurtling, twisting dash towards the Reapers. On the display, Shepard saw the tiny Normandy whip around the outstretched tentacle of a Reaper, skimming along its hull. For a moment a pop-culture reference more than two centuries old sprang unbidden into the Commander's mind, of a tiny ship darting through a trench towards its target, but this was much more serious, more real. One errant twitch from Joker's hands and the Normandy would be no more.

The frigate rattled as it pulled off several moves that would have ripped any other Alliance craft into pieces, the crew inside groaning with nausea or gasping with anxiety as immense G-forces pulled at them. As the Reapers set about firing on the tiny craft, the shields buzzed, deflecting several near misses. The Quarian-based Cyclonic Barrier Technology would fall apart under a direct hit, but was doing an admirable job of keeping the close calls from clipping the ship's outer extremities. This protection, however, could not stop the shock of the impact from travelling through the mass effect fields and into the ship's frame, badly jostling the crew within. One crewman, Hawthorne, was thrown from his feet, opening up a long gash in his forehead. He barely even paused to regard the bleeding before resuming his duties, a minor wound being outweighed by the needs of a ship under attack.

"Hackett, this is Shepard." The Commander opened up a channel, watching the hologram of the ongoing battle carefully. "Watch out for those three Reapers coming in at seven degrees ventral, one eighty five planar to your position, Sir."

Moments later the formation around Hackett's ship wheeled around, splitting into two halves between which the Reapers flew, their attempt at sneaking in behind the Admiral having failed. In an instant, a halo of fire coming from both sides surrounded the beings, ripping chunks of metal from their carapaces.

"Good catch, Shepard. We're moving to surround the Cambodia now." The old Admiral hailed over the comms.

"Roger that. Assign some vessels to follow the Normandy. We'll watch your back."

"Understood, Shepard. Take the Nevis, the St Helens and their attack groups with you. Godspeed, Commander."

"EDI, patch us through to those ships. I want you co-ordinating the retreat."

"Understood, Commander." The AI answered calmly.

In seconds, the AI was sending instructions to the small fleet under her command, moving them to anticipate the Reaper attacks and easily protecting the Cambodia in her flight. Even with this beyond-human assistance, ships continued to vanish from the map, destroyed by the Reaper weaponry. Shepard watched for five long minutes before the Cambodia, surrounded by a battered but intact escort, reached the Arcturus Four Relay.

"That's it, the Cambodia is away!" Hackett's voice held a small note of triumph. "All vessels, fall back to the Relay. We're out of here."

The tattered remains of the ADI fleets hurried towards the Relay, harried even as they fled. The Reapers continued to fire upon the vessels, ripping one dreadnought, the Nevis, to pieces before she could finish the calculations for her jump. Shepard kept the Normandy from making the journey until the last moment, waiting to make sure everyone that could get to the Relay had done so. Then, with a lump in his throat as he looked at the map of the system, glaring at the still intact Arcturus Station, he ordered Joker to take them through the Relay. The image of the Arcturus System winked out, the last thing it showed the Commander being a scene of the station surrounded by Reapers. His expression dark, Shepard turned from the map, vanishing into the elevator.

**~o~0~o~**

The Commander burst out of the elevator, narrowly missing Kasumi as she walked towards the Port Lounge. He mumbled an apology absent-mindedly before rushing past, heading straight for the Med Bay.

The doors hissed open, allowing the tangy metallic smell of blood mixed with chemicals to waft over him, the pungent smell of disinfectant cloying in his nostrils. Inside, the lights were bordering on painfully bright to ensure the medical staff could see what they were doing.

As Shepard walked in, Mordin, Chakwas and Archer looked up from their work. They had the insensible Etarn on one of the beds, tending to some broken ribs and a series of life-threatening burns. Other members of the squad were patching themselves up, each one trained in field medicine to a sufficient degree to deal with the few bumps and scrapes they had sustained. As the Commander strode in, Delexia and Garrus slipped out, the former pestering the latter to see under the swathe of bandages on his head like a mother checking on a child that had bumped his knee at the play-park. Some of the crew were chuckling at the sight, but Shepard merely nodded silently to them before entering the Med Bay.

His eyes darted to each bed in turn, catching sight of Septimus and Deridan watching over a ghostly pale Sha'ira. The Turian was sitting by her bed, clinging to her hand anxiously but gently enough to prevent the claws from piercing her eggshell blue skin. The Salarian stood behind him, a comforting hand on his shoulder. At such a time like this, the only thing the former general needed was silence as he watched every breath the Asari took.

Beside them, closer to the door, Shepard finally caught sight of the figure he was looking for. Lying in on one of the beds, face serene, the body of David Anderson was carefully laid out. His face had gone pale, the stony features strong even then.

His heart dropping, Shepard stepped over. A mixture of emotions washed over him. Grief, for the mentor and friend struck down by the Reapers. Anger at the politicians whose dithering had made this possible. Frustration at his own inability in the face of these trying times. But most of all, he felt hollow. There had been too much loss these past few days: Earth, Arcturus, and now Anderson. His arms and legs going numb, an icicle stabbing through his core, Shepard sagged into a seat beside the bed. He looked back at the still face of his own friend before reaching up towards his neck. There, he found the dog tags Liara had given him not so long ago, after helping her rise to power. They represented his life in the military, from his recruitment straight through to his appointment as a Spectre. One had his name and service number on it, while the other bore only the N7 of his unit. He removed the tags from his neck with a tug, then silently reached over and placed them in Anderson's open palm, curling the cold fingers around them. Without a word, he leaned forward, placing his elbows on the edge of the bed as he sagged, forehead resting in upturned palms wearily.

"You'd damn well better not be resigning just yet, Shepard."

The Commander's head snapped up at the gravelly voice, his eyes meeting the deep brown hues of the Admiral. Anderson had raised his head ever so slightly, looking at the tags in his hand and raising one brow. He still looked pale, and obviously had trouble moving, but the fire remained in his eyes when he spoke.

"'Cause I have no intention of accepting."

"David!" The relief flowed through the Commander like a flood of boiling hot water, washing away the freezing paralysis of grief. "You're alright!"

"'Course I am! You really think I'm gonna let a building falling on top of my head stop me?"

"But you looked-"

"I'm just a sound sleeper, Commander. Next time, check I have a goddamn pulse before you start measuring me up for a coffin."

"Sir!" Out of reflex, Shepard saluted, a rush of warmth moving across his face at his mistake. He could feel the Doctors looking over with a measure of amusement, Chakwas' expression in particular looking quite impish. He held no resentment, though, the rush of chemical emotion coursing through his system making it impossible to be mad.

"Get your hand down. You look like an idiot." Though Anderson's words were harsh, they had kindness behind them, a smile tugging at the corners of his eyes. "Now, tell me. Did we win?"

Shepard's mood hitched at this, an unwelcome reminder of the disastrous mission.

"Not exactly. We managed to get the Senate out of the system, along with the remainder of the ADI fleets. Hackett and Drescher made it out alive."

"Good. And Arcturus?"

"Intact, Sir. We had no choice but to leave it for the Reapers."

"I see." The Admiral sighed. "Well, maybe it's for the best. That thing did cost a lot of money to put into the sky."

"Sir." The Commander neither agreed nor contradicted that statement. He still wasn't sure he'd made the right choice.

"Any-" Anderson tried to sit up, but let out a groan as his hand reached for his side. "Damn these ribs! They're still healing."

Chakwas strode over, leaning over the Admiral to adjust his bedding under him and ensure he wasn't in significant pain.

"You need your rest, David. It's the only way all of these fractures will be repaired."

"Alright, Doctor." Anderson smiled at his old associate. His eyes flickered to Shepard. "We'll talk later, Shepard."

The Commander nodded, turning away from Anderson's bed. He walked over to Sha'ira, catching Septimus' despondent gaze with his own reassuring one.

"How is she?" Shepard asked, already suspecting the worst.

"She's lost a lot of blood." Deridan answered for the now mute Turian. "Fluid expanders just aren't cutting it, and there are no Asari within range except for your own crewmate, whose blood type isn't compatible. Combine that with the internal damage, and it's only a matter of time."

"I thought Mordin said he could fix this?" Shepard asked.

"And he could have, had we not been involved in that fight. Her using her biotics tore some already damaged tissue. They've done everything they can here, but there's just no way to fix this."

Shepard looked down at Sha'ira's face, a lump of guilt catching in his throat. If he'd been a little faster, fought a little harder…

"This was nobody's fault but the Reapers." Deridan assured him, reading his thoughts through his expression. "You cannot blame yourself."

"Nnh… Shepard?" Sha'ira's head rose from the pillow, fixing the Commander with a bleary stare.

"We're here, Sha'ira." The Commander said in a soothing voice.

"…Come closer, Commander." The Asari's breath was laboured, shallow. Shepard obliged her request, sitting in a chair by her bedside and leaning over to grasp the hand Septimus wasn't holding. The former consort took in as deep a breath as she could before speaking again.

"You must remember what I told you, Commander. My gift of words… for I sense yet more of your story to come." Her breath hitched, a liquid quality to it as droplets of purple trickled from the lip of her mouth. "Your skin remains tough, but now your hide has been pierced by many dreadful weapons. These hurt you… but they do not break you. Instead, like the mighty Nathak, you will become enraged. Beware of that path, Commander, for many a canny hunter has trapped the Nathak by using its rage as a lure…"

She paused to break into a ragged fit of coughing. Septimus reached over to rub her shoulder affectionately until the fit passed.

"…You have shown the strength to survive while others perish at your very side, but if you wish to survive the coming storm you will have to prove even stronger, otherwise you shall lose all that you hold dear and, eventually, you shall lose yourself… Your humble beginnings gave you strength, your rise to power has granted you greatness, but the days to come shall grant you peace or destruction. It remains your choice as to which awaits you."

With a sudden strength, her hand darted forward, catching the Commander by his collar. She pulled him closer, her eyes flashing intensely as they took on a clarity they had lacked since she had come aboard the Normandy. Through them, Shepard could see centuries of hard-earned experience calling out to him, warning him.

"Soon she will need you more than ever. But her need will break you. You must be strong to endure this, stronger than any that have existed before you."

With those words, she dropped back to her bed, head sagging back into the pillow weakly. Shepard's brow creased in confusion at the strange words.

"What does all that mean?" He asked, but Sha'ira's attention shifted elsewhere.

For what seemed like the first time since leaving Arcturus, she looked straight at Septimus, her soft features breaking into a smile.

"Septimus, I am glad you are here." Her voice was weak, barely a whisper.

"I'm here, Sha'ira. Don't you worry." Septimus finally found the strength to speak, though his voice quaked with barely restrained emotions. Behind him, Deridan tactfully withdrew to a respectful distance. Shepard did the same, although he could still hear what was being said. In the background, the medical staff still working on Etarn formed a quiet buzzing backdrop to the near-silent conversation.

"Good." She let out a satisfied sigh, eyes closing as though she were laying down in her own home, safe and secure. "I've missed you greatly, Septimus. Nothing caused me greater grief than to have to turn you away. I am sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about." The Turian struggled. "I was the one in the wrong to ask such a thing of you."

"And yet would it have been wrong of me to listen to my heart instead of my head?" The Asari countered sleepily. "Not a day goes by I do not dwell on what could have been. If I had said yes. If I had left my position as Consort and come with you to Palaven."

"Then say it." The former general whispered. "Say yes. We can go back to Palaven, to that little farm I told you about in X'enshh where the rivers run freely and the gardens are filled with Jupiree flowers."

"My favourites." The Asari smiled fondly. "You still remember."

"I could never forget." The Turian's clawed hand reached up to stroke her cheek. She returned the gesture, her weak hand trembling until it found his mandible, where it rested heavily. Her fingers curled a little, pulling at his head as they snaked around until her palm rested on the back of his skull. Gently, their two foreheads touched, resting in that tiny moment of contact for a few seconds.

After several moments, Septimus reached up to move her hand, placing it reverently over her heart, moving the other to interlock with it. He then, in perfect silence, stood and turned away, leaving with a quick but unsteady stride, failing to meet anyone's gaze. As he left, Shepard lowered his head respectfully, closing his eyes as a silent farewell to the Asari. Then he, too, left the Med Bay, seeking a place to be alone with his thoughts.

Before he could find such a place, a beep sounded from EDI's nearest interface.

"Shepard, we are approaching our destination."

"Thanks, EDI." Shepard said wearily. "I'll be right up."

**~o~0~o~**

"Docking procedure complete, cycling outer airlock."

Shepard bounced on the balls of his feet impatiently as the AI narrated the process of docking the Normandy with the Shadow Broker hub ship. He glanced to his right, towards the cockpit and the viewport beyond. Through that, the battered Alliance ships could be seen being tended to by what remained of the Shadow Broker fleet. The Cerberus vessels, including Minuteman Station, were long gone before the alliance ships arrived. A wise move, given the fact that either faction might spontaneously attack the other. But that did nothing to change Shepard's mood. He felt the frustration rise in his gut as the airlock completed its seemingly endless cycle.

Behind him, a number of the Normandy's specialists watched their Commander pensively. All valuable in their own ways, Mordin, Kaidan, Garrus, Miranda, the recently repaired Legion, and Delexia had been gathered for the debrief with Liara. Every last one of them had concern etched in their face or in their stance as Shepard fumed in front of them. None were certain of the true source of the Commander's anger, but had suspicions that the white bundle that now occupied one of the Med Bay's beds had something to do with it.

Finally, the airlock opened, allowing the Commander to storm through. The assembled group quickly followed. They wove their way through the ship until they reached the doors to Liara's office at the heart of the ship. The doors opened for the Commander, revealing Liara standing before her console, reading a report. She looked up at their entrance, relief flowing across her features.

"Shepard! Thank the goddess you're alright!"

Shepard came to an abrupt halt opposite her, fists clenched by his sides. The Asari picked up on his aggression, but was unsure of its purpose.

"Shepard?" She asked, a little nervously.

"Where were you?" His voice was low, but powerful. Instead of being a controlled growl, it was more akin to the rumble of distant thunder, warning of danger approaching.

"What do you mean?" Liara asked innocently. "I've been here, seeing to the repairs. The assault on Minuteman-"

"After everything we've been through together, after everything I've done to help you, this is how you repay me?" Shepard's control was slipping, his tone rising.

Around the room, the assembled squad members subconsciously began reaching for weapons. Not out of readiness to harm their Commander, but just to seek the reassurance of the feel of a gun in their hands when faced with the sight of Shepard finally losing his cool. Liara now appeared very worried.

"Shepard, what-"

"I hauled you out of that Prothean ruin! I helped put a stop to your mother! When you went after the Shadow Broker, I was right behind you." Shepard's harsh bark was cracked, the sheer strain of pent-up emotion creaking in his throat. "Then the Reapers attack Arcturus in numbers we've never seen before. I only had a couple of fleets to call on. I can't think of a more significant time for me to need your help. And what happened when I looked for reinforcements?"

Metal clanged as the Commander's gauntleted fist slammed into one of the supports holding up the room's ceiling. The metal buckled like paper under his blow, wires popping out and beginning to spark.

"Nothing!" The word was almost a roar, echoing through the interior of the ship in a reverberation that Shepard was certain could be heard from bow to stern.

Liara flinched from the shout. It was only then that it became apparent just how small she was. Being an Asari, she was hardly of the heaviest build anyway. But now all the confidence and power normally present in her posture had vanished. Her shoulders had slumped, her expression was broken, creases of remorse springing from the corners of her eyes and mouth while liquid grief danced on the extremity of her eyelids. Before the Commander's wrath, she appeared as something insignificant, worthless. She backed away a couple of steps, reduced to the awkward adolescent she had been before meeting the Commander.

"Shepard, I-" Her voice hitched, caught around an emotional obstruction in her throat. "I'm sorry. I couldn't-"

"What? Couldn't be bothered to risk your own ass for a Human Station? It would have been different if it had been the Citadel. You aliens are all the same. Always looking out for yourselves, never willing to help the newcomers to the galactic scene-"

"Shepard, that's not fair!" The growled snap was made all the more sinister by Garrus' reverberating voice. "This isn't Liara's fault."

"No, you're right." Shepard wheeled on his old friend. "This is your fault."

"Me?" Vakarian sputtered. Behind him, Delexia flinched.

"Yes, you! And every goddamn Turian out there! You've got the biggest military fleet in Council space, and what do you do with it? You sit on your asses and complain that Humanity's getting too big for its boots!" Shepard spun to point a finger at the almost weeping Liara. "The Asari are just as bad! You live for over a thousand years, but don't have the foresight to develop a better way of ensuring the safety of those you claim to protect! Instead you spend entire centuries stripping and rutting with Krogan!" Another turn had him glaring at Mordin. "And don't even get me started on the Salarians! You're all supposed to be so smart, so why couldn't you figure out the reapers were coming? Its not like I didn't give you enough evidence to act upon."

"Insulting implication!" The scientist stammered. "Have done what I could to fight Reapers. Not my fault all politicians are cloacas!"

"Don't even try to justify yourself." Shepard said with venom. Deep in his mind, his reason pleaded with him to stop, but his rage was in control now, fully prepared to burn everything he encountered just to spite him. "You're no better than those politicians. The Salarians uplifted the strongest military force out there, giving the Galaxy its greatest weapon, and then what do you do? You neuter them, dooming them to over a thousand years of degeneration and wasted potential! Once it turns out they're recovering, you do it again! Maelon was right. The Galaxy would be a better place if the Krogan had finished what they started and wiped all three races off the map!"

"And as for you!" Shepard spun again, this time pointing accusingly at Legion. "Super advanced machines with information proving the existence of the Reapers thanks to direct contact, and what do you do to help? You hide behind your precious nebula! You do nothing but let the Galaxy hate you and make up stories about how you'll kill us all. Would it kill you to try and make nice with the Council?"

Externally, the Geth remained inert. Internally, its runtimes buzzed with something like emotion as it decided restraint was the most appropriate reaction here. Shepard's face twisted with fury at the lack of reaction, a grunt of disgust escaping from his throat as he turned away from his allies.

"You all disgust me. When the Reapers come, they can take you all away for all I care."

"Enough, Shepard!" Kaidan's voice made all present jump. It had a strength to it that nobody had expected. "You need to calm the hell down and try to engage your brain before your mouth."

"What do you know? You turned your back on me! When I came back from the dead, asking for help fighting the Collectors, you couldn't see past the Cerberus logo on my paycheque. You knew the danger the Reapers presented, but all you did for three years was brown-nose your way up the ranks." Shepard continued out of the door with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Kaidan was silent for a moment, brow creasing so deeply it looked like a canyon ran across his forehead. When he next spoke, his voice was barely a whisper aimed at the Commander's back.

"Is this what Ashley died for?"

That made the Commander pause. Unseen by his comrades, his face dropped into an expression of regret-filled terror. His gut twisted like a knife had been thrust into his belly, while his throat was as dry as Tuchanka's surface. His mouth worked silently for a moment, his eyes roving about until they dropped their gaze to the floor in shame. Without a word, he strode off, the door closing behind him and separating him from his crew.

Inside, the crew stared at the door for a brief moment with a mixture of shock, anger and confusion. Miranda stepped over to comfort Liara, soon joined by Delexia. The Asari allowed a few tears to flow freely down her cheeks, feeling a mixture of guilt at the Commander's accusations and worry for her old friend. When Garrus mumbled something about following the Commander, she spoke up with a strong voice once more.

"No. Leave him be. He just needs some time."

**~o~0~o~**

"Excuse me, sir."

Shepard glared at the fifth technician to cross his path during his anger-fuelled journey through the extremities of the ship. The young woman meekly lowered her head and rushed by, eager to get out of the way of the fuming Commander. Shepard watched her go, a snide voice in his head suggesting that maybe she was a snoop sent by Liara to keep an eye on him. His sense of reason, rapidly reasserting control over his mind, quickly dismissed that thought. Liara really didn't deserve that kind of slanderous thinking.

He sighed with relief as he found a large window looking out on the vast starry expanse, his eyes feeling much more relaxed as they lost their focus when confronted with such a vista. He stepped back to lean against a wall facing the window and tilted his head back, his eyes closing with exhaustion.

He'd hurt his friends, and he knew it. He had been so angry, so frustrated with the lack of progress they were making in the war, and he'd lashed out at the first targets that presented themselves. Now they were probably in that office, discussing how he was no longer fit to lead the crew of the Normandy, suggesting possible replacements. The Commander wondered for a moment who they might choose to take his place. Kaidan had been a part of the operation as long as Shepard had, and he was well liked by the crew, although his refusal to join the mission against the Collectors could be held against him. Garrus was liked by all, but lacked the confidence in his abilities. Maybe Miranda, as she certainly didn't lack confidence, but on the other hand she was not well liked among the non-Cerberus members of the crew. Hell, even some of the former members of Cerberus found her a little too icy.

He sighed, feeling the tiredness rise within his core. He allowed the feeling to seep through his body, sliding into a sitting position with his back pressed against the wall. One elbow rested on a knee, the palm of his hand pressed into his forehead as dull eyes stared into space, not really looking at anything. Funnily enough, the most overwhelming feeling he got from this strange position he found himself in was peace. He could feel his worries ebbing away, replaced by the comforting numbness of doing and thinking about nothing.

It was therefore with a pang of irritation that he was roused from this silent pose as his omnitool beeped. He looked to it to see the interface flash as it received an incoming message. His eyebrow arched with curiosity. It was from Wrex. He didn't hesitate before opening the channel.

He flinched as a loud explosion echoed through the comm channel. A tiny screen popped up, showing a video feed of his old Krogan friend. Wrex looked preoccupied, gazing at something off-screen before noticing his call had been answered. When he spoke, his voice possessed the urgency generated by a life-and-death situation.

"Shepard!"

"Wrex? What's going on?"

"Urdnot's in trouble, Shepard. They're pu-… rd. We need help!"

"Wrex, slow down. Who's attacking?"

"Wh-a-a-a…. n't hear you, Shep-… -ring help, now!"

A moment later, the video suddenly cut out with a static-filled squeal. Shepard tapped at the omnitool frantically, trying to re-open the connection.

"Wrex? Wrex!" Panic rose in the Commander's throat. Frustrated, he shut the omnitool down. The comm relay the Krogan had been using must have been disabled or destroyed. Shepard could only hope Wrex hadn't been taken out with it.

The Commander sighed, rubbing at his eyes. What the hell was he doing? Here he was, complaining about the sorry state of the Galaxy instead of doing something to fix it. The Reapers had free roam of the Mass Relay network, able to strike planets at will. He couldn't say for sure that that was what was happening on Tuchanka, but it was certainly a possibility. One thing was certain, however: the longer he sat here and moped, the better the Reapers' chances of winning the war.

Taking a deep breath, Shepard got to his feet, steadying himself against the wall while he mentally prepared himself for what was to come. There was only one way to put things right.

**~o~0~o~**

The doors to Liara's office slid open before him, allowing the Commander to enter quietly. Thankfully, the occupants of the room were otherwise occupied, gathered around Liara's desk to watch something on one of her many displays. For a moment Shepard thought he might manage to walk by unnoticed to wait to speak with Liara later, but those hopes were soon quashed when he friendly little VI drone popped up next to him.

"How can I be of assistance, Shadow Broker?" It offered helpfully.

The squad turned from Liara's display at the sudden voice, a number of pairs of eyes narrowing upon catching sight of him. There was no hostility coming from them, but they were wary of what kind of mood he might be in.

The Commander sighed. There was no way to take his time doing this. Far better to get it done.

"I'm sorry." He couldn't meet their stares. "I was angry and I took it out on you. None of you deserved that. I was an ass."

At this last sentence, his gaze rose to meet Liara's baby blue hues.

"Especially to you. I owe you the biggest apology of them all. There was nothing that could have been done to help with the Arcturus situation, and getting mad with you for not being there was unfair."

"I understand, Commander." Liara's soft voice reached him. "You've been under a lot of pressure lately. All of that stress was bound to escape in some form or another."

"Well it shouldn't have. I'm supposed to lead by example. I let you all down."

"Shepard, given what you've had to deal with lately, I highly doubt that was the worst you could have done." Garrus chuckled, trying to ease the tension. "Better to yell at us now than do something really stupid further down the line."

"Now, now, Garrus. Let's not be too hasty." Delexia chided. "It's still a reasonable bet that the Commander'll do something brainless later on. This is Shepard we're talking about."

Some lighter chuckles passed through the assembled group, breaking the tension. Shepard felt relief wash over him at this. He'd still caused them pain, but they were ready to forgive. If the price of that forgiveness was having to endure more than a few jokes at his expense, so be it. His dignity was a small price to pay to keep such valuable friends.

"I'm glad that's all sorted." Miranda's voice cut in over the various expressions of relief escaping from the room's occupants. "Now, back to the matter at hand."

"What were you all doing when I walked in?" Shepard asked, stepping over to once more join his squad.

"With Arcturus taken, the Reapers now have access to a Relay hub that connects to many parts of the Galaxy." Liara explained. "We're trying to predict where they might strike first."

"I just got a distress call from Wrex. Urdnot's under attack." Shepard said. "I couldn't figure out for certain who was attacking, but it sounded bad."

"So we mark down Tuchanka as a possibility." The Asari smoothly spoke as she opened a new file, taking down some notes. "Was Wrex able to tell you anything at all?"

"Not really. He just managed to say Urdnot needed our help before the transmission was cut short."

"So that's one potential target for the Reapers. If they take out Tuchanka, then the Krogan are no longer a concern in the war. Makes sense, seeing as the Krogan territories are more focused around their homeworld than the territories of other races." Liara typed busily on her console. "So now we need to-"

A loud ping from the console interrupted her. She lifted her omnitool to her ear and spoke for a moment.

"Yes? I see… I will."

"Bad news?" Shepard asked, catching her growing frown.

"Voice command: Open newsfeed, Citadel Newsnet." Liara said loudly into the air.

"At once, Shadow Broker." The VI answered promptly.

The display in front of the group changed, the image of an immaculately dressed Human woman appearing before them. She sat behind a desk, a stack of datapads before her. In the background, the image of the Citadel could be seen.

"Welcome to Citadel Newsnet, I'm Emily Wong.

"Today's main story: The sudden and devastating attack on the Asari world of Thessia. Reports are still rolling in and rumours on the Extranet abound as several stunning images were leaked to the public following an embarrassing filing error within the Council's offices. News of this attack and its as-yet unidentified perpetrators has shocked millions, inciting mass panic amongst the Asari populations of many worlds.

"The news broke earlier this morning when the contract for an upcoming Citadel Tower networking project was submitted to technology firms Macroware Industries Limited, Osalin enterprises and members of the Biosoft Consortium. It appears that the footage was attached to the contract in error. Needless to say, within an hour rumour had spread through the companies and some as yet unknown employees leaked the story.

"The Council has issued multiple cease and desist orders against various Extranet sites responsible for dissipating the news to the public, as well as demanding the temporary closure of , a popular message board dedicated to the vid drama series, Fleet and Flotilla, in the interests of public safety.

"I have with me today Council representative Selsyrria Malnes, to give the Council's side of the story. Selsyrria, could you tell me in your own words how a security breach like this could have happened."

"Typical." Garrus said with a grunt of distaste. "Thessia's under attack, but they're focused more on how the public got to know about it, how to vilify the government for not saying anything sooner. Just you watch, any minute now the conspiracy theorists will start appearing."

"That's the way the media works these days, Garrus." Liara said. "They're just there to tell the best story they can."

"That was fascinating, Miss Malnes." Emily continued on screen. "Thank you for your insight into the internal workings of the Citadel's administration.

"Now, moving on to the actual attack itself. As of one hour ago, Citadel Newsnet has been able to confirm that the Saterius Prime Relay leading into the Thessia System is now dormant, not responding to any transit requests. All communication with the Asari homeworld has ceased. We have, however, managed to locate genuine copies of the images leaked from the Council files. Those of a nervous disposition should look away now, as some of these images are graphic in nature."

The gathered squad took in a single unified breath of consternation at the next thing to greet their eyes. There, as obvious as a lump of coal on an iceberg, was a Reaper scudding through the clouds above Thessia. In an instant, this image was replaced with that of three of the gargantuan machines trudging through the city of Serrice, buildings crumbling before their wrath. Next the newsfeed showed several images of wounded Asari, many dead, then a final image of a Reaper looming over the owner of the imaging device. After that, the rest of the footage was static-filled and blurry. The feed switched back to a rather surprised Emily Wong, rendered speechless for a moment. Finally, she recovered a portion of her poise, resuming her report.

"The… uh.. the images from the attack on Thessia. The Council has requested that we remind all concerned citizens that they are currently investigating the situation and shall compile a report once the initial findings are in, and will not be free to comment on the situation until that has been accomplished."

As the report trailed off, the squad looked to each other uncertainly, a little lost for words. There was a deep silence while they struggled to grasp the significance of this. Thessia was a core world of Council Space. For the Reapers to strike at such an important target, they had to have a very good reason. And if Tuchanka was similarly under attack, that made it the third homeworld besieged. This was a sudden change of pace in the enemy stratagem that they had been completely unprepared for, even considering the loss of Arcturus. Liara looked particularly stricken.

"By the goddess… why Thessia?"

"Many reasons." Mordin answered. "Capital of oldest government in Council, represents most powerful economy in civilised space, source of most natural biotics…" he paused to sniff. "Surprising they did not choose to strike at Asari first. But, Sol best choice for creation of Relay…" His eyes widened. "Of course! Makes sense now, makes sense now! Reapers seek Element Zero!"

"You're right." Miranda agreed. "The planet is saturated with eezo. Maybe enough to finish their Relay to Dark Space."

"Then we need to put a stop to it." Shepard said firmly. "These bastards have taken enough from us. We need to force them back somewhere, anywhere!"

"If we're going to do this, we'll need the help of the Council." Garrus commented.

"They'll have to admit the danger now, with their own worlds at stake." The Commander commented.

"I can set up a conference." Liara offered. "Just give me a few moments to make the calls."

The squad backed up as she powered up the holographic communications suite, generating an area in the centre of the office for incoming images. The gathered specialists took up positions in a semi-circle around one half of it, while Liara remained out of sight at her desk.

In moments three images appeared in the centre of the empty circle. The flickering visage of Asari Councillor Tevos appeared to be much the worse for wear, the darkness under the eyes and creases at the corners of her expression betraying her sleepless night. The Turian Councillor, Velarn appeared much more irritated than anxious, the perpetual frown on his face even deeper than usual. Councillor Fahos, the Salarian, had a preoccupied expression, looking slightly concerned at receiving the mysterious summons. The final being to appear was Councillor Udina, his frown just as permanent as Velarn's.

"What's the meaning of this?" Velarn demanded. "Where did Anoleis go?"

"The administrator can wait." Liara's voice was much more menacing once it had passed through the voice changer she used.

"Who is this?" Fahos asked. Surprisingly, both Velarn and Tevos barely blinked at the voice. Apparently the good Councillors had made use of the network before.

"This is the Shadow Broker. I've just been reviewing all evidence in connection with the attack on Thessia and believe we needed to discuss the situation."

"We're performing a full inquiry into the incident-" Velarn began.

"I've seen the speed at which Council bureaucracy moves at." Liara's voice had a heat to it, an irritation she rarely displayed. "I could walk to Thessia and still arrive there before any delegation you decided to send. This attack calls for action."

"What kind of action?" Fahos asked.

"First of all, we really must remember our most important asset in this campaign and include him in these discussions." Liara tapped a control, transmitting Shepard's image to the Council. Tevos brightened at the sight of him, while Fahos remained neutral and Velarn only grimaced.

"Shepard." The Asari's said with relief. "You went off the grid for so long, we feared the worst."

"Or hoped for it." The Turian muttered. Shepard had the good grace to ignore him, as did the rest of the group present.

"Councillor. My condolences on your loss." Shepard directed the comment to Tevos.

"And yours. We received word about Arcturus just this morning."

"A disappointing development." The Commander said wistfully.

"A worrying development, you mean." Velarn said sharply. "You left a key resource in the hands of the enemy. Have you any idea what kind of defences the Reapers could mount on that station to prevent any assault on the Sol System?"

"It was that or let the senate die!" Shepard protested. "Humanity needs its leaders."

"Yes, well, its clear you'll go to any length to protect your own species, no matter the trouble it will cause further down the line. Now any hope we have of retaking the Arcturus System to secure the Relay hub will be significantly more difficult."

Shepard bristled at the Turian's insinuations, but held his tongue. He glanced to Udina, hoping a fellow Human would leap to his defence, but should have known better, the Councillor's scowl possessing a somewhat preoccupied quality.

"And, of course, we mustn't forget your association with Cerberus. Sources informed us that you recently commenced an operation against the Illusive Man. Tell me, do you have him in custody?"

Shepard looked once more to Udina, certain of the Turian Councillor's 'sources'. How the Human Councillor had found out about the mission to Minuteman Station was another question. He must have had sources within any one of the Human facets of the operation. Possibly aboard one of the ships Liara had managed to 'acquire' from the Alliance. He sighed as he realised the trap he had been caught in. Here he was, in front of the four most powerful beings in the planet, admitting that he had held the leader of Cerberus at gunpoint and then willingly allowed him to go free.

"I'm afraid not."

The temperature of the office dropped by several hundred degrees.

"He escaped?" Fahos asked, surprised.

"What Shepard means to say," Liara interjected before an issue could be made of it. "Is that Cerberus has now been absorbed by my organisation. They will not trouble you again."

The Council was reluctantly silent, giving the Shadow Broker a chance to retake control of the conversation.

"We need to focus on what is going to be done from here on out. The Reapers are on the move. Yesterday Arcturus, today Thessia, tomorrow they could be on the Citadel's doorstep."

"What do you suggest?" Tevos asked.

"First of all, we need to work together." Liara began to pace as she spoke. "Turians, Salarians, Asari, humans, they must all unite to fight these creatures. All of my resources are committed to the war effort, as are those of a number of organisations I have been able to influence into action. The Commander has been performing a number of tasks to ensure that we are better prepared for when the time comes to take the fight to the Reapers. But none of this will matter is we cannot guarantee the commitment of every military resource that you have at your disposal. Once we have that, we can move to retake the Arcturus System, then move onto the Sol System."

"A preposterous suggestion." Velarn protested. "What of our own territories? Are we to abandon those to enemy attack while we risk everything to help the Humans reclaim their homeworld?" He shook his head. "The Turians will not be so foolish."

"Councillor, I must ask you to reconsider." Udina finally spoke out. "Remember what Humanity has done for you."

"Of course, Humanity's contribution to the safety of the Citadel will not be ignored." Velarn answered smoothly. "Both the Council and the Hierarchy would be all too happy to assist in relocation efforts. But we cannot risk our own planets in the remote hope of retaking yours."

"Unfortunately, I must agree with my associate." Fahos added, much to Shepard's surprise. "The Salarian Union must also think of its own territories in these trying times."

"Councillor! What of Thessia?" Tevos asked sharply.

"I am sorry, Councillor, but in times of war, there will be losses. We must work to hold onto what we still have, not overextend ourselves to regain what was lost."

"Well I'm not about to sit under a rock and let the Reapers just storm through the Galaxy." Shepard said firmly. "We've got to make a stand, otherwise the Reapers will succeed in their efforts to destroy Sol to bring back the rest of their race."

"You cannot prove that that is their intention." Velarn said stubbornly. "That is merely a theory."

Shepard sighed, flinging up his hands angrily. The obstinate nature of the Council had frequently been a source of great frustration for him, and apparently not even the threat of galactic extinction could change that. He looked over to Liara.

"Lose this channel. I'm tired of trying to reason with these assholes."

"Shepard, please!" The Asari Councillor's plea made Shepard pause. Of the three Councillors, she had always seemed the more reasonable, the most likely to listen, but perhaps that was just part of her Asari charm. "What are we to do about Thessia?"

"I'll deal with it, don't you worry. I'd do the same for any planet under attack from the Reapers."

"This probably isn't the best time to bring this up, Commander, but we've also lost contact with the Tasale System." Tevos seemed apologetic to be the bearer of more bad news. Beside her, Velarn glared with an expression that seemed to demand she keep quite, but she ignored him.

"You think the Reapers could be targeting Illium as well?" Shepard asked.

"I'm not sure. It does offer another Relay hub linking to multiple parts of the Galaxy."

"Hmm. Possible that Reapers are working to secure key transportation gateways throughout Galaxy." Mordin mused. "Bottlenecks easier to defend than other parts of Relay network. Renders swift travel from one system to another… problematic."

"We'll look into it. Right now our priority is attending to systems that we know to be under attack." Shepard concluded.

"Understood, Commander." Tevos bowed her head gratefully.

"Now close the channel." The Commander said to Liara. "I'm done talking."

As the image powered down, Shepard stalked away sullenly, irritation creating tight knots in his shoulders.

"Well that was a waste of time." Delexia sighed. "The Council's more paralysed by their own stubborn selfishness than ever."

"Not entirely a waste." Liara contradicted. "We know about Illium now. That's something my agents hadn't relayed to me yet. I'll have them look into it. And we've made an impression with Tevos. I believe that, were we to aid the Asari in defending Thessia, we'd stand a good chance of recruiting them to our cause."

"The Turians and Salarians will be a little more difficult." Miranda commented.

"The Councillors are not the sole representatives of their species." Liara pointed out. "I'll try to arrange some conferences with members of the Union and the Hierarchy, go around the Councillors. It'll take time, but hopefully we'll be able to reason with the respective governments more directly."

"I appreciate it, Liara." Shepard said from where he had paused to lean against a wall. He meant every word. "In the meantime, we've got work to do. Foremost item on the agenda: I've got a damn big hole in my bedroom ceiling. Think you can spare a few techs to patch up and resupply the Normandy before we head out again?"

"They're already working on it. You'll be ready to go by tomorrow morning."

"Thanks."

"Excellent." Miranda dusted her hands in a satisfied manner. "Then I guess we'd best get back to our posts. Plenty to be done before we head out."

With that, the rest of the group headed out, making their way back to the ship. Shepard waited behind for a few moments, walking over to speak to Liara in private.

"Liara, what I said earlier…"

"Think nothing of it, Commander. You were angry, that was all. We've all said things we regret from time to time."

"That's kind of you, but I still feel as though-"

"Shepard, if you allow yourself to flounder in regret, you'll get nothing done. Now you'd best get after your crew. I'm not the only one with a full workload ahead of me."

Feeling a little better, Shepard smiled at his old friend before turning to leave.

**~o~0~o~**

The CIC practically vibrated to the sounds of the welding torches, power drills and other mechanical devices being put to use fixing up every last stress fracture, hull micro fissure and slightly unsteady chair in the ship, restoring the Normandy to a level of readiness that could not be done while the ship was under way. A vast throng of bodies, Normandy crew and Shadow Broker agents alike, moved about within, an obstacle Shepard was slowly pushing his way through. As he passed the galaxy Map, his gaze was caught by the gesticulating Kelly.

"Shepard, can I have a minute?"

The Commander pushed through the crowd until he was able to step into the only clear area on the ship, the steps leading to his post. He nodded for Kelly to follow, the pair sitting on the steps to watch the hive of activity around them.

"What do you need, Kelly?"

"There's just a couple of things that need your attention today, Commander."

"Hit me with them."

"Okay. First of all, Doctor Chakwas wishes to inform you that she's starting to run low on a few of her more difficult to get supplies. She would like to stop by at any hub world to look for replacements."

"No problem. There's bound to be more than a few places where we'll have a chance for that."

"Second, Ken's made mention of a part he could use to replace one damaged during the Arcturus mission. It's not major, but he'd feel a bit happier to have a new one. Liara could get one, but it'd take a few days."

"Also not a problem. What else?"

"You've got a new message at your private terminal. No idea who it's from, but I get the feeling it's a little… strange."

"What gives you that impression?"

"Just read the title, and you'll know what I mean."

"Anything else?"

"Just a couple. You've got to speak to Grunt. He's been pacing about in his Cargo Hold like something's really bothering him."

"Has he heard about Tuchanka yet?"

"Not yet. Word hasn't really filtered through the crew yet. I think this has something to do with his last mission."

"I'll talk to him, try to find out what's going on. And the last item for today?"

Kelly opened her mouth, but hesitated. Finally, her sense of duty and commitment to her Commander overrode her reluctance.

"You need to speak to Jack. She's been hiding down in that sub-deck for the past two days now, not seen to be eating. Whenever anyone's gone down there, she's been even less civil than usual. I didn't think that was possible."

"I get the feeling I'm the last person she wants to see right now."

"But maybe what she wants and what she needs are two different things?" Kelly asked with a lifted eyebrow. "Trust me, Commander. She needs you more than she'll admit."

Shepard froze at that, his mind blinking back to Sha'ira's final few words to him, the cryptic prophecy she had uttered during her final moments. Was this what she meant when she said that 'she' would 'need him more than ever'? The need that would 'break him'? While Jack certainly could cause enough damage to 'break' him, he got the feeling it wasn't a literal injury the Asari had been referring to. She must have meant something else. Nevertheless, it couldn't hurt to try.

"I'll go and speak to her in a while."

"Might I suggest a shotgun?" Kelly smirked. "Or at least have Miranda look up all of her Lazarus project files."

"Funny." Shepard said behind a poorly hidden smile. "Now back to work."

"Commander." She saluted. "Look after yourself, Shepard. Use short words."

Still smiling, Shepard stood once more, turning to his console. He pulled up his messages, opening the new arrival, bearing the title 'The sour voice'. As he read it, his brow rose in curiosity and confusion.

Shepard,

We speak with you from the world where our emissary last found you. We prepare, we build, we make ready for war, but the yellow note returns. We cannot fight the darkness alone. There is much corruption at the heart of this world's song. Only when our twin melodies are joined can we cleanse the darkness. We beg of you, come to our aid. Seek out the glittering hives of Illium, where we shall find you.

There was no name attached to it, but given the contents of the message, he wasn't surprised. He'd never read anything quite so strange before. Filing it away, he turned, heading for the elevator. He reached the double doors just as they swung open to reveal Joker's coarse features.

"Commander! Good to have you back on board. That, uh, that mission to Arcturus was kinda hairy, huh?"

"We pulled through." Shepard replied noncommittally. "That's the main thing. I just wish the Council would lay off about Arcturus Station."

"Hey, you had to make the call. It was a hard choice. For what it might be worth, I think you did good out there, Commander. You saved as many lives as you could, but in the end it was a pretty bad Charlie Foxtrot. Nobody was coming out of that one pretty."

"Thanks, Joker." Shepard smiled.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I'd best get back to my post, just in case anyone's been sitting in my chair, ruining the ass-groove. Those things are damn hard to get just right, you know!"

Shepard chuckled as the pilot lurched off, watching him for a brief moment before entering the elevator.

**~o~0~o~**

Grunt stalked across the breadth of his little room, heading moving from side to side uneasily. His innards churned, an inexplicable feeling tugging at his gut. A hand rose up to clutch the edge of his brow plate as his mind flickered back to the mission to Minuteman Station, recalling every facet of his failure there. He'd allowed his lust for combat to get in the way of his reasoning, and now one of those under his command was in intensive care, his body literally being held together by Medi-Gel and sheer obstinate stubbornness.

Grunt had gone to see Etarn after the mission, but the Batarian had been unconscious and the Human woman, Chakwas, had urged him to give them room to operate. So instead Grunt had retreated to his quarters, finding a measure of peace in sitting next to his old tank and listening to it, the sound of whirring filters and rising bubbles surprisingly soothing to the Krogan's ears.

He turned at the sound of the door opening, both of his hearts dropping as he caught sight of the one person he needed to speak to the most, and yet dreaded having to face.

"Battlemaster." His rough voice was a little weaker than normal, a sign of the shame boiling within.

Without thinking, he dropped to one knee, bowing his head, one of the strongest signs of submission in Krogan body language. To bow before someone was to admit they were better than you were, and that fact was not about to change. It showed the being the most honour possible. Grunt stared at the floor as a sudden, awkward silence rolled through the room.

"…What are you doing?" Shepard asked, a little uncomfortable with this sudden contrite gesture.

"Forgive me, Battlemaster. I have brought shame upon you and your krannt."

"What?"

"You showed me honour by giving me a squad to lead. I abused that honour and failed you." The words were bitter in the Krogan's mouth, but needed to be said.

"Get up."

This wasn't a question. It was an order. Shepard clearly didn't like being the recipient of such gestures. When Grunt stood, he caught a concerned gleam in his Battlemaster's eyes. That made his shame flare ever stronger. He'd feared a reprimand, disappointment, maybe even anger, but worry and pity was much worse.

"Is this about what happened to Etarn?"

"Yes. I was trusted to lead my team, to accomplish your objectives as quickly as I could. Instead I allowed my bloodlust to cloud my judgement. People under my command were injured and the mission was nearly a failure. I have been proven unworthy of the trust both you and Urdnot Wrex have shown to me."

"Grunt…" Shepard sighed, moving over to lean against a crate, taking the weight off his feet while he folded his arms. "Don't you think you're being a little hard on yourself here?"

"But-"

"You didn't do a perfect job, sure, but you succeeded in your objective. Yes, Etarn got hurt, but you didn't lose anyone under your command. That's better than how I performed during my first solo mission."

"But I think back to how I acted, the arrogance I displayed, the choices I made that led up to the Batarian's injuries, and I feel great shame!"

"That's a good thing. Every military commander has regrets. We wish we could have done things differently, that we'd ordered our men to go left instead of right, that we'd authorised a few more marines for the op, we never stop second guessing ourselves. But that's how we improve. Next time, apply what you've learned. I'd be more worried if you couldn't see what you'd done wrong today."

"I- I see the wisdom in what you say, Shepard." Grunt admitted. "Thank you."

"You'll be a fine leader one day, Grunt. Just keep learning from everything you experience." The Commander straightened, patting the burly alien on the shoulder. "For what its worth, I am proud of you. For your first command, you performed admirably."

"Battlemaster." Grunt began to drop into another bow, but was halted by the Commander's strong grip on his elbow.

"Don't bow. You're my friend, not my servant."

"Thank you, Shepard." Grunt looked down at the floor, a little overawed by his Battlemaster's words. How one who showed such companionable feeling could be considered such a mighty warrior was something no Krogan would truly understand without meeting him. Even Grunt felt as though he barely understood.

Shepard nodded with satisfaction before turning to leave. As he exited the Cargo Hold, his soft smile dropped, his eyes resting on the door to the right. He paused for a moment, bracing himself, before stepping through and turning again to begin the descent to the Engineering sub-deck.

The red-lit section of the ship was deathly silent, few if any of the crew having the courage to actually come down here. In fact, Shepard had a hard time recalling ever seeing anyone else down here after Jack moved in.

In just a moment, he'd clambered down the stairs and walked out into the open space before Jack's 'quarters', his pace slowing. There she sat, cross-legged on her bed with her favourite shotgun balanced across her lap, a variety of cleaning chemicals placed carefully next to her while she performed some kind of gun maintenance. As he approached, her gaze flickered up.

The change was instant. Where one moment she had been relaxed, focused on the task at hand, the next she was on her feet, the shotgun discarded, the chemicals spilling onto the floor. Her face twisted with rage, eyes narrowed while her brow furrowed.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing down here?" It was less of a question and more of an instruction to leave. Shepard was not cowed, even though his survival instincts were yelling at him to get the hell back up those stairs.

"I came to talk to you." He said calmly.

"You'll be fucking lucky. Get out."

"Jack, please. You've got to-"

"I don't have to do a damn thing! We had him right there! He was sitting at the end of my shotgun, waiting to die, and then you let. Him. Go. I should have known you'd fuck me over, just like everyone else!"

"I had very good reasons for letting him live, Jack. We need Cerberus to-"

"Bullshit! They're all twisted bastards, fucking with people's lives just cause they can." She looked away, blinking rapidly. "And now they're just going to keep on doing the same old shit. We had a chance to end it, and you fucked it all up!"

"Jack, killing the Illusive Man would have fixed nothing." Shepard tried to take a step forward, but a sudden blue barrier flared up between him and the biotic. "It wouldn't make things any easier going forward."

"It would for me! We're always worrying about what's good for the Galaxy, but what about what's good for me? That asshole stole my childhood. He paid to have me turned into a weapon. Then, when he had the chance, he got me back on the operating table to fuck around with my biotics some more!" Her head snapped around to face him. "And now you try to tell me that killing him wouldn't solve anything? Don't you dare. Don't you fucking dare!"

"Jack, without The Illusive Man, Cerberus would fall under Banes' control. Do you really want to gamble that that's a better outcome?"

"We should have taken the chance!"

"Damnit, Jack!" Shepard's voice cracked with frustration. Was this really what Sha'ira had meant? "We've got to think about millions of lives, not just out own? Do you really want to risk all those deaths just for petty revenge?"

There was an icy silence, during which Shepard's brain fully caught up with his mouth. Had he really just called Jack's legacy of torment 'petty'? The stricken look on her face said it all.

"So that's what you think? That's what you really think about all the shit I've gone through? Petty?" She looked away, a trickle of black running from the corners of her eyes as her make-up began to run. "I should have known. I'm just another project to you, right? Just another fucked-up person who needs the godly Commander Shepard to come rescue them from their own problems."

"Jack, that's not- I didn't mean-"

"Get out." The voice was flat, calm. She didn't even look over her shoulder as she said it.

"I thought we loved-"

"Don't even try it. What we had is finished, in the past. 'Cause that's the worst thing about you. Its what I hate the most about you. You made me vulnerable. I was fine before you showed up. I'd made myself strong. Nothing could get at me, nothing bothered me. Then all it took was for one _idiot_ to come along and get inside and fuck me up. You convinced me to give you a part of myself, and now just looking at you hurts. I hate that feeling. I hate being weak. But most of all, I hate _you_. Now leave. Get out of here and leave me the fuck alone."

That last sentence was so full of venom Shepard felt himself take a step back, a shaft of pain spearing through his chest. He struggled to open his mouth for a moment, then tentatively reached out towards her with his hand.

"Jack, please-"

"I said GET OUT!"

She spun, the warning flare of her biotics coming too late for Shepard to pick up on the danger. A biotic push, more powerful than almost anything he had seen her pull off, roared towards him, picking Shepard up bodily and hurling him into the bulkhead behind where he had been standing. Metal shrieked around him as several wall panels were ripped from their fastenings. One pipe running within the bulkhead ruptured, white steam pouring out in a choking could. In the midst of this carnage, Shepard groaned as white fire raced up his spine, his body's implants kicking in to supply Medi-Gel and painkillers. The roar from the attack shot through the ship, felt even in the hangar within which the Normandy was being housed. Overhead, Grunt's heavy footsteps could be heard rapidly approaching, as well as the mechanical whine of Legion's internal gyros. The crew gathered on the Crew Deck all released sounds of fright and confusion as chairs fell over, food spilled across Rupert's counter and Crewman Hadley was tipped out of his bunk. On the Command Deck, Mordin let out a dismayed yelp as the test tubes of volatile liquids he was working with jumped, spilling over his lab coat and immediately starting to eat away at the white material. In the armoury, Jacob and Garrus reflexively reached for the nearest gun they could find.

Jack's face hitched a little, betraying her surprise at the power of the attack. She took a reflexive step towards the Commander, hand reaching out anxiously, but then her face hardened as she spun away, retreating into the darkness of the sub-deck.

"Jack…" Shepard struggled hoarsely. He managed to rise onto his elbows, but found that his legs fought him as he tried to stand.

Moments later, Grunt, Legion, Zaeed, Ken and Gabby raced down the stairs, swiftly followed by Kaidan, Miranda, Jacob and Garrus. In seconds, the small area beside Jack's 'quarters' was filled with anxious bodies, all clustering around Shepard. This was more traffic than the area had seen in the entirety of the previous year, but none present looked around to find Jack, all focusing on their Commander.

"Shepard! What happened?" Miranda demanded.

"Just an accident…" Shepard winced as a cough brought a twinge of pain to his chest. His second-in-command placed a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Stay still, Commander." She ordered in a tone that brooked no argument. She scanned him with her omnitool. "Three broken ribs, hairline fractures in all four limbs, cracked skull, fractures in two separate places in the lower jaw, significant internal bruising, but no bleeding…" She paused to look into his eyes. "Possible concussion, too. Grunt, Zaeed, I need you to carry him up to the elevator. Carefully. EDI, inform Doctor Chakwas that she has a new patient."

"At once, Miss Lawson." The AI answered.

"Good. The rest of you, back to your posts. I'll let Liara's techs know they've got a little more work on their hands."

The gathering broke up, the Krogan and the former Bounty Hunter carrying the groaning Commander out before the rest of the impromptu audience filed out. Miranda was the last to leave, stopping to look back into the sub-deck.

"I'm angry too, Jack. But Shepard had no choice in this matter. He didn't deserve that."

She paused, only to receive silence in return. She sighed.

"The worst thing is, this will probably completely fail to put him off. He's that damned stubborn."

Shaking her head, Miranda walked off. From the depths of the darkness of the sub-deck, two glistening eyes watched her carefully, before closing, rendering their owner invisible in the shadows. Moments later, there was a strangled noise, a sharp intake of breath fought against for being a sign of weakness, but nobody was there to hear the smothered sob.

**~o~0~o~**

White light.

He scrunched up his eyelids to fight against the invasive presence, but it was no use. The powerful luminescence was too strong for the Commander to fight. Instead he just lay there, allowing his tired senses to adjust to his new surroundings. Slowly, his hearing returned, relaying the sounds of beeping monitors, scraping metal and hushed voices to his brain. His nostrils twitched, detecting the metallic red tinge of blood, the pungent green smell of Medi-Gel and the sharp blue presence of disinfectant. All of this filtered into his mind to tell him he was in the Med Bay, although he couldn't remember going there. He recalled talking to Jack, a heated argument, and then-

His back was on fire, white heat coursing through his entire body from his spine as he recalled the sudden attack. Pretty much every inch of his skin pulsed in protest, speaking of livid bruises throughout his body.

Voices. As his heavy eyelids resisted being opened properly, he listened, catching the motherly tones of Chakwas and the clipped patter of Mordin. Occasionally he would catch the odd word from Miranda, but the insistent thunder echoing within his skull made eavesdropping difficult.

His rise to consciousness must have been noticed, for he felt the presence of the four medical professionals over him. One- Mordin, judging by the shadowy outline that he could make out- stood at his head, taking scans. There was a quiet hiss and the Commander felt lucidity rushing into his brain, the pain receding with increased consciousness.

"Good morning, Shepard." Chakwas' tone was firm, but hinted at relief. "Good to have you back among the living."

"Urgh." Shepard groaned. "I'm not so sure. Did anyone catching the license plate of the dreadnought that hit me?"

There were a couple of chuckles.

"Well, you're sense of humour remains the same." Chakwas said. "More's the pity."

"How are you feeling, Commander?" Miranda asked.

"Give me a while and I'll be fine." The Commander answered. "Now, what did I miss while I was out?"

"Not much. Repairs are almost complete. The time estimate drew out a little longer as the techs had to go to work on the sub-deck, but it was nothing too difficult. We'll be ready to leave by the end of the day."

"Good." Shepard tried sitting up, wincing as his tortured muscles fought his wishes. Chakwas caught his discomfort.

"I've administered some painkillers, Commander, but I suggest you take it easy for the next day or so. You were fortunate there were no serious injuries, but you should still give the Medi-Gel a chance to do its job properly."

"Got it." Shepard nodded.

Satisfied, both Chakwas and Mordin turned away, getting back to their duties. Mordin returned to treating Etarn, who was resting peacefully in one of the beds. As Shepard looked around, he noted with rising alarm that Anderson was no longer in his bed.

"Where's the Admiral?" He asked.

"With General Septimus and Lieutenant Colonel Deridan. They're preparing to leave."

"I should see them off." Shepard said, beginning to stand. He paused as Miranda laid a hand on his chest.

"Just an minute, Commander. I think we need to talk about what just happened."

"I told you. It was an accident."

"Maybe so, but we need to talk about the one who caused it. I'm growing more concerned about Jack, Commander. She's only becoming more unstable. Your… personal affairs are only intensifying the experience."

"You suggest we don't take her with us?" Shepard asked suspiciously. Miranda's dislike for jack was hardly a secret.

"I'm only speaking out of concern for the mission, Shepard. An emotional outburst at the wrong moment could have lethal consequences."

"Jack's a strong woman. She knows when to keep quiet and get the job done. She's a survivor, and you don't get to be like that by letting emotions get in the way of staying alive."

"Very well, Commander." Miranda said stiffly. "But I ask that you do not forget my warning. Jack could be trouble later on. Are you prepared to accept that?"

"Yes." Shepard replied with a stony face.

"Then I'd best get back to my duties, Commander." Miranda nodded her head before turning to leave.

Back on the bed, Shepard yawned, rubbing at his eyes. He felt tired, but he knew that true rest was a little way off yet. There were still a few more things to take care of. He stood, adjusting his clothes, then headed out of the Med Bay, making his way up to the CIC.

**~o~0~o~**

The Cargo Bay was quiet, most of the technicians having moved on from there. A couple still worked on the last of the stealth shuttles, while two more worked on one of the motors of the massive door in the belly of the ship. That door had been opened, allowing free access between the ship's Cargo Bay and the hangar in which she was being housed during her repairs. As Shepard left the elevator, he caught sight of three figures standing at the top of the boarding ramp, ready to depart.

Anderson was still a little unsteady on his feet, but was looking stronger by the minute. Deridan appeared to be in perfect health, his rapid Salarian metabolism allowing him to overcome the exhaustion and injuries of his time on Arcturus Station. The final member of the group, Septimus, was standing tall, his icy gaze revealing nothing of what was going on within his head. Beside the Turian, a utilitarian coffin sat on a cargo lifter, ready for one last journey to the Asari Consort's final resting-place. As Shepard approached, all three looked over to him.

"Shepard!" Anderson said warmly, hobbling over to offer a tentative handshake. "Glad you could make it before we left."

"You didn't think I'd let you leave without seeing you off, did you?" Shepard smiled back. "How're you holding up?"

"Chakwas thinks I'll be back to top form in a few days, as long as I don't do anything stupid."

"That's a given." Shepard smirked.

"True." Anderson chuckled wearily.

"So where to now?" The Commander asked.

"I'm heading back to the Citadel. We need to co-ordinate the establishment of somewhere for Humanity to regroup. The Alliance is looking to Eden prime right now, but I'm not so sure such a prominent target should be used. Either way, they need a military mind to help organise the allocation of resources and so on."

"I'll be heading back to Sur'Kesh." Deridan said. "The STG needs to get to work on a way to fight those creatures the Reapers deployed on Arcturus. If we're not careful, agents of the Reapers could turn up anywhere."

"I'll be heading back to Palaven." Septimus said. "The Hierarchy is going to want to sit this out, try to shore up our defences to help us weather the storm. That won't be enough to fight these things. I'll do what I can to mobilise the Hierarchy into action."

"It'll be good to have someone like you working from the inside to help." Shepard replied. "Thank you."

"I'm not doing it for you, Commander. I'm doing it for her." With that, the Turian laid a ponderous hand on the surface of the coffin, his gaze taking on a distant quality.

"Of course. Thank you, nevertheless." Shepard answered sincerely. He turned back to Anderson. "You sure the Normandy can't give you a ride somewhere?"

"No need." Anderson replied. "Hackett's going to be heading that way with the ADI remnant anyway."

"Then I guess this is goodbye, for now." Shepard extended his hand to all of them, shaking their hands in a gesture of comradeship.

"Take care of yourself, Shepard." Anderson nodded, turning to leave. "I'll see you back on Earth!"

As the trio walked away, departing the Normandy, Shepard saluted. He felt a little knot in his throat when he realised that he was saying goodbye to some of the most valuable allies he could have, and that he may possibly never see them again if the war took a turn for the worst. He quelled the negative thought, his resolve strengthening. He would see them again, once the last reaper lay dead on Earth's surface.

As the trio vanished from sight, Sha'ira's coffin with them, Shepard made to turn and head back to the elevator, but paused when he caught sight of Liara and Elanie ascending the boarding ramp. Liara was the first to see him, a warm smile on her face.

"Shepard. I'd heard about your recent… incident. I'm glad to see you're okay."

"A little battered around the edges, nothing too serious." He chuckled. "Is there something you need?"

"I would like it if you considered having Elanie join your crew Commander. With the sudden increase in the pace of the war, you'll need all the help you can get. Elanie's skills with AI technology would be invaluable to you and, seeing as her assignment to investigate Cerberus has come to an end, this seems like the best use of her abilities. You've already seen what she can do in the field."

"Indeed I have." Shepard turned to Elanie. "So tell me, Elanie, do you think you've got what it takes to become a member of the crew of the Normandy?"

"All I've seen you do so far is blow a load of things up." Elanie smirked. "I can do that no bother."

Shepard laughed.

"That's a pretty accurate summary of our job. Alright then, welcome aboard."

"Thank you, Shepard." She smiled.

"In that case, I'll allow you to show her around, Commander." Liara said. "I'd better get back to my duties."

The Commander and the Shadow Broker nodded to one another, no more words needed between such fast friends, then split apart, Shepard guiding the excited Elanie onto the ship while Liara made her way back to the heart of her information empire, both getting ready for the next stage in the war against the Reapers.

**Author's Notes: I enjoyed writing this one, as the raw emotion and dialogue seemed to flow alright this time. Please let me know what you thought of it.**

**Props go to general-joseph-dickson, BloodIronAngel and Liege Lord this time for their helpful comments.**

**Also, a brief request. I have heard about the spiler storm floating around the internet these days, but have managed to avoid most of it. Please do not mention any of the spoilers in your reviews, both for my sake and that of other readers.**

**Anyway, hope you enjoyed the Chapter and please, Read, Review, Repeat!**

**Fainmaca.**


	38. 38: The Files Part Three

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 38: The Files, Part Three**

Shepard stepped out into the Main Cargo Bay, glancing around at the now deserted part of the ship. Very little remained of the damage inflicted by the invading Husks, the only evidence of their brief occupation of the Normandy being a few dents in the walls and a stubborn greenish stain that had spread from the Salarian's body, sinking down into the metal and staining it. The mark had worried the crewmen working on repairing the Normandy, some fearing an adverse chemical reaction, worrying that the Husk was managing to attack them from beyond the grave. They had done their best to remove the mark, scrubbing so hard that the deck plate had worn down noticeably. It was not until Mordin had run some very thorough scans that they were satisfied the stain was not malevolent.

The Commander walked past this, heading for the open hangar door. Beyond, the docking bay of the Shadow Broker hub ship they had been taken into spread out before him, terminating in a vast hangar opening that looked out on the stars. A kinetic barrier was in place, holding in the atmosphere to make it possible to breathe in the hangar.

The Commander had come down here, seeking a moment's peace. The ship was abuzz with techs performing security sweeps, repairs and general maintenance to the ship, getting her back to one hundred per cent after her… interesting… recent history. Nevertheless, the ship was all too crowded. Even the Commander's cabin was not sacred, a team of techs working to repair his shattered window. They would convert the window into a hatch, enabling access through it should any situation call for it again. He was also getting a new bed, something that couldn't be installed fast enough for the Commander. He felt like he'd been on his feet for over a week, the difficulties of the past two days crowding in on his shoulders oppressively. In two days, he'd been forced to make just as many difficult decisions, namely deciding the fate of the Illusive Man, a hated enemy of pretty much anyone else the Commander wished to make his ally, and the fate of the assets committed to the Arcturus System. He thought back to the tongue-lashing he'd received over both decisions, his mind turning sour at the Council's words. He had a feeling he'd have been chastised just as much if he'd made different choices. Such was his lot in life.

He'd tried to find a quiet spot on the ship, but the sheer number of people working on the ship, combined with the wide roster of individuals he'd gathered to his cause, made peace and quiet a rare thing indeed. And so, mind still buzzing, the Commander had come here, to the bottom of the ramp leading to his ship. He looked back to the Normandy, a weary smile on his face. She was everything to him. Home, friend, refuge, she possessed as much of a personality as the AI that inhabited her shell. Almost everyone he cared for resided within her hull, and she was a symbol of hope, both to the Commander and to those he hoped to rally around him. At the same time, she was also a weight on his mind. Everyone within her hull relied upon him to get them through the coming darkness safely, and her very existence was dictated by the decisions he made every day. The Illusive Man, Arcturus Station, the Genophage Cure, the Geth, the Rachni, any choice held the potential to bring calamity upon the Commander and his crew, or to wreak great destruction upon countless innocent lives throughout the Galaxy. Why the Galaxy saw fit to leave these decisions to the Commander, a homeless boy from Earth, a lone soldier from the wreckage of Akuze, he'd never understand. But choose he did, and now he had to live with those choices, for good or bad.

He turned from the ship, the Galaxy's greatest gift to him and its greatest malediction, his eyes roving about for a spot to withdraw to. He found it in the form of a stack of three crates, two piled one on top of the other with one between them and the opening of the hangar. He sat on this one, leaning back against the two while he gazed out at the stars beyond the atmospheric shield. He let his thoughts drift momentarily, reminiscing over his past experiences. He thought about his time in the Tenth Street Reds, a period of his life he wasn't exactly proud of. His sometimes naïve, principled approach to life had made him stand out from among his associates, leading to him rapidly grow dissatisfied with the life, abandoning it for a career in the Alliance Navy. Nevertheless, he'd enjoyed some happy moments with them. He recalled one time a friend of his had encouraged him to steal a skycar. The crazy night they'd spent darting about through the skies of Miami had been fun, if irresponsible. The local authorities had hounded them so mercilessly after they had accidentally sent the skycar through the local governor's living room window, so they had been forced to skip town, temporarily heading North to the massive megacity created by the fusion of the old cities of Vancouver and Seattle. It was there that Shepard would eventually enter an Alliance recruiting station, setting him on the course that would bring him to where he was now.

He found his mind slipping back to Akuze, one of the darker segments of his life. Like a portcullis dropping down across a gate, his mind clamped down on the memories. _No. Do not go there._ His thoughts whispered to him. _Not now._

He instead thought to a time not too long ago, a day that had seemed like any other. Until that knock had echoed through his door. Captain Anderson, veteran of the Alliance and a legend among the ranks of the N7 project, stepped through, speaking of a commission he had for the young Lieutenant. It was that day that Shepard had received his promotion to Lieutenant Commander, following which he had been assigned to the almost-complete Normandy. Soon after followed the ill-fated mission to Eden Prime, which preceded the mission to chase down Saren. He smiled as he remembered the new allies he had made. The hot-headed Ashley. The calm, calculating Kaidan. Garrus, with his cool resolve afflicted by pride, a trait Shepard had gone to considerable lengths to help him overcome. Tali, quiet, reserved, but friendly. Liara, so awkward and withdrawn. Finally, he recalled his first meeting with Urdnot Wrex, the weathered Krogan unflinching under a C-sec officer's threats. They'd shared some good times in their quest. True, their mission had been fraught with danger, but they'd been invincible, or so it had seemed. Virmire had soon changed that opinion. The Commander's smile hitched at the memory of that mission. Ashley's strong voice as she accepted her fate, willing to give everything to make sure the rest of the team made it out. But he did not allow grief over the loss to cripple him. Ashley had died for a noble cause, and she knew that. She'd gone to her face with pride in her heart, a smile on her face, and a pistol in her hand as even at the last she kept on gunning down Saren's Geth. Of course, her sacrifice had made Saren's defeat all the more crucial, and it was not until Sovereign was obliterated over the Citadel that he felt she could truly be at peace. That brought a grim smile to his face. Not for the vengeance brought upon the Turian or the Reaper behind him, but because it was fitting tribute to the young woman he had come to admire. He often wondered what might have happened, had the pair had more time. Her admiration for him was obvious, and he had a hard time denying that the interest was reciprocated. But he couldn't dwell on might-have-beens like that.

In his daydream, the Commander shifted his focus on to more recent events. His resurrection at the hands of Cerberus had been jarring at first, but he understood why it needed to be done. And, through them, he'd been able to form an incredible team of specialists he'd come to admire and, yes, to love like his own family. Harsh Zaeed, witty Kasumi, the relentless Grunt, ever practical Mordin, stoic Thane, serene Samara, emotionless Legion, professional Miranda and honest Jacob, all beings he was honoured to have known, and would not hesitate to lay his life down for. Each one of them had proven their mettle, facing the Collectors as a unified team without a second's hesitation. Some had surprised him with their dedication to the cause. Others had unexpectedly become close friends, and one in particular had affected him strongly, the complex biotic known as Jack…

His mind began to feel very crowded, images springing unbidden into the eye of his memory. Their mission to the Purgatory, the treacherous Warden Kuril, the atrocious conditions of the cells and their residents. Then he remembered with a fond smile the first glimpse he had been given of the fearsome criminal not one of the hardened prisoners within the massive complex could name without shuddering. So small, so unassuming, and yet the very aura of danger she exuded warned him not to judge a book by its… colourful… cover. It had taken plenty of time, but he'd eventually got past her tough exterior to the person within, gaining her trust and, eventually, her respect. It was then they'd gone to Pragia, the facility she'd been raised in. He'd been amazed to see the change in her after the place had been left as so many radioactive atoms, the sudden introspective quality to her normal silent brooding. Then, in the final hours before the so-called suicide mission, she'd come to him, rather than making him seek her out. She had been nervous, ready to bolt at any moment, but then she'd locked eyes with him, and the moment had been sealed. He saw a side of her that night that even she had never known existed, but he'd known was there all along, underneath the tough-girl act, the foul language and the tattoos. Before she'd departed to allow him to prepare for the trip beyond Omega Four, they'd shared a small smile, knowing that a new level of understanding had been achieved between them.

All of that had been lost, of course, when the Normandy had fallen into Cerberus hands, the pair being separated for three long months. Images flashed in his mind, of Jack laid out on that operating table, her body cut open to allow who knew what technology to be implanted, of her first awakening, the terrified look in her eyes followed by the abject fear as Cerberus commanded her to strike down the Commander. Then they'd struggled to even be able to talk to one another, the biotic's barriers firmly in place once more. Finally, after all of that work, she now despised the Commander, enraged at him for sparing the one she viewed to be responsible for her condition, the Illusive Man. He remembered the last time they'd spoken, or rather that he had tried to talk to her and she'd violently rebuffed him, hate in her eyes. Feelings of despair rose in his gut. How was he supposed to do this if his heart was so thoroughly tested by every choice he made? Why did doing the right thing seem to cost him so terribly? Was he wasting his time trying to repair the relationship between himself and Jack? Were they just too different?

He blinked, shuddering a little. His mind had completely drifted, sending him into a waking dream. He looked to his omnitool, eyebrows shooting up as he noticed the time. He'd been sitting there for over four hours. He leaned forward, rubbing at his eyes, enjoying the scrape of the rough fingers against his eyelids. He ran his fingers down, nostrils and past his lips, pulling the lower one down to reveal the lower row of gleaming white teeth behind it along with a flash of scarlet gums. The nails scraped his chin as they traced their way down each side of his neck, running on either side of his Adam's apple. He finally opened his eyes, resisting the drooping eyelids, and glared out at the stars beyond the atmospheric barrier, appreciating the view for a second. The stars were backlighted by a vast purple and blue nebula, a lightyears-wide object an unimaginable distance away.

_No._ His mind was resolute in this statement. He wasn't about to let this latest difficulty wear him down. Jack would need time, but she'd eventually see it was the best decision. And he wasn't about to give up on her. The girl behind the façade was a truly beautiful thing, worth fighting to unveil. She'd lost so much, suffered so many things, but she deserved to be happy. Shepard would do whatever he could to make sure she both had the chance and plenty of reason to be so.

"Hm-Hrm."

The quiet cough to his left made the Commander jolt a little, rising from his introspection. He looked to the side to see Kelly standing there patiently. He offered her a warm smile, although inwardly he groaned that his respite had come to an end.

"Kelly. Something I can do for you?"

"Commander. Sorry to disturb you. It's just that I finished compiling all of those files you requested. You did say you wanted to see them the moment they were done."

"I did. Thank you, Kelly." Shepard accepted the proffered datapad. "I'll look over it right away. How are the repairs coming along?"

"Almost done. We'll be ready to leave within the hour."

"Good. I'll have a destination by then. In the meantime, when was the last time you got some rack time?"

"I'm fine, Commander. Mordin's got some amazing stims to help keep you going."

"Get some rest. That's an order. And then make sure Miranda schedules everyone the chance to get some rack time of their own. I need everyone fresh."

"Of course, Shepard." The yeoman nodded. "But you've got to promise me you'll schedule yourself a proper night's rest, Commander. We need you at your best, too, Shepard."

"Too much to do. I'll sleep when I'm dead." Shepard smirked. At Kelly's disapproving frown, he relented. "Alright. I'm sure we'll have plenty of time before we get to our next destination, anyway."

"That's better." She stepped back, saluting. "Commander."

"Miss Chambers."

As the yeoman strode off back towards the Normandy, Shepard settled back into his sitting position on the crates, examining the datapad. His weary eyes scanned the words, quickly absorbing the data. The first of the files was entitled: Tuchanka.

It played the clip of Wrex's distress call, the weathered old Krogan's face filling the screen of the datapad. After he had finished speaking, bits of data popped up, lists of ships that had vanished within the Krogan DMZ in the past couple of days, combined with a few snippets of comm chatter that had escaped the system. None of it was conclusive, but Shepard could deduce that Urdnot was in trouble, whatever the source. His old friend was in a tight enough spot to feel the need to call for help, which was evidence enough of the danger. It was something that would require swift attention. If the Reapers were attacking Tuchanka, then a valuable war asset was about to be lost. If they weren't and it was some other threat, then that threatened to create instability at a time when Shepard could ill-afford it.

He closed the file, turning to the next one, named: Inadra

This one had the latest report from the Quarian Flotilla that Liara's agents had been able to relay back. The Flotilla was currently refuelling in the Inadra System, readying to move out beyond the borders of Council space. He needed to speak with the Admiralty Board before they took the Migrant Fleet beyond his reach. Such a vast array of ships would be essential in the days to come. Attached were the co-ordinates and approach instructions Jano had provided.

The next file he opened was called: The Eye Of Tor'lakht.

Here Liara really surprised him. She'd managed to dig up a considerable amount of data about the secret station, including a count of the ships assigned to guard it. She'd also provided information upon the politicians currently located there, including the notorious Gorm Jib'bat, Etarn's rival. The directions the Batarian diplomat had provided were also there, including codes necessary to get past automated defences.

He opened another file, this one named: Thessia.

The newsburst from the Citadel played, showing the mind-chilling footage of the ghostly half-images of the Reapers descending over an Asari city, laying waste to all below them. Liara had made sure up-to-date codes for traversing the system were attached, along with a short message.

_Shepard,_

_I would be greatly indebted to you if you could make Thessia one of your priorities. This is my home, Commander. Please, save her from these machines._

_Liara._

He closed this, a grim look on his face. He could understand Liara's feelings, experiencing them every time he thought of his own world under Reaper rule. He moved on to the next file: Suime.

The Revenant had managed to calculate accurate navigational data leading to the world from his memories, but little else came with it. Liara had done her best, but the system was thought to be worthless, never having been travelled to. Long-distance scans revealed one world in orbit around the ancient star, a burnt-out husk of a world that could not hope to support life. Shepard felt a flicker of doubt in his gut, but the Revenant had double checked his calculations and was certain this was the world he sought.

He looked to the penultimate file, this one compiled personally by Feron. It was entitled: Gestiga.

_Shepard,_

_I have been able to find precious little about the nature of the experiments performed here, but I can confirm, especially now we have access to Minuteman's databases, that the cell has gone rogue with Victor Lawson's funding. They were supposed to be working on a new weapon technology, but yielded no viable results. Its possible they had a breakthrough, but are now keeping the technology for their own personal gain, but perhaps there is something more sinister behind their sudden rebellion, given the fact they were meant to be working with Reaper technology. It definitely warrants investigation, if only for whatever concepts they were working on._

_Feron._

Attached to this message were the system co-ordinates, along with instructions on how to find the base. The Commander wondered for a moment why the Illusive Man had allowed the cell to rebel like this, not reining them back in, but he dismissed the thought. No doubt the mysterious figure had his reasons. Probably waiting for the experiments to yield more tangible results before swooping in and retrieving the technology.

The final file was labelled; Illium.

The Commander read all of the data, going over the report of the Reaper attack on the Asari trade world. He then closed the report, looking to the short message Liara had put with the information.

_Shepard,_

_This latest attack on Illium is somewhat troubling. I have managed to re-establish contact with some of my agents there. The Reapers have moved on, so now the main priority is the ongoing relief efforts. But they must have had a reason to invade. I need you to investigate. What do the Reapers seek with this world? The system only has strategic value as a nexus point in the Relay network, as far as I can tell. But you understand their methods better than most. Maybe you can discover what they sought on Illium._

_Head to the Tasale System at your earliest convenience and find out if there's something there we can use against the Reapers._

_Liara._

The Commander then brought up the cryptic message that had turned up in his inbox, the oddly melodic riddle. Did that have something to do with the attack? He'd only know when he got there.

Shepard put down the datapad, turning his gaze back to the starry expanse before him. He pondered their next step carefully, thinking about where to go. Any one of the seven destinations was important, and few of them could really wait. In the end, though, there was only one choice he could make as his first port of call. Wrex was an old friend, and he needed help. The Normandy would head to Tuchanka first. Shepard stood, stretching out his spine stiffly. He turned from the crates, heading back up the loading ramp into the belly of the Normandy. He'd tell Joker personally, then he was going to try out his newly installed bed.

Less than an hour later, the Normandy began powering up. It was not long before she was on her way again, heading off into the starry expanse into she was lost among the stars, just another silvery dot in the infinite grandeur of the Galaxy.

**Author's Notes: This Chapter has a vote tied to it to decide the order of the next series of missions. Please head on over to my profile page to vote in the poll. In order to keep the story moving, I have chosen to write the Tuchanka mission first while the rest are voted on, so I'll see you in a couple of weeks when I next upload!**

**Fainmaca Away!**


	39. 39: I Am Krogan!

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Author's Notes: Vote Result:**

**Thessia: 12**

**Illium: 12 **

**The Eye of Tor'lakht: 6**

**Suime: 6**

**The Migrant Fleet: 3**

**Gestiga: 1**

**As you can see, there are a couple of ties here, leading to Author override to cast the deciding vote. Thessia would make sense to be given priority, given its place as a planetary capital, and the Eye is also pivotal to a species government. So the chapters will be done in the order above.**

**Chapter 39: I Am Krogan!**

The Kodiak rattled as it winged through the skies above Tuchanka. Inside, the cramped passenger compartment was filled with the complaints of the small squad that occupied it. Shepard had chosen only a small squad for this mission, choosing only to call for additional troops once the threat was understood. His current unit consisted of Grunt, for obvious reasons, Mordin, Thane and Delexia. The most volatile of the passengers let out a growl as he was jostled for what felt like the millionth time.

"Damnit, Turian! Can't you fly this thing straight?"

"You wanna squeeze your giant ass in here and try fighting the wind, feel free." Delexia threw back from the pilot's seat.

"Watch what you wish for, Turian." Grunt drawled. "I just might try it."

"Easy." Shepard cautioned.

"She started it!" Grunt said, somewhat petulantly.

"Did not!"

"Hey!" Shepard interrupted. Once he was certain the pair would remain silent, he glanced to Mordin, still fiddling absent-mindedly with an armoured boot.

The boots were a new development of the wily Salarian's. After the mission to Arcturus, specifically the part where the squad had escaped from a collapsing building, Mordin had set to work on something to help the squad when faced with peril at great heights. The end result were what the crew had begun to refer to as 'rocket boots', a name Mordin had quickly contradicted, going into a lengthy explanation about negative mass effect fields, superconductors and miniaturised eezo cores. The term he had deemed more appropriate was 'Gravimetric Distortion And Mass Negation Personal Actuation Devices'. Seeing as the best acronyms suggested for this were 'G-DAMNPAD', offered by Joker and instantly disliked by all, and 'A-Grav Boots', Jacob's suggestion, also shot down by the professor, the crew had continued to use the simple moniker of 'rocket boots'. Mordin had simply sighed at the continued usage. There were some things even the best science couldn't cure, the Human preference for simplicity being one of them.

"You sure those things are going to work?" Shepard asked warily.

"Fairly certain. Always chance for failure, but greatly reduced."

"That does not inspire confidence." Grunt rumbled.

"Will be fine to reduce speed for short while." Mordin continued, ignoring the Krogan. "Not designed for sustained flight. Do not advise leaping out of skyscrapers, but should help if faced with difficult terrain or quick deployment from shuttle." He sniffed. "Also, needs time to recharge after operation. Recommend economy of usage."

"I'm sure it will have its uses." Shepard said, looking down at the pair he now wore. They had been spray-painted to blend with the rest of his armour, but the unworn exterior still looked a little out of place when paired with the rest of his armour. He looked back up towards the front of the shuttle, at Delexia's console.

"We should be coming up on Urdnot's Main Camp soon. Any contact with them?"

"None." Delexia replied. "No readings whatsoever. They're not even running a toaster down there."

"There's got to be something." Shepard insisted. "An entire settlement doesn't just van-"

He was stopped short as the shuttle powered through a dense dust cloud, revealing the Urdnot stronghold. Or rather, the crater where it once had been. Shepard felt his stomach drop. Nothing remained of the camp he had once known, save a few charred cinders.

"Arashu spare us…" Thane whispered at the sight.

"No…" Grunt was breathless. "No!"

"Quickly!" Shepard barked at Delexia. "Look for any kind of residual readings. See if you can find any sign of a retreat."

"With all due respect, Shepard, Krogan don't retreat." Delexia objected. "You only see a Krogan's back when one of you is dead."

"Just do it."

"Aye-aye."

The squad peered out of the forward viewport tensely, looking for any sign of remnants of Wrex's clan.

"No readings." Delexia said. "Either they've been gone for a while, or they never left."

"Urdnot is not dead!" Grunt insisted vehemently.

"We'll keep looking, Grunt." Shepard reassured. He turned to their Turian pilot. "Open a channel to the Normandy. Have EDI look for any remnants of Urdnot or their allies."

Delexia tapped a control, but was only greeted with a squeal of static.

"Radiation in the atmosphere's causing all kinds of interference. I can't raise 'em."

Moments later, a number of warning lights on the shuttle's control console flared red, a loud beeping echoing through the craft.

"What's going on?" Shepard asked.

"We're being targeted!" Delexia said with surprise. "Somebody on the ground just got weapons lock."

"There's nothing left out there." Shepard protested. "Where's it coming from?"

Down on the ground, a solitary Krogan stepped out of the burnt-out husk of a building. He lifted a rocket launcher to his shoulder, took aim, and fired.

Inside the shuttle, the warning noises rose in pitch and intensity as the rocket darted towards them.

"Hang on!" Delexia instructed.

The former pirate then sent the craft into a dazzling series of twists and turns, at times skimming the rubble-strewn dust bowl that had been Urdnot's camp, missing the mass of twisted metal and fractured concrete by only a few feet. She expertly forced the shuttle to roar through several loops, finally rushing past what remained of the side of a building, avoiding it by inches and making even the stolid Thane flinch. The rocket, lacking the ability to anticipate the actions of an organic pilot, failed to miss the wall, exploding in a spectacular fashion.

Before the squad could relax, the alarms resumed their cautionary chorus.

"Crap!" Delexia grunted. "More rockets. Three of 'em this time!"

The former pirate commenced another series of evasive manoeuvres, each more desperate than the last. As she twirled the craft through a mess of twisted girders, striking one roughly and sending the shuttle lurching wildly from side to side, the closest of the rockets was caught in the metal web, sending red-hot slivers of molten iron raining down on the two rockets following behind.

Inside the shuttle, Shepard felt his gloved fingers leaving a groove in the frame of the door separating the cockpit from the passenger compartment of the Kodiak, his guts whirling with every sudden spin of the vehicle. Over Delexia's shoulder, he saw the rockets swiftly closing in on their position. As they drew to within fifty yards, they locked in on the craft's drive core, putting on a burst of speed and moving in a V that would terminate at the shuttle. Seeing the threat, Delexia's eyes narrowed. She paused for a moment, keeping the shuttle steady, then at the last moment dipped the shuttle down.

The rockets missed by the narrowest of margins, but it wasn't enough to save the shuttle. The projectiles struck one another, exploding with terrible force directly over the stern of the craft. With a ripping sound, the hull split open like an overripe fruit, exposing the crew within to the roaring winds whipping past the shuttle. The Commander felt a brief tug on his frame as the interior of the shuttle depressurised to match the atmosphere outside, but he managed to hang onto the interior of the shuttle and avoid being torn out of the vehicle.

Delexia wrestled with the controls as the shuttle, its profile seriously distorted, wallowed in mid-air. The engines sputtered unevenly, sending violent tremors through the craft.

"It's no good!" She cried over the roar of the wind. "I've got to put her down!"

She brought the craft around sharply, angling for the dust bowl of the Urdnot camp as best as she could. More rockets whipped by, missing only thanks to the Turian's skill, before she managed to draw close to her target, the largest clear space for several kilometres around.

"We're going to need to jump!" She shouted to Shepard. "This flight ain't gonna get any prettier!"

The Commander glanced to her anxiously before looking down at the boots he was wearing. This was hardly the situation where they wanted to test the limits of the new gear, but it wasn't as though they had any choice. He looked back to Delexia.

"Bring us in as low as you dare, then we make the jump together."

"No good, Shepard. Somebody needs to hold her straight for the rest of you to get out. I'll be right behind you."

Shepard looked at her for a moment, knowing the risk she was taking, but was forced to agree. He turned away, moving over to the hatch. He pushed the control and the portal began to open. With a shriek of tearing metal, the hatch ripped free of the shuttle, its surviving fastenings not standing a chance as the thundering wind whipped by. In a flash, it disappeared far behind the shuttle.

Shepard turned to the others. The first in line was Grunt.

"Come on!" He yelled, looking out through the opening to the ground buzzing past about a hundred feet below, moving at a dizzying speed in a blur made all the more sickening by their height above it. The young Krogan stepped forward, clutching at the frame of the opening. Amazingly, he froze, eyes watching the ground rushing past.

"What are you waiting for?" Shepard shouted in his ear, his best effort barely audible over the scream of the crashing shuttle.

"Battlemaster, I can't!" Grunt protested.

"Of course you can!" Shepard assured. "You're an Urdnot, now act like it!"

"If Krogan were meant to fly we'd have wings!"

"You'll be fine! Now get moving before we all crash!"

"I'm not trusting some Salarian's gadget to-"

The rest of Grunt's sentence vanished in the wind as a blue cloud struck his back, sending the young warrior hurtling out into the open air with a shrill wail Shepard couldn't have credited to a Krogan had he not heard it with his own ears.

The Commander snapped his head around to look at Thane accusingly. The Drell's fist still glowed with biotic power as his brow raised in a 'who, me?' expression as he looked back to the Commander. Without a word, the green-skinned alien stepped forward and, barely hesitating, leapt out, appearing graceful even as he began his tumble towards the ground.

Mordin was next, pausing at the edge of the hatch entrance.

"Suddenly regretting not running the numbers for the fifth time. Still, cannot back down now. Will see you on the ground, should we all survive."

With those lightning fast words, the Salarian bounded forward, springing out into open space with a muffled cry. Once he was gone, Shepard turned to Delexia.

"Its just us now!" He called. "Come on!"

"Go, Commander! I'm right behind you."

Shepard was about to yell at her not to be foolish, but then he saw through the front viewscreen that the shuttle was arrowing towards the edge of the dustbowl at an incredible rate, picking up speed with every second. They were seconds from impact. Delexia was already halfway out of her seat, just keeping the shuttle steady a moment longer. Without pausing, Shepard turned and leapt from the craft, trusting Delexia to get out in time. She knew what she was doing.

The wind rushing past his face brought tears to his eyes, his cheeks burning from the sudden cold blast. Through his blurry vision, he saw his fellow crewmates just ahead of him. Grunt had almost reached the ground, struggling to keep his haphazard tumble under control. Just before he hit the ground, he managed to right himself, his boots firing. A blast of blue energy pulsed out of their soles, reducing his speed greatly. Still it wasn't enough for the Krogan as he struck the ground and proceeded to crash into the ground, rolling in a mess of flailing limbs as he ploughed a small furrow through the rubble and dust beneath him. He finally came to a halt in a cloud of dust, struggling to get to his feet.

Thane followed soon after, the agile Drell gracefully angling his body perfectly. As he neared the ground, he brought his feet down, the boots firing and bringing him to a careful halt with the barest of thumps as he struck the soil.

Mordin was equally disciplined in his landing, albeit a little slower to activate his boots. He staggered forward a couple of steps, but remained standing.

Shepard was rapidly nearing the ground, his pulse racing as his entire world became the brown mass in front of his face. He flexed his legs, struggling to control his body as he plummeted towards the ground. At last he managed to bring his feet under himself, firing the boots. The sensation was like nothing he'd ever experienced before. At one and the same time it was like being in an elevator that stopped too fast and finding himself several metres underwater, his buoyancy trying to drag him to the surface. While his body told him it wanted to keep going down, his armour sent a different message. His internal organs compressed from the conflicting G-forces, his blood surged to pool in his feet and his eyes bulged, his vision momentarily fading as the sensitive organs were deformed. As he struggled to process all of this, his gorge rose and his inner ear went mad, causing incredible dizziness.

Finally he struck the ground, still too fast. His unsteady legs gave out from under him, causing him to drop onto his belly. His momentum was sufficient enough to force him to keep going, flipping him over and over in a headlong tumble until he finally came to a harsh and very decisive halt against a slab of concrete extending up from the ground.

Groaning, Shepard struggled to stand, seeing Thane and Mordin hurry over to Grunt to help the Krogan extract himself from the small pit his landing had created.

Remembering himself, Shepard pushed as hard as he could to get to his feet, looking back up to the shuttle. He squinted as he tried to spot Delexia jumping from the craft, but saw nothing. His heart pounded in his chest as he saw the shuttle drop out of the sky, crashing into the rubble not far away from the squad. There was a loud rumble, followed by a puff of dust and flame rising into the sky.

"Delexia!" Shepard yelled. His cry caught the attention of the rest of the squad, who looked to the column of smoke rising from the Kodiak's position. As one, the four of them began to scramble through the rubble, heedless of the risks any of the hostile forces in the area could present.

After a few moments of frenzied climbing and running, Shepard was the first to reach the remains of the Normandy's shuttle. The little craft had struck the ground hard enough to fracture the concrete for quite a distance around. Most of its frame had disintegrated on impact, very little remaining of its hull. Like a whale corpse washed up on the beach and torn open by scavengers, the craft exposed its innards to the sky above, wires sparking uncertainly while the eezo core still thrummed uncertainly. There was no sign of the Turian pilot.

Just as Shepard's heart sank to its lowest point since Virmire, a sudden shift of a hull plate cast aside by the impact brought it back up into his throat. He hurried over, joined by Grunt, Thane and Mordin. The quartet hauled at the hull plate, lifting it away to reveal the prone form of Delexia. Miraculously, the Turian was largely unharmed, although several ugly gashes to her abdomen and a sprained wrist troubled her. Mordin quickly set about fixing those. In moments, she was brought back to the land of the conscious, groaning as she clutched at her side. The rest of the squad almost sagged with relief.

"Delexia!" Shepard said breathlessly. "When we saw that shuttle go down…"

"Missed me by that much." The Turian chuckled, holding up a pair of digits held a fraction of an inch apart. Shepard smiled back at her.

"Good job, too. We need someone to keep Garrus in line."

Clamorous howls echoed all around them, the harsh war cries of Krogan moving in on the downed shuttle menacingly. Thane turned from the wreckage to scale the depression they were in, peering over the edge of a pile of rubble tentatively.

"We have multiple hostiles closing in." His coarse voice was hushed. "Many Krogan, along with several Varren. The Krogan are all heavily armed."

"Oh, really?" Delexia asked mockingly. "Krogan with guns. There's a surprise."

"We can hold them off while you get to safety." Shepard asked. "Can you walk?"

"I can fight." She said sharply. "I'm not running and hiding because of a little fall, Commander. Give me my gun."

Shepard did not argue, simply passing her an assault rifle from the wreckage of the shuttle. Around him, his crew scavenged what they could from the remains of the craft, Grunt picking up as much ammunition as he could stuff into a bandoleer hastily fashioned from the torn fabric of a seat, Thane recovering the Medi-Gel supplies from the emergency first aid boxes and Mordin collecting some element zero from the damaged drive core. All soon found their weapons, Mordin sticking with his pistol and SMG, Thane using an assault rifle, a sniper rifle and an SMG, Delexia choosing a pair of pistols, a shotgun and an assault rifle, and Grunt carrying versions of all five. Shepard also carried a full arsenal, supplemented with Mordin's sonic cannon, ideal for stopping a charging Krogan in his tracks. Once he was fully armed, Shepard set to activating the shuttle's distress beacon in the hopes of catching the Normandy's attention, but his hopes were soon dashed as the radioactive cloud layer bounced the signal back. He'd need a larger comm array to punch through the interference, something like the one that had belonged to Urdnot before the camp had been devastated.

Cursing his poor luck, Shepard moved to take up a position on a hastily created perimeter around the shuttle, Mordin to his left and Thane to his right. Grunt and Delexia were opposite him in the circle, watching with tense eyes for any sign of the enemy approaching.

"Get ready!" Shepard called over the snarls of charging Varren. "Nobody gets past us. Keep them back at all costs!"

"Hold the line, got it." Delexia answered. This comment caused Shepard and Mordin to share a knowing grin, but no words passed between them.

In the flicker of an instant, the waiting was over as the first Krogan raced into view, rushing straight at the entrenched squad. Shepard's rifle roared, scoring several powerful hits to the alien's torso. Thane's sniper rifle barked, striking it in the eye, and the enemy soldier went down, howling with pain until finally his lungs went still. He was soon replaced by another pair of Krogan, each firing a shotgun wildly even at this distance. They, too fell swiftly to the combined fire of the Human and the Drell.

On Mordin's side, meanwhile, a single Krogan emerged, leading a pair of Varren. The amphibious canine creatures snarled and slavered as they caught the scent of fresh prey, released from their master's hold to charge at the squad. The Salarian lifted his omnitool, first of all launching a bolt of fire at the Varren handler. As the Krogan caught fire, so inconvenienced that he couldn't raise his gun to attack, the professor used the time to trigger a Neural Shock attack, causing the Varren crippling pain. The beasts yammered in agony as their own bodies turned against them, writhing on the ground until finally their hearts, pushed beyond their capacity, gave out and ceased their beating. With the creatures out of the way, Mordin found it all too easy to use another Incinerate on the Krogan handler, reducing the wailing alien to ash.

Delexia and Grunt faced off against the largest concentration of hostiles. The Turian yelled as she emptied clip after clip at the approaching horde, gunning them down with savage swiftness, although her tactic of flooding the battlefield with as much flying metal as possible was a little inefficient. Grunt, amazingly, was the more disciplined of the two warriors/ He carried a Mattock assault rifle, putting its semi-automatic quality to good use inflicting as much pain as possible on his enemies. As he considered the devastation all around him, the smoking crater where his clan had once been, his grip on his weapon grew tighter and his aim grew more deadly, head-shot after head-shot being his reward.

In just a few moments, the ground around the crater where the shuttle lay was slick with thick orange blood, bodies of Krogan and Varren piled high. As time wore on, the Commander noted that the enemy were starting to use the battlefield to their advantage, using piled of rubble and even the stacks of their own dead to hide behind as they approached. Sometimes they would send packs of Varren at the squad, using the distraction to try and flank them. The squad was holding out, but the Krogan masses steadily drew nearer.

"Ahh!"

Shepard spun at the Salarian's cry, catching sight of Mordin tumbling backwards with a Varren on top of him, the creature's snarling maw inches from his face. The duo rolled to a halt in the bottom of the depression, the beast using its merciless claws to rip at Mordin's torso.

Before Shepard could react, Grunt had spun away from the frontline, bounding down to the beleaguered Salarian in two strides. With a mighty kick, he knocked the Varren clear of the professor, the beast howling as it tumbled across the rocky ground. In an instant, it was back on its feet and lunging at the Urdnot warrior. Without hesitating, Grunt swung a mighty arm in a powerful punch, his clenched fist vanishing through the Varren's gaping maw. As the creature choked on an arm as thick as a tree trunk, Grunt gripped it by the base of its spine and, muscles bulging, snapped the creatures back in two, pulling his hand out of the creature's throat as it went limp with a wet sigh. He then picked up the Varren corpse and, spinning around, flung it at the Krogan chancing the perimeter, striking the enemy soldier with the grisly missile and knocking him back. Before the soldier could recover, the Urdnot warrior had charged back up the slope and planted his rifle butt in the Krogan's face, spinning the gun around as he staggered back to blast away at his chest with a mighty roar.

"I… Am… KROGAN!"

Moments later, a hush fell across the remains of the Urdnot camp as the last of the attackers perished at the end of Delexia's rifle. The squad sagged, enjoying the brief respite. Grunt was the first to speak, hurling a fallen Krogan enemy over the ridge of rubble he was hiding behind.

"Hey, Turian." He called, glancing over to Delexia. His grin grew broad. "Twenty-one."

"Twenty-one?" Delexia asked. "Well, that's not bad for a Krogan whelp like you. Suppose I shouldn't have expected better. I, meanwhile am sitting pretty on a count of twenty-two."

The Turian pirate sat back with a satisfied grunt, folding her arms across her chest. Grunt stared at her for a moment, eyes boggling, before turning, drawing his pistol, and firing into the battlefield. He turned back to her with a look of triumph.

"Twenty-two."

Delexia's jaw dropped, her tongue working wordlessly.

"That- that doesn't count! He was already dead!"

"He was twitching."

"He was twitching, because he's got one of my bullets lodged in his brain!"

"Quiet, both of you." Shepard ordered. "You both lost, anyway. I pegged twenty-five."

As the pair glared at the Commander with wide eyes, Thane coughed politely.

"Begging your pardon, Commander, but I believe I have sent twenty-seven to Arashu's embrace this day."

Shepard's cheeks flushed with embarrassment to be outdone in this way as he spluttered a protest. Before he could truly voice his frustration, Mordin spoke up.

"Only accounted for nineteen. Apologies for low score. Must work on efficiency of kills." The Salarian paused. "Unless… wait, Varren included in total?"

"Yes?" Shepard said tentatively, unsure whether it would make him look better or worse.

"Ah, then thirty-seven is true total. Efficiency above squad average. Good to know, good to know."

All were silent at that, looking to one another with sheepish smiles. Shepard felt a chuckle escape from his throat, a gesture soon followed by Grunt and Delexia. Thane and Mordin smiled, but were reserved enough to refrain from laughing.

The Commander felt his sides twitch as he chortled. He had no idea why he was laughing. They had just survived a brutal attack by an enemy they didn't yet understand, which closely followed a near lethal crash landing in the middle of a war-zone. They were stranded with no way of communicating with the Normandy or any surviving members of Wrex's clan, if any remained save Grunt. But then a twinge in the heart of muscles he hadn't used in a while explained everything. He was laughing because he needed to. With everything going on around them, the loss of Earth, of Arcturus, the deaths of so many people who they had once known and loved, he and his squad were under immense pressure. Just being able to sit and laugh in the middle of such a dangerous environment made the Galaxy feel like such a massive joke, an easier place to cope with. For the first time in a long time, the Commander felt his stressed psyche unclench, a kind of peace penetrating his mind.

Their brief moment of laughter was swiftly brought to a crashing end as a loud rumble echoed by overhead. For a moment, Shepard hoped that the Normandy was coming to their aid, that somehow the distress beacon had worked. But he soon realised that that was a foolish hope. They hadn't been gone for half an hour yet, much less the minimum five hours Joker had been instructed to wait before sending backup.

As he realised this, Shepard caught sight of the source of the noise with a sense of foreboding. Three gunships, Krogan designed, dropped out of the cloud cover and raced towards them. They were massive, bulky affairs twice the size of the Kodiak with broad boxy bodies and thick armour plating and a pair of guns on the front and back of the craft. A single turret jutted out of the base of each of the vehicles, spinning around menacingly to search for targets. The end result was a craft that looked laughably impractical, seemingly too ungainly and heavy to be seen in the sky, much less considered an aerial threat. Nevertheless, Shepard recognised danger when he saw it. Agile or not, they still had enough firepower and enough space for soldiers inside to present a danger to the small squad.

"Yeah, this is not good." Delexia observed as she looked up at the approaching gunships. It wouldn't be long before they were upon the squad.

As the squad watched, the gunships suddenly took a sudden turn to one side, angling away from the squad. Then they wheeled back on themselves, displaying surprising speed and manoeuvrability for such clunky craft.

"What are they doing?" Shepard asked.

"Shepard!" Thane called out. He had his sniper rifle out and was tracking something on the ground beneath the gunships. "They're chasing something. It's hard to make out, but… it's a Tomkah!"

Shepard took the gun from the assassin, using the scope to see what Thane had seen. In a second he caught sight of it, the blocky vehicle on six wheels bouncing and rattling across the rubble-strewn landscape like a madman as it dodged fire from the gunships.

"No markings on any of the craft." He commented. "No way to tell who's friend and who's foe."

Shepard's pulse raced as the Tomkah suddenly swerved, spinning around to roar across the debris-strewn land straight at the squad. The gunships were quick to follow. The six-wheeled craft bounced over piles of shattered rock and twisted metal, dodging the occasional rocket from its pursuers. As the plucky vehicle arrowed towards him, Shepard found his subconscious mind actually starting to root for it, a smirk playing across his lips at every successful manoeuvre.

"Whoever they are, they've got a quad." Grunt said approvingly. "That's real Krogan driving right there!"

"Yeah, well, I hate to point this out," Delexia answered. "But they're doing a lot of Krogan driving right this way. Get down!"

As the squad flung themselves to the ground, the Tomkah roared by, cresting one pile of rubble to soar over the remains of the shuttle, its wheels passing bare inches over the Commander's lowered head. The roar of its engine was terrible in his ears, eliminating all other possibilities of sound

The vehicle screeched around, skidding through the debris and dead bodies until it finally came to a halt a couple of metres from the stunned squad. A hatch opened in the back and Shepard felt his heart surge as he caught sight of a face he had feared he would never see again.

"Come on!" Wrex yelled. "We don't have much time!"

As the wily Krogan warlord leapt from the back of the craft, he lifted a rocket launcher to his shoulder and fired at the gunships, forcing them to dodge out of the way.

The squad wasted no time in darting towards the rumbling vehicle, clambering in as quickly as they could. Once Shepard had climbed aboard, Wrex closed the hatch, keeping the top half-open to allow him to lean out and fire at their pursuers on occasion.

"We're in. Step on it!" He thundered.

Up front, Hurn responded with gusto, nearly putting his foot through the floor of the vehicle as he stomped on the accelerator. The Tomkah let out a throaty roar as it surged forwards, narrowly missing fire from the gunships above.

"Shepard!" Wrex yelled. "There's a turret in the roof of this thing. Use it!"

The Commander grinned at his old friend as he scrambled into a large gunnery station in the roof. As it detected his presence, it rose up until he was in a little metal box sticking up out of the roof of the Tomkah. He rattled about inside as the countryside bounced by outside his window. As he strapped himself in, a massive double barrel unfolded from the roof of the craft, taking up a position before his little cabin. The pair spun as one as he tested the controls, his grin growing a little wider as he began tracking the gunships up above.

The entire vehicle shook as the turret launched the first round at the enemy, the white bolt of light arcing past the gunships to land in the soil once more, exploding with a terrible crash. The Tomkah swerved a little from the shock of the shot, but Hurn soon compensated. Amazed at the obvious power of the gun in his hands, Shepard tried holding the trigger down, relishing the subtle double thump of the gun as it launched several rounds in quick succession, one barrel jumping then the other, then a brief half second pause to reload. The string of projectiles traced a line across the sky, closing in on one of the gunships. The craft shuddered as multiple holes appeared along its hull before smoke began pouring out of it, the gunship dropping into a spin that terminated in a fiery explosion to one side.

"Yeah! Show them who's boss, Shepard!" Wrex yelled, firing another rocket at the remaining two vehicles.

"Get ready." Hurn warned. "We're about to hit the Grandor Highway!"

Shepard almost asked why that was important when suddenly the Tomkah lurched, soaring through the air as it hit an embankment and launched itself forwards. For a moment, Shepard could see the edge of the plateau they had just left behind, his gaze inexorably drawn downwards to the massive drop below the craft, then the vista was gone as the Tomkah hit the surface of a massive highway supported by gargantuan concrete pillars extending down to the ground far below. The plateau upon the top of which Urdnot's former main camp had rested receded behind them as Hurn swerved to keep the tough little vehicle on the highway.

The highway was a grand structure, twelve lanes to either side, any of which was wide enough to accommodate the Tomkah and then some. A broad concrete divider spanned the middle of the highway, with an even more resilient wall lining the outer edges to prevent a craft from plummeting the vast distance to the ground. As they darted along the broad road, Shepard saw many places where the concrete had shattered, leaving massive holes behind through which an average sized tank could disappear. The highway sloped downwards, leading away from Urdnot's plateau towards the ground below.

Before Shepard could study their new surroundings any more, his attention was drawn back to the gunships, still in close pursuit. He fired again, but these two vehicles had become wise to the power of the Tomkah's weaponry and were remaining far enough away to dodge his fire. He struggled to track either one of them as they evaded his shots, only managing to score a couple of hits, which their armour deflected with ease.

A sudden shot from one of the pursuers struck the highway beside the Tomkah, sending it skidding perilously close to the edge of one of the many holes in the road. Only Hurn's expert hand at the wheel kept the passengers from suffering the long drop, the young Krogan managing to swerve around the hole and work the throttle to squeeze a little more power from the engines. Back in the passenger compartment, Wrex let out an indignant cry at the sudden brush with death.

"Damnit, Shepard!" He yelled. "My grandmother could shoot better than that!"

"Feel free to dig her up and put her behind these controls." Shepard shot back, clenching his teeth as he tried to line up a decent shot on their pursuers.

At last he managed to score a few hits on one of the craft, the rounds piercing its flank and operator's canopy, followed by a rocket from Wrex blasting through one of its engine cowlings. As the gunship wobbled in the air, losing height by the second, the duo suddenly accelerated, rushing ahead of the Tomkah. Shepard continued to track the damaged one, firing continuously. Finally he found a weak point and flames gushed out of the destroyed operator's canopy, the gunship spinning as it dropped out of the sky. It crashed into the highway, erupting into a fountain of fierce flames. Directly in the path of the Tomkah.

Hurn, seeing the hazard, sent the Tomkah into a vicious spin, managing to stop the vehicle before it entered the inferno. Both he and his passengers regarded the obstruction, as well as the massive hole beside it that took up the space where the other half of the highway should have been, a few ragged metal girders protruding out into open space as a pathetic reminder of what had once been. The Tomkah's path forwards was completely blocked.

Their brief hesitation was brought to a sudden end as the last gunship roared back into view, hovering over the gap in the highway menacingly as it deployed its weapons, unleashing a devastating barrage that Hurn was hard-pressed to avoid. The gun slung under the belly of the craft coughed as it sent rockets at the Tomkah, missing by the slimmest of margins.

The vehicle's hull rattled with multiple impacts, dents appearing in the passenger compartment and drawing noises of disquiet from the squad. Realising the danger, Shepard tried to bring the turret to bear on the gunship, but the craft soon dodged out of the way.

"We've got to get out of here." He warned.

"Working on it." Hurn grunted back. He was silent for a moment, then made a ponderous noise. "Actually, I have an idea…"

"Wait," Delexia said with a foreboding tone. "Zaeed told me about the last time you were driving one of these things. You're about to do something stupid, aren't you?"

"It's a strong possibility." Hurn replied with a chuckle. "Strap yourselves in, this is gonna get fun!"

"Shepard!" Delexia yelled. "I'm blaming you!"

The young Krogan wheeled the Tomkah around, heading back up the highway. As he brought the vehicle around a good distance from the obstruction, he punched a control to retract the turret, drawing Shepard back into the safety of the vehicle. Then he gunned the engine, causing it to explode across the distance towards the gap in the road. He angled for a small pile of rubble in the road, holding his hand over the control for the vehicle's jump jets. At the last instant, as the Tomkah hit the rubble and its nose tilted upwards, he mashed the control, making the craft buck forward.

The Tomkah blasted upwards and forwards, cutting a powerful arc through the air. The gunship, its operator still hesitating just a moment as he struggled to believe what he was witnessing, was a second too slow in its efforts to get out of the way. The Tomkah struck it amidships, ripping through the hull and the superstructure of the vehicle like a hot knife through butter. The gunship literally disintegrated as the Tomkah passed through, pieces winging away in every direction as Krogan crew tumbled down to their deaths.

Inside, the squad was thrown around the Tomkah, Shepard in particular inconvenienced by the fact that he was halfway out of the gunner's chair. The craft rattled and roared as it dropped back towards the ground. For a stomach-turning moment, the Commander was certain that they had fallen short, that they would tumble through the gap in the road and plummet to their deaths, but then they crashed into the surface of the highway with a powerful thump that felt like a crushing weight on the squad. It took just a moment for Hurn to come to the realisation that they were, in fact, going to live before he gunned the engines and sent them rocketing off down the highway.

In the back, Wrex sat down in one of the seats with a groan, putting his rocket launcher down carefully. He glanced to Shepard, a smile on his face.

"Always the same with you, huh, Shepard?"

"You know me, Wrex." Shepard chuckled. "The day hasn't begun until your first explosion."

"Well, it keeps you sharp, to say the least." Wrex leaned forward, hands on his knees. "I'm glad you're here, Shepard."

"I couldn't turn down one of my oldest friends." The Commander answered sincerely. "Your message was garbled, but it sounded urgent. What happened? Was it the Reapers?"

"No. No Reapers, as far as we know." Wrex said slowly. "We were betrayed by our own kind." A bitter expression passed over his face. "I'll tell you more when we get there."

"Where's 'there'?"

"A place I never expected to take an outsider. A place where a living alien has not walked since before the Rebellions. I'm taking you to the most sacred site of the Krogan." Wrex looked at him significantly. "I'm taking you to the Hollows."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard glanced out of the Tomkah pensively, scanning the surrounding landscape. He'd never seen this part of Tuchanka, his previous missions to the war-torn planet never taking him away from the vast, almost continent-sized plateau that formed the highlands where Urdnot had dwelled. The highlands had been home to the territories of many Krogan clans, including Urdnot, Weyrloc, Gatatog and Jath. Now the Tomkah was roaring down the highway that would carry them far below this raised topography.

The land outside was a jagged confusion of sharp spires and deep trenches, sudden cliffs leaning over precipitous drops that extended down for hundreds of feet. Much of the land was devoid of vegetation or water, but then very occasionally a copse of sickly trees would appear, surrounding a body of oily, grimy water. At first the twisted, toxic landscape looked to Shepard like the end result of centuries of conflict, but then he reached the conclusion that no sentient hands had wrought this waste. It was just too big. As he pondered what had happened to create this land, Wrex leaned over to look out of the window.

"Impressive, isn't it?" He asked. That was hardly the word in Shepard's mind at that moment, but he only shrugged. "This was all underwater five thousand years ago. Then some of my ancestors stumbled upon the secret of the atom bomb. In decades, the atmosphere was so choked with radioactive dust that Tuchanka was turned into a lethal inferno. Trees charred in the daylight, Krogan died in a matter of hours from exposure, and the seas boiled. The atmosphere adjusted, eventually, but not before the oceans had shrunk to just a fifth of their former size."

"And this is where you keep your most sacred site?" Shepard asked.

"The Hollows used to be on a small island. It is where we take our greatest Battlemasters to be buried. After the oceans retreated, the island became a towering mountain. No clan can claim ownership of the Hollows, as Krogan from every clan have been buried there. It's also where our Shamans gather to perform their secret rites."

"Thought Dead Spire was sacred Krogan burial ground." Mordin observed.

"The Spire's a sacred Krogan burial site." Wrex contradicted strongly. "This is _the_ sacred Krogan burial ground. The Hollows contain the corpses of Urdnot Faul, Nakmor Jeyatt, Jath Veeol, the mightiest of our Warlords and founders of the great clans. It is said that the tomb of Jalmund can be found deep within the heart of the island, but it is forbidden to seek it out."

"Jalmund?" Thane asked curiously.

"The father of us all, the first warlord." Wrex replied, his tone carrying a reverence that Shepard did not expect. He decided not to probe any deeper into the Krogan myth at that moment.

As the Commander opened his mouth to ask Wrex something else, but the Krogan chieftain's attention suddenly shifted. He leaned forward a little more, pointing a finger at the window.

"There it is!"

Shepard looked to where the Krogan was pointing, his breath catching in his throat as his eyes caught a glimpse of something truly spectacular.

Shooting up from the dried-up seabed, a mountain of hard rock reached up into the sky, looming over the highway ominously. Extending upwards from a broad base, maybe five kilometres wide, it narrowed sharply until it terminated in a distant mesa about a mile wide. The mountain's sides were rugged, sharp spires jutting up and out from the black rock. As the Tomkah rolled along the highway towards it, the distant and dim sun slid behind the summit of the imposing geological structure, highlighting its outline with sharp shafts of light.

Then, in the blink of an eye, the highway made a sharp turn and began sloping downwards. The sudden change of perspective revealed the plains around the base of the spire. For hundreds of metres in every direction, all around the base of the mountain, a temporary camp was sprawled out in a disorganised jumble. Smoke rose from many cooking fires while a number of gunships and fighters patrolled overhead. A veritable armada of Tomkahs moved around the edges of the camp, their turrets deployed and ready to counter any kind of attack.

"Welcome to the Crush." Wrex said grandly.

Shepard's mind reacted to the word, remembering an old story the Krogan had related to him of the event, but the hectic pace of the past few years had left the details fuzzy. Fortunately, it was Delexia who asked the question.

"What's a Crush?"

"Krogan war council." Mordin answered swiftly.

"No, it's more than that." Grunt contradicted. "My tank imprints… they speak of this. The ideas are unclear, but there's… a gathering of thought, the bond between fathers and sons, the formation of a krannt?"

"That and more." Wrex said, looking at his kinsman with fondness, much like an uncle teaching a favoured nephew a lesson. "The Crush is a gathering that could be between as few as two Krogan, or could call upon every chieftain on Tuchanka to attend. If summoned to a Crush, a Krogan cannot refuse. To do so would lead to exile and death."

"How many Krogan have gathered here today?" Shepard asked.

"Every ally Urdnot has has been summoned for this gathering." Wrex said gravely. "All but a few Krogan chieftains are present."

The Commander was silent at the magnitude of this revelation. Whatever the reason for Urdnot's retreat to the Hollows and their commencement of the Crush, it had to be serious.

Moments later, the Tomkah rolled past the camp's perimeter, coming to a halt once it had reached a cleared space close to the base of the spire. Hurn turned back from the controls to grin at his passengers.

"That's it, folks. We've arrived. If you want to thank me, Ratch has got a new batch of ryncol brewing in his tent. A barrel of that will do nicely."

Ignoring Hurn's joking comments, Wrex opened the rear hatch of the Tomkah, clambering out. Shepard nodded to Hurn in acknowledgement before following his old friend. The squad was close behind, looking about anxiously as they entered the Krogan camp.

A weathered old Krogan stomped out from the nearby tents, making a beeline for the Urdnot chieftain. Shepard's brow rose with not a little happiness as he recognised the Shaman of the Urdnot clan, a fairly likeable character among the normally gruff Krogan. The Shaman had a fair amount of respect for the Commander, having been witness to the more ruthless side of the Human in his dealings with the now deceased Gatatog Uvenk, and Shepard felt an odd kinship with the Shaman, liking his no-nonsense approach to conversations.

"Urdnot Wrex." The Shaman bowed his head respectfully. "I see your instincts were right." He looked over to the Commander. "Greetings to you, Shepard."

"As I thought, it was Shepard trying to get a signal out from the old camp." Wrex explained. "His shuttle was taken out by Karrak warriors picking through the rubble."

"Damn scavengers." The Shaman spat. "They will get what's coming to them."

"How many have responded to the call?"

"The last of our allies arrived while you were gone. We are ready to begin."

"Very well." Wrex turned back to Shepard. "I have things to sort out, Shepard. I'll meet you at Jalmund's Road. Hurn can show you the way."

"We should get in touch with the Normandy, let them know where we are." The Commander suggested.

"You do that. I'll see you later."

With that, the Krogan warlord turned and strode off, the Shaman in tow. Shepard looked over to Hurn, about to say something when a commotion near the front of the Tomkah drew his attention. He glanced over as a Krogan raced over to the vehicle.

"What the hell have you done?" He sputtered. "Look at the front of the damn thing! You've caved in the primary air intakes. And why is the front axle bent like that?"

Hurn turned to the mechanic.

"Don't get your quads in a twist. We ran into a little trouble which ended up with us driving through a gunship."

"Oh, is that all?" The mechanic asked sarcastically. "Well then, that makes it all okay. Sorry for getting all bent out of shape over this completely demolished vehicle!"

As the mechanic, still grumbling, set to work on the admittedly badly mangled vehicle, Hurn gestured for the squad to follow him.

"C'mon. The comm array's this way."

Shepard shrugged before following the young Krogan, his team stepping in line behind him.

Hurn led the squad through the grimy collection of tents, weaving an unpredictable course through the camp. They made their way towards a large tent in the midst of the camp, out of which protruded a hastily built comm tower, red light blinking insistently at its peak to indicate that it was active. As Shepard was led towards the tent, he caught sight of an unusual couple standing outside a nearby tent. A young Krogan towered over a lithe Asari, who anxiously gripped his collar, eyes wide as she reasoned with him. As the Commander walked by and picked up on a portion of their conversation, he realised that they struck him as familiar, but he was unsure why.

"Please, Charr!" The Asari pleaded. "I have a very bad feeling about this. Just tell the chief you've got other commitments."

"I can't, honey." The Krogan replied gently. "I'm a Krogan. Refusing is not an option. It's my duty."

"But what about your duty as a father?" The blue-skinned alien asked sharply. "Our little girl will be born in five years. I don't want her growing up without a father!"

"Would you rather she didn't have a home? If I refuse, we'll be exiled before you can blink. Krogan everywhere would treat us like Varren droppings. No, this is something I've gotta do. I promise I'll be careful, so stop worrying!"

Shepard was ushered into the comm tent before he could pick up anymore of the conversation, although the tension in the Asari's voice nagged at his mind. Something big was about to go down. He could feel it hanging over the camp like a dark cloud.

Inside the comm tent, he found a free console and soon had a link to the Normandy up and running. Joker's voice was frantic as he answered the Commander's hails.

"Shepard, please tell me that's you."

"I'm here, Joker." Shepard assured.

"Thank god!" The Commander could hear the pilot physically relaxing. "When we lost contact with the shuttle… we'd feared the worst. Miranda's been pitching a hairy fit. Are you all in one piece down there?"

"We're okay, Joker." Shepard answered. "The shuttle's lost, but we all got out with next to no injuries. You can tell Miranda that Mordin's rocket boot idea worked."

"You see, now, it _sounds_ fun when you put it like that…" Joker began, chuckling. "I think I'll stick with the pilot's chair myself. So… how's Wrex?"

"I'm not sure. We're at a Krogan gathering called a Crush. I think something big's happening. Have Miranda prep the squad for a quick deployment if we need it. Make sure the Hammerhead's ready to go."

"You got it, Commander." Joker said, his voice professional. "I'll have EDI relay the message."

"Good. I'll call if I need you."

"Roger that, Shepard. Normandy out."

The Commander closed the channel, exiting the tent to rejoin his group. Hurn quickly led them away.

In moments, they found Wrex standing at the beginning of an ancient, weathered road. Unlike the highway they had used to leave the highlands, this was cracked and worn, the stresses of millennia of existence evident on its surface. It clung to the side of the spire, curling upwards in a precarious climb. This must have been what Wrex had referred to when he mentioned 'Jalmund's Road'.

The Urdnot chieftain was talking with a small group of other Krogan, all decked out in grand armour. Some of them were so imposingly that they could only have been chieftains, while those who stood behind or beside them, while still impressive, must have been members of their krannt.

As the Commander approached, Wrex nodded in greeting. Beside him, the Urdnot Shaman grinned fiercely.

"Shepard." Wrex greeted.

"Wrex." Shepard returned with a nod. "What's going on?"

"The chieftains have almost finished gathering. Its time for the Crush to begin. Come on."

"What?" One of the chieftains, a lanky creature with a striking blue-painted plate and a heavier voice than even Grunt's deep rumble, bared his teeth as he expressed his indignation. "You cannot be serious, Urdnot Wrex. An alien cannot walk the sacred grounds of the Hollows!"

"Urdnot is dominant, Tomal Karr." The Shaman said with a warning tone. "If Wrex decrees that the Human may attend the Crush, then that is how it must be."

"Aliens are not fit to even gave upon the mount, much less walk on its fertile soil." The Krogan growled. "They are not worthy to even be present among such Krogan as have gathered today!"

"This is Commander Shepard!" Wrex exploded indignantly. "He's the one who kept us from becoming slaves to the Turian Saren. He's the one who stopped Weyrloc's rise to dominance over the rest of us. He's the one who delivered the cure to the Genophage! Without Shepard, the Krogan would be nothing! If anything, you are the one not worthy to be in his presence!"

As his old friend stepped forward aggressively, his shoulders heaving with anger, Shepard placed a restraining hand on his arm, holding Wrex back.

"Hang on, Wrex. I've got this." He assured confidently.

Without hesitating, before Wrex could say a word, Shepard lunged at the challenging Krogan. He closed his eyes tight as his forehead shot forward, connecting with the blue brow plate with a loud crack and a jarring thump that made the Commander's brain wheel. He'd already done this once to challenge Gatatog Uvenk, so he had no idea why he thought it might be a good idea this time.

As he stepped back, wiping a small trickle of blood that seeped from a tiny rent in his forehead, he saw the Tomal chieftain stumble back a step, more out of shock than anything else. There was a sudden hush as the gathered Krogan processed this development, then the smallest of the Krogan chieftains released a short, sharp laugh, a noisy bark that bounced through the camp.

"Ha! The alien is good, no doubts of that!"

In moments, the rest of the Krogan gathered there were all braying loudly, some slapping Shepard's back hard enough to rattle his teeth. Even the blue-plated Krogan smiled in amusement at the Human attempt at Krogan diplomacy.

"You understand our ways, I'll grant you that, Human." His tone carried an element of respect now. He looked to Wrex. "Very well. The Human may attend. But the others must remain in the camp."

"A fair compromise." Shepard turned to his companions. Grunt, of course, would have no problem attending the Crush, but Mordin, Thane and Delexia would have to stay behind. "Wait here for me. Try not to get into too much trouble."

"No guarantees, boss." Delexia grinned. Mordin and Thane simply nodded.

This decided, the Krogan delegation began their ascent, the Commander in their midst.

**~o~0~o~**

They were about halfway up the road when the Commander, starting to feel the climb tugging at his lungs, found himself walking alongside the Shaman. Grunt and Hurn were close behind them, while Wrex was further up the road, talking with his fellow chieftains. His breath becoming ragged, Shepard glanced over to the Shaman, ashamed that the aged alien was barely winded by the climb.

"Couldn't we have taken a Tomkah up here?" He asked between breaths.

"The Hollows are sacred ground." The Shaman replied quickly. "To take any kind of vehicle up here would be a crime punishable by a long and painful death."

"Wrex told me a little about the Hollows earlier. He said they were revered as more than just a burial site. Something about them being important to your Shamans?"

"Indeed. The Hollows have been a part of our culture for as long as we have possessed the means to record our history." The old Krogan's gaze took on a retrospective quality as he glanced upwards. "The tribe of Shamans have gathered here once every year to perform rites that help keep our race's link to their roots strong."

"The Shamans have a separate tribe?" The Commander was a little surprised by that.

"Yes. At first, before the clans had become as big and territorial as they are now, the Shamans lived in one settlement and served as spiritual guides to all Krogan. Then the Warlords rose up and the great clans were formed, the first three being Urdnot, Jorgal and Grond. A brief war ensued where each clan tried to lay claim to the Shamans to increase their strength. After a bitter struggle, the chieftain of clan Grond decided that if he could not control the Shamans, no Krogan would, and attacked us directly." The Krogan's face dropped. "Many of our wisest members were slaughtered in the attack, and many ancient rites were lost, dying with their memory. This atrocity united Urdnot and Jorgal against Grond, giving them the strength to destroy the treacherous clan. Then, it was decreed that one Shaman would be present within every clan, to record the clan's history and help chart its future while remaining true to what rites we still possess. We still meet once every year to keep our own tribe strong."

"How did the tribe of the Shamans fare under the Genophage?"

"Truth be told, we were not 'faring' at all. Our numbers were so few that we feared we would soon dwindle into nothing. Thanks to your help, I have hopes our numbers will swell once more."

"I take it that the Shaman is important to the clan, then?"

"Central! We ensure the clan sticks to its traditions, not forsaking our ancestors because it is 'too much effort' or to 'fit in with the aliens'." The Krogan's tone was mocking as he gave those reasons. "Pfah! Being a Krogan wouldn't be worth doing if it were easy or made us like aliens. Such reasoning reeks of weakness."

They walked on in silence for a moment before Shepard finally broached the subject that had been burning in his mind.

"What happened to Urdnot's main camp?"

The Shaman's face darkened, although whether it was sorrow, anger or something else entirely that flickered through his heart, the Commander could not tell.

"A most foul act. If Urdnot Wrex has not explained all, then it is not my place to do it for him. All will be revealed at the Crush."

Shepard's pace became a little more ponderous as he considered the Shaman's words. As the group continued their climb, Shepard found himself walking with Hurn and Grunt. As he drew close, he picked up the last of their conversation, and abruptly wished that he hadn't.

"…Thighs as wide as a Shaffur tree, and arms to match." Hurn was explaining eagerly. "Her name was Gotah. I'll definitely be seeing her again."

Grunt grinned at the story before turning to catch sight of Shepard. His expression became more serious, if a little sheepish, at being caught listening to such a story, leading the Commander to conclude that he had, thankfully, missed the more lurid parts. Hurn looked at what Grunt had seen, also gaining the mildly embarrassed expression upon spotting Shepard.

"That was some impressive diplomacy you showed back there, Shepard." He chuckled. "You definitely know how to 'speak Krogan'."

"It's all in the neck." Shepard joked back, rubbing at the still sore body part. "…And the cybernetic skeleton."

"Ha! You would've made a great Krogan. Grunt's lucky to have you for a Battlemaster."

"Shepard has no equal on the battlefield." Grunt said proudly. "Where he goes, I shall follow."

"And loyalty through respect, not fear? A rare thing indeed among Battlemasters. I only wish that I could travel with you." Hurn commented. "To serve as a part of the Normandy's krannt would be a great honour."

Before the Commander could reply, the group finally crested the ridge that formed the terminus of the winding road, the crest of a deep bowl in the surface of the spire. Inside of this bowl, a complete contradiction to the devastation of Tuchanka could be found. Healthy trees filled the peak of the spire, a dense forest of vibrant green and deep blue. A narrow path wove between the trees, created by the feet of thousands of pilgrims travelling here. In between the trees, small barrows could be seen, simple mounds of Earth with no ornamentation or any sign of who might be inside.

As Shepard stepped onto the path, he felt the reverent atmosphere of the place. Even more so than the Dead Spire, this was a hallowed place. The barrows bore no names because the Krogan already knew who was up here, giving them all equal honour. No one came up here to venerate a single warrior, but paid homage to all that had earned a place in this most precious of glades.

Not a word was uttered as the cluster of Krogan walked through the verdant mausoleum, bowing their heads respectfully as they passed the barrows. The silence grew so profound that the slightest whispering breeze in the trees rustled by overhead like a tidal wave.

As they moved deeper into the glade, Shepard became aware of a distant rumbling. It grew louder and more insistent as the group drew closer to the centre of the forest. Finally, the group emerged into a clearing and were bombarded with a cacophony of noise. In the centre of the clearing, a deep hole vanished into the rock below, a perfectly round mouth into the heart of the spire. Into this maw rolled several small brooks, their crystal clean water tumbling into the opening and creating an echoing roar within the spire. In front of this opening, a massive fallen tree lay on the ground, bigger than any tree present in the glade. Its wood was so dark and appeared so strong, Shepard wondered for a moment how many centuries it had lain there. It looked like a monument to time itself, an object of incredible age and resilience, much like the Krogan. A Krogan skeleton was draped across the meters-thick trunk, still clad in his armour. Shepard pondered what the Krogan could have done to merit being refused burial in the glade, whether the Krogan considered it an honour or a shame to be left on display like this.

All around the clearing, a vast array of Krogan had gathered. Chieftains of all varieties were on display, their armours and official garb ranging from the efficient to the flamboyant, the downright intimidating to the highly impractical. Their retinues were just as varied, some possessing upwards of a dozen attendants while others made do with just one servant. There were even some female chieftains present, given a good deal of space by the menfolk. In all, there were probably over four Hundred Krogan present, a quarter of those being chieftains. And into this gathering strode Shepard, the only non-Krogan on what might as well have been the entire planet. The clearing fell silent at his arrival. After a moment, intense muttering spread through the crowd, but not one Krogan spoke out, not while Urdnot Wrex approached the fallen tree.

The Urdnot chieftain leapt up onto the thick trunk, turning to look at his gathered kinsmen. His blood-red eyes surveyed the array of Krogan before him, drifting over Shepard with a warm glint before looking down at the Krogan corpse at his feet with an expression of disgust. Obviously not a revered figure, then. At least, not by Urdnot standards. When Wrex looked back up, his voice rumbled forth strongly.

"Blessed are the fires of Tuchanka, which forge such powerful Sons and Daughters."

All around the clearing, the Krogan bowed their heads respectfully, muttering a quiet agreement. Shepard bowed his head, mumbling to join the quiet susurrus. He looked back up as Wrex continued.

"My brothers and sisters, warriors all, I have gathered you to the Crush to speak of a great evil that has befallen our mighty people."

Whispers of disquiet rolled around the glade.

"Not three days ago, my clan, the mighty and ancient Urdnot, was the victim of a devastating attack that left our home nought but a writhing pile of ash and twisted metal. A vile, cowardly assault that killed many of our warriors. Worse still, the attackers moved on to our female camp, butchering female and broodling alike-"

The clearing erupted into a mass of noise, chieftains leaping to their feet, some to bemoan the terrible loss, others to hurl accusations at the Urdnot chieftain.

"We are still recovering from the Genophage, how are we meant to persist with the loss of these females?"

"We should never have entrusted Urdnot with our females!"

"What of Horva, Kiltorn and Fargath? Where are the chieftains of those clans to explain their failure to defend our females?"

Wrex raised his hands up, trying to quell the noise.

"Urdnot gave of its best to protect the females, as did the other tribes tasked with their defence. Horva Gass, Kiltorn Varth and Fargath Mert gave their lives to protect the broodlings. Even once the defences had been breached, Warlady Urdnot Uta did not go quietly. I saw her perish with an enemy in each hand, their skulls crushed in her grip."

More moans of loss rose from the crowd at the news of so many notable deaths.

"It was only once the situation had reached its most dire that we called the retreat. Now, Urdnot, Horva, Kiltorn and Fargath live within the same tents, a united clan eager for revenge. We would ask of your help to destroy this most vicious foe."

Cheers and jeers echoed about in the clearing. Wrex struggled to be heard over the noise.

"I ask for your aid because this is a foe that will destroy us all. They will not stop once Urdnot are dead. They will only stop once Tuchanka is theirs and theirs alone. They have shown this by slaying so many of our females."

"What is the source of this threat to the Krogan people?" Shepard looked over to see the Tomal chieftain regard Wrex carefully. Wrex locked his red eyes with the Tomal's brilliant blue hues.

"There is only one word for this threat. One word that sickens me to my bones."

"What word?" The cry came from many throats. Shepard could see the Krogan horde getting worked up, approaching boiling point. They were ready to charge into battle right then and there. They just needed a target to focus on. Wrex was quick to provide one.

"One word: Betrayal!"

The howls escaping from the hundreds of booming throats was deafening to Shepard's ears. The Krogan could smell blood in the air now.

"Urdnot was betrayed by another clan, one who professed to be our allies. Now the Krogan people are robbed of a part of our future at the hands of this treacherous clan." Wrex lifted his arms above his head, encouraging the commotion as he drove the chieftains further into their rage. He was truly in control now. The Krogan would listen to whatever he had to say, following his commands. They cried out for a target.

"Name the clan, Urdnot Wrex, and it shall perish before us!"

Wrex paused at the question, drawing out the moment.

"Clan Draktarra."

A hush fell across the clearing, the chieftains to a Krogan hesitating at the announcement. Many looked at each other uncertainly. Shepard's brow lifted at this hesitation. The named clan must have been quite respected. Wrex looked about with tension in his gaze. As masterfully as he had roused the Krogan into a frenzy, he still risked losing their support at this crucial moment.

"You are certain of this?" The Tomal chieftain asked.

"There is no doubt." Wrex replied evenly. "My scouts followed the army back to their base of operations."

"You cannot ask us to go against Draktarra, Urdnot Wrex." One chieftain, a bulky Krogan standing at over eight foot tall, spoke up. "Warlord Vandak is too powerful."

"I cannot deny the risks." Wrex admitted. "But there is far more danger in allowing Draktarra to move about unopposed. They have made their stance clear. They will not hesitate to kill the females of a clan they consider their enemy. Such actions make them an enemy of every Krogan on Tuchanka."

"What would you have us do?" Another Krogan asked.

"We must unite. The entire race under one banner. Only then will we be strong enough to utterly destroy such a formidable foe."

The clearing filled with shouts of agreement, not one Krogan daring to oppose the plan. All were incensed at the attack, ready to exact their revenge. Eventually the cries became united in one purpose, saluting their newly appointed warleader.

"Lead us, Urdnot Wrex! Guide the Krogan to victory!"

"What would you ask of us, Warlord Wrex?"

Wrex looked about, his scarlet eyes commanding silence from the assembled masses. Once he had it, he began laying out his plans.

"As you all know, Draktarra have the strongest army of any one clan on Tuchanka, backed up by an alliance with Therik, Dromak and Welrund. Together, we have the numbers to take them on, but we shall need careful planning to ensure the war is not too costly."

"What of their fleet remnant?" The bulky Krogan chieftain asked. "How can we hope to counter their ships with none of our own?"

Shepard's mind twitched at this information. Since the end of the Rebellions, it had been forbidden for the Krogan to even try to rebuild their fleet. Why would a clan like Draktarra have ships to call their own? He would need to query Wrex later. He stored the thought in the back of his mind as Wrex began speaking again.

"The majority of the Draktarra fleet is stored beneath their main camp. However, there was a small facility within clan Welrund's territory, within which a number of ships have been stored. If we can secure those before committing to the main assault, our chances of success rise dramatically."

"Such a facility will be well guarded." A Krogan wearing some blood-red armour cautioned. "A frontal assault would be costly."

"I can take care of it." Shepard spoke up, aware of the multitude of eyes turning to him. He took a deep breath. "I'll take a small team and deal with the defences quietly. Then, once the defences are down, you can send in your troops to take the ships."

"A stealthy approach?" Red-armour snorted. "A dishonourable approach. Typical of an alien."

"Still your tongue, Davk Trenn!" Wrex barked. "Shepard has seen more combat in his few decades than you have in all your centuries. Show some respect!"

The Krogan bowed his head reluctantly, unwilling to oppose the Urdnot leader. Wrex turned to the rest of his kin.

"Shepard speaks with wisdom. A stealthy approach will be better than a frontal assault. I'll send two of my warriors with him to show the way. If we do this right, we'll have a small fleet before Draktarra even knows we've begun moving against them."

"As you command, Warlord Wrex." The Tomal chieftain spoke for his fellow Krogan. "In the meantime, we shall prepare for the coming battle. There are many warriors to be marshalled and weapons to be readied."

"Yes." Wrex's voice was a little awed as he realised the full extent of what he had done. He spoke out one final time to address his gathered kinsmen. "The times ahead will be fraught with danger. We will need the commitment of every last warrior. I will not rest until the corpse of Draktarra Vandak joins my father's bones atop this tree. Only then can the Krogan be reborn as a force to be reckoned with. We will fight. For Urdnot's fallen. For the might of the Krogan. For Tuchanka!"

At the last word, the clearing was filled with triumphant roars once more, every Krogan present echoing the battlecry. Even Shepard was carried away by the heat of the moment, adding his comparatively pitiful yells to the roars of the aliens around him. The name was repeated over and over again, growing louder with every chant.

A few moments later, the Crush came to an end, the multitude of Krogan heading off in their separate directions. Wrex jumped off the fallen tree and sauntered over to Shepard, Grunt and Hurn, the Urdnot shaman appearing next to him.

"That went a lot better than I had hoped." Wrex said shrugging his shoulders.

"You have done well." The Shaman congratulated. "You now wield a force mightier than any seen since the end of the Rebellions."

"What happens now?" Shepard asked.

"Now, we prepare. I'll have Hurn and my chief scout guide you to the shipyards of clan Welrund. We'll ready a fleet of gunships to transport the crews needed to run the ships, sending them in on your signal."

"Wrex, I have to ask… how did the Krogan get a hold of so many ships?"

The old Krogan paused, looking to his friend furtively. Shepard understood his reluctance. With the demilitarisation of the Krogan being so strictly enforced, any sign of the construction of an army would be met with swift retribution. If the Krogan were actively building warships, that could only mean a desire to restart the Rebellions.

"Eight hundred years ago, the great clans of Tuchanka, Urdnot and Draktarra included, were planning to go to war. We were suffering under the Genophage, and many thought that perhaps perishing in a blaze of glory, taking as many of the aliens as we could with us to the Void, was preferable to a drawn out extinction. The shipyards were built in secret, so well hidden not even the STG spies could find them. Several small fleets were built before it was decided that another uprising would be pointless and the covert alliance was broken up. Over time, the shipyards were found, one by one, and destroyed along with their contents, but three remained. The shipyards of Urdnot, Welrund and Draktarra were never discovered."

"Urdnot was building a fleet too?" Shepard's tone was sharp. He felt a stirring in his chest at the deception on the part of his friend.

"Not for several centuries, Shepard. But we did keep the ships. At least, until the attack. Now there's nothing left there."

"I'm sorry." Shepard meant it. He saw the shadow of loss in his friend's eyes and his heart went out to him. But there was something else in those eyes, too. Wrex wasn't telling him the full story. Shepard held his tongue on that topic.

"No point in dwelling on it." Wrex said strongly. "Come on. Let's get you on your way. When you face an enemy like this, every moment counts."

**~o~0~o~**

The wind howled through the burnt out husks of the buildings that lined either side of the street. Shepard shuddered as the haunting melody went straight to his core, choosing to focus instead on the back of the Urdnot scout ahead of him.

The squad had travelled most of the way to the Welrund territory by Tomkah, but had left the vehicle to cover the final few kilometres on foot to avoid detection.

Before leaving the Krogan camp at the Hollows, Shepard had called the Normandy once more, arranging for the rest of the squad to join Wrex in his preparations for the upcoming battle. It hadn't been long before the Normandy's three surviving deployment vehicles, the Hammerhead, the skycar and the Shadow Broker stealth shuttle, had arrived at the camp, spilling out the small army Shepard had summoned to his cause. It wasn't long before Wrex was conferring with Miranda, Kaidan and Garrus on how best to utilise the fourteen additional operatives. Shepard, meanwhile, had stuck with his small team of Delexia, Grunt, Mordin and Thane. Theirs was a stealthy mission, so a smaller unit was better suited to the task. As promised, Wrex had sent the eager young Hurn and the grizzled veteran chief scout, a Krogan called Trark, to guide them to the shipyards.

As the small team approached the end of the street they were travelling down, he paused, lifting one arm in a silent cautionary gesture. Shepard sidled up to speak with him.

"What've we got?" He whispered.

"The entrance to the shipyards is in that warehouse." The scout nodded around the corner at a tall, imposing building. It was dirty, worn, barely noticeable against the drab backdrop of Tuchanka. The only thing that picked it out from its neighbours was the troupe of Krogan patrolling the perimeter, each one armed with nothing less than an assault rifle, a shotgun and a very business-like pistol. The one at the front, apparently the officer of the group, carried a grenade launcher to round out their arsenal.

"I take it we're not just going up to the front door and knocking." Shepard commented.

"As much as I'd love to see that, no." Trark chuckled. "We'll have to use a more subtle method to get inside. There's a sewage system that runs under the building. A series of access tunnels for the shipyards connects with it, an escape route if ever needed. That's your way in."

"You're not coming with us?"

"I'm staying out here to keep an eye on the enemy." Trark explained. "I'll keep in touch with Wrex, let him know how things are going and signal him when the defence grid is down. Plus I can get word back to Wrex if things go completely down the shitter."

"Good point." Shepard admitted. "Alright, where's the entrance to these sewers?"

The scout pointed. There, in the middle of the street and in plain view of the patrolling guards, was a wide manhole.

"Wait here." Trark ordered before slipping off back up the street, doubling back around.

The squad waited for a few tense moments until suddenly a nearby street was filled with a sharp squawking. A small flock of ugly, brown-feathered birds with viciously curved beaks fluttered up into the sky, their braying caws grating to the Commander's ears. He chanced a glance around the corner to see the patrol take interest in the disturbance, moving to investigate. The second they were out of sight, he ordered his team to move. They wouldn't have long before the patrol came back.

The team raced out into the open, Grunt hurrying ahead to lift the manhole cover with a groan. He held it up while Shepard and the others quickly clambered through, Hurn being the last to squeeze his bulky frame through the hole before Grunt slid in and replaced the cover. An instant later, the patrol returned, dismissing the disturbance as nothing to worry about. Trark, watching carefully from the shady entrance to a narrow alley, relaxed as the patrol resumed their circuit none-the-wiser. Then the Urdnot scout turned and left, making his own rounds of the desolate settlement.

Inside the sewers, the squad paused for a moment to adjust to the dim light that their omnitools cast to illuminate the concrete cylinder. Delexia sniffed loudly.

"Walking along a Krogan sewer. You do take us to some glamorous places, Commander."

"Bearing in mind we picked you up on Omega," Shepard reminded with a small grin. "This should count as luxury for you."

"True." The Turian pirate chuckled. "Lead on, oh glorious leader."

"Hurn, which way do we go now?" Shepard asked.

"This way." Hurn pointed as he consulted a map provided by Wrex. Shepard could only hope the map remained accurate, that little to no change had happened to the layout of the shipyards since the breaking of the Krogan alliance hundreds of years ago.

They made their way down the concrete tube, trying to keep as quiet as possible in case there were any guards in the sewer network. Even with their best efforts, the occasional splash echoed down the tunnel as Grunt put a clumsy foot down in an unfortunate puddle, the young Urdnot warrior being tested to his limits in not barking out a curse at the sensation.

After a lengthy journey, the squad finally found the entrance to the access tunnels The doors were unguarded, which made Thanes job of hacking the controls that much easier. In moments, the assassin had the doors open and the squad filed through.

Immediately, the Commander became aware of a deep, rhythmic thumping noise. It shook the access tunnels, travelling through the soles of Shepard's boots and up his legs until it found its way into his spine. Something was hard at work down here.

The access tunnels themselves were utilitarian. Plain grey steel formed the walls and ceiling, the occasional panel missing to reveal humming wires and churning pipes Bright white lights dangled down from the ceiling, casting sharp shadows wherever the squad walked.

Without hesitation, Shepard began moving down the tunnel, drawing his rifle from its place on his back. They were truly in enemy territory now, and had to be on their guard. Using information from Hurn's map, the team made their way past many branches of the tunnel network, heading deep underground.

"How deep does this complex go?" Delexia wondered aloud.

"Hundreds of feet, at least." Hurn answered. "That's not counting any expansion Welrund may have made to the facility."

"Can understand using underground facility to keep starships hidden from visual scans." Mordin said. "But how are energy, radiation emissions contained?"

"As far as I understand it," Hurn explained. "We chose these specific sites because they were locations rich in dense metals and radioactive ores. This helps to hide any readings from Council ships in orbit. It also means building materials were not far away. Hiding the shipyards under large settlements also helps to mask their presence. If an eezo core was detected, it could be explained away as a power facility for the camp."

"Do you have any record of how many ships were produced?" Thane inquired.

"Something like fifty frigates in each facility, maybe ten cruisers each. No dreadnoughts, as far as I am aware. Too big to fit in an underground bunker. They're also a bitch to get off the ground. Much better to build them in orbit."

"Impressive force." Mordin sniffed. "STG lucky to catch attempts before they came to fruition."

"What the hell does that mean, Salarian?" Grunt rumbled.

"Only statement of fact. If unchecked, Krogan war effort would have left species with insufficient numbers to endure. Council races would have been ravaged by conflict. Both parties greatly weakened for arrival of Reapers. War would perhaps already be lost by now in that scenario."

"He's right." Hurn admitted with a sombre tone. "We were fools to think we could do anything other than earn a glorious death with this plan."

They continued moving through the tunnels, occasionally pausing as Thane spotted a security camera and stealthily disabled it with ease. In this fashion, they managed to move through the base without being discovered. Shepard wondered at the lax security in the facility. For such a valuable resource, the shipyard was not carefully watched over.

Finally the squad found a door leading into the facility proper. They paused at the door while Shepard and Hurn peered through, quickly scanning the interior of the room on the other side of the door before retreating.

Beyond the doors was a massive factory complex. Conveyor belts swiftly moved starship components through various stages of production, assembling complex machinery in moments with robotic arms. Against one wall a foundry glowed with a malevolent luminescence, pouring molten metal into moulds to create sheets of lightweight alloys for the hull and girders to create the frame of a starship. Smaller metalworking machines spooled out wiring by the mile and contributed the delicate parts needed for the computer chips and other complex parts for the inner workings of the unborn warships. Against the opposite wall, the assembly machinery put the pieces together in something that resembled the larger components of a starship, computers and comm arrays coming into being before the Commander's eyes. These parts were then whisked off to another part of the facility to be installed into the empty shells of the ships. Opposite the door the squad waited behind, a massive vat glowed with a sinister blue light, an enormous quantity of eezo being treated to make it ready for injection into the newly created engine cores. A massive pipe funnelled the blue-white substance away, passing through the same wall that all the components left through. The work going on in that room was just a small part of the construction process, where the initial building blocks were transformed into the smallest modules of the ships, but the magnitude of the work being accomplished at a swift rate was overwhelming.

"So much for the shipyard being defunct." Shepard commented.

"This is bad. This is very bad." Hurn's tone was growing more and more anxious. "They must be getting ready for an attack. With the conveyors going like that all day and night, they could turn out a small flotilla every day."

"Getting facility to run this efficiently would require a lot of resources." Mordin observed. "Credits, raw materials, workforce. Krogan must have been working on this for decades to allow it to go unnoticed by Council."

"One of the advantages of living for over a thousand years." Delexia said. "A couple of decades means nothing compared to that kind of life-span. You can afford to be patient."

"We need to destroy this facility." Grunt said firmly. "Our enemies are too strong to take the shipyard from them. We'll have to take what ships we can then ensure that the facility is never used against us again."

"First things first." Shepard interjected. "We need to get the defence network down so that Wrex can get in here. Where's the security hub?"

"If the map's accurate, it should be on the far side of this factory floor." Hurn explained.

"Okay. Thane, Mordin, I want you to make your way to the security hub as quickly as possible. We'll draw the enemy fire to buy you time to get into the system. Your priority is to make sure that nobody gets a distress call out. Take out their comm channels in any way you can."

"Understood."

"Will do what I can."

"Good. Grunt, take Delexia with you. You go left while Hurn and I go right. That ought to divide the enemy's attention between two fronts, giving Thane and Mordin a chance to slip through the middle."

"Battlemaster."

"You've got it."

This decided, the squad slipped through the door, moving cautiously apart into the factory floor. Shepard led his Urdnot companion to the right, towards where the starship components vanished out of the room. The pair kept as low as they could, moving past a couple of production lines with ease. The Krogan working at the conveyor belts remained blissfully unaware of their presence, only metres away.

Their lucky streak was soon to end, however, as a thunderous bang echoed through the factory floor from the far right. Flashes of light and chattering gunfire hailed Grunt and Delexia's location as the bulky Urdnot warrior completely failed to sneak past a group of techs. Shepard could see the young warrior stand upright and charge straight at the nearest enemy, all pretence of stealth gone as he roared in his bloodlust. At the noise, all Krogan in the facility looked up, including the ones around Shepard and Hurn. Spotting the intruders, it was only a half-second before they were arming themselves and moving in on the separate portions of the squad.

The Commander backed away as the nearest Krogan to him drew his shotgun, growling fiercely as he tried to target the Human. Shepard looked about anxiously, but caught no sign of Thane or Mordin. He had to hope that the duo was safe for now, but there was little he could do to help them other than by providing a distraction.

Hurn unleashed a primal battle cry as he drew his rifle, firing with incredible skill as he scrambled for a defensible position. In moments he and Shepard had pulled back to crouch behind a workbench, ducking away from the incoming bullets. The duo alternated bursts of fire, popping into the line of fire and emptying a clip while the other reloaded. In this way they managed to keep the Krogan at bay while taking relatively little fire themselves. In moments the corpses of the enemy Krogan littered the floor before them.

On the other side of the assembly floor, Grunt and Delexia were finding themselves a little more severely pursued by the enemy, lacking any real cover. The Turian had drawn her pistols and was nailing Krogan in the eyes, throat and vulnerable arm and leg joints, but the number of bullets needed to down one enemy was too high for her liking. Seeing a cluster of canisters on one bench, she drew a shuriken grenade from her bandoleer and threw it, the explosion searing several Krogan and filling the air with the scent of crisping flesh. Grunt, meanwhile, was focusing on using his shotgun on any Krogan that got too close, blasting chunks of flesh off any of the enemy that he could reach. His eyes darted about, looking for something to turn the tide against the oppressing force. His search became more frantic as his omnitool cautioned him that his shields were dangerously low.

Finally, the Urdnot warrior's gaze caught one of the huge vats that stored the molten metal, ready to pour it into a variety of moulds. A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as an idea struck him.

"Turian! Keep 'em busy for me!"

Delexia glanced over questioningly, but didn't hesitate as she drew her assault rifle, using rapid spurts of bullets to keep the Krogan back, going more for intimidation than actual damage.

Grunt moved around the first of the vats, holstering his shotgun. He took a deep breath and placed his hands against the base of one of the vats. The heat was immense, even through his armoured gloves, but the Krogan was tough. He strained for a moment, a growl escaping from his lips, before the vat slowly began to twist, tilting forwards. Just before gravity took over, Grunt managed to shout a warning to Delexia, who leapt clear with a graceful leg.

The Welrund engineers rushed forward at the Turian's retreat, only to meet the tide of white-hot liquid metal spilling out of the vat. Krogan screamed as their flesh simply burst into flames from the intense heat, their armour doing nothing except conducting the heat faster to their skin. As the glowing pool spread across the floor, destroying all in its path, Grunt grinned with a measure of satisfaction as he surveyed the depleted enemy force, drawing his Claymore once more and edging around the pooling metal to wade into the remnant of the enemy. They did not last long.

Shepard looked up and over the workbench as silence drifted across the facility. All of the Krogan techs were dead or dying, but the respite could not last. An alert had to be passing through the shipyards, and it was only a matter of time before reinforcements turned up. He activated his omnitool.

"Mordin, Thane, progress report."

"Have reached the security centre." The Salarian's clipped tone answered. "Surprising levels of resistance. Need your assistance."

"Roger that. We're on our way." Shepard switched channels. "Grunt, you still in one piece?"

"It's glorious, Shepard!" The Krogan's breathless reply was swift. "You should see it! Just let me climb over the bodies…"

Shepard chuckled at the Urdnot warrior's enthusiasm.

"Mordin and Thane have run into some trouble at the security station. Meet us there."

"Got it."

Shepard nodded to Hurn, indicating the Urdnot warrior should follow him. As the pair made to follow Mordin and Thane, a loud clamour from behind gave them pause. Shepard turned to see several squads of Krogan pile into the assembly room. The Commander turned back to his companion.

"Time's running out. Let's get going."

The duo hurried further into the facility, passing the eezo vat almost at a dead run as their ears picked up the sounds of an ongoing battle closer to the back wall and the sought after security centre.

Shepard raced around a final bank of machinery to catch sight of Grunt and Delexia crouching behind a conveyor belt, pinned down by a troupe of Krogan standing between them and the security centre.

"Shepard!" Grunt growled as the Commander dashed over to join them.

"What's the situation?" The Commander asked brusquely.

"Mordin and Thane managed to get into the security centre before the Krogan got into position around the door." Delexia explained. "They've managed to lock the place down, but keeping the Krogan out won't be easy. It's only a matter of time before those doors give way."

"There are more guards on the way. We've got to deal with these guys before we're surrounded." Shepard pondered the situation for a moment. "How much ammo do you have?"

"More than enough." Grunt answered confidently.

"I've still got a few clips left." Delexia sounded less sure of herself.

"Still going strong here, Shepard." Hurn was eager to get moving, looking back over his shoulder cautiously.

"Right." Shepard pulled the sonic cannon from his back. He chanced a peek at the enemy, hoping the gun had a wide enough area of effect for what he had planned. "I need you to be quick about taking these guys out once I fire this thing up, otherwise we'll be out in the open with enemies on both sides when it runs out of juice."

He waited for a nod or grunt of confirmation from each one of his companions before rolling out of cover, his finger curling around the trigger of the device as he took aim at the Krogan force.

The iconic thrum of the weapon blasted at the Commander's eardrums, more physical than aural. He winced as a tickling arose in the very centre of his brain, an uncomfortable vibration that made thought difficult. This discomfort was as nothing compared to the reaction from the Krogan. As one, they all dropped their weapons or crumpled to the floor, clutching at bleeding eardrums and whimpering at the immense agony that ripped through their heads.

At that exact moment, Shepard's three companions burst into action. Grunt and Hurn both drew their assault rifles, pegging the downed creatures from a distance while Delexia used her shuriken grenades to rip apart as many as she could as fast as she could. In seconds, the Krogan squad had been wiped out at the expense of the sonic cannon's entire power cell supply. Shepard holstered the lifeless weapon and unfolded his assault rifle again, rushing towards the security centre with his companions.

The doors slid open to reveal Thane and Mordin, crouching beside a computer console as they tried to work with the wires inside. Shepard started as he saw that Thane was injured, a bullet hole in his left bicep bleeding a steady trickle of blackish-red. Mordin glanced over at the Commander's arrival.

"Shepard. Thank you for assistance. Was becoming difficult to delay enemy units."

"How are we doing?"

"Almost done. Just need to upload own control codes to overwrite previous set. Will take two minutes."

"Uh, Shepard?" Delexia called from the door, where she leaned out to glance behind the squad. "I really doubt we have two minutes."

The Commander moved to stand next to her, chancing a glance outside. He groaned as he caught sight of the Krogan pursuing them, a veritable horde of the creatures running towards them. He looked back into the security centre, evaluating its defensible qualities.

The security centre was a single large room filled with computer consoles and comm terminals. Three doors led into it, one in the front of the centre leading out into the factory floor while the other two were set into opposing side walls, feeding into corridors that led deeper into the facility. The back wall was featureless, nothing beyond it but solid rock.

"Grunt, you take the left door. Hurn, the right. Delexia, stick with me. Thane, watch over Mordin."

The squad obeyed without a word, the two Krogan heading off to watch the side doors while the Commander and the Turian pirate watched the main entrance. As he prepared for the oncoming rush, Shepard switched his rifle's ammunition to the Incendiary setting, hoping to counteract the sturdy Krogan physiology with fire.

In moments, the Krogan forces were in range. Shepard opened up with his rifle, peppering the front ranks with flaming bullets. Beside him, Delexia had drawn her assault rifle, switching her ammo to a specially modified type she referred to as her 'Corruption Ammo'. Each bullet was coated with a corrosive compound that ate away at armour. Once through that barrier, the bullets' compound mixed with the proteins found in all organics to become a debilitating neurotoxin, hindering the victim's motor functions and eventually killing them, provided they either received a large enough dose or their system was weak enough to be unable to fight it off. With careful precision, she spread a wave of pain and panic through the enemy ranks.

Grunt, in the meantime, found himself facing a cluster of Krogan trying to get around the squad's flank by using the side corridors. He drew his Claymore, waiting for the enemy to draw to within twenty metres of the door. Then, with a powerful roar, he broke into a run, charging straight back at the oncoming masses. This momentarily threw the approaching enemy, amazed at the fact one Krogan would charge a squad of six. Their pace grew hesitant for a moment, and this was all Grunt needed to close with them. His modified shotgun spat out clouds of shrapnel, ripping through the enemy in a tide of blood and gore. One Krogan screamed as half of his face evaporated in a fountain of metal and blood, while another let out a strangled croak as Grunt whipped his elbow out to catch him in the throat with a vicious jab. Two of the group had the presence of mind to lift their weapons and fire, but the Urdnot warrior's thick armour plates absorbed the impacts with ease, their non-newtonian fluid sacs hardening to protect him. Grinning, grunt turned to the two brave ones, laying into them with a combination of heavy firepower and his bare fists. By the time their bodies littered the floor of the corridor, battered and bleeding, only two Krogan remained standing, both looking extremely nervous by this point. Grunt stared at them with menace, stepping past the poor creature still choking on the floor. Without looking, Grunt lifted his shotgun and burst the gasping Krogan's head open, still advancing on the two survivors. This was going to be fun.

Hurn was not faring quite so well. Still standing in the doorway he had been ordered to guard, the young Krogan now clutched at a badly wounded side, struggling to keep his assault rifle supported with one hand. Three Krogan lay on the floor, dead or dying, but the other three had managed to get into cover, popping out to harry the Urdnot warrior constantly. Grunting, Hurn pulled a small sphere from his belt. He closed his eyes for a moment, praying to whatever deity might be listening that Fortack had not been exaggerating when he'd spoken of the device's capabilities. With a groan, Hurn lobbed the little device down the corridor, managing to get it to strike the floor among the trio of enemies. There was a loud pop, then a flash. When the light faded, Hurn glanced over to see the three Krogan coated in a sticky, clear substance. They looked down at their armour cautiously, unsure of what the goo was meant to do. As they turned their attention back to Hurn, a spark from the remains of the device caught their eye. In the next moment, several thousand volts of electricity escaped from the remains of the shock grenade, conducted by the goo straight into their armour. They shrieked as the raw power surged through their bodies, amplified by their armour and the substance coating it until the surge reached lethal levels. Still croaking out their agony, the Krogan dropped to the deck, shivering in their final moments. Hurn grinned with satisfaction as he applied a dose of Medi-Gel to his wounds, preparing for the second squad of Krogan that had appeared down the corridor. He had many more shock grenades on his belt, ready for them.

Back at the main door, Shepard felt his arms beginning to go numb as he emptied yet another clip into the oncoming Krogan masses. He concentrated on a big warrior near the front of the enemy ranks, his blazing ammo burning off entire plates of the Krogan's armour. Finally the enemy soldier fell, his flesh smoking as the ammunition continued to burn away inside his torso.

"Fire in the hole!"

Shepard ducked as Delexia threw another of her Shuriken Grenades, pegging a Krogan in the centre of the front rank. The burly alien tugged at the device protruding from his chest for a moment before it detonated, reducing him and his two neighbours to smoking scraps of meat in a bright explosion. A couple of stray shreds of Krogan flesh flopped onto the floor at the Commander's feet, a gruesome detail he did his best to ignore as he cut down another of the approaching enemy. He briefly paused his attack to scan the enemy, glad to see their numbers thinning quickly. At this fact, he redoubled his efforts, killing Krogan after Krogan as the muzzle of his rifle began to glow red-hot.

Even with this furious rate of fire, a few Krogan managed to close the distance. As they got very close to the door, both Shepard and Delexia switched to their shotguns, the ugly weapons barking loudly as they unleashed clouds of bullets into the aliens at close range. Both he and the pirate stepped forward, forming a wall in the doorway with their two bodies to face down the charging remnant.

The spent thermal clips at their feet began to mount up in a pile a couple of inches deep by the time the last of the Krogan fell to their combined fire, dropping to the floor a bare foot in front of Delexia. With a snort she kicked the newly made corpse away before turning to grin at the Commander. He was amazed to see that she was barely winded, while he was starting to feel the strain of the lengthy conflict. Her sturdy Turian physiology, combined with a life of hard living and ruthless compromise, gave her stamina greater than that of any Human.

"You know all the best places to take a girl, dontcha, Commander?" She chuckled.

"It's not a proper night out unless you've got a Krogan charging at you." Shepard fired back, chuckling. As the moment passed, he turned away to look to Mordin, still feeling Delexia's appreciative gaze on his back. "How's that hack coming along Mordin?"

"Nearing completion. One more minute. Hold position while I finish up." The Salarian said quickly.

"Take your time, Doc." Grunt chuckled, stepping back into the centre. His armour was completely covered with orange Krogan blood, none of it his own. "I could do this all day."

"You just might have to." Hurn called from his position. "Another wave coming in!"

Shepard looked back to the main door, catching sight of another cluster of Krogan moving in. His brow creased as he caught sight of them. Only four Krogan? That couldn't be right. It had to be a trick.

As he looked closer, a nagging suspicion rose in his gut. These were no normal Krogan soldiers. Each one was wearing a suit of armour that would probably have rivalled a tank's defences. A massive canister of some unknown chemical was mounted on their backs, protected by thick armour plates. The weapon they each carried was connected to their tanks by a broad hose, the weapon itself being a long rifle-shaped object with a flaring muzzle and a glowing piece of metal directly in front of that.

"Flame-throwers!" He yelled the warning to Delexia. "Don't let them get close to the security centre!"

He dashed out through the door to engage the Krogan before they could threaten the interior of the security centre. If they got even close to the door, they could flood the interior with flames, incinerating the squad or at least choking them with flames. And from the looks of things, those weapons could hurl their flames a good distance. Delexia did not hesitate to follow her Commander.

Shepard cut to the side, angling to tackle the flame-thrower-wielding Krogan to the left first. Delexia mirrored his move, heading to the right.

The Commander raced forwards, his rifle out and at the ready. As he drew close, approaching twenty metres from the Krogan Scorcher, he was brought up short as a massive wall of flames escaped from the alien's weapon, the flames licking at his chest-piece and singeing his eyebrows. He stumbled back away from the inferno, firing his weapon wildly to put the Scorcher's aim off. He scurried for cover behind a conveyor belt, ducking as the fierce attack was renewed, flames curling around his cover to tease his shields.

Delexia, in the meantime, had sprinted as quickly as she could to the far wall. She drew her assault rifle, feathering the trigger as she took aim at the rightmost Krogan. It flinched from the attack, lifting an arm to protect its faceplate, and gave her the chance to fling a Shuriken Grenade at it. The device lodged in the Scorcher's shoulder joint, beeping momentarily before detonating. The explosion ripped open the creature's gas tank, causing a secondary explosion that hurled the other three Krogan to the ground.

Seeing his chance, Shepard leapt out of his cover and bounded towards his opponent. As the alien struggled to its feet, he darted around its side and leapt onto the creature's back. He drew his pistol and unloaded one, two, three, four shots directly into a joint in the armour over the gas canister. As the tank began to whine, a jet of noxious gas escaping in a rush, the Commander leapt free, rushing to find something to hide behind. As he was running, a tremendous explosion erupted behind him, the blast catching him as he leapt behind a workbench and flinging him away in a tumble of arms and legs.

Grunt gasped as a shotgun blast caught him in the side, ripping through his armour. With a roar, he lunged at the attacking Krogan, picking him up by the throat and brow-plate. With a twist, he snapped the enemy soldier's neck, flinging the limp corpse at his three buddies trying to advance down the corridor. The trio backed away from the grisly missile, but kept on attacking, sensing that they had finally penetrated their foe's defences. Grunt roared as he closed the distance with them, landing a solid punch to one opponent before turning to head-butt another. The last one he killed instantly with his shotgun. This done, he returned his attention to the surviving two, gripping each one by the back of their brow-plates. With a growl, he swung his arms together, forcing the stunned duo to smack into one another with a sickening crunch, their plates clacking together thunderously. Both went limp from the powerful impact, slumping to the ground and allowing Grunt to finish them off with his gun. As he lifted his gaze, he saw another Krogan approaching. He narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out what the enemy unit was carrying when a blast of flame washed over him.

Hurn crouched behind the doorframe, hiding from the attacks of this new pyro unit. He'd dealt with the normal soldiers easily, his shock grenades performing their job admirably. But when the Scorcher showed up, he'd been forced to retreat. The flames prevented him from getting the grenades anywhere near the enemy soldier, and his depleted shields meant standing out in plain sight to attack wasn't an option. He could hear the heavy footsteps of the Scorcher getting closer.

As the pyro unit drew ever nearer to the door, an idea blinked into the Krogan's mind. Hem drew a shock grenade, waiting tensely. Flames continued to flood out of the door, the heat in the security centre rising dramatically. Hurn paused for a moment, finally catching sight of the long barrel and wide muzzle of the flame-thrower moving through the door. With a grunt, he activated the shock grenade then shoved his hand into the flames, ignoring the searing pain as his combat gloves heated up rapidly. He stuffed the grenade into the muzzle of the weapon, then retracted his hand quickly, wincing as the withered, scorched flesh protested the slightest movement.

The grenade detonated inside the muzzle of the flame-thrower, the goo completely blocking it. The Scorcher looked down at the weapon in irritation as Hurn scrambled for cover. The Krogan pulled the trigger a couple of times, wondering what might be wrong, then the shock grenade activated, sending sparks of electricity up the barrel. The Scorcher was torn to pieces as his fuel tank ignited, an explosion that sent a wave of hot air rushing through the security centre as flames incinerated all of the Krogan's organic parts, leaving nothing but the twisted metal of his armour and weapon.

Grunt, meanwhile, was finding it difficult to deal with his Scorcher. Every time he tried to rise up and bring his weapon to bear, another blast of furious flame would send him back into cover. His armour was charred and dented, badly damaged by the flames, and its self-repair mechanism was hard pressed to maintain its integrity under such conditions. He felt a growl building up in his throat at the frustration of the situation. How the hell was he supposed to hurt his enemies if he couldn't get near them?

He blinked as an unexpected voice echoed in his mind's ear. He heard Jano, lecturing him about the shortcomings of sheer brute force over cunning and agility. What would the Quarian have done in this situation? He wouldn't have let himself get hit, for a start. Weathering an intense attack was one thing, but avoiding it altogether was much better. It was then that grunt realised how he could beat this foe.

With a roar, the young Krogan rolled out of cover. As the expected blast of flames rushed towards him, the Urdnot warrior dropped down below the fireball, strafing to one side as he continued to move forwards. The blast came again, but Grunt dodged the other way, narrowly missing the inferno. The Scorcher let out a growl of anger as he fired an even more intense blast, hoping to flood the corridor and hit Grunt regardless of his new-found agility. Grunt lunged forwards into the flames, wincing as his skin prickled. But he had the speed now, so he was only caught in the blast for a second before he hit the ground, dropping into a swift roll forwards. He came out of the roll with a powerful kick to the Scorcher's weapon, sending the device's aim somewhere of to the side. He followed this up with a powerful strike to the enemy Krogan's gut, winding his opponent. Grunt then set about demolishing his foe, powerful kicks, punches and head-butts all serving to rip the Krogan to shreds. As a final insult to his beaten opponent, Grunt drew a knife from his boot and stuck it into the Krogan's chest-piece, ripping a wide hole in it. He then gripped the flame-thrower and, with a strain, bent the weapon around until it was directly over the hole. With a growl of triumph, he pulled the machine's trigger, turning to stalk back to the security centre as the gas canister emptied itself, incinerating the Scorcher inside his suit.

Shepard crouched behind a conveyor belt, hiding from the flames of his second Scorcher. He couldn't see Delexia anywhere, although he was certain she was still up and about. His omnitool would have alerted him had any of his squad fallen or was in need of medical attention. He chanced a brief burst of bullets over the top of the conveyor belt, but only scored a couple of hits before being forced to hide again. He could feel the trembling in the floor as the Krogan marched towards him, its heavy gear rattling ominously.

In a desperate move, Shepard leapt from cover, trying to put some distance between himself and the Scorcher. He fired his rifle as quickly as he could as he backed up, keeping his enemy in before him. As he scurried backwards, he heard a whine come from the Scorcher. The Krogan flicked a switch on his weapon and the muzzle began to glow with a sinister blue light. There was a hiss and then the weapon's ignition source sparked, igniting the gas that had collected in the tiny mass effect bubble around the muzzle, creating a bolt of fire that leapt from the weapon with deadly speed. Shepard turned to bolt away from it, but his Human legs were too slow, allowing the bolt to strike him square in the back and send him tumbling head-over-heels.

Shepard rolled to a halt, groaning as lines of pain traversed his arms and legs, a shaft of freshly forged agony climbing up his spine and digging into his skull. Through bleary eyes, he saw the Scorcher lumber over, holding his weapon tightly in anticipation of a kill. He loomed over the Commander, the barrel of his weapon inches from Shepard's chest.

Suddenly, a black shape appeared from behind the Krogan, leaping up to land astride his back. A knife glinted through the air, slashing at the Scorcher frantically. The pipe leading into the weapon came apart in three cleanly cut sections while the attacker leaned forward to slash at the Krogan's faceplate viciously. When this yielded little in the way of tangible results, the attacker moved back, jabbing the knife down into the gas canister.

The Krogan began to flail wildly at his squealing equipment as the attacker leapt clear, landing gracefully next to the Commander and gripping his armour by the collar to drag him away. As Shepard was dragged into cover behind a workbench, the explosion of the Scorcher's disastrous end following closely, his eyes focused to allow him to look into Delexia's hawkish features.

"Careful Shepard." She chuckled. "As fun as it is, I can't watch that ass all the time for you."

Shepard smirked as he climbed back to his feet. His smile vanished as he caught sight of the last of the scorchers marching towards the open door of the security centre. The flame-thrower was already spitting fire, the inferno licking at the door threateningly.

"No, damnit!" Shepard cursed as he broke into a run, dashing towards the Krogan's back. Before he could draw close enough to make a decent shot, the alien vanished inside. "No!"

Both the Commander and Delexia raced towards the doors, fearing the worst for their occupied comrades. As they dashed through the door, they came to a sudden halt, staring at the scene before them with surprise.

Thane stood over the corpse of the Scorcher, dusting off his palms casually. The Krogan was still, lifeless. His head rolled to the side loosely, the neck broken. The Drell hadn't even deigned to draw a weapon. He looked over to the Commander.

"That one got past your defences, Commander. You've grown sloppy in your old age." The Drell's lips twisted in a small smile.

"I- you- how?" Shepard managed.

"Double strike to eye ridge, nerve strike to throat, secondary nerve strike to counter Blood Rage, quad-kick to double target, neck snap. Simple." The assassin answered quickly. " I believe Humans would refer to it as 'as simple as illicitly obtaining an infant's confectionery'."

"Something like that." Delexia chuckled. "Nice work, Krios."

"Thank you." The Drell bowed his head.

With that, The Commander surveyed the rest of his crew. Mordin was unscathed, still working tirelessly at the terminal. Hurn cradled the mangled remains of his hand, the remaining flesh being nothing more than cooked strips. Grunt was looking healthy, although his armour was a sooty black from his fight with a Scorcher.

"Hack complete." Mordin announced. "System now programmed to respond only to codes contained within my omnitool. Welrund forces incapable of sending out emergency transmissions."

"Can you open up the ship storage hangars?" Shepard asked.

"Yes."

"Then do it, and get a line open to Wrex. We need to let him know that he can move in."

The Salarian quickly complied. A deep rumble passed through the facility, presumably the hangar doors grinding open far above them. Mordin then activated a comm channel, waving Shepard over to a terminal. In moments, Wrex's face appeared on the screen, a scratchy transmission from one of Urdnot's remaining gunships.

"Shepard! I knew you wouldn't let me down."

"You mean there were doubts?" Shepard feigned a hurt tone. "The hangars are opening up as we speak. You'll probably have a fight on your hands, but nothing you can't handle. The ships are yours."

"Ha! Good work, Shepard. The next ryncol's on me!"

"You're on." The Commander vowed. The Krogan warlord chuckled before closing the channel. Shepard turned from the terminal to his squad. "Now we've got to figure out a way to shut this place down permanently. Suggestions?"

"Bomb it from the sky with our new ships!" Krogan growled eagerly.

"That won't work." Delexia objected.

"Why not?" Hurn asked defensively. "You saying Krogan ships aren't up to the challenge?"

"No, what I'm saying is that bombardment won't work full stop, no matter the fleet carrying it out." The Turian sighed. "The facility goes too deep underground to wipe it all out. You'd just make a fine mess of the hangar bays and nothing else."

"Indeed." Mordin agreed. "Need to destroy from within, but how? Perhaps detonate bomb in lower levels? No, wait. Upper levels strong enough to resist collapse. Not an option, not an option. But maybe… no, no. Ah, wait! Maybe… yes! Yes! Promising option!"

"Mind sharing it with the rest of us, Salarian?" Grunt asked irritably.

"Eezo used for creation of drive cores. Highly explosive, sufficient yield to destroy entire facility!" Mordin's expression hitched. "Also, possibly large portion of surrounding landscape, but facility definitely accounted for. Need justify ends in this case."

"I like it." Hurn grinned. "Simple, effective, and fun."

"We're agreed then?" Shepard looked around, getting some eager nods from the two Krogan, and indifferent shrug from Delexia and Thane and a professional gaze from Mordin. "Good. I could do with setting off a decent sized explosion. Can it be triggered from here?"

"Process is simple." Mordin muttered as he turned back to the console. "Can set the eezo processing plant's temperature regulators to increase temperature of liquid eezo. Once tanks reach three thousand degrees, will detonate. Do not recommend remaining in the vicinity. Explosion will be…" He sniffed. "Impressive."

"I presume you will allow us sufficient time to escape?" Thane asked. His manner was steady, but the concerned glint in his eyes made it clear he did not want to have first row seats for the event.

"Process shall take fifteen minutes." Mordin answered. "More than enough time for Urdnot warriors to claim vessels and to allow us to escape."

"Do it." Shepard ordered.

Once the Salarian turned from the console, the squad quickly left the security centre, Mordin pausing at the entrance to tap a couple of commands into his omnitool. An Overload blast soon shorted out the consoles, making it impossible to undo the changes he had made to the system.

The Commander led the column in their retreat towards the door, Delexia and Thane close behind him, with the Urdnot duo and Mordin bringing up the rear.

A thunderous crash brought the Commander up short. Stopping almost under the shadow of the massive eezo processing plant, drawing his rifle. He looked upwards, searching for the source of the noise.

The squad flinched as the crash was repeated, then repeated again. It became faster, morphing into a repetitive rhythm, like the footsteps of some massive beast. Then, before the squad could spot anything, a shadow leapt down from atop the towering machinery, dropping down almost on top of them. Shepard flinched back as the newly arrived figure straightened up, taking in the monstrous form. Legs as thick as tree trunks and ending in three-toed feet supported a grossly bulbous body, soft belly wobbling sickeningly as it bulged forwards. The arms were actually thicker than the legs, the hands dangling past the creature's knees. Each finger was longer and thicker than the Commander's entire hand, ending with a huge chalky fingernail. A massive head sat atop an almost non-existent neck, the bulk of the shoulders rising up on either side. Two long, sinuous black horns curved up from the peak of the skull, giving it a distinctly demonic appearance, while fin-like protrusions fanned out from the sides of the head, similar to the fins of a fish. The face was composed of eight eyes arrayed in two sets of four, one to either side, while a massive, three-lipped maw ringed with vicious teeth took up the lower half of the head, an opening that was three lines extending away from a central point. The apparition's skin was an emerald green, patterned with black.

Shepard recognised the beast immediately. It was a Yahg, one of a little-known species, which Shepard only recognised through his dealings with Liara's predecessor, the last Shadow Broker. He brought his gun to bear as the monster howled, a throaty, powerful, primal noise that made even the sturdy Grunt take a step back.

Myriad thoughts whirled through Shepard's mind. What was a Yahg doing on Tuchanka? More importantly, why was it here, helping the Krogan that had been antagonising Wrex's clan? Were there any more of the creatures around? Before he could even think to try talking and reasoning with the enormous alien, it charged.

Grunt was the initial target of its wrath, catching a solid strike to his chest that sent the burly Krogan tumbling. Seeing his kinsman knocked back, Hurn lifted up his assault rifle with his one functional hand, firing the gun steadily even without the needed support. The Yahg flinched from the bullets, but remained largely unharmed, its thick skin acting like a natural armour to protect it from the attack.

As the creature focused on the two Krogan, Thane and Mordin moved around behind it, respectively launching a Warp blast and an Incinerate attack that ripped at its flesh. The alien howled with rage, spinning to face this new threat.

While it was turning, Shepard and Delexia unloaded their clips into its belly, scoring a couple of debilitating hits. The Yahg narrowed its many eyes, weighing up the threats all around it, before rushing straight at the Drell and the Salarian. One massive sweep of its fist sent the pair bowling away, Mordin striking a conveyor belt with a powerful crunch while Thane rolled across the floor, lightly dazed.

Before Shepard could react to the sudden burst of speed from the lumbering hulk, it spun towards him, dropping onto all fours in a manner similar to a charging gorilla, then burst into a run, covering the distance between it and the Commander before he could blink. Every cubic millimetre of air was expelled from Shepard's lungs as he was knocked back, his shields doing nothing to cushion the blow. Delexia let out a yelp as, trying to back away, she was caught by a wild kick from the beast.

On the floor, Shepard looked about in a daze. How was this thing so fast? Granted, it probably hadn't led the reclusive life of the Shadow Broker, and was probably a lot fitter, but this agility and power was incredible. He could understand why the Krogan might have wanted to take it from its planet to turn into a slave to put on their frontlines. His mind whirled as he struggled to think of a way to beat it. Their attacks were too weak and it was causing too much damage for them to wait to whittle it down. That wasn't even beginning to consider the ticking time bomb they had triggered before leaving the security centre. They needed a quick game-changer to level the playing field.

Before he could plan any further, a hand the size of a small Salarian caught his foot, enveloping it in a tight grip that promised never to relent. He was lifted bodily off the floor by his protesting ankle, dangling in front of a massive face that glowered at him with unmatched malevolence. The eight eyes narrowed as the three-pointed mouth opened wide to engulf the Commander's head.

"Raaargh!"

The roar was loud, threatening, and filled with a tempest of anger and protective fear. With a massive bound, grunt leapt onto the Yahg's back, gripping its two horns and yanking its head back violently. The Urdnot warrior put all of his weight into it, hauling the creature back until he could plant his feet on the floor once more. Releasing its grip on the Commander, the Yahg flailed at its assailant, an indignant growl escaping from its throat. As it bucked, trying to thrown Grunt, Hurn raced forward, joining his comrade in tackling the beast. Each Krogan kept a grip of a horn, bending the Yahg back painfully.

Rubbing his head from where it had struck the floor when he was dropped, Shepard struggled back to his feet. He watched the awe-inspiring sight of the Krogan wrestling the Yahg for a moment before his gaze flickered upwards, catching sight of one of the huge tubes funnelling eezo out of the processing plant.

"Grunt! Hurn!" He yelled at the top of his lungs as he judged distances. "Drag it back a few more feet!"

The Krogan obeyed without question, straining as they battled the tough creature. Shepard glanced to Thane, nodding to the assassin to be ready. Delexia rushed forward to pick up the comatose Mordin, getting the professor clear of what was about to happen. Shepard held a hand out, waiting for Grunt and Hurn to manoeuvre the Yahg exactly where he needed it.

"Now!"

Hurn was the first to release the Yahg, allowing Grunt to take the full strain of holding it in place. As Thane summoned up a biotic attack, using a Pull on the massive tube, the Yahg bucked forward, tossing its head with such force that Grunt was thrown clear, the burly Krogan striking the floor with a crash.

The Yahg shook its head a little, like a lion waving its mane about, then glared at the Commander. For an unnerving second, the Commander felt the pure hatred in the beast's glance as all eight eyes channelled every ounce of venom they could at him. Then, with a shriek, the pipe came free in Thane's mental grasp. Liquid eezo flooded out of the ruptured machinery, pouring down in a silvery-blue waterfall. The Yahg glanced up, howling with sudden realisation as he spotted the first few white-hot droplets descending towards it. The creature took a step forwards, but a sudden impact in its leg made it pause. It looked down just in time to see Delexia's Shuriken Grenade embedded in its leg. The device exploded with a pop, shredding the Yahg's knee. It dropped down onto its clenched fists, looking up to glare at the squad once more before the eezo struck it.

The liquid eezo poured down in a luminescent cascade. Raised to well in excess of two thousand degrees centigrade by the processing plant, the element instantly burned away flesh, igniting it with a bright flash. The Yahg let out a tortured scream as it lifted an arm, trying to reach the squad even as it perished. The arm, coated in the blue-white substance, melted before their eyes, swiftly followed by the rest of its body. In moments, nothing remained of the Yahg except an unusual patch of colour in the featureless flood of eezo.

Without a word, the squad turned from the grisly scene, heading towards the exit and safety. In moments, they had left the factory floor behind, swiftly making their way through the access tunnels towards the surface.

Once outside the facility, the squad made contact with their scout friend, Trark. In moments, an Urdnot gunship descended out of the sky to collect them, taking them up into the sky to join the armada of ships fleeing from the shipyards. Shepard's breath caught in his throat as he spotted the fleet in motion through Tuchanka's skies. Over two hundred frigates and fifty cruisers drifted through the sky, surrounded by swarms of fighters and bombers creating a defensive screen. In the midst of this vast force, five dreadnoughts moved lazily, flying cities in their own right. The Commander's heart swelled as he observed the ships. With such a force at their back, the attack on clan Draktarra was sure to succeed.

He glanced back as the territory of clan Welrund vanished over the horizon behind them, just in time to see a brilliant white flash, followed by a sinister white-blue mushroom cloud ascending towards the skies. He sagged with a mixture of weariness and relief. The shipyards of Welrund were no more.

**~o~0~o~**

"Ha! A flawless victory. Just like old times, Shepard."

The Commander grinned with a little embarrassment as Wrex's comment started off a flood of commendations and congratulations from the group of chieftains that had gathered.

In order to expedite the decisions process among the many Krogan clans, Wrex had nominated twenty chieftains to become part of a War Council, with each chieftain leading a collective of twenty clans. This war council, answering directly to Wrex, had gathered after the mission to the shipyards in order to discuss their next step.

As the raucous congratulations continued just a little too long, Shepard raised his hands to encourage the Krogan to quieten down.

"Thank you, Urdnot Wrex." He acknowledged his old friend. "We've enjoyed an easy victory today."

He raised his hands as the cheers began once more.

"But there has been a development." All confident muttering ceased at the Commander's grave words. "While we were in the construction facility, my squad and I were confronted by a dangerous enemy, a Yahg."

Shepard lifted his omnitool, projecting an image of his suit's recorded telemetry from the battle with the Yahg. Images taken by his HUD showed the creature rushing straight towards the screen, as well as its gruesome end. There were cheers from some of the Krogan at the creature's death, but many were silent as they stared at the beast. Shepard looked about cautiously, taking note of the cautious stares from the chieftains of Nakmor and Tomal. The most worrying thing for the Commander, however, was Wrex's expression. The Urdnot chieftain leaned forward pensively, chin cupped in his hand as he watched the fight. His face was set in a neutral expression, but his eyes spoke of hidden knowledge.

"Interesting." Was the only word he said as he leaned back with a sigh.

"Why do I get the feeling this isn't the first time you've seen these creatures?" Shepard asked warily.

"It's not." Wrex answered, surprisingly curt.

"Wrex." The Tomal chief cautioned.

"He has a right to know." The Urdnot chief snapped back. "If he is to go into battle at our sides, it would be dishonourable to keep this from him."

There was an awkward silence as the Krogan chiefs backed down.

"Of course, Warlord." The Tomal chief acquiesced.

"What dealings have the Krogan had with the Yahg?" Shepard demanded.

"You've got to understand, Shepard, our species has changed a lot recently. Old hatreds are hard to put aside. But I had no part in this." Wrex said earnestly. "Fifty years ago, ten years after the Yahg homeworld of Parnack was cut off from the rest of Council Space after the Yahg massacred the Council's diplomatic envoy, the Krogan managed to get past the Council blockade, opening up negotiations with the Yahg. The chieftains involved hoped to recruit the Yahg to their cause, forming an army to take on the Council races."

"Why have you never told me about this?" Shepard felt a bitter twisting sensation in his chest. This reeked of betrayal.

"Because the topic never came up." Wrex said defensively. "Besides, what could I say? We almost got the strength together to restart the Rebellions, but fortunately decided not to? The important fact is that the negotiations ground to a halt when the Council tightened up the defence grid around Parnack. We hadn't seen hide no hair of the creatures. Until today."

"Clan Draktarra and clan Welrund must have maintained their contact with the Yahg." The Tomal chief muttered. "Who knows how many warriors they may have access to!"

"An additional army of these creatures is a daunting prospect." The Nakmor chief said nervously. "Draktarra was strong enough before."

"We have nothing to fear." Wrex said boldly. "We shall overcome them. We must."

The Krogan War Council was silent for a moment. Shepard could sense their nervousness. It only further emphasised the danger that a collection of such eminent Krogan could be so daunted.

"We need a plan." The Tomal chief said. All eyes turned to Wrex.

The Urdnot chief leaned forward, elbows on his knees as his hands cupped his chin. He caught the gaze of each present before looking to Shepard last of all.

"We are Krogan. We will fight, and we will win. It is in our nature." He grinned. "We begin the march to Draktarra Vandak's fortress tonight."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard and Wrex walked through the camp, heading for the camp where Fortack had taken up residence. As they made their way towards the Krogan scientist, Shepard felt the nagging feeling rise in his gut, prompting him to finally bring up the issue that had been bugging him since the War Council.

"We need to talk about the Krogan war plans." He said, receiving a sigh from his Krogan friend.

"I wanted to tell you, Commander, but how could I bring up something like that? We got this close to going to war with the Council again." He held two of his digits a fraction of an inch apart.

"What stopped you?"

"The fact that we're Krogan." Wrex chuckled. "The alliance fell apart due to infighting and betrayal. Our hatred of the Council wasn't strong enough to keep us united."

The Commander stopped, stepping aside as an Urdnot soldier walked by, carrying a massive crate of ammunition. Wrex rounded to stare into his eyes with as much honesty as he could convey.

"I do not approve of these schemes, Shepard. It shames me that we once thought to carry out such a plan. I promise you that the Krogan are not poised to attack the Council anymore. I will not tolerate any hostility against the Council races, especially with such dangerous enemies lurking over our heads."

"I know, Wrex." Shepard accepted. "But its my duty to make sure there aren't any more time bombs locked away somewhere, waiting to erupt in our faces."

"I understand." The Krogan bowed his head. "As far as I am aware, you've heard the worst of our schemes. But there was one other thing we had prepared, something that we'll be able to use in the battle ahead. Come on. Fortack should be ready for a demonstration."

His eyebrow quirking, the Commander followed the Krogan Warlord. In moments, they found themselves in front of an immense tent. An ageing Krogan stepped out, greeting them both. Shepard bowed his head to the Lord High Researcher of clan Urdnot, as he liked to be called. Fortack grinned before ushering them inside.

"I was wondering when you'd show up." He muttered as he moved about in the interior of the tent.

"Have you finished the modifications?" Wrex asked.

"Adjusting the controls for aliens was challenging, but I met the challenge well enough. I have four of the machines ready for use. If you need any more, I'll need more time."

"Four will be plenty." Wrex replied. "Grunt doesn't need any modifications to his, and the majority of the Commander's squad will be staying back with the main battle lines."

"Good. We could use the extra firepower." The Krogan scientist grunted. He turned to Shepard, grinning at the Human's awe-struck expression. "I take it you approve, then?"

Shepard gaped as he took in the titanic device before him. Standing at over fifteen feet in height, it was an immense battle suit, arms and legs as thick around as the Commander was broad. The boxy body was a massive cockpit, with room enough for a large Krogan to sit behind the controls comfortably. The arms themselves contained several deadly weapons, each one housing a small Gatling gun while the shoulders had rocket launchers mounted on them. The left arm had a large boxy device on it that would unfold to create a large round shield big enough to his the majority of the suit behind, while the right arm had a sheath on it that contained a metal blade about seven feet long. In addition to these weapons, the arms ended with a pair of massive metal fists, powerfully built and perfect for brawling. As the Commander stepped closer to the red and black painted machine, he noticed a decal on the machine's 'belly', a targeting reticule with the words 'Smile, You're A Target!' inscribed around it and a grinning smiley face under the reticule's crosshairs. He grinned at this very Krogan example of humour, looking back to the two smiling aliens watching him.

"I think I'm in love." He laughed. "And this is for me?"

"I took the liberty of preparing a couple of the machines for you and your squad." Fortack said proudly. "Urdnot Wrex figured you'd need them."

"This is the remnant of Urdnot's secret construction project." Wrex explained. "An entire army of these machines, ready for battle. Since we discovered who our enemy was, we've been making them ready for the coming battle. Now you shall have one of your own while you lead a Krogan battalion on the field."

"Me?" The Commander asked with surprise.

"I can't think of a better leader to have working with us on the frontlines."

"Are you sure this is a good idea? Your men may not listen to me."

"They will listen to their warlord." Wrex said firmly. "Do you accept?"

Shepard glanced back at the battle-mech warily. It was a big responsibility. He pondered his options for a moment, before realising that there was only one thing he could do. He turned back to his old friend, a smile on his face.

"I assume this thing comes with an instruction manual?"

**~o~0~o~**

The streets were almost silent, save for the mournful gusts of wind whipping through the burnt out buildings. Dust drifted lazily across charred concrete, piling up against what walls remained upright, while rodents almost two feet long scurried about, rooting around in the rubble. Faint light glided over the horizon as Tuchanka's sun prepared for its ascent.

This was K'rakna, once a prominent Krogan settlement and one of the half dozen arrayed around a massive dust bowl that had been the fertile lands of the Draktarra clan. Now those verdant lands were desolate, a barren wasteland stretching out from K'rakna for over two hundred kilometres. At the heart of this devastated plain stood the fortress of the Draktarra, erected after the death of the land in order to spite the desolation. Even from this distance, the looming fortress could be seen rising from the deepest part of the dust bowl, reaching towards the sky like a gnarled hand with vicious talons. Even from this distance, the naked eye could see a dark smudge covering the shifting sands beneath the fortress, an army that covered several square kilometres of open ground while over the top of this impregnable citadel hovered dozens of ships, the Draktarra armada. A faint rumble on the wind warned of this impressive army, the steady tremble in the ground speaking of thousands of feet stomping impatiently.

A pyjak scrambled out of a burnt out building, nervous with the heavy feeling in the air. It scurried forward, digging at a pile of dust until it unearthed a large beetle with a shining red carapace. The monkey-lizard creature ripped the insect open, long tongue lapping up its moist innards with relish.

Boom.

The pyjak vanished in a ball of flames, burning entrails spilling across the ground as it released a sharp, cut-off shriek.

Straightening up from where he had been stretched out prone across a pile of rubble in his battlesuit, Trark the Urdnot scout chuckled as he retracted the gun in his suit's arm.

"Damn vermin." He muttered as he looked back to the Commander.

Shepard ignored the display of casual violence, his attention fixed on the fortress before him. His battlesuit's HUD magnified his view a little to help him pick out the individual ships hovering overhead. However, even at this distance he could not make out the units on the ground. The Draktarra army remained an indistinct blur. Sighing, he moved his arms and legs to stimulate the suit's controls to turn around.

The suit had been surprisingly easy to master. All motor functions were controlled by the user's body movements, meaning that Shepard just had to act as he would normally and the suit would move with him. The weapons were equally simple, each requiring a single control to operate. He'd especially liked the sword and shield the suit was equipped with, the massive blade sparking with vicious energy that created a holographic mono-molecular edge capable of cutting through the densest of armours, while the shield unfolded into a huge oval reinforced with a Mass Effect field to create a powerful barrier capable of withstanding many impacts. He loved the suit for its Krogan simplicity, and yet it's surprising refinement. It was a true instrument of war, and he was the master musician entrusted to use it aright.

Once the suit had turned, the Commander found himself facing his small squad. They were only on a small scouting trip, one of many making sure that the main Krogan army would not be ambushed during its passage into the dust bowl, so the Commander only had a small group with him, consisting of his four team mates, the gruff scout Trark and the irrepressible Urdnot Hurn, now sporting a newly forged cybernetic hand. Together, the seven, each equipped with a full battlesuit, had made a full circuit of the abandoned settlement, ensuring that it was truly deserted.

"I don't like this." Grunt muttered uneasily. "The air… feels wrong. Like a smell just beyond what I can pick up, or a sound hiding behind my ears."

"It's just pre-battle jitters." Delexia tried to reassure him. "We all get them."

"I am Krogan. I do not get 'jittery'." Grunt said sharply.

"He's right." Hurn said. "Things are going too smoothly for us. Clan Draktarra has had plenty of time to prepare for our arrival. Their loss of contact with clan Welrund should have put them on high alert. Why have they not made our advance more difficult?"

"I'm not going to complain about how easy they can make this for us." Shepard said. "But you have a point. If I were in their position, I'd be whittling down our numbers as early as I could."

"Draktarra has always favoured simple tactics." Trark explained. "Their scouts are useless at remaining unseen, and their soldiers never diverge from the agreed upon plan. They will have decided that a single hammer-blow would be more effective than guerrilla tactics, so now they gather together and make ready to strike back at us as we charge."

"Wrex should be almost at the edge by now." Shepard observed. "We'd best get back."

The squad nodded quietly, all turning to leave. Before they could take a step, several monstrous howls reverberated through the ravaged settlement. The squad dropped into combat stances, all ready to face whatever might be coming. Hurn, Grunt, Trark and Shepard all deployed their shields and swords while Mordin and Delexia activated the guns and rocket launchers on their machines. Thane refrained from activating any of his weapons, preparing to use the fists of his suit, hand-to-hand combat being the Drell's most deadly proficiency.

With another mighty roar, three Yahg bounded into view, leaping from the rooftops of nearby buildings. One collided with Grunt, sending his battlemech stumbling, while another landed in front of Thane, squaring off with the Drell. The third hit the ground before the Commander, launching into a vicious lunge that he just barely managed to parry with his shield, the creature's long, clawed fingers scraping across the flickering blue of the Mass Effect field.

Grunt found himself wrestling with the first of the snarling, slavering creatures, the monstrous face only inches from his own. With a yell, he pushed the Yahg off himself, struggling to get back to his feet. The creature darted in again, but a quick thrust of his blade brought forth a squeal from its throat as a line of emerald green appeared along its gut, blood flooding out in a thick ooze. The Yahg howled before backing away, turning its attention to Trark's suit. Before Grunt could react, it had leapt onto the scout's battlemech, bearing him to the ground forcefully.

Thane, meanwhile, dropped into a boxer's stance, the gyros of his suit whining as he shifted his feet quickly. The Yahg lunged at him, but the Drell easily dropped to the side, launching a powerful punch to the creature's gut. As low as he'd aimed, the Drell still felt ribs under the impact, a biological detail that furrowed the assassin's brow. A larger ribcage like that meant less exposed internal organs to exploit. With the efficiency of the gut punch taken from him, the Drell would have to think of some other way to inconvenience the alien. He had no knowledge of the Yahg's nerve clusters, no idea which bones and joints would prove to be more brittle and was unsure of what it would take to restrict the creature's breathing. As he puzzled about the way to win, he was a moment to slow to dodge a powerful swipe, falling to the ground with a loud crash.

Shepard, on the other hand, was hard pressed to keep his opponent back. He continually found himself using his shield to block savage blows, while his sword seemed to move too slowly to be of any use, only catching the Yahg occasionally. He stumbled back from another mighty lunge, the Yahg pushing against his sparking shield with its shoulder. He glared over the barrier into the alien's eight eyes, the pair straining against one another vigorously. Metal screeched in protest as it fought impossibly strong flesh, neither gaining an edge over the other.

Suddenly, Hurn was there, tackling the Yahg and bearing it to the ground. The Krogan roared as he drove his sword into the creature's shoulder, summoning forth a fountain of emerald and a howl of indignant agony. The Krogan leaned forward on the blade, forcing it deeper through the thick flesh. The Yahg snarled, bringing up one huge foot to catch the Krogan battlemech in the torso, sending Hurn stumbling back and ripping the blade from its shoulder.

Thane backed away from his opponent, trying to circle around while keeping clear of the heavy fists. The Yahg reared up to charge at him, but was brought up short as a spurt of bullets stitched a line on holes across its back. The Yahg spun to glare at Delexia and Mordin, their twin weapons still spinning as they warmed up for another salvo. With a roar, the Yahg charged at them, bowling the Salarian over and lunging with a fist to grab at Delexia. It drew the Turian out of her mech with a powerful yank, hurling the alien aside like a discarded toy. Her battlemech went silent, arms dropping by its sides limply. The Yahg's face twisted in a grin that rapidly vanished as a sharp pain ripped through its body. It glared down at the blade now protruding from its chest, stained green by its own blood.

"Lose yourself to the sea!" The Drell spat breathlessly before ripping the blade back, allowing the Yahg to drop to the ground.

Thane stepped carefully over the body, hurrying towards Delexia. His battlemech folded over to allow him to examine the Turian carefully, one massive metal hand picking her up carefully.

Delexia looked about blearily, making eye contact with Thane. She smiled for a moment before her features hitched, a talon coming up to point behind the Drell.

Before Thane could react, a meaty arm snaked around the torso of his battlesuit, throwing him aside. He curled around Delexia, protecting the Turian as the pair tumbled across the rubble-strewn street. As they rolled to a stop, the assassin carefully put the pirate down in the safety of a mostly intact street, turning to face his foe.

He started as he realised it was the same Yahg he had apparently dispatched. The creature still bled rivers of green blood from the gaping rent in its belly, but was barely slowed down by the injury. Thane marvelled at the robust physiology. Truly a challenging opponent. He raised his fists, moving his feet slightly apart to give him better balance as the Yahg charged towards him.

Grunt struggled to get back on his feet, his bulky frame amplified by the battlemech to make him clumsier. As he finally managed to roll up onto his knee, he let out a yelp of shock upon seeing the Yahg pinning Trark to the ground. The creature drew its head back then lunged forward, three-lipped mouth gnashing as its growls became more liquid. The head drew back, teeth anointed with orange Krogan blood. Seeing this, Grunt let out a rage-filled cry as he broke into a charge, red mist clouding his vision. Barely noticing the weight, he drove a shoulder into the Yahg's gut, lifting it clear of Trark's suit. The creature was lifted high into the air before Grunt brought it down on one knee with a thunderous crack, snapping its spine. He then flung the creature aside with disgust, turning back to his fallen Urdnot ally. He moved to kneel next to the fallen scout, a crestfallen expression drifting across his face.

The moment was soon interrupted by a roar from behind him. Grunt paused, shaking himself free from the numbness. There was still work to do. He spun, coming face to face with the Yahg he had thought dispatched. He frowned. This was getting complicated. He expression deepened as his heart began to race, the chemicals of fury rising in his brain. With a primeval howl, he charged.

Shepard staggered back as a solid blow from his Yahg struck his mech squarely in the centre of its torso. Frowning, the Commander stepped forward again with a vicious slash of his sword. Hurn stepped in on the other side, using his shield to stun the creature. The Yahg almost towered as tall as the battlemechs, but the double-teaming tactic soon proved effective, with Shepard eventually granting Hurn the opportunity to skewer the Yahg with his sword. As the beast howled in agony, Shepard retracted his sword, jamming the muzzle of one of his Gatling guns under the chin of the creature and firing. The monster's face exploded in a gasp of blood and brain, showering the pair with grey matter. Thoroughly dealt with, the body dropped to the ground with a final thump.

The Commander turned from the grisly object just in time to see Grunt race at his foe, a clean swipe of his sword separating the Yahg's head from its shoulders. He looked over to the last Yahg just in time to see the Drell and the Salarian working together to rip into it with a mixture of bullets and rockets, quickly reducing the creature to pulp.

Shepard felt a momentary surge of panic when he noticed Delexia's battlemech was empty, the Turian nowhere to be seen, but those feelings were soon assuaged when Thane moved over to a burnt-out building and scooped her out, returning her to her suit. He then turned back to his Krogan crewmate, his relief evaporating as he saw Grunt kneeling next to Trark's armour.

Trark's throat had been ripped open, every heave of his chest sending copious amounts of blood flowing out into the cockpit of his suit and flowing back down his windpipe. Even as Grunt reached him, the Krogan's eyes were growing unfocused. The young warrior had seen enough death, both in person and through his tank imprints, to know there would be no salvation for the scout.

"Grunt…" The scout's voice was watery, thick.

"Stay still." Grunt ordered, his voice steady. "You'll only make it worse."

"Huh!" Trark laughed. "How much worse do you think it could get? The Void's already calling me, Grunt. Nothing changes that."

"Don't talk like that!" Grunt protested. "You can win this. Just stay with us!"

"Spoken like a true Krogan." The scout grinned before wincing. "My time's running short. Listen, Urdnot Grunt. It's very important that my gear doesn't fall into enemy hands. We've got to deny them everything we can."

"We'll carry you back." Grunt swore.

"No. I'd only slow you down. With Wrex poised to strike, you and Shepard need to get back to him quickly." The scout's eyes focused. "You once spoke to members of the clan about the imprints Okeer gave you. Did he ever tell you about the unshackling?"

Grunt nodded silently. He knew. Okeer had made sure that he learned all about Krogan customs.

"Good. You'll know what's required, then."

"You cannot ask this of me!"

"You are Wrex's chosen predecessor. That makes you the highest ranking Krogan present. I am not asking this of you. Your duty demands it!"

Grunt let out a shaky sigh, nodding his consent. There was no argument to be made.

"Good…" Trark relaxed a little, his breaths becoming shallower. "You will make a mighty warlord one day, Urdnot Grunt. I am honoured to have fought by your side, no matter how briefly. Tell Wrex… tell him that I faced the Void with a smile on my face and a gun in my hand."

"The clan will sing of your honour for many years to come."

"If any survive the coming storm." Trark said with a sad smile. His expression dropped. "That's… that's strange. I was always told the Void was a place of eternal flames. I only feel… cold?"

Grunt lowered his head as the scout sagged, lightly touching Trark's suit's torso with his plates. Carefully, Shepard stepped forward, placing a huge metal hand on the shoulder of his friend's suit in a comforting gesture.

"He was a brave warrior." He offered.

"He faced his end with courage." Grunt said bitterly. "An altogether far too rare thing these days, especially among Krogan."

"Grunt, we must not delay. It was his wish you carry out the unshackling. Are you prepared?"

"Yes." Grunt said firmly, although the slight shake to his hands, translated through his suit as a subtle quiver of the clunky metal fists, was a telling sign of his uncertainty.

Shepard wanted to ask what was going on, but the sombre look on the faces of both Krogan told him this was not the time.

Grunt leaned over Trark's corpse, arranging the Krogan's arms in a guardian pose over his chest, forearms crossed and fists clenched. He then stood and stepped away, stopping at just over fifteen feet away. He looked down at the fallen Krogan, taking a deep breath before he began to speak.

The words were deep, gruff, and impossible to understand. Given the fact that Shepard's translator refused to give him an English version of the speech, he gathered that it was a defunct Krogan dialect. He simply stood in silence, letting the oddly melodic mantra wash over him.

As Grunt progressed through the ceremony, the Commander became aware of an odd crooning noise. He looked to his left to see Hurn's face locked in a mournful expression, the noise being a deep rumble escaping from the depths of his chest. Whether the noises were more words or just an expression of farewell, he could not tell.

Eventually, the speech came to an end. Grunt stepped back a little further, then fired a rocket from his suit's weapons systems. The first projectile struck Trark's corpse, instantly igniting it. The next three intensified the blaze. Once the inferno was firmly established, Grunt turned from the impromptu pyre, looking at Shepard with a hollow face before striding on wordlessly.

"Shepard!"

The Commander looked over at Mordin's urgent shout. The Salarian was standing over one of the deceased Yahg, scanning it carefully.

"What is it, Mordin?"

"A development. No, a problem!" The professor was quite nervous. "Was curious about surprising durability of Yahg specimens compared to known profile from your encounter with Shadow Broker. Took scans, unearthed unpleasant truth."

"What?" Shepard felt a knot growing in his gut. Hadn't he endured enough complications on this mission?

"Internal scans reveal synthetic enhancements to skeleton, vital organs, muscles, nervous system. Very extensive modifications, all emitting familiar energy signatures. Upgrades are of Reaper origin."

"They're indoctrinated?" Shepard asked, taking a cautious step back from the Yahg corpses. Some examples of Reaper tech could have nasty surprises in store after their deactivation.

"Only reasonable conclusion. Implications… troubling. Enemy Krogan may be in alliance with Reapers. Have dabbled in Reaper technology, at least."

"This is serious." The Commander said firmly. "We need to warn Wrex." He turned to the rest of his squad. "Come on. We haven't got long."

The squad hurried off, leaving the small pyre behind them. In moments, the crackling of the flames was the only thing to be heard in the ruins of the settlement.

**~o~0~o~**

The squad hurried though the tortured landscape, scrambling to get over or around large boulders in their way in their haste to reach the Allied Krogan army. Even with the battlemech doing the majority of the work, Shepard could feel the strain in his arms and legs from controlling it. His pace quickened as he noted the vibrant hue the horizon was taking on. The sun would rise very soon, beginning its lazy journey across the sky. Wrex had decided to make use of the rising sun in his tactics, agreeing with the rest of the War Council upon moving in from the west in the hopes of the dawn's bright rays to dazzle their foes. In such a heated, closely matched battle, a little advantage like that could mean life or death for many.

The tall ridge that marked the edge of the Draktarra dust bowl ran to their right, hiding the wasteland within from the squad's view. Ahead, the ridge suddenly dipped, worn away by a long dried up river and creating a broad entrance to the depression in the landscape. As Shepard drew near, his hopes dropped upon seeing the tail end of the might army moving through the opening, already well on their way towards the Draktarra stronghold. Time was running short.

"Come on, we need to get to the head of the column." He urged his friends.

The squad redoubled their efforts, eventually approaching the opening in the ridge. Shepard stuck to the higher ground as he entered the dust bowl, not wanting to get caught in the turmoil of the marching army. As he crested the ridge, his breath caught in his throat.

The Krogan army was arrayed ahead of him in all of its glory. The army had been split into twenty battle groups, each under a representative of the War Council. These battle groups were further split into ten platoons, each led by a chieftain and containing four hundred Krogan warriors or more. In a surprising display of discipline for Krogan, these platoons were neatly ordered, each maintaining a rectangular formation forty Krogan long by ten Krogan in width. These ten platoons then marched in a larger rectangle two wide by five deep, the battle groups marching in two wide lines, ten battle groups to a line. The end result as a massive host at least a kilometre in width and just a little more than that in length, the final couple of battle groups falling in at the back of the formation.

The vehicle complement attached the army was just as impressive. Hovering protectively over the marching host, the five stolen dreadnoughts each looked after an array of four battle groups, moving in a perfect line as the Krogan on the ground advanced. Each Dreadnought possessed a complement of six cruisers and thirty frigates, plus a veritable swarm of fighters and bombers buzzing around eagerly. On the ground, each battle group was equipped with ten gunships each, as well as a dozen ground based Tomkahs. The first three ranks of each platoon was composed entirely of Krogan in battlemechs, their clanking creating a vast cacophony that ascended towards the heavens. At the last estimate, the Allied Krogan forces had committed over a hundred thousand warriors to this engagement, nearly three quarters of their available warriors. The only ones left behind on this day were the sick, the injured, or the bare minimum needed to keep their homes safe should any opportunistic scavengers choose to take advantage of the battle's distraction.

At the front of this host marched two more battle groups, larger than any of the others. These battle groups contained twelve platoons and were bolstered by twice as many Tomkahs and gunships as the other battle groups. Their front three ranks were similarly equipped with battlemechs, while over each group flew ten cruisers and twenty-five frigates, aside from the matching complement of fighters. These two groups led the column, one under the command of Urdnot Wrex while the other was intended for, Shepard balked at the thought, none other than the Commander.

Shepard pressed through the vast company, making his way to the front line. By the time he had reached the foremost battle groups, the Draktarra fortress was well within sight. The armies at its foot, though still indistinct, were a little easier to discern. Shepard could tell from this distance that, although they lacked the technological edge of the battlemechs and ground-based support vehicles, they more than made up for it with sheer numbers of infantry as well as the vast fleet poised menacingly overhead.

The Commander chanced a glance upwards just in time to see a black, white and gold blur dart by, weaving through the press of Krogan battleships nimbly. He grinned at that. Joker just couldn't help showing off. Still, the Normandy would be a valuable asset in the battle to come.

As the host came to a halt, barely two kilometres away from the Draktarra citadel, Shepard reached the very front of the column, finding Urdnot Wrex deep in talks with the ageing Urdnot Shaman, the Tomal chieftain and the Nakmor ambassador. As the Commander approached, Wrex turned, flashing him a predatory smile.

"Shepard, we were starting to worry that you would miss all the fun."

"Wrex, we need to talk. There's been a development."

The Urdnot chief's brow furrowed. With everything in place like this, it had to be important.

"Make it quick, Shepard. The army is poised to attack, and I can't keep them on their leash for very long."

"The Yahg that the Draktarra have been using." Shepard said urgently. "They're indoctrinated!"

Wrex's eyes widened at the revelation.

"Reaper technology?" he asked. "You're sure of this?"

"Positive."

"This changes nothing." The Tomal chieftain said boldly. "They will still die by our hand."

"Don't you get it?" Shepard turned to him. "If the Reapers are involved, then our enemies are much more deadly than we thought. Who knows what kind of upgrades they might have received! I've seen Krogan able to regenerate from mortal wounds in the blink of an eye. Salarians faster than any organics in existence. Humans that are stronger than any Krogan that has lived. We mustn't underestimate these creatures!"

"Shepard's right." Wrex admitted. "This makes the situation much more grave than we'd thought. But it doesn't change the fact that we are here and there is an enemy to be killed. We cannot retreat now. The attack will go ahead as planned."

Shepard opened his mouth to utter a further warning, but held his tongue. His friend was right. With over a hundred thousand Krogan deployed, a tactical retreat was not possible, not without at least testing the enemy's defences. That wasn't even considering the fact that, if they didn't deal with the problem now, the Draktarra would have a chance to strike again, possibly killing many more potential allies. He nodded in acceptance of his friend's decision.

"Go to your men." Wrex ordered those gathered around him. "Make peace with whatever gods you follow, for this morning may be the last dawn you witness."

The small circle broke up, the Tomal chief and the Nakmor ambassador heading back to their battle groups while Shepard paused for a moment, watching his old friend carefully. He took a moment to fully appreciate his old friend's vast change from the world-weary mercenary he had met in Fist's bar.

The Urdnot chieftain was, if anything, even more imposing in his full battle garb. His armour gleamed flawlessly, painted in the Urdnot style of black and orange, the symbol of the clan emblazoned on the chest-piece. His battlemech had been painted blood red, matching his brow-plate, with black accents cutting around the arm, leg and waist seams. The final effect of this was to craft an image of a primal war deity, standing on the cusp of his battlefield with a contemplative look as he regarded the enemy stronghold. With a final glance at the ageless warrior, Shepard turned to walk away, heading back to his own battle group.

The squad waited patiently for him at the head of the column of Krogan soldiers. As he walked up, he looked them over one final time. Jacob, Legion and Zaeed were busily arranging a vast array of weapons, ranging from the smallest of pistols to the largest of assault rifles to be found on the Normandy. It was possible half of the Armoury had been taken down to the planet. Miranda, Elanie and Kaidan were discussing the distribution of the squad, making sure that their skills were being put to the best use. Jano sat cross-legged on the ground, hands resting on his knees as he meditated, centring his mind to focus his body. Feron, surprisingly, paced about anxiously, a lit cigarette bouncing between his fingertips. Samara, Jack and the Revenant were sitting in a landed gunship, managing somehow to dodge the Krogan bustling about in the craft. The convict had found an ammo crate to sit on, glaring out at the beings moving about around the gunship. As she looked up to catch the Commander's eye, her glare turned venomous before she pointedly looked away. Garrus was perched on one of the Krogan tanks, performing a few final calibrations on the main cannon. Etarn and Kasumi were standing chatting with one of the Krogan Battlemasters assigned to Shepard's battle group, although the Krogan appeared to only be grudgingly humouring them. The remainder of his squad, Mordin, Thane, Delexia and Grunt were joined by Hurn, still in their battlesuits after the scouting trip. It had been the Commander's decision that they would stick close to him, a tight unit of trusted soldiers at his very side.

As the Commander approached, all eyes turned to him attentively. He nodded to each one solemnly.

"You all have your assignments." He said gravely. "Watch out for yourselves. We can't fail here."

"We're with you one hundred per cent, Commander." Miranda said boldly.

"Good. Now, take up your positions."

The squad split up, all heading to their assigned locations in the battle group. Garrus clambered into his tank, slamming the hatch shut, while the gunship containing the heavy-hitting biotics lifted into the air. Shepard caught a brief glimpse of Jack, staring out over the battlefield with a calm interest, a slight eagerness about her poise. His thoughts were interrupted by a scratching noise emanating from every comm unit to be found in the Krogan host. A moment later, Wrex's powerful bass thrum spoke out, reaching the ears of every last soldier in the hundred thousand strong company.

"I'm not going to waste words telling you how strong we are, or how we need to work together to face this enemy. You already know that." The Urdnot chieftain began. "What I will tell you is how we need a victory today. Clan Draktarra have allied themselves with a greater force; a race of beings known as the Reapers. After that alliance was forged, they ceased to be Krogan."

Shepard's battle group had almost finished organising itself. He turned from his troops to stare ahead as Wrex continued.

"In the battle today, you may find yourself facing old friends, brothers, fathers, sons, but you must not falter. The Krogan they were have been dead for some time. Now, they crave nothing more than the death of our species. If we lose, Tuchanka will die."

Shepard lumbered up to the front of his battle group, standing with the foremost of the Battlemasters under his command. His team closed up around him. As they did so, Shepard scanned the armies around the Draktarra fortress. They appeared to be moving closer, their enemy units becoming more distinct by the second. Overhead, the ships glided closer, dangling in the air like birds of prey waiting to strike. The Commander looked over to the second of the leading battle groups, seeing the Krogan at the very front of the army as he resumed his speech.

"Veeol, Kredak, Taknurran, Shiagur, these are all names we know well. After today, the names of each and every one of you will join them in the annals of our species, your honour made immortal."

A steady thumping noise escaped from the vast host, the soil trembling beneath the Commander as he looked back in confusion. After a moment, he realised what was happening. Every Krogan was lifting their left foot in time, then sending it down in a powerful thump. In time to this, the battlemechs extended their swords and shields, smashing one against the other. The crack of metal hitting metal sounded out like thunder, mixing with the stomping as the company built themselves up into a frenzy. Even over this din, Wrex's voice still resounded powerfully clear.

"The foulest creatures of the void stand before us, but we will not falter."

A loud rumble built up in the throats of the Krogan host, a thousand voices rising as one. Shepard glanced over to see Wrex facing his troops, his battlemech's arms moving animatedly as he spoke.

"Fight with me."

Shepard could see the enemy army picking up speed now. He imagined for a moment that he could pick out a few Yahg in their ranks, but could not be sure.

"For blood and glory."

The Commander began to pound his sword against his shield in time with the Krogan around him, his pulse mixing with the rhythmic beating.

"For our people."

The war beat increased in speed, reaching a fever pitch. Shepard felt his adrenaline spike as Wrex unleashed a powerful roar.

"For Tuchankaaaaa!"

A terrible, thunderous roar tore free from the Commander's throat, joining that of the rest of the host. A hundred thousand cries rolled across the plain in a deafening tidal wave as every battlemech present thrust forward their gleaming swords, pointing them at the nearing enemy as the sun crested the horizon behind them.

"Charge!"

The army poured forward, howling as they charged. It was like unleashing the waters pent up by a dam, an unstoppable tide racing to meet the onrushing foe. Shepard focused on breathing deeply as he ran, struggling to keep ahead of his resilient Krogan allies. He glanced to the side to see Wrex at the head of his battle group, teeth bared as he hefted his battlemech's sword.

Boom.

Shepard looked up cautiously at the first explosion, seeing the ships overhead beginning to fire upon one another. Barriers flickered as they deflected the initial volley, although one of the Allied Krogan army's fighters vanished in a ball of flame, shrapnel raining down on the charging army in a deadly hail that cut down a couple of warriors.

The Commander withdrew his shield and sword, deploying his twin Gatling guns as the enemy army moved into range. He could see them clearly now. Rank upon rank of armoured Krogan charged at the allied host fearlessly, a feral glow in their eyes. Thousands of Yahg bolstered their ranks, the massive creatures loping along on their knuckles like demonic gorillas. The massive aliens soon pulled ahead of their Krogan allies, mouths agape as they howled their defiance. Without pausing, Shepard lifted his battlemech's arms, firing wildly at the charging mass. Around him, hundreds of Krogan did the same thing. Battlemechs unleashed hell with their incredibly powerful weapons while the normal infantry used a vast variety of weapons to inflict as much pain as they could on the enemy. Tanks on both sides barked as they sent heavy slugs winging into the enemy with ferocious power. In moments, the air between the two armies was a lethal web of criss-crossing fire, rapidly narrowing.

As the enemy force drew even closer, Shepard switched back to his melee weapons, allowing his sword to trail out behind him as he held his shield defensively before himself. Before the Commander could comprehend it, the two hosts collided, Krogan in battlemechs locking weapons with the Yahg. The sharp tangy scent of blood soon filled the air, followed by the screams of the injured. Shepard instantly found himself fending off one of the monstrous aliens, the Yahg trying to clamber over his shield to slash at him while he hacked at it with his sword. The duo glared at one another, the Commander catching the ghostly blue gleam in the back of each of the creature's eight eyes now that he knew what to look for. With a grunt, he thrust the shield away from himself, sending the alien staggering back, before pressing forward with a quick jab to the chest, ripping the blade downwards to tear through the Yahg's flesh from its sternum down to its navel. The monster shrieked as guts and blood washed out in a gory tide, dropping the indoctrinated slave to the ground. Shepard bounded over the corpse, stomping down on its skull for good measure.

At his side, Grunt let out an unearthly howl as he tore into the enemy ranks with gusto, throttling one Yahg with a single mechanical hand before skewering a pair of Krogan that tried to get too close to him. On the Commander's other side, Mordin refrained from physically engaging the enemy, instead using rockets and bullets to wear down the defences of those engaged with his allies. Hurn and Delexia watched the Salarian's back, each using their shields and swords to great effect in a lethal tag-team assault. Further away, Shepard could see Thane drifting deeper into the enemy ranks, one metal fist and one chain-gun dealing an incredible amount of damage at vital points in the enemy ranks.

Shepard turned back to his own predicament as a Krogan stepped out of the enemy force, one of their numerous battlemech units. The alien grinned vilely as it engaged the sword and shield, charging at the Commander.

Shepard quickly side-stepped the charge, lashing out with his shield to jar the advancing alien. As the battlemech staggered, Shepard went on the offensive, jabbing with his sword. The point screeched across metal as the Krogan's shield came up to block it, allowing the alien enough time to return the favour with a stab to the Commander's suit's knee-joint. The battlemech staggered as delicate innards were cut open, the suit's self-repair system quickly activating to floor that segment with nanites that would quickly replace damaged components. As the suit worked to become functional again, Shepard was forced to parry from a kneeling position, hard pressed to keep his shield in the way of incoming blows. Finally he was able to stand, putting the repairs to the test by kicking out at the Krogan's leg to knock it over.

The alien growled, rolling back into a standing position with ease. He charged again. This time, the Commander accepted the impact upon his shield, straining as he and the Krogan pushed against one another, shield upon shield. Over the rims of these barriers, the pair stared at one another, contesting the deadlock over and over again with tentative shoves. The blue energies of the shields sparked wildly.

Locking eyes with his opponent, Shepard focused on just holding his ground while his fingers darted across his suit's controls. Before the Krogan was even aware something was up, the Commander's shoulder-mounted rocket launchers twisted, each firing off a single shot. Shepard quickly jerked his shield up to protect himself from the blast as the pair of projectiles blasted into the enemy's cockpit. The ensuing blast shook the Commander's suit, a wash of hot air making his skin prickle while the Krogan, his suit's defences bypassed, was torn to shreds by the combined force of the rockets. The now empty battlesuit collapsed backwards, its cockpit an inferno.

The battle continued in this fashion for a long time, the Commander hacking and slashing wildly at his foes until not a single square inch of his armour was unanointed with the green blood of the Yahg or the orange blood of the enemy Krogan. As a small clearing opened up around him, a pocket in the battlefield where no enemies survived, the Commander paused for a brief moment to survey his surroundings.

There was a high-pitched whine overhead as the Normandy buzzed the enemy ranks. Gunships turned to follow her, but the advanced frigate easily outpaced them. A number of tanks and other support craft vanished in balls of fire as the GARDIAN systems and the Javelin armaments went to work. Suddenly, a number of fighters screamed down from the cloud cover far above, dropping in on the Normandy's tail. The last glance the Commander caught of the ship before she vanished into the distance granted him the sight of Joker putting her into a spin that many pilots would have deemed to be crazy, but for the talented pilot was merely a part of almost day-to-day routine. Shepard turned back to the battlefield.

His allies still remained close to him, Grunt's armour beginning to display the dents and scratches of the prolonged battle while the trio of Delexia, Hurn and Mordin remained largely untouched. Thane stalked back towards them, a heaviness in his movements suggesting a little fatigue, but nothing serious.

Hundreds of Krogan had already perished, their bodies littering the battlefield in a thick band where the two armies met. Battlemechs sparked on the ground where they had fallen, while infantry died in droves where they faced the vastly superior power of a single Yahg. For every one of the creatures the allied army felled, too many Krogan were sacrificed, and there were still thousands of the beasts rampaging across the plain.

Through the press of bodies, Shepard caught a brief glimpse of some of the other members of the Normandy crew. Miranda moved at the heart of a small company of Krogan, directing them to move as a single unit that moved between combating Yahg and taking down battlemechs in short order. With this unified approach, the small troupe was making good progress, felling many enemies while taking few casualties themselves. He managed to spot a momentary glimmer of movement, Kasumi, Feron and Etarn darting about stealthily to sabotage enemy battlemechs and ground vehicles. Jano and Jacob moved about nearby, creating as much of a distraction as they could for the tech specialists.

A loud boom caused the Commander to spin just in time to catch sight of an allied tank firing with deadly accuracy at enemy units, every shot earning a kill. Kaidan was perched atop the craft, shouting directions to Garrus in the gunner's chair while Zaeed and Legion used the vehicle as a mobile platform from which they could snipe at enemy infantry. Not far from their location, Elanie moved between enemy units, briefly pausing to point her omnitool at an enemy battlemech. Sykes leapt out of the omnitool, hesitated for a moment, and then raced towards the battlemech, assuming control of it in short order. Shepard couldn't be sure, but he thought he heard a high-pitched scream of terror escaping from the SI drone as it faced such danger.

The allied army had made little progress, but they were moving forwards. The army had pressed forward into a wedge shape, cutting deep into the enemy army's heart. With Shepard and Wrex's battle groups at the forefront of this assault, the enemy casualties were rapidly piling up, although many yet remained. Overhead, the ship-based battle was brutal. Ships barely hung in the air as chunks of metal were blasted from their hulls. The dreadnoughts on both sides had turned to face their enemies side-on, performing a lethal exchange of projectiles in a series of devastating broadside volleys.

Wrex, on the very frontline of the battle, was knee-deep in enemy corpses. The wily old Krogan used both his melee and ranged attacks to devastating effect, cutting foes down by the dozen. He'd already notched up three Yahg kills on his own, the head of each one now rolling free across the ground underfoot. The Urdnot chieftain looked around quickly, sizing up what remained of both forces.

"Keep moving forwards!" He urged his troops over the comm. "Drive them back to their citadel!"

The Krogan renewed their charge, throwing themselves at the enemy with reckless ferocity. In moments, Shepard was back in the fray, surging forwards on pure adrenaline as he slashed at yet another enemy, hacking a fully armoured Krogan in half as though he were a chunk of meat beneath a butcher's cleaver. As the Commander spun to block a barrage from a small unit of infantry, his shield easily deflecting the bullets, a Yahg burst out of the enemy ranks, tackling him. The pair rolled across the ground wildly as they wrestled with one another. The Yahg clawed at the Commander's battlemech until it found purchase on the shield. With a roar, the beast tore the barrier free, flinging it away in fury. His desperation growing, Shepard slashed with his sword, blinding the creature in three of its eyes. Before it could recover, he lunged forward, driving the point of his sword into its chest and skewering one of its lungs. In the next instant, he swung with his free arm, landing such a powerful punch to the creature's jaw that the skull snapped back at an unnatural angle, snapping the Yahg's neck and instantly killing it.

Thane darted through the enemy ranks, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. He almost entirely relied upon his chain-guns, getting in close enough to nullify the defensive properties of any kinetic barriers as he poured round after round into the defenceless flesh of infantry and battlemech operators alike. Occasionally he would test one of his biotic abilities and the suit, created with biotic and tech abilities in mind, would activate one of the generators in its arms to emulate the attack, multiplying its potency by a considerable amount.

Mordin, meanwhile, was proving to be a veritable weapons platform, augmenting his chain-guns and rocket launchers with amplified tech attacks. A quick command on his omnitool created a fireball several feet across, incinerating a cluster of four Krogan instantly. Delexia and Hurn kept a close watch on the Salarian, but still engaged the enemy in an effective fashion, slicing apart any infantry Mordin missed or taking on the larger Yahg and battlemechs while Mordin provided support to weaken them with a mixture of Overloads and Neural Shocks.

Grunt, on the other hand, was finding himself hard-pressed by his enemies. He'd strayed a little away from the squad, ending up surrounded by a vast number of Krogan infantry. A couple of Scorchers stalked among them, blasting his battlesuit's defences with fire to keep him at bay. Growling in frustration, Grunt lumbered straight at one, huge metal fist shooting out. He picked the Krogan pyro unit up bodily, clenching his fist. The armour buckled like an aluminium can, splitting open to allow blood and flesh to seep out. With a crack, the gas canister on the back of the armour split open, releasing its contents with a high-pitched whistle. Grunt turned and lobbed the crushed Scorcher at one of his comrades, watching the satisfying explosion that came a moment later and tore apart a good cluster of enemy soldiers. As the sudden act sent hesitation rippling through the enemy force, the Urdnot warrior lunged forwards again, ripping through the infantry units with ease.

Shepard stepped back as the enemy suddenly intensified their defence, growing more desperate. Another battlemech lunged at him. Reflexively, he lifted his shield arm, only to realise the defence was no longer there. The enemy's sword clattered along the arm of his mech, its tip dangerously close to the vulnerable Human. Shepard shoved with the blocking arm, sending the Krogan back a step to allow him a clumsy swing at the alien's head. The Krogan easily dodged the blow, making ready to attack again.

A sudden blue glow enveloped the Krogan battlemech's arms, holding the enemy unit back from striking. The Krogan grunted as he strained against the biotic restraining field, but his struggles proved fruitless. Seeing an opening, Shepard stabbed forward, quickly dispatching the Krogan soldier. He looked around to see the source of the unexpected aid, turning his gaze skyward in time to see a gunship race by. He caught a glimpse of Jack in the open hatch of the craft, one hand entangled in a leather thong attached to the ceiling to support her while she leaned out over open space precariously, not a flicker of fear in her stance. She refused to glance in Shepard's direction, but he smiled at her anyway before the gunship buzzed away again, its occupants raining down biotic fire on the enemy below. As the Commander watched it leave, a loud crackle from his comm unit drew his attention still further up into the sky.

"This is the Indomitable. That last hit took out our engines. We are going down. I repeat: we are going down!"

Shepard watched in horror as one of the allied army's dreadnoughts wheeled about in the sky, wobbling uncertainly as the crew did their best to keep her from striking any of their allies. Fires blazed along her hull, columns of black smoke rippling out of massive rents in her hull as she slowly dropped out of the sky. Escape pods leapt free of the ship in her final few moments, jetting off away from the battle.

The Indomitable raced over the Commander's head, bare metres above the struggling armies. Shepard was buffeted by the draft of the ship's failing engines moments before it struck the dusty plain with a terrible crash.

The rumble of its impact travelled through the ground for miles around, a terrifying earthquake of epic proportions from the Commander's perspective. The ship ripped through the Draktarra ranks, slaughtering hundreds if not thousands of Krogan and Yahg in its demise. With a final lurch, it came to a halt, prow buried deep under the sands of the plain while the stern jutted up into the air, engines still throwing out tremendous amounts of fire and heat as they burned out.

Both armies froze for a moment, contemplating the horror of what they had just witnessed. It didn't take long, though, for Wrex to recover.

"We've got them now!" He yelled over the comms. "Press forward! Battle group alpha, to me!"

Shepard caught sight of his old friend at the head of the allied army, encouraging his troops to advance. As the Commander and his unit moved to join Wrex on the frontline, Shepard caught sight of a Krogan battlemech that towered over even the Yahg in the enemy force.

The battlemech was enormous, grandly decorated with purple and black paint, the markings of clan Draktarra emblazoned across its chest. The Krogan within moved with the authority of a chieftain, his haughty stare telling more about him than anything else could. He could only be Draktarra Vandak, leader of this enemy force. As Shepard watched, the Krogan signalled to his subordinates before turning and setting off at a swift pace back towards the Draktarra citadel.

"Wrex!" Shepard yelled as he raced towards where his old friend fought. As the Krogan glanced over, he pointed in the direction of the enemy chieftain. "Vandak!"

"We've got to get to him!" The Urdnot chief said firmly, looking to the Tomal chieftain, still fighting beside him. "Without him, their leadership will falter."

"Go, Urdnot Wrex. We shall handle these beasts." The Krogan promised. Wrex nodded his thanks before looking over to Shepard.

"Come on! I don't want to give him a chance to get away, or worse yet, activate some Reaper device in that fortress."

The Commander quickly followed the Krogan warlord, his squad behind him. The rest of his battle group would quickly adjust to taking orders from the Tomal chief in his absence.

The small team, just eight in number, cut a devastating swathe through the enemy ranks. Shepard used his chain-guns to mow down what infantry he could while Delexia and Mordin emulated his example. Thane charged at the enemy battlemechs, using his biotics and sword to cut through armour and flesh alike with ease. Hurn kept close to the Drell, helping him in any way he could. At the front of this small unit, Wrex charged with feral desperation, his suit protesting the hectic pace as he swung his sword left and right, his shield bent almost double from blocking so many powerful impacts. In moments, the mighty footsteps of Urdnot Grunt resounded next to him, the young Krogan showing an equal amount of determination as he fought his way through the thinning enemy ranks.

A Yahg leapt out to stand in their way, but a low swipe from Wrex and a high slash from Grunt removed both its feet and its head, killing the creature in seconds and not slowing the squad down by the tiniest bit. Ahead, the retreating back of Draktarra Vandak remained just as distant, the Krogan warlord drawing close to his fortress. He looked back and, seeing the approaching danger, redoubled his efforts.

Shepard panted as he ran, his lungs burning from the exertion of keeping up with his Krogan allies. He glanced up to see the towering fortress of the Draktarra looming overhead, menacing in its silent presence. As Vandak drew near, a pair of massive stone doors, over fifty feet in height, swung open to accept him, then slowly began to grind shut.

"No!" Wrex roared, his pace increasing slightly.

This slight acceleration was nothing, however, compared with the sudden burst of speed Grunt put on. His lungs tight, his blood pounding through his veins so hard that his hearts threatened to give out on him, Okeer's creation raced ahead of the squad towards the closing doors. With a howl, he lunged forward, catching the left portion of the doors. There was a grinding groan, then the door slowed down, its closing mechanism being fought by the young Krogan. Even with Grunt's might pulling against it, the door continued to close, dragging the Krogan with it.

Wrex approached the still-open door without slowing and, howling a throaty cry as he moved, dived through the door, dropping into a roll as he hit the floor inside.

Shepard's vision darkened as he called upon reserves he had not been aware that he had, pushing well beyond his limit to reach the doors. As he ran, he saw Hurn draw ahead slightly. The Krogan reached the door before the Commander and, instead of following his chieftain, turned and helped grunt to battle the closing portal. The two Krogan groaned as their muscles twisted, every ounce of their strength going into just holding the door open a moment longer.

That moment was sufficient for Shepard to bolt through, quickly followed by Delexia, Mordin and Thane. As they darted into the darkness within the fortress, Shepard came to a halt, turning back to the door. His heart pounded in his chest as he noticed the rapidly narrowing opening.

"Grunt! Hurn!" He yelled. "Come on!"

Even as he shouted, he knew it was too late. The opening was too narrow for either battlesuit to pass through, and there was no reopening the doors now that they had almost won their hard-fought battle. Grunt knew this, glancing up at his Battlemaster for a moment before his grit teeth released a few words.

"Go, Shepard!" He growled. "You can put an end to this. Make all of the deaths we have witnessed today count!"

With that, both Urdnot warriors loosed their grip on the door, allowing it to slam closed with a final thump.

Shepard sagged in his battlesuit, absolutely exhausted by the mad dash for the doors. He glanced around carefully, scanning their immediate surroundings.

They were standing in a gargantuan entrance foyer. The cold stone floor extended out and away from the doors for a good couple of hundred feet, the far wall taken up by three exits, each heading off in a different direction. Thick columns lined the room, stretching upwards to the ceiling over fifty feet above the squad's heads. The end result was to give the impression that the squad stood in a vast maw delving deep underground, even though the floor remained perfectly flat.

It was as Shepard made these observations that he noticed one detail which, truly, he should have picked up on earlier.

"Wait… where's Wrex?"

The squad looked about in surprise, unable to find the Krogan warlord anywhere. Even as they listened intently, not a sound could be heard save for the dull thuds of the battle outside.

"I'll be honest, he didn't look like a Krogan who planned on stopping any time soon." Delexia said. "He probably didn't even stop to blink before keeping on going after Vandak."

"Damnit." Shepard cursed. "We can't stop here."

The squad fell in line behind the Commander, following him as he took the middle passage out of the foyer. All four activated their weapons systems, keeping their guns at the ready should anything happen suddenly. As they progressed through a collection of corridors, Shepard became aware of a slight downward gradient. As he began to suspect that they were heading in the wrong direction, the squad emerged into a massive room with many narrow passages branching off from it.

"This can't be right." Shepard muttered. "Come on, we need to get back and find Wrex."

As he turned to head back the way they had travelled from, a sudden rattling noise from one of the passages drew his gaze. He peered into the gloom down the passageway, glancing furtively to his comrades.

"Did you hear that?"

Before any of his allies could answer him, the terrible roar reverberated through the dim complex, a powerful howl that shook the very stone of the fortress. A pair of Yahg exploded out of the dark entrance. Shepard's battlemech was borne to the floor by the two creatures. His squad burst into action as three more of the creatures rushed out of other passages, swarming towards them.

Shepard instantly unsheathed his sword, slashing at the first of the Yahg. Without his shield, the Commander was hard pressed to keep both aliens at bay. In a desperate move, he deployed the chain-gun on his free arm, peppering the second creature with a wild volley as he skewered the first one. This bought him enough time to draw his sword back and perform a horizontal slash that parted the first Yahg's arm from its shoulder. A second stab found its wide mouth, ripping through the creature's head until the tip of the sword protruded from the back of its skull. As he withdrew the sword, the second creature rushed him, a powerful blow sending him staggering backwards.

Thane, meanwhile, squared off against another of the creatures, dropping into a wrestler's stance. As the beast charged him, his battlemech's hands darted out to encircle its torso, the pair locking together in a powerful contest of strength. The Drell grunted as his machine struggled against the bulk of the Yahg, mechanical gyros whirring noisily. After a moment of this brutal lock, Thane's foot scythed out, knocking the Yahg to the floor. The assassin lunged forward as his opponent fell, gripping the creature's horns and twisting, snapping its neck. The Yahg slumped, lifeless.

Mordin danced back as the Yahg took a swipe at him, the claws missing the metal of his battlemech's chest piece by inches. The Salarian frowned, lifting an arm to launch an Incinerate blast directly at the Yahg's face. The monster howled as flesh burned away to reveal the metal framework underneath. Before it could recover, Mordin followed his attach up with a Cryo Blast to the Yahg's chest, a quick jab of his mech's fist shattering the snap-frozen flesh. The damage proved too much for the creature, causing it to drop to the floor, fingers twitching involuntarily.

Delexia ducked a vicious swing from her opponent, retorting with a stab of her sword. The blade found soft flesh, but failed to strike anything significant. The Yahg retaliated with a swipe, striking one of her shoulder mounted rocket launchers and ripping it free of its fastening bolts. The broken weapon clattered to the floor uselessly, followed moments later by her sword, snapped in two by the creature's powerful hands. Seeing the threat, the Turian backed away as quickly as she could, lining up a shot with her remaining rocket launcher. The projectile put the creature off-balance long enough for her to strike it in the face with her shield, following up with a point-blank barrage from one of her chain-guns. Its head riddled with countless messy holes, the creature dropped.

Shepard struck his final enemy in the gut, doubling it over and giving him the opportunity to stab down through its neck, severing its spine and killing it. Panting, he looked up at his allies, making sure each one was alright. He noted the damage beginning to show on each one's battlesuits, making sure they were still good to go on. Another rattle escaped from the passage where the two Yahg had emerged from, once again engaging his interest.

"Those Yahg had to come from somewhere." He reasoned. "Let's see what's down here."

"Yeah, cause nothing makes as much sense as going deeper into a dark dungeon complex to see where the monsters are coming from." Delexia drawled.

The Commander smirked, but said nothing. As he led the way, activating a set of lights in his suit as he advanced on the darkness, the squad quickly fell in line.

The passageway arrowed straight away from the centre of the complex for a total of about three hundred feet. Heavy metal gates lined the walls, opening in on tiny cells. The first few gates were closed, but by the time they passed the fifth gate, Shepard realised the true purpose of the cells. He paused in front of one cell door, looking through it at the sorry creature within.

An emaciated Krogan lay on the floor, moving weakly. Shining blue metal crawled under stretched-taut skin, wires wriggling about in his flesh like worms. When he opened his eyes, they glowed a powerful blue. Shepard regarded the half-indoctrinated creature with a mixture of pity and disgust. The alien was already dead, it just hadn't stopped living yet. Its mind would only remain its own for a little longer, then the whispers of the Reapers would quash all original thought, asserting full control. Shepard moved away from that cell, spotting a Yahg in the next one, exhibiting the symptoms of a much more advanced stage of indoctrination.

"By the gods…" Thane breathed. "What kind of creature could inflict such horrors upon the living?"

"I get the feeling that Vandak has no choice in this matter." Shepard answered. "The question is, how long has he been under the control of the Reapers?"

"We've got to put a stop to this." Delexia said with resolve. "Vandak needs to die."

"We'll get him, don't worry." Shepard assured.

"Cells very secure." Mordin observed. "Yahg not roaming free, otherwise would have encountered them before now. Released, but by whom?"

"Good catch." Delexia said. "Vandak or one of his cronies must be down here."

Armed with this new information, Shepard redoubled his pace, hurrying towards the end of the passage. They passed more and more of the cells, each containing Krogan and Yahg in varying stages of indoctrination, until finally they arrived at a door that was much heavier than any other. It was a solid metal sheet, about seven inches thick with only a tiny slot in the top to glance through. Shepard's expression fell. Other than the secure cell, there was no apparent exit from the passage. He glared about for a few seconds before a deep, booming voice rolled out from behind the cell door.

"You are not Krogan."

The Commander spun to face the door, only just noticing the twin gleaming points of light flickering behind the open slot. One was the white reflection of light bouncing off the cornea of an eye, while the other was an angry scarlet. The Commander relaxed a little when the new presence made no hostile moves.

"Who're you?" He asked carefully.

"A friend." The deep bass reminded the Commander of Wrex, although this one carried the vast weight of centuries more experience than the Urdnot chieftain's tone did. "What business brings aliens into the heart of Draktarra's fortress?"

"We're pursuing Draktarra Vandak." Shepard explained. "Do you know where we can find him?"

Shepard jolted a little as a thunderous chuckle escaped from behind the door.

"What makes you think that one in my position would know such a thing?"

"So you can't help us?" Delexia asked.

"Well, I didn't say that." Shepard got the feeling that the owner of the voice was smiling smugly as he indulged in the word games. "I was here when Urdnot last controlled these lands and controlled this Citadel. I know the layout like the back of my hand. I may not know where the chieftain of my enemies is hiding, but I can guide you to the most likely place."

"What do you get out of this?" The Commander asked warily.

"A simple price. My freedom."

"Your freedom?" Thane asked.

"I am a prisoner of the Draktarra clan." The voice explained wearily. "I have not left this cell for many, many years."

"What are you in here for?" Shepard inquired. He wanted to make sure of this potential ally before trusting him.

"A number of bad decisions that got many Krogan killed." The voice managed to convey a little regret. There was a shifting sound from behind the door. Whatever was back there, it was big.

"Shepard," Delexia said with a warning tone. "Remember the other experiments in here. This guy's likely been indoctrinated."

"I can assure you, my mind remains my own." The voice answered her.

"Resistance to indoctrination? Impossible." Mordin refuted. "Such technology not yet discovered by Council races, much less by Krogan."

"It could be said that my circumstances are… unique. A number of factors grant me an… immunity to the process."

"Doubtful." Mordin refused to back down. "Nothing found yet to aid in resisting process. No organisation put sufficient research into subject yet."

"I'm sorry, but I have to go with my team on this one." Shepard apologised.

"You'll never find Vandak without me." The voice warned.

"That's a risk we'll have to take." Shepard said resolutely. "I'm sorry."

The Commander turned from the cell door, starting to walk back up the passageway. Before he could take more than a couple of steps, there was a sudden loud clang, after which every single cell door lining the passageway swung open, allowing the shambling, half-indoctrinated creatures within to shamble out, glaring at the squad. Shepard looked back to his friends and the still-locked cell door behind which their mysterious ally lurked.

"What's going on?" He asked of Mordin.

"Likely Vandak is aware of our presence in complex. Releasing indoctrination subjects in attempt to kill us."

"You need to release me, alien." The voice prompted. "You need all the help you can get to fight those creatures."

Shepard hesitated, looking back at the lumbering beasts slowly moving in on the squad. Delexia and Mordin had moved to stand side by side, guns trained on the approaching abominations. Thane moved to join them. The Commander turned back to the cell door, his hesitation vanishing. With this amount of enemies, he couldn't reject a potential ally. Besides, if the owner of the voice turned out to be hostile, what kind of a difference would one more enemy make when they faced these kind of odds.

"Shepard, don't!" Delexia growled one final warning.

"We need all the help we can get." The Commander said firmly.

Shepard lifted up his omnitool, pointing it at the cell's control console. There was a flash, then the cell door ground open, unveiling its prisoner.

Inside the cell, bound tightly to the back wall by clamps around his wrists, ankles, elbows, knees and waist, was a massive Krogan. The alien, while not a match for Grunt, was certainly bigger than any other Krogan the Commander had met. His features were heavily weathered, bearing a network of wrinkles and scars that spoke of centuries, possibly millennia of experience. His blood-red brow plate gleamed in sync with the red armour he still wore. His most striking feature, however, was the fact that he was not entirely a Krogan. Starting halfway down his left side, his armour gave way to a flexible metal alloy that formed the outer skin of an extensive cybernetic prosthesis. The left half of his rib cage, his entire left arm and the left third of his face, including a good slice of the brow plate, had all been replaced by mechanical substitutes. The synthetic left eye released a sinister red glow as it scanned the Commander, while his features twisted in curiosity, the scars that webbed their way across his skin from the boundary where synthetic material mixed with organic twisting in a strange dance. Shepard glanced to the left arm, noting the massive synthetic muscles weaving around the arm until they wove their way up to the huge, immensely powerful hand with fingers tipped with sharp metal claws.

"I don't think I know your species, alien." He muttered. "You some kind of Asari hybrid?"

"Not quite." Shepard said curtly. "We'll have time for small talk later. You strong enough to fight?"

"Don't insult me, alien. Now hurry up and let me down."

Shepard waved his omnitool over the restraints, causing them to click open, a slight shimmer in the air announcing the powering down of the kinetic barrier that had encased the Krogan.

The prisoner stepped free of his restraints, feeling the wrist of his organic arm with his synthetic hand for a moment before turning back to Shepard.

"If I'm not mistaken, there's some killing to be done. You got a spare gun?"

"Just these things." Shepard said apologetically, extending his chain-guns.

"Not to worry." The Krogan said confidently. He lifted his mismatched fists. "These will prove sufficient for now. The guard station should have a few weapons I can salvage."

"Fair enough." Shepard followed him out of the small cell, keeping an eye on the Krogan in case of any sign of hostile actions. "So what do we call you?"

"Jorall." The Krogan answered. "Urdnot Jorall."

The squad dropped into various battle stances as the mob of shambling horrors broke into a run, a number of throaty groans escaping from badly mangled throats and lungs. As Shepard stepped up to join his companions in forming a defensive line across the narrow passageway, Jorall stood next to him, dropping into a wrestler's stance.

The first creature to charge at them was a Krogan who had reacted violently to the indoctrination process. His face was grotesquely twisted, the lower jaw pulled far to the side as his tongue lolled loosely about. His eyes glared at them with a mixture of pain and malice as he lumbered towards the Commander, his arms reaching down well past his knees to allow his trailing claws to scrape across the floor.

The beast surged forward, swinging one of the malformed arms viciously. Shepard countered with a quick arm block, claws scraping on metal as his damaged shield arm quivered violently. He dodged back from another swing before slashing at the monster with his sword. The not-Krogan screeched as its innards spilled from the gaping rent in its belly, clutching at them with one hand. It lunged forward, head-butting the Commander's mech hard enough to send him stumbling back a couple of steps. Without pause, he lifted his shield-arm, unleashing a flurry of bullets that tore the Krogan's head open, dropping it swiftly before turning to face the next rank of shambling abominations.

Thane found himself facing a duo of semi-indoctrinated Krogan. One sported a grotesque hump on its back, swollen with strange oily fluids and glowing eezo, while the other had one arm shorter than the other, little more than a twisted lump of bone with a taut covering of skin. The first one fell quickly as the Drell slashed with his sword, lopping its head off, then the second perished when he bashed it in the face with his shield, taking advantage of the momentary distraction to stab into the repulsive hump, eliciting a river of foul-smelling liquid before the creature slowly died.

Delexia stood guard over Mordin while the Salarian quickly typed a few commands into his omnitool. She stabbed at one lurching Yahg hybrid, the jagged edge of her broken sword ripping open the creature's throat, before the professor followed this up with an Incineration blast that left the beast writhing on the floor as rancid smoke rose from the newly created corpse.

Shepard grunted as one of the half-Yahg creatures he found himself squaring off against managed to get a firm hold of his sword arm, its massive hands clamping shut around his battlemech's wrist and buying enough time for a second one to pin his other arm. The Commander tugged first at one arm, then the other in an attempt to free himself. Summoning up every ounce of strength he had, Shepard hauled on his sword arm, physically dragging the beast clinging to him around until it collided with its comrade, the heads of the pair knocking together with a resounding clack.

As the aliens staggered back, Shepard launched a rocket at the first, finishing it off with a volley from his chain-gun before disembowelling the second, spinning from the carnage to face any more threats. He chanced a glance over to their new Krogan ally just in time to see Jorall come up behind a mutated Krogan creature, gripping it firmly by the back of its skull before his synthetic hand clutched its brow plate. With barely any sign of strain, he pulled the plate off in an instant, ripping the beast's head open like a piece of ripe fruit. The old Krogan spun before the corpse even struck the floor, swinging with a brutal punch that went straight through the chest cavity of a lurching Yahg. As this beast fell to the burly alien's immense strength, he looked back at the Commander with a grin.

"After so many centuries in that cell, it feels good to finally kill something!"

"I hear that." Shepard grinned back. He looked about, seeing more of the creatures approaching, prompting him to address his whole squad. "And it looks like we're going to have no shortage of targets. Keep together!"

**~o~0~o~**

The squad cut a bloody swathe through the dungeons, slaughtering scores of the half-formed abominations as they advanced. After several minutes of frantic carnage, they found themselves in a guard post, where Jorall was able to arm himself more appropriately, scavenging a pistol, shotgun and assault rifle in short order. As Shepard watched him selecting his arsenal, he observed that the Krogan was largely unmarked, considering the intensity of the fighting that they had just endured. With his cybernetic augmentations, as well as his natural strength, a weapon really seemed like overkill. But then again, in a situation like this there was no such thing.

"If I know anything about Vandak," Jorall explained. "The coward will have retreated to his throne room, in the upper level of the fortress. He'll be able to control all of the defences from there, and he'll find it easy to get to any kind of escape ship. I can lead you there."

"You know a lot about the layout of this complex." Shepard commented cautiously.

"I've… had a number of audiences with the different chieftains who have come and gone over the centuries."

"You have yet to specify exactly why Draktarra have kept you imprisoned for so long." Thane said pointedly.

"My crimes were committed a long time ago. Long enough that they do not hold any relevance to your lives." Jorall explained.

"We'd feel a lot better knowing what kind of creature we have following us around." Delexia's tone was hostile.

"I'll bet, Turian." The way Jorall noted her species denoted an equal amount of hostility towards her. "All you need to understand is that my actions greatly advanced the goals of my clan, but unfortunately incurred the wrath of Draktarra, so for the past few centuries I have wasted away in that cell. I retain just as much animosity towards Vandak as you do. You can count on me to fight by your side."

Delexia glared for a moment before sighing, bowing her head in acquiescence.

"Let's keep moving." Shepard prompted. "We've still got to find Wrex. I hope he's alright."

"Urdnot Wrex is here?" The Krogan asked.

"You know him?"

"Indeed I do. A noble warrior and a very old friend. I look forward to seeing the look on his face when he learns of my survival."

"I'll be all too glad to give you that opportunity." Shepard promised. "Lead on. The sooner we find Vandak, the better."

The troupe made quick progress through the remainder of the citadel, swiftly ascending through the various floors as they faced off against more indoctrinated Krogan. Fortunately, the majority of the enemy force was still outside, facing off against the Allied Krogan army. As this occurred to the Commander, he found himself wondering how the allied force was faring. Had the enemy army been routed? Were they advancing on the citadel as he pursued Vandak? Would the walls of the fortress soon tremble from the combined fire of the hundred-thousand strong army? Or were they all dead at the hands of the indoctrinated armies of Draktarra?

As this storm of thoughts twisted through his mind, Shepard found himself standing before a pair of heavy metal doors, the final barrier before the Draktarra throne room, where the squad anticipated that the elusive Vandak waited. The Commander slapped the holographic interface, the door ringing hollowly under his battlemech's fist, but he only received a negative buzz in response. He looked back over his shoulder to Thane, nodding for the Drell to get to work. The assassin obediently stepped up to the interface, bringing up his omnitool. After a moment, his normally neutral features twisted with a measure of frustration, a detail Shepard all too easily picked up on.

"Something wrong?"

"This system is a lot more complex than anything I've worked with before." The Drell admitted. "It's certainly above and beyond anything the Krogan should have access to."

"Possible Reaper technology has infiltrated system?" Mordin suggested. "Maybe installed own defences within nearby surroundings in attempt at self-preservation."

"Its possible." Shepard admitted. "Can you get through it?"

"Given time, I could get through anything. Just give me a few min-"

The squad jumped as Jorall swung his synthetic fist, smashing it into the door with a tremendous crash. Metal shrieked under his powerful fingers as he physically ripped the lock out of the door, leaving a ragged hole behind. Dropping the mangled lock, he then grunted as he pulled the two halves of the door apart, the metal offering next to no resistance under such an assault. He looked back to the rest of the squad, all staring at him with not a little amazement.

"I don't like being kept waiting." He growled.

"Point taken." Shepard answered as he stepped past the alien.

Beyond the mangled doors waited a set of stairs, the final flight they had to climb before they were confronted by a cavernous throne room. Sitting directly beneath the peak of the highest rooftop of the fortress, this grand chamber was open to the elements on all sides, thick pillars supporting the roof while the occupants could gaze out on an unobstructed view of Tuchanka. Considering it was an example of Krogan architecture, the chamber was surprisingly pleasing to look at, the pillars and ceiling covered with carvings of Krogan glory and bloodlust while the floor was tiled with a representation of a vast Thresher Maw. As the squad stepped out into the open air just outside the ring of pillars, strong gusts of wind tugged at them, bitingly cold at this tremendous altitude.

Through the pillars, Shepard could see the battle still raging. The Draktarra forces seemed to be in full retreat now, the Allied Krogan army having pushed its way to within a couple of hundred metres of the base of the Draktarra citadel, several hundred dizzying metres below. Overhead, the two navies were still evenly matched, although a number of ships on either side sported grievous amounts of damage.

Inside the encircling pillars, a flickering red barrier barred the way, humming with raw power that threatened to cause grave harm to any that tried to interfere with it. Past that, the throne room itself was almost empty. A large throne, carved from a single chunk of ancient rock and worn by the passage of countless years, sat atop a raised dais, allowing any who occupied it to gaze down on the rest of the chamber. Impressive as it was, though, the throne was merely a distraction from the true centrepiece of the room.

Looming over the tiled floor of the chamber, placed in the exact centre of the room, a device very similar to the 'egg' Shepard had encountered on Meroxis, the Reaper device that had indoctrinated the Prothean scientists thousands of years ago and, more recently, had subverted the mind of Delexia's friend and former crew-mate Stanara. Ghostly grey-blue metal gleamed in the light of the morning sun, an evanescent mist drifting around it. Reaching up from the thick base, the rounded 'branches' extended out to either side in a wide circle, giving this relic a more tree-like appearance than the previous artefacts the Commander had encountered. It was as though this highly unnatural device were cruelly mocking nature by imitating it in such a vulgarly wrong fashion. And there was the single facet Shepard found most unsettling about the device. This faceless, motionless thing exuded an air of sentience. Even though it was only a conduit for the thoughts and wishes of its masters, the device seemed unnervingly alive.

In front of this profane altar to the Reapers knelt Draktarra Vandak, still encased in his battlemech. The Krogan's eyes were shut tight as his head bowed. His lips trembled as though he were muttering something.

As if sensing the squad's presence, the Draktarra chieftain's head jerked up, his sapphire blue stare pinning the Commander. As he rose to stand, a feral grin split his features.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" He waved a hand back at the device. "This device connects me to all of the Reapers' loyal subjects on Tuchanka, and they to me. We are all unified, conjoined, through the neural network. Thousands of minds, all working together to create a stronger whole, like the Geth."

"That's what you think the Reapers have given you? Strength through unity?" Shepard asked incredulously. "This only makes you weaker, easier to control! You call yourselves the Reapers' 'subjects', but you're only their thralls!"

"In a time where all organic life faces extinction, survival is the only indication of strength!" Vandak's voice was strained with emotion. "Draktarra's service will preserve a small remnant of the Krogan race through the ruination that threatens us all."

"The Reapers speak with only deceit and illusion." Jorall spoke up. "They will only cut you down once the rest of the Galaxy has been cleansed!"

"Ah, I see you released the Urdnot murderer." Vandak said smugly. "How fitting that the being who would lead the Galaxy to its demise would ally himself with one who already has so much blood on his hands." He began to pace. "What you fail to realise, Jorall the Deceiver, is that I am no stranger to the arenas of diplomacy. I ensured that the terms of our agreement were favourable."

"What have you done?" Jorall's question was barely anything less than a roar.

"We have been provided with unique control codes for all of the Mass Relays in the system. Once every Krogan who would stand against the Reapers has been slaughtered, we shall use these codes to permanently seal Tuchanka off from the rest of the Galaxy. Our Relays will go silent, and all Relays that connect with the system shall have the co-ordinates erased from their memory banks."

"Its not as though you'd be building a giant wall around the system." Delexia protested. "The Reapers could just cross the interstellar distance at standard FTL speeds."

"A fair point." Vandak admitted. "But even at the speed of light it would take several centuries for them to reach us from the nearest system. Time enough for the Krogan remnant to prepare a warm welcome. By then, Draktarra will truly be strong, and we will be ready."

"You're insane!" Jorall spat. "You have no guarantee the Relays will respond to these codes! For all you know, the codes could cause the Mass Relays in the system to detonate, wiping you all out!"

Vandak's expression didn't shift an inch. Shepard could clearly see that logic no longer had any say in the Krogan's thought processes, only the cold, metallic whisperings of his cruel masters. The Draktarra chieftain smiled thinly.

"You shall see reason in time. If not, perhaps you will make a fine addition to my menagerie. The Yahg my men have been bringing back from Parnack have been rather dull of late." He looked Jorall up and down appraisingly. "Those cybernetic enhancements may have protected that mind of yours, but the egg has many ways to overthrow a being's free will."

"I would rather die." Jorall barked.

"I fail to see how you could think that you have any choice in the matter." Vandak turned away from them. "But that's not important right now. The first matter I must deal with is that army you have brought with you. I must thank you for bringing all of my enemies together under one banner. It makes the task my masters have bestowed upon me that much simpler."

The Krogan warlord walked back to the relic, placing the huge metal hands of his battlemech on the smooth semi-metal surface of the relic. The flickering aura around the device suddenly intensified, pulsing rapidly. A low hum escaped from the blue-grey surface.

As Shepard tried to get an inkling of what the Krogan warlord was doing, a sudden red flash near the back of the throne room caught his eye. He looked towards it, but caught only a blur of motion behind the Reaper relic, inside of the protective barrier of the chamber. His pulse raced as he realised what was going on. In an attempt to buy some time, he tried to draw Vandak's attention back to the squad.

"What are you doing?"

"I already told you." Vandak answered without looking away from the relic. "I am in communion with every servant of the Reapers on Tuchanka."

"What does that mean?" Shepard pressed.

"Patience, Shepard. All will become clear."

The squad looked about anxiously as a loud rumbling greeted their ears. At first, Shepard thought it was coming from the device, but then he became aware that it was actually coming from far underfoot, travelling up the length of the Draktarra citadel. A knot growing in his gut, Shepard hurried to the edge of the floor, glancing over and downwards.

On the ground, far below, the Commander could see the two armies now moving a lot more hesitantly as the soil beneath their feet trembled, in the throes of a terrible earthquake. Even the mighty fortress swayed as the rock of its foundations shook. Shepard gasped as what was happening became apparent.

"Vandak, you can't!" He yelled, wheeling to face the Krogan. "You can't!"

Screeching like monsters from the depths of hell, a dozen monstrous beasts erupted from the ground, rearing up hundreds of feet into the air as they loomed over the two armies. Mandibles stretched out menacingly from gaping mouths, while hideously long tongues lashed about like tentacles, testing the air in a manner that allowed them to 'see' much better than the blue sensory organs above their mouths that served as their eyes.

In the middle of this swarm of beasts loomed a truly hideous specimen, easily five times the size of its peers. The grotesque body was a slimy cylinder as least a hundred feet thick, if not more. When it opened its mouth to scream out with its hungry roar, it revealed an opening that could have easily swallowed the prow of the Normandy, if not the whole ship. The eyes, bigger and more defined than those on its cousins, gleamed with an intelligence that was, frankly, unsettling. As it looked about, Shepard could have sworn that, for a brief moment, it focused on the peak of the citadel, glaring at him. As it turned away, he caught sight of a massive metal plate in the back of what counted for its head, gleaming with the same grey-blue as the Reaper relic. Upon noticing this, he realised that every last one of the creatures had the same thing installed.

"Jalmund save us." Jorall breathed. The dread in his voice was contagious.

"What is that thing?" Delexia asked with fear.

"The All-Thresher." There was also a hint of reverence in how Jorall explained this. "The ancestor of all Thresher Maws, living in the very core of the planet. I thought it was just a myth."

"Apparently not." Shepard turned back to face Vandak, who was watching their horrified reactions with a smug smirk.

That smug expression quickly vanished, however, as a massive shape emerged from behind the relic. Roaring as he ran, Urdnot Wrex lifted the sword of his battlemech, surging forward to collide with the Draktarra chieftain. Vandak was caught off guard, hurled to the floor with a crash. He soon regained his footing, facing his opponent with sword and shield at the ready.

As the two Krogan chieftains lunged at one another once more, Shepard looked back to the stairs he and his squad had just ascended. He groaned as a cluster of Yahg emerged, howling viciously as they charged.

**~o~0~o~**

Grunt paused in the act of driving the blade of his mech's sword through the skull of a fallen Yahg as the ground underneath began to shake. He looked over to Hurn questioningly, but the other Krogan could only shrug, just as confused as he.

They were deep within the enemy ranks, having managed to carve a path away from the doors to the Draktarra citadel until they found themselves at their current location, surrounded on all sides by howling enemies. The corpses of those that had fallen to their combined fury were piled high in a circle around them, while two tanks burned fiercely, as dead as the Krogan within.

Before the pair could utter a word to one another, a Thresher Maw burst from the ground, towering over them. It screeched terribly as it waved its massive head about, looking from one side to the other. A gunship buzzed by, peppering it with bullets in passing. The creature slammed its head into the craft, knocking it out of the sky with ease.

The nearest members of the Allied Krogan army roared as they surveyed this new threat, but refused to be cowed, simply lifting their guns and pouring untold amounts of fire into the creature, as well as the other Maws that popped up across the battlefield.

Grunt, however, found his attention completely engulfed by the monstrosity that loomed ever higher behind the Thresher that threatened both Hurn and himself. As he took in the full might of the All-Thresher a myriad thoughts flickered through his mind. Images from the tank, images of ancient tapestries and stone carvings that depicted the fiendish beast ripping through score upon score of Krogan as though they were nothing more than dawn mist. Stories whispered in his as-yet unborn ear of the terrible evil lurking in the heart of the planet, the malignancy that spawned all Thresher Maws.

Every instinct in his bones told him to run, to find a dark place and hide there for the rest of his days. But even with millions of years of Krogan survival instincts commanding him, the Urdnot soldier could not move. He froze, staring at the beast while the strange sensation of fear coursed through his veins.

As they watched, the gargantuan creature reared up, head arching back. There was a wet gurgling noise, then a gobbet of green slime the size of a skycar leapt from its mouth, striking a cruiser dead-on. The ship shuddered, its engines flickering, before the corrosive spittle burnt through the hull and into the sensitive interior. It began to list to the side, coasting closer and closer to the ground. In a vain effort to defend itself, its engines managed to bring it about until its main gun faced the All-Thresher, allowing it to fire off a single powerful shot. The projectile ripped into the creature, summoning a roar of pain, but the beast was hardly slowed. It lunged out, wrapping its sinuous body around the cruiser. The coils of mighty flesh bunched and twisted until the cruiser snapped in half under the pressure, the two parts dropping to the ground with a mighty crash.

"Grunt!" Hurn was yelling. "Grunt! Snap out of it! We've got to do something!"

Grunt shook himself, struggling to free himself from the paralysing grip of his new-found terror. He turned to look to his comrade. Hurn was right. If they didn't do something, then these creatures could easily rout the remnant of the allied army.

"Split up!" He ordered. "Find something to use against those things!"

Hurn nodded quietly, turning to race off. Grunt headed in the opposite direction, eyes scanning the battlefield for something, anything that he could use. His battlesuit was all well and good, but it could do nothing against something of that size.

As he raced past one burnt out tank, his gaze settled upon a downed gunship, the same one that the Thresher Maw had taken out not two minutes ago. The Krogan piloting it had been killed in the crash, but other than that it appeared mostly airworthy, if a little battered around the edges. He grinned. Yes, that would do nicely.

**~o~0~o~**

A powerful fist connected with the chest-plate of the Commander's battlemech, buckling the metal enough that he felt the interior of the suit pressing down on his stomach painfully. Shepard staggered back from the blow, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The Yahg he faced off against leered as it attacked again, sensing his weakness. His battlemech's fists rose up to block a flurry of blows, but the strength behind his defences was ebbing. The suit only amplified what he put into it, and with his endurance being pushed to the limits, that effort was taking its toll.

At his side, Delexia was in slightly better condition. Her suit having lost all of its ranged weapons by now, she relied entirely upon her mech's fists, dripping green with enemy blood. In one swift movement, she swung one arm around her newest foe's neck and planted her free fist in its face, crushing the skull with an incredible punch.

Mordin and Thane, meanwhile, stood back to back with Jorall. The trio was surrounded by opponents, but the combination of the Salarian's tech, the Drell's biotics and the Krogan's pure brute strength held them back. As Shepard watched, one Yahg tumbled to the floor aflame, a Krogan in a battlemech howled as blue-white energies hurled him off the edge of the floor and another Krogan squealed as he was lifted bodily and used as a weapon to bludgeon his nearest ally. Casting aside the now broken corpse, Jorall brought up his arm, activating a stolen omnitool. He palm interface sparked and an Overload leapt from his hand, striking a Krogan battlemech with enough power to short out its systems, giving Thane the opportunity to reach over and skewer the Krogan inside with his sword.

That was one fact that had surprised Shepard during his short association with the elderly Krogan. Most Krogan lacked the finesse or patience for anything other than unrestrained brawling. For the wily Jorall to display tech skills that seemed equal to even Mordin's abilities was surprising. Shepard would never have believed he'd one day be fighting alongside a Krogan tech expert.

Noting that the squad had cleanly dealt with all but a few enemies, the Commander looked towards the throne room. Inside, Wrex and Vandak were still slugging it out, their mech's very much the worse for wear after the brutal wrestling match they were locked in. Vandak's mech had lost both chain-guns and had a severely buckled leg, while Wrex's shield and rocket launchers were long gone, one arm ending below the elbow in a sparking stump. Both Krogan gasped for air as their swords clattered against one another wildly.

With a sudden spin, Wrex's mech glowed with biotic power, his intact hand rushing out palm-first. A wall of dark energy screamed across the throne room, picking up the Draktarra chieftain and flinging both him and his battlemech into the flickering barrier that protected the throne room. Wild red arcs of power crawled across the Draktarra battlemech, dancing here and there in a vicious storm. Shepard caught the pitiful wails of Vandak, trapped within the mech, as raw power coursed through his flesh, causing the stink of frying meat to drift on the air, soon carried away by the strong winds.

The battlemech sagged to the floor, landing on outstretched hands. Amazingly, Vandak still lived. The Krogan moved uncertainly, but managed to crawl forward a few paces on all fours before he raised his head. His breath came in ragged gasps as he glared at the Urdnot chieftain standing over him.

"Is that… is that the best you can do?" He asked haughtily.

"No." Wrex's voice was flat, a dead calm that deceptively hid the anger that boiled in his eyes. "I'm just getting started."

With a grunt, he stabbed downwards with his sword, piercing the back of the battlemech. So powerful was the thrust that the tip of the blade kept going, shearing through metal plating and thick wiring until it found yielding flesh and bone, then kept going until the tip protruded from Vandak's chest. As he pulled his arm back, the sword lodged in the corpse, lifting Vandak up with in. There was a quiet tink noise, then the Draktarra chieftain dropped back to the floor, the broken sword still protruding from the front and back of the mech. Wrex regarded the broken shard that was all that remained of his weapon with a cold gaze, then turned away from the dead chieftain, stepping up to the Reaper artefact and regarding it impassively.

It was only then that Shepard noted with not a little alarm that the squad was not alone atop the Draktarra citadel. Above the Reaper 'egg' loomed a massive, translucent shape, a glowing yellow hologram. The sleek, elongated body crouched over several menacing tentacle-like appendages while four luminous yellow eyes stared out from where the two met. Those eyes watched the organics with an expression that spoke volumes. Locked in that gaze was millions of years of disgust, arrogance and pure assertion that the being behind those eyes was the superior one. The very fact that the individual was forced to speak with beings it viewed as so far beneath its own level of existence was viewed as a very affront to the universe, in its opinion.

Frowning, Wrex looked up at the hologram warily. For a moment, he looked like an ant regarding the Human standing over him, foot raised and ready to slam down on him. When the thunderous voice rolled out across the throne room, he flinched.

"Urdnot Wrex."

There was a pause as Wrex struggled to find the words to confront the creature.

"You know who I am?"

"We are Harbinger. We know all."

"Really?" Delexia muttered, standing next to Shepard. "Do you think he could give me next week's lottery numbers? The Citadel Lucky Galaxies Rollover is worth forty-two million."

Shepard shushed her as he regarded his old friend, still on the far side of the crackling red barrier. Harbinger's thunderous tone echoed out again.

"You have defeated Vandak." It was a statement, not a question.

"He was weak." Wrex's voice sounded pitiful next to the Reaper's.

"All organic life is weak." Harbinger said dismissively. "We offer you true strength. Elevation to an existence in which you will experience power unlike anything ever imagined."

"And the only price we have to pay is to betray every organic race in existence? To let the Galaxy become an empty waste?" Wrex spat. "No deal."

"You would be wise to consider your decision carefully." Harbinger warned. "The Krogan stand on the edge of destruction. The other races have crippled you beyond recovery. Even this 'cure' cannot save you from what has already come to pass."

"Better to face an honourable death making sure the rest of the Galaxy is safe from you than to submit like a coward!" Wrex's protest was strong, but Shepard thought he could hear a note of regret in it.

"Our advance cannot be stopped." The Reaper's tone was almost sympathetic, but the Commander could hear the deceit in it. "All races shall fall before us."

The 'egg' pulsed brightly, and suddenly Shepard's mind was filled with images as his body was wracked with pain. He saw Reapers advancing on the Citadel in their thousands, of the massive machines stalking across a variety of unknown planets, blazing a trail through anything that stood in their path. In his mind's eye, thousands after thousands perished in moments, a process that had occurred countless times without ceasing. Every time the cycle repeated itself, more fought, countless trillions died, but the Reapers only grew stronger. As his brain processed the enormity of the message, he felt his core begin to cool. How could they fight against such relentless fury? Surely it was better to submit and have some survive in a renewed form than to risk the deaths of every last member of his race in a futile fight.

The armoured boot of his will stamped down on the thoughts, crushing the subtle whispers of the Reaper. No. They could win. He could resist the indoctrinating thoughts. This time, this single, glorious time, the Reapers would fail.

"Wrex, don't listen!" He struggled against the paralysing murmurs of the Reaper device, an incessant throbbing that grew in his head with the slightest idea of rebellion. Every fibre of his mind told him to give up, but his heart screamed at him to resist. "We can fight them!"

He strained to lift his head, seeing his friends in a similar state of agony. Even the resilient Jorall appeared to be afflicted with the Reaper vision. Wrex was kneeling on the floor, face creased with torment as his mind frothed with images of death and failure. What could the Krogan remnant do against such brutality? Was Vandak right? Was survival the only real sign of strength in these difficult days?

With a mighty effort, the Urdnot chieftain raised the intact hand of his battlesuit.

"I… I…" His lungs refused to draw in any breath. He paused, struggling to summon the strength to answer this titan, this god that addressed him directly. Calling on every reserve he had, Urdnot Wrex's head snapped up to look straight into Harbinger's menacing eyes. His teeth flashed maliciously as he finally answered the Reaper.

**~o~0~o~**

Grunt frowned as his gunship wallowed uncertainly above the battlefield. Some of the steering components must have been damaged, making it very difficult to manoeuvre. But then again, he didn't need an agile craft like the Normandy. He needed a weapons platform, and the gunship was certainly that. He grinned as he surveyed the array of buttons before him, the majority of which related to some weapon or another. It was a firm Krogan belief that overkill did not exist, only the time to start shooting and the time when everyone was dead.

Two fighters screeched by overhead, ignoring the sluggish gunship. The ungainly craft offered no challenge, and they were looking for a good fight.

The Urdnot warrior fixed his sights on the massive Thresher Maw towering over the battlefield. It had already severely damaged several of the Allied Krogan army's armada and was now sowing chaos among the ground forces, killing Krogan by the dozen. Unchecked, the All-Thresher alone would cause a rout. Grunt wasn't about to allow that to happen.

As he drew near, the Krogan warrior began looking for a weak spot to go for. His tank imprints informed him of many sweet spots to go for on an average Thresher, but what kind of impact would those weak points have on a massive creature like this? He thought back to his fight with the Thresher during his Rite of Passage. He'd aimed for the eyes and the mouth, its main method of sensing its surroundings, sending it into an uncontrolled frenzy that made it all the easier to bring down. But this thing was so big that a wild frenzy like that would only make matters worse. If it began to flail across the plain, it was sure to kill many more Krogan.

As he brought the struggling gunship up higher and higher, he glanced out at the vehicles all around him. Many frigates were hurriedly concentrating their firepower on any Threshers within range, while the cruisers and dreadnoughts focused on attacking the remaining Draktarra forces. He saw the Normandy wing past, Thanix cannon blazing brightly as it stitched a white-hot line across the prow of a Draktarra dreadnought. The gunship containing the squad's biotics flitted around closer to the ground, sowing chaos among the enemy infantry, or what remained of it. Nobody was really available to join him in his task.

Finally he found what he was seeking. His gunship buzzed around above the creature's head, allowing him a good view of the strange device that had melded itself to the beast's skull. It was a vast expanse of metal, about forty feet in length and breadth. Strange tubes and wires sprawled across it, winding their way down into the Thresher's brain. The entire device glowed with an ethereal light, its grey-blue metal gleaming in the sunlight.

Without hesitation, the young Krogan began pushing buttons wildly. The gunship quivered as its vast arsenal unleashed a wild volley at the device. Countless bullets and dozens of rockets tore into the metal plate, blasting chunks of it off to tumble to the ground far below. After a full second of intense firing, the device lost some of its eerie lustre, the power seeming to drain from it.

The effect was instantaneous. The Thresher reared up in pain, releasing a shriek that tore through the minds of everyone present on the battlefield, a deafening noise that burned away the soul. It thrashed about for a brief moment, shaking the last pieces of the device loose before turning back to the battlefield. Rivers of slick, yellow-green blood poured from the new wound in its skull as it let its torment be known to all present.

At first, Grunt was dismayed that his attack had done little to slow the creature down. That dip in his mood soon vanished, however, as he noticed the creature had turned back towards the Draktarra forces, attacking them with vicious gusto. It slaughtered anything in its path, be it Krogan, Yahg or machine. Letting out a whoop of triumph, Grunt angled his gunship downwards, looking for a new target. He noticed the rest of the Threshers appeared to be equally unshackled. They now lashed out at Draktarra and Urdnot alike, truly free creatures again. Hardly a perfect victory, but at least now the enemy had to be equally as wary of the Threshers as his allies were.

His satisfaction at the outcome soon vanished, however, when he noted the course of the All-Thresher. With an almost intelligent fervour, the creature was heading straight for the biggest object it could find to attack, the Draktarra citadel, the same building that Grunt's Battlemaster was still inside of. Anxiety eating at his belly, Grunt slammed the thrusters to full, sending the gunship rocketing madly across the sky after the unleashed beast.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard's voice locked in his throat as he tried to cry out a warning to his friend. The pressure from the Reaper's will was overpowering, crushing down on the part of his mind that made him who he was. Panic flooded through his thoughts as he felt his free will, his ability to decide his own fate, slipping away, succumbing to the desires of Harbinger's superior authority. He saw Wrex raise his head, a menacing expression on his face, and the Commander felt his heart drop. Nobody was strong enough to deny such an overwhelming command. In moments his friend would turn on all that he stood for and ally with those hated machines.

"I… am… KROGAN!"

The roar was as terrible as any word the Reaper could have uttered, the full-blooded primal rage of an entire species flooding down into three succinct words. Wrex erupted into action, his entire body lunging forwards as the roar continued to tear itself free from his throat. The shoulder of his mech collided with the reaper relic, causing the gargantuan device to totter. He flung himself at it again, and again. Each impact caused the device to shake even more as it was slowly, surely, pushed across the tiled floor. After the fifth or sixth blow, the first of the 'branches' of the device kissed the barrier between two pillars.

Electrical power raced along the device, red energies combating the blue aura of the relic. Sparks flew as the air around the machine heated to unbearable levels. Above the relic, the image of Harbinger flickered erratically. The Reaper's voice stuttered as the transmission broke up.

"So be it. You, along with all of those you claim to lead, shall perish."

The hologram vanished, leaving eerie silence in its wake, both literally and mentally. Wrex sagged before the relic, gasping for breath. As the device continued to battle with the barrier, the intense energies soon drained both, dropping the barrier and leaving the relic as nothing but an empty shell, the blue-grey metal becoming dull. With the barrier out of the way, Shepard raced over to his old friend, kneeling next to him.

"Wrex! You alright?"

The Krogan warlord looked up, a victorious smile on his weary face.

"Shepard. Glad you could make it."

"You did it, old friend. Vandak is dead."

"And the Krogan are free." The Urdnot chieftain added. "We will not bow to these invaders."

Shepard patted him on the shoulder silently. He felt proud of the merc-turned-leader beside him, and that pride beamed out through his smiling eyes.

The brief moment was quickly shattered as an ear-piercing shriek ripped through the citadel. The noise bored directly into the Commander's brain, almost as bad as the Reaper images.

"What the hell?" Shepard's voice barely carried over the noise.

"Shepard!" Mordin released a startled shout. He waved the Commander over.

The squad hustled over to the edge of the floor, looking out over the battlefield. The All-Thresher loomed menacingly close, making a beeline for the citadel. It dipped under the ground for a few moments, leaving no sign of its current heading save a rising column of disturbed dust moving in a straight line across the plain. Although its features were entirely too alien to read with Human standards, Shepard could read the determination in its movements all too well.

"Oh, this is not going to end well." Delexia muttered with dread.

"Quickly, we must descend!" Thane urged.

"No time." Wrex muttered. "We'd only be caught inside when that thing got here."

"Well I'm open to any suggestions." Delexia drawled.

"Just one: When I tell you to, jump." Shepard stared at the onrushing juggernaut, judging his timing.

"I'm sorry, Commander. I think I misheard you." Delexia wheeled on him. "Did you just tell me to jump?"

"Not yet. Just follow my lead."

"Sorry, Commander. I'm gonna have to ask you another question. Are you out of your fucking mind?"

"Trust me." Shepard said calmly, still not looking to his Turian colleague.

"I'm pretty sure these suits won't take the kind of punishment a fall like that hands out, Shepard." Wrex warned.

"They won't have to." Shepard's voice remained even.

The Thresher had reached the citadel, beginning to curl around it like a snake winding its way up a tree. The rock under its coils cracked ominously, splintering with the immense pressure it exerted through pure muscle power. It continued to sprout up out of the ground, hundreds, thousands of feet in length.

"Shepard?" Delexia asked anxiously.

"Not yet."

The Thresher continued to scale the citadel, now well over halfway up the length of the massive building. The entire structure quivered uncertainly, all stability lost. Shepard got the feeling that, if the creature released its grip right now, the fortress would fall, crumbling into dust. The beast wound around the citadel a couple more times, its head finally rushing past the throne room.

"Now!"

The squad burst into action, all leaping forward after their Commander. Shepard lunged forward, striking the broad back of the All-Thresher with a thump. The powerful hands of his battlemech struggled to find purchase on the hide, fingers wedging under scales. Behind him, the rest of the team all got a grip on the creature, Thane using his mech's sword the stab into the thick hide to give him additional purchase. Jorall was the last to hit the Thresher's back, considerably further back along the creature.

With a roar that rumbled through every inch of its being, the All-Thresher clenched its coils, snapping the citadel into over a dozen pieces with one quick twist. The centuries-old fortress crumbled under the beast's immense strength like a sandcastle being torn apart by a python.

Shepard was thrown about chaotically as the Thresher dropped back down to the ground, diving towards the soil as it made ready to vanish beneath the surface. Realising the threat to his squad, he thought frantically of a way to bring the creature up short, giving them time enough to get clear. If they were dragged underground with it, they were certain to be killed.

Mind buzzing frantically, the Commander did the only thing he could. He deployed his chain-guns, balancing on the heaving hide for a moment before unleashing the full fury of his weapons. As pitiful as the attack was against the massive Thresher, it did the trick. The monster reared up at the sudden itch on its back, shaking from side to side. It wasn't much, but it was enough. The ground was certainly a lot closer now, close enough for the Commander to risk leaping down. He tensed, readying for the leap.

The Thresher Maw lurched, wriggling with even more ferocity. The sudden undulation put Shepard and his comrades off-balance. They were thrown clear, scattering across the plain in all directions.

Shepard struck the ground hard enough that his battlemech made a sizeable dent in the plain, a plume of dust rising all around him. Wincing at a badly sprained wrist, he struggled to his feet, looking about cautiously. He spotted Wrex lying on the ground close by and rushed over to help him up. In moments, a frantic search revealed Delexia stumbling about dazedly, a bad gash running across her forehead, soon followed by Thane, his mech missing an entire arm and one of its rocket launchers, and finally Mordin, his mech so badly damaged that it could do little more than walk about, its weapons systems all inactive. There was no sign of Jorall.

"Where's the Krogan?" Delexia asked.

"With the way that thing was shaking about, he could be anywhere." Shepard commented.

"Who was he anyway?" Wrex asked. "I didn't exactly have the chance to get a good look at him."

Before another word could be uttered, the All-Thresher unleashed another roar, surging up from under the ground to swat a gunship out of the sky. Behind it, the rest of the nest of creatures continued to rip into both the Draktarra remnant, little more than a disorganised rabble now, and the Allied Krogan army, who were now taking considerable losses.

"No time to look for him." Shepard concluded. "If we don't take those things out, there won't be anything left of the army."

The squad ran off after the All-Thresher, searching for anything to use against the creature.

**~o~0~o~**

Hurn hurried along between the burnt-out hulks of several downed ships, carefully picking his way past piles of the dead and the debris of the fierce conflict. He glanced up with concern, watching in amazement as the Draktarra citadel disintegrated under the All-Thresher's assault. He flinched as the massive creature dived towards the ground, roaring as it descended. The ground quivered under his feet as the beast ploughed under the surface a scant fifty metres from his location. He watched for a moment as the massive beast roared away, churning the earth before it as it burrowed its way across the plain.

A moment later, like a comet screaming out of the sky, a black shape thumped into the dust not far from his location. He raced over, glancing down into the shallow crater that the strange meteorite had created. Inside lay the armoured body of a Krogan, moving weakly as he struggled to shake off the dazing effect of his fall. A cybernetic arm scraped across the ground, struggling to grant him enough purchase to rise to his feet. A gleaming synthetic eye turned to the Urdnot warrior. Hurn raised his weapons defensively.

"I am Urdnot Hurn." He announced. "Are you friend, or foe?"

"A friend." The half-synthetic Krogan answered. "I bring word from Urdnot Wrex and the Commander Shepard."

"They live?" Hurn asked, relieved.

"Last I saw." The Krogan answered. "Vandak is dead, the Reaper artefact destroyed. Urdnot is victorious."

Hurn sagged with relief. With such crucial assets denied to the enemy, the battle was now little more than a clean-up operation.

"What's your name, stranger?" He asked, still a little wary.

"I am Jorall. Urdnot Jorall. I have been a prisoner of the Draktarra for many years."

Both Krogan flinched as Hurn's comm unit crackled.

"This is Commander Shepard. Does anyone out there still copy?"

"He lived?" Jorall muttered. "The Commander is tougher than he appears. Obviously his race should not be underestimated."

"I hear you, Shepard." Hurn responded. "And I've found an old Krogan who claims to have spoken with you inside the fortress."

"He made it?" Shepard asked with relief. "Good. Is anyone else out there?"

"I'm here, Battlemaster." Grunt growled from his gunship far above.

"Good." The Human's voice was filled with relief. "I was worried for a while after those doors split us up."

"The Draktarra were nothing we couldn't handle, Battlemaster." Grunt said proudly. "We slaughtered many in your name today!"

"Glad to hear it." The Commander replied smoothly. "But now I've got a different mission for you."

"What do you want us to do, Commander?" Hurn asked.

"Hurn, without the Reaper artefact directing their efforts, the Draktarra are becoming weak, disorganised. We'll want to round them up to try and reverse the indoctrination process, see if we can't set them free. But there's a Thresher Maw threatening the largest concentration of ground troops remaining. I need you to find a way to take care of it before our men can move in to secure some prisoners."

"What about me, Shepard?" Grunt asked eagerly.

"I need you to help us take on the big one. This is going to take a lot of work to bring down."

"I'm on it." Grunt's voice hid an eager chuckle.

"We're on our way." Hurn confirmed, closing his comm channel. Behind him, Jorall spat.

"Taking prisoners." He said derisively. "Where's the honour in that? We are Krogan! We should take the opportunity to make sure every last one of our enemies perishes."

"The Commander is second-in-command of the Allied Krogan army." Hurn explained. "His orders are to be followed without question. Only Warlord Wrex ranks higher than he."

"An alien in command of Krogan warriors?" Jorall sputtered. "Oh, the shame this heaps upon our species. What does an alien know of glory? What does an alien know of our way of life?"

"More than you'd think. The Commander has faced and killed a Thresher Maw on foot with only two warriors at his back, one an alien, the other a Krogan yet to complete his Rite."

"Skill in battle does not create an equal to a true Krogan." Jorall countered. "He cannot understand our ways! Otherwise, he would not expect us to save the lives of our enemies! Every man, woman and child we leave alive today will be able to thrust a sword into our back tomorrow!"

"The decision has been made. Abide by it, or stay here. I care not which path you choose. I will follow my Battlemaster. Until death, if needed."

Hurn turned and began sprinting off across the battlefield to follow his orders, his suit grinding as it managed a fair turn of speed. Behind him, Jorall growled irritably for a moment before sighing and setting off in pursuit.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard hurried across the battlefield, his teammates in close pursuit. Together, the ragged band rushed after the All-Thresher. They watched in horror as it reached the Allied Krogan forces, ripping into them with terrible ferocity. Gunships darted around it, peppering its flesh with fire but causing little harm to it. The creature flailed all about, launching gobbets of corrosive saliva at various targets with devastating accuracy. The Krogan force was being rapidly torn apart.

As Shepard's mind whirled trying to think of any way to at least scare off if not kill the monster, his eyes settled upon one of the many crashed ships that now littered the battle plain. The cruiser had fallen from the sky after being brought down by Urdnot firepower, its hull riddled with holes and its interior choked with thick smoke. The massive main gun jutted out of the prow, barrel aimed directly at the creature not two hundred metres away.

"Mordin!" He called, gesturing to the gun. "Think it's got one more shot in it?"

The Salarian stared at the downed ship pensively, judging the potential of the idea. After a moment, a small grin broke across his face, a mixture of confidence in his abilities and approval for the Commander's idea.

"Will be difficult, but possible." He answered. "Just need time to charge the weapon. Will need to interface with bridge console."

Shepard nodded, gesturing for the team to follow. They bounded up the curve of the cruiser's hull, running across its prow directly towards the command complex that jutted out above the spine of the ship roughly at the halfway point of its length. The command centre had been ripped open during its crash, all of the crew within killed, some immediately by the impact, others much more slowly by the twisted debris. Shepard gagged at the scent of dead Krogan, turning his face away from the mangled mess in the central seat that must have been the Captain.

Mordin darted over to the nearest functional console, hacking into the system in seconds.

"Krogan firewalls never very good. Part of cultural psychology. Have disdain for secrecy and subtlety, therefore system security not a high priority. Makes our job here much easier, anyway."

"Thanks for your insight." Wrex's voice was so weary Shepard had a hard time telling if he was being sarcastic or not. "Maybe when this is over I'll look into having some Salarians look over our systems, give them an overhaul."

"Would be happy to help, once Reapers have been dealt with." The professor sniffed. "Rebuilding Krogan society good way to spend final few years."

The Salarian's omnitool sparked, catching everyone present by surprise. The ship shuddered under their feet as badly damaged components ground against one another. A tremendous groaning echoed throughout the vessel.

"Weapons system back online." Mordin explained. "Will need to maintain stable connection while powering up, then obtaining firing solution."

As he said this, a series of roars echoed through the vessel. Delexia glanced to the back of the command console, through a door that led deeper into the ship.

"Hey, Commander? I think what's left of the crew just woke up."

"God damn it!" Shepard cursed. "Everyone, watch Mordin's back while he powers up the gun. We just need to hold this room long enough to get a shot off at that damn Thresher, so give these bastards all you've got!"

In moments, Shepard, Wrex, Delexia and Thane had formed up around the single doorway, two to each side.

"I thought destroying the relic released them from Reaper control?" Wrex muttered to the Commander.

"The technology installed within their bodies still hampers their thought processes." Thane surmised. "They are Bodies with no Souls, so they answer only to their base instincts, which for Krogan are to fight and kill any invaders within their territory, namely this ship."

The first of the Krogan crew charged into range, moving with an almost bestial ferocity. The squad barely hesitated before opening fire, cutting him down in moments. Shepard regretted the need for the slaughter and would have much preferred to contain the Draktarra Krogan until a cure for their condition could be found, but right at that moment making sure the ship's gun could be fired was much more important. The survival of clan Urdnot and her allies depended upon it.

The squad fought fiercely for two long minutes before Mordin let out a cry of triumph.

"Main gun at full power!" He cried.

Shepard turned back from the doorway, nodding to his friends to hold off the onrushing Krogan while he moved over to the console. He glanced out of the gaping hole in the front of the command centre, staring at the All-Thresher before him. The mighty beast was ripping into an Urdnot cruiser, its terrible mandibles ripping hull plates away like one might peel the layers off an onion. He paused, waiting for the beast to shift just a fraction to the right, then slammed his palm down on the firing control.

The console went dead as the last of its power drained away, gone as the entire ship jumped, rocking in the dirt as the gun pumped out a single glowing projectile. The massive white bolt screamed across the plain, striking the Thresher in the back. The beast screamed as flesh was ripped apart, a single massive hole appearing in the thick hide. It spun, dull eyes roving about venomously before it glared at the ship protruding up out of the soil. With a roar, it vanished underground. As the ship began to tremble from the titan's approach, a feeling of foreboding crept over the Commander.

"Everybody out!"

The squad needed no second telling, swiftly turning and bolting for the hole in the hull. They leapt out, rolling down the curve of the hull as they raced for the ground. No sooner had they got off the ship than the All-Thresher burst upwards from underneath the vessel, lifting it skywards vengefully. It shook the craft from side to side, bits snapping off it and dropping to the ground all around. Then, with a final snap of its jaws, the creature broke the ship in half, the two pieces tumbling down to crash into the dust close to the fleeing squad. With the object of its hatred destroyed, the Thresher shook its entire body fiercely. Black spots fell from its hide, dropping down into the dust like hail. Each spot was actually a massive black-green orb, about the size of a man. One it had shed this strange load, the Thresher burrowed back underground, hurrying back to the allied Krogan army.

Shepard glanced curiously at the nearest of the black orbs, walking up to it carefully. The closer he got, the more details he could make out. When he was only about fifteen feet away, he could see that it wasn't actually a ball, but rather something curled up, folded in on itself. As Wrex drew close enough to identify it, he let out a worried gasp.

"We need to go, quickly."

"What are these things?" Shepard asked curiously.

Before the Urdnot chieftain could answer, the orb lurched, beginning to unfurl. A long body, about twelve-foot in length, straightened out, over a hundred feet sprouting from either side. The head was the final thing to be revealed, a wide, flat feature with dull white eyes and a wide mouth flanked by two razor-sharp mandibles or pincers that clacked together. The end result was what looked like a twelve-foot long centipede that waved its sightless head about hungrily, the two antennae above the eyes testing the air carefully. It's blind gaze locked on the Commander as Wrex managed to shout a warning.

"Thresher larvae! Look out!"

The Commander's twin guns came up in the very instant that the creature lunged, mandibles clacking threateningly. Red-hot bullets ripped through the thick carapace, eliciting a squeal of pain from the beast as thick white-yellow fluid seeped from newly created wounds. Shepard followed this attack up with a powerful punch using his shield arm, but missed, the beast ducking under the swing and butting its head against his armoured chest-piece. Mandibles scraped along metal, shrieking as they actually pierced the thick armour as though it were tin. Warnings popped up on Shepard's HUD to notify him of significant damage to the internal workings of the battlesuit.

Before the creature could further damage the suit, the Commander brought up his sword, severing its head from the rest of its body. Amazingly, the headless body continued to scurry about, butting against the Commander's suit ineffectually until he fired another string of bullets into it. The mouth continued to clack open and shut angrily. With a grunt of distaste, the Commander kicked the grisly object, sending it arcing above the battlefield.

Shepard gasped, breathless with surprise and exertion. As he looked about, dread filled his gut upon noticing the multitude of black orbs that had thudded down into the dust all around them. Even as he watched, each and every one began to unfold.

**~o~0~o~**

Hurn hurried closer and closer to the remains of the Draktarra citadel, catching sight of the lone Thresher that assailed the Draktarra survivors. At first he balked at the idea of taking the creature on his own, but he could understand the Commander' s reasoning. Shepard was setting off to deal with the mother of all monsters, right in the centre of an entire nest of Maws. At that moment, one Thresher Maw was a pretty low priority on his list, and he could scarcely afford to commit any forces to dealing with it.

The creature loomed over the dwindling Krogan force, attacking the almost defenceless infantry with gusto. Occasionally it would lunge forward, skewering a Krogan with its mandible and drawing him screaming into its gaping mouth. The beast was injured, although only slightly.

What Hurn needed to do was keep the creature distracted long enough for the Draktarra to do some real damage without having to dodge out of the way. He looked about cautiously, looking to the strange Jorall for any ideas, but the old Krogan was stubbornly silent, still unhappy with his current task. Irritated, Hurn looked elsewhere for help.

He soon found what he needed in the form of a downed tank, not a hundred metres from the looming creature. Grinning, he raced up to it, taking a hold of the main turret. His battlemech strained as he pulled on the heavy device, mechanical gyros fighting against welds and bolts. Finally, with a shriek, the turret came away in his hands, still mostly intact. He lifted it up onto his suit's shoulder, using his omnitool to send a charge through the device. Thus armed, he raced towards the Thresher.

He let out a roar as he ran, sending a command through his 'tool that sent a slight surge through his newly created shoulder cannon. There was a clunk, then his mech tumbled back as the kick from the massive gun his him, a tremendous thump that made the young Krogan bounce around in his suit chaotically. A stream of devastating fire leapt from the cannon, a string of white projectiles rocketing up towards the Thresher. As he struggled back to his feet, keeping the cannon firing, Hurn was rewarded with a screech from the Thresher as the bullets ripped through its body. He manipulated a second control to fire the cannon's secondary ordnance, a powerful rocket that blasted a hole in its flank over five metres wide. As he strafed around the beast, keeping up a relentless attack, he felt a roar tear free of his throat.

"Harr! Come on, you big bastard! Show me what you've got!"

The Thresher, enraged, turned to its tiny tormentor, ignoring the barrage of fire coming from the Draktarra remnant. It lunged, mandible striking the dust only feet away from the Krogan. Frustrated, it attacked again, and again. Each time Hurn was just a little ahead.

Hurn launched another rocket, blinding it in one eye, and then he reversed direction, running back the way he had come. He zigzagged across the plain, keeping unpredictable to confuse the creature. He glanced back over his shoulder, looking for Jorall, but the older Krogan could not be seen anywhere.

Probably ran and hid like a Varren runt. His thoughts whispered to him. Cowardly bastard.

He shrugged, focusing on the foe before him.

The Thresher drew its head back, in agony from the ferocious attack. It gurgled for a moment before a ball of green spittle escaped from its mouth, splatting onto the dust and splashing over Hurn's battlemech. There was a hiss of vapour rising as the metal of his mech's right leg disintegrated, dropping him to the ground.

Hurn rolled out of his battlesuit, coughing on the noxious vapours that surrounded him. Frustrated, he angrily grabbed the chain-gun on the left arm of his battlesuit and ripped it free, renewing his barrage of fire without hesitation as he ran. The bullets did little to the massive creature, but he had its attention now. It glared at him with untold rage, head darting forward one final time.

Pain erupted in Hurn's side, screaming through his body from the massive mandible that pierced his right side, travelling all the way through until it ripped out of his left side. Multiple organs groaned as they were ripped to shreds, his robust physiology hard-pressed to keep up with the damage. He looked down at the mandible in his side, mouth agape as his vocal chords failed to make any sound.

The Thresher hurled its head to the side, flinging the dying Krogan from its mandible. Hurn soared through the air, travelling a good fifty metres or so before striking the side of a gunship with a loud clang, rolling down onto the ground. Still clenching his gun, the Krogan strained feebly to get back to his feet before slumping into the dust as his vision faded.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard gasped as a mandible penetrated his armour, slicing through the thick flesh of his thigh. He slashed with his sword, lopping the head off the Thresher larva and kicking away the writhing body before pulling the head off his leg, casting it aside quickly.

The squad had pulled together into a tight formation, fending off the swarm of half-insect half-plant creatures that scurried around them. Some burrowed under the ground, popping up at the worst of times to further wear down the weary team. Even with this brutal onslaught to deal with, the squad had made good progress in drawing near to the next ship that offered a clear shot at the All-Thresher.

Finally, bloody and exhausted, the squad clambered up the hull of the ship. This prevented the creatures from bursting out of the ground underneath, but they still followed the scent of blood and sweat over the ship, harrying the squad to the last.

Shepard switched back to his guns, mowing down three of the beasts with a sharp volley as Mordin rushed to an airlock in the hull that would lead down into the command centre. This had been an Urdnot frigate, so there would be no half-mad Draktarra forces to deal with, thankfully, but they couldn't just seal themselves in the command centre, not with the way the All-Thresher had destroyed their last ship. As the Salarian clambered in to get to work, Shepard and the others formed a defensive ring around the airlock, holding off the onrushing larva while he worked. The ship churned under their feet as it warmed up to fire.

Delexia cried out in pain as a larva lunged towards her, snake-like body wriggling into the operator's compartment viciously. Her battlemech fell down with a clang, twitching as the beast lurched to get at the meat inside.

"Delexia!" Shepard yelled, turning to help.

Before he could act, Thane leapt over, the powerful fists of his battlesuit gripping the larva and hauling it back out powerfully. With a grunt, he snapped the creature in two, hurling the pieces back at its kin. As the grisly missiles landed among the swarm, the ravenous beasts instantly set about devouring them, a ferocious cannibalistic display that sickened the Commander. With this creature dealt with, Thane reached inside the immobile battlemech and lifted Delexia out, carefully placing the unconscious Turian inside his own battlesuit with him for safe keeping. Thankfully, the cockpits, designed for full-grown Krogan, were roomy enough for two occupants, allowing Thane to return to the battle while keeping his downed teammate safe.

The ship jolted under their feet and another round roared through the sky towards the All-Thresher. The beast howled once more as another massive crater of charred flesh appeared in its side. The combined damage of the squad's efforts and the remaining Krogan army's combined fire was definitely having an effect by now, the creature visibly flinching from new attacks. It wouldn't be long now before it was finished.

The Thresher, however, was as angry as ever, turning to face the squad's ship, it leapt forwards, arching its back as it poured up out of the ground. Like a great cat pouncing on its prey, the thresher loomed over the frigate, striking it head-first. Shepard and his team had only a few seconds to clear the ship before it was dragged under by the leviathan, never to be seen again. Moments later, the All-Thresher was back above the surface, attacking once more. More of the curled-up larva thudded into the plain all around, unfurling to attack anything that got in their way. Shepard sighed as he drew his sword again and got back to work.

**~o~0~o~**

Hurn groaned as he tried to roll over. His entire body burned with pain, his muscles barely responding to his commands. He was dimly aware of the roaring of the Thresher Maw, still going strong, and that motivated him into action. He managed to lift himself up onto his elbows, his body fighting him every step of the way, and he lifted his head, looking over to the source of the noise.

The Thresher was on its last legs, barely staying upright from all the damage it had taken. Any sentient being would have fled to lick its wounds, but the Thresher was mindless, both from its injuries and from the after-effects of the indoctrination process. It still presented a threat to the Draktarra forces, but one good hit would finish it off.

He looked to his right, to the cold metal object he'd struck, his eyes dimly making out the outline of a gunship. It looked airworthy, to his experienced engineer's eyes, but there was really only one way to find out. Clenching his teeth against the sheets of agony that raced through him, he dragged himself forwards until he could reach the cockpit. Too weak to even climb inside, he merely reached in to begin keying in a few commands.

Fresh pain lanced through him, starting at a tiny point in the small of his back and rushing up to crush his thoughts until the only thing he knew was the intense torture his body subjected him to. As a harsh croak escaped from his throat, the only noise he could make in his nearly dead state, his mind pointed out that this couldn't have been anything the Thresher's mandible did. It was in the wrong place, and he could feel the pressure coming from an outside force to create the pain.

"The Draktarra clan must die for its crimes against Urdnot." Jorall's deep rumble breathed next to his ear. "I don't care what the alien says, Vandak and his ilk must pay for the last three centuries of my life, and for all the suffering they have caused my clan since their bastard ancestor first sat on his throne in that accursed citadel. You'd get in the way of that, so you must die."

Hurn's lips moved wordlessly, an unasked question in his expression. He shifted back, drawing the sword of his newly acquired battlesuit out of the gaping wound it had just created.

"Urdnot will thank me for this, one day." Jorall said, as if answering him. "The cost is high, but this is for the good of our clan. I will ensure the survival of our species, at any cost."

He stood, turning away from Hurn dismissively.

"Your sacrifice today will not be forgotten, Urdnot Hurn. In the years to come, our people will remember your name with honour, as is right."

Behind him, Hurn strained desperately. He had no hope of fighting the old Krogan, he knew that much. He could already feel the cold fingers of the Void clutching at his mind, his legs were completely numb. But there was one thing he could do. The gunship was active, its engines ready. He only needed to press one more button to complete the task Shepard had given him. With the last of his strength, he unleashed a terrible roar as he surged forward, hand slapping the control mightily.

"Rragh!"

The gunship shuddered, still held by the soil it had crashed into. But this hesitation lasted only a second before its engines roared, sending it rocketing into the sky.

Jorall whirled at the noise just in time to see the gunship launch. He snarled in anger as he looked down at the grinning Hurn, rolled onto his back by the movement of the gunship.

The gunship darted into the air, cutting a straight course over the battlefield. It screamed over the devastation that littered the plain, arrowing straight for the Thresher Maw. The creature sensed its approach, but was a moment too late in turning as the craft ploughed into its flank. There was a clunk, then a flash as the vessel erupted into flames, incinerating flesh and blood. The beast howled as it swayed for a moment, then fell to the ground with a sigh and a crash. The distant Draktarra forces howled at the victory, unaware of who their saviour was.

Jorall's expression was volcanic, his organic eye gleaming just as fiercely as his synthetic one. He stared at the defeated beast in fury for a few moments before looking down at the dying Hurn. Out of spite more than anything else, he raised his sword and stabbed down again, piercing the Urdnot warrior's second and third hearts. Hurn let out a quiet gasp, then a sigh, the life fading him as his features twisted into an expression that was equal parts victory, pride and peace.

Still growling in his anger, Jorall yanked his sword back, turning away from the corpse and stalking off. In moments, the old Krogan had vanished, striding across the ruined plain.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard scrambled up the hull of the last ship close enough to attack the All-Thresher, a downed Urdnot dreadnought. The gargantuan vessel clanged underfoot as the beleaguered squad raced towards the command centre, fleeing from the swarm of larvae that followed them. Overhead, the All-Thresher continued to attack the Krogan army, currently focusing on a cruiser that had drifted too close in its attempts to bring the monster down. The beast flinched as the Normandy, quick as an arrow, zipped by, GARDIAN systems stitching a red-hot line of seared flesh along its flank. The Thresher snapped at the frigate, but Joker looped it out of the way in an almost mockingly lazy fashion.

The Commander caught sight of their goal- the command centre of the ship. This one had had the ceiling stripped away during its descent, allowing easy access to the controls. Mordin once more leapt down to tinker with the controls, the familiar thrumming, grinding noise of the main gun warming up soon reaching the team's ears. Shepard, Thane and Wrex formed a protective ring around the command centre, gunning down any and all beasts that rushed in close.

The Commander was exhausted. He glanced up at the sky to see the sun was now slipping towards the far horizon. It was approaching evening already, and he'd been fighting since he'd first infiltrated the Welrund shipyards the previous night, not having stopped since. His armour's reserves of adrenal stims were running low, but his body wouldn't have been able to take the strain of any more boosts without causing him to suffer a stroke or a heart attack or something equally as nasty. There was only so much punishment the body could take, even with the advances in medical technology they possessed.

He gasped like a marathon runner pushing himself beyond his limits, the finish line in view but just a few infernal metres away. But he couldn't fail. Not now. Not so close to the end. He managed to keep on his feet through sheer willpower alone, continuing to cut down the larvae before they could become a proper threat.

As the Salarian announced that the gun was fully charged, that the computer was calculating a firing solution, the Thresher larvae surged forward in a massive wave. Shepard tried to gun down as many as he could, but soon he found himself entangled in the coiling bodies of three of the creatures, each one chewing away at his battlesuit voraciously. Acidic saliva dripped from their mouths to better disassemble the suit to get at the helpless Commander inside.

The dreadnought jumped, firing its final devastating bolt at the All-Thresher. The rocking kick caused all present on top of the ship to fall, allowing the Commander to shake himself free of his attackers. He quickly killed one with his sword, then turned to regard the titan looming over the plain.

The Thresher howled at the latest devastating wound, now swaying uncertainly. It turned to the dreadnought, hate in its roars as it slithered further out of the ground to attack.

Shepard groaned at the sight. The creature still wasn't dead! It just didn't seem possible. How could a creature like that take so much punishment and still come back for more? Defeat clutching at his heart, he turned to his comrades.

"Run! Go, go, go!"

He turned to leap clear himself, but found himself stuck. He looked down to see two of the larvae still clutching at his battlemech's legs. He lifted his arm to swing his sword at them, but the limb, completely eroded at the joints, fell away with a clang. Disarmed in this way, he tried to pry the creatures off his ankles with his remaining hand, but to no avail. He looked to his comrades, far ahead as they raced for safety, then turned to glare at the leviathan rushing towards him. He tensed, ready for what was sure to come next.

**~o~0~o~**

Grunt's gunship stuttered uncertainly as it rushed through the skies. He'd seen the first two crashed ships come to life, firing at the All-Thresher briefly before being torn apart, and now the third looked certain to join them in their fate. No doubt the mysterious re-activations had been Shepard's doing, if Grunt knew his Battlemaster at all. It was incredible that the beast still stood, as damaged as it was.

Now the beast homed in on the dreadnought, certain to destroy it. There was nothing else the Krogan had that they could throw against the creature, nothing that seemed to slow it down in the slightest. Grunt frowned as he contemplated the beast's seemingly unstoppable nature.

As he buzzed around the beast, Grunt caught sight of a single figure still standing atop the ship. It was battered, damaged almost beyond recognition as a Krogan creation, but the paint job was unmistakable. Grunt felt his heart skip a beat as he saw his Commander, his Battlemaster, standing ready to face the All-thresher with nothing more than the armour that encased his body. He had no weapons, no backup, just his determination. Grunt saw the creatures pinning him down, holding him in place while certain death threatened to take him.

Deep in his heart, a feral determination sparked, growing into a powerful flame. It was not Shepard's destiny to die like that. If he perished, then all hope of the Krogan finding their place among the other races died with him. As part of his krannt, it was Grunt's duty to give of himself before his Battlemaster came to any harm. But there was more than that. Shepard was more than a Commander to him. A strange word echoed in his heart, one he had never used before, one that had never appeared in any of his tank imprints. Shepard was his friend.

A new determined set to his jaw, the Urdnot warrior flipped a few controls on the console in front of him. The gunship whirled around sickeningly, lining up of the All-Thresher. With a roar, he punched the controls for the weapons, pushing the throttle to its limits.

The gunship lurched forwards, engines whining, weapons blazing. The brutal barrage struck the leviathan on the head, drawing its ire. It hissed as it looked up at the comet streaking towards it, vicious fire spewing from its mouth.

Seeing that he had its attention, Grunt got out of the pilot's chair, confident the gunship would stick to its suicidal course. He had one last thing to arrange.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard watched in awe as the gunship, tiny before the beast it raced at, screamed through the afternoon sky straight at the Thresher's head. There was only one Krogan he knew of that would do something like this, and he knew that Grunt had acquired a gunship in the course of the battle. He stared as the gunship roared closer and closer to its target, bombarding the creature with as much firepower as it could summon. The All-Thresher howled under the assault, flinching as it tried to protect its eyes.

For a glorious moment, it looked as though the gunship would strike the All-Thresher a lethal blow to the head, finishing it off once and for all, but the beast drew its head back, hissing maliciously, then lunged forward, mouth wide open. The gunship vanished in a single bite, swallowed whole.

There was a brief silence as the Thresher looked about, almost with a smug manner. Shepard felt his heart drop. His student, his krannt, his friend, was dead, killed in a futile attempt to kill this thing. Grief wracked his heart as he angrily lifted his mech's surviving fist and brought it down powerfully on the head of one of his attackers, roaring out his rage and sorrow in one harsh breath.

There was a quiet boom, then a ripping noise. He looked up to see a puff of smoke and flesh burst forth from the All-Thresher's throat as a tiny object tore free, soaring through the air gracefully. At this distance it was hard to tell what it was, but Shepard imagined he could make out the contours of an escape pod.

Before he could cheer at his friend's survival, however, a thunderous boom accompanied a grisly sight as a mighty explosion ripped the All-thresher's head apart from the inside. The gunship's detonation tore open the beast's skull, raining blood, flesh and gooey brain matter down on the plain for hundreds of metres around.

A ragged cheer tore free from the throats of the mighty Allied Krogan Army as the towering column of flesh quivered, waved uncertainly, then slowly, inevitably, began to topple over.

Shepard only had a moment to revel in the relief of having defeated the beast before he realised just which way the monster was leaning. As it began to collapse, a renewed urgency took hold of him. He strained against the creatures that worried at his battlemech before realising the battle was useless. In a last ditch attempt, he released the fastenings that held him in his suit and leapt free, running for his life.

His breath came in ragged pants as he ran, feet pounding on the hull of the dreadnought as he dodged this way and that to avoid the remaining larvae. A vast shadow flitted by overhead, blocking out the sun for a good couple of seconds as the roar of displaced air rushed past his ears.

He'd almost reached the edge of the ship when the All-Thresher crashed down, crushing the dreadnought utterly under its immense weight. Metal splintered and disintegrated wildly, surrounding the Commander with a hail of metal shards, some as big as skycars. The hull under his feet trembled and buckled as the tidal wave of the impact travelled the length and breadth of the ship.

With a final effort, he hurled himself off the ship, the bucking of the hull plate under him giving him added momentum as he leapt into thin air. A piece of the internal support structure winged by, clipping him on the shoulder and sending him tumbling wildly towards the ground. Frantically, he punched in a command on his omnitool, struggling to get his feet under him. Mordin's rocket boots fired powerfully, but the ground kept on getting closer and closer at a reckless pace. The Commander vanished under a thick cascade of metal.

Silence rolled across the plain.

**~o~0~o~**

Wrex scrambled desperately through the rubble that was all that remained of the dreadnought. At his side, the Normandy squad, less the unconscious Delexia and a gravely wounded Zaeed, dug through the debris at an equally frantic speed. Not a word was passed between them as they toiled through the facing evening light. Behind them, many Krogan warriors joined in the search as fires were lit to permit the work to carry on as long as possible, casting spectral shadows across the ruin of the massive ship and the towering carcass behind it.

Wrex growled with frustration, pounding the metal sheet before him. They were so close! How could true victory be snatched from their hands so near to the finish line? And not even at the hands of an enemy, just the falling corpse of a beast! Bile churned in his throat at the thought.

Then, suddenly, a glimmer of movement deep within the pile of debris. The Urdnot chieftain almost missed it. He looked again, and caught sight of a foot, twitching as it kicked at a piece of rubble that restricted its owner's movement.

Wrex's heart soared and he began to dig with renewed fervour, hauling slabs of metal out of the way with his mighty strength and his biotics. The rest of the squad noticed his haste and rushed over to join him.

Finally, the combined scrambling of the team unearthed a small cavern, about ten metres on all sides. The curve of a support strut had kept the hole from being crushed shut, protecting its sole occupant, who limped out into the open air, a grim smile on his face, just the faintest hint of a smirk at its corner. Death could go shove it, this was one Human who wasn't about to die.

Shepard slowly stepped out to walk among his assembled friends, his grin growing ever more triumphant as he dragged his badly beaten body towards the nearest fire. All around, the assembled Krogan army fell silent as they glanced over to their two most prominent warriors.

Wrex and Shepard stopped by the fire, regarding one another warmly. Then they turned to their comrades, their soldiers, their army. Wrex raised both fists above his head, his roar carrying far into the growing night.

"Victory!" He expelled all of his breath with the mighty shout, rewarded with an identical answer from every Krogan gathered on that bloodstained plain.

"VICTORY!"

**Author's Notes: I've got to say, this one was fun. I've had it planned since before Arrival, although initially Hurn was going to join the crew of the Normandy. Then I had the idea for Jorall, and it suited better.**

**So what do you think? Good chapter, bad chapter, I should go die in a fire? Let me know! Reviews are my only payment for this, so please make me a very happy and rich nerd.**

**Props go to Raidster, Spir0s, BloodIronAngel, Liege Lord, Mastermind4892, Suqu124 and general-joseph-dickson. i love discussing my story with any and all readers, as that's how I make it more awesome. You guys rock. I'd like to especially thank Suqu124, as they've just spent the past couple of weeks posting a review on every chapter. This really helps me to know what works on a case-by-case basis, so i know what plots are enjoyed, which ones fall flat, which ones I can expand on and so on.**

**Also, if you have the time, drop by ElectricZ, LuxDragon and JoeLaTurkey's profiles. They have some awesome stuff they've written, and I find it a good source of relaxation and enjoyment.**

**I do have one thing to ask of you guys, my readers. One thing I crave as a new author is exposure. If you like my story, please let other people know about it. the more readers I have, the more feedback I get, and the better I become. Everyone benefits!**

**Anyway, exhausted now. I apologise for this chapter taking so long, but it really drained the life out of me. I need to go sleep for a century or two now, so i'll see you guys at the next update. In the meantime, read, review, repeat!**

**Fainmaca out.**


	40. 40: Respite

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 40: Respite**

Noise echoed through the cold Tuchanka night, more of a physical presence than an actual sound. A thunderous crash would sound out, followed moments later by the vibrant howls of dozens of thousands of throats, all united in the same exultant cry. This rhythmic chanting repeated itself over and over again, the Krogan equivalent of a celebration.

Shepard closed his eyes, feeling the noise through his skin more than he heard it with his ears. The steady beating crash was created by hundreds of Krogan scaling the sides of crippled enemy vessels lifting their shotguns then bringing the butt down on the hull beneath then with a resounding thump. In this way, the noise carried for miles, the jubilant war-songs so loud it felt as though they would echo around the planet. No doubt they would, as word was already travelling at the speed of light to women and children waiting tensely by comm arrays thousands of miles away, eager to hear the outcome of the battle.

The Commander breathed deep, inhaling the smoke of the fire before him, savouring the sooty odour in his nostrils. The intense heat of the blaze seared his skin, leaving his front half uncomfortably hot, while the cold night pulled at his back, making goosebumps rise across his skin. He paused, briefly revelling in the opposing sensations, the light versus the dark, the flames versus the frigid air, with him as the central point around which both extremes swirled. Shuddering, he opened his eyes and stepped a little closer to the fire, looking around carefully.

He glanced about to check on his crew, relaxing when he was able to account for them all. Given the stress of the day, he had granted everyone a day's leave. The Normandy needed a little work anyway following Joker's most recent aerial stunts, and Wrex had insisted that his clan would give them all the supplies they needed for the coming days. Granted, most of those supplies arrived in the form of ammunition, a large part of which set off so many radiological alarms that the Cargo Bay had been evacuated, but it was the thought that counted.

From where he stood, he could see Jacob, Miranda, Elanie and Kasumi sitting next to another fire in the shadow of a crashed gunship, joking and laughing as they related tales of their exploits. Zaeed was fast asleep on a weapons crate, his left hand loosely clutching the jug of Krogan liquor that had put him under while his right hand still held tightly to his pistol. An Urdnot warrior had tried to pry the jug from his fingers, but had instantly found himself staring into the bounty hunter's two-tone glare as the pistol hovered an inch from his temple. After that, the grizzled merc was left well alone.

Gabby, Ken, Rupert, Feron and Kaidan were close by, standing next to another fire as they joined in with the mixture of Krogan who sang out raucously with many lyrics that would make even Jack blush. Thane, Samara and the Revenant watched quietly, with an air of faint amusement.

Legion and Mordin, meanwhile, had joined another cluster of Normandy crewmembers and Krogan warriors, the pair joining in the festivities awkwardly. The Salarian had impressed everyone present with a brief snippet of song, matching the Krogan war ballads note for note, while the Geth had demonstrated an example of an archaic dance form it had been studying, something that had faded from Earth's culture two centuries ago. This had inspired a brief, speculative silence among the Humans and the Krogan before they had allowed the mirth of the moment to swell up again.

Shepard looked to Grunt, grinning as he noticed the young warrior's current predicament. In the midst of his kin, the youngster had accepted a challenge to a drinking contest. He eyes were wide and his stance hesitant even as he desperately lifted a barrel of ryncol to his mouth, spilling more than he managed to swallow. His main problem was that he had completely underestimated his opponent, none other than the slight Jack. A Krogan helpfully held a keg of ryncol on his shoulder, a long tube stretching out from its tap to her mouth as he matched Grunt pint for pint, a wide smirk on her face. She barely swayed as he felt one of his feet begin to snake out from under him, beginning a long, slow collapse into the dirt. The amused uproar that resounded out from the group was deafening as Jack, still grinning, staggered out from among them and promptly emptied her guts across the feet of the nearest warrior. The Commander shook his head at the sight, chuckling.

Yet another cluster of Krogan surrounded a small table, hastily fashioned from a crate and a discarded shield. Across this small surface sat Garrus and Delexia, the pair locked in an arm-wrestling match. Both Turians strained as their intertwined fists shuddered between their faces, neither having the advantage over the other. Shepard marvelled to see two Turians, formerly hated enemies of the Krogan, accepted so readily into the boisterous ranks.

Shepard finally turned his gaze to Jano. The Quarian stood in the middle of a large clear space, facing off against a burly young warrior. The Commander grinned as the Krogan boasted about his certain victory. Shepard was all-too aware of what sudden startling realisation awaited the overconfident alien. The wrestling match had attracted a small audience, including the laughing Etarn and Joker, escorted by a motherly Chakwas.

Shepard glanced back to his own fire, around which had gathered a respectable throng of Krogan. The Commander recognised the Tomal chieftain, although he was missing an eye, and the Nakmor representative was there as well. Many faces were missing, lost in the course of the day's events, and many more were scarred beyond recognition. That day would be one remembered for thousands of years, if the Krogan managed to recover from their losses.

The most painful losses for the Commander had come to light about an hour after they'd found him under the rubble. The Urdnot shaman's corpse had been found, riddled with bullet holes and open slashes from enemy swords. The wily old Krogan held an enemy gun in each hand, torn from their owners' dead fingers. Not long after that a group of soldiers returned from their patrol of the plain with a sorry looking shape towed between them, the peaceful body of Urdnot Hurn. That loss in particular had pained the Commander, as he felt partly responsible for sending the warrior on his final mission. This guilt struck him even more painfully when he saw the wound in the Krogan's side, the vicious puncture from a Thresher's mandible. Both corpses had been added to the growing pyre of Urdnot dead, soon set alight by their chieftain as he chanted out the words to send them on to what waited them within the Krogan Void. The haunting cries of mourning echoed in the back of the Commander's skull.

He shook himself free of the memory. That had been several hours ago. Now was the time for rejoicing over what they still had, what they had managed to achieve against all odds. He glanced over to Urdnot Wrex, grim face sinister in the flickering light of the fire.

"We may have victory today, Urdnot Wrex," The Tomal chief began. "But at what cost? My clan lost almost all of its young warriors to Draktarra's swords, and I know that ours was not the only clan to suffer."

There were mutters of agreement from around the fire.

"What happens now? Do we go back to our camps, wait until a stronger clan arrives to draw us into its ranks?"

"The cost of this conquest was too high." A burly but short chieftain spoke up. "It will take many generations for any of the clans here to regain their former glory."

The dissenting voices grew more intense.

"Enough."

It wasn't a shout. There was no clang of fist beating chest. The solid tone of the word simply cut through the dissension like a knife. All fell silent as Wrex spoke up.

"You speak as though the war was over. We have only bested the servants of our true enemy. Draktarra Vandak had been enslaved by a higher authority, one more powerful than anything we have ever faced. These Reapers have made it clear that, diminished as we are, we will not be ignored when they seek to destroy the other races of the Galaxy."

"What would you have us do, Urdnot Wrex?" The Tomal chief asked.

"We must do what our blood and bone tells us to do. We must fight for our survival." Wrex looked to each one present. "There is an army gathering to combat these creatures, a mighty force that would dwarf even the armies that set out to face the Rachni. We must join them."

"Who is the Battlemaster leading this grand host?" Another chieftain asked cautiously.

"Commander Shepard." Wrex waved a hand towards him.

"An alien?" There were mutters of disgust.

"A warrior who has no equal." Wrex responded firmly. "He has faced several of these creatures and survived. He's killed two of them with his bare hands. If anyone can lead the galaxy to victory, it is he."

"The matter still remains, Wrex. Our clans are too weak!" The Tomal chieftain protested. "What could we hope to-"

"If the clans are weak, then they should be left in the past." Wrex's voice was low. "We Krogan are one species, are we not? We fought as one today, did we not? The Battle of the Draktarra Plains has shown us that we are strong when we are united. Where no one clan could succeed, the united host triumphed utterly."

The mutterings dwindled as the Urdnot chieftain spoke. Shepard felt a knot, both of excitement and worry, grow in his stomach. The chieftains were balanced on a knife's edge. Just a little nudge one way or the other could turn them into fast allies or bitter enemies.

"The Galaxy knows what we can do when the horde is unified once more. That is why they tried to keep us divided through the Genophage. But now, that vile corruption is no more! Now, we can reforge the old alliances, but this time with a new enemy in mind. Join me, and we shall ride out on a tide of war the likes of which has never been seen, nor shall be seen again, as we rid the galaxy of the Reapers once and for all!"

The chieftains all stood as one, a chorus of support echoing out on the night air. The nearby warriors, unaware of the nature of the discussion, joined in on general principles until the entire plain was alive with boisterous roaring once more, the beating of the hulls growing more intense. In the middle of this stood Urdnot Wrex, arms raised as he encouraged the howls. He turned to Shepard, a savage grin on his face.

"Long live the Krogan Empire!" His chant was soon taken up by the rest of the host, too jubilant to contemplate the repercussions of the agreement.

Still grinning, he stalked over to Shepard. He nodded to the Commander's leg, where he had strapped on the knife Wrex had given him after the assault on clan Jath's fortress.

"The horde will follow you, Shepard. But first, we must forge the alliance like Krogan."

Shepard immediately understood, drawing the long knife without a word. He held up the jagged blade, looking at it cautiously. The metal had been stained a faint orange, the blood of hundreds, thousands or enemies seeping deep into the metal, or so it seemed.

Without waiting for an explanation, Shepard pulled off his armoured glove, exposing his hand to the cool night air. Barely flinching, he drew the blade along his palm, summoning forth a stream of blood. Around him, Krogan chuckled loudly.

"I like this alien! He understands!" One booming voice rippled out.

Wrex took the knife, imitating his gesture, and the pair locked hands, orange and red blood trickling out from between their fingers in a mixed ooze. Shepard winced as he felt the wound pressed against Wrex's own cut, the harsh Krogan blood mingling with his own painfully, but he held firm. Finally, once enough time had passed to ensure that the blood of each one had mixed with the other's, they released their grip, Wrex holding up a hand stained with both red and orange.

"The pact has been sealed! The Krogan will go to war!"

Slightly light-headed, Shepard just nodded tiredly as the roars of the battle-hungry people washed over him.

**~o~0~o~**

"I don't know, Shepard. Why I bother patching you up day after day is something that defies comprehension. If I had any sense I'd have had you locked up on psychological grounds years ago."

The Commander smirked as Doctor Chakwas inspected his hand. The offending limb had swollen up and was throbbing very painfully.

"You've done some stupid things before, Commander, but this has to be among the top five. Even you should know the dangers of cross-species contamination by now."

"It was only a little blood." Shepard protested. "And what do you mean, top five? This isn't the worst thing I've done?"

"One drop is all it takes." The Doctor drew off a syringe of blood for analysis. "And no, it's not the worst by half. I think that title goes to the time you and young Alenko went to that bar on Castania and you let that Hanar put a…"

"Okay, that's long enough spent on memory lane." The Commander said quickly, aware of the crew members around them.

The Normandy crew was hastily preparing for departure. A number of them, Zaeed, grunt, Garrus and Jack especially, appeared much the worse for wear, sporting some foul hangovers. They were being ferried up to the Normandy in small groups, the ship's sudden lack of a Kodiak making the process a long one.

All around them, the Krogan host was breaking up, various groups heading back to their homelands with news of the victory and the forging of the new Empire. Wrex had decided that a small army would be assembled to secure Draktarra's shipyards, the last Krogan shipyard in existence. Urdnot would then establish their new camp around the shipyards, founding the capital of the new Krogan society.

A fresh wind blew across the dusty plain, a chill on the morning air as the sun crept over the horizon again. Shepard breathed deeply as he watched the bustle around him, wincing as Chakwas re-opened the wound to clean it properly. After a few moments, she finished up.

"There we go." She muttered. "Just try not to do anything that opens it up again and you'll be fine. Do it again and I'll neuter you to protect future generations from your stupidity."

"You wouldn't." Shepard chuckled, his smile catching a little as she flashed a serious grin at him.

"Take care, Commander. I've got to go fetch Joker. He's a little the worse for wear this morning."

The Commander flexed his hand experimentally, making sure not to disturb the fresh layer of Medi-Gel sealing the wound. Even with the marvellous substance working, the jagged wound was still going to scar. The Commander shrugged. That was surely the point of the gesture.

He looked up as Wrex lumbered over.

"Wrex." He nodded.

"Shepard." The chieftain returned with a smile. "Almost done, I see."

"Yeah, should be ready to move out soon." Shepard looked over at his crew. "Then it's off to Thessia. Got to break the Reaper blockade around the planet somehow."

"Sounds like a truly glorious battle." Wrex said wistfully.

"You sure you can't come with us?" Shepard asked, already knowing the answer. "We've got room on the Normandy."

"You know that I would join you in a blink, old friend." Wrex said wearily. "But I've got too much to do down here. What's left of Urdnot needs to find a new place to call home, and I've got to run this Empire you've created. We've got to get our armada ready for the push against the Sol system, and there are still Yahg and Draktarra soldiers turning up all over the place."

"What are you doing with them?" The Commander asked.

"We've rounded up about four thousand warriors, plus about two hundred Yahg." Wrex said grimly. "They'll be kept locked up until we can figure out how to reverse the indoctrination."

"Lenient, by Krogan standards."

"In these days, we cannot afford to stick to the bloody ways of our past." Wrex paced about. "If the Krogan are to survive, we must adapt to our new circumstances."

"I wasn't criticising, just pointing it out." Shepard said quickly.

"I know, I know." Wrex sighed. "It's just… we're instituting a lot of changes. These will be dangerous times for me. If I push our warriors too far, they'll tear Urdnot apart and the Empire will die."

They were silent for a moment, watching the camp dissolve around them.

"Anyway." Wrex said suddenly. "I have something to show you. Come on."

Curious, Shepard followed his old friend. The wily old Krogan led him on a winding path until they emerged into a clear area among the tents. Wrex waved his arm expressively at the object that sat in the centre of the clear ground, grinning as he looked at Shepard's expression.

It was big, boxy, and frankly quite ugly, but there was a certain sleek quality to it, around the edges. Its front section was square, but the bottom corners curved forwards like the fangs of a vicious creature, each one housing a single powerful mass accelerator cannon. Sitting atop the elongated middle section was a huge turret, fully automatic if need be. A pair of sweeping back gull-wing hatches allowed access from the sides while the rear section contained thrust exhausts that were so obvious as to be downright aggressive. The entire length of the hull had been painted black, outlined with red.

"We figured seeing as you lost your shuttle you could do with a replacement." Wrex explained. "This is one of only a dozen or so of its kind that were made. A decent sized troop transport that packs a hell of a punch. You can safely deploy a dozen Krogan from this thing then have it run air support for your mission if needed."

"Are… are you sure you can spare this?" Shepard asked, taking in every corner and sweeping curve. There was something undeniably Krogan about it, but at the same time it was a beautiful craft. It was the art of war personified.

"We're going to be focusing on building cruisers and frigates, not shuttles. You'll get more use out of it than any Krogan would." Wrex grinned. He knew Shepard all too well, reading the Commander's fascination with no effort at all.

The pair glanced to one another, a warm moment of comradeship passing between them. Wrex's shoulders began to shake while Shepard felt a tickling rise in his belly, growing and growing until it became a full-blown gale of laughter swirling around in his chest. The pair clapped one another on the shoulders as they laughed until their sides hurt.

A short distance away, just within sight of the shuttle, Jack glanced over at the raucous laughter. She caught sight of the Commander and the chieftain, a smile crossing her lips. She paused, leaning against a tent pole as she watched the pair. Suddenly, Shepard's glance turned in her direction and the smile vanished as she spun, making herself busy helping the crew pack up.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard passed a heavy crate to the waiting arms of Garrus, finishing loading the Normandy's latest acquisition before they took off. The Krogan encampment was rapidly disintegrating around them, barely more than ten thousand Krogan remaining.

Beside him, Wrex lugged about a crate that was at least as big as a fully-grown man, hefting it around as though it weighed nothing. It thumped down on the floor of the shuttle, scraping across the floor to nestle in between two identical crates, and then the chieftain turned away from the craft dusting off his hands.

"Right. That's the last of it. I've got a few things to sort out down here, but then I'll be up to see you all before you leave the system. Then we can figure out where to meet your fleet and so on."

"We'll see you on the Normandy, then." Shepard nodded.

The Urdnot chieftain stalked off, heading towards where the concentration of intact tents was still quite high. Moments after he vanished, another shape appeared from between the tents, making a beeline for the shuttle. Shepard's brow rose as he took in the worn features of the old Krogan.

"Jorall." He said. "I was starting to wonder where you'd gone."

"Just sorting out a few affairs. When you spend such a long time in a jail cell, personal matters have a tendency to… fester." The Krogan replied smoothly.

"What can I do for you?"

"I'd actually ask a favour of you, Commander. I've seen the danger these Reapers present to my people, and I feel compelled to do something about it. I would join your crew, if you'd have me."

"Why us?" Shepard asked, surprised. "Surely you'd want to fight alongside your own people."

"I've been in a jail cell for three hundred years, Commander. The Krogan people I knew ceased to be a long time ago. I'm too old for this modern direction the clans are moving in. But I can fight, and I have a keen mind. Useful tools you will need on your crusade."

"I don't know…" Shepard was hesitant. They seemed like poor reasons to leave his own people behind.

Jorall could see the hesitation. He coughed awkwardly.

"I do have something to offer you, something more valuable than another hand to wield a gun." He fished around in his armour, producing an OSD. "While Wrex's army was busy celebrating, I went through some of the rubble of the Draktarra fortress. I found the Reaper artefact, and managed to retrieve some data from it."

"What sort of data?"

"The codes the Reapers gave Vandak, the ones that were meant to give him control of our local Mass Relays."

Shepard's breath caught in his throat. This was a valuable piece of intel indeed. From Jorall to offer it freely, he must have been eager to join the Commander's crew. Shepard only needed to think it over for a few seconds.

"Welcome aboard, Urdnot Jorall." He extended a hand, wincing as the Krogan's powerful synthetic fist enclosed his own.

In moments, the shuttle lifted into the air, the Commander's squad richer by an additional Krogan.

**~o~0~o~**

"The last of the supplies have been loaded up, Commander. We're just waiting for Legion to give us the all clear on that damaged drive thruster, then we're good to go."

Shepard leaned forward, his palms pressing down on the briefing room table, as he listened to his various officers giving their reports. As Miranda said this last, the Geth at the foot of the table twitched, facial flaps expanding as it spoke up.

"Repairs have been completed. Engineer-Donnelly requests an additional hour to run further tests, but diagnostics report one hundred per cent functionality."

"We'll give him the time for those tests." Shepard decided. "There's no such thing as being too careful."

"With all due respect, Commander, what's he doing here?"

The Commander glanced to Jacob as he nodded at the patient Jorall, watching the meeting with quiet interest.

"Jorall's going to be joining us. He's offered to help us fight the Reapers. Mordin, Legion, Jorall has a sample of Reaper code you'll want to take a look at. Draktarra Vandak said that this code would allow him to shut down all Mass Relays in the DMZ at will. Find out if it can and whether we can re-purpose it for our own uses. Being able to shut down Mass Relays could be useful in slowing the Reapers down."

"Shepard-Commander." The Geth acknowledged. If it had been Human, Shepard got the feeling it would have saluted.

"Indeed. Great opportunity." Mordin's mind was already buzzing with new ideas. "In addition, chance to ascertain why indoctrination had no effect. Will need to take a look at your cybernetic upgrades. Possible electrical interference negates signal. Or maybe… maybe partial memory storage in synthetic devices increases resistance of the mind? Tests, tests…"

"I'd be happy to help you in your studies, Salarian." Jorall said, surprisingly amicably. "I trust that you have a suitable lab set-up on this ship?"

"The Normandy is equipped with a fully functional Tech Lab which Professor Solus operates out of." Miranda answered primly. "Everything in it is state-of-the-art."

"Excellent. I could do with giving my upgrades a quick once-over. Three hundred years is a long time to go without proper maintenance."

"How did you get those implants?" Miranda asked with professional curiosity. "I've never seen such extensive repair. We used a fair amount of cybernetics in the Lazarus Project, but that was just repairing what was already there. That looks like a much more complex reconstruction of lost tissue."

"I designed it myself." Jorall answered. "Of course, when I was developing prosthetics for our warriors I had no idea I'd one day need to use those upgrades on myself."

"Never encountered such complexity in Krogan technology." Mordin commented.

"You wouldn't have, not after I was imprisoned. The scientists most clans boast about today are little more than amateurs compared to my peers."

As the old Krogan spoke, the door to the briefing room hissed open. Everyone looked over as Wrex stepped in. The Urdnot warlord took a couple of steps in before pausing, eyes focusing on Jorall. Blatant surprised crawled across his features, rendering him speechless for a moment. When he finally spoke, it was a single croaked word.

"Grandfather?"

"Wrex." Jorall greeted gruffly.

"How in the hell did you get here?"

"Jorall's going to be joining my team." Shepard explained, inwardly surprised by the unexpected family connection. There was definitely more to the Krogan than he'd ever let on.

Wrex grunted at the news, stare still locked with that of his predecessor.

"If you say so." The Urdnot chief shrugged. He turned away from Jorall. "The last of the camp has set off. Soon the entire planet will mobilise to muster a Krogan horde the like of which has never been seen. The Draktarra shipyard is already working at full speed to churn out as many ships as it can. Give us a few weeks and the Krogan Empire will be ready to go to war."

"Excellent." Shepard said. "Hopefully by the time you're ready I'll have mustered some additional forces to back it up." He paused as he turned to Feron. "Open a channel to Liara. We need to find out where we're gathering."

The Drell nodded silently, tapping out a couple of commands. In moments the room darkened as a flickering image of Liara on the briefing room table. She turned to look at the Commander, a tired smile on her lips.

"Shepard. It's good to see you again. My agents have been sending reports back all day about yesterday's battle. A true victory."

"Her 'agents'?" Wrex muttered, leaning sideways towards Garrus.

"Shepard helped Liara to kill the old Shadow Broker." The Turian muttered back. "When he did, she became the new one."

Wrex glanced over at the Commander with new respect. His old friend had changed a lot in recent months. Now there stood a man who shaped the future of entire civilisations on a day-by-day basis, toppling empires and forming new ones just by being there. The wily Krogan couldn't place it, but there was something about Shepard that galvanised change, almost always for the better.

"We have the allegiance of the entire Krogan Empire." Shepard explained. "Wrex is making sure they're ready for the push against the Sol system."

"Excellent. I'll be sure to send them all of the data we have on the latest technological advances so that they can begin upgrading their ships."

"How are things on your end?" The Commander asked.

"Repairs to our ships are almost complete. Fortunately the Cerberus forces have been most co-operative in providing resources and manpower. I estimate that both fleets will be ready within the next few days."

"Looks like sparing the Illusive Man is paying off." Miranda commented. "I doubt we'd have got this much co-operation out of Banes."

"Indeed." Liara agreed before turning to other matters. "I've also been in conference with Aria and Admiral Anderson. The Alliance and Terminus fleets are gathering around Elysium."

"What of the Citadel Council?" Garrus asked. "Do we have their support yet?"

"Not exactly." Liara's expression dropped guiltily. "The Asari are too pre-occupied with the attack on Thessia. We won't see any help from then until the Reapers are driven back from Asari space. As for the Hierarchy and the Union, they're focusing on guarding their own planets. It will take something significant to jolt them into action. That doesn't mean they are completely unwilling to help. General Septimus has amassed quite a following among the Hierarchy's tiers and has already mobilised a significant portion of the military into action. He's being aided by a General Halion Kernis, who I believe you've already met."

Shepard smiled as he remembered the Turian General he'd met in orbit above Meroxis. The alien was proving to be a good ally to have made. He was silently grateful he'd chosen to save the colony rather than the research data.

"As for the Salarians, a significant faction of their military has already pledged to help us when the time comes. I believe we have Lieutenant Colonel Deridan to thank for that."

"You've just got allies everywhere don't you, Shepard?" Jorall chuckled.

"Just trust me when I say that it's a bad idea to get on the wrong side of the Commander." Garrus advised. "People who do that have a habit of dying."

"I'll bear that in mind." Jorall answered. "I think I'll like it on this ship."

"Where are we to gather?" Wrex asked Liara, hand cupping his chin.

"The most strategically advantageous location we can use as a muster point would be in orbit around Eden Prime." Liara explained. "It offers a clear run on Arcturus and has multiple Mass Relays in the system should a fast exit be needed."

"So be it." Wrex said. "Just send the word when you are ready to launch your attack and the Krogan will answer the call."

"Good." The Shadow Broker smiled at her old friend. "I knew we could count on you. Now, if that's everything, I'd best get back to work."

"Thanks, Liara." Shepard said, nodding to her as her image faded. He blinked as the lights brightened again.

Around the table, the various specialists relaxed, sensing that the meeting was drawing to a conclusion. Wrex was the first to speak.

"I guess I'd better get going." He grumbled. "Busy day ahead of me."

"Take care of yourself, Wrex." Shepard said warmly, stepping around the table to shake his old friend's hand firmly.

"You too, Shepard." There was a glint of something in his eyes, but Shepard couldn't decipher it. "Watch your back."

As the Urdnot chieftain turned to leave, Jorall was quick to follow him. Shepard turned back to the table, keen to wrap up the debrief.

**~o~0~o~**

The two Krogan strode along the corridor between the briefing room and the armoury side by side, their heavy footsteps clanging in time.

Before Jorall could blink, Wrex whirled, forearm connecting with the old Krogan's throat. Jorall was shoved back roughly, Wrex's strength lifting him a foot off the floor and pinning him against the wall. The older alien let out a grunt of surprise as his windpipe was compressed.

"What are you doing here?" Wrex's voice was low, harsh, like the distant threat of thunder.

"I'm here to help the Commander fight the Reapers-"

"Don't give me that! I know you. You don't do anything unless there's some way for you to benefit from it."

"I'd think survival counted as a way to profit from this venture." Jorall grunted.

"Bullshit. There's plenty of ways you could help without putting yourself in the line of fire. You're up to something. I want to know what." Wrex's voice was creeping up, growing louder as his anger rose. "Or maybe I should tell the Commander who you really are, why Draktarra had you locked up in their cells. Let him know just what kind of a creature he has let onto his ship."

"That would be foolish and you know it. Besides, if he were to know about that, perhaps he should also find out what part the mighty Wrex had in the Krogan plans for renewed Rebellion. Are you prepared to sacrifice the trust you have earned with Shepard just to let him know what your grandfather did?"

Wrex's brow knotted for a moment, debate crossing his features, before he sighed and released his grip on the older Krogan, allowing Jorall's feet to touch the deck again. Jorall coughed as he rubbed at his throat, synthetic eye glaring at his descendant.

"The War Council should have killed you on the spot." Wrex rumbled. "We should have known Draktarra would want to keep you alive for as long as possible."

"They were the ones most wronged by my actions." Jorall responded. "It was their right to choose my punishment."

"The blood of those slaughtered Krogan still calls out for revenge." Wrex cautioned. "Better if you die fighting the Reapers than risk having me pursue you to mete out justice."

"Save your threats, whelp. They do not scare me."

"I warn you, if any harm comes to the Commander or his allies, I will hold you responsible."

Wrex spun, stomping off towards the door and leaving his grandfather behind. Jorall rubbed his throat, his voice rough as he called after his offspring.

"I assure you, I will only pay the price necessary to ensure the survival of our species, nothing more."

"That's what worries me."

With those simple words, Wrex was gone.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard stifled a yawn as he stepped out into the CIC, stretching his neck by leaning his head from side to side as he rolled his shoulders. Heaviness tugged at his eyelids, the weariness of the past couple of days pressing down on him.

Under his feet, the deck thrummed with power as the Normandy hurled herself through the vastness of space at velocities considerably greater than the speed of light. The journey to Thessia would take a couple of days, more than enough time for the squad to clean themselves up and prepare for the next round against the Reapers.

As the Commander surveyed the Command Deck, he found his mind pondering the enemy. It was already clear that the Reapers would try to sow as much chaos among the various organisations of the Galaxy as they could in an attempt to deny Shepard the resources he needed. They'd already targeted Humanity, the Terminus cartels, the Krogan and now the Asari, but where would they strike next? The remaining political entities of any particular note were the Turian Hierarchy, the Salarian Union, the Batarian Hegemony, the Quarian Migrant Fleet and the Geth Collective. Any one of those organisations presented an asset Shepard could not afford to lose, but which one would the Reapers deem the biggest threat? Only time would tell.

"Commander!" Joker's greeting snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to see the pilot limping over, a warm smile on his face.

"Joker, how're you doing?"

"Well, snapped a wrist during those fancy moves over the battlefield yesterday when we lost one of our inertial dampeners, but other than that I'm doing fine." Joker waved a wrist in a cast. "EDI's got the helm until I'm all fixed up."

"Good to hear." Shepard said.

"Yeah… Gotta say, though. That uh… that was kinda intense, wasn't it? Having a hand in creating a new Empire and all that? Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that Wrex'll do a brilliant job, but it's a little unsettling to think that he's gone from merc to Emperor, all with your help."

"Why is that worrying?" Shepard asked.

"Just not used to the soldiers having that kind of political power. Bear in mind one of the most famous soldiers to form an Empire was called Caesar, and that didn't end well."

"I don't think we can apply Human standards to Krogan politics." The Commander reasoned. "Skill on the battlefield is the only thing your average Krogan respects. Its only right a warrior like Wrex is in charge."

"True." Joker shrugged.

"What's your opinion on our newest recruit?"

"Truth be told?" Joker asked before continuing. "He creeps me out. That weird-ass eye of his is a little unsettling. Did he say how he got it?"

"Apparently he designed it himself. He's some kind of scientist."

"A Krogan scientist? I'd never had believed it." Joker chuckled. "Mind you, considering the varied crew we've already got, its about par for the course, huh?"

"That's about right." Shepard agreed. "Now we just need a violent Hanar to round out the crew."

"If I see Blasto wandering the corridors, I'm calling shotgun on the first lifeboat." Joker grinned. "I doubt getting the two of you under the same roof would be a safe thing to do."

The Commander chuckled at the pilot's reference to the fictional character.

"I'll see you about, Joker."

"Alright, Commander. Seeya."

Shepard stepped past the pilot as Joker made his way to the elevator, vanishing on his way down to the Crew Deck. The Commander turned his attention to Kelly, standing at her station by the Galaxy Map.

"Good Morning, Kelly." He greeted.

"Shepard." She said warmly. "How are you holding up? That was a pretty intense operation down there."

"We've had easier missions." Shepard admitted.

"Still, it must have been good to see Wrex again. He's changed a lot since becoming the chieftain of Urdnot."

"He's still the Krogan that helped us to stop Saren. Honourable to the core."

"Of course." Kelly agreed. "But I'm not so sure that our new acquisition shares those qualities."

"You have reservations about Jorall?"

Kelly's fingers tangled together in a pre-occupied fashion.

"He's very hard to get a read on, even with my training and experience with Grunt. Jorall keeps a lot about himself to himself. Frankly, I don't trust him, and I don't think you should either, Commander."

"I'll be careful." Shepard promised. "But for now he's helping us fight the Reapers. That's enough for me to keep him around. He starts causing trouble, I'll toss his ass out of the nearest airlock."

"That's a sight I'd pay to see!" Kelly laughed, her mood lightening.

"Is there anything else that needs my attention?"

"You've got a couple of new messages." Kelly answered promptly.

Nodding, Shepard moved over to his terminal, opening up the waiting messages after scanning the subject lines. His eyes scanned the first, a small smile gracing his lips. It had the title 'Thanks again'.

_Commander Shepard,_

_You may not remember me, but you saved my life from a group of Batarians not too long ago. I've been grateful ever since for the second chance you gave me. I've found out that you saved my life again just a couple of weeks ago, when those machines attacked Omega. I had no idea at the time that it was you that saved all of the survivors still trapped on the station, but I think I speak for all of us still breathing today when I express my heartfelt thanks now._

_I've re-opened the clinic now that the atmosphere's been restored to the district. Not a moment too soon, if the number of injured passing through our door is any indication. In the past few days we've had a lot of refugees coming through the station, many from the Human-settled systems closer to Sol, but now we're starting to see plenty of Asari fleeing Council space to escape from these machines. I worry that there'll be a lot more of these refugees in days to come, but we'll do our part, even if its just taking care of those too hurt to keep fighting for their homes._

_I hope that Doctor Solus is still well. Please let him know that the clinic has never had more staff, with more joining us every day. We've renamed it the Solus General Hospital in his honour._

_Look after yourself, Commander, and thanks for saving my life again_

_Daniel Abrams._

Shepard closed that one down, looking to the second one, which was entitled 'Can you help?'. This one caused a frown to crease the Commander's brown.

_Commander Shepard,_

_This is Oriana, Miranda's sister. You helped to keep me safe at that transport station on Illium, remember? Well, I was hoping you might be able to help me again._

_I know you're all on some big mission to save the Galaxy or something. It's been all over the Newsnet that you're on the frontlines facing off against these things that keep attacking. Is that what you were doing before? Miranda would never tell me anything except that it was classified. But I did manage to pick up on the fact that you were about embark on a dangerous mission that you might not come back from. It wasn't long after that that Miranda stopped answering my Text Chat requests. I haven't heard from her in over five months now. Did something happen to my sister? Was she hurt on this mission of yours?_

_I talked to Danner about it, but he thinks I shouldn't worry too much. Then again, I couldn't tell him too much about what you guys do, so he just thinks you're soldiers that are probably too busy for things like online chat._

_I don't need details, but I do need to know whether my sister is safe or not. The way she talked about you… I figure if anyone out there was looking out for her safety, it would be you._

_-Oriana_

Shepard paused, thinking about his reply carefully. He wondered why, after being rescued, Miranda hadn't got back in contact with her sister to assure her that she was all right. He'd need to speak to her about it. He concentrated as he typed, careful with his words lest he reveal too much and confuse or, even worse, worry the girl.

_Oriana,_

_First of all I want you to know that your sister is perfectly fine. We've been off the grid for a few months, so keeping in contact with loved ones has been pretty much impossible. However, I will have a word with Miranda to let her know you're concerned for her wellbeing. I think it would do her good to take a quick break and focus on something other than her work._

_We're in the middle of a dangerous mission, one we need to complete to make sure that civilians like yourself can feel safe. Truth be told, I don't think there's ever been a more dangerous job than this one, but at the same time your sister is among a team of the best-qualified soldiers, scientists and intelligence operatives the Galaxy has to offer, on one of the most advanced ships around. I can't think of a safer place for her to be. In addition, I take the wellbeing of my team very seriously, so you can trust me when I say that I will do everything within my power to make sure that Miranda comes to no harm._

_I'm a soldier, not a poet, so words of reassurance aren't my strong point, but I hope I've managed to put your mind at ease._

_-Commander Shepard_

The Commander pressed send, turning away from his terminal with a mildly satisfied feeling. Nodding to Kelly, he walked up to the elevator and pressed the button to take him down to the Crew Deck.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard strode out of the elevator, nimbly dodging out of the way as Gabby bustled past with her arms full of various wires, pipes and tubes that radiated out around her tiny form like half of a dandelion clock. A wrench protruded from each side of her mouth, clenched between bared teeth as it muffled her string of 'sorries' as she dodged the Commander and slipped into the elevator. Shepard grinned good-humouredly as he watcher her go, quickly followed by a staggering Kenneth underneath an immensely heavy cooler unit. Gasping, the Scotsman tottered into the elevator behind his companion. Chuckling, Shepard walked past, stepping into the Mess Hall.

The last few dregs of the Morning Shift were busily cleaning the last few morsels off their plates before the ravenous Night Shift arrived and, much like the biblical plague of locusts, cleansed the Crew Deck of every edible scrap that Rupert had not put under heavy lock and key.

Still perched on a seat at the end of one of the tables, looking much like a nervous rabbit picking at its food while gazing all around, Elanie pushed her food around her plate idly. Shepard was momentarily surprised at her apparent discomfort in the midst of the jostling crew. Considering her seeming confidence in the field, this was an entirely new side to the former operative. Acting on impulse, he moved to sit next to her.

"Morning, Elanie." He greeted.

"Oh, Shepard!" Elanie jolted, fork clattering on her plate. "Didn't see you there. What can I do for you?"

"Just thought I'd check how you're settling in, make sure you're doing okay."

"Oh, I'm doing fine, Commander." She said quickly. "The crew have been very accommodating, and your AI- EDI, wasn't it?- she's been extremely helpful."

"I'm not hearing a lot of conviction there." Shepard said, picking up on the haste of her words. "Having any problems?"

"No, no problems, really." She sighed. "I just… I never really find it all that easy to handle the whole social scene. Not when I'm being me. I mean, as an operative for the Shadow Broker, I had to wear so many disguises. Its so much easier to assume a persona that will never be needed again." She chuckled. "Of course, since leaving Cerberus it's been pretty hard to make friends. Having to run away from your past constantly tends to make long-term relationships a little awkward."

"You must have made some friends in your travels." Shepard reasoned. "Nobody can survive for that long on their own."

"I had Sykes." She grinned as the holographic orb materialised over her shoulder like some kind of high-tech parrot. "He's all the friend a girl could need."

"How long ago was all of this?" Shepard asked.

"About fifteen years ago. I was still pretty young, just turned twenty-four. I reckon your Miranda would have been little more than a junior intelligence operative among Cerberus' ranks. I'd always been a bit of a tech-head. Something about binary code and quantum calculations just fascinated me. Working out how synthetic minds came into being seemed like a natural calling."

"You had a background in AI research?"

"My father was an AI tech in one of the few Citadel-approved projects on the go thirty years ago. As a child, I was surrounded by his little work projects, lines of code several miles long, little devices running complex VI programmes. He even made me a virtual tutor. Taught me thirteen languages, three of those being alien dialects of binary while a further two were dead languages. When I hit thirteen, my father had already taught me enough code for me to create my own VI pet, a little robot cat called Rixie. By the time I turned eighteen, I'd aced the Alliance Academy's course on VI programming, and was tagged for the same project my father had worked on."

"When did you draw Cerberus' attention?"

"About a month after starting work on the project. They had operatives within the staff who noticed my skill. They kept an eye on me for a year and a half. Pretty soon after that my father got sick. He used to smoke when he was younger. Not the modern harmless tobacco. He said that had no flavour to it. He used to use the old-fashioned Earth-grown stuff, full of all the kinds of chemicals that made it hazardous to your health. After fifty years straight of indulging his habit his lungs were giving out. The Alliance didn't pay me well enough to get him the treatments he needed and he had to work less and less as his condition worsened."

"What about your mother? Couldn't she help?"

"My mother died when I as very young. Complications due to eezo exposure."

"I'm sorry."

"I didn't really know her. I was only about two at the time." She sighed again, a wistful noise. "So that's when Cerberus stepped in. They had the money to treat my father, I had skills they needed. Seemed like a fair trade."

"It didn't turn out that way?"

"Cerberus were good on their word. Father got the treatments he needed. But they only bought him four years. There were additional complications. He died very suddenly. But Cerberus wasn't done with me. Suddenly there was no real cost to them, but they kept on taking. I was pushed harder and harder to come up with a breakthrough on the SI project, but was getting nothing out of it. Then finally I created the first generation of SIs. Pretty soon after that we made a second generation, then a third, out of which came Sykes."

Sykes, which had only been watching before then, piped up.

"It was very dark, then so bright. I was very scared until Elanie spoke to me."

"The SIs were all confused when they 'woke up'." Elanie explained as she turned to face Sykes, lifting a hand to wiggle her fingers through the hologram. Sykes bobbed around the hand like a fish nudging at something floating in the water. "Like children, really. Curious about their surroundings, naïve, very playful."

"What led up to you running away with Sykes?" Shepard asked, watching the playful interaction with interest.

Suddenly, the playful mood of the pair evaporated. Sykes' 'face' turned red and sparks escaped from it was the hologram buzzed like a swarm of wasps. Elanie's hand dropped with her expression.

"That's… a sensitive topic, Commander." As she spoke, Sykes' interface evaporated, returning to storage. "Maybe we can talk about it another time?"

Shepard was not dense. He picked up on the hint and backed off.

"Sure thing." He acquiesced. "Take care of yourself, Elanie."

"You too, Commander." She smiled as she cleared up her plates, heading in the direction of Rupert's workstation. Shepard, meanwhile, turned to head for the door to Miranda's office.

He paused before the doorway, checking his appearance. He wasn't sure what it was, but there was something about Miranda that made him very self-conscious about his appearance, worrying in case he was somewhat dishevelled. Initial check over, he pressed the door control, stepping through.

Miranda was in her usual spot behind her desk, but her seat had spun around so that her back faced the doorway as she leaned back leisurely, rocking gently as her foot pushed against the floor. One arm reached up to curl around her head in a strange posture that stretched out both the arm and neck, her fingers lightly brushing the opposite side of her throat ponderously. Shepard had known a few people in his time who found that comfortable, but he wasn't one of them. To him, it just looked strange.

Her other hand held up a datapad, which she stared at with her usual intensity. Even with her back to the Commander, Shepard could tell that her eyes scanned the words before her with their usual cold glare, but he got the feeling from the way that she was so engrossed that she failed to notice the door opening that this was what passed for recreation for her. Silently, he strode up to stand on the other side of her desk, watching for a moment. He squinted, trying to read the title of whatever it was that had so completely captured her interest.

"Guns and Eezo?" He asked.

Miranda jumped, spinning around as her arm uncurled from its position around her head. The datapad clattered as it was put down hastily on top of a stack of similar devices, knocking them across the desk with a rattle.

"Commander!" She gasped. "You could have knocked."

Shepard held his hands up at her reproachful tone. It was true, he could have knocked. In fact, he wasn't sure why he never did. Force of habit, maybe. He spent his entire time out in the field opening or breaking down any door he liked. If someone didn't want him going somewhere, it was usually because that was exactly where he needed to be.

"Sorry." His tone was sincerely. "You're right. But it is more fun this way. What else have you got here?"

Miranda tried to stack the datapads quickly before Shepard could leaf through them. She was unsuccessful.

"'Sharpshooter', 'Tactical Biotics Weekly', 'What Pistol?', 'Elysium Sniper'?" Shepard leafed through the veritable library of combat periodicals and gazettes with not a little approval. When he reached the final one, his brows shot up in surprise. "'Bulletz'?"

"I assure you, that one was a mistake. Nothing more." Miranda said primly. "So you can get that damn grin off your face."

"To be fair, these lovely young ladies are all holding guns." Shepard teased as he looked through a couple of pages. "They're just not being very practical with them."

"I only saw it in Jacob's collection!" Miranda attempted to defend herself. "I thought it was actually about guns!"

"You of all people should know better than to use Jacob's library as a reference for your own subscriptions." Shepard grinned. "How many months did you pay for in advance?"

"Twenty-four." Miranda said glumly, much to Shepard's entertainment.

"Just send them up to Mordin. He's got quite the reference library, you know."

"I'm all too aware. He broached the subject with me when he suspected that Jacob and I were still… involved." Miranda straightened, shoving the rough pile of datapads out of the way then brushing a couple of strands of dislodged hair away from her face. "Now, what can I do for you, Shepard?"

"I got a message from Oriana today." Shepard explained, sitting down in the seat opposite her. "She's worried about you, Miranda."

"I see." Miranda looked down at the desk, more to avoid Shepard's gaze than anything else.

"I'm a little worried too. Why didn't you contact her, let her know that you're okay? You dropped off the map for three solid months. It's a wonder she hasn't done something stupid from panic."

"She's got a sensible head on her shoulders." Miranda defended. "She knows better than to get herself killed trying to track me down."

"But what about her feelings, Miranda? She's a bright girl. She knows what kind of danger you face. Do you really want to cause her that kind of distress?"

"Our mission's too important, Commander. I can't be distracted by family matters."

"She doesn't need a monopoly on your time." Shepard stressed. "She just needs to know you're okay."

"There's just such a lot of work to be done-"

"Let EDI handle some of the load." Shepard said firmly. "I won't have you burning out because you don't know when to ease up. Reading up on the next big gun we can kit the squad out with is all well and good, but you need to find a few things to do that don't have any bearing on our mission, okay?"

"Fine." Miranda sighed, her shoulders sagging. "I can schedule a vid link with her tonight."

"Good." Shepard said, relaxing a little. If there was anyone on the ship who could be just as hard-headed as the Commander, it was Miranda. He stood up, releasing the tense breath that had been hanging around in his chest. "I'll leave you to finish your reading."

"Commander." Miranda said professionally, her way of saying goodbye.

Shepard paused by the door, a mischievous smirk tugging at his lips.

"Actually, could you pass me that Bulletz issue?" He asked over his shoulder. "I wouldn't mind giving that a once-over in my downtime."

He managed to slip through the door an instant before the datapad struck the wall next to where his head had been with pin-point accuracy.

**~o~0~o~**

The Commander strode through the Mess Hall, nodding to crewman Patel as she settled down to tuck into a steaming plate of what might have been stew. The young woman saluted back before turning back to her meal, ravenous after a long Night Shift. Shepard passed by, making his way towards the elevator.

He'd almost reached the wide doorway when a quick glance to his right made him pause. He considered the door leading to the Life Support Plant for a second before reaching a decision, stepping over and opening the door.

Thane stood before the big window looking down on the drive core, his silhouette outlined by the blue hue that drifted through the core's chamber, a side effect of the gravitic distortions caused by the raw element zero coursing through the device. The Drell stared down at a datapad cradled against his left forearm, right hand drifting across the controls as he typed. His head lifted up, emerald eyes blinking as he came back to the here-and-now. His pre-occupied expression softened upon catching sight of the Commander.

"Shepard." He greeted.

"Just thought I'd stop by, see how you're doing."

"Of course." The alien indicated one of the seats in his small living area. "Please."

Once the pair of them had both found a seat, the Commander throwing his right arm over the back of his chair languorously, the assassin carefully put his datapad to one side.

"I was just composing a message for Kolyat. Given recent… circumstances… we've fallen out of touch."

"You couldn't help that." Shepard reasoned. "Just explain that it was out of your hands."

"I doubt that my absence worried him overmuch." Thane said, the ghost of bitterness lingering in his tone. "I was absent from his life for over a decade. It hardly seems as though a few months would be missed."

"He's still your son." Shepard prompted, trying to buoy up his friend's mood.

"Indeed." Thane remarked. "Down to the last scale. He has done quite well for himself in C-Sec. After completing his community sentence, Executor Bailey had him appointed as a junior officer. He had a hand in the recent raid on Elias Kelham's money-laundering operation in Kithoi Ward, gained quite the reputation for getting the job done. While his work is more honourable than mine, I can see a little of his father's determination in his dedication to serving justice. It inspires a significant amount of pride within my heart that he'll be the one entrusted to uphold the Krios family name."

"I'm glad." Shepard said, smiling warmly. Th assassin had very few bright points in his life, but Kolyat was one of them. In a rapidly darkening Galaxy, such things were to be treasured. "Maybe if we get the chance we can swing by the Citadel so you can stop by to see him."

"I would appreciate that, Commander." Thane bowed his head. "Given all that has been taking place, I would have understood if you'd-"

He suddenly halted as a hacking hitch tugged at his throat. His body curled over as his lungs heaved, struggling to suck in a breath that would not come. Shepard jolted forward at the sudden coughing fit, hand reaching out to slap him on the back if needed. Thane managed to bring his respiration back under control, drawing his hand across his mouth before trying to wipe it on his trouser leg before the Commander could see, but Shepard still picked up on the gleam of fresh emerald blood that smeared the back of his hand. After a moment of drawing in deep, grating breaths, the Drell's respiration was back under control.

"It's getting worse." Shepard commented.

"That is fairly standard for terminal illness, yes." Thane's eyes twinkled from behind his austere expression.

"I should have given you that cure when I had the chance." The Commander muttered bitterly.

"If you had I doubt I'd have been able to find it in my heart to forgive you, Commander. I am at peace with my fate. I will not allow others to suffer to spare myself. I can die happy in the knowledge that my sacrifice now saves the lives of many, many more, perhaps even the life of my son. I am unable to think of any better gift you could have bestowed upon me, Shepard."

Shepard nodded glumly, staring down at the table in front of him. He carefully placed his hands on the surface, intertwining his fingers. Opposite him, Thane watched with a slight furrow to his brow.

"There is much that preys upon your mind, Commander. Much you alone have been entrusted with. In such times peace of mind is hard to come by. Perhaps you would benefit from some meditation?"

Shepard looked up, a little surprised by the suggestion. He'd never tried to meditate before, never really thought about it. But then again… Samara always seemed so focused, so in control, as did Thane, Jano, even Etarn occasionally sat for a few quiet hours to commune with his ancestors. The thought almost made him laugh, but even Legion occasionally meditated, when it powered down for an hour or so to defragment its data-caches and run its internal cleaning software. If so many of his comrades benefited, then surely it couldn't hurt to give it a try.

Thane smiled at his hesitant nod.

"Very good."

"Do I need to get down on the floor or anything?" Shepard asked, a little wary. He'd seen the position Samara normally used, but he was unsure as to whether he could imitate that, especially considering the fundamental biological difference between a Human male and an Asari.

"Not at all. As long as you have a steady surface from which you cannot lose your balance, you will be fine." The Drell closed his eyes, his features relaxing as peace flowed through his mind. "Now close your eyes, and release your grip on the present. Allow your mind to drift into silence…"

**~o~0~o~**

Like a whale powering upwards from the darkest depths of the ocean, Shepard's mind awakened, his entire body tingling with renewed awareness. His skin prickled, sensitive to every nuance of the air temperature around him. His ears felt as though they had just been uncovered after being muffled for several years. As he opened his eyes, he became aware of the harshness of the lights overhead at the same time as his gaze pierced the darker corners of the room. He couldn't explain it, but he just felt a little more alive. He released a single long breath, feeling the tension of the past few missions fleeing with it. A new man, he turned a thankful glance to Thane.

"I think I needed that." He said. "Thank you."

"Meditation can be a valuable tool in times of trials and tribulations." The Drell explained. "I believe you would benefit from meditating regularly. Seek me out any time you wish to try it again."

"I will." Shepard bowed his head.

A quiet hiss from the doorway caused them to turn as Jano stepped into the room. The Quarian paused uncertainly as he noted the room's occupants.

"Oh, um… sorry. I was just going to do some work on the tertiary air filtration systems, but I can come back later…"

"No need." Thane said, standing. "It is nearing time for the midday meal, and I have developed quite an appetite with this morning's meditations. Please proceed."

Shepard nodded to the Drell as he turned to stride out of the room, leaving the Commander and the Quarian in the Life Support Plant. Shepard flashed Jano a grin as a way of greeting.

"How's it going, Jano?"

"Fine, fine." The Quarian answered as he knelt next to one of the humming devices in the corner of the room. "Maintenance is keeping me busy. Gabby and Ken do what they can, but even with our combined skill sets it's a big task to keep a ship this complex running. Got to say, though, I never once in my life would have expected to end up taking orders from a Geth."

"If you're not comfortable with it, I can make arrangements." Shepard offered.

"No, no!" Jano said quickly. "Don't get me wrong. Legion's amazing. They work so efficiently, and their understanding of the Normandy is unmatched. It's just the situation is a little strange, that's all. Actually, I find it quite interesting to talk to them, from time to time. I also think they relish the opportunity to speak to one of their 'Creators'."

"I see." Shepard nodded. "And what about Ken and Gabby? There's no ill will there, is there? I know that Cerberus isn't exactly liked by the Quarians, and they did work for the Illusive Man for a good long while."

"We get along very well." Jano pulled a long wire out of the machine, spooling it around his hand. "I think I'm getting the hang of Kenneth's sense of humour."

"If you are you'd be the first." Shepard chuckled.

"I think, given the pranks I used to get up to pre-Pilgrimage, I already kind of speak his language." Jano chuckled. "Although I get the distinct feeling that I have no desire to find out how you cook a, what did he call it? Haggis?" The Quarian's voice box let out a little clicking scratch that may have been the alien's way of expressing his distaste. "Kenneth was telling me all about how you hunt them down and kill them. I've never heard of anything like it."

Shepard's laugh barked out at the Quarian's words, overwhelmed with amusement at the cruel trick the engineers were playing on the alien, the same trick that Scotsmen everywhere played upon those not from their native homeland.

"Sounds about right." He chuckled, as Jano glanced at him, bemused.

"Anyway," He continued. "They remind me a little of my shipmates on the Kolepsy, back before I went on my Pilgrimage." He laughed. "There were three of us, myself, Felira'Yahnz and Nakot'Mora. We used to cause Captain Hrana'Kass all kinds of grief when we were younger.

"I remember one time when we managed to lock the engineering staff out of the Drive Core. Nakot took control of the ship on a dare. Nearly crashed into the Rayya with that one." The Quarian shook his head. "Mind you, he only did it to impress Felira. She managed to get all of the young Quarians in the fleet a little hot under the suit, if you get my meaning."

"Even you?"

"Well…" Shepard got the distinct impression the alien was blushing under his mask. "A little bit, yes, okay? But I grew out of it. Besides, getting involved with a shipmate is forbidden by law. We may not be related, but if that sort of thing were permitted the fleet would soon get into all kinds of trouble. That's why you need to go on Pilgrimage and seek out another ship. If we never left our birth ships, the species would stagnate."

"I understand." Shepard said, remembering dimly when Tali had explained the rule in similar terms. "So did you ever find anyone else who caught your eye?"

"No, not really. I was stuck on my Pilgrimage for so long, then I joined the Wardancers. We lead the kind of life where finding a wife and settling down is difficult."

"Not even while you were on Pilgrimage?"

"No." There was something about the way he said it, the slight quiver to his voice, that Shepard managed to pick up on.

"You know Jano, considering you're a Quarian, you have a terrible poker face." He teased. "So spill the beans or I'll have Joker ask you."

"Keelah, no!" The Quarian chuckled. "There's one person who never lets up.

"Alright, but you must understand, this was a long time ago, right?"

"I hear you." Shepard nodded.

"Well… she never saw me the same way, but I always felt that… I don't know- protective connection, maybe?- for little Jackalee. I always felt a little sorry for her, what with the life she's had, but she never wanted anyone top worry about her. She'd take care of herself, and that was the only thing she'd settle for." He raised his hands defensively. "Now I understand that you two are an item, and I'm happy for you. I'm not going to bear any resentment towards the man who's proved that he can make her happy, and I'm certainly not going to begrudge her a rare chance at finding a place to belong. Its not often I've seen her brighten up the way she does around you."

"Yeah, well," Shepard sighed, looking down at the floor. "I get the feeling that those days are over for us now. She didn't exactly take me sparing the Illusive Man very well."

"And why should she? He's the one responsible for all of her suffering. If it were I in her position, I'd be angry too. But it was the right thing to do. Even she can't argue that. She's just a little pissed right now, Commander. Give her time. She'll come around in the end. The important thing is to refuse to give up on her. So many people have done that before, so now she expects it from everyone. Prove her wrong."

"That's… very insightful, Jano." The Commander admitted with a little surprise. "Thanks for that."

"Anytime, Shepard." Jano said brightly as he tugged at a capacitor that had jammed. "Now I'd better get on with my work here. Gabby will flay the suit from my back if I spend the whole day chatting."

Shepard chuckled at the Quarian's words, nodding in farewell as he strode towards the door. The doors slid open, allowing a brief burst of noise from the bustling Mess Hall to filter through, then the Commander was gone. With a long morning's meditation behind him and a good feeling in his heart, Shepard strode out to face the rest of the day. Under his feet, the Normandy continued to hum as it powered towards the distant system at the heart of Asari space and the glittering jewel at its centre, the sapphire world of Thessia.

**Author's Notes: Really liked this chapter. There's just something about the conversations that I found to be more believeable this time.**

**It's been pointed out to me that this story is rapidly approaching its one-year anniversary. I'll try to get another mission done in time for that momentous occasion. Hard to believe that I've been doing this for over eleven months already! **

**I'd like to give props to BloodIronAngel, Raidster, Darkerego, Spills235, Mastermind4892, Acerlux, Hexagonal, general-joseph-dickson and Liege Lord for their kind reviews and helpful comments on the last chapter. I'd also like to thank Katamariguy for his continuous presence here since reviewing the first chapter all the way up to now. Its great to know that I can write a story that holds your interest consistently over such a long period of time. Here's hopeing the remaining chapters live up to your expectations.**

**Anyway, please let me know what you think of this latest offering. Good points, bad points, lay it on me! Read, Review, Repeat!**

**Fainmaca**


	41. 41: Athame's Shroud

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 41: Athame's Shroud**

_Bong._

Shepard scrunched his eyes up at the intruding noise, clutching at the last scraps of his slumber as consciousness threatened to overwhelm him. He groaned a little as he lifted his head from the pillow, his threatening glare at EDI's interface somewhat ruined by the bleary eyes and haggard expression. He glanced over to his bedside clock, a frown creasing his weary features.

"EDI, do you have any idea what time it is?" He asked, more rhetorically than literally.

"It is currently three-oh-six AM, Citadel Standard time." The AI answered promptly.

"Then you probably know that you'd better have a damn good reason for waking me, otherwise I'm going down to the AI core with a soldering gun and a shock-wrench."

"You issued express instructions to be informed once we were one hour out from the Saterius Mass Relay." EDI's voice held a little note of reproach deep within its carefully monotone words.

"Already?" Shepard asked with surprise, rolling around until his feet dangled over the floor, flinching at the contact with the cold metal. "I thought Joker reckoned we wouldn't get there until this evening?"

"As the Normandy passed the Neruut dust cloud, Jeff identified a safe route through it. A most fortuitous discovery. I estimate that this precise configuration will only be open for another three days at most, following which it will not occur again for another three hundred and seventy-eight years."

"Probably best not to tell him that." Shepard muttered, shuffling across the deck towards the steps. He stifled a yawn. "He'd be crowing about it for decades to come."

"Agreed." EDI replied. "I informed him that it is a route regularly used by Asari refuse collectors en route between Thessia and Korlus."

"Alright." Shepard chuckled. "I'll be out in a minute. Just gotta get washed up first."

"I would recommend brushing your teeth, Commander. Your breath has triggered a number of environmental alarms." She spoke up before the Commander could open his mouth to voice a defensive protest. "That is a joke."

The AI's interface faded, leaving a smirking Shepard to go about his morning rituals.

**~o~0~o~**

The Commander strode onto the Command Deck, fully dressed in his combat armour. In the spirit of continuing the joke with his ship, his breath reeked so strongly of mint that his lips had threatened to go numb.

He paused with a little surprise as he spotted the current occupant of Kelly's normal station.

"Feron?"

The Drell looked up, nodding formally.

"Commander."

"Don't you ever sleep?"

"Occasionally. I still remember the last time. It was a Tuesday." The Drell could only keep his expression rigid for a moment before smirking. "Actually, EDI had the sense to wake me just after she called you. We both figured you could do with an up-to-date intel report on the situation."

"Alright. Hit me with it."

The alien pulled out a datapad, scanning the info carefully as he ensured that his report was fully accurate.

"According to Liara's sources, the Saterius Relay is completely lifeless. The moment the Reapers took control of the system, the Relay just switched off, much like the Charon-Arcturus Relays. It's probably safe to say that they have another device keeping the link shut. That's got to be our main priority before we even have a hope of taking on the Reaper forces in the system."

"Who are Liara's sources?"

"A few agents on what Asari military vessels escaped from the system. The commanders of the vessels have ordered a perimeter to be established around the Relay, but they won't even commit to opening it again until they've got a lot more ships on their side."

"They'll be waiting forever if they hope the Turians or the Salarians will help." Shepard commented bitterly. "So it's up to us to get things moving. How do we get the Relay working again?"

"Considering our experience with the Reapers, Liara hopes we'll be able to spot any devices attached to the Relay that don't belong. Failing that, EDI is the most complex tool we have. She'll get to work trying to decipher any Reaper coding running through the Relay. Hopefully, with the algorithms recovered from Sovereign, she'll be able to break through."

"This plan is relying on an awful lot of hope." Shepard said sternly.

"Frankly, it's the best we've got."

"Very well." The Commander sighed. "What about inside the system? Any word from Thessia?"

"With the Relay down, communications are severely hindered." Feron explained. "But not impossible. Liara's received a number of QEC bursts from her agents on the ground, but they've all been quickly silenced. I don't know how, but it seems that the Reapers can track QEC communications."

"I thought Quantum Entanglement was meant to be undetectable."

"With our current abilities, it is. But the Reapers must have some edge that we don't."

"So basically you have nothing good to tell me today." The Commander muttered glumly.

"Not quite." The Drell contradicted. "We have had word that a collection of prominent Matriarchs made it to a safe location in the mountains near to that Ardat-Yakshi monastery where you found Samara. So far as we know, they're still alive, but they went silent the moment they could confirm the security of their location."

"It's a start." Shepard allowed. "But we'll have to postpone looking for them until the immediate threat of the Reaper invasion has been dealt with. Has Liara managed to contact Admiral Hackett?"

"Yes. Admiral Hackett, Admiral Anderson and Admiral Drescher all agree that the Alliance should commit its resources to helping retake Thessia. The Galaxy's a dangerous enough place for Humanity without the few Council strongholds that remain being wiped out. Aside from that, they figured that, if you were going to come here anyway, they should make sure you come back alive."

"I'm touched." Shepard smirked.

"I think it's actually more to do with the morale of the troops than any personal motives, Commander." Feron chuckled. "Hackett sent a message to indicate he was on his way."

Both flinched as Joker's voice spoke out overhead.

"Commander, we shall be arriving at the Saterius Mass Relay in five, four, three, two, one."

The Normandy shook under their feet as it dropped down to sub-light speeds. Shepard wheeled about in an instant, climbing the steps to stand over the Galaxy Map.

"EDI, show me the Mass Relay and everything within five hundred kilometres of it." He ordered.

In seconds, the massive device hung in the air in front of him, its holographic form spinning as images appeared all around it. Shepard caught sight of numerous ships forming the blockade around the Relay as well as a motley collection of asteroids that had been caught in the gravity well of the massive machine. Shepard wondered at that for a moment before realising that, aside from the star at the heart of the system, around which the Relay orbited, there was nothing else for the asteroids to be drawn in towards.

"How many ships?" He asked out loud, turning to crewman Matthews on one of the sensor suites.

"I count sixteen Dreadnoughts, sir." The crewman replied quickly. "Over five dozen cruisers, maybe two hundred frigates. A lot of 'em have been on the wrong end of an ass-kicking, sir."

"Still an impressive force." Shepard reasoned. "Joker, take us in to one thousand kilometres of the outer edge of the blockade. EDI, find the ship in charge here and hail them."

Moments later a familiar voice echoed through the comms.

"Normandy, this is the dreadnought Faltheyrra. Commander Shepard, is that you?"

"Councillor Tevos." The Commander responded. "I'm surprised to find you here."

"While the field of battle is not my usual habitat, I could not ignore the plight of my homeworld." The Asari answered. "We should talk in person. Head to docking bay nine. I'll meet you there."

**~o~0~o~**

The Commander bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited for the airlock to cycle open. At his side, Samara appeared unusually uneasy. Understandable, given her emotional investment in the mission. He offered her a comforting smile, which she returned weakly, a small smile beneath eyes that had not seen the benefit of sleep for a couple of nights.

At his other side, Feron stood to attention, holding a datapad at the ready to record any and all useful information. The Commander felt that rousing anyone else before they had even the faintest idea what they were flying into would be unfair. Better they all be well rested for the mission ahead while he spoke with the Asari Councillor and whoever was in charge of this surviving Asari fleet.

Finally, the airlock hissed loudly.

"That's us, Commander. You're good to go across." Joker shouted back over his shoulder.

Shepard nodded his thanks before stepping through the opening portal, shivering as he felt the cooler air of the Asari vessel. Coming from a slightly cooler planet than Earth, the blue-skinned aliens always kept their ships at a lower temperature than Humans normally preferred.

As they stepped through the docking arm onto the ship, the Commander glanced around, taking in the clean white lines of Asari architecture. The ship was more of a work of art than an instrument of war, with flowing curves and sweeping lines merging together to form a single graceful whole. Shepard had to pause to admire it for a moment. Elegant and fragile as it seemed, a moments inspection told him that there was strength lurking under the surface, a surprisingly sturdy structure with a solid power behind it.

The trio strode out into the centre of a junction between three separate corridors as the sounds of footsteps reached them. They looked up one branch of the corridor to see a cluster of Asari striding towards them. At the front stood Councillor Tevos, flanked by two commando bodyguards. Shepard looked on in surprise as he took in the Councillor's striking new look, a vast change from her normal garish style of dress when representing the Asari Republics.

The Asari was now clad in a bulky set of combat armour, painted a deep blue streaked with purple and white. For a moment, Shepard could see a similarity with the armour worn by Tela Vasir, but this was heavier, much heavier. The Asari spectre had worn light armour to allow her to rely on her biotics, while this suit was designed for someone not as adept at using her powers to keep out of the way of the bullets. He glanced to her face, noting with a start the fact that her white facial markings were more defined, outlined by thin lines of blood-red, giving her a more ferocious appearance. The Commander saw it for what it was, war paint.

"Commander." She said warmly. "I'm glad you're here. May I introduce Captain Halyrria, commander of this vessel."

Shepard nodded to the Asari bearing the starched uniform of an officer who marched behind the Councillor. Halyrria returned the gesture. Then, without pausing, the Asari contingent moved back up the corridor, the Commander and his companions falling into step beside them.

"What's the situation here?" The Commander asked, straight to the point. His question was more aimed at Halyrria as he was keen to get a military viewpoint rather than the politician's. Nevertheless, he didn't object when Tevos answered first.

"Bad." The Councillor said in short. "The Reapers hit the system hard. They moved too fast for us to mobilise a proper defence."

"Only about ten per cent of our forces got out." Halyrria said gravely. "The rest were trapped, either having their avenue of retreat cut off by those things, still stuck in shipyards both in orbit and on the ground, or disabled altogether." The Asari Captain's face hitched. "They tore apart a couple of ships they'd disabled. I get the feeling that was purely for the benefit of those of us that got out of there."

"How many Reapers are we talking about?" Shepard asked cautiously.

"By my count?" The Captain said bluntly. "No more than a dozen to fifteen. It was hard to tell with the frantic pace of the attack, but our ship's VI managed to ID ten separate contacts before we were forced to flee."

"That's still more than enough." Feron responded grimly as the troupe strode onto the ship's bridge. "There were only four in the Dholen System, and they still managed to hand the Fifth Fleet their asses."

Shepard looked around the bridge, taking in the layout of the alien vessel. This was the first time he'd seen the interior of an Asari vessel, and it was fully living up to his expectations. The main body of the command centre was a large circular room with a large Galaxy Map in its centre, surrounded by feverishly busy crew members. In front of this the deck dropped down to accommodate several work stations, presumably helm, weapons and sensors. Directly before those stations was a large viewport looking out over the Mass Relay. Before he could take in any more details, his attention was drawn back to the Asari captain, responding to the Drell's words.

"I'm hoping that, considering both the forces we have deployed around the Relay and the fleets trapped in-system, we'll have a significantly larger force than just one of your Alliance fleets. Aside from that, we have a number of force multipliers that can be put into action in the course of the counteroffensive."

"You've already been making plans for a counter-attack?" Shepard asked, curious about the nature of the 'force multipliers'.

"We've been sitting here watching this Mass Relay for three days." Halyrria said flatly. "It's pretty hard to not let your mind wander when faced with that."

Shepard smiled. He was starting to like this Asari. Even with her homeworld so threatened, she remained remarkably calm and focused, but not weighed down.

"So what plans have you made?"

Tevos was the first to answer, stepping over to the Galaxy Map. She waved a hand over it, bringing up the image of a star system.

"The Reapers managed to get the jump on us by using the stellar geography of the system against us. At this moment in time the fifth planet of the system, Epyria, has moved between Thessia and the Mass Relay. It will continue to hold this position for another week. This allows objects to travel through the Mass Relay without sensors located on Thessia or in orbit around it detecting the new presence directly. Instead, data needs to travel through a sensor network, taking a considerably longer time. A swift enemy can make use of this to strike at the planet before a proper alert has been sounded."

"So the Reapers used this to catch you with your pants around your ankles." Shepard surmised. The Asari crew around him looked up in surprise at the crude metaphor, and he felt his cheeks colour as he saw even the serene Samara regard him with a sharp glance. Halyrria laughed out loud.

"Ha! Exactly. Is that a Human expression? I like it." She chuckled again. "Anyway, yeah, that's what they did. By the time our systems had warned us of a new presence in the system, they'd gone to FTL. Before we had a proper threat analysis, they'd dropped into orbit around the planet. We never stood a chance."

"We hope to use the same advantage to tip the odds further in our favour." Tevos explained smoothly. "Once the Relay has been re-opened, we hope to deploy our forces as swiftly as possible to prevent the Reapers from forming a unified front to fight back."

"Makes sense." Shepard nodded. "What else? You mentioned 'force multipliers'. What kind of tricks do you have up your sleeves?"

"Once we've gained access to the system, our main priority will be to get some troops on the ground." Tevos explained. "We need to get in touch with any troops pinned down by the Reaper occupation and co-ordinate an attack on both fronts."

"The Normandy's just about the best ship you could have for a covert infiltration." Shepard volunteered. "We could be in there and on the ground before the Reapers even knew there was an enemy in the system."

"It…" Tevos hesitated. "It would be better if an Asari team was given this task."

Shepard felt a twinge of anxiety at this. His eyes narrowed as he shared a glance with Samara. The exiled Justicar could see it, too. The Councillor was hiding something.

"If we're going to do this," He said, speaking carefully, emphatically. "You need to be completely honest with us. I won't commit Human resources, Human lives, to this operation unless I can trust you completely."

Tevos took in a breath to speak, but then dropped her gaze down to her hands, almost bashfully. The Commander glanced to Halyrria, still watching her superior. The Asari captain paused for just a second before turning to the Commander with a grunt.

"To hell with it. I'm not going to let us lose this battle over pointless secrets." She ignored a cautionary glare from Tevos. "The infiltration team will be assigned the task of re-activating Athame's Shroud."

"I've never heard of this before." Shepard said, glancing to Samara again. His Asari comrade looked just as puzzled as he felt. Obviously not something the Asari public knew about, then. He turned back to Tevos, his expression making it clear that he would settle for no less than the full story. The Asari Councillor sighed.

"The Shroud is a recent Asari development, put into production after the attack on the Citadel three years ago. The Asari Republics reached the conclusion that we could no longer ignore the fact that there were threats out there who might one day muster up the courage to attack. The Citadel Council was no longer the invulnerable creature it was once thought to be. So we commissioned a global defence grid to be constructed, a combination of ground-based emplacements and orbital weapons platforms, all built to be easily concealed within civilian structures. The ultimate goal was to construct a powerful defence network that was concealed from public view to prevent any form of panic."

"How far were you from completion?" Shepard asked. He felt a little irritation at the fact that the Asari had hidden this from their allies, thinking back to what kind of difference it might have made had a similar network been deployed around Earth. Then again, if the system was still in its infancy, such an indiscretion could be forgiven.

"The system was fully operational." Tevos said promptly.

"I see." Shepard's voice dropped a few degrees. "So what happened when the Reapers attacked?"

"Nothing." Halyrria answered. "Powering up the Shroud was the first thing we did, but when the Reapers moved within range, nothing happened. Not a single shot."

"The system malfunctioned?" Feron asked.

"Everything was in perfect working order." The Asari captain answered. "Something, an outside influence, shut it down."

"An agent." Shepard said bitterly. "Must have been. An indoctrinated Asari could get in close enough to shut down a few key systems."

"A possibility." Tevos admitted. "If these agents could be dealt with, the Shroud would give us a considerable advantage against the Reapers."

"We also need to find out who is still active on the ground." Halyrria explained. "We managed to get word from a collection of matriarchs and their military escort, seeking refuge in the Myreena Mountains. There's a series of secure bunkers deep under the mountains. Last we heard they were safe, but enemy activity was keeping them pinned down. Unfortunately, we lost contact with them fairly quickly. There was no indication they'd been found, so I suspect their comms were jammed. It's possible the whole planet's been jammed."

"These bunkers…" Shepard cradled his chin between his thumb and index finger. "Would any of them be tied into the Shroud?"

"No." Tevos said after a moment's thought. "They're designed as a refuge for our political and military leaders, nothing more. But if you can make contact with those surviving Matriarchs they will be able to guide you in how to get the Shroud back online."

"So the Normandy can go in first, get a team on the ground," Shepard said. "you wait here until Hackett arrives with reinforcements, then once we can get word to you that the Shroud is back online, you come blazing in at full speed and we catch the Reapers in between. It might not be enough to destroy them, but it'll give them a bad enough beating that retreat will look like an inviting alternative."

"Better than just throwing our fleets at the damn things and hoping for a result." Halyrria muttered.

"Agreed." Tevos concluded. "How long until we can get that Relay open?"

"Our technicians are working at it as fast as they can, but we've never had cause to go delving into the inner workings of a Mass Relay before." Halyrria replied. "Nobody wants one of these things to go offline, so nobody messes with them. It means we're essentially working from scratch."

"I can have my team look into it." Shepard offered. "We've got some of the best working with us, and we've got more experience than most with the Reapers and their technology."

"Good." Halyrria answered. "We'll take all the help we can get."

"Thank you, Commander. You've done a lot to help us." Tevos' voice was full of warm sincerity.

"If we're going to fight these things, we need to band together." Shepard replied. "The Asari have been roaming the Galaxy a lot longer than any other Citadel species. We can't afford to lose your influence, knowledge and military forces."

"Of course." The Asari nodded. "But even so, Humanity has done more to help the Asari face this threat than either the Salarians or the Turians."

"They don't know what it's like to have these things take your homeworld." Shepard spat. "Yet. They'll learn soon enough if we don't drive these things back." He stepped back from the Galaxy Map. "We'd better get ready. Got a long day ahead of us."

"Yes, of course." Tevos bowed her head. "Good luck, Commander."

Shepard smiled before turning to leave, Samara and Feron in tow. As they hurried along the corridors back towards the Normandy, the ex-Justicar sidled closer to the Commander.

"Thank you. For all of this." She said awkwardly.

"I meant everything I said in there." Shepard assured her. "We need the Asari. But it's more than that. Even if they weren't so key to the war, I'd still be here to help. It's the right thing to do."

"I should have come to expect this by now." Samara said with a smile. "I have never known another being so ready to show compassion. The Galaxy is fortunate to have you."

"I'm sure someone else would have turned up if I wasn't here." Shepard mumbled modestly.

"Well, there is always your misguided friend on Illium. What was his name? Conrad?"

The Commander cackled at that, stifling his laughter as a number of Asari glanced over at the noise.

In minutes, the trio had stepped back aboard the Normandy, Shepard ordering Joker to set a course for the Mass Relay. In moments, the ship was under way, steadily approaching the Relay. As Shepard proceeded back towards the Galaxy Map, he nodded to the crew members he passed, a number of them still shaking off the remnants of their slumber. As he approached his station in the CIC, a wide-awake Miranda strode out of the elevator, quickly followed by Kaidan.

"Commander." She greeted briskly. Behind her, the Alliance soldier saluted.

"Miranda, Kaidan."

"Are we really going to liberate Thessia today?" Kaidan asked, his tone a little uncertain. Shepard could see the faith he had in his Commander gleaming in his eyes, but it was clear that, even with their track record, it was still a monumental task before them.

"If we can get through this Relay, yes." Shepard confirmed. "Think of this as a warm-up for the main event. A chance to get the blood pumping."

The pair chuckled at his bravado before Miranda's expression grew focused again, her professionalism shining through.

"What are your orders, Commander?"

"I'm going to be taking a team down to Thessia's surface to try and re-activate some of the planetary defences. In the meantime, I'll need the Normandy to keep her distance, but be ready to come to the rescue if things go south. Continuous silent running and battle stations once we get through that Relay. Kaidan, you'll have the ship while I'm gone. Miranda, I want you co-ordinating with the Asari and Hackett, once he arrives."

"Aye, sir."

"Understood, Commander."

"Good. EDI, when we get in range, I want you to try and hack into the Relay. The Asari are giving it their best shot, but I doubt they could match an AI. Use any information you've gleaned from your Reaper algorithms. Pick apart the IFF if you have to. We need that Relay working."

"I do not believe that that will be necessary, Commander." The AI responded quickly.

"What do you mean?" The Commander asked curiously.

"I am registering a ping from the Relay."

"Impossible. That thing's completely dead. The Asari have been trying to get it working for days."

"I believe that it is responding to the Reaper IFF."

Shepard was silent for a moment, thinking. He turned to his two executive officers.

"What do you think about this?"

"Could be a trap." Miranda theorised. "The Reapers have already shown an interest in you, through the Collectors. Could be that, if we go through there, we end up cut off from any reinforcements."

"It's just as possible that the Reapers don't know we can get past these sealed Relays." Kaidan countered. "Could be that we have a genuine tool to use against them here."

Shepard tapped his chin ponderously, weighing up his options. After a moment's thought, he made his decision.

"There's too much at stake here to just turn around and go home. The only way we can learn if this is a trap or not is to go in there." He glanced up at the ceiling. "EDI, compress the IFF into a single databurst and send it to the Asari ships. Have them replicate it for themselves and for Hackett, once he gets here. Then begin the calculations for the jump through. We can't waste a single second."

"Understood, Shepard." The AI complied. In seconds, the Normandy quivered as she powered towards the Relay. Shepard watched their progress on the Map before a chime from the comm drew his attention.

"Shepard, this is Halyrria. We just got your transmission. Is this really a way through?"

"We're about to find out." Shepard replied. "We'll contact you from the other side once the Shroud is back online. Make sure that Hackett gets a copy of that file when he arrives."

"Understood, Commander. Take care of yourself."

"You too, Captain. First drinks in Serrice are on me."

The Asari chuckled before closing the comm channel, allowing Shepard to focus on the Map as the holographic representation of the Mass Relay drew closer and closer. Then, with a shuddering boom, the ship shook, its lights dimming as power flowed to the drive core. In an instant, the Map changed as they arrived in the system, the interior lights going dim as Joker engaged the stealth drive.

Shepard watched the Map carefully as EDI's ladar scans quickly rendered an image of the Normandy's immediate surroundings. As she raced through space towards the distant Thessia, the frigate took nearly continuous scans and images to create as comprehensive an image as possible.

The Commander flinched as he spotted the outlines of four Reapers spread out around the system, hanging menacingly in the blackness of space. One had attached itself to a massive shipyard in orbit around Thessia while the other three patrolled around the planet. The other Reapers must have been on the planet's surface, wreaking untold damage in their chaotic passage. Shepard leaned forward with his arms crossed as he surveyed the situation.

"Commander." EDI spoke up. "I am detecting multiple Reaper signatures on the planet's surface. The majority of them appear to be concentrated around a massive power signature in the vicinity of Serrice. Images are coming in as we speak."

A holographic image flared up in front of the Commander, forcing him to draw in a sharp breath. Beside him, Miranda let out a little gasp.

"My god…" She breathed. "What the hell is that thing?"

Shepard stared at the image. Sprouting up from the planet's surface like some nightmarish bloom, a tower of twisted metal loomed up towards the outer atmosphere, its height measured in tens of kilometres, extending well into the planet's Thermosphere. As Shepard watched, a Reaper scudded through the sky to alight atop the wide flat part that formed the crown of this obscene tower, a plateau about a kilometre and a half in diameter compared to the two-hundred metre wide pillar. The machine stalked across this flat plain, tentacles reaching out to grab something then lifting off into space. A number of other Reapers lumbered across the plain, looking just as menacing as when they drifted through the sky.

"It looks like… some kind of loading station?" Kaidan asked with an edge of incredulity.

"EDI, any theories?" Shepard asked.

"Officer Alenko may have guessed correctly." The AI responded. "I am detecting large concentrations of eezo and other dense metals being stored on top of the structure before being loaded onto the Reapers. It is possible that this structure helps to facilitate the removal of vital resources from the planet without the need for the Reapers to land on the planet. Given the size of the Reapers in question, constant landing and lifting-off would use a tremendous amount of energy which, considering their recent hibernation in Dark Space, is a commodity they cannot afford to waste."

"Short answer is: Reapers are heavy, so this makes their lives easier." Joker chipped in over the comms. "Regardless, that tower looks like it'd blow up a treat if we took the Thanix to it, Commander."

"No, not yet." Shepard ordered. "We don't know what kind of shields that thing might have, and once we take a shot there'll be no second chances. Just keep us on silent running for the time being."

"Spoilsport." Joker huffed, but complied.

"Good. EDI, have the crew get the shuttle ready. I'll go gather my team."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard hunched over the controls of the newly acquired Krogan shuttle, suitably named the 'Nathak' after the crew appraised it's blocky structure and vicious armaments, as it darted through the Thessian skies swiftly. The craft had a surprising turn of speed, given its ungainly appearance, and had caught the Commander off-guard as he accelerated out of the Normandy's cargo bay. Now he was weaving through the lower peaks of the Myreena Mountains, keeping as low as possible to avoid being spotted by the enemy forces. Only a few scant kilometres away, the menacing hulk of the Reaper skyhook loomed over the horizon, a massive nail holding down the landscape. The longer the Commander looked at it, the larger the attractive force it seemed to exert, beckoning for him to come closer. He shuddered, shaking free of the dangerous thoughts.

Behind him, the squad sat quietly in their seats, poised tensely for action. He'd thought carefully about who to bring with him while the Normandy had angled towards Thessia. In the end, he'd tried to keep his team as balanced as possible. Samara, of course, had been impossible to deny considering her emotional investment in the mission, while he'd brought Etarn along both for his skill on the battlefield and for his skill at the negotiations table. If he managed to find those surviving matriarchs, Shepard needed a diplomatic voice such as the Batarian's to help him sway the Asari to his cause. In addition, he'd chosen to bring Elanie, Jano and Thane along to give him access to a full spectrum of biotic, tech and combat abilities. Now, the five squad mates and their Commander waited anxiously for the shuttle to bring them to their destination.

The Nathak soared over a ridge, allowing the Commander a glimpse of a familiar valley. Almost nothing had changed there since his last visit, save for one detail. Shepard's breath caught in his throat as he looked over the burning ruins of the Ardat-Yakshi monastery. Behind him, Samara released a shaky gasp.

"Goddess, no…"

Shepard tapped a few commands, bringing the shuttle around to land in a nearby opening in the mountainside, quickly hiding the craft from enemy eyes. The hatch hissed open, allowing a cold blast of air to wash over the squad as they clambered out.

Samara almost ran at the head of the team in her haste to reach the still-burning ruins. Shepard stumbled through the foot-deep snow in an attempt to keep up with her, almost falling several times.

The exiled Justicar came to a sudden halt in the midst of the smouldering wreckage, gazing about with a lost air. Shepard hurried up next to her, looking about carefully as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

The squad found themselves standing in the remains of one of the large halls that had been a part of the monastery's main structure, where the Commander had seen its Ardat-Yakshi inhabitants going about their day-to-day business. Now, the hall was in ruins, furniture torn to shreds in the building's destruction as massive chunks of masonry cascaded down on the hall and the Asari within. Shepard could see various body parts strewn around in the wreckage, crushed under burning debris. The Commander kicked a charred corpse over onto its back, his nose wrinkling with distaste at the smell. The grisly remnant bore the tattered scraps of an Ardat-Yakshi's robes, but her face was unrecognisable.

Samara stalked through the rubble, kneeling by each Asari corpse she found before moving on. She'd idly stir up a pile of dust and ash, barely flinching from the sparks that shot upwards as she eyed the contents of the pile with a dead gaze. With the Commander in tow, she meandered with a numb aimlessness through the ruins until she paused at the remains of a doorway. She strode over to what had been a bedside table, lifting the charred wood that had been its top. Shepard rushed over to help her, holding the sooty surface while she dug through a jumble of blackened remains underneath. Eventually she pulled out a small glass cube, about five inches to a side. She brushed the soot off it with a preoccupied air, then pressed one side. The cube flickered faintly, then an image appeared on it. Glancing over her shoulder, Shepard could see Samara in the image, her features unmarred by the difficult life she had lived since. She was being held in the arms of another Asari, a little taller than her, a little rounder in the features, but still possessing a beauty that went beyond the external features and deep into her smiling gaze. In front of this pair stood three young Asari, each one identical to the last and all bearing the features of their parents. Shepard shivered when he glanced into the eyes of the third little girl, seeing a gaze that was more familiar to him than that of the other two, a stare that was analytical, confident and a little disconnected. By Human standards, they looked to be no more than five or six.

"This was taken on the girls' twelfth birthday." Samara said, her voice distant, quiet. "Notana wanted to celebrate with a trip to Serrice. It was the last trip we went on together. Three years later Notana…"

Shepard squeezed her shoulder as the Asari's voice caught in her throat. For once in his life, the Commander couldn't find any words that could help. Instead, he just tried to convey through his sheer presence that Samara wasn't alone, an attempt to give her comfort through simple physical contact.

"Commander!" Elanie's voice shattered the peace, jolting the pair out of the moment. Shepard looked up to see the Shadow broker operative waving frantically through the smoke and flames. "You'd better come see this."

The duo hurried through the wreckage, ignorant of treacherous footing or shifting rubble. Samara moved with an almost feverish speed, worry about what she might see evident in every step. Shepard's pace was somewhat more measured, but an equal amount of anxiety coursed through his veins.

They crested a pile of debris, coming to a swift halt as they spotted what the remainder of the squad had found. This part of the monastery was lower down the mountainside than what they had been digging through, hiding it from view when they arrived. Beyond, Shepard could see the frozen river where Aesyyri Nalanis had met her end a few weeks ago, now fully frozen over again and leaving no sign of the Ardat-Yakshi's passing.

Closer to the Commander, however, were the remains of the Observatory. The massive hologram and its machinery was long gone, but the floor of the circular room remained, surrounded by a jagged ring of smashed rock, all that remained of the walls. In the centre of this ring of teeth sat a device that turned the Commander's blood to ice. The Reaper 'egg' was all too recognisable, still splitting open as tendrils of living metal snaked out like the roots of a tree. Shepard saw one such vine drag the corpse of an Asari into the heart of the egg, hiding it from view. More than a few other bodies were similarly being drawn in and absorbed.

"I've never seen anything like it." Elanie breathed.

"We have." Jano replied. "Meroxis. Remember, Commander? It creates Reaper avatars."

"That must be the purpose of those corpses." Thane muttered. "They are fortunate to have their Souls parted from their Bodies before the process begins. Arashu have mercy on those drawn in before the parting has taken place."

"This is beyond our ability to destroy." Shepard said firmly. "We'll need the Normandy's weapons to take care of this."

"If we call the ship in now we risk being detected." Etarn warned.

"That's why we'll leave this for later." The Commander concluded.

"We should take a look to see if the lower levels survived." Etarn said. "There may still be someone down there."

"Samara, do you think you could find the secret door in all of this?" Shepard asked.

"Possibly." The Justicar said after a moment's hesitation. "Yes, I think I can."

The squad followed her back through the ruins, watching the Asari as she moved from one part of the ruins to another until, finally, she pointed to a large pile of collapsed masonry.

"Here."

"You're sure?" Shepard asked, eyeing the rubble. At Samara's confident nod, he set about shifting the debris, aided by his comrades. Samara, Etarn and Thane used their biotics to expedite the process while Jano, Shepard and Elanie used their hands.

Eventually, the frame of a doorway revealed itself, the door stuck fast in the warped frame. Thane and Etarn grabbed the two halves, their muscles straining as they worked to get it open. Shepard stepped back, wiping the back of his hand across his forehead. Even with the brisk wind whipping across the ruins, the fires made it almost unbearably hot. His feet especially felt like they were walking on coals.

As the Drell and the Batarian struggled to pry the door open, the Commander glanced down at his feet, confused by that fact. Why would they, of all things, be overly warm? A knot tightened in his gut as Thane managed to tug on the door, opening it just a fraction. The telltale whistle of rushing air being sucked through the new opening needed to sound out for only a split second before the Commander realised the danger.

"Look out!" He yelled over the sudden roar, lunging forward. He shoved Samara away from the door in the same instant as Jano grabbed a hold of Elanie, then flung himself as the Drell assassin. Thane, his reflexes just a fraction of a second too slow, let out a surprised grunt as the Commander shoved him away, pushing Etarn in the opposite direction. In the same moment, Shepard raised his arm to protect his face as a sheet of flame spewed out through the doorway.

The thunderous roar echoed throughout the valley, as though the very mountains themselves were giving voice to immeasurable rage. Rubble soared into the air throughout the remains of the monastery as parts of the floor underneath rupture to release powerful gouts of flame. The entire building heaved as portions collapsed into the ground, the explosion underneath too intense for them to withstand.

Shepard was hurled clear of the door by the ball of fire just before the doorway ripped free of its fastenings, winging through the air bare inches from the Commander's face. Shepard struck the ground with a painful thud, wincing as he felt a sharp pain race up his arm from his wrist. His skin prickled from the ferocious intensity of the flames, his eyebrows and facial hair singeing as smoke filled his nostrils.

After an eternal second, the flames vanished, the fire dying back down and leaving the Commander with wildly flashing vision as his tortured retinas struggled to recover. All around, the unscathed squad gasped for air, all of the oxygen seemingly consumed by the blaze.

"What… what was that?" Etarn coughed, finding it hard to clear his lungs of the sooty residue that choked him.

"Backdraft." Jano answered. Of the six of them, he appeared the least affected, his suit keeping the hostile heat and soot from his lungs. "We learn to fear them on the fleet. You get a bad fire tearing through the engine deck, a door opened in haste can give a dying fire the chance to come back with a vengeance. Many Quarians have died in these explosions, and more than a few ships have been lost."

Shepard struggled back to his feet, taking Thane's outstretched hand to help him up. He shivered in the breeze, feeling the cold ever more prominently in comparison to the fading memory of the fireball. He took a few shaky steps before nodding to his Drell associate and turning to his companions.

The entire squad flinched as a series of loud hisses washed over them, rippling through the valley ominously. Around the edges of the ruins, piles of debris shifted and shuddered as figures scrambled out, standing upright on uncertain feet. With loud metal twangs, tendrils of living metal snapped free of the figures, snaking back through the dust and ash to return to the Reaper relic. The individuals left behind wavered erratically on their feet before straightening with renewed purpose and sinister stillness. The nearest one turned to face the Commander, revealing a serene Asari face animated by an unnatural blue light glowing behind the eyes and in the back of the throat. She raised a pale blue hand and pointed a threatening finger at him.

A rumble from behind the squad made them turn back to where the artefact was. They could see the relic clearly from their vantage point, allowing Shepard to see the charring along its sides as well as the rapidly retreating tentacles. The main body of the relic was shivering as long splits appeared along its sides, allowing it to open like a massive metal flower. The Commander was familiar with what would emerge from that device, and had no wish to endure such a thing a second time.

"We have to go. Now." He muttered.

"Yeah, might be a little difficult." Jano murmured back as he dropped into a wrestler's crouch, hands at the ready as he faced the Asari hybrids. The rest of the squad followed suit, assuming various battle stances as the hissing creatures turned towards them and began to approach with a lumbering gait.

Shepard leapt for cover behind a broken table, bringing his rifle to bear on the approaching creatures. The moment one shambled into range, he opened fire, feathering the trigger with practised ease. The former Asari jerked as bullets ripped through its knees and shoulders, but it remained upright. Snarling, it lifted up a blue hand, glowing energies swirling around the outstretched palm. A Warp blast unlike anything the Commander had seen, even from a biotic as powerful as Samara or Jack, tore across the battlefield, hurling Shepard's cover aside like a leaf before a hurricane. The Commander quickly renewed his attack, finally scoring a hit to the Asari Husk's head, splitting it open and dropping the creature.

"It appears that their biotics have been enhanced!" Thane shouted over the noise of the battle.

"You don't say!" Jano grunted back, a little irritated at being unable to close to melee range and having to rely upon his guns.

"These were Ardat-Yakshi." Etarn grunted. "Their biotics were already formidable before conversion."

"They still die when you put enough bullets in them. Keep firing!" Shepard barked.

Samara stood, eyes narrowing as she held both hands before her. With a grunt, she sent a biotic wave blasting towards a knot of three Husks. The creatures yowled as they were thrown into the air, then screeched as Etarn and Thane each used a biotic Pull to hurl them overhead, flinging them off the side of the mountain.

Shepard turned to glance over to Elanie and Jano just in time to see an Asari Husk lunge at the young woman. She flinched, bringing her omnitool up and unleashing an Overload blast that knocked the creature back into Jano's waiting hands. The Quarian dodged out of the way of a swiping set of claws, moving like water as he flowed around the opponent to land a couple of vicious jabs to its back. A lightning-fast kick snapped a knee, giving him the chance to pick up the not-Asari and slam its skull into a wall, dropping the limp form at his feet with a snort of distaste before moving on to the next target.

Shepard was drawn out of his impressed observation by a loud shriek from one of the former Ardat-Yakshi as it raced towards him. He ducked a vicious swipe from one of its hands, feeling the tingle of the dark energies that surrounded the attack as it passed by mere inches from his face. Dropping into a roll, the Commander allowed the creature to dart past in its headlong charge, then spun around, firing a Concussive Shot into the Husk's back. The Asari-thing howled as the blast knocked it off its feet, hurling it down the slope.

Before the Commander could turn back to the battle, another Asari leapt on his back. He let out a groan of pain as the creature's fingers split apart to reveal long metal talons that pierced his armour, tearing through the flesh below.

Shepard's reaction was instantaneous, launching himself backwards to crush the Husk under his weight. The creature howled as bones cracked under the brutal impact, but its grip remained firm as it continued to stab at him with the lethal digits. The pair rolled through the rubble, neither gaining a specific advantage over the other.

Finally, the Commander caught a glimpse of a flickering light to his left. He bucked under the Husk, lunging towards the light and rolling over. The former Asari shrieked as it was shoved into the fire, a repugnant stench rising from the burning flesh. The creature flailed at its burning body, releasing the Commander. Now free, Shepard spun to attack, unleashing the full fury of his assault rifle at point blank range. Finally, the creature went still, flames continuing to lick at its bones.

The Commander glanced up just in time to see Jano wrench the head of one of the Husks back, snapping it effortlessly. This final opponent finished off, the squad relaxed a fraction. Their respite, however, was short-lived, as more menacing howls rolled over the battlefield.

"We haven't got long." Shepard muttered. "Come on! We've got to leave."

The squad turned to leave, but were brought up short as a thunderous crack echoed out from the Reaper artefact. Shepard turned towards the relic, dread winding through his gut. The device had split open, unfolding gently to reveal the figure contained within.

Inside kneeled a towering Asari. Her body was formed from pure liquid silver, skin rippling as her muscles moved. The Olympian figure unfurled, standing up to reach a height of twenty feet or more. Her head, lined with an immaculate set of tentacles, turned to affix the Commander with a penetrating red glare.

"Shepard." The single word rumbled forth so loudly it seemed to come from the slopes all around. "You should not have come. The fate of this planet, of this species, does not concern you."

"If the Reapers think Thessia is worth attacking then it damn well does concern me." Shepard countered. "I warned you that I'd oppose you at every turn, so here I am. "

"Brave words, but meaningless. We are the Architect. We were there when the first Mass Relay was forged, when the Citadel was created, when our eternal stronghold was constructed. We have seen more repetitions of the cycle than you can imagine. Every time, species try to fight back, but our victory is always certain. We cannot be defeated. This planet is paralysed, its leaders scattered, its defences disabled. The Asari have fallen."

"Not yet." The Commander countered. "Not while I'm still alive."

"Then die."

The Asari avatar lifted an arm, flinging a roiling purple bolt of biotic energy at the squad. Shepard dove out of the way, feeling the ground quake beneath him as the blast ripped a trench through the rubble, flinging red-hot shards of rock in every direction.

As the Commander got back on his feet, the rest of the squad fanned out. Samara used a Singularity to put the avatar off-balance while Thane and Etarn used Warp blasts on its lower legs to cripple it. Elanie sent an electrical shock through the creature's body while Jano and the Commander peppered it with gunfire.

Shepard, his thermal clip spent, dropped back down into cover to reload, pulling a fresh clip from his belt. As he looked about, he spotted a number of Asari Husks lurching towards them, glowing blue mouths agape. He realised that they were surrounded, with no clear avenue of retreat. With the Architect advancing on them, this was a severely risky position to be in. He glanced over to his Quarian companion, seeing that Jano was aware of the threat as well.

"Cover them!" The Commander yelled, rushing to stand next to the Wardancer as they defended their comrades.

The Commander hurriedly replaced yet another clip, glancing to the Asari bodies that now littered the ruins before him, when a warning shout from Etarn made him spin around. The squad leapt back as the avatar, looming over them like some kind of malignant giant, brought a mighty fist down, slamming into the rubble with such force that concrete crumbled under it. Sprawled on his back, the Commander sent a ferocious volley of bullets screaming towards the creature, but the silvery form merely rippled around the bullets, swallowing them up with barely any sign of their passage.

"Get back! Get back!" Jano could be heard yelling to his friends.

Shepard, still on the ground, put his rifle aside. The gun was all but useless against the creature, making no difference to its progress. The Asari avatar loomed over him, glancing down like a vengeful god. The silvery face creased with a vicious smile as a gargantuan hand reached down, closing around the Commander.

The avatar's grip was powerful, containing a strength that moved oceans and hurled stars through space. As the fingers curled ever tighter around Shepard's waist he felt his armour buckle and his ribs creak. The pain was immeasurable. His vision fading, the Commander scrabbled at the massive hand, to no avail. In a desperate ploy, his hands reached back to draw the largest of his weapons from its holster over his spine. Almost too slow to bear, Mordin's Sonic Cannon unfolded, readying to fire. The instant he was able to, the Commander pulled back on the trigger weakly.

The blasting silence of the gun was immediately present in his ears, the humming, invasive, deafening not-noise that bored straight into the centre of his brain. Around him, the squad flinched from the noise and the Asari husks squealed as they stumbled, but the strongest reaction came from the Architect.

The avatar roared, mouth opening in a rictus of agony. The fingers clutching at the Commander went limp, stretching out. With a thump, Shepard slipped through the fingers to land on the ground, dodging out of the way as gobbets of liquid metal rained down in a slivery rain. Keeping his finger on the trigger of the weapon, Shepard watched dispassionately as the avatar, still screaming, melted into a large shining puddle, seeping through the ruins around them.

When he released the trigger of the weapon, silence- true silence- swept through the burning monastery. The Asari Husks around the squad had gone still, purple blood and white conductive fluid seeping from their eyes and ears. Elanie kicked one over carefully, wary of any movement.

"Hmm." She grunted. "Better remember that for next time. These things don't take well to noise."

"It's possible their connection to the Architect enhanced the discomfort of the noise to lethal proportions." Thane suggested.

"What happened there?" Etarn asked with wonder. "That whole thing just… melted, right before our eyes!"

"All studies into Husk technology have revealed a strong reliance on nano-technology." Elanie explained. "Nanites need to be in constant communication to co-ordinate their activities. It's possible that the Cannon generates a vibration between the nanites that disrupts their communication, leading to a system shutdown. Without communication, there's no cohesion, so the avatar turns to slush."

The squad paused at a loud cracking sound from the peak far above them. At first, Shepard thought that it might have been gunfire, but then he realised it was coming from the mountainside itself.

"It might not have been a good idea, using a sonic weapon on a snowy slope." He muttered. "We should get out of here."

"Do you think that that thing really meant what it said, about being around when the Citadel was built?" Jano asked uncertainly as they picked their way through the rubble.

"It's possible." Shepard shrugged. "We know they built the Mass Relays and the Citadel. Hell, we saw them building another one in Dholen. Why?"

"It's just that it gave itself the name 'Architect'." The Quarian explained uneasily. "That would suggest some kind of designer. If that Reaper developed the Mass Relays or the citadel, think about what kind of technology would be lost if we killed it off, all the practical knowledge and undiscovered formulae and unimaginable theories stored in just one of these things. They're all that remains of the species that came before us. Once they're gone, everything they ever were will be lost, or at least reduced to a ghost like the Revenant."

"If it comes to a choice between those still living and the memories of the dead, I'm picking door number one." Shepard said firmly. "The past is important, but so is the present, and the future. We need to do what we can now so that our knowledge, our technology, and hopefully our descendants, are still around to be found by the next species to turn up. But more important than that, we need to make sure this sick purge never happens to anyone else, ever."

"I guess." Jano shrugged, his tone wistful.

Shepard took another step, then almost tripped as his foot caught in something. He glanced down to see a silvery pool swallowing his boot, the faint outline of a hand curling around his ankle.

"Shit! Run!" His yell was lost in the titanic roar as the tide of molten metal surged up in a wave, the faint impression of a screaming face apparent just under its crest. He tried to break into a run, but the hand around his lower leg was now almost perfectly defined, dragging at him powerfully.

The squad scattered as the avatar surged into the semblance of a proper form, looking like some nightmarish swamp monster, with no legs and two thick, drooping arms. Its face was merely three holes in the rough position where the head should have been, no neck separating it from the pulpy mass of its torso.

Before he could wrestle himself free, the Commander was hauled off his feet, his left leg vanishing into the silvery mess. He flailed about in a panic as the thick soup of living metal threatened to swallow him, some splashing across his face and finding its way into his mouth and nostrils, choking him. Amazingly, he managed to keep a firm grip on the Sonic Cannon in the frantic struggle, allowing him to bring it to bear and fire off another short burst. The creature shrieked as it dissolved again.

The Commander wasted no time in getting back on his feet, frantically scrambling free of the rancid lake before it could awaken again.

"Everyone get clear!" He yelled, hitting the pool with another sonic burst as it rolled forwards. By his side, his comrades tried to kill the creature, but its liquid state meant most attacks just passed through it or rolled along its surface. All the while it kept surging towards them, and Shepard's weapon's power cell was rapidly depleting itself.

Desperately, the Commander looked about for something to use against the avatar. Nothing presented itself, the smouldering ruins barely more than a scattering of charred rocks. Finally, with an almost resigned stare, he looked up the slope of the mountain, surveying the precarious slopes. Lifting the Sonic Cannon to his shoulder, he turned to his biotic comrades.

"Samara, we're going to need a barrier!"

At the Asari's confused nod, he turned back to the mountain, placing his face close to the barrel as he lined it up on a particularly sheer part of the slope. Then, turning away from the weapon a bit in anticipation of the noise, he pulled the trigger.

Once again, the sustained blaring noiselessness of the Cannon rolled out, a reverberation that tingled its way down to the toes. The avatar, halfway formed back into a bipedal shape, flinched at the soundless din, but continued to press onward, the attack not focused on it.

Above the monastery, a massive crack appeared in a smooth white snowdrift, a widening gap of darkness as a portion of the mountainside parted company with the rest of it. Shepard quickly clipped the Sonic Cannon onto his back as he led his team towards a semi-intact wall. Above them, the rumble of shifting snow, ice and rock grew ever louder, causing the ground beneath their feet to quiver.

The avatar glanced up the mountain at the wave of ice tumbling towards its location, glancing back to the team with a defiant glare as its face reformed.

"Samara! Now!" The Commander hollered at the top of his lungs. Even then, the words were lost in the growing roar, but his general manner got the message across, prompting the Asari to raise her hands. She pointed at a pair of large metal sheets lying on the ground, then used her biotics to whisk them into position against the crumbling wall, shoring it up and creating a makeshift umbrella over the squad. Thane and Etarn stepped up, hands glowing blue as they placed their palms against the flickering metal to add their strength to the wall of dark energy and metal.

The avalanche struck with a tremendous clash, the rumbling echoing through the metal in a chattering chorus. Shepard covered his ears for the first few seconds, closing his eyes as the world went dark. A moment later, he opened his eyes again to see the little alcove Samara's efforts had created cast into darkness, a moving wall of grey, black and white shadows pouring past with a deafening rumble. The metal sheets had curved over under the weight and force of the pummelling, almost touching the ground behind the Commander. Samara knelt under the centre of the shelter, her eyes closed as she struggled to keep her hands above her head, her biotics pushed beyond their limits. Beside her, Thane and Etarn looked similarly strained. Behind them, Elanie and Jano, lacking in any biotics to help, pressed against the metal with their hands, their strength meagre in comparison to the biotic power pouring out of their comrades' hands, but still adding to the resilience of the shelter. Shepard quickly followed suit, wincing as he felt the immense pressure of the metal sheet pushing down on his hands. Even with the biotics giving it everything they had, the shelter was being crushed, millimetre by millimetre.

Then, with a sudden shocking silence, the avalanche had passed, a fading rumble below them. Shepard remained still for a moment before tentatively relaxing, sighing with relief when the newly created ceiling remained still. The Commander scrambled over to the nearest way out of the shelter, scraping at the hard-packed snow there. In moments, a trembling Elanie and the steadfast Jano joined him, quickly burrowing their way out and up.

After a few minutes of frantic digging, the trio finally burst through the surface, wincing as blinding light poured in. They scrambled out, soon followed by the weary biotics.

Shepard glanced about, wary of any sign of their enemy, but there was nothing to be seen of the avatar or, for that matter, much of the monastery. Most of it had been swept away, hurled over the edge of the long drop that had been next to the building, leaving only a few larger, stronger pieces of the building.

"No sign of the Architect." Elanie commented. "Or the relic. Maybe they were destroyed on the slopes below?"

"Either way, they will not be bothering us for a while." Etarn said.

"Come on." Shepard said. "Let's go find the shuttle."

He paused, turning to look to Samara. The former Justicar was staring out over the white field that had once been the Ardat-Yakshi monastery, a lost expression on her face. Shepard stepped over carefully, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. She looked at him with an apologetic glance.

"Forgive me, Commander. We should get going."

"You alright?"

"How could I be? Everything that remains of my daughters lies underneath all of this. As difficult as the task of finding them would have been before, it would be nothing compared to the task now. I'll never know how-" Her voice caught. "How they passed."

"Perhaps…" Shepard sighed, struggling with his words. "Perhaps it's better not to know?"

"And allow our imaginations to fill in the holes in our knowledge?" The Asari looked at the Commander with a sharp gaze. "Imaginations which, I should add, are made overly fertile by our recent experiences."

"Sorry."

"Don't be. You would not understand loss of this kind."

"I might." Shepard murmured, his mind thinking back to Akuze, then Eden Prime, then, most painfully of all, Virmire. He placed his arm around her shoulders. "Come on."

The pair walked off after their comrades, heading back to the prominent cleft in the mountainside where the shuttle had been stored. As they walked, the Commander's foot caught a small object in the snow, pulling it up and flipping it over. The duo glanced down, the Commander crouching to pick it up.

Shepard turned the small cube over, looking down at the image of the smiling Asari family. He looked up into his old friend's eyes as she caught sight of the image cube. The light in her eyes faded as a truly broken expression crossed her normally serene features, tears flowing freely as her throat began bobbing up and down.

Further up the mountainside, Elanie turned around at the quiet gasp that carried across the deceptively still snowfield just in time to see the Commander stand and envelop the exiled Asari in a tight embrace, Samara burying her face in his neck. The Shadow Broker operative's eyes softened as she watched the pair, seeing the alien's shoulders heave as the commander patted her back comfortingly, if a little awkwardly. Shaking her head, Elanie turned back to her ascent.

**~o~0~o~**

"It's no good, Commander. She's stuck fast down there." Jano explained. "If we had something to shift all of this snow, we'd have no trouble, but there's just too much for us to deal with as we are."

The Commander sighed, staring up into the clear sky. He tried to avoid looking South, though, as the wide platform of the Reaper skyhook was painfully obvious there.

"We can't risk calling in the Normandy for backup just yet." He said. "We've got to try and get to the bunker on foot."

"Is it far?" Etarn asked. The Batarian, hailing from a world with a far warmer climate, was shivering quite violently.

"A few miles." Shepard explained. "I know the terrain's difficult, and we're pretty exposed out here, but it's our best shot. If we push hard enough, we should reach the bunker by nightfall."

"What of the Normandy?" Thane asked. The Drell was remarkably calm, considering that he was used to a climate far more arid even than Etarn's. "She cannot remain in her silent configuration for that period of time."

"Joker will take her into the shadow of a moon or asteroid and land, allowing her to discharge safely without exposing the ship's profile to the Reapers." Shepard assured. "He'll wait a reasonable amount of time, then report back to the Asari fleet. The ship couldn't be any safer."

"What if we don't reach the bunker by nightfall?" Elanie asked, her teeth chattering. "I don't want to think about what these mountains are like at night."

"Then the sooner we get going, the better our chances are of still having some daylight when we get there." The Commander said firmly. "Mark this spot on your omnitools so we can find the shuttle once that skyhook's been dealt with. Now let's move out!"

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard gasped in a couple more breaths as he struggled to clamber up the rocky mountainside, the pitifully thin air insufficient for his needs. Around him, the rest of the squad was equally troubled by the dizzying altitude. The Commander glanced back at where the monastery had been, still visible as a dark smudge on the mountainside, a sheet of dirty grey snow mingled with ash and rubble.

It had taken them two hours just to cross the valley, such was the terrain they faced. The longer they struggled onwards, the more certain Shepard became that they would not reach the bunker before nightfall, and travelling through the mountains at night would just be downright dangerous. Thankfully, it seemed that the avatar was truly destroyed, as they encountered no signs of pursuit in their arduous journey.

As they neared the crest of a ridge, Shepard noticed a quiet hum running through the air. He tilted his head, lifting a hand to signal the others to stop. As he listened, the noise grew in intensity until it finally peaked in a throaty roar. Moments later a large vehicle surged over the ridge ahead of them, slapping down on the snow in a white cloud as snow rose up from around it. It was a small vessel, about ten metres in length, with a sleek, pointed body perched atop three skis, allowing it to glide across the snow effectively. The craft skidded across the slope, coming to a swift halt in front of the squad. Moments later, a hatch opened in its side and a small figure peered out. The newcomer was swaddled in all kinds of cold-weather gear, hiding their identity, but the beckoning wave was clear enough. The cold nipping at his bones, the Commander did not hesitate before striding forward, helping his comrades into the craft before climbing in himself and sealing the hatch.

Their unexpected rescuer fastened the hatch tight before turning to them, unwrapping the coverings from her face to reveal the soft blue features of an Asari, one the Commander recognised.

"Seryna?" He asked incredulously.

"Shepard? What the hell are you doing out here, of all places?" She glanced over his shoulder at his Drell companion. "Krios? You're here too?"

"Kimon'haeve, my old friend." The assassin bowed gracefully. "It is good to see you well."

Shepard was momentarily speechless as he regarded the Asari, not having seen her since that day on Illium where she helped him to find Thane after helping the Drell get close enough to her former employer, Nassana Dantius, to kill her. Seryna had then gone off the radar, leaving Illium far behind, and the only contact the Commander had had with the Asari since was a brief message left with her associate. Finally, he managed to find his voice.

"We were, uh… in the neighbourhood." He managed with a small smile. "We've come to help break the Reaper blockade and free Thessia."

"Really?" Seryna asked sceptically. "All six of you? Let me know how that works out."

"The remnants of the Asari armada and a good portion of the Alliance fleet is on its way. We're just the advance scout looking to tip the odds a little more in our favour."

"By doing what?"

"Well, our first goal was to make contact with a collection of Asari matriarchs hiding in a secure bunker somewhere in these mountains." Shepard explained. "But our main priority was to get the Thessian planetary defence network online."

"The Shroud?" Seryna asked, glancing to Samara cautiously. Shepard picked up on her suspicions, realising that an exile like the former Justicar would always face such suspicions.

"Councillor Tevos told me about it." Shepard interjected. "She figured that the circumstances permitted her to divulge the information."

"Alright, but that still doesn't explain why you're halfway up the wrong mountainside."

"We saw the smoke from the Ardat-Yakshi monastery and landed to take a closer look. The Reapers had left some of their… soldiers… at the site. Our fight triggered an avalanche that buried our shuttle."

"That was you?" Seryna asked with surprise. "We detected the tremor from that. That's what brought me out here to investigate. Figured it might have been another ship getting shot down, thought I'd look for survivors and supplies."

"Do you think you could help us retrieve our shuttle?" Etarn asked.

"Not by myself." The Asari answered. "Tell you what, though. Once we get back, I'll send out a couple more of these Prowlers. They'll have your shuttle outta the snow in no time."

"'Get back' where?" Shepard asked.

"The bunker. I'm chief of security for Matriarch Kestirria, one of the Matriarchs taking shelter there." Seryna pushed past the Commander to sit behind the controls of the Prowler. "Hang tight, this thing can really catch you off-guard."

**~o~0~o~**

After an altogether too-long journey for the Commander's tastes, the Prowler roared up a final snowfield and screeched to a halt just in front of a narrow cleft in the mountainside. Seryna carefully brought the craft around until it lined up exactly with the opening, then eased the prowler through, missing the rock walls on either side by mere inches.

In the sudden darkness of the interior of the mountain, the Prowler ground onwards, following a narrow path that spiralled downwards until it finally emerged into a vast cavern. As the Prowler drew close to the wide, smooth back wall of the cavern, a series of lights activated, outlining a seam in the rock that curved around, indicating a cleverly hidden doorway. While Seryna manoeuvred the craft down the sloping pathway and into the cavern, Shepard chanced a glance around, noting with surprise the primitive structures littering the cavern floor. Most of the structures reminded him of medieval European architecture from Earth, fortified walls with crenellations and large towers designed for raining down lethal arrows on invaders.

"Our ancestors discovered this place about twenty thousand years ago." Seryna explained. "They used it as a refuge to retreat into when invaders forced them out of their homes. Many battles were fought on the floor of this very cavern as enemies breached the entrance tunnels. The final defence is the fortress, carved out of the cavern wall itself. Since our discovery of other space-faring races, we've maintained the fortress, just in case. Of course, now the defences are a lot more high-tech. Mass Accelerator Cannons, kinetic barriers, a small fleet of fighters, that kind of thing. I doubt you could find a more secure area on the whole planet."

"And the mountain keeps you safe from aerial bombardment." Shepard commented. "You're probably safer here than on the Citadel."

"Not quite. Say what you will about the station, its defences are impressive. We're still very vulnerable to a ground assault, especially seeing as our enemy seems to have an almost unlimited number of ground forces, every single one of those being much more powerful than anything we've got. We've held off a number of small scouting parties, but if the Reapers decide to send a proper force against us, we'll have a very hard time holding our ground."

"Do you have a backup plan in case this place falls to the enemy?" Etarn asked.

"No." Seryna answered crisply. "This fortress is our greatest and our last line of defence. We'd flee the planet if we could, but the Reapers have our shipyards and star-ports locked down. Nothing can take off without being shot out of the sky. I've been in contact with remnants of our armies scattered throughout the cities of the world, but none of them can make an aggressive move without being obliterated."

Before the Commander could question her further, the Prowled reached the cavern wall. A loud grating noise accompanied the sudden shiver passing through the cavern as a massive door, about as wide across as the Normandy was long, ground upwards, revealing the entrance to a large hangar bay beyond. The Prowler passed through before the door abruptly reversed direction, sealing them inside quickly. The Commander's eyes roved about, taking in every detail of the hangar.

The first sight to greet the arriving vehicle and its passengers was the bank of gun turrets aimed directly at them. This array of powerful weapons was poised, ready to tear into any hostiles trying to come through the hangar doorway. Behind them, rack upon rack of fighters extended up towards the ceiling far above, dozens of small combat craft gleaming in the brightly lit hangar. Under these racks sat a large collection of Prowlers similar to the one that Seryna commanded. The Asari brought the craft around quickly to stop next to one of its kin, quickly powering down the engine.

"Come on." She said, popping the hatch and scrambling out. "I reckon the Matriarchs are gonna want to see you."

The squad meekly followed her, traversing the width of the hangar bay and exiting through a narrow doorway to be confronted with a gleaming white corridor. They hurried along, making a few turns here and there until finally they reached the hub of the Asari fortress, a large, round room dominated by a planetary map in its centre, ringed by a series of seats, most of which were occupied by Asari. Around the edges of the room, other Asari worked away at terminals, the sounds of their work rising in a busy hubbub.

At the squad's arrival, every face in the room turned to inspect them with an anxious air of distrust. They continued to watch as Seryna strode up to the map in the centre of the room. Meanwhile, Shepard glanced to the individuals arrayed around the map.

He recognised a few faces as those belonging to famous Asari Matriarchs, including Matriarch Nemetia, the Asari that helped Shepard to track down Aesyyri Nalanis, the Ardat-Yakshi posing as a Justicar. The Matriarch spared the Human a small wave. The Commander turned his attention to the other faces around the map, recognising very few, knowing even less personally. Finally his eyes alighted upon another face he did recognise, sending his eyebrows shooting upwards with surprise.

The prominent Justicar and Matriarch Deseltia glowered at the Commander, her almost pure white features creasing with the wrinkles of over a thousand years of living. By her side stood a number of Justicars Shepard recognised from his last visit to their monastery, and behind them stood yet more familiar figures, including two of particular importance.

Falere and Rila broke off from the cluster of surviving Ardat-Yakshi at the same instant that Samara stepped past the Commander, rushing to join her daughters in a barely controlled run. The trio embraced one another tightly, Samara kissing each of her progeny on the forehead many times over as their relief at seeing one another again flooded through the room with a tangible presence. Shepard smiled at the sight, happy for his friend, but the good mood was soon snapped by a few harsh words coming from Deseltia's mouth.

"Samara! You dare to violate the terms of your exile?" She sputtered. At her grating voice, the ex-Justicar looked up with a wary, nervous expression. "Guards! There is an exile in our presence. Deal with her."

"She's only exiled because you refused to act against the Reapers!" Shepard shouted, exasperation choking him as he marvelled at the Asari's single-minded selfishness. "And now that the reapers have taken your planet, you're going to complain when she comes to help?"

"We do not want your help, Shepard. Nor do we need it." Deseltia said primly. "The Asari will deal with this incursion by ourselves, without becoming indebted to an alien and committed to a destructive war."

Shepard looked around the room, catching the gazes of more than a few of the blue-skinned aliens. Many were forced to look away, clearly disagreeing with the Justicar but not daring to oppose her. Finally it was Seryna who spoke out.

"This- this is unbelievable!" She spat. "The Galaxy's expert on fighting these things turns up to help us, and you'll turn him away because of your pride?"

"The Justicars already gave the Commander an answer the last time he was on Thessia. He should not have come back."

"Like it or not, I'm here now." Shepard said insistently. "I'm going to drive the Reapers off-world, with your approval or not, and my team is going to help me." He paused to look to Samara. "My whole team."

"Not if we have you locked up-" Deseltia seethed.

""My sister, please!" One of the other Matriarchs piped up. "We should not be fighting among one another. We should be focusing our efforts on fighting these invaders."

"Agreed." Nemetia spoke up. "The Commander's aid is most welcome." She smiled at the Human, who nodded back gratefully.

Deseltia leaned back in her seat, arms folded carefully as she grumbled under her breath. Shepard was hard-pressed not to smile at the sight of the haughty Justicar humbled.

"Shepard, may I introduce Matriarch Kestirria." Seryna said, clearly wanting to diffuse the tension in the air. She pointed to the Matriarch that had interceded on the Commander's behalf, who nodded back to him.

"Commander. I have heard a great deal about you." She bowed her head, eyelids painted indigo to contrast her pale skin blinking shut as she greeted him. "Seryna was most complimentary with regards to your work in taking out her corrupt employer."

"Ma'am." Shepard saluted, a gesture he realised he rarely extended to anyone. He sat down as the graceful alien waved to a seat, glancing to the cautious aliens all around him. His squad took up positions around him, watching the proceedings with interest.

"You must have news of the situation in the larger system, Commander." One of the Asari, a purple-skinned beauty with black markings on her face, spoke out. "Tell us, what news do you bring?"

"A large fleet of Asari ships made it out of the system." Shepard explained. "They're waiting on the other side of the Saterius Mass Relay for word that everything is in place for a counterattack. A fleet of Alliance vessels is travelling here as quickly as they can to aid in retaking the planet or, if the worst comes to the worst, to aid in the evacuation."

"We're not quite ready to give up on Thessia just yet, Commander." Nemetia said, raising her voice above the anxious murmurs. "But I suppose it cannot hurt to be prepared for that eventuality. We are grateful for the alliance's support in this endeavour. I trust that the commander of the Asari fleet was the one who instructed you to meet with us?"

"Captain Halyrria informed us of the existence of pockets of resistance all over the planet, as well as the locations of this and a number of other secure locations where you may have sought refuge. We, along with Councillor Tevos, thought it would be prudent to rendezvous with you before proceeding with our main objective."

At the mention of the Councillor's name, a lot of the tension in the room eased, some of the Asari perking up in their chairs with renewed confidence. Deseltia, however, remained as surly as ever.

"What is this main objective of yours?" She asked sharply. Shepard glared at her for an instant, her tone grating on his nerves, before answering.

"We must activate Athame's Shroud." He raised his voice as the murmurs began once more. "We need to prevent the Reapers from forming a unified defence against the attacking fleets. The planetary defence network is our best hope of accomplishing this. Aside from that, it will hopefully distract the Reapers long enough for the ships that are stuck on the ground to get back in the air, giving us more guns aimed at the enemy."

"That won't work." Nemetia said gravely. "We tried to power up the system, but something went wrong at the central control station in Serrice. The defences refused to target the Reapers."

"I know." Shepard answered. "We suspect an indoctrinated agent of the Reapers sabotaged the system. If we can eliminate this agent, then we should be able to fix the system."

"And just how do you propose to get to the control station?" Another Asari asked, her red facial markings twisting around her eyes as her brow creased. "The control centre's in the basement of Serrice's main administrative building, the same building that houses our air traffic control centre. It's in the very heart of the city. The Reapers have a strong presence there. They built that- that thing almost on top of the city. The streets have got to be crawling with enemy troops."

"You have no vehicles that could be used for the journey?" Shepard asked.

"The Prowlers are our only land craft, and once they're out of the mountains they're useless. We've got fighters, but they're only any good if you want to bomb the place." Nemetia explained.

"Going in on foot would be suicide." Another Asari said. "You'd be found long before you could get that deep into the city."

"What about the monorail?" Kestirria asked. She raised her brows as everyone present glanced at her with surprise. "It's faster than a Prowler, and goes straight into the heart of the city. Any ground troops would be hard-pressed to attack it."

"That… might work." Nemetia said, surprise in her voice. "It's crazy, but it's better than anything else we've got."

"The monorail?" Shepard asked.

"The trans-polar monorail. It runs across the northern ice cap, connecting Serrice to Maneia on the opposite side of the planet." Nemetia explained. "There's a freight depot in the foothills of the mountains. After that, it's a straight journey to the centre of the capital."

"You'd need to take a large force with you to run the control centre." The purple-skinned Asari said. "The station's designed to work with a bare minimum of thirty operators. You may need more if you've to clear out enemy troops."

"Once the Shroud is online, we can get in touch with the surviving military forces on the ground." Kestirria said. "They can strike at the Reapers while they are still disorganised. That should make enough of a difference for when the ships on the far side of the Relay arrive."

"Sounds like we have a plan." Shepard said, clapping his hands together. "How soon can we move out?"

"I can muster up fifty security operatives in-" Seryna staggered as a massive tremor rippled through the room, followed by a loud crash. She paused, activating her comm.

All around the room, Asari let out noises of panic, looking about in worry as lights flickered and dust rained down from the ceiling. Shepard kept his eyes fixed on Seryna, noting the Asari's worried expression.

"Damn it!" She spat. "Looks like the Reapers are finally moving in on us. Got a large force of enemy units attacking through the lower tunnels. They've breached doors four, seven and eight."

"Do you think that you can fight them off?" Shepard asked.

"We can buy your team the time needed to get out of here." She said. "But you'll still need a crew to run the Shroud."

"My Justicars can help." Deseltia said, standing up. Shepard felt a pang of anger at hearing her refer to the Justicars as 'hers', but said nothing.

"We can help, too, mother." Falere said, clutching Samara's shoulder.

The former Justicar looked at her children with an expression of alarm in her face, getting ready to mouth a protest before another shiver passed through the room, reminding her that the bunker was no safer. She sighed, nodding in agreement.

"Good." Seryna said. "I'll help you to get to the Prowlers." She turned to Kestirria. "That goes for you, too, ma'am. We need to get every Matriarch out of here. Everyone else, get to the guard stations! We need to hold these creatures off as long as we can!"

This decided, every member of the room bustled into action. The combined group of Justicars, Ardat-Yakshi and Asari Matriarchs rushed after the gruff Seryna, Shepard's team moving ahead to keep the way clear for the civilians.

**~o~0~o~**

The walls shuddered around them to the echoes of distant explosions, lights dimming briefly before flaring back to full strength. The sounds of battle filtered through the corridors, finding its way to the ears of the Commander, who quickly shut out the cries of the dying. He had a job to do, protecting the Matriarchs and the Ardat-Yakshi civilians. The guards were giving of themselves to buy the cluster of bustling Asari time to get away. If he turned back to help them, their sacrifices would be in vain. Tightening his grip on the rifle, he scowled. Of course, his duty would not stop him from inflicting as much suffering as he could on any enemies who were unwise enough to get in his way. He didn't have long to wait.

With a mighty roar, three Asari husks burst through the ceiling, dropping down from the floor above. These ones had been fully 'upgraded', unlike the Ardat-Yakshi at the monastery, and now sported vicious talons that sprouted from their fingers, as well as a very powerful biotic aura. Electricity coursed along their skin, a by-product of the hyper-charged element zero nodules in their systems. On the nape of the neck of each one nestled a brilliant point of light, the overheating biotic amp they had used in life.

The creatures did not pause before lunging forwards, slashing with their talons as they moved with supernatural speed, their biotics giving them a significant boost. One darted straight for the Commander, screeching as it lunged. A sudden biotic blast over the Commander shoulder threw it backwards, Samara stepping forward to attack again. Shepard aided her by unleashing the full fury of his rifle, spilling purple blood in a tide of gore. In moments, the creature was riddles with holes, but still on its feet. With a grunt, it launched a wall of dark energy at the pair, flinging Samara off her feet. Before the Asari could react, the abomination leapt atop her, readying to slash at her throat. Howling, Shepard charged at the creature, striking it with his shoulder and bowling it across the floor. It landed face-down, but was soon scrambling onto its hands and knees. Before it could stand, Shepard hurried over and shoved the muzzle of his rifle in between the tentacles on the back of its scalp and unleashed a fully automatic burst into its brain, killing it.

Thane and Elanie teamed up to deal with the second of the creatures, the former hurling it into the air with his biotics while the latter ignited its flesh with an Incinerate. The Asari-thing howled as it was engulfed in flames, spinning in the air, unable to move. In moments, the duo finished it off with a combination of their abilities and their weapons.

Jano, meanwhile, found himself in a more difficult position. Unable to seriously hamper the creature before it closed with him, he was struggling to fend off a flurry of vicious swipes. Flinging his gun aside, he dropped into one of his stances, quickly lashing out at the creature's knees with one foot. He snapped the left joint, eliciting a groan of irritation from the creature, before a wild punch struck him in the side. The biotically enhanced strike sent him tumbling, his ribs on fire from the powerful impact. He groaned muzzily as he struggled to get back to his feet. The creature rapidly lurched over to him, keeping going in spite of its broken knee, but a sudden blue and black blur struck it in the chest, a bolt of biotic energy that pushed the creature away, crushing it against a wall so hard that every bone in its body crackled, making a noise akin to a small army walking across a field of easily snapped twigs. The creature sagged to the floor, blood seeping from a multitude of ruptures in its skin. Breathing heavily, Etarn kicked the corpse off his boots before it could leave a stain, biotic fire twirling around his hand as he got rid of the last of the energy from his Charge. He turned, extending a helpful hand to the Quarian, a triumphant smile on his lips.

The squad barely had a chance to get their breath back before Seryna was urging them on again, informing them that they were close to the hangar. Sighing, Shepard quickly fell into step with her, looking back to see Elanie tending to Jano's ribs while Etarn offered a shoulder to help him along.

The group was forced to make a number of course corrections in their journey, finding a lot of the corridors blocked off by collapsed ceilings. Occasionally an Asari creature would leapt out from the shadows to harry them, but the Normandy squad proved to be too much for them. Very rarely the Justicars protecting the civilians would have to deal with a creature that broke the squad's defensive line, but then the combined might of over a dozen experienced Justicars caused them to practically evaporate.

Finally, after a gruelling journey, they reached the final doors leading to the vehicle hangar. Seryna hurried forward, producing a security key to open the door. As the cool air of the hangar washed back into the corridor, an unearthly howl echoed up the corridor towards them. Shepard spun to look backwards, catching sight of a massive lumbering shape running towards them. Seeing the danger, he turned to the gathered Asari.

"Get to the Prowlers! We'll cover you!"

Terrified, the Asari civilians raced through the narrow door, making a beeline for the silent machines. Shepard pushed through them towards the back of the group, getting ready to face the onrushing monster. As he readied his rifle, he glanced to either side, nodding to his squad and noting that Seryna, Kestirria and Samara's two daughters had stayed behind to help.

In moments the indoctrinated Yahg was upon them, brutish fists slamming down on the floor hard enough to send shivers up the Commander's spine. It turned to glare at the Commander, pipes running along the sides of its neck straining at the motion. Glowing red eyes stared at him with hatred, the mind behind the creature realising the enemy of its kind in an instant. Three-cornered mouth opening wide, the indoctrinated alien surged forwards, powerful fist missing the Commander by inches.

Shepard danced back from the attack, finger firmly down on his trigger as he moved. Bullets tore out of the muzzle of the gun, stitching a line of holes across the Yahg's forearm and summoning a shriek from the creature's heart.

The squad scattered, darting around the enemy as they sought to inflict as much damage as they could upon it. Samara set a Singularity at its feet, causing it to stumble and giving Elanie the opportunity to unleash an Overload blast into its eyes, badly shocking it. Etarn Charged again, making it stagger backwards, while Jano leapt astride its back, jabbing at its eyes and tugging at wires set into its neck. With a yelp of surprise the Quarian pulled a pipe free, sending greasy white conductive fluid pouring down the Yahg's back in a sickening tide. As the Wardancer jumped clear, Thane used a Warp blast to detonate Samara's unstable Singularity, the wildly fluctuating biotic energies mingling to rip at the creature's legs.

Shepard, meanwhile, kept back, pouring a steady stream of fire into the monster's body. By his side, Seryna and Kestirria did the same. Behind them, Samara's daughters worked together, using a combination of the Pull technique and their Warp abilities to harry the Yahg.

Under attack from all sides, the Yahg flailed desperately. In a final ditch effort to hamper its foes, the creature reached upwards, tearing a panel loose from the ceiling. With a roar, it threw the metal sheet, striking the Commander in the shoulder before battering Seryna to the ground, knocking her unconscious. It drew the improvised weapon back to make another attack, but finally the squad's combined might overcame its endurance, its legs going out from under it. As it writhed on the ground, Etarn walked up, his fist glowing with dark energy. He lifted the clenched hand high, then brought it down with a powerful, final thump, cracking the creature's skull open and finishing it off.

The squad breathed a sigh of relief as silence invaded the corridor, the only sounds being their heavy breathing and the quiet ticking of overheated weapons. The respite was soon shattered, however, as another chorus of howls announced the approach of a vast host of indoctrinated Asari at the far end of the corridor. Kestirria glanced at them, her shoulders sagging with weariness. She looked to the Commander, a determined glint in her eyes.

"Somebody's got to keep them off your backs long enough for you to get to that freight depot."

"I'll do it." Shepard volunteered. "Get to the Prowlers."

"No, Commander." Kestirria interrupted. "You're needed elsewhere. I'll stay. Now go, take Seryna with you."

Shepard opened his mouth to protest, but the Matriarch had already turned away, stalking towards the charging enemy. Realising that arguing would only get them all killed, he picked Seryna up in one smooth movement and gestured for the team to follow him. They rushed into the hangar, closing the doorway behind them and sealing it with a couple of bullets to the control panel. Before the door fully closed, Shepard looked back, catching a final glimpse of the Asari Matriarch racing towards the enemy, her biotics forming a brilliant corona around her form as she charged. Then, the doors were closed, and she was gone.

The Commander turned back to the Prowlers, seeing the second-to-last one charge off, hatch still open as the last of the Justicars piled in. Elanie was already working to get their one open, the rest of the team close behind her. Shepard was the last one to climb aboard, handing the groaning Seryna to the others before sliding into the driver's seat, Falere taking the navigator's seat next to him.

"You sure you know how to drive this thing?" She asked, slipping on a pair of headphones to check the comm frequencies.

"If it moves, I can drive it." Shepard said confidently.

"Maybe so, but can you drive it well?" She asked with a smirk.

"If we live through this, I want you to speak to someone on my ship called Garrus. Ask him about the Mako." Shepard chuckled as he powered the Prowler up.

The vehicle roared under his touch, eager to be off. The Commander was all-too-willing to indulge its desire, releasing the brakes and allowing it to tear out of the hangar, roaring through the vast cavern until it finally burst out into the reddening Thessian evening. Shepard quickly found the other Prowlers, adjusting his course to follow them. In moments, the mountain under which the battle for the strongest of Asari fortresses was being lost was left far behind.

**~o~0~o~**

The Prowler skidded to a halt in the centre of the open yard of the freight depot, coming to a halt next to its siblings. Shepard and his companions clambered out quickly, helping a dizzy Seryna to her feet as they moved to join the knot of Asari moving towards one of the massive oblong buildings into which the monorail ran. Shepard felt a surge of relief as they opened the wide front doors of the first building to see one of the long trains lying dormant inside, presumably a spare in the event of a breakdown. It even had a line of empty freight cars attached, giving them enough space for all of the survivors. The Commander barked out a few orders before the civilians began scrambling aboard, loading up in minutes. A couple of forward-thinking Justicars opened the larger freight cars to load up some of the Prowlers. Granted, once the monorail took them over ground that wasn't covered in a thick layer of snow, the vehicles would be of little use, their skis disintegrating on anything rougher than snow, but at least it was another asset to be used in a dire emergency. He turned back to a rapidly awakening Seryna.

"How long will it take for us to reach Serrice?"

Seryna gazed up at the train with a calculating gaze.

"It's about a hundred miles to the city, so usually it would take about half an hour. If I can get the safeties off, we'll do it in a lot less."

"You do that." Shepard said before turning to his squad. "The rest of you, with me. We've got to watch the skies. If we get attacked, it'll come from above."

"This craft has no armaments." Thane said. "How would you have us defend it?"

"By any means possible." The Commander replied gravely. "We're already falling behind schedule, so let's not waste any more time. Move!"

In moments, Seryna had ensconced herself in the driver's cabin at the front of the train, expertly hacking into the craft's systems and setting her moving. Shepard found a hatch leading up to the roof of the rear car, opening it to watch for any signs of attack.

The monorail powered out of its storage hangar, thrumming with power as it surged along the single track it was suspended below. Cold wind whipped across the open hatch, occasional gusts finding their way inside to make the Commander's eyes water. Eventually he found a position where he could scan almost the entirety of the sky above, but could also look ahead towards the dark smudge on the horizon that was Serrice, dwarfed by the slightly closer presence of the skyhook reaching up into the dusk.

It wasn't long before he sensed a small presence nearby. He looked back down into the car to see Rila standing underneath the hatch, watching him timidly. Curiosity etched across her features, tinged with a little fear.

"I've never met a Human before." She answered his questioning glance. "You were the first one I'd ever spoken to, back when you came to our monastery looking for the Justicars."

Shepard was silent, unsure of what to say. Rila was happy to fill the void in the conversation.

"We'd heard all about your kind over the Holonet, of course, but its not the same. I never expected a Human to feel so…"

The Commander looked at her curiously as she struggled to find the right word. Amazingly, she blushed under his scrutiny. Looking to her feet, she finally found the word she was looking for.

"…normal." Pale blue eyes widened as she realised what she had said. "I don't mean that in a bad way, please don't take offence! In fact, normal's not really the right word, I mean, you, for example, you give off this feeling of- uh, I mean…" She paused, releasing a tense breath. "The way the reports talk about Humans led us to expect towering, intimidating warriors like the Turians, or gruff, violent types like the Krogan, but you're nothing like that."

"The Turians are governed by tradition and duty, while the Krogan serve their bloodlust. That's where their strength comes from." Shepard explained. "Humans get their strength from their determination. We don't fight because we're told to or because we feel like it. We only fight when we have to, because the things we hold dear are being threatened."

"So… if these things weren't attacking, these… 'Reapers'… you wouldn't be a warrior."

She flinched as the Commander's laugh barked out sharply, although scaring her was not his intent.

"No, not quite. Even without invincible machine-gods trying to wipe out everything that lives the Galaxy is still a dangerous place. There are still plenty of people out there looking to cause trouble for Humanity, and the sad thing is that most of them are other Humans." He looked down at the rifle in his hands. "In fact, sometimes I feel like fighting the Reapers is a lot easier than trying to sort out the problems my own people keep making a big deal out of. At least when I'm fighting the Reapers it's a simple case of them wanting us dead and us wanting to survive. There are no hidden intentions there. That's one thing the Reapers have going for them: They're honest in their goals."

"If you feel that way, why fight for Humanity?"

"Partly because it's my firm belief that everyone should get the chance to make themselves a better person. Even if they're dishonest, self-serving assholes." He smirked. "And also I reckon I'd just get too fidgety if I tried retiring."

"How often do you get back to Earth?" Rila asked, cocking her head to the left as she stared up at him. The Commander could sense the awe coming from the young girl, but his brain reminded him of why exactly she was in a monastery to begin with, preventing him from getting too comfortable. At the mention of his homeworld, his mood darkened slightly, but he did not berate the Asari. Living in an isolated place, she could be forgiven for not knowing.

"I try to get back there as often as I can. Earth's always going to have a special place in a Human's heart. But I really view my ship as my home, my crew as my family, so its not like I have to make a special pilgrimage every once in a while."

"What's Earth like?" She pressed. "I've heard so much about it. All the great cities: the Berlin metropolis, a city over three hundred miles wide, New Moscow, completely sealed in an environmental bubble to protect it from the harsh polar storms, San Francisco, the largest concentration of tower cities in the Galaxy, all surrounded by a vast nature reserve."

"Sounds like you know more than I do." Shepard chuckled. "I've never really explored the planet. I'm just familiar with the streets I grew up in, in the slums of the Seattle-Vancouver Megacity, and with London, where the planet-side base of operations for the Alliance Parliament and Navy is based."

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by a squawk from the Commander's comm, causing his gaze to flinch back towards the sky.

"Look alive up there." Seryna's voice echoed through the comm. "Got a Reaper coming out our way. Not sure if it's seen us yet. I'll keep us moving steadily, see if we can't fool it into thinking this train is automated."

Shepard tensed, glancing up into the sky carefully. A brief moment's search soon highlighted what the Asari security guard had seen, a massive metal hulk drifting through the sky towards them. As it drew closer, a violent throbbing pulsed through the air, making the very rivets of the train quiver. Almost lazily, the gargantuan hulk soared overhead, two-kilometre long body pulsing with power, its tentacles tucked in close to its body. It moved so smoothly, so menacingly, that for a moment the Commander imagined it to be some kind of interstellar shark, circling its prey. It curved around neatly, watching the train closely. Suddenly, its tentacles began quivering, rubbing at its underside.

"Does anyone else see that?" Thane asked over the comm. "The tentacles are dislodging something… it looks like chaff… It's coming towards us, moving against the wind!"

Shepard squinted, finally drawing his sniper rifle and using the scope to get a better view. Slowly, a cloud of dark shapes dropping from the underside of the Reaper like eggs dislodged from a fish's belly grew larger and larger in his view. The dust-like cloud resolved itself into dozens of objects, all moving towards the train with predatory precision.

The Commander felt a chill race up his spine as the foremost of the objects grew in size until it was identifiable. He knew that round form with the single, central lens, steering fins fanning out behind it in four directions. The Normandy had faced many of these things before, one even managing to penetrate the cargo bay and forcing the Commander to fight it on foot. Swiftly, he turned to Rila.

"Go warn the other passengers to brace themselves. Things are about to get rough. Get yourselves under tables, behind crates, anywhere that you can use to keep yourself from getting thrown around the place."

"But I-"

"Go! Now!" Shepard ordered. "There's not much time!"

As the young alien scurried off, Shepard signalled the rest of his squad.

"We've got Oculi inbound!" He warned. "Everyone get ready to fight them off. Seryna, if this pile of scrap's got any more speed in it, now would be the time to use it."

"I'll see what I can do Shepard, but we're pretty much flat out as it is."

The first wave of the Reaper drones buzzed in, their passage through the Thessian atmosphere making a loud tearing noise as they dipped in close to the monorail. Red beams leapt from their central weapons, scoring across the side of the train and leaving smoking black marks.

Shepard leapt from the cover of his hatch as the first rank passed by overhead, staggering a bit as the powerful winds whipped at him. His rifle chattered in his hands, peppering the nearest Oculus he could target. His modified Incendiary ammo splatted against the thick metal hide of the attacker, smearing patches of flames over its exterior. All along the train, members of the squad popped up, firing in concert at their nearest Oculus. In moments, the initial attack veered away from the fierce volley, making room for the second wave.

This new line of Oculi raced in at an even greater speed. At the last moment, the spherical objects twisted to follow the train, decelerating until they were keeping level with it. There was a series of loud pops, then the Oculi shed their outer armour, the inner spheres sprouting an array of snakelike tentacles that clung to the hull of the train, allowing them to latch on and slither across the craft like octopi smothering the skin of a whale. Their large red lenses rotated to aim downwards as they fired, cutting away panels of the ceiling.

Realising the danger of having their vehicle disassembled under their feet by these mechanical saboteurs, Shepard instantly unleashed the full fury of his weapon on the nearest one. Without its outer flight hull, the creature was significantly more vulnerable, but the bullets still did little damage to it until he finally scored a hit to the lens in the centre of its head. The Oculus Saboteur screeched with its electronic voice, anger clear in its manner. With a defiant twist, it turned to fire at the Commander, his shields barely slapping the attack aside as they were rapidly depleted. Shepard did not give up, though, keeping on firing until, finally, the lens shattered, the machine vanishing in a ball of flames as its tentacles, tipped with gripping claws, went limp, allowing it to slide off the side of the train and drop to the distant ground with a crash, soon vanishing in the distance behind them.

The Commander looked along the length of the train to see the rest of his team dealing with the creatures in a similar manner, Samara in particular finishing hers off in a spectacular fashion as she struck it with a Warp blast so powerful that a couple of the tentacles were torn off, the main body of the machine dropping away with a wail.

Shepard was pulled back to his own situation as another Saboteur skittered across the roof, one tentacle whipping out in an attempt to dislodge him and hurl him off the side of the train. The Commander dodged back, missing the attack by the slimmest of margins before returning fire, missing the lens as it swivelled away. Seeing a chance, he darted forwards, leaping onto its back and firing wildly into the central part. Before the machine could be killed, however, two tentacles lashed out, one gripping his leg while the other found an arm. The Saboteur tensed, flinging the Commander forwards to slam face-first into the metal of the roof, then reversing direction to smash him onto his back. Shepard gasped at the quick attack, pain shooting through his ribs as blood seeped from a broken nose and dizzying lights whirled in his brain. In his dazed state, he was dimly aware of the fact that the Saboteur was dragging him towards the edge, making ready to throw him off.

Suddenly, the creature froze, metal joints groaning in protest. A dim blue field swirled around it, holding it in place as a glowing hand, followed by the rest of its Asari owner, rose out of the hatch. Shepard watched through hazy eyes as Falere shuffled over, fighting the fierce winds as she focused on maintaining the Stasis field around the Saboteur. Realising the mental cost of the move, Shepard quickly made use of the opportunity to break free, shoving the creature off the side with a grunt.

He turned back to the slumped Asari, seeing the exhaustion in her face. Clearly she was unaccustomed to using her abilities like that, the strain taking it out of her. That fact alone made the feat even more impressive. The Commander had seen few biotics make use of the complex technique.

"Thanks." He said.

"Well, you did save mother. I figured I should repay the favour." She smiled, gasping wearily.

Suddenly, the train lurched under their feet. Shepard hurried forward, glancing down through the gap between the car he was currently standing on and the next one. He released a groan as he caught sight of two Saboteurs scuttling just outside of his line of fire, their two lasers burning away at vital connections. He turned back to Falere.

"Quickly! Get back inside and move everyone to the next car along!" He lifted up a hand as she opened her mouth. "Don't ask, just do it!"

He followed her back through the hatch, dropping down to the floor below with a thump. Eyes roving about, he soon found a hatch in the floor, opening it. His stomach dropped as he caught sight of the ground buzzing past over twenty metres below. At this speed, a fall would be sure to kill him. Bracing himself, he scrambled through.

The wind whipping at his face was beyond intense, blurring his vision as he struggled to keep a grip on the hatch edges, finding the rungs of a service ladder meant to allow maintenance personnel to clamber across the underside of the craft while it was at rest. Keeping his feet hooked inside the hatch, he dangled upside-down out of the bottom of the train, one hand clasping at the nearest rung desperately. He pulled out his pistol, trying to aim it with only one free hand.

In front of him, the two Saboteurs were at work, quickly severing the last few connections. The Commander did not pause, firing at the first one with careful precision. The first bullet struck the joint of a tentacle, sending it whipping free of its fastening and eliciting an indignant metallic shriek from the machine. Shepard quickly unleashed a few more bullets, finally scoring a direct hit to its lens, sending the machine plummeting to the ground below. Its fellow wheeled to face him, laser charging. In an act of desperation, the Commander let his feet slide free, the entirety of his weight falling onto the one hand holding onto the train. This sudden pendulum action put the Saboteur's aim off, allowing the laser to blast by harmlessly. Hand aching from the strain, the Commander quickly fired at the machine, killing it before his pistol went silent with the hiss of an overheated clip. He fumbled to replace it in its holster while he climbed back into the train, but a clumsy slip sent the gun winging away towards the ground. Groaning, he hauled himself back through the hatch.

By the time Shepard climbed back onto the rooftop, the last of this first batch of Saboteurs had been dealt with. He staggered for a moment as his car, its link to the rest of the train damaged, shook violently, swaying in the high-velocity winds. As it steadied, he looked ahead, seeing the mass of the skyhook standing over them, looking down on them threateningly. Thankfully, the Reaper that had spotted them was gone, off to find a threat more deserving of its time, but the clouds of Oculi remained, a fresh wave coming in under the covering fire of the first wave.

This time many more of the creatures thudded into the roof of the train, some leaving dents in the thick metal as they clattered towards the squad. Shepard soon found himself surrounded by a quartet of the vicious machines, dodging back from jabbing tentacles and ducking lethal lasers.

His shields depleted, the Commander soon found himself in dire straits, the advancing machines really hampering his movements. A sudden lurch of the car set an idea in motion, prompting him to roll back from the nearest enemy, then turn to face the front of the train. Activating his Adrenaline Rush, Shepard burst into motion, dodging a vicious flurry of attacks before racing towards the next car along. A quick jump allowed him to clear the gap before he spun, facing his opponents. With a malicious grin, he pulled a grenade from his belt, pulling the pin. He paused, counting off the seconds, then flung it down between the two cars, dancing back as it lodged in a niche between two locking pieces of metal.

There was a tremendous pop, followed by the roar of a shockwave of air blasting across the Commander as a gout of flames speared upwards from between the two carriages. The Asari in the compartments below shrieked in fear as the train swayed from side to side. The rear carriage began to part ways with the rest of the train, losing speed as its Saboteur occupants let out electronic howls of fury. Shepard lifted his rifle, taking careful aim before shooting out the carriage's connection to the rail above, sending it falling end over end towards the ground, where it bounded across the ground in a crazy tumble that ended in a brilliant explosion.

He turned away from the blast, shielding his eyes from the bright burst of light. As he looked forward, he caught sight of Samara fighting off a trio of the Saboteurs. The Asari lifted a hand, sending out a powerful wave of dark energy that sent one machine sailing away with a mournful cry, before turning on the other two with a quick one-two of her fists, the biotic power swirling around each azure hand denting metal and making sparks erupt from joints. In moments, these last two Saboteurs were nothing more than scrap whisked away on the wind. Samara looked over to her Commander, face flushed from a combination of the biting wind and exertion. Smiling at one another, the pair moved closer together as they prepared for the next wave of enemies.

The next wave of enemies was far more numerous than the previous attacks, the machines swirling in en masse. No fewer than ten latched onto the Commander's carriage, some harrying the Human and the Asari while others set about dismantling the train.

Shepard quickly dispatched two of the machines, unleashing one, two, three Concussive Shots at the duo before they could properly attach themselves to the roof. Beside him, Samara used a combination of Throw fields and Singularities to keep the machines off-balance before hurling them aside with vast sweeps of her hand. Even with this powerful pairing, the Saboteurs continued to attack, the carriage beginning to shake as it was deformed from the continual abuse it was enduring.

Shepard switched to his shotgun, pumping a cloud of metal shards into the eye-lens of one of the Saboteurs. As he did so, a sudden gasp of pain beside him caused him to whirl just in time to see samara drop, clutching at a hole in the side of her armour where a patch of skin about a foot in diameter had been charred a sooty black, the flesh charred. She weakly lifted a hand, sending her attacker over the edge of the carriage, then slumped, her chest heaving as pain assaulted all of her senses.

Yelling her name, the Commander leapt to her side, crouching over her as he continued to fire at their attackers. His shotgun coughed out one devastating shot after another. Eventually the machines scuttled back from the furious assault, vanishing down the side of the craft. Knowing their respite would be very temporary, the Commander made full use of it, inspecting the Asari's wound.

"It is not serious." Samara said briefly. "Go. You must vanquish our foes."

Shepard persisted in tending to her wound, knowing full well that the calm exterior was complete bullshit. Judging by the depth of the damage, the alien must have been in immense pain. The fact that her voice didn't even waver only testified to her hard-headed resilience.

A sudden rattle passed through the carriage below them, prompting Shepard to look about warily. Obviously their attackers were already hard at work severing the connectors.

"We're running out of time." He muttered to his friend. "Get back down into the cabin and get everyone into the next car. I'll deal with the machines."

The ex-Justicar limped to the hatch, vanishing inside as quickly as she could, Shepard moved carefully towards the front of the carriage in the meantime, looking down. He smirked with not a little satisfaction as he noted one of the machines not fully protected by the underside of the carriage. Taking aim, he unloaded a Concussive Shot into its back, knocking it free. The dual shriek that followed informed him that the tumbling machine had dislodged one of its friends, killing two birds with one stone, or bullet in this case.

The Commander remained on the top of the carriage, choosing to attack the enemy by firing at any who dared to show itself in an attempt to sever the link to the rest of the train.

"Shepard!"

The Commander whirled at his name, looking to Falere as she clambered out of the hatch.

"You have to come quickly! One of the machines got inside. Mother's holding it off on her own!"

Shepard followed the Ardat-Yakshi without hesitation, leaping down through the hatch and into the train. The carriage had been emptied out by Samara's efforts, leaving a cargo-strewn room in which the former Justicar as now dodging out of the way of the slashing appendages of the Saboteur. At the Commander's arrival, the machine whirled, firing a vicious blast from its weapon. Shepard dropped into a roll, finishing with his back to a crate that stood between him and the enemy. He drew his rifle, glancing over the crate to see the machine leap from the floor to clutch at the ceiling, scuttling around swiftly as it harried Shepard, Samara and Falere with its laser.

The Commander quickly activated the mental trigger for his Adrenaline Rush implant, sending his reflexes surging into superhuman levels of sensitivity as he leapt from cover, firing his gun as fast as his trigger finger could twitch. The machine howled as it dodged out of the way of the brutal barrage, chunks of metal falling from its armoured hide as it sought refuge from the Commander's wrath.

That refuge was never found, as Samara leapt after the Saboteur, moving rapidly in spite of the immense pain her injury caused her. She used her biotics to haul the creature out into the open, slamming it into a wall with a mighty shove, pulverising the metal form. The Saboteur slumped to the floor, eye lens going dim.

In almost the exact same instant that the Saboteur perished, the carriage lurched violently to one side, swinging back with a screech of twisting metal. Shepard caught Samara was the rapid movement threatened to hurl her from her feet, steadying the Asari while cargo tumbled around them.

"We've got to get out of here!" He shouted over the racket. "This carriage is going to fall!"

The two Asari nodded, quickly turning to rush towards the next carriage. Falere was much closer than the other two, quickly slipping through the small connecting passage. Helping Samara with his shoulder, the Commander quickly guided them both towards safety.

Mere metres from safety, the Commander felt the floor drop away from underneath him. Sensing the peril, he lunged forwards just as the carriage tilted vertically, leaving the exit above the duo. Thinking quickly, the Commander flung out a hand, catching a buckled deck plate. He carefully shifted Samara's weight onto his back, looping the Asari's arms around his neck, then sought the next handhold the now vertical floor presented.

The carriage swung dangerously in an erratic course, moving backwards and forwards as it swayed from side to side, tracing a rough figure-of-eight. Shepard fought down the bile that rose in his throat at the sensation, gagging as the sharp tang played across his tongue. Resolutely, he pushed on.

Overhead, Falere was peering down the entrance to the carriage anxiously, shouting encouragement and yelping with fear at every uncertain lurch of the train. As the Commander drew close, the train jumped again, the carriage groaning as yet more connections gave way. The way out of the carriage slipped further away as the car twisted, only a couple of sturdy cables holding it together. With a final effort, the Commander flung himself at the first of these cables, grabbing hold of it as a final twang released the carriage from its linkages, dropping it towards the ground. The sudden jolt shook Samara loose of his back, but a quick grab soon caught her, the Commander staring down into her frightened eyes as his armoured hand tightly gripped her pale blue palm. Not far overhead, Falere let out a shout of dismay at her mother's near-miss, dropping onto her belly as she reached for the pair in an attempt to pull them up.

Now finding himself dangling below the train, the Commander saw more saboteurs working to disconnect the next car. Realising the danger, he strained, hauling Samara up until her daughter's outstretched hands caught her, pulling the ex-Justicar to safety. With Samara safe, Falere turned back to help the Commander.

"Go help the others!" He shouted. "I'll take care of myself!"

Falere paused for a moment as though to argue, but then quickly obeyed, clambering out of sight. In moments, the faint sounds of battle coming from the roof of the carriage intensified with the addition of the former Justicar and her daughter.

The left Shepard dangling from the rear of the monorail, puffing loudly as he dragged himself up the cable. The ground whipped by underneath, a grey blur in the fading evening. He'd almost reached the underside of the carriage when a pair of clawed appendages, affixed to the end of a pair of snakelike tentacles, appeared before him, latching onto the underside of the vehicle. A Saboteur hauled itself around, clinging to the metal above for dear life as it slithered out of the line of fire from the fighters above. It looked to Shepard with its red eye, chattering in its strange electronic dialect as it moved closer, ready to attack.

Shepard swerved to the side, dodging the first swipe of a tentacle. The cable groaned as it swung with him, but held. The machine tried again, the claws of one tentacle scraping a jagged line across the torso of his armour. The sudden impact made the Commander's grip weaken, causing him to slide further away from the carriage. Struggling to keep himself from falling, he realised that he could not fight back properly like this. His mind whirling, he tried to think of a way out of the situation. Finally, inspiration struck. His eyes darted from the creature to the side of the carriage, then back again. Making a quick calculation, he swung his body from side to side.

In a swift pendulum motion, the cable began swaying with him, its arc getting wider and wider. Finally, with a grunt, he flung himself into the swing, slipping down to the cable's end. The cable whipped to the side, the weight at its end making it snap up around the corner that formed the edge of the carriage. Seeing his chance, the Commander let go, allowing his now-upward momentum carry him up the side of the carriage long enough for him to grab a hold of a pipe running along it. His feet found a groove in the carriage's hull, making the strain on his taut fingers slightly easier to bear.

Before he could fully catch his breath, however, a tentacle suddenly appeared, jabbing down next to him to pierce the metal plating that covered the carriage. A second one appeared close behind the first, stabbing into the metal on the other side of the Commander. The tentacles tensed as they pulled their owner along, bringing it up and around the side of the car. Shepard tensed, waiting for him moment. The instant the lens eye appeared, his armoured boot shot out, cracking the red optical device. The Saboteur howled as it was partially blinded, its vision transforming into a vast multitude of splintered sights. It recoiled, slithering along the side of the carriage beside the Commander, making sure to keep out of striking distance. A furious tentacle whipped out, striking Shepard in the small of the back. The machine tried to use its laser, but the cracked eyepiece only sparked.

A head appeared above the duelling duo, glancing over the edge of the roof of the carriage. Shepard felt a surge of relief to see Thane's emerald eyes glancing down at them. However, instead of opening fire as the Commander had hoped, the Drell simply disappeared, leaving the Commander with his mechanical enemy.

Shepard's confusion at the sudden disappearance cost him, allowing the Saboteur to get in a vicious jab with a tentacle that made one of his feet slip, costing him his secure footing. Even through its damaged vision, the machine could see that the Commander was in trouble, its movements becoming slightly smug as it readied a final strike.

A loud roar made the creature pause, looking about in confusion. The roar became more and more insistent, a shiver passing through the metal beneath the Commander's fingers. The saboteur looked for the source of the noise but, upon failing to find it, readied to finish Shepard off.

The side of the carriage erupted outwards in a shower of torn metal as a massive hulk ripped its way free from inside. Caught directly in the newcomer's path, the Saboteur was torn free of the side of the monorail, now attached to the front of the roaring shape. Squealing, the machine struggled to save itself as the Prowler, engines going at full, carried it away from the train, crushing it against the ground under the front ski. Rattling, the vehicle swerved around, hard-pressed to cope with the uneven earth and stone beneath it. Shepard stared at the craft with awe as it bounced across the terrain, struggling to keep up with the speeding monorail even as parts broke free under its rough journey.

The top hatch of the craft popped open as Thane, sat behind the driver's canopy, gestured for the Commander to be ready to join him. The assassin brought the Prowler in close, swerving under the train at the last instant. Shepard paused, waiting for the opportune moment, then released his grip, dropping down onto the craft's roof. Struggling to hold on as the Prowler bucked and jumped under him, the Commander quickly slithered through the hatch. Inside, he sat beside Thane, patting the Drell on the shoulder.

"Impressive." He commented.

"The Human fascination for reckless endeavours has always fascinated me." The assassin replied. "I simply thought I would sample it for myself."

"Reckless is the word alright." Shepard chuckled. "I doubt this thing's going to last much longer. How do you reckon we'll get back on that train?"

"An opportunity will present itself." The Drell answered calmly, although his firm grip on the controls spoke of the nerve-wracking nature of what he was doing.

The Prowler continued following the train, shivering as the ground underneath wore away at it. With a jolt, a hull plate shook free of the craft's bonnet, striking the windshield hard enough to crack it.

"There!" Shepard said, pointing to a small slope next to the monorail track. "Punch it!"

Thane obediently complied, putting the throttles to full as he steered towards the rise. The Prowler bucked as it struck the slope, front ski leaving a shallow trench behind as it powered upwards. Finally, with an ultimate burst of power, the prowler left the ground behind, soaring upwards towards the monorail.

Shepard's stomach turned a double somersault as weightlessness tugged at him, the craft arcing towards the rear carriage of the train. With a thunderous crash, the Prowler slammed down on the roof of the carriage, making it sway violently. Something under the duo's feet twanged loudly.

"I believe that that was the ski, Commander." Thane said as he struggled to keep the craft from veering over the edge.

"No matter." Shepard said confidently. He activated his comm. "This is Commander Shepard. Everyone get off the roofs. We're about to clear these machines out." He looked back to Thane. "Full throttle. Aim forwards."

The assassin nodded, following the Commander's instructions. Once ready, he hit the accelerator, sending the craft racing forwards. The first of the Saboteurs were barely aware of their presence before the Commander and the Drell ploughed through them, crushing three underfoot and flinging a further half dozen over the edge. Thane wrestled with the controls as he steered the craft towards the front of the train, dodging the pillars that connected the train to the rail above.

Moments later, the Prowler had almost completed its chaotic journey across the length of the train, reaching the front carriage of the craft. Seeing the front of the train quickly approaching, Shepard tapped the Drell on the shoulder. Nodding, Thane made a final adjustment, then stood, scrambling out of the upper hatch after his Commander.

The pair balanced on the roof of the Prowler for an instant, watching as the craft raced over the last of the attacking machines. A moment before the craft plunged off the front of the train, the duo jumped off.

Shepard struck the roof of the train hard, rolling on his shoulder to lessen the impact. Dazed from the rapid series of events, he looked back to see Thane in a crouch, appearing as calm and collected as he always did. The Commander felt a spike of jealousy at the fact that the alien could be so smooth about something as dangerous as what they had just done, but that soon faded under the relief that they were still alive. He smiled triumphantly as he stood, nodding to Thane before turning back to regroup with the rest of his team.

"Everyone get ready." Seryna's voice sounded through the comms. "We're coming up on Serrice's city limits."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard ducked into an alleyway, glancing upwards as the monorail rolled by overhead. Seryna had remained on board, suggesting that having the craft moving about in another part of the city would keep the enemy distracted. A number of the surviving Justicars had gone with her to keep her safe. Now Shepard and his team moved as quietly as they could through the streets towards their objective, followed by a large cluster of Asari, the staff needed to get the Shroud running.

The Commander paused at the corner of a building, glancing around into the massive square at the centre of which sat the main Serrice administrative building. The structure loomed over a small park in the centre of the city, set in the midst of a mixture of small copses of trees and picturesque ponds. In the darkening night, it all seemed rather serene and, had the circumstances been rather different, Shepard would have found it relaxing, but instead he regarded the parkland as a potential battlefield, scanning the trees for any movement. There was a lot of ground to cover before they reached the large, curving spire that was their goal. As Shepard sized it up, the peak of the building gave off a small gleam, the last vestige of a sun that had already set. He waved his squad over to whisper a few instructions to them.

"We need to keep the Asari together. We'll watch their flanks. I'll take the lead. Samara, take Thane with you and watch the left. Etarn, take Elanie to watch the right. Jano will stay with me. We make a straight run for the control centre, get inside and get it locked down as fast as we can, clear? Then, while the Asari get the Shroud up and running, we'll watch the perimeter and keep any incoming forces off their back."

Shepard waited until each of his comrades nodded in acknowledgement before gesturing for them to form up as instructed. He then turned to face forwards, drawing his rifle. A quick wave of his hand signalled to the others, and the group moved out in tight formation.

They wove their way through the parkland, the building looming bigger and bigger before them. Shepard felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise as they plunged deeper into the square, unnerved by the powerful silence that pervaded the air around them. Nothing moved around them, not even a small animal or an insect. The closer they got to the administrative building, the worse his anxiety got, until he wasn't sure which he preferred, being attacked or enduring the silence.

He found it to be a huge relief, therefore, when the air was suddenly filled with throaty war cries as a dozen indoctrinated Asari leapt from the trees, striking the ground powerfully before launching themselves at the squad.

Shepard reacted first, his superb reflexes bringing his gun up in the blink of an eye to tear into the first enemy that presented itself. Bullets ripped through pale blue flesh, mangling one arm before perforating the creature's chest. Even with this damage, the Reaper slave continued to approach, hurling itself at the Commander with claws extended. Shepard's reaction was instantaneous, his foot lashing out in a powerful kick that connected with the Asari's chest, cracking a couple of ribs and flinging it back. A quick follow-up from his rifle split its head open, killing it. This one dispatched, Shepard looked for another target.

Samara, meanwhile, occupied herself with two of the charging Asari, lifting them up with her biotics and smashing them together, snapping the neck of the first one. The second held onto its imitation of life for a few moments more, just long enough to hurl a powerful Warp at the former Justicar. Samara grunted as the biotic energies struck her, knocking the wind from her lungs as her own biotics destabilised, flinging the creature into the bole of a nearby tree to finish it off.

Seeing Samara's momentary weakness, another of the Asari Thralls lunged, striking her in the back and bearing her to the floor. The duo struggled against one another, the Reaper slave having the clear advantage. Just as the creature managed to pin the Asari, a Warp blasts truck it, hurling the Reaper minion off Samara's back and slamming it into the ground forcefully. Smiling with satisfaction at his work, Thane turned back to gunning down yet another of the creatures.

The Commander looked to the opposite side of the cluster of panicking Asari just in time to see Etarn use his SMG to rip one of the last Asari creatures to pieces as Elanie set it alight with an Incinerate, sending it to join the pair already at their feet. Before he could see what they did next, Shepard was suddenly shoved to the ground by the weight of two more creatures leaping on his back.

Shepard frantically tried to protect himself from the monsters' slashing claws, but their combined weight on his back kept him pinned. He lifted his head, catching a glimpse of the hate-filled expression of one of the creatures crouching over him, eyes blazing with the inner light of its indoctrination.

With a loud yell and a blur of motion, a dark shape swung down from the trees, striking the first Asari and ripping it off the Commander's prone form. Eyes glinting behind his light green face mask, Jano continued his unintelligible battle cry as he kicked and punched at the creature, balancing carefully on one foot as he used his remaining three appendages to obliterate his foe. He cut a complex spiral as he spun past the creature's defences, at one point dropping onto one knee as a powerful punch buckled the Asari's ribcage before following up with a light leap that brought him up behind the creature to land a deadly jab to the back of the skull, dropping it.

Shepard released a deep grunt as he jerked to the side, rolling until he was finally able to dislodge the Asari on his back. As the creature scrabbled to stand, he twisted, jabbing a vicious elbow into its throat. The former Asari gurgled unintelligibly, throat destroyed, before the Commander reclaimed his rifle, unloading it into the creature's face at point blank range.

Shepard stood, looking about to see that the squad had finished off the last of the creatures, silence drifting across the group again. He winced at the little nagging pain in his shoulder from when the Asari had jumped him, but it was nothing serious, so he was able to ignore it.

"It's not far to the admin building now." He said loudly to draw everyone's attention. "We can make it if we hurry. Everyone stick close together."

As the rabble of Matriarchs, Justicars and Ardat-Yakshi rushed onwards, herded by the Normandy squad, the Commander paused to look back. His gaze settled on the skyhook, ascending into the heavens. Shivering, he turned back with renewed purpose. That thing couldn't fall fast enough.

It took only a moment more to get to the administrative building. Thane and Elanie worked together to override the security, getting them inside the building in moments. With Shepard and Etarn watching their backs, the Asari filed in, all in a hurry to find a place of safety, or at least a place that wasn't quite as dangerous as outside.

Inside, the group hurried through darkened corridors, ignoring the signs of disturbance that had been left behind by the Reaper invasion. In no time at all, they'd located the control centre that would grant them the use of Athame's Shroud. The Asari obediently set about placing themselves before consoles and power systems. The control centre was soon buzzing with activity. Shepard approached the control station, leaning over Elanie's shoulder as she got to work.

"How're we looking?" He asked.

"The system's not overly complex. It should be easy enough for me to- ah!" She grunted in a satisfied tone as the station beeped in response to her efforts. "I'm in."

"Good. Get the Shroud working on attacking all Reapers in the system."

"Yeah… might take a while." Elanie muttered.

"What's wrong?" Shepard asked, groaning inwardly. Of course it wasn't as cut-and-dry as he'd thought.

"You need to remember that the network is spread out across the entire planet. Its gonna take some time to co-ordinate everything. Aside from the time needed to power everything up, I need to bring every satellite and gun battery under my control. Sykes will help speed up the process, but we're looking at a delay of at least five minutes."

"We could have a Reaper on top of us by then!" Shepard protested.

"Once the facility is at full power I can raise the building's energy shield." The Shadow Broker operative offered as she scanned available systems. "That will buy us some time, hopefully long enough for the big guns to make it run away."

Shepard sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Fine. Get started. And signal the Normandy as soon as you can. We need the remnant of the Asari fleets en route as soon as possible."

Elanie complied, typing in a few commands. A loud whirring echoes through the building, the floor quivering beneath them as the power generators set to work powering up the necessary systems. Almost instantly, an alarm honked out overhead, a red light appearing on Elanie's console. She leaned over the display to examine the readings, brow furrowing.

"Uh oh…"

"Let me guess." Shepard drawled. "Somebody isn't happy with what we're doing here, and they're on their way here to tell us so?"

"That's about the long and short of it." Elanie said. "Incoming hostiles, approaching fast. All on foot so far, but I guess it's just a matter of time before the airborne units find their way here."

"You stay here and get that shield up." He turned to his squad. "The rest of you, with me! We'll hold these things off in the mean time."

Etarn, Samara, Thane and Jano gathered up their weapons, making to follow the Commander. As they hurried towards the door, Shepard saw Falere and Rila make to follow their mother, but the former Justicar turned to them with a cautioning glance.

"No." She said firmly. "It is too dangerous for you. Wait here until I return."

"But-" Rila protested.

"No buts! I would never forgive myself if you came to any harm. Stay here, where it is safest. I will return to you."

The two Ardat-Yakshi opened their mouths to protest, but the steely quality of their mother's gaze stopped them. They lowered their heads obediently. Samara paused, looking at both of them, before giving each one a tight embrace.

"I will be back." She swore. With that, she turned to follow her Commander.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard checked his rifle once again as he crouched down behind the desk, glancing furtively towards the big main doors of the building. The squad had placed themselves in the main entrance foyer of the administrative building, taking up positions behind desks and, in the case of Etarn and Jano, behind the decorative fountain that occupied the centre of the circular room. The Commander glanced around carefully, taking in the full height of the room, reaching up towards the top floor far above as a wide staircase spiralled up around the edge, lined with thick pillars of purple marble. Three wide corridors fed into the foyer on the ground floor, one leading back towards the control centre where the Asari worked feverishly to get the Shroud online while the other two went right and left to secondary doors into the building, all visible from Shepard's location as he focused on the glass front doors. This focal point covered all possible ways into the building, allowing the squad to defend the control centre from attacks from any direction.

Looking to the short flight of concrete steps outside the front doors, Shepard activated his comms.

"How's the power-up coming along, Elanie?"

"Power is currently at ten per cent, Commander. Bear in mind, all of our systems were running on emergency backups. We're having to start the jennies from cold. Just give it time."

Shepard grunted in annoyance. _Just once,_ he thought. _Just once, can't everything go smoothly?_

"I've contacted the Normandy." Elanie continued. "Feron's passing word along to Liara, who'll co-ordinate things with Admiral Hackett and Captain Halyrria. The fleets will be in orbit around Thessia at roughly the same time that the Shroud comes online. That'll give us a chance to catch the Reapers totally off-guard. They should have no chance to assemble a proper defence."

"Here's hoping." The Commander replied grimly. "See what you can do to speed things up."

"Will do, Commander."

As Shepard powered down his commlink, a throaty growl echoed across the small forecourt in front of the building. Emerging from the trees like a cluster of primal warriors, over two dozen indoctrinated Asari loped forwards, some dropping down on all fours in an animalistic fashion as they charged. In amongst these Thralls loomed a handful of Krogan, some Turians and even a pair of Quarians. Surprised by the numbers, the Commander glanced to his companions, flashing a confident smile that contradicted his anxiety.

"Looks like the Reapers aren't really trying today." He bragged, receiving a few chuckles. "You guys take a back seat, I can handle this." More laughs, before every face straightened, betraying the true trepidation they felt. "Whatever happens, whatever they send through these doors, hold it together, okay? We hold this line or we die. There's no room for failure."

The squad turned back towards the approaching horde, resolves stiffened, guns steady. Samara in particular had a firm set to her jaw. Her daughters were in the control centre they protected. She'd die before she allowed a single Husk to lay a claw upon them.

The night air filled with roars as the Reaper-enslaved horde dashed forward, the Krogan taking up the front rank. With a tremendous crash, they charged through the doors and windows that formed the front wall, sending countless shards of glass tinkling across the tiled floor. The Krogan roared, their maws stretching unnaturally far thanks to their new modifications. Their eyes glowed with a sinister scarlet, glaring murder as they looked to the Commander. All the while, their smaller kin flooded around them, swarming towards the squad.

"Open fire!" He yelled.

The sounds of gunfire bounced around the foyer, dancing its way up towards the distant glass ceiling. Shepard shoulder tickled as the rifle shook in his hands, emptying its clip in moments. Beside him, Thane jolted back with every explosive kick of his sniper rifle, while Samara forsook her weapon in favour of her biotics, launching Warp blasts in a rapid-fire burst, the tiny biotic bolts detonating in the heart of the enemy ranks like little grenades. Behind the fountain, Etarn paused to centre himself before leaping over the water feature, activating a biotic Charge that sent him winging above the surface of the water and rocketing into the enemy masses. Jano quickly followed, running as fast as his legs would carry him.

The battle joined with a furious uproar, Shepard and Thane's combined fire downing two Asari Thralls before Etarn had even completed his Charge. The moment the Batarian struck, Samara's Warp Storm rained down, ripping one of the Turians to shreds before devastating a cluster of Asari. Jano reached the enemy ranks a moment later, leaping up to land a powerful kick to the jaw of the nearest Asari, snapping its head back, before twisting in mid air to strike out at a second one with his jaws, becoming a flicker of movement among the enemy targets.

Shepard jammed a fresh clip in his gun, aiming at the first Krogan Thrall, activating a control on the side to make use of Delexia's Corruption Ammo modification, thanking the Turian pirate once more for sharing the specs with Jacob and his Armoury staff. In moments, the glowing green bullets streaked across the battlefield, spreading acid wherever they landed and eating away at the flesh of his targets. The Krogan roared as a bullet struck it in the forehead, the vile acid burning away its flesh until only a gleaming metal skull remained. Even so, something within pushed it onwards, forcing Shepard to finish it off with a dozen more shots to the head and body, eroding a large portion of the creature's torso. Seeing the matter beginning to regenerate, the Commander quickly made sure it would not recover, tossing an Incendiary Grenade at the prone form to burn away the last of its flesh.

Samara leapt past the Commander, her entire body glowing with dark energy. Her feet barely touched the floor as her powers buoyed her along, glowing blue power leaping from her palms, ripping apart enemy troops like they were made of paper. The Asari soared into the air, leaping up several metres. She drifted into a somersault, pausing at the apex of the jump, her powers flaring around her in a brilliant corona. The air around her screamed as a radiant tunnel of light carried her back down, her outstretched fist striking the floor hard enough to send a spider's web of cracks shooting through the tiles in every direction. The shockwave from the impact rushed out around her, hurling enemies into the air to a chorus of howls. The former Justicar barely paused, climbing back to her feet and charging into the enemy, fists coated with biotic power as she lashed out left and right.

Thane might as well have been a statue, considering how little he moved. The stoic Drell had found a niche between the desk and a chair, offering him the maximum field of vision while also giving him the maximum amount of cover. As Shepard watched, he spotted that the assassin was actually moving, it was just that his adjustments to his aim were so minute that he appeared to be in a state of paralysis. The only true outward sign of his activities was the occasional kick of his sniper rifle, always echoed by the dying scream of an enemy. All through this, the Drell's eyes remained unblinking, coldly dispassionate.

Jano was a blur of motion, one moment twisting the arm of a Turian so hard that the shoulder joint popped loudly, the next moment launching a quick double jab into the throat of an Asari, crushing its trachea and leaving it gurgling on the floor. He turned to face another Asari, but an equally fast blur moved past him, one of the two Quarians in the enemy mass. Its fingers had been elongated in the same fashion as the Quarian crew member of the Rogue Endeavour, Nishto, when he'd been turned into a slave of the Reapers. These fingers, over a foot and a half in length, lashed out at Jano with whip-like flexibility. They struck the Quarian Wardancer's suit with a spark and a loud snap. A bright flash escaped from the stricken suit's systems as Jano's faceplate went dark, casting him into blindness as pain raced up his arm. The suit had been ruptured, he could tell that much, but blinded like this he had no way of seeing how bad the damage was. The chilling liquid feeling he could feel slipping across his now-exposed skin could have been his own blood, or it could have been his suit's repair mechanisms flooding the area with reconstructive nanites. He rather doubted the latter, if the rest of his systems were affected in a similar way to his mask.

Seeing the danger posed to his friend, Etarn let out a yell as he summoned as much power as he could, hurling his current foe across the foyer hard enough to shatter every bone in its body. Thus freed, the Batarian leapt over to help his Quarian comrade, firing his SMG wildly at the Quarian Thrall that attacked Jano. The creature yowled as its suit split open, revealing pale white skin seeping green fluid. The Batarian diplomat's SMG hissed as it emptied its clip, killing the creature. Etarn quickly moved to stand next to Jano, who flinched from his touch.

"Jano!" He yelled over the noise of battle, reloading his gun. "You've been hit! We need to get you back to over."

"I can't see." Jano's voice was muffled without the aid of his voice box, and from the uncertain way he spoke it seemed as though his translator was offline, too. Etarn glanced to the ragged tears in his suit, a series of three gaping slashes running along his upper arm and over his shoulder. Coppery skin gleamed underneath, coated in a slick light green fluid that oozed from three rents in his flesh.

Realising that Jano was in no fit state to stay out in the thick of things, Etarn looked about desperately, lifting his SMG to pepper the Asari Thralls that crowded in around the pair.

Suddenly, a Turian shouldered its way through the enemy ranks towards them. Etarn took a couple of shots at it, but the bullets bounced off the thick scales, made tougher than steel by Reaper interference. The Thrall leered at them, claws extending from its digits, curved like small scimitars. Facing off against this new opponent, Etarn made sure to keep himself between the enemy and his injured comrade.

The Batarian exploded into action at the exact same moment that the Turian lunged, the pair dashing towards one another with supernatural speed. For Etarn, his speed came from his biotics. For the Turian, his alacrity was a result of his Reaper augmentations. The Turian swipe met the Batarian Charge, the duo locking together in a test of strength. After a moment's struggling, they parted, the Turian staggering back while Etarn clutched at a pair of vicious slashes to his belly, a duo of parallel lines of scarlet seeping into his clothes.

Snarling, the Turian creature leapt, claws outstretched as it soared through the air towards the Batarian. Thinking fast, Etarn quickly concentrated his biotics, drawing a curtain of power around himself. The blue corona solidified as he made both himself and the air around his body super-dense, gasping as the air became too thick to breathe in. But the effect needed to last only a second, which it did. The Turian collided with the solid wall of air, stopping as surely as if it had struck a pillar of solid titanium. It fell to the floor, dazed. Etarn soon followed up his unexpected defence with a swift offensive, lashing out with the concentrated power in a wide cone, launching an attack that literally flattened the Turian, cracking bone and crushing metal, leaving nothing but an ugly blue smear on the floor.

Etarn turned from the grisly remains, looking back to Jano, only to have his pulse hitch. The Quarian had been surrounded by Asari Thralls, raising his fists in an attempt to defend himself as the creatures- Etarn started at the concept for a moment- toyed with him.

Jano staggered to one side at a powerful blow from one of his opponents, retaliating with a quick punch that did little more than startle the creature. He took another swipe, missing entirely this time, before another enemy struck him in the back. Unsteady from the impact, Jano felt his pulse race. He was surrounded, blind, and most likely was about to contract an infection that would kill him even if he managed to survive the encounter. He was hard pressed to recall any time when the odds had been so heavily stacked against him.

But then again, his thoughts reminded him, the stakes had never been higher. He wasn't fighting to secure himself a meagre meal, or to make sure he had something over his head. Here, now, he was fighting for countless more lives than even those of the Migrant Fleet. Entire species, including his own, depended on the outcome of Shepard's work, and he was a part of that.

His resolve stiffened, the Quarian stilled. He tilted his head to the side, listening. His sharp ears soon picked up the cue he was waiting for, sending his knee jerking up as an automatic reaction. The jabbing knee caught an Asari in the gut, doubling it over. Jano was quick to follow up by jabbing his elbow downwards, striking the creature in the nape of the neck. The impact shattered its biotic amp, sending jolts of electricity racing through its system, killing it in seconds. Jano didn't wait, catching the light footfalls of another enemy and twirling to kick it across the temple, swiftly dispatching it. He dealt with the third in a similar way, revelling in this new way of fighting, no longer needing to see.

He'd witnessed the skill before, performed by Wardancers who had been repairing the hull of a ship and lost the shielding on their facemask, burning out their retinas. These blind individuals had been relieved of all of their former duties, but the Wardancers had seen the ability in them to overcome this disadvantage, turning it into an advantage. Now he truly appreciated the art, amazed to find that he excelled in it. In moments, he had dispatched both the fourth and the fifth and final enemy, leaving him in his little dark world once more.

A sudden presence at his elbow made him jolt, but the muttered words, unintelligible due to the loss of his translator, were clearly Batarian. It had to be Etarn. He obediently allowed the diplomat to lead him to safety.

Shepard rolled out from behind the desk that had sheltered him during the fight, seeing that the enemy force was almost defeated and feeling like he could risk being more exposed in his efforts to finish the fight. Samara was going after a cluster of five Asari, having left a trail of broken bodies in her wake. Thane carefully took aim, sniping a Krogan Thrall through the eye, an explosive round that utterly destroyed its skull. A couple more shots soon utterly destroyed the corpse, allowing the Drell to move onto a new target. Etarn and Jano were hurriedly limping for cover, the Batarian firing his gun wildly to keep a pair of pursuing Asari away while the Quarian quickly demolished another enemy without even looking at it.

The Commander went after the last of the Krogan, swapping the clips in his rifle. His Corruption Ammo had been depleted, so now he moved on to his Incendiary Rounds, setting fire to the alien Thrall with a couple of well-placed shots. As it growled in protest, still attacking even as its flesh was incinerated, he unloaded the remainder of his clip into the creature's skull, dropping it to the floor, where it burned away merrily. The Commander turned from the new corpse, leaving the flames to ensure it never got up again.

In moments, he found himself confronted with yet another of the Thralls, this time the second of the Quarians. The creature growled at him from behind its mask, slashing with its deadly whip-like fingers. Shepard instantly brought his rifle up, firing on impulse. The stream of bullets pierced the faceplate, sending slivers of semi-transparent material tinkling across the floor. The Commander kept firing as the creature flailed wildly at its face, clutching at the mess of blood and teeth ineffectually. Shepard quickly finished it off with a couple of shots through the heart, stepping over the twitching corpse. Sharp eyes darting about, he quickly checked up on his team.

"Status report."

"I am unharmed, Commander." Thane answered, quickly echoed by Samara.

"Jano's been hit pretty bad." Etarn called. "His suit's systems were overloaded, but I can have those back online in no time. The main problem is that his suit's been ruptured. I've used some Medi-Gel on the wounds, but he's getting an infection, no doubt about it."

Shepard noted that the Batarian was clutching at his gut.

"You're hurt!" He said with some consternation. "How bad is it?"

"Hurts like hell, but the 'Gel is getting to work patching me back together. I'm not out of it yet." Etarn grinned.

"Nor am I." Jano added as his suit let out a small whine, numerous systems coming online. "Watch out for the Quarian Thralls. Their touch can shut down your armour's systems."

"Keep them at range, got it." Shepard felt the relief pouring off him upon having Jano back from his disturbing silence. "How're you feeling?"

"Like a bosh'tet." Jano chuckled. "I should have held back until I got the measure of my opponents. If the suit damage is as bad as it feels, I'll definitely be down with an infection, but that's the price I'll have to pay for leaping before I looked."

"Do you need to head back to the control centre?" Shepard asked.

"I'm hurt, but I'm not incapacitated, Commander." The Quarian said resolutely. "The infection won't manifest for a couple of days. I can still fight."

"Alright." Shepard conceded. Reaching up to his ear, he activated his commlink. "Elanie? Please tell me you have some good news."

"I'll be able to raise the shields in moments, Commander. After that it's just a matter of bringing the Shroud under my control, then we're good to go."

Almost on cue, the building quivered under a tremendous explosion. A beam of red light speared through an upper floor, buzzing by overhead to cut its way out through the back wall. The squad flinched from the sudden event, guns out and at the ready.

"Elanie! Any idea what that was?" The Commander asked.

"Sensors are picking up about a dozen Oculi attacking the building. They seem to be targeting key support pillars. I think they're trying to bring the building down!"

"We'll have a hard time taking them on from the ground." Shepard said. "Anything you can do to help us?"

"There are a few small turrets hidden in the parkland around the building." Elanie explained. "They're a part of the Shroud, but they're currently offline. They have power, but they won't start firing until I've finished my work here. You could operate one manually."

"It's all we've got." Shepard concluded. "Give me the location of the nearest one. We'll take care of the Oculi."

With that, the Commander marched off, squad in tow.

The turret's location was not far from the building. As the squad wove through the trees towards the co-ordinates, Shepard looked up to see the swarm of Oculi buzzing around the administrative building. The round, red-eyed drones swooped in close to the tower, lasers blazing as they carved into the building. Already large portions of the structure smouldered as fires blazed within.

One of the machines darted by overhead, suddenly wheeling around as it caught sight of the squad. Realising that they had been made, the Commander yelled for his team to get to cover, leaping behind a tree himself as the vicious red beam of the Oculus blazed across his path. He drew his rifle again, firing wildly in the hopes of catching the machine's eyes, but its thick flight armour repelled the attack easily.

"Samara! Etarn! Thane!" Shepard yelled to his biotics. "We've got to bring it down!"

Nodding, the trio scrambled to get into position. Etarn attacked first, launching a powerful Warp blast that ripped at the Oculus' armour. Thane followed this up with an attack of his own, the mingling dark energies amplifying their effects. Finally, Samara lunged from cover, coming to a halt in the centre of the path. The Oculus caught sight of her, accelerating as its laser charged.

Before the machine could fire, the Asari lifted a pale blue hand, eyes closing as her fingers curled. The Oculus halted in mid-air, as though it had struck a wall. Its drive whined in protest, its increase in pressure making the former Justicar wince. Seeing that Samara's Stasis Field would not last long, Shepard yelled to his comrades.

"Now!"

Jano and the Commander rolled into view, weapons firing fiercely even as they were denied by the machine's armour. Thane and Etarn lifted their hands in sync, biotic energies launching at the same time. The twin attacks struck the Oculus, grabbing a hold of different parts of the machine's flight armour. Two steering vanes, located on either side of the Oculus, twitched and shivered as dark energies pulled at them. All three of the Commander's biotics groaned from the strain as they worked together until, finally, the outer shell of the Oculus was ripped free, exposing its vulnerable innards. The central eye lens, surrounded by its halo of metal tentacles, dropped to the ground with a metallic plop, a nightmarish octopus hunched over in the centre of the path.

Shepard quickly stepped forward, rifle blaring. A couple of shots to the weak eye lens finished the machine off, leaving a sparking mess on the path.

As the machine went limp, an electronic shriek rolled out from the swarm around the building. Shepard looked up with dread as the Oculus' kin peeled off from their attack to deal with the new threat.

"We need to get to that tower." He muttered. "Run!"

The squad charged, bulling through the last few clumps of trees until they finally reached an ornate pond. Shepard frowned as he looked about, confused to see nothing there except for a delicate wooden gazebo looking over the pond. He was about to signal Elanie when a rumble caught his attention. The gazebo shivered before breaking apart, splitting into six segments that folded downwards as a shape emerged from underneath. The Commander gazed on in awe at the brutal device that had appeared, taking in the six barrels and the gunner's position behind the weapon. The turret was clearly powerful. It should have little trouble with the incoming enemy units.

Without a word, the Commander clambered into the turret. As he strapped himself in, he glanced to Etarn, standing next to him.

"Keep any Thralls off my back. I'll deal with the Oculus."

"Commander." Etarn bowed his head before turning to bark orders to the others. In moments, the turret was surrounded, the squad's weapons covering every angle of approach.

The turret spun at the Commander's instructions, its controls surprisingly easy. Shepard rotated the gun until he caught sight of the rapidly approaching Oculi. He smiled a predatory smirk as his fingers curled around the triggers, a few final adjustments bringing the first foe into his crosshairs.

Three Oculi exploded in a shower of metal and fire before the others could react, spinning away from the line of tracer fire that curved up through the night sky, following them as they cut a twisting spiral towards the turret. The frantic defence kept them off-balance just long enough that they overshot their goal, forced to go around again. Shepard adjusted his aim, following one cluster of four as it peeled off from the other four, the glowing white projectiles leaping from his six barrels in a deadly barrage. Frowning, he traced the arc of his current targets, twitching a little to the side as they swerved, catching two as he fired, not where they were, but where they were going to be. He took in a deep breath as he continued firing. Only six more to go.

The remaining pair of his current target group dodged and twirled out of the way of his attacks nimbly, making the Commander work hard until, finally, he scored a hit on one, killing it instantly. Before he could target the last one, however, a sudden patter of gunfire from his own squad made him spin, turning to face the other quartet that had snuck around behind him. Pieces of metal were blasted off the turret as red lasers licked at it in a deadly barrage before the Commander fired again, the first two Oculi being too close to miss. A third one perished as it zipped by, a stray bullet from the turret clipping its ventral stabiliser and sending it plunging down into the ground.

Shepard focused on tracking the last two Oculi, eyes narrowing as he tried to pick them out against the night sky. Suddenly, a laser blasted into the turret, sending smoke up the Commander's nostrils as fired started below. Shepard continued to attack doggedly, now aware of at least one machine's location in the sky, able to follow the red glow of its 'eye'. A quick squeeze of the trigger, and the machine was no more. That only left one.

The battlefield fell silent as Shepard ceased firing, looking about anxiously for any sign of the enemy. The turret rotated cautiously, scanning the skies. Shepard jolted as one of the stars overhead suddenly ripped across the sky, rapidly growing in size as it screamed towards him. He pulled the trigger, frantically trying to finish off the machine, surprised by the lack of a firing laser beam. Suddenly, realisation dawned in his mind. This was no attack run. The Oculus intended to destroy the turret and its operator, one way or the other.

The Commander intensified his fire, struggling to track the Oculus as it drew closer and closer. Finally, he hit it, but not before it got so close that, now destroyed, its debris would continue hurtling down towards the turret. Shepard quickly extracted himself from the gunner's seat.

"Run!" He yelled.

The debris of the Oculus struck the turret, raining down around it like a fiery hail. Trees caught fire as their trunks were split open by red-hot shards of metal, while the turret itself clanged and screeched as it was bombarded.

After a moment's clamour, the surrounding parkland went silent. Shepard looked up from where he had landed, brushing soft soil from his face as he levered himself out of the man-shaped depression he had made in the Thessian surface. A quick glance around told him that the rest of the team was unharmed, if a little dazed. He looked back to the turret, surprised to find it still standing, only a little worse for wear.

"Tough old thing." He chuckled. It was kind of like him, in that respect.

"Commander, this is Elanie." Shepard's commlink squawked.

"I hear you. What's your status?"

"Sensors tell me you got all of the Oculi. Good work, Commander."

"You sound surprised."

"Maybe a little." Elanie admitted, earning a chuckle from the Commander. "We've got the generators running at full now. Powering up the shields."

As she spoke, a blue dome appeared over the administrative building, a cocoon of energy between it and any hostile fire.

"Good work, Elanie." Shepard congratulated. "And the Shroud?"

"Sykes is working on it." She explained. "But the coding is more complex than we thought. There's a lot of reprogramming to be done to get it to recognise the Reapers as a threat. We'll have it up and running soon, though."

Shepard sighed with frustration. But, then again, he supposed he couldn't blame the Asari for making the system so secure. They'd have wanted to make sure that no one could reprogram the system to recognise Asari vessels as enemies to be destroyed. Obviously this was a security feature that the Reapers had exploited, rewriting the programming to add them to the list of friendly targets through the use of one of their agents, probably one of the dozens of Asari his squad had already killed that night.

But still… even with everything falling into place, something felt wrong.

Shepard looked up into the night sky, scanning the dark velvety blackness as he turned to wards the looming shadow of the skyhook. The imposing tower glittered with myriad little lights running along its outer surface, signs of the hive of activity within. The silent hulk spoke to him, whispers in his skull, an itching in his bones. He could sense the vast array of Reaper technology within its walls. Who knew how many devices were contained within for the express purpose of subjugating the will of countless servants? Shivering, he turned away.

Slowly, the squad became aware of a rippling roar passing through the ground below them, rising in pitch until it became a vibrating cacophony they could all hear. The Commander only became aware of the sound's true nature when an immense shape, a darker shadow against the black night, hove into view overhead, racing towards them from the skyhook. He turned to shout a single word of warning to his companions.

"REAPER!"

The massive machine dropped out of the sky, sending immense tremors through the ground as it splayed its eight tentacles. It towered over the parkland upon which the Commander stood, lumbering over to gaze at the administrative building. Its body was shorter than Sovereigns, flatter, wider. Shepard was put in mind of the body of a cockroach, still tapering to the back in the typical Reaper style, but more rounded. Two brilliant blue eyes glared out from just above the point where its tentacles met its body, the vast eyes it scanned the city with. Shepard felt a familiarity in those eyes. It was a glare the Commander had seen before, back in the ruins of the Ardat-Yakshi monastery. This Reaper had to be the Architect.

Around him, the rest of his squad staggered back from the monstrous machine, all making noises of awe and fear.

"By the goddess." Samara whispered, voice trembling. "How can we best something so big?"

The Reaper lifted a tentacle, pointing it at the administrative building. The tip of the tentacle glowed for a moment, then a radiant stream of light burst forth, splatting against the building's shields brutally. The beam continued for a few moments, then vanished to leave a sucking blackness in the Commander's vision. He tapped the comm in his ear as it called for his attention.

"Commander! Are you still out there?" Elanie's voice called out desperately. "We're got a Reaper right on top of us! The shields are holding it back for now, but they won't last long."

"Hold tight, Elanie." Shepard replied. "We'll distract it. You keep working on getting those guns firing."

Shepard raced back to the gun turret, dodging around the few remaining flames that licked at the machinery, unable to find sufficient fuel on the bare metal to keep going. The Commander slipped behind the controls, quickly twisting the weapon around to aim at the rear of the Reaper. He paused to find what looked like a weak spot in its thick metal armour, then fired.

The Reaper unleashed a terrible groan of indignation as the tracer rounds from the turret peppered it, a terrible ringing noise that sounded like a titanic door protesting as its was swung around on poorly maintained hinges. It lurched away from the administrative building, moving awkwardly on its tentacles. It turned to face the turret, blue eyes staring down maliciously in a way that gave Shepard the impression that, had they been able to do so, the eyes would have narrowed. It stumbled forward a couple of steps, bringing a massive tentacle up, then jabbing down at the turret.

Shepard threw himself clear of the gun just as the tentacle, a pair of gargantuan claws at its tip, plunged down forcefully, crushing the turret like a hammer landing on an ant. Shepard shuffled back from the massive foot as it rose again, but the Architect was turning back to the administrative building, ignoring the insignificant creatures scuttling about underneath. Thinking fast, the Commander activated his comm again.

"Elanie, we need the locations of other nearby turrets!"

The Shadow Broker operative quickly provided the necessary information, after which the Commander broke into a run towards the closest location, at the centre of a copse of trees atop a low hill close to the edge of the small park. Shepard's legs struggled to keep up the pace, but he knew that he needed to get to the turret before the Reaper depleted the facility's shields.

They'd almost reached the turret, scaling the slope below it, when a pack of Asari Thralls bound into view, their deceptively normal appearance betrayed by their animalistic gait, loping along on all fours in an effort to eat up the distance between them and their prey.

Shepard didn't give them a chance to draw close, unfolding his sniper rifle the instant he spotted the figures descending from the crown of the hill. Beside him, Thane brought up his weapon, the duo firing their rifles in sync, each shot downing a snarling blue Reaper minion. Even with this brutal barrage, the cluster of enemies managed to close the distance, moving close enough to use their augmented biotics. Without being hampered by the confines of a building, these former Asari were able to really let loose, sending a series of powerful shockwaves towards the squad, knocking the non-biotics- Shepard and Jano- off their feet. The others focused their barriers around their bodies to resist the gravitational tidal wave, pushing back with their minds against the attack. Samara led the retaliation, firing off a Singularity that landed in the midst of the enemy. Two Thralls howled as the miniature gravity well pulled them in, compacting them down into a tiny orb that was only a little bit larger than a pin head, a piece of dust lost in the swirling blue-black energy. The rest of the enemy group struggled against the turbulent energies, their biotics distorting as the Singularity drew in whatever was around it, be it physical matter or dark energy. As the Thralls wrestled to stay clear of the Singularity's event horizon, Thane and Etarn stepped forward, each one lifting a glowing hand. Two Warp blasts rocketed across the grassland to strike the Singularity. With a roar, the colliding biotic energies erupted outwards in a massive explosion, ripping the former Asari to shreds in its fury. After the light of the explosion faded, nothing remained aside from a few scraps of flesh and metal. One lonely Asari skull rocked uncertainly on the ground, grinning at the squad devilishly as Shepard ushered them onwards.

As the squad reached the peak of the hill, Shepard glanced back to see the Architect still attacking the administrative building. The barrier flickered uncertainly, on the cusp of failure. Without a moment to spare, the Commander clambered into the turret that rose from a hidden bunker in the hill, taking aim at the Reaper.

The massive machine howled angrily again, spinning to look for the source of the attack. It lifted a tentacle, sending a shaft of red light lancing towards the turret. Fortunately, the trees prevented it from aiming properly, meaning that the laser blazed through a line of trees far to one side. Shepard kept on firing out between the trunks, glad of the cover, no matter how temporary it might be. No doubt the Architect was scanning for the turret, and it wouldn't be long before its technology succeeded where its physical vision had failed.

The red beam of light was preceded by a tracking laser that speared through the turret, giving Shepard the warning he needed to jump clear before the ray of scarlet destruction obliterated the turret. This done, the Reaper turned back to the building, whose shields had been given the reprieve needed to recharge themselves. Desperately, Shepard activated his commlink.

"Elanie, tell me you have those guns online."

"We're about sixty per cent there, Commander. This a few more minutes and we'll be done."

"You don't have a few more minutes!" Shepard grit his teeth to reign in his frustration. "Where's the next turret?"

"Its on the opposite side of the complex." Elanie explained, her voice catching as a rumble echoed around her, sounds of the Architect's attack.

"That's too far." Etarn muttered. "The Architect will turn that place into a crater before we even got to it."

"You're right." Shepard agreed. "Elanie, that turret's no good. Is there anything closer?"

The Commander waited tensely as Elanie frantically sought a route to salvation.

"Wait!" She exclaimed. "Yes, there's a Mass Accelerator Battery, just a few hundred yards from your position. You'll have to head back into the city, bits its close to the parkland. Its designed for attacking targets in orbit, but you should be able to aim it at the Reaper. It's even got its own shields."

"Give us the co-ordinated," Shepard ordered as he began jogging towards the edge of the parkland. "We'll be there soon. Just hang on!"

The squad dashed through the city streets, heading in among the buildings for the couple of blocks necessary before they reached a tall office tower, the home of some company called Marasoft Textiles. As they watched, the rooftop unfolded to create a platform, upon which sat an impressive MAC, or Mass Accelerator Cannon, array. Two barrels extended out from the squat body, but two barrels was all a weapon like this one needed, as it was capable of launching a slug that could rip through an unshielded cruiser like a knife through butter.

As they made their way to the base of the tower, walking underneath a portion of the monorail that ran almost directly alongside the building, a collection of howls and growls reverberated through the streets around them. Weapons were drawn hastily, aiming in all directions as Jano quickly overrode the controls for the tower's main doors, swiftly allowing them access.

"You get up to the cannons, Commander." Etarn said. "We'll hold these bastards off for you."

Shepard made to protest, wanting to insist that they stayed together, but he had to agree with the Batarian's plan. They needed to use the cannon, otherwise the planetary defence network would remain offline while both Hackett and Halyrria's ships were torn to shreds in orbit. To ensure that that never happened, Shepard needed to get to the roof quickly, something he couldn't do if he was fighting what felt like the entire indoctrinated population of Serrice. Sighing and nodding to his comrades, he turned, finding an elevator that took him most of the way to the roof.

The sounds of gunfire echoing upwards from below him, the Commander quickly left the elevator at the top floor of its ascent, running up the last few flights of stairs as fast as he could. Chest tight, he shoved the door at the top of the tower open, spilling out onto the rooftop and scrambling over to the MAC array.

As the gun battery powered up, a flickering blue shield flared into life, a glowing sphere that sat over the top few floors of the tower like a sapphire crown. The turret whined as Mass Effect cores charged, readying the first shot. Sitting in the control seat, Shepard quickly spun the cannon around until it pointed directly at the Architect. As he took aim, he saw the shield around the administrative building fade into nothing, its emitters burnt out. The Reaper, sensing victory, lashed out with a tentacle, swiping the top two floors away as the building shuddered under the impact.

The Commander's eyes narrowed as he watched the Architect lean over its work, eager to set into the organics hiding underneath. It looked very much like a bird prising away the protective bark layer that kept its meal of varying insects safe within a tree.

Before the administrative building could be damaged any further, the Commander fired the MAC, shaking as the twin blasts from its barrels made the tower sway in the breeze. The roar of the projectiles tearing through the night sky was terrible as the pair of glowing white slugs, each the size of a small child, ripped across the city to plough into the Reaper.

The machine roared in anger as its protective kinetic barriers just barely deflected the impact, making it stagger uncertainly before balancing itself. It turned, glaring that the MAC array with obvious hatred. A tentacle came up, blasting out a powerful beam, but the shields managed to deflect it, just. The Reaper seemed to consider this for a second, and Shepard was sure that if it had had a face it would be frowning. Then it began lurching forwards, plodding with purpose towards the array. The Commander felt a spark of satisfaction at this. The distraction was working. Now he just had to figure out how to survive being the decoy.

With a tremendous crash, the Architect smashed through the first line of buildings, crushing them underfoot like a sandcastle beneath a bull's hoof. The second row of buildings suffered the same fate, littering the streets with glass, concrete and metal in a dangerous hail.

Anxiously, Shepard looked to his weapon's readout. The problem with a weapon that used such powerful ordinance was the long reload time. His knee bounced worriedly as he waited, then the instant the gun was ready he pulled the trigger again, barely having to aim at the colossus before him. The Reaper staggered back again, not really damaged but off-balance. The Commander had to admit that it was kind of a long shot to hope that a single cannon would kill the Reaper. But it was powerful enough to worry the creature, drawing its ire.

In moments, it had reached the tower, breaking through the monorail track to stand almost directly over the MAC, leaning forward to examine the minute operator of the weapon. The glowing blue eyes blazed as they spotted the Commander.

"Shepard." The voice rumbled out, making the glass of every window for miles around sing in response to the bass reverberation. "This fails to surprise us."

Shepard clambered out of the turret. There was no way the creature would allow him to fire again, not before it destroyed the cannon or, if it had to, the tower.

"You continue to fight against that which me come to pass. Your struggles are pointless, your deaths are meaningless. We are superior to you in every way. We have taken your world, the seat of your government, everything your species holds dear, and yet you persevere in your efforts to stop us."

"What can I say?" Shepard answered. "That's what Humans do. We'll ride a lost cause straight into the goddamn ground if we know its right."

"A foolish trait that does not serve the survival of your kind. Such recklessness will be purged in your new iteration."

"If you're talking about how you intend to turn us into a Reaper, you can save us both a lot of time by shutting up right now. There will be no Human Reaper, or an Asari Reaper, or any other kind of new Reaper. We're going to stop you, here, now. Even if it costs us our own existence, we're going to make sure that you never get the chance to attack another generation of species."

"Countless civilisations have offered the same petty resistance, but all have been re-purposed to suit our needs."

"Yeah? Well, they never had me." Shepard said stubbornly.

"A fact that is about to become true for this generation as well." With that, the Architect raised a single tentacle, claws splayed wide. The metal appendage hovered over the tower for a moment before plunging down, smashing into the shield. The blue bubble shivered for a moment, arcs of electricity dancing along its surface and up the Reaper's tentacle. By the time the Reaper withdrew its tentacle, the shields were barely a flicker in the air.

The Architect drew back, readying one final attack. With the groan of twisting metal, the Reaper jabbed down again, shattering the last resistance the tower's shields could offer.

Shepard dropped into a crouch, shielding his face, ready for the end. After a moment, he realised that the end had not come. Confused, he turned to look upwards again.

Samara was down on one knee, head bowed as she held her hands up, arms stretched to their full extent. Sweat dripped down her cheeks and forehead, collecting on the tip of her nose and the very end of her chin before splashing down on the Commander's armour. A biotic bubble surrounded the pair, about two metres across, underneath which the concrete surface of the rooftop cracked loudly, crushed as the Reaper's weight was transferred through the biotic bubble into the building below.

The Asari's face creased as she looked down at the Commander, eyes tight in their sockets as the power flowed out of her in copious amounts. Her breast heaved as she struggled to draw in a ragged breath, the moment of the muscles almost too much for her in her current state of concentration. Shepard could see the muscles twisting beneath her armour as she poured everything she had into maintaining the barrier against the Reaper's attack, her hands and belly starting to shake as tears welled on the boundary of her pale blue eyes. Her eyes closed as she bit her lip, a small groan escaping from her throat as her entire body screamed at her in protest against the brutal demands she was making of it. Finally, she spoke, the ghost of a whisper that only Shepard could hear.

"For… my daughters."

The dark energy around her flared, becoming blindingly bright as the air around her heated to an unbearable degree. The bubble pulsed, twisting and shivering before all of that energy flowed upwards in a single blast.

So strong was this biotic push that the Architect staggered back, thrown off-balance even more so than when the MAC rounds had struck it. It stalked back a few paces before righting itself, moving now with uncertainty.

Back on the rooftop, Samara turned back to her Commander, the shadow of a smile pulling at her mouth before she stumbled, falling into Shepard's arms as her eyes rolled back in her head. Her skin was feverishly hot, almost too painful to touch as the electrical energy generated by her biotics leapt out to shock him at the faintest contact. Shepard staggered back with her held tightly in his arms, looking up to the recovering Reaper with dread.

The Architect strode back towards the tower, menace in its gait. It wandered past the mangled remains of the monorail, lifting a tentacle to take aim at the two shapes on the rooftop.

Just before the Reaper fired, Shepard's radio squealed as someone tried to cut into his channel. The Commander looked about in surprise as a familiar voice spoke out.

"Shepard, is that you?" Seryna asked. "Its gotta be. You're the only one I know of who'd try to take on one of those things by yourself. Hang in there. Help is on the way!"

Shepard opened his mouth to reply, but a quiet rumble made him stop. He looked about curiously until finally he spotted the source of the noise.

Moving at well in excess of the top speed predicted by its engineers, the monorail screamed along its track, rattling loudly as plates of its outer surface peeled away in the hectic journey. It raced along the rail towards the tower and, incredibly, accelerated as it got closer to the shattered remnants of the section that had run alongside the tower.

"Gotta say, Commander, it's been a pleasure and an honour working with you." Seryna's voice was calm as it sounded over the comms. "Tell Thane we're going to have to put a rain-check on that beer together, okay?"

"Seryna, wait!" Shepard managed to shout, but it was already too late.

The train hit the ruined part of its track, parting company with any secure fastening as it launched into the air at well in excess of two hundred and fifty miles an hour. It soared through empty space, its two surviving carriages quickly following it. With a terrible thunderous explosion, it struck the side of the Reaper, flames washing across the metal skin of the creature at it stumbled before falling onto its back, crushing several city blocks under its immense weight. A terrifying roar echoed across the city as the Reaper let everyone present know its fury.

Behind the Commander, the rest of the squad rushed out of the doorway leading onto the roof, looking about cautiously.

"What happened?" Jano asked. "Samara ran ahead of us, and then we heard an explosion. Where's the-"

His voice drifted into silence as he took in the scene, seeing the Reaper flailing around with its tentacles where it had fallen, then spotting the Commander kneeling on the rooftop with Samara's limp form in his arms.

"Oh no…" The Quarian breathed. "Is she…?"

"She's alive, but she'd definitely overused her biotics." Shepard explained as he reached around behind the Asari's neck to pull out the amp that she used. The tiny device glowed white-hot, smoke seeping from its seams. "We'll need to get Mordin to run her up a new amp."

The squad jolted as their comms flared to life again, new transmissions flowing in.

"Commander Shepard, this is Admiral Hackett, do you copy?"

"Shepard here, sir!" The Commander quickly responded. "Am I glad to hear your voice!"

"I don't know, are you?" The Admiral quipped back. "I'm guessing from the fact that you're still alive that the mission hasn't failed, yet. How's it coming along with those guns, Shepard?"

"Just a moment, sir." Shepard switched to his squad's comm channel. "Elanie, tell me the Shroud is online now."

"Just… there!" Elanie responded. "Athame's Shroud is now online, Commander. Targeting all Reaper forces."

"Good work!" Shepard congratulated, feeling warmth flood through his veins at the news. He switched back to Hackett.

"The Shroud is online, sir. Readying to attack the Reapers as we speak."

"Good work, Shepard. Now let's go deal with these sons-of-bitches."

As the Admiral closed the channel, Shepard caught a few snatches of orders being barked out, attack groups being co-ordinated, strategies being formed. The battle for Thessia had begun.

All across the planet, warehouse ceilings unfurled, skyscrapers split open, mountain tops trembled and comm towers opened up to reveal a vast array of weaponry, all answering to the Commands of one Shadow Broker operative in Serrice. In orbit, a large collection of satellites, previously thought to be nodes for the Extranet or simple weather prediction arrays, twisted and changed to become mobile weapons platforms, each housing incredible amounts of firepower. As they activated, every turret that was a part of Athame's Shroud spun to find the nearest Reaper, quickly opening fire. Within moments, the planet was criss-crossed by hundreds of streams of intersecting fire as Oculi in the air and Thralls on the ground found themselves being attacked. The dozen Reapers in the system, including the Architect, still struggling to get back on what served for its feet, all found themselves under fire from dozens of turrets each, their defences being pushed to their limits under the intense barrage.

Meanwhile, on the ground beneath this gargantuan array of turrets, small armies of Asari survivors, long since cowed by the enemy's seeming invulnerability, saw the invaders finally bleed, showing a weakness that the survivors had not thought possible. Encouraged by the sudden shift in the balance of power, millions of Asari flooded out of their places of refuge, taking up their arms and contributing to the battle. What remained of the Thessian armed forces stormed into the half dozen shipyards on the planet, reclaiming what ships hadn't been disassembled for their resources. In under five minutes, the first frigate took flight, soon followed by a vast armada of frigates, cruisers and fighters.

Overhead, the combined might of the Alliance Fifth Fleet under Admiral Hackett's command, the remnant of the Arcturus Defence Initiative fleets under the firm hand of Admiral Drescher, and the surviving portion of the Asari Navy with Captain Halyrria at its head, flashed out of FTL in orbit. The huge force instantly set about securing the planet, surrounding it in short order as they attacked any and all enemy units that they could target. A trio of Reapers still in orbit soon found themselves beset upon all sides as the orbital defences and the combined fleets tore into them.

Hundreds of light-years away, on an unusual ship filled with countless communications arrays and information terminals, the Shadow Broker sent discreet messages to her forces deployed among the combined fleets, suggesting vulnerable targets here, weak points there. Though nobody else would know it, Liara rested sure in the knowledge that her silent contribution to the battle for her homeworld would be a lot bloodier without these suggestions, expertly relayed to the people who needed to act upon it.

The battle, though, was not without its casualties. Reaper weaponry tore through allied ships, killing everyone aboard, while vicious Thralls slaughtered countless Asari before falling to combined attacks. Mothers lost daughters, bond-mates mourned for the loves of their lives, and comrades in arms were brutally ripped away from each other as the night rolled on in Serrice.

Through all of this, Shepard manned his MAC, using it to harry the Architect as it struggled back to its feet. The Reaper, bombarded from all sides by the turrets of the city, lumbered over with stubborn determination, resolved to destroy the Commander.

Before it could even fire a single shot, a black and white blur, tinged with gold, streaked through the fading night. Joker crowed over the comms as the Normandy fired her Thanix Cannon, ripping chunks of the Reaper's skin away with burning metal. Shepard felt a small cheer bubble up in his chest as he thrust a clenched fist into the air, commending his friend and his ship from afar.

Besieged from all sides, the Architect let out a growl of frustration. Glaring at the Commander one last time, it turned, a Mass Effect field bubbling around it as it slowly lifted off the ground, powering into the sky.

Shepard watched this, realising what was happening.

"They're running away!" He cheered. "Quickly! Try to take out as many as you can!"

"Concentrate your fire on the big ones." Hackett instructed his troops over the comms. "The more you kill today, the less we'll have to fight when we take back Earth."

Every ship, every turret, every civilian with a handgun, turned to fire at the nearest of the lumbering hulks that they could see. The twelve Reapers roared up into the sky in an effort to escape, taking serious damage in their vulnerable retreat.

Shepard spun his gun to aim at the Architect, firing as quickly as the too-long reload time allowed. Overhead, the Normandy looped around the Reaper, nipping at it like a terrier worrying a sheep. Finally, a powerful blast from the frigate's Thanix Cannon speared the Reaper, causing it to freeze in mid-air as its tentacles straightened out away from its body stiffly. Its upward progress slowed to a halt, lazily turning back into downward momentum as gravity did its job. With an apparent slowness that was quite deceptive, the Architect's body tumbled back down towards the planet, twisting in mid-air as it sought the most aerodynamic position to fall in.

Shepard tracked its progress with the scope of his MAC until it grew so large in his view that no aid was necessary. He realised the danger moments before it struck the ground, throwing himself out of the MAC and hitting the concrete of the rooftop before the huge explosion of the impact rolled out in an unstoppable tide of noise, pressure and heat.

Once the explosion faded, the Commander got back to his feet. Around him, the squad was looking about muzzily, unsure of what had happened. Shakily, Shepard walked across the rooftop, stopping once his gaze alighted upon where the Reaper had landed. His blood ran cold.

There lay the Reaper, the Architect, lying on its back with tentacles curled in towards its body. Under it lay the ruins of what had been the Serrice administrative building.

**~o~0~o~**

The Commander picked his way slowly through the wreckage of the administrative building. The body of the Architect loomed overhead menacingly, one of its tentacles reaching over the rubble, while the squad searched for survivors.

A number of civilians who'd managed to keep hidden during the Reaper occupation had emerged from the city, helping to look for the brave Asari that had made the activation of the Shroud possible. Already they'd unearthed the bodies of several Justicars and Matriarchs Shepard recognised, including the spiteful Deseltia. As abrasive as she'd been, and as much as she'd opposed the Commander's efforts to recruit the Asari, she didn't deserve to die, especially not like that. Shepard shook his head and moved on.

They found the bodies of a few Ardat-Yakshi that, Shepard felt a pang of guilt at his relief, he did not recognise, but then finally they found a cluster of survivors who had been trapped in a small pocket of air. Some more searching turned up yet more survivors, but not the person Shepard was looking for.

As he clambered over a pile of loose concrete, he looked up into the sky. The battle was over, with nine Reapers destroyed and three badly damaged as they fled. Even with the control centre destroyed, the Shroud had its orders and acted upon them automatically, killing any Reaper forces it detected. It was most certainly a fact that the battle could not have been won without the defence network. Definitely something for the Commander to bear in mind when considering the defence and assault of any besieged planets.

A sudden rumble of shifting rubble made him flinch, spinning to the source of the noise to see a metal sheet shiver uncertainly. He rushed over, grunting as he lifted the sheet to reveal the bruised and bloody Elanie, who smiled up at him.

"Think I'm gonna feel that one in the morning." She mumbled.

Shepard cast the metal sheet aside, reaching down to scoop her up carefully. A quick scan with him omnitool revealed no serious injuries other than a broken wrist, much to his relief. His comrades rushed over, taking the Shadow Broker operative from him for medical treatment.

Shepard watched Elanie being carried off before an unearthly howl made him jump. He spun to see Samara running through the rubble, dropping to her knees beside a pile of rubble that, upon closer inspection, turned out to be a catatonic Falere, covered in a thick layer of grime and dust that made her blend into her surroundings. The young Ardat-Yakshi was kneeling in the dirt, staring down at the filthy bundle balanced across her lap with an unblinking gaze. The Commander's heart stopped upon realising that the bundle was none other than Rila.

The sound that ripped loose from the former Justicar's throat was untranslatable, but the meaning was clear to any creature in existence. The sheer, solid emotion behind the hoarse roar of grief was unmistakable. Samara dropped to her knees beside her daughters, leaning over to brush the grime from Rila's cheeks. The unintelligible cries continued for some time, descending into a stream of 'no, no, no, no…' that tore at the Commander's heart. Squeezing his eyes shut, Shepard looked down at the ground, turning away from the scene.

Suddenly, the ground shuddered underfoot. Shepard flinched, reaching back for his rifle as he spun to find the source of the disturbance. As he turned, his gaze rose upwards.

Defying belief, the Reaper twitched, tentacles unfurling in a snakelike fashion. Its massive body shifted with a colossal grinding noise as it struggled to raise itself out of the ground. The Commander stared with open-mouthed disbelief as the ancient machine seemingly came to life once again.

"These things just don't die!" He spat, the words more of a curse than a compliment.

He sensed a presence at his shoulder, turning to see Falere glaring at the Reaper with flat, dead eyes. The Ardat-Yakshi glanced to him, turned back to the Architect as she spoke.

"These things are alive, right?"

"In a way." Shepard said, not really wanting to give a lengthy explanation now, of all times. "They used to be organic beings, but their component parts, their tissue and cells, were taken apart and put back together in these machines."

"Then that means they've got to have a brain of sorts, right? With a nervous system attached?"

"Maybe- Hey! Wait!" Shepard yelped as the Asari broke into a run.

At first, the Commander was confused as to what the little blue girl was doing, but then the knowledge clicked into place like a jigsaw puzzle, forming an ugly image of the future.

"Falere, no!" He yelled, running after her. "Don't!"

The Asari was already almost on top of the Reaper, drawing off one of the long gloves that she'd worn all of her adult life in the monastery. Her pale blue fingers flexed as she jumped from one pile of concrete to another, ascending the rubble until she was able to leap onto the armoured metallic skin of the gargantuan, ancient creature. She dropped down on one knee, lifting her hand up hesitantly. Behind her, struggling to catch up to her, the Commander was still yelling, his voice joined by her mother's, now alerted and alarmed by her daughter's plan.

"Four hundred years, I've lived with this, sacrificed for it." She muttered to herself. "Now, it's going to do something for me."

She brought her quivering hand down, palm first, to rest against the Reaper's hull. She took in a couple of deep breaths, stabilising herself, then closed her eyes, sparing the time only to mutter two more sentences.

"I'm sorry, mother." Her eyes opened, as black as the very heart of the night. "Embrace Eternity!"

Shepard had almost caught up with the Ardat-Yakshi when a sudden corona surrounded her. He flinched back as the air around her heated to the point where it felt as though it had caught fire, the light escaping from the Asari blinding him even more so than Samara's display on the roof of the tower. In the heart of that light, a single black shadow could be seen, a small, bipedal feature with her head thrown back, mouth open in a scream that was somewhere between agony and ecstasy. He pushed on, skin prickling painfully as he approached, but before he could grab the girl a shockwave rushed out from her in all directions, hurling both him and Samara away.

For all three of them, Falere, Samara and Shepard, the world went dark.

**Author's Notes: This day marks the one-year anniversary of my first publishing this fic online. I just want to say, to every last one of you out there that's reading this , thank you. Even if it were just one person who read this, I'd still find it worthwhile, so to be able to publish over forty chapters and get so much feedback and encouragement is a little overwhelming. **

**There's far too many names to mention individually, so thank you, each and every one of you. You guys are the best, and I hope you like what I've still got in store.**

**Fainmaca.**


	42. 42: Eternity Embraced

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 42: Eternity Embraced**

Darkness.

She was weightless, floating in a vast sea of nothingness. For an eternity that was also a mere instant, she soared through the infinite confines of this imposing non-existence, going nowhere at an incredible speed. The sensation defied description.

Then, with a suddenness that was both awe-inspiring and terrifying, an explosion of light, consciousness and sheer white-hot awareness assaulted her mind, a gargantuan tide of being bearing down on one tiny individual.

Falere tried to scream, but she had no throat to give voice to her torment.

The first thoughts to filter through on the flood of memory were those of fear, panic and pain. Thousands of minds, like an enormous sea of candles against the dark canvas of history, were snuffed out all in the same instant, their silence all the more devastating after the uproar of their existence.

Then, like a sun rising after a black night, the minds returned, but they were somehow different. Where there had once been a harmonious symphony there was now a single note, rendered through millions of throats and melded into a singular entity.

The tiny Asari was swept along in the dizzying eddies of the mental giant, helpless to do anything against it. The memories of a lifetime spanning dozens of millions of years flickered through her mind in seconds, her brain incapable of retaining any images barring the most abstract; a vast city burning, a species perishing with a final act of defiance, a planet transformed into a formless black husk. Falere soared through these images and then, with alarming alacrity, she was the colossal entity, their two minds merging into a single, immensely powerful being. In seconds, she witnessed the beginning of the invasion of the Milky Way; the achingly cold sleep in Dark Space coming to an abrupt end at the assigned time, only to result in frustration, confusion, anger; the initial attempts to besiege the Galaxy with a half dozen failed schemes culminating in the failure of Saren on the Citadel; the exertion of sending some of the being's kin into the Galaxy, almost depleting the energy reserves of many Reapers in the process. Finally, Falere felt the euphoric rush of the first success, the activation of the Dholen Relay, swiftly followed by the siege of Earth and, last of all, the invasion of Thessia.

The creature that was both Falere and something else entirely then recalled the sudden disastrous turn of events, accompanied by a sensation the being had not experienced in aeons- pain. It was struggling to lift off, trying to flee from these insects that had finally learned to sting. It fought upwards, only to feel a crippling strike pierce its body. Stunned, it tumbled out of the sky, striking the ground below with the might of a mountain.

Falere recoiled from the joined mind as the Reaper turned its attention to the tiny parasite that had clambered onto its body, latching on with vicious intent. Fear overwhelmed her as the giant of a mind became aware of both the physical and the mental intrusion, focusing its full attention- and thereby it's full rage- on her.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard struggled back to his feet, clutching at his head. He'd fallen pretty hard after the shockwave that followed Falere's attempted melding. A quick glance to the side showed that Samara, slightly more frail than he, was out cold. He turned away, looking for her daughter.

Falere was still crouching on the hull of the Reaper. Her face was turned upwards, mouth open wide in a silent scream as her eyes, jet black, stared imploring up into the sky. Her entire body pulsed, purple energy twisting along her skin as every nerve glowed. A corona of violent energy twisted around her, a sphere several metres wide that promised to shock anyone daring to step within its bounds.

The Reaper itself was waking up, huge tentacles beginning to curl and uncurl. It heaved against the ground, a shaky attempt to stand. As it shivered, partly crippled, its tentacles finally seemed to gain proper control of their movement, straightening and then beginning to move towards Falere. Shepard's stomach lurched as he realised that the tentacles would crush the Asari like a bug, the tiny woman nothing before the strength of the Reaper. Guts tangled in a knot of worry, the Commander raced forwards.

"Falere!" He yelled, struggling to clamber back up the Reaper's hull.

He managed to get to within a few metres of the girl, but then the biotic storm enveloping her body sparked, lashing out at him and sending torrents of pain coursing through his body as he stumbled back. He desperately tried to get close again, but couldn't get through the electrified barrier. Glancing up, he flinched as the tentacles dropped down in a vicious lunge.

**~o~0~o~**

It's a commonly held belief among the Asari that an individual's chances of surviving an encounter with an Ardat-Yakshi increase with physical or biotic ability. While an interesting and reasonable thesis, this is entirely incorrect. Given the fact that the survival rate of such encounters is absolutely nil, no effort has been made to study the affliction in action. This means that Asari understanding of the condition is lacking at best, but it is not completely absent.

One Asari scientist, Jeysrilla Holas, managed to gather a significant amount of data. An Ardat-Yakshi who had managed to avoid detection and imprisonment, Jeysrilla could not control her addiction, but she was strong-willed enough to study it with the hopes of finding a cure. She lured her victims into lairs that were actually disguised laboratories where she accumulated a vast collection of scans, tissue samples and visual recordings of every shameful encounter.

It was through these readings that she managed to deduce the true method by which an Ardat-Yakshi kills her prey, making a discovery that, had she not been forced to hide it from the wider Asari society, would have advanced the Asari Republics' understanding of the affliction by several centuries.

She discovered that, when she makes the connection between her own nervous system and that of her victim, the Ardat-Yakshi's DNA reverses the melding process. Where a normal Asari would obtain randomised genetic data from her partner to rewrite her own DNA to create a new life-form, the Ardat-Yakshi instead deposits her own set of randomised data, forcing it upon her partner's body. The victim's body then reacts to the corrupt data violently, attempting to eliminate it as it spreads through the entire body. This encourages an overload of the victim's nervous system, leading to a total irreversible shutdown of the brain, killing the victim. This, Jeysrilla realised, explained why every Ardat-Yakshi was incapable of spawning, unable to receive the necessary data from their partners to create a child, and also went a large way towards explaining the Ardat-Yakshi's ability to dominate their victims, their bodies already transmitting information at a distance to confuse and subjugate potential partners.

Although Jeysrilla was eventually found and executed by Namirra Kelsin of the Order of the Justicars, her work was preserved, stored away in a secure vault deep beneath Serrice's largest military research complex. It remains there to this day, no Asari scientist willing to delve into the data that was obtained by such reprehensible means, and yet unwilling to dispose of it because of its potential value.

Had anyone been willing to peer into the research notes of the mass-murderer, though, they would soon have realised the fallacy of the idea that the size or strength of the victim affects their chances of survival. Once the melding has begun, the Ardat-Yakshi's corrupted DNA has already commenced uploading a biological computer virus that is capable of spreading through the victim almost instantaneously, able to complete its own coding if the upload is cut off, able to corrupt the most robust of physiologies. Once the connection has truly been established, the victim's death is only a matter of time.

The Architect could feel the corruption moving through its body, but it did not fear it. It was a Reaper, the peak of all sentient life, apex of technological advancement. Instead, it chose to focus on the tiny creature that had clambered onto its hull, trying to cause it harm with this strange attack. It was insignificant, no more than dust under the Reaper's gaze. It prepared to crush the tiny being.

The corrupted data surged through the Architect's system. Advanced as the Reaper was, it still relied upon biological components in its creation, and now those biological components were under attack. The data rushed throughout the ancient creature's body, finding every last cell. In moments, the corruption spread from the biological to the technological, coursing along power conduits and pooling in mass effect field generators.

The Architect finally realised the danger, but it was too late, too late. A sensation filled its consciousness, paralysing all thought as its entire being filled with fire, its own body turning against it in revolt. It wanted to scream, but nothing could escape from the dying mind.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard stumbled as the Reaper bucked under him. The tentacles suddenly withdrew, stretching out straight as they extended away from the main body of the creature. The ancient being froze in that position, lightning beginning to course along the outstretched appendages. Powerful bolts of electricity leapt out from the Reaper, earthing themselves in buildings so forcefully that glass shattered and concrete crumbled while metal flowed in glowing orange rivers.

The Commander caught sight of the wave of energy flowing down towards the Reaper's body, rippling towards the Asari crouched upon its hide. The energy around Falere was fading, the smoke rising from her flesh growing thicker as the charge within her built up. Tensing, Shepard raced forward, pushing through the biotic storm around her. He flinched at the barbs of power that jolted into him, but pushed on, grabbing the Asari with both arms. He tried to lift her onto his shoulder, but something stopped him. He looked down to see her pale blue hand still in contact with the hull of the Reaper. Frowning, he pulled again, but the hand wouldn't move. He looked more closely, then finally spotted the bubbling skin where she touched the Reaper. With all of the power passing from her into the machine and vice-versa, her hand had fused to the creature.

Desperately, Shepard tried to haul the limp body free, but nothing he could do could break the link between Falere and the Reaper. Then, suddenly, the metal beneath the pair flared, raw power shooting through it. Shepard's armoured boots kept him well insulated, thick protective layers of rubber spaced between the metal plates to keep him safe, but an arc of raw electricity tore out of the Reaper and up Falere's arm. The smell of smouldering flesh filled the air as the Asari suddenly came free. Shepard tumbled back with Falere in his arms, turning to run as the pulses of power escaping from the reaper grew in intensity. With a yell of both terror and exertion, he jumped off the side of the Architect, landing heavily on the ground as he curled around Falere's body to protect it. He quickly broke into a run, stopping only to scoop up the unconscious Samara and sling her over his free shoulder, then bolted away from the Reaper.

The Architect shook violently where it lay, convulsions making it heave around in the rubble of the administrative building. Then, with a final jolt, it sagged, a shockwave of pure electrical and biotic power surging out to wash across the ravaged city, ripping apart the weaker buildings as it shattered the windows and doors of the stronger ones. Then, at last, the Reaper fell still, truly dead.

**~o~0~o~**

The Normandy hummed quietly as it cruised through Thessia's orbit, maintaining a graceful arc around the curve of the planet. Around her, a vast array of Asari and Human ships moved to clear the debris from the planet's orbit, the detritus of too many destroyed ships and not enough destroyed Reapers. Below, numerous machines worked to tear apart the Reaper skyhook safely, the authorities eager to get the potentially dangerous technology away from the Thessian population centre before any more civilians could be indoctrinated. Slowly, almost imperceptibly so, Asari life was returning to some form of normality as the planet tried to pick up the pieces of its shattered tranquillity.

Inside the Spectre's frigate, the Mess Hall was surprisingly quiet. It was three o'clock in the morning, ship's time, a rare moment when the members of the Night Shift were all at their posts on the Command and Engineering decks while the Day Shift crew members were all in their bunks, fast asleep, Rupert among them. It was thanks to this remote hour that Shepard found himself alone at one of the Mess tables as he cradled a mug of cooling coffee.

The lights in the Mess Hall had been dimmed to aid in the simulation of a night cycle, meaning that the bright glow escaping from the Med Bay windows was all the harsher. The Commander watched on as Doctor Chakwas, Doctor Archer and the tireless Mordin moved around tending to the injuries of their only patient. Behind them, the Revenant scanned vast amounts of diagnostic data, relaying the necessary information to the medical team and supplying suggestions of his own. Together, the quartet did everything they could for Falere, their best efforts allowing her to cling tightly to life, although even their best efforts could do nothing for the more serious injuries she'd sustained.

A hiss echoed through the Mess Hall, prompting the Commander to turn around just in time to see Samara walk through, Kasumi hanging around close behind her, watching with anxious eyes. She backed off when the Asari turned to give her a grateful nod, turning back towards her quarters in the Port Lounge. Samara turned back, lifting a hand towards the Commander in greeting. Her eyes barely rested upon him before moving to the Med Bay windows, their corners creasing as she allowed her anxiety to show.

"How is she?"

"Hard to say." Shepard explained. He debated internally whether now was the time to pull any punches or not, deciding to keep the information as sparse as he could without heightening the former Justicar's anxiety. "She'll live, that's for sure, but we're not certain what kind of damage the melding left beneath the surface. Her nervous system took a hell of a beating." He smiled encouragingly. "She's strong, though. Just like her mother."

"And her sisters." Samara sighed, sitting next to her Commander. She folded her hands on the table in front of her, staring at the interlocked fingers. Shepard gently reached over to lay his own hand on top of hers, surprised at the icy feeling of her blue flesh.

"Samara…" Shepard struggled to think of what to say. "About Rila…"

"Shepard… please." The Asari interrupted, her voice trembling. "I appreciate what you are trying to do, but the wound is too recent. For now, I would rather focus on Falere's wellbeing."

"I understand." Shepard nodded, looking away.

The pair sat in silence, watching the work being carried out in the Med Bay. Finally, as five o'clock rapidly approached, Doctor Chakwas moved towards the Med Bay doors, removing the surgical gloves she had worn all night. Behind her, Mordin worked to tidy up while Archer slumped in the chair at the Med Bay desk, fingers rubbing his eyes.

As his old friend left the Med Bay, Shepard stood to talk to Chakwas. Samara stood beside him, hungry for any news.

Chakwas' eyes were hollow, dark bags collecting under them. Under the dim light of the Mess Hall her wrinkles were even more pronounced, ageing her by at least twenty years. When she turned to the pair approaching her, her eyes focused on Samara, her motherly nature instantly appreciating what the Asari was going through.

"She's stable, for now." The doctor explained bluntly, not promising any miracles but offering as much good news as she could. "The melding process backfired, meaning that her nervous system endured a considerable amount of feedback. We've repaired nerve endings and damaged muscles, but it's unclear how her motor skills have been affected, not to mention her biotics. Once she regains consciousness we'll begin preparing a regimen of exercises to get her back on her feet, but it could take some time if the damage is as severe as we think it is. The important thing is that she's alive and will recover eventually."

"Thank you." Samara bowed her head, eyes glistening with her gratitude.

"What about her hand?" Shepard asked, wanting the full summary.

"Unfortunately there was nothing to be done. Medi-Gel is a marvellous substance, but it has its limits. Your Krogan friend, Jorall, seems to think that something can be done. I told him he was welcome to try, and it got him out of our way so that we could operate in peace."

Chakwas opened her mouth to say more, but a hiss from the far end of the Mess Hall heralded the opening of the elevator, shortly followed by the uneven tread of a set of footsteps that Shepard knew all too well. He turned around as Joker limped into the Mess Hall, looking rather dishevelled as he made his way towards the Med Bay.

"Commander." His voice held a note of surprise as he surveyed the trio standing next to the doorway. "Didn't expect to see you up at this time. You had any sleep at all?"

"Just been tying up a few loose ends after yesterday's mission." The Commander answered, a small lie to hide the fact that all he had done was keep an eye on their newest passenger.

"Yeah, it was a biggie. First time we've really hit back, huh? Almost felt as good as when you sent that Collector Base off to space-station heaven."

"If you will excuse me, Commander, I'd like to go sit with my-" Samara's voice caught in her throat. "-with my daughter."

Shepard, Joker and Chakwas stood in awkward silence as they watched the Asari leave, stalking through the Med Bay doors silently. She nodded to the others still in the Med Bay, stepping aside as Mordin bustled out with a bundle of equipment that looked comically large in his arms. Once the doors had slid shut, Joker turned back to his comrades.

"She's had it pretty rough, huh? I mean, it was a tough day to start with, but losing her daughter… I'm not sure what to do."

"Just being here is the best we can do for her, Jeff." Chakwas answered, patting him on the shoulder. "If she wants to talk, she'll talk, but for now I believe she'd appreciate being left to tend to Falere." She straightened, scanning her old friend more intently. "Now, what were you coming down here for, Jeff? Bear in mind I have known you for seven years now, so don't try to tell me that you just felt like getting an early start on the day."

"Uh, well…" Joker looked down at his feet, mumbling. "I turned over in my bunk and things got a little dramatic." Cheeks flushing, he lifted his right hand to reveal the twisted mess that had been three of his fingers, now broken in several places.

"Oh, you poor dear." Chakwas hurried over to put an arm around his shoulders, guiding him towards the Med Bay. "Come on, we'll get you fixed up in no time."

"Naw, Doc." Joker protested. "You've had a long enough night of it already. I'm a big boy now, I can handle this myself."

"Alright." Chakwas held out her hands, palms facing outwards in a placating gesture as the pilot tensed defensively. She watched as he hobbled onwards, folding her arms as a smirk crossed her lips. "Jeff?"

Joker stopped, turning as he let out an exasperated sigh.

"What?" His tone was growing more irritated, the cocky pilot disliking being coddled because of his illness and hating it when it was implied that he was weak because of it.

"It would seem that you've put your shirt on inside out."

Joker looked down at his clothes, face reddening even more at his mistake. Finally forced to admit that he could use a little help, he allowed Chakwas to escort him into the Med Bay.

Shepard smiled as the ship's doctor escorted the helmsman away, fussing around him like a clucking hen over her brood. Feeling a serene peace drift through the Mess Hall, the Commander slumped back down at the table, rubbing at his eyes wearily. It had been a long day, and the next one was sure to be even longer. He lifted his stone-cold coffee to his lips, wincing as he gulped down the final few mouthfuls, then headed back to the elevator, travelling upwards until he could finally stumble through his cabin door and fling himself, still clothed, on top of his bed. He hardly managed to pull the covers over himself before sleep dragged his eyelids together, locking him in a deep slumber.

**~o~0~o~**

Cutlery clinked on plates as the crew set into their morning meals, the hubbub of conversation rippling overhead, mingled with more than a few laughs, some muted arguments over the previous night's sporting news and one crewman's mangled impression of an Asari currently topping the music charts. Kenneth yawned as he walked through this, making his way towards Rupert's station to get his own food. It had been a late night, what with the repairs the Normandy needed after the double-dose of aerial combat she had endured, first in the skies over Tuchanka then again above Thessia. The Scot had been attending to more than a few cases of damage being inflicted during the first bout but only becoming apparent when worsened during the second engagement, leading to a late night.

Gabby was already waiting in line, chatting to Goldstein as she slowly drew closer to the steaming pots of food. Ahead, the genial janitor was gossiping with each of his clients, forcing the queue to move slowly, not that anyone minded. The relaxed, peaceful air permeating the Mess Hall was a welcome break after all of the action of the past few days.

As he colleague approached, Gabby turned subtly to make space for him to join the conversation. Her smile was warm as she regarded her old friend.

"Morning, Ken." She said in a singsong tone, smirking as she noted the weariness in his face. She'd been faster in attending to her duties, wisely saving everything that she could leave to run by itself for the late hours to allow her to head off to her bunk, leaving a frustrated Kenneth to plough on through the night. "How'd you get on with those ancillary relays?"

Kenneth's face scrunched up at the words. The bloody things had kept burning out on him, until after an hour he had finally realised that the capacitors connected to them were not holding their charge, forcing him to replace an additional dozen components installed in the most awkward part of the ship, underneath the Gunnery Control station. The whole operation had added an extra three hours onto his workday.

"Do not ask." He grumbled, shoulders slumped.

"Aw, never mind." Gabby squeezed his shoulder, enjoying teasing him by making light of his late night. "If it makes you feel any better, my scans finished this morning. The thrusters are actually running better than when we set out. Legion reckons we're getting one hundred and ten per-cent of the thrust predicted in the specs."

"Good for you." Ken drawled, stifling a smile at her teasing.

"If things are going so well for you guys on the Engineering Deck, maybe you could send the lampshade-head up our way?" Goldstein interjected. "We're still digging up all kinds of bugs in the system after that Quarian creature hacked its way into EDI's blue box back in the Arcturus System. Brenna's console gave her a pretty bad shock yesterday, and you don't want to know how much Joker's been complaining about not being able to adjust his chair."

"We'll let him know you could use his help." Gabby promised.

"Might be a good idea to let Jano know about these problems while we're at it." Ken suggested. "He might not be as good with tech as Tali was, but the little guy's still a Quarian. He's got us beat hands-down when it comes to programming."

"Hey, if you're finished jawing like a bunch of fuckin' old women, can we get this line moving?"

Ken spun at the words, flinching as he found himself confronted with the confrontational Jack, standing right behind him. He marvelled that she'd managed to make such a quiet entrance, especially considering the massive boots she clumped around in. All around the Mess Hall, conversations dipped in volume at her harsh words. More than a few nervous eyes fixed on the convict, among them those of both Miranda and Zaeed, the latter of which reached for a tiny pistol concealed in the sleeveless black vest he wore when not clad in his heavy armour.

"The line's gonna take as long as it takes." Ken said reasonably to the cross-armed woman in front of him. The very fact that he was answering her was an expression of bravery on his part. Almost all of the former Cerberus crew just stayed out of the convict's way, hesitating to even make eye contact with her.

"It would go faster if you all didn't spend the whole day spouting shit at one another." She grumbled loudly so as to reach the ears of Rupert and crewman Matthews, just helping himself to a plateful of sausages and eggs. When nobody made a particular effort to speed up for her sake, Jack sighed loudly. "Fuck this."

Earning more than a few protests from those in line, the tattooed woman shouldered past, shoving Kenneth hardest of all as she muscled her way to the front of the line. Barging Matthews out of the way, Jack glared pointedly at both him and the ageing cook before grabbing one of the pots, forsaking a plate completely as she turned to leave just as brusquely as she had arrived.

"Hey now, hold it, lady!" Matthews protested. "The rest of us have to eat, too."

"Tough shit." She retorted, turning to face him. "Have the gossipy old bastard make you something else, then."

"Now, Miss." Rupert said, holding his hands up calmingly. "There's no need to act like that. We're all on the same crew here."

"Not that you'd know it with her." Gabby muttered quietly, but not quietly enough. Jack whirled to face her, slamming the pot back on the work surface loudly.

"And just what the fuck does that mean?" She asked venomously. Gabby paled before her fierce glare.

"She means that you treat us all like we're not worth your time." Ken stepped in front of his friend defensively. "You live down in that little hole, threatening anyone who tries to even speak to you. You're not a part of this crew, and you don't even want to be. I reckon if you weren't screwing the Commander you'd be long gone by now."

Silence dropped across the Mess Hall like the blade of a guillotine as Ken's sense of self-preservation finally managed to scream at him, forcing him to realise the fatal mistake that he had just made. All around him there was the sound of a dozen chairs scraping backwards as their occupants stood, either to come to his aid or to get as far away as they could.

"Ken, what the hell…" Gabby whispered hoarsely, genuinely scared for her friend.

Jack's eyes had narrowed, her face becoming even more pointed than normal as rage boiled within. When she spoke, her voice was flat, calm, like a still ocean hiding an entire school of sharks.

"Say that again, copper-crotch. I'm having a hard time understanding that ridiculous accent of yours, but I thought I heard you say that you want me to rip your fucking balls off and stuff them down your throat. I'd be happy to oblige."

"Jack, that's enough." Miranda spoke up sternly, walking past the quietly trembling Kenneth. "Just take your food and leave."

"You stay out of this, Cheerleader!" Jack spat. "This is between me and the jock here."

"You are not going to start a fight with every crew member who gets in your way, Jack." Miranda kept her own voice calm, trying to defuse the situation. All around, crewmen formed a ring, ready to move in and subdue the unstable biotic. A clatter of clanking footsteps announced Garrus' arrival as the Turian rushed into the Mess Hall from the Gunnery Control station. Jack glanced around, but was not cowed.

"You really gonna make this your business, all of you?" She asked, raising an eyebrow challengingly. "I'll take every last one of you on!"

"Know when to cut and run, girl." Zaeed advised. "I like you, but you're bringing this on yourself."

"I'm nobody's 'girl', asshole!" She spat. Her arms glowed with biotic energy, the blue fire crawling up towards her shoulders. All around her, the crew tensed. Fists clenched, biotics glowed, guns were pulled from hidden places and omnitools hummed.

"ENOUGH!"

The roar rolled through the Mess Hall like the retort of a thunder-crack, sending a shiver down the spines of all who heard it. Every face turned to face the source of the shout, guts clenching and hands twitching as they caught sight of Commander Shepard.

The Commander was still wearing the lower half of his armour, but he was stripped to the waist, his upper torso gleaming under the artificial lights of the Normandy. A pistol still rested at his hip, not drawn but close enough to be out and ready in the blink of an eye. As Shepard stepped closer, the crew retreated, like a school of fish before a larger predator. Even with his taut, scarred muscles on display, nobody could look away from his face, the tight frown more intimidating than any of the horrors they had faced beforehand.

The Commander of the Normandy looked at each guilt-stricken face in turn, pausing for the longest time on the defiant eyes of Jack before speaking.

"Jack, take your food and go down to the Engineering Deck. Everyone else, back to your duties, double time."

The crew vanished in record time, obeying the quietly spoken instructions without hesitation. Jack stood firm for a few seconds.

"That was an order, Jack. Go now, before I drag you down there myself."

"Screw-"

"NOW!" This roar was even louder, inspiring the retreating crew to newer speeds.

Jack glared furiously for just a moment longer before, with deliberate slowness, picking up the still-warm pot and heading for the elevator.

Shepard turned back from the tattooed convict to see four of his crew remaining where they were. Garrus was leaning back against a bulkhead, watching with folded arms as his old friend broke up the confrontation. Miranda and Gabby spoke to a rather disturbed-looking Kenneth, who was leaning forward on one of the tables as he breathed deeply to calm his nerves.

"What were you thinking?" Miranda demanded. "You should know better by now, Donnelly."

"I couldn't help it." Ken answered. "She can't keep on treating people like that."

"Thanks." Gabby said, squeezing his shoulder. "…For standing up for me." Ken blushed at the gratitude, mumbling something incoherent before looking up at Shepard.

"That was good timing, Commander. Things were about to get real messy there."

"EDI had the good sense to let me know as soon as she started acting up." The Commander explained. "She relayed the conversation as it was happening."

"Oh…" Kenneth's stomach dropped away. "So you heard…"

"Yes." Shepard said bluntly. "And, for future reference, I don't make crew decisions based upon my personal relationships. Jack's a difficult element to introduce to the crew, but she has proved to be a valuable member of my squad."

"Sorry." Kenneth stared at his toes.

"I'm not the one who's owed an apology." The Commander pointed out.

"You don't want me to-" The engineer felt panic rise in his throat.

"That would probably get you killed." Shepard offered a tight smile. "In fact, I think it may be wise for you to remain on the upper decks for the time being, both of you." He glanced to Gabby. "I'll have Legion and Jano handle the remaining work on the Engineering Deck. You're both assigned to CIC duty."

"Sir." Both engineers saluted, then rushed off, Gabby slapping Kenneth reprovingly on the shoulder as they hurried out of sight.

"That could have gone better." Garrus muttered.

"Jack's only going to continue to be a problem from here on out, Commander." Miranda said. "Her instability is becoming more of a hindrance than she is an asset."

"I'll decide who we have on our crew, Miss Lawson." Shepard said, somewhat more sharply than intended. Miranda glanced at him for a moment, icy blue gaze calculating.

"Yes, Commander." Her tone was thin, carefully controlled. "In that case, I'd best return to my duties."

Shepard nodded silently, unsure of what to say. He knew he'd just given himself another bridge that needed mending, but it would have to wait for now. He watched her go before turning back to face Garrus, raising an eyebrow at the Turian's gaze.

"What?"

"You don't believe in taking the easy path, do you, Shepard?" The Turian's voice was convivial as he sauntered over to an abandoned chair, putting it back on its feet and sitting down casually.

"Wouldn't be worth doing if it was easy." Shepard answered, sitting across from the C-Sec agent turned vigilante.

"Say what you will about Miranda, she has a point." Garrus leaned forward earnestly. "I don't think you should have shot her down quite so harshly."

"You're probably right." The Commander admitted. "I'll go speak to her once there's less tension in the air."

"And what are you going to do about Jack?"

"I… don't know." Shepard sighed. "Things just haven't been the same between us lately."

"She took your decision on Minuteman station pretty hard. Frankly, we're all pissed that the Illusive Man walked free."

"Don't think I'm happy with this arrangement." Shepard retorted. "But it had to be done. We can't afford to give up as valuable resource as the Cerberus organisation because of a personal grudge."

"I agree." Garrus said quickly. "But Jack doesn't, and I don't think she ever will. But she needs to be convinced to move beyond it, to focus on the real enemy out there."

"How?"

"Talk to her. Miranda may laugh at the suggestion, but try reasoning with her."

"She won't listen to reason, least of all when it comes from me."

"Then find another way to get her to listen." The Turian urged. "You know her better than any of us. Speak to her in her language."

Shepard sighed, rubbing at his tired eyes. A sudden deep tone sounding out overhead made him jolt a little, head twisting to find EDI's nearest interface.

"Commander, Councillor Tevos has requested permission to board. She, along with a delegation of Asari dignitaries, request a conference with you to discuss the Asari contribution to the war effort."

"Allow them to come aboard." Shepard nodded at the AI's hologram. "I'll meet with them in the briefing room. Have Miranda, Mordin, Jano, Legion, Grunt and Etarn join us."

"As you wish, Commander." EDI's image blinked out.

"I'll need you in attendance, too." Shepard said, turning to Garrus.

"Good crowd. All the major galactic races represented around a table." Garrus surmised. "Should help remind the Asari of what can be done when we work together." He glanced over his shoulder at the Med Bay. "You sure you don't want Samara with you as well?"

Shepard looked over, seeing the former Justicar slumped in a chair next to her daughter's bed. She'd fallen asleep clutching Falere's uninjured hand.

"Leave her." He said. "She's been through enough."

Garrus nodded as the Commander turned to leave, striding towards the elevator. Shepard paused as his old friend's voice echoed after him.

"Shepard?" The Turian waited until the Commander turned around before nodding downwards. "Clothes."

Shepard looked down at his bare chest, feeling his cheeks flush as he realised that he had been about to walk into an important meeting stripped to the waist. He shot the grinning Garrus a narrow stare before turning and leaving, trying to walk with a little bit of dignity as he hurried out of sight.

**~o~0~o~**

The moment Shepard stepped into the briefing room, he was welcomed warmly by a smiling Councillor Tevos. She strode forward, arms spread wide in a gesture of both greeting and gratitude.

"Commander." She smiled as she embraced him. "Thessia is in your debt for your actions yesterday. The entire Asari race is. Thank you."

"All in a day's work." Shepard replied modestly, glancing around the room to scan the faces of the assembled Asari. There were three Matriarchs and a Justicar that he recognised, but could not recall their names. One of them, an elderly matriarch with black facial markings, spoke up for the quartet.

"Your squad has just been informing us of your efforts to counter the Reaper advance. Impressive work."

"We've made progress, but there's still a long way to go before we can take the fight to these things." The Commander answered. "We need to make sure that yesterday does not repeat itself."

"What would you expect of us?" Another matriarch, one with smooth purple skin, asked.

"Join our war effort." Shepard urged. "The Alliance is preparing a counteroffensive that will push the Reapers back, keeping them off-balance. The key to our defence is retaking the Sol System. Using Earth's sun, the Reapers plan to construct a second Citadel in order to bring back the remainder of their armada, a vast fleet of Reapers numbering into the thousands. If this happens, any chance we have of surviving will evaporate."

At this, Mordin stepped forward, omnitool glowing brightly.

"Have taken scans from previous Citadel project in Dholen System. Device was destroyed by Alliance forces before Reaper fleet could be fully transported, but information gathered beforehand has proven useful in understanding logistics of task. Given mass of Citadel device, resources on-hand in Sol System and available workforce, estimates show that station could be operational in as few as two weeks."

"So soon?" Tevos asked in surprise. "I thought the Dholen Relay took two years, more or less."

"Larger Reaper taskforce for this structure." Mordin answered. "Also, possible added urgency of inability to keep project a secret like Dholen. Organics know where to find structure, could be on their way to destroy it at any time."

"In short, they know that they're vulnerable at the moment." Shepard interjected. "That makes them edgy, sloppy. If we stage a co-ordinated attack against them, we'll have them off-balance enough to earn ourselves a victory. But we can only do it with the full co-operation of the entire Council, including the Asari."

"What is the stance of the Turians?" The third matriarch asked. "Will the hierarchy commit to this war effort?"

"At the moment the Turians are focusing on protecting their own colony worlds." Shepard admitted, realising that the support of the Turians and the Salarians could make or break the alliance he was trying to forge. As the assembled Asari began making clucking noises that silently shouted out the word 'typical', he raised his voice. "They don't understand the threat on the same level as we do. They haven't suffered our losses. And yet, there are elements at work in both the Hierarchy and the Salarian Union to mobilise their military forces." He glanced to Tevos. "Sometimes a few words in the right ear can make all the difference. I know that their support would be more easily earned if we had the help of the Asari."

The Asari were silent for a few moments, pondering their decision. Seconds ticked by as the five blue-skinned aliens considered the fate of their entire species. Finally, it was the Justicar who spoke up.

"Our order now only numbers about a dozen individuals. Most of our ranks were slaughtered by these creatures. The Way of the Justicar is threatened with extinction. We cannot allow this to happen to another group, another planet, another race. We will follow you, Shepard."

"Myrrima is right." The matriarch with the black markings said. "These creatures must be stopped before it is too late." Behind her, the other two matriarchs nodded emphatically. "Very few of the ruling matriarchs survive, but there are sufficient numbers to marshal our forces. The Asari Republics will join your crusade, Commander Shepard."

"Then I shall return to the Citadel to debate the stance of the Turians and Salarians with my colleagues." Tevos said, rubbing her hands together nervously. "Perhaps a few persuasive words in their ears shall convince them to commit their forces to the counterattack."

"Good luck with that." Garrus grumbled. "In our experience, the politicians only start listening after the bullets start flying."

"Hopefully I won't be required to resort to such measures." Tevos smiled at the Turian before bowing her head to each of the Commander's crew in turn, finishing with a half-bow towards Shepard. "Now, if you will excuse me, I need to arrange some transport back to the Citadel."

"We can take you. We're going that way anyway." Shepard offered. "Need to stop for a quick re-supply at the station."

"Much appreciated." Tevos thanked him. Behind her, the other Asari made ready to leave.

The three matriarchs were quick to leave, already absorbed in the plans they had to draw up for the mustering of an entire race's troops. The Justicar, Myrrima, was a little slower to leave. As she walked up to the door to the briefing room, she paused, turning back to the Commander.

"You've done a great thing for our people, Commander. It will not be forgotten."

"The important thing is that there will be Asari to remember it." Shepard said.

"Indeed." She sighed. "It will take a long time for us to truly recover from the losses we suffered yesterday."

"What happens with the Justicars now?" Shepard asked. "There's so few of you remaining…"

"We will serve justice, as we always have. As long as one of our number still draws breath, the Code endures." Myrrima looked down at her hands, thumbs twisting around each other. "Truth be told, I had hoped that Samara would rejoin our ranks now that Deseltia is dead, her poisonous thinking gone with her. But Samara has refused."

Shepard's brows shot up at the announcement, an expression that Myrrima picked up on.

"Yes, I thought it strange, too. She wishes to remain with you, to serve justice in her own way. She did, however, impart some wisdom before leaving to tend to her daughter. She pointed out that there is no limitation in the Code against an Ardat-Yakshi joining our ranks, as long as they have resisted their addiction. The surviving girls from the monastery have promise, and they are willing to learn. Who knows, maybe dedicating their life to the Code will give them the strength to remain resolute in denying their cravings."

"I'm surprised that you're willing to consider a new idea like that." Shepard commented.

"Given our circumstances, we can hardly be obstinate in the face of new thinking that could save both our Order and our people. Besides which, Samara is fondly looked upon by her former sisters in the Order. I doubt another individual could prove to be as persuasive with them."

"Is there anything that can be done about her exile?" Shepard asked, keen to do what he could for his friend.

"That was one thing we unanimously agreed upon. Her exile has been overturned, allowing her to travel through Asari space freely. She will still bear the scars of her rite for some time, but her name will be known throughout our colonies. She will be allowed to visit our worlds unmolested, as will her daughter."

"You're not taking Falere back into custody?"

"I think Samara deserves to spend time with her daughter outside of a prison, don't you?" Myrrima's eyes glinted with mischief. "Besides which, many official records were lost in the invasion. Its all too easy for a single woman to slip through our fingers."

"Thank you." Shepard smirked back, bowing his head gratefully.

"Look after yourself, Commander." The Justicar said, turning to leave. "The next time we meet shall be under the banner of war."

The last of the Asari gone, the squad slowly drifted away, each one heading back to their station.

**~o~0~o~**

The Mess Hall tinkled with renewed life, the morning's altercation forgotten. A number of the squad mingled with the crew, a rare enough occurrence at the best of times, but there was a convivial atmosphere seeping through the ship, thanks mostly to the Commander's announcement of a brief stop at the Citadel, during which the Normandy family would be granted some time to themselves.

Kasumi darted about among her comrades, finding her way to one of the tables just as Jacob reached it. An expression of surprise crossed her features, partially obscured by the hood she wore, but anyone watching carefully would have watched the premeditation behind her 'surprise' encounter. Chattering amicably, she slipped into the seat next to his, ignoring the amused smirks of Goldstein and Patel, leaning casually against the Med Bay wall.

The relaxed atmosphere was sustained for a few minutes more, then all hell broke loose. Just as Kasumi was subtly trying to 'accidentally' brush her hand against Jacob's, a tremendous crash. A blast of air rushed through the Mess Hall, a solid wall of sheer force that flung most of the unsuspecting crew to the floor. Kasumi was picked up bodily and hurled across the table, a hailstorm of shattered glass and dislodged food peppering her back as she landed heavily on her chest, driving the breath out of her.

By the time the lithe thief had managed to roll over, the entire Mess Hall was in disarray. Not a single crew member had managed to climb to their feet, many being pinned by chairs and tables that had been thrown aside as though they weighed nothing. A number of people around her clutched at newly forged injuries, while Sergeant Gardner cradled a face scalded by receiving the contents of a cooking pot in the initial blast.

The room was bathed in blue-white energy, the wisps of power lifting scraps of food and debris twirling around in a powerful vortex. At first, Kasumi thought that she was seeing the effects of a biotic Singularity, but there was no black point into which the energy and matter vanished. Each individual scrap was being lifted individually.

Fighting against the strange heaviness that pressed her to the deck, Kasumi lifted her head, gazing into the shattered windows of the Med Bay. A brilliant glow shone out from within. The thief managed to rise up onto her elbows, feeling as though her body weighed several tonnes. As her head rose, she managed to get a brief glimpse inside the room. Falere writhed on her bed, her body aglow with a fiercely intense light.

Kasumi rolled over, crawling across the ravaged deck. She managed to get a couple of feet before the biotic storm grew in intensity. She let out a yelp as the savage energy licked across her body, shocking her. Her skin felt like it was on fire. With the resulting loss of concentration, she lost her grip on the floor, sliding back with the biotic energy until she slammed into a bulkhead painfully.

Tremors shivered through the ship, causing every bolt, rivet and weld to quiver violently. Blue waves of power washed throughout the Crew Deck, passing through the floor and ceiling like a storm of ghosts to cause havoc on the Command and Engineering Decks. At the helm, Joker wrestled with the controls as the ship dropped out of FTL travel, her Mass Effect Fields disintegrating with the sudden distortion pulsing out from amidships. The frigate began to roll and pitch violently through space. After a few moments of fruitless struggles, the helmsman realised that the Normandy was completely and utterly out of control.

Back in the Crew Mess, Kasumi groaned as her ribcage compressed under the growing pressure within the biotic storm. Each breath became more and more difficult until black spots danced in her vision. Overhead, lights began flaring out with a pop-pop-pop, followed by a shower of sparks that whipped away in the glowing wind. More and more cries of the wounded echoed out as the biotic energy burned members of the crew, shocking some into unconsciousness.

Suddenly, a shape appeared in the storm, encased in a powerfully glowing cocoon. In that moment, a number of possibilities raced through Kasumi's mind, her fertile imagination doing nothing to help her keep calm. What horrors could Falere's melding with the Architect have created? Perhaps the Reaper's mind had survived, now possessing the Asari's body. Perhaps it was using her biotic powers to manifest as some kind of spectral being. The Commander had been foolish to believe a Reaper could be killed so easily.

Kasumi's mind was just running through the possibilities of some kind of enemy attack seeking to kidnap the Asari who melded with a Reaper when the figure suddenly halted, turning away from her. It paused for a moment, then raised an arm towards its face, leaning forward as it trudged towards the Med Bay. It stopped at the buckling doors, seeming to strain against them before the portal gave way. The figure pushed through, then vanished from view.

The storm raged for a further couple of minutes, then suddenly subsided, debris raining down onto the deck with a mixture of tinkling noises and loud splats. All was silent for a moment.

Kasumi gulped in a few deep breaths of air, enjoying the flat, recycled flavour as though it were the sweetest wine. She stood on shaky legs, staggering over to the ravaged Med Bay. She tensed at the sound of weak footsteps crunching over broken glass, only relaxing a little bit when the staggering form of Jack stumbled out into the Mess Hall. The convict's face was covered with blood from a number of cuts to her cheeks and forehead. What skin could be seen underneath her many tattoos was a bright red, promising pain later as the burns fully took effect. Her hand clutched a syringe, the sedative that had been within expended. Jack glanced to Kasumi for a second, then shouldered past, flinging the syringe away.

There was the hiss of an opening door, then the clatter of many booted feet as a squad of armed crewmen marched into the Mess Hall, the Commander at their head. They stopped at the scene of devastation before them, mouths agape. Shepard glanced instinctively to Jack as she stumbled towards him, then behind her to the now calm Falere. In seconds, he sized up the situation, fortunately reaching the correct conclusion. He looked back to Jack, who bristled at the scrutiny.

"Yeah, I get it. Back to the sub-deck." She grumbled, barging past him en route to the elevator. "I'm going, get off my back."

Before anyone could say anything, Jack was gone. Shepard looked ready to head after her, but changed his mind, instead moving to check on the crew scattered around the Mess Hall. Once he'd established that the most grievous injury was Rupert's badly scalded features, the Commander clambered through the ruined doors into the Med Bay.

The Revenant strained to right a few pieces of equipment, running a few scans on the Asari at the heart of the disturbance. He glanced up at the Commander's arrival.

"I'm not sure what happened, Commander. One moment she was as still as the dead, the next-"

"Where are the others?" Shepard asked, concerned for his medical crew, but most of all for Samara, who had refused to leave her daughter's side for some time.

"Doctor Chakwas and Doctor Archer went off-duty roughly three hours ago, at my insistence. Their exhaustion was beginning to interfere with their performance. Professor Solus is currently in the Tech Lab, working on a personal project which he refuses to share details upon."

"And Samara?"

"Yeoman Chambers convinced her to take a break from her vigil. She believed Samara's psychological needs merited an extended period of meditation. They both left some time ago. Given a Justicar's ability to enter extremely deep trances, it would not surprise me if they have remained unaware of the disturbance."

Almost on cue, a blue blur appeared next to the Commander, resolving itself into the breathless shape of Samara as she almost crashed into her daughter's bed, concern etching her every feature.

"What happened?" She asked breathlessly, staring at Falere's features with protective anxiety.

"I cannot say for sure." The Collector admitted. "It's possible that her melding with the Reaper created some kind of adverse reaction that manifested through a subconscious biotic display. Either that or-"

He stopped, even his lack of understanding of organic emotions realising that telling the Justicar of his other theory of what Falere had undergone would be unwise. Samara was quick to pick up on the unfinished train of thought.

"You believe the Reaper mind may have somehow survived within her?"

"Unclear." The Revenant admitted. "The Collectors have studied the Ardat-Yakshi anomaly, so we understand that the melding does not transfer consciousness, only memories. But the mind of a Reaper is so vast, its experience nearly infinite. Perhaps the memories can take on a life of their own."

"We won't know anything until we've carried out some more thorough tests." Shepard said. "Until then, I'll have Engineering send up a few crew members to fix this up. Good job we're stopping in at the Citadel, we'll be able to pick up some extra supplies."

With that, the trio set to work putting the Med Bay to rights, soon joined by more of the crew.

**~o~0~o~**

The Citadel spun gently through its nebula, an elegant giant that loomed over the Normandy as she dropped out of FTL. With a few expert tweaks, Joker looped the ship around until it was angled directly towards the Presidium ring, ready when a brief transmission granted them permission to dock, one of the hangar bays reserved for the Spectres giving the ship a safe haven, hidden from watching eyes.

In moments, the Commander stepped out of the airlock, turning back to his crew. Those who weren't assigned to perform ship repairs and vital maintenance were being granted the first shot at stretching their legs on the gargantuan station. Many of them had errands to run for the ship, procuring supplies and spare parts, but they were all looking forward to a bit of downtime. Shepard had divided the crew into shifts, making sure that no fewer than half of the crew remained aboard at any one time for security reasons.

Among the jostling crowd, Shepard caught sight of both Garrus and Thane, one looking to get in touch with old contacts to get up to speed on the station's happenings, the other eager to get onto the station for a different, more personal reason. A number of squad mates could be seen behind them. Jano, eager to explore the station that was the heart of galactic civilisation, was being watched over by Kaidan and Jacob, the pair realising just how difficult a visit to the Citadel could be for a Quarian, especially after the events of the past few years. For obvious security reasons, both Legion and the Revenant would remain on the Normandy unless they were with Shepard. A Geth and a Collector might be allowed to move about unmolested when with a Spectre, but left alone or with members of the crew not able to bring the influence of such a prestigious rank to get their own way the pair would surely be the cause of much unwanted curiosity or, even worse, panic.

The Commander spoke out over the excited murmur of over a dozen conversations, making it clear to the crew that, even off the ship, they were still a part of his crew and had to act like it. A few ground rules about excessive behaviour and being back at the ship in time for their shift, rules that made Shepard feel old just by speaking of them, and then the Commander unleashed the motley group upon the unsuspecting populace. In moments, the crew vanished, many making their way- Shepard was not surprised- towards the Lower Wards, places where dens of iniquity such as Flux and the Dark Star could be found. The Commander had no doubt that many of his crew were about to return to the ship with much lighter wallets, Doran's Quasar machines jingling with what wages they had saved up for just such an occasion, the Dark Star's stores of what Shepard only knew as 'the green stuff' greatly depleted. Soon, only Jano, Kaidan, Jacob and Shepard remained. Just before the quartet turned to leave, a final figure disembarked from the Normandy.

Councillor Tevos had shed the combat armour she had worn during the retaking of Thessia, returning to her demure Councillor's robes. She'd obviously spent some time preparing to return to the public eye, her make-up pristine in an effort to hide the strain of the past few days. When the vid crews and other forms of paparazzi descended to chronicle her return from the frontlines, they'd see the austerely calm façade, communicating an air of tranquillity to help allay the fears of the public. This would inspire confidence in the populace, leading to the reasoning that the Reapers were not a threat that deserved to be feared, boosting morale. Shepard, the soldier-turned public speaker and figurehead, understood this instantly, even though it irked him to have come so far from the combat-oriented roots of his career before Eden Prime. He hated understanding how politics worked, beginning to think like someone like Udina to understand what went on around him. Shooting things was so much more satisfying.

"Shepard." Tevos bowed her head elegantly. "Thank you once again for your contribution to the liberation of Thessia. The Asari Republics will not forget the Alliance in their time of need."

The Commander nodded silently. Technically, the Asari didn't outrank him, the Spectres being outside of any military tradition, so the gesture was as close as he'd get to a salute with her. The Asari nodded back before moving on, acknowledging both Kaidan and Jacob. The former Alliance soldiers, each one a soldier to the core, saluted sharply. Tevos moved past them before pausing, Shepard noted with a measure of surprise, in front of Jano.

"I believe an apology is in order, Jano'Yorish vas Normandy. Both to you, and to your race. When the Quarians lost their world, the Asari joined the Turians and the Salarians in shunning your race for creating the Geth, rather than coming to your aid in a time of need. When the Asari lost Thessia, we faced the same treatment at the hands of those we had once thought allies. To be frank, we deserved no better after ignoring your three-century exile. And yet, in this most dire of hours, you, a Quarian, fought side by side with Krogan, Batarian, Geth, and Human to give us our home back. Each of your species has a grievance against the Council for some past misdeed, be it unjust punishment, shameful inaction or open hostility, and yet you all pitched in during this engagement, each willing to sacrifice much to help us. Thank you. Know that your Migrant Fleet will always be welcome in Asari Space, and I shall do everything within my power to have the Council offer your people aid in finding a world to call your own, as well as follow-up assistance in adapting to that world."

"Thank you, Councillor." Jano bowed his head, luminous eyes blinking behind his mask. "Stars watch over you until our next meeting. Keelah Se'lai."

Tevos' head tilted to the side at the Quarian farewell blessing, a smile on her lips. In a startling move, she reached forward, craning her neck a bit as she drew Jano's head towards her own. Her pursed lips gently touched the forehead of his helmet, leaving a slight imprint upon the semi-opaque material. As Jano straightened, his movements transmitting a mixture of surprise, embarrassment and shyness, Tevos turned away, soon making her way to one of the banks of elevators that would ultimately take her to the main commons of the Presidium and the Council Tower.

**~o~0~o~**

"Our main headline today, Councillor Tevos has returned from what many are calling the first decisive strike against the Reapers since the invasion began. The Asari Councillor has now arrived at the Council Tower, where she is currently in talks with representatives of the various races who possess an embassy on the Citadel. Among those representatives is Ambassador Din Korlack of the Vol Protectorate, Consular Jeralon of the Illuminated Primacy, and Hetix, aide to Ambassador Calyn of the Elcor Courts of Dekuun. Councillor Tevos could not be reached for comment on the situation on Thessia.

"In other news, Could Batarians be stealing your sunlight? Investigative reporter, Kalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani presents some findings that-"

Shepard allowed the news report echoing about overhead to buzz past his ears without allowing his brain to register it. He didn't need to listen to the fear-mongers in the media to find out what was going on. Usually, if anything of note was going on, he'd be at the centre of it, at which point a carefully presented news report was hardly what he'd reach for.

Behind him, the trio of Kaidan, Jano and Jacob strolled quietly, the middle one of the group staring around with a mixture of curiosity and awe. The two Humans took the sights in their stride, looking much less like tourists than their alien companion. All around them, the hustle and bustle of the Wards roared by in a turbulent tide of commerce.

"So much space!" Jano commented. "I'd heard that the Citadel was big, but I'd have never guessed the truth of it! I reckon we could house our entire people on here, with room to spare!"

"I've seen the way you Quarians make use of the space available on a ship." Jacob said. "I believe you could."

"And the markets!" The Quarian waved an arm expansively at a series of stalls nearby. "With just a fraction of the stuff available here we could refit the Migrant Fleet for decades!"

"Just wait until you see the main attraction." Kaidan promised. "Trust me, it's a sight worth seeing."

Shepard led them off the main streets of the Wards, heading for a bank of elevators. In moments, he found one that led to what had been named the Battle of the Citadel Park, up in the main section of the Presidium Ring. The quartet shuffled in, their Commander punching the control to set the elevator in motion. A few long seconds later, the elevator car shuddered into motion, making ponderous progress upwards. After about a minute, Jano spoke up, some of the enthusiasm in his voice fading.

"Is this really how fast these things go?"

"Just about, yeah." Kaidan answered.

"Really?" The Quarian sounded a little incredulous. "Billions of years to perfect their technology, the invention of Mass Effect technology, and the Reapers couldn't build an elevator that goes faster than walking pace?"

"I don't think fast elevators were a priority when they made this thing." Jacob commented, staring through the clear side of the elevator as the Wards vanished behind them painfully slowly. "Pretty sure they were more preoccupied with turning this thing into the gateway to hell."

"Yeah, well…" Jano pondered this for a moment. "Couldn't we do something to improve it? Install faster motors."

"Actually, I remember hearing about a theory going around that the elevators are kept at this speed for a reason." Kaidan piped up. "The Citadel relies on its rotation to create the gravity we benefit from in the Wards. That changes when you get to the Presidium, where massive generators create the gravity. If you moved from one source of gravity to another at a high speed, the G-forces could injure you."

"So… the elevators are slow for health and safety?" Jano paused. "This has to be the worst ancient marvel… ever. Of all time."

Shepard chuckled at the banter, but remained focused on the view ahead as the elevator finally approached its destination.

"Hey, Jano?" He called over his shoulder to the Quarian. "You might wanna take a look ahead before making that judgement."

Jano leaned forward to gaze ahead just as the elevator finally reached the Presidium Ring, allowing him a clear view of the place normally reserved for the cultural elite of the station. A sharp hiss of his vocoder betrayed the gasp of awe he made as he took in the full grandeur of the Presidium.

The elevator, now more of a tram as it made a horizontal journey towards its destination, raced through a few copses of trees before rushing along the edge of an artificial lake, making its way along the curve of the Presidium. Finally, it came to a halt at the edge of a large plaza in the middle of the park, about five to ten minutes' walk from the Citadel Tower, which could be seen in the distance.

Jano was first out of the elevator, looking around in amazement.

"This is incredible! So much space, none of it dedicated to living quarters or maintenance." He strode over to the edge of the lake, gazing down into the clear waters. "Is this a reservoir for the station's drinking water?"

"Not exactly." Shepard explained how it was connected to the system that provided water to the station's inhabitants, but went through very thorough filtration processes before it reached anyone's glass. When the Quarian followed this up by asking if there were any fish in the lake, the Commander shared a knowing smile with Kaidan, the pair remembering Wrex making a similar comment.

"Come on." Shepard said after some time spent wandering through the serene parkland. "We're expected at the Human embassy."

The group made their way through the Presidium until they finally reached a region that was a little more familiar to the Commander, at least. Jano still looked around with the pensive curiosity of one out of his normal environment and unsure of his new surroundings as they walked past the entrance to C-Sec headquarters and into the courtyard lined with the embassies of various different species.

"Welcome back to the Presidium, Spectre Shepard. It has been twenty-five days since your last visit." The attractive image of an Asari, flickering purple, nodded to the Commander.

Shepard instinctively went to respond to AVINA, but restrained himself, knowing that being seen conversing with a VI could be seen as a little strange. The Presidium guide was just a program designed to help newcomers find their way around, possessing no intelligence of her own. Jano regarded the hologram warily, suspecting an AI, but bravely pressed on, following his Commander up a flight of stairs towards the Human embassy.

**~o~0~o~**

Falere woke with a start, wrestling her mind free of the nightmares that had plagued her. Her brain ached at the very suggestion of cognitive thought, the psyche contained within weak after the confrontation with the Reaper. When the Architect had lashed out, unleashing a mental attack the nature of which the best Council scientists couldn't even begin to fathom, the barrage had struck the core of her mind, sending her plummeting into darkness. For an eternity, she'd been detached, a million different thoughts fleeing in every direction like a school of fish scattered by a predator. Then, with agonising slowness, the thoughts, emotions and memories that had been Falere gathered together, accreting once more into a cohesive consciousness.

With that renewed unity had come the other memories, thoughts and feelings far older than the Asari race, let alone this young girl who'd dared to touch the mind of a Reaper. She saw many things, both ancient and familiar to her at the same time as being close and beyond her comprehension. She could remember the dying screams of ancient races, the glorious sight of the forging of a new Mass Relay, the oppressive cold of Dark Space, all in one instant, the thoughts crowding in and threatening to choke her own memories. Behind it all, she sensed an amused hostility, an arrogant observance. Not a presence, as such, but an awareness to the memories that she couldn't ignore. She was alone in her head, but at the same time she was being watched.

The Med Bay she found herself in was in quite the state of disarray, furniture and equipment strewn about in a complicated mess. When she tried to sit up, the tight embrace of a stasis field kept her in place. In more of a reflex action than anything premeditated, she concentrated to summon her own biotics, trying to erect a barrier that would diffuse the field, but nothing happened. She frowned at this. It was no biotic dampening field she found herself in. After she'd been discovered to be an Ardat-Yakshi, she'd endured plenty of those and knew just how they affected her powers. This felt different. Her biotics were just… gone. The nodules of eezo in her nervous system were not responding as they should have.

She twitched at the sound of footsteps, eyes flashing with alarm as a Human woman with greying hair and a motherly smile stepped into view, leaning over her.

"Good morning, my dear." She said warmly. "How are we feeling?"

"I can't move." Falere said flatly.

"Yes, the stasis field. I do apologise, but we had to be certain of who it was that would wake up when you finally came to. Especially considering the violent nature of your dreams."

"My dreams?"

"Yes." The woman nodded. "Quite the stir it caused, but nothing that can't be fixed while we're in port."

The woman regarded her carefully, index finger stroking her bottom lip ponderously.

"If you meant us any harm you'd have acted by now." She concluded. "If I de-activate the stasis field, do you promise not to do anything rash? Your body has endured a lot these past few days, and I would not like to see you further injure yourself."

A tight nod from the Asari prompted the woman to activated her omnitool, bringing down the field in seconds.

"There we go." She smiled a little more broadly. "Now, onto the introductions. I'm Ellyn Chakwas, chief medical officer aboard the Normandy."

"Normandy?" Falere asked weakly as she reached up to rub her face with her right hand. A sudden connection sparked in her brain, forcing her eyes to snap open. "Shepard's ship! Mother?"

"She's here, but I suggested she get some rest." Chakwas explained. "The past few days have- oh!"

Chakwas lunged forward as the Asari lurched to the side, almost falling off the bed as she tried to support herself on her left hand. The Doctor manoeuvred her back into a sitting position, fussing to make sure she had not injured herself. The Doctor's fussing faded into silence, however, as Falere proceeded to ignore her, staring instead at her left hand.

Or, rather, where her left hand had been.

Covered in white surgical bandages, her left arm ended abruptly about four inched above the end of the wrist in a sudden stump. Falere stared at this for a long moment, unsure whether to believe what her eyes were reporting or to go on the sensations still travelling down her nerves from the absent fingers. Chakwas noticed her pre-occupied gaze, a sympathetic look in her eyes.

"We did everything we could to restore the hand." She explained. "But it was serving as a conduit between your nervous system and that of the Reaper. The Asari body is not designed to cope with that kind of raw power. I'm sorry."

"Better a single hand than the whole body." Falere sighed.

"Now there's a mindset befitting a Krogan if I ever heard one."

Both the doctor and the Asari spun at the deep rumble coming from the Med Bay doors, but their reactions varied greatly. While Falere flinched at the sight of the new arrival, open fear in her expression, Doctor Chakwas merely folded her arms, a measure of wariness and hostility in her stance.

Standing in the door was a large Krogan, taller than any Falere had met in her admittedly limited experience. So bulky was his frame that he had to stoop considerably to get through the Human-designed doorway. As he stepped into the powerful artificial light of the Med Bay, he turned to reveal that he was something more than a Krogan. Extensive cybernetic repairs had been carried out on his upper body, replacing the entire left arm, shoulder, probably the left three lungs and the majority of the ribs on that side, as well as the left side of his face, eye included. The replacement eye glared out with an artificial red shine, sinister as it studied the Asari. When the Krogan spoke, his voice was a bass thrum with just the tiniest metal inflection in the back of it, suggesting that some of his modifications ran into his voicebox and perhaps even further into his throat.

"What do you want, Jorall?" Chakwas asked icily. Clearly there was no love lost between her and the burly Krogan.

"Relax, Human. I came to speak with your patient, not with you." The Krogan, Jorall, turned away from the Human to speak to Falere. The Asari tensed as he approached., fearing his intentions. Chakwas twitched, ready to intercede, but waited to see what the Krogan intended.

"You fought well yesterday, Asari. Showed strength beyond what I have come to expect of your kind. You faced off against a foe that would have caused the resolve of most to fail, and bagged yourself a kill that few in this Galaxy can claim to have equalled."

"It killed my sister." Falere said after a hesitant pause, unsure of why the Krogan was talking to her. Maybe he wanted to hear the details of the kill? If so, he would be disappointed.

She flinched as a thunderous bark escaped from the Krogan's maw.

"Hah! All too often I've seen the bravery of a warrior only emerging after the wounding of kinfolk. Sometimes, that's the best way to motivate your troops. And then there's the Blood Rage that follows. Do you remember it? The darkness in your eyes, the bitter tang on your lips, the thunder in your bones?"

"I don't really remember anything after I charged at the thing." Falere said curtly, not wanting to dredge up the memory of that disastrous day.

"A pity." Jorall grunted grumpily. "But understandable. Nevertheless, I have not come here today to trade war stories."

He reached down to his belt, producing what appeared to be a lump of inert metal. He unfolded it, revealing that it was a clenched fist.

"There are still a few sensitivity issues to be worked out, but it will suffice. You just need to focus when you want to be gentle. The tech was designed with Krogan in mind, so it'll take a little time to get used to."

Falere inspected the prosthetic with a little surprise, the Krogan's gift certainly being unexpected.

"I- thank you." She muttered. Jorall grunted the gratitude away. He turned to Chakwas.

"The technology is simple enough to install. You should have little trouble attaching it."

Chakwas nodded silently before the Krogan turned and left, not even bidding Falere farewell. He paused in the doorway, glancing back at her with a calculating gaze, then vanished.

After he had gone, Falere slumped back against her pillows, trying to figure the Krogan out. There was something… off… about him. She could tell that he was a lot smarter than most of his kinfolk, but that intellect was used purely for his own benefit. What was he doing on a ship whose primary goal was helping others? She turned to Doctor Chakwas.

"Who was that?"

"Jorall. One of our more recent additions to the crew." Chakwas inspected the prosthetic hand. "He claims to be a Krogan doctor, a scientist, but I'd question his ethics. He doesn't value life in the same way as other doctors."

"Then is that thing safe?" Falere asked pensively, looking at the metal fingers cradled in the Human's fleshly ones.

"I'm sure it will perform as intended." Chakwas said, moving to her desk to collect a few instruments to begin working on attaching the prosthetic. "As much as I hate to admit it, the Krogan knows his stuff. If he builds a prosthetic hand, it will work."

Falere nodded uncertainly, settling back as the doctor set to work affixing her new hand.

**~o~0~o~**

Jano looked around carefully as he followed the Commander into the office of the single most influential Human not directly affiliated with the Alliance Parliament or Navy. Councillor Udina's office was ornately decorated, though simply furnished. The pictures on the walls and the thick carpet underfoot spoke of a man who enjoyed the finer things in life, especially those brought to him by his position, while the lack of any evidence of recreational pursuits betrayed someone who lived through his job. Udina may not have been the most liked personality in the Galaxy, but he was a skilled politician who put a lot of effort into his work.

The politician in question was sitting behind a desk, staring into a holographic display as he went over some important document or another, although Jano could not tell what it was from his perspective. The politician's greying hair was rapidly receding, its rate of decline almost directly mirroring the frequency of Shepard's headline-grabbing activities. He wore an immaculate beige suit, somehow carrying off the rather bland choice with an air of professionalism and class.

As the team walked in, Udina looked up, his stiff expression gaining an extra layer of frost at the arrival of the Commander. New as he was to the squad, Jano could instantly pick up on the lack of fellow feeling between the Councillor and the Commander.

"Shepard! It's good to see you again."

Jano turned at the friendly voice to see Admiral Anderson approaching from the corner of the office, where he had apparently been reading a datapad while enjoying a glass filled with a golden beverage the Quarian did not recognise. Jano remembered the Admiral from their mission to Arcturus Station, his knowledge from experience being further bolstered by the memories of both Kaidan and Garrus, the two squad-mates who knew the Admiral from their time pursuing Saren. Jano liked the Admiral. Like a Quarian, he wore his thoughts and feelings on the outside.

"Anderson." Shepard shook the older man's hand warmly before the Admiral extended the greeting to each of the group. The Admiral was particularly familiar with both Kaidan and Jacob, sharing a past in the Alliance military with them, but he was very welcoming of the Quarian.

"So, how're you finding life aboard the flying lunatic asylum the Commander's running?" Anderson asked him with a smirk.

"I've found it surprisingly easy to settle in." Jano replied. "Not sure if that says anything good about me, though."

Anderson chuckled, patting him on the shoulder warmly before glancing back to Shepard.

"That was some impressive work on Thessia, Commander. Keep this up and we'll have won the war by next Tuesday."

"I wouldn't be so quick to celebrate, Admiral." Udina cut in icily, instantly killing the mood. "For every fire the Commander puts out, he starts several more. The Turians and Salarians have not reacted well to what they call 'unsanctioned fleet action' on the part of the Alliance."

"How could they consider the defence of Thessia a bad thing?" Shepard asked.

"They claim that your 'crusade' against the Reapers will only provoke them to further action against the Council races. Councillor Velarn claims that it was your absconding with the Fifth Fleet in the attack on their Dholen emplacement that goaded them into attacking Earth."

"That's bullshit and they know it." Jacob spat. "If we hadn't been there, they'd have brought the whole armada into the Galaxy instead of just a couple dozen."

"Velarn's just got an axe to grind." Anderson said dismissively. "Both he and a number of Turian higher-ups in the Hierarchy hold a grudge against Humanity over the First Contact War. They see anything that could elevate Humanity to a higher level of esteem than the Turians to be a threat."

"Well, they have been the defenders of the Council for over a thousand years." Kaidan reasoned. "Guess they're quite possessive of the position, to the point that if they see anyone else carrying out those responsibilities, and what's more doing a better job of it than them, they're going to react strongly."

"The Council is beginning to fracture over this." Udina stood, pacing agitatedly. "Velarn has called for your Spectre status to be revoked, Shepard."

"What?" Anderson exploded.

"So far, he stands alone in this opinion. Councillor Tevos has strongly opposed the motion, as have I." He quickly spoke up to explain his position. "Humanity is in a very weakened state. We cannot afford to lose the honour of our own Spectre. I'm currently hoping to arrange for a few more candidates to be put forward for consideration, but it will take more time than I fear we have. For now, we need you to keep your position."

"What of the Salarian Councillor, Fahos?" The Commander asked.

"He remains undecided." The Human Councillor said uneasily. "But if he decides to back Velarn's proposal, the Council will be split in half. They have not faced such a stalemate since the proposal to use the Genophage on the Krogan."

"Is there anything we can do to sway him?" The Commander asked with a sigh, clearly beseeching whatever deity he subscribed to to give him the strength to endure the tangled web the politicians had thrust him into.

"It sounds like the main problem is that he fears you may be acting a little too independently." Anderson reasoned. "Perhaps if you carried out a few missions authorised by the Council he'd be more inclined to support you."

"Yes… that could work." Udina cupped his chin in his palm. "If you can sway Fahos to support sustaining your Spectre status, Velarn loses any potential support he might have had, and the motion falls through. And I think I know just the mission to start off with."

As Udina returned to his desk, rifling through a few files, the Commander turned to Anderson.

"The Normandy's committed to the campaign against the Reapers." He said, his tone beseeching. "I don't have time to run off doing the Council's grocery shopping."

"From what I recall, most of the missions the Council authorise are fairly straightforward. You have a large squad behind you, make use of them. It'll be good experience for them, too."

"It has been feeling a little cramped on the Normandy lately." Kaidan admitted. "And I know more than a few of us are eager to try our hand at leading a team, Commander. Think of it as a way to keep us all sharp."

Shepard nodded, relenting under the assault of reason. He had to admit, it was a good idea, an efficient way to get the most out of his squad. Jano watched all of this quietly, secretly hoping he would not be one of the squad members asked to lead a team. If they had any missions that required technical expertise, however, he'd be all too happy to help.

"Here we go." Udina uploaded a file to an OSD, handing it to the Commander. "A Council research vessel vanished while exploring a planet in the Attican Traverse. They've been missing for three days now. Just before they vanished, they reported some unusual readings from a planet called Delessa, in the Minui system. As a representative of the Council, I'm tasking you with finding the crew or, in the event of their untimely demise, their bodies. Whatever it was that they found can be considered a secondary objective."

"I'll do what I can." The Commander promised, taking the OSD and storing it in his belt.

"Good." Udina grunted. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting with the Elcor ambassador."

Jano watched the Human Councillor leave before turning back to Admiral Anderson as he spoke up.

"Sorry about that, Shepard. He's been like this ever since you and Hackett took the Fifth for that 'training exercise'."

"He's just doing his job." Shepard said reasonably. "At least he's on our side."

"For now." Anderson cautioned. "As soon as you stop being a resource to either him or Humanity, he'll go looking for the next thing."

"In the meantime, he's still being helpful." The Commander concluded. "But for now, let's forget about that. We're a poor, hungry bunch of soldiers who happen to find ourselves unexpectedly on shore leave in the capital of the civilised Galaxy. You wouldn't happen to know of a place where we can get some food that doesn't come in a ration pack, would you?"

Anderson chuckled loudly, quickly joined by the others. Jano smiled behind his facemask.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Anderson answered. "There's a nice place just a couple minutes walk from here. They even do some good dextro food for your Quarian friend here."

Jano flinched in surprise that the Human remembered his dietary needs, an expression of thoughtfulness that the Quarians had long since learned not to expect. Shepard caught the twitch, smiling at his old friend for such consideration.

"Sounds perfect. Let's get going then. My treat."

"Shepard's buying?" Jacob asked incredulously, turning to Kaidan with a mocking smile. "We'd better get Mordin down here to check he's feeling alright. I think he's having a stroke or something."

"Yeah, yeah." Shepard snarked as his friends burst into uproarious laughter around him. "Just for that, Jacob, the first round of drinks is on you."

Laughing loudly, the group set off. At the back of their minds, they all knew that this was the last chance to relax they'd have in a while. Soon, they'd be on their way to Illium, to deal with whatever chaos the Reapers had left in their wake there, but for now, they were just a group of friends, out looking for a good time.

**Author's Note: First of all, an apology. I am really sorry for taking so long to get this latest chapter posted. Life has been a little crazy for this past month. Firstly, the Old Republic has been eating up a lot of my time, as you can probably guess. Its an amazing game, and very hard to put down. Secondly, the person I have been sharing my house with just got married, meaning I was involved in a lot of the organisation, plus the exhaustion afterwards took me off the face of the earth for a while. But all of this doesn't excuse the fact that I've been neglecting this fic.**** I promised you better than this, and you deserve better. I will endeavour to be quicker in updating in the future.**

**In other news, I recently applied to Bioware for a position as a writer on their staff. Unfortunately, the position was closed and I was turned away. Unfortunate, but I guess I'll just have to try harder next time. Who knows, maybe I'll be writing for the big guys yet! Although, after reading that Deception excerpt, I find the rejection... a little insulting. Oh well, such is life.**

**Next, an explanation. Some of you have commented that Asari don't need biotic amps in order to use their biotics. This is true, all Asari are born with innate biotic powers due to the eezo-rich atmosphere of their planet. However, biotic amps do not create the power in biotics. All an amp does is regulate this power, amplifying it. Therefore, any biotic of any species that wishes to use their powers with any degree of magnitude or accuracy will need an amp to give them that kind of control. That's why, if you think back, you'll recall that in ME1 you can give Liara different kinds of amps and that the biggest manufacturers of biotic amps are Asari-owned companies.**

**In a further explanation, I want to discuss the mechanic I have introduced in the last portion of this chapter. This is what I think would be a believeable way of introducing the side-quests to the game. Shepard is working to save all organic life in the Galaxy, so why would he stop to investigate a long-lost crashed ship or look for a shipment of robot kittens that have gone missing? The answer- he wouldn't. But maybe he'd assign a couple of members of his pretty large team to go do it. If this were the game, I'd have it that you choose the squad mate to lead the mission, along with his/her two companions. Then the player controls that chosen leader while carrying out the side quest. Afterwards, you resume control of Shepard, therefore avoiding having Shepard take a break from saving the Galaxy to do something else that's fairly routine.**

**In addition, the side quest has a mechanic to make the squad more ready for the end mission. Each squad mate has three qualities- combat, tech and biotics. Combat ranges from destructive potential to leadership, while the other two are fairly obvious. Each squad mate has a value for each quality out of 100%. Some will start with a bonus to one or the other (e.g. Garrus starts with 20% Combat). If you assign a squad mate to run a particular type of mission, he/she/it will increase the appropriate score by 20% (for example this mission coming up will grant an increase of 20% to combat). In this way, you can specialise which squad mate will be best suited/ most experienced for a particular task during the end mission.**

**So, to kick start this mechanic, I want you to vote on which squad mate you want to lead the first side-quest. I will then write the side-quest from their perspective during the next intermission. ****There will be a poll going up on my profile page tonight.**

**Finally, I'd like to thank the usual suspects for their kind messages and encouragement. BloodIronAngel, Mastermind4892, Liege Lord, general-joseph-dickson, Raidster, darkerego, you guys keep on giving me the encouragement I need to write this. I'd also like to thank Cropcirc, who only started reading recently but sent a couple of encouraging messages, and Suqu124, who just finished reviewing every single chapter I've written. Additional thanks go out to anyone I may have forgotten in the list of names.**

**One last thing before I go: If you're currently playing The Old Republic and happen to be on the European servers, be sure to drop me a line. For those of you loyal to the Jedi and the Republic, you can find me on the Frostclaw Server under the name Jano'Yorish. If you've turned to the Dark Side, you'll find me on the Eye of Ashlanae Server under the names Jorall and Ethran.**

**Anyway, sorry for the very long Author's note this time, but I guess there was enough news to need it. I'll get back to work on chapter 43 now.**

**Fainmaca out.**


	43. 43: The Sour Yellow Note

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Vote Results:**

**Garrus: 4**

**Grunt: 3**

**Kaidan: 2**

**Legion: 1**

**Samara: 1**

**The Revenant: 1**

**Delexia: 1**

**Miranda: 1**

**Everyone Else: 0**

**So, Garrus leads the first side mission, but there were some surprising alternate options in there. Particularly surprised by Samara's presence on that board. I'll be sure to give him an interesting squad. Stay tuned for more side missions! By the way, do you think just choosing your favourite one to lead works, or would you rather suggest three options?**

**Chapter 43: The Sour Yellow Note**

Shepard took another swig from the glass of cool water in his hand as he examined the Galaxy Map before him. The refreshing liquid served to assuage the standard dehydration he was suffering from after a night's light drinking.

Half of the crew were yet to return from their shore leave, the last of the supply deliveries being carried out at that exact moment. Gabby had assured the Commander that the Normandy would be fit to leave as soon as everyone and everything was on board, the repairs fully carried out.

Shepard turned as the elevator behind him opened to reveal Doctor Chakwas, finishing up a report on her datapad. She glanced up at her arrival, smiling at the Commander in greeting.

"Commander."

"Doctor." Shepard nodded. "Everything okay?"

"I just came up to give you the latest on Falere's recovery."

"How's she doing?"

"Recovering." The Doctor said carefully. "Most of the physical damage has been repaired. Jorall, surprisingly, has been very helpful. He was kind en her system took the brunt of the damage, preserving her nervous system. Had she been a non-biotic, she would be a vegetable now, or worse."

Shepard scanned the data one more time, taking in everything the Doctor said.

"Ms Chambers is talking with her at the moment." Chakwas explained. "So we should have a proper psychological evaluation, but she seems fairly balanced, considering what she's been through." The Doctor glanced cautiously at her Commander before saying her final piece. "She's also expressed a desire to join your squad."

The Commander pondered this for a moment. On the one hand, the Asari was little more than a civilian, inexperienced in combat. But on the other hand, she had demonstrated extraordinary bravery in the face of an intimidating adversary. Shepard realised that, if he denied Samara's daughter here, she'd just find her own way to join the fight. It would be far better for her to risk herself with an experienced team watching her back than on her own in an attempt at reckless vigilantism.

"Alright. Have Kelly find her a bunk somewhere."

"As you say, Shepard." Chakwas nodded. "Although it does feel like empty bunks are becoming hard to find on the ship now."

Shepard chuckled at the comment, realising its truth. The squad numbered twenty individuals now, the crew matching that figure. While the Normandy was nowhere near as crowded as, say, a Quarian vessel, she was carrying more staff than her Human designers had intended. But, another soldier to throw against the Reapers was always welcome, and Samara was sure to be happy to keep her last daughter close.

"Is that everything, Doctor Chakwas?"

"Yes, Commander. I'll return to my duties now."

Shepard watched the Doctor leave before turning back to his station, considering the galaxy Map again. He quickly scanned his omnitool, reading the file Udina had given him again. The Minui System was a good distance away, further than he was happy to send the Nathak, the Normandy's new Krogan shuttle. But, once the crew was finished with their business on Illium, their next port of call, they would be heading into Batarian Space, bringing them close to the system. He'd send the team off to handle the Council mission then.

That only left who to select to lead the mission. He had such a wide selection of operatives on board, the difficult thing would be choosing just one individual to run the mission. He shrugged, choosing to leave the task of selecting his away team until Illium had been dealt with.

"Commander, the remainder of the crew has just arrived at the dock." EDI's gentle voice informed him from overhead.

"Thanks, EDI. Let them board, then begin preparations for departure. I want us on our way to Illium within the hour."

"Aye-aye, Commander." The AI responded promptly.

Within moments, the CIC bubbled with noise as some two-dozen individuals poured out of the airlock, quickly returning to their posts. Crew and squad alike chatted amiably as they returned to life aboard the Normandy, fully rested after their day on the Citadel.

Even among this jovial crowd, the Commander's sharp eyes still easily picked out the one individual not smiling. Thane slipped through the mob silently, his expression a pre-occupied one. He caught sight of the Commander watching him and subtly changed tack to bring himself to the foot of the steps below Shepard's position.

"Commander, may I speak with you?"

"Of course."

Curious, Shepard followed the Drell through the Tech Lab and into the Briefing Room. Inside, Feron looked up at their arrival, then turned back to his work, scanning through the mass of data Liara's network sent his way. For a second, Shepard considered sending him away so that he could talk with the assassin in peace, but Thane appeared unbothered by his presence, immediately relating what troubled him.

"I have received word of a troubling development on Kahje."

"The Hanar homeworld? What happened?" Shepard noted that Feron stiffened at mention of the world, but managed to maintain a façade of inattention.

"Kolyat has been keeping his ear to the ground during his work on the Citadel. During his time with C-Sec, he has picked up on a lot of rumours. Word is, the Hanar have made a number of discoveries recently. Prothean ruins, evidence of orbital bombardment in millennia long past, and so on."

"You think they may have found something that'll help us combat the Reapers?"

"It's a possibility. However, that is not the cause for my concern." Thane took a deep breath, the air catching in his throat as he choked down a cough. "The Hanar have cut off a number of their off-world associations since the discoveries. Now, almost no traffic leaves or enters Primacy Space. The Hanar have not revealed their plans to the Drell, but they are preparing for something."

"What possible reason could they have to cut themselves off from the rest of the Galaxy?"

"I do not know. But I fear that it could mean danger for the Drell remnant."

Shepard cradled his chin, index finger tapping his lip.

"We can't risk losing both the Hanar and the Drell to whatever it was they found. I'll set a course for Kahje at our first opportunity."

"Thank you, Shepard." Thane said warmly.

"Any time." The Commander replied. "Now, you'd best go get your gear ready. We'll be arriving in orbit above Illium before the end of the day."

"As you command." The Drell bowed before leaving.

The Commander, one trouble heavier, went back to his station, waiting for the subtle shift that would hail the Normandy's passage through the first Mass Relay on her way to Illium.

**~o~0~o~**

The Nathak rumbled through Illium's upper atmosphere, jostled about by turbulent surges in air pressure. Behind the controls, Shepard stared out at the scene before him in both awe and dread.

The Asari-controlled planet was in turmoil, its weather system in tatters thanks to the leftover energies of the Reaper attack. Black storms filled the skies, screening the surface from any of the nearby star's energies. Thunder roared overhead as lightning split the sky, massive curling clouds spiralling inwards on themselves in a planet-wide storm that threatened to rip apart any vehicle that dared to enter the maelstrom. Even the Nathak, a prime example of sturdy Krogan engineering, groaned under the assault. Shepard once again felt that his decision to leave the Normandy in orbit was validated. The frigate would have most certainly been broken in half in the storm.

"Sensors are picking up a significant amount of radiation in the atmosphere. We're gonna have to be careful to keep our exposure to a minimum."

Shepard turned to the co-pilot's seat as Elanie spoke up, the former Shadow Broker operative engrossed in her task of scanning the planet for any sign of survivors. Liara had managed to maintain sporadic contact with her own agents on the planet, but the energy storms in the skies made constant contact a near impossibility. As far as they knew, pockets of survivors had grouped at former transit hubs in the hopes that relief efforts would start looking there. Unfortunately, the Council was so taxed with dealing with other victims of the invasion, most prominently Thessia, that the distant Illium was being largely ignored. The difficulty in getting aid to the surface only exacerbated the situation.

"This place has gone to shit." Zaeed commented, sitting in the back of the shuttle with his arms folded, his body slouched perfectly to keep him steady during the rough ride with the minimum of effort. "Reminds me of one time my crew was hired to take out a Batarian terrorist cell on Jaruuna. The squints had used an eezo freighter to bomb a city. Whole thing was a toxic hellhole only fit for Varren to crawl around in. Half of us died of radiation poisoning before we found the four-eyed bastards in the middle of all that, holding out in a concrete bunker that was meant to house the city officials in times of crisis. Lost the rest of my men in the attack before Jessie finally put a slug in between the top two of the leader of the whole scummy bunch. I wasn't complaining, though. Less to split the bounty between when it's just yourself that makes it back alive, and new guns are cheap enough, if you know where to look. Whole Galaxy's filled with bloodthirsty bastards ready to die for a pile of credits."

Shepard glanced over his shoulder to see Etarn watching the mercenary in tense silence, wise enough not to make an issue out of the grizzled Human's obvious disdain for his species. Jorall, meanwhile, was listening intently to the Bounty Hunter's tale, apparently enjoying the bloody yarn. That didn't surprise the Commander in the very least.

Shepard had chosen the small, four-man team carefully, making sure to cover all of his bases without resorting to overkill. The last thing any survivors would want to see was twenty well-armed commandos descending upon them. Especially a squad as… unique… as the Commander's. The Revenant alone would be enough to cause a stir among those at least a little familiar with galactic urban legends. And as for Legion… the less said the better.

"Mordin's tweaked out kinetic barriers plenty of times." Shepard reasoned. "We should be fine against all but the harshest of radiation."

"Even so, we'd be wise to stay inside as much as possible. The more walls we can put between ourselves and whatever's causing the radiation, the better."

"It's incredible that the Reapers could cause such damage to a planet in one sweep." Jorall muttered. "I wonder what they sought here?"

"Time to find out." Shepard said, pushing the nose of the Nathak down.

The craft dropped through the cloud layer, finally bursting out of the roiling grey belly dangerously close to the surface of the planet. Finally, the Commander got his first glimpse of what remained of Illium's sprawling cities.

The best way to describe that would be; not much. Nothing remained that stood over ten stories tall, out of a city which once sported hundreds of skyscrapers reaching up into the sky for dozens of stories like glittering crystal fingers. Instead, ragged stumps of buildings barely jutted out above the tide of debris that collected in drifts in the streets. In some places, rolling hillocks of shattered concrete and sooty metal shards rose higher than the remains of the buildings they had come from. Here and there, the flickering lights of a small city block running on an auxiliary generator stood out like candles in the darkness, ghosts of the life that had once filled the many streets. Even harder to spot were the tiniest glimmers of light that signalled a solitary survivor picking their way through the rubble, torches lit to find the way or welding tools being used to retrieve a valuable piece of salvage.

The squad was silent at the sight, awe-struck by the devastation wrought to such a thriving megalopolis. Shepard in particular balked at the sight, shocked at the evident ruthless power of his enemies. The shuttle barrelled on in silence, buffeted roughly by the raging storm.

"Look!" Everyone jumped at Elanie's shout, glancing in the direction she pointed.

A brighter glow shone out through the gloom, reflecting back off several intact walls that sheltered what might once have been a city square. The Commander's first instinct was to discount it as nothing more than a backup generator burning itself out, but the squad had nothing else to go on. He quickly turned the shuttle around, bringing it down to rip through the air just above the upper levels of the ruined towers.

The Nathak cruised over the source of the light, revealing to the Commander a wide courtyard of some kind, largely clear of debris. Several fires had been lit in this cleared area, a small shantytown of ragged tents growing around them. A multitude of tiny figures clustered around the fires, searching for warmth, company and the chance to pool resources. At the sound of the craft buzzing by overhead, many looked up out of fear, ready to dash for safety. When they realised that their attackers had not returned, however, a frantic waving commenced, the survivors eager to draw the attention of potential aid.

Finding a spot among the tents, Shepard gently put the shuttle down, the craft lurching uncertainly as it settled onto the uneven surface of cracked concrete. Once the thrusters had quietened down, their loud roar diminishing into a quiet ticking, he popped the hatch.

Before the Commander was even halfway out of the hatch, he was beset by a babbling crowd of people from all races, from Asari to Turian and everything in between. In moments, he was recognised, and an uproarious shout ran through the growing crowd.

"It's Shepard!"

"Shepard has come to save us!"

"Help us, Shepard!"

"Shepard!"

"Shepard!"

The Commander raised his hands over the crowd in a calming gesture as his name quickly became a chant, a hymn of supplication. The hubbub, however, continued on through the camp, growing louder.

Finally, a shape shouldered through the assembled throng to approach the Commander. Shepard relaxed upon recognising the familiar features of Matriarch Aethyta, the mistress of the bar in the Eternity Lounge. She turned to the crowd, her rough voice rising above the chant.

"Alright, alright. Alright!" She yelled this last word, her biotics pulsing around her. This brought a hush over the crowd. "That's enough. What, did you think the Commander's gonna take you all away on that little tin box of his? Give him some space, for cryin' out loud. Now go on, you've all got work to do if we're to keep scraping by. Curfew's in two hours. Make sure your work's done by then." She paused while the crowd regarded her silently. "I said get going!"

At the Asari's last bark, the mob dispersed, hurrying back to whatever they had been doing before. Shepard caught sight of a few going back to handling a manual water pump that purified the camp's drinking water, while yet another was busily butchering what might have been a pyjak at one point. He was drawn from his examination of the camp by the Asari's voice directed at him.

"Good to see you again, Commander. Especially now." She looked him up and down appraisingly. "Although a few days ago would have been good, too."

"The Galaxy's a busy place at the moment." Shepard said to excuse himself. "I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner, but Thessia was under attack too."

"They hit the homeworld, too?" Aethyta grunted in surprise. "Damn, that's bold."

"You'd better bring me up to speed on the situation here." Shepard prompted her.

"Things are six different ways of messed up down here." The Asari said flatly. "We've lost all power, save for a few auxiliary generators that won't last much longer. All of our water lines have been rupture, so finding a drink that won't kill you is a challenge. Add to that the spreading sicknesses, and we've got one hell of a survival situation going on."

"How many survivors?"

"In this camp? About two thousand. The brainless wonder and his friends keep finding more every day, though."

"The 'brainless wonder'?" Etarn asked curiously, walking up behind the Commander.

"Oh, yeah. Forgot to tell you about him." Aethyta glanced to Shepard. "You remember your friend, the damp squib who was bothering me for the deed to the bar? Turns out he set up some kind of charity organisation in your honour, the Shepards. They've been spearheading our relief efforts down here, going out and digging survivors out of the rubble. They spent their days helping out the down-and-out before the attack, so they know how to make thin resources stretch now that no-one's got much to call their own."

"Conrad?" Shepard felt a twitch of nervousness in his gut. The eager young man's heart was in the right place, but he tended to make very stupid decisions. To hear that he'd actually found a way to help out in this war-torn ruin was both heart-warming and a little worrying. What trouble was he finding himself in now? Shepard also felt a twinge of worry at having to face someone who was the Commander's self-proclaimed 'number one fan'. "He's here?"

Almost on cue, a young man with a shock of red hair came barrelling out from between two tents, rushing up to the Asari matriarch.

"Aethyta!" His yell turned a few heads, but then the survivors around them got back to work. Whatever was happening, it could wait when keeping your head down and getting your chores done decided whether you survived to the end of the week.

"What is it, Cameron?" The Asari asked.

"I- it's Conrad." The youth said breathlessly. "Some Eclipse mercs turned up, looking to shake us down. He's gone out to deal with them."

"Damn it." Aethyta pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head. "I told him to leave security to my people. He doesn't even have a gun!"

_There we go._ Shepard's mind whispered. Conrad had to be a trouble magnet. He turned to Aethyta.

"We'd best go sort this out." The Asari sighed. "Come on. I'm sure Conrad will be happy to see you."

The squad followed the Asari through the camp, heading for its border. Eventually, the Commander became aware of a commotion nearby. Somebody was shouting. It didn't take long to recognise the overconfident tone, the bravado born of utter cluelessness.

"I don't think you know who you're messing with! I'm a member of Commander Shepard's squad! Me 'n' the Commander, we go way back. I helped him take down a red sand ring! We might as well be brothers, Shepard and me. You don't want to see just how real things get when Shepard's squad gets involved."

"Uh-huh." The voice responding to him sounded unimpressed.

"I know what it takes to make it on the rough side of the galaxy. I've seen things you wouldn't even imagine. Stared down the gun barrel of a Spectre and not even blinked! If you're smart, you'll back away now, before things get ugly."

Oh god. Shepard cringed inwardly.

"You better turn and run, before you have to face someone who knows how to be truly extreme! What do you say to that?"

"… I'm thinking we've got guns and you don't, little man. I don't see Shepard coming running to rescue you."

The squad strode around a large tent to walk in on a rapidly intensifying situation. Four Eclipse soldiers, an Asari, a Salarian and two Humans, stood with guns trained on a single Human in what looked like a mirror of the Commander's armour, albeit a set of armour that had seen much less wear and tear. Inside that armour was a rather scrawny individual, a man of middling height with fair hair and a scruffy goatee. His face was almost unrecognisable underneath the layers of grime and filth that coated it, a memento of the trying days he had endured, but Shepard was instantly able to recognise the all-too-familiar Conrad Verner.

The irrepressible Conrad was speechless as the Eclipse mercenaries lifted their guns a little higher, assuming a more threatening pose as the Asari continued talking.

"Now, you're going to hand over all of your food and water, or we go to town on you and all your friends here."

"Hr-hrm." Shepard cleared his throat loudly as he pulled his rifle off his back. He leaned casually against a concrete wall that still stood, toying with his gun as he glanced at the Eclipse troopers, now staring in his direction. Behind him, there was a chorus of clicks as Jorall, Zaeed, Etarn and Elanie un-holstered their weapons.

"Holy shit!" One of the Humans spluttered. "It's Shepard!"

"Got it in one." Shepard winked at him before glancing to the others. "Hello. Pleased to meet you. I'm Commander Shepard. Basically… Run."

The Eclipse mercenaries vanished in seconds, beginning a frantic scramble to get out of the Spectre's sight. Moments later, only Conrad remained, slack-jawed at the sight of his icon.

"Wow!" He breathed. "It's you! It's really you! I knew you'd come. There was no way you'd ignore all this." The young Human waved his hand expansively over the vista of the ruined city.

"Conrad…" Shepard tried to word his response carefully. The young man was his own worst enemy, yes, but his over-enthusiastic approach to life did not deserve a harsh response, as much as the Commander sometimes wished to deal one out. "What were you thinking? Taking on a bunch of armed soldiers with nothing but my name in your armoury? You could have been killed."

"I- I know." Conrad admitted glumly. "I just- I gotta look after the camp, you know? And I want everyone to know that they can trust me to look out for them."

"Conrad, you can't just face down every threat that comes our way." Aethyta tried reasoning. "My Asari have biotics, at least. Let us handle security."

"Alright." Conrad acceded with a sigh. "I'm sorry."

"Its okay." Shepard said gently. "Now, Aethyta was just telling me about your situation here."

"It was terrible." Conrad dipped into a relation of the events with no prompting. "They dropped out of the sky, these huge machines, just like the one the Geth had at the Citadel! They landed so fast and just cut through the cities. The planet's defence fleet tried to engage, but every last one was cut down."

"We're a trade world." Aethyta supplied. "We're not equipped for war!"

"Those machines are called Reapers." Shepard explained. "Sentient machines that want to harvest all organic life. How many were there?"

"I saw three attacking Nos Astra." Conrad answered. "Judging by the noise on the comm channels there were more across the planet, but there was hardly a fleet of them or anything. They were here for about three days, just ripping through the cities one by one."

"They gave no indication of what they wanted with the planet?" Jorall asked.

"We have no idea what they wanted. Didn't see them take anything." Aethyta explained.

"So they attack one planet, spend three days razing it to the ground, then just up and leave?" Elanie asked. "There's got to be more to it."

"I agree." Shepard said. "And we need to find out what."

"If there is anything else about this attack, it's got to have something to do with the bugs." Aethyta said.

"Bugs?" Etarn asked uneasily.

"Rachni." The Asari answered flatly. "They started appearing after the main sewer system was blown open. Maybe they were hiding down there, or maybe those 'Reapers' put them down there. All I can say is that they come out at night and steal away as many people as they can."

"Rachni?" Jorall bristled at the word. "Impossible! My people wiped them out centuries ago."

"Not entirely." Shepard contradicted. "I found a surviving Rachni Queen in a research facility on Noveria three years ago. She was found as an egg in deep space."

"I trust you slaughtered the creature?" The Krogan demanded.

"No." The Commander replied evenly. "I spoke with her for a while, and I could see that she was not the mindless monster history portrays her species as. The Rachni deserved another chance, and I gave it to them."

"You unleashed a Queen on the Galaxy?" Jorall rumbled. "Do you have any idea what you've done? The Krogan sacrifices you've cancelled out? My people gave their lives to ensure every last one of those abominations was wiped out! The last Queen to perish in that war took my arm!"

"Those Rachni were different to the one I encountered." Shepard said defensively. "Something… corrupted them. The Queen I spoke to was free, in control of her own mind. I trusted her to recreate her species, and I still trust her not to betray me by attacking us."

"Then what about these Rachni?" Jorall asked pointedly. "Where did they come from, if not your Rachni friend? You have been played, Shepard."

"Hold, Jorall." Etarn placed a restraining hand on his shoulder. "You have no proof that these Rachni are the offspring of the Queen the Commander encountered. Possibly she was not the last egg in existence. It is possible the Reapers have specimens of their society preserved, or found an isolated hive to subvert."

"Or possibly the Rachni have betrayed Shepard's trust." The Krogan insisted. "Maybe the Reapers found this Queen and corrupted her again."

"Nevertheless, we do not have all of the facts yet." The Batarian said patiently. "So be still."

Shepard turned back to Conrad and Aethyta as the Krogan descended into grumbling silence. Aethyta examined Jorall with a thoughtful eye.

"Real friendly type." She muttered. "Reminds me of Dad."

"You said the Rachni attack at night." Shepard steered the conversation back to the important topic. "Do they actually attack the camp?"

"Yeah." The Asari said glumly. "Every night we lose a few more to them. We've only got three guns between the whole camp, and very few of our biotics are properly trained. Most of us were shopkeepers or office workers, not soldiers. How are we meant to fight against Rachni?"

"Your security personnel should find two dozen rifles and pistols in our shuttle." Shepard activated his omnitool to give Aethyta the electronic key to the Nathak. "That should give you a reasonable defence for now."

"Thanks."

"Now, we need to figure out where these Rachni came from and if they have anything to do with the Reapers." The Commander pulled up the message he had received on the Normandy. "A couple of days ago, I got a message that I believe originated with the Rachni Queen. It spoke of trouble on Illium, and hinted at the return of whatever corrupted the species. This would lead me to believe that the Rachni I met is here, along with whatever drones she has raised. Its possible she's fighting a rival faction of Rachni."

"So how do we find her?" Zaeed asked.

"I'm not sure." The Commander paused ponderously. "The last time she got in touch with me, it was through an Asari emissary. Its possible that she'll find me again."

"And in the meantime we wait?" Etarn asked uncertainly.

"In the meantime we can help get this camp on its feet. We have supplies and spare materials on the Normandy that can be used to make everyone's life a little easier down here. I'm sure Mordin can spare a couple of power generators, and I know we have a spare water filtration unit. We don't have room to evacuate anyone, but we can make it easier for everyone to wait for proper help to arrive."

**~o~0~o~**

The squad had been reinforcing the camp for about three hours, installing power generators and the new water filtration equipment, when the screams began. About an hour previously Aethyta had proclaimed that it was past curfew as the sky, already a threatening charcoal, dimmed to the deepest black, lit only by the flashes of lightning spearing through the thick cloud layer. During this time when Illium's sun no longer fought through the radioactive cloud layer to highlight the gloom, the survivors hunkered down, no-one leaving the safety of the camp for any reason.

Shepard was tinkering with the primary coupling on the last of the power generators when a shrill shriek ripped through the camp from its eastern edge. Judging by the pitch, the throat from which the scream originated belonged to an Asari or a Human woman. In an instant, the Commander was on his feet, rifle in steady hands as he began pounding towards the source of the noise.

A few seconds later, more shrieks and howls echoed through the camp, echoed by a more sinister noise that the Commander could only describe as 'skree'. The noise was sickening, rattling like the scales of a serpent. Just hearing it made the hairs on the back of Shepard's neck rise.

After a couple of moments of intense screaming, the silence of the night was ripped apart by the chatter of a gun being fired. One of the security personnel had found the intruder. Flashes of light from the gun's muzzle rebounded between the tents, making it difficult to find the wielder's exact location.

As the Commander darted through the camp, he was soon joined by his team, first the lithe Etarn threading his way between tents, then Elanie and Zaeed with weapons at the ready, the former using her omnitool to activate Sykes and send him up into the air to scout ahead. Finally, the heavy pounding footsteps of a Krogan announced Jorall's presence close by, the Krogan huffing and puffing to keep up a frantic pace.

The squad burst into a wider open area between four tents close to the edge of the camp, at the centre of which lay a scene of chaos. A large fire had been burning merrily, but its embers were now scattered about, still smouldering brightly. A rifle lay discarded, its owner nowhere to be seen. Despite all signs of a struggle, no one could be found around the fire. Instead, a strange set of tracks escorted the trail of something being dragged through the scattered ash, vanishing into the darkness at the edge of the camp.

As the squad searched, both Conrad and Aethyta rushed onto the scene, the former rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Neither needed to ask what had taken place, the evidence before them conclusive.

"Damn it." Aethyta cursed. She turned to the shocked audience that was gathering. "Wake up everyone who knows how to fight. These won't be the only ones they try to take. We need as many guards as we can on the edge of the camp. Get the sick, the old and the young into the middle of the camp, as close to the main power generator as we can."

As the crowds dispersed, the Asari still barking orders at them, Conrad looked about with a mixture of confusion and terror.

"Conrad!" Shepard called, jolting him out of his daze. The Commander reached to his belt and drew his pistol, handing it to the startled young man. "You heard the lady. Get to work. Defend the camp!"

In minutes, the refugees had formed a defensive line around the edge of the camp, an array of biotics and makeshift soldiers assembled to protect all that remained of their former lives. Shepard and his team joined this protective circle, glaring out into the night hawkishly. Close by, Conrad and Aethyta stood guard too. The ring of impromptu guardians waited in silence.

"Shepard!" Jorall's gruff boom rolled through the night. "I can see something moving out there."

The Commander, unable to see very far even with his rifle's flashlight, took the Krogan's word for it, trusting Jorall's cybernetic eye to pierce the darkness more effectively than his eyes ever could. Moments later, Sykes echoed this fact, scanning the surrounding landscape from on high.

Mere seconds after these warnings, the rubble around the edge of the camp erupted. Ghostly grey shapes surged upwards, monstrous forms that shrieked as they rushed the defenders. Shepard instantly recognised the creatures, the eight limbs sprouting from a squat, pot-bellied body. Four legs supported the creature while two arms curled underneath its head, the final two limbs being long tentacles ending in strange appendages shaped like three-lipped mouths. Two clusters of eyes graced the head, one cluster on either side, below which was a monstrous mouth. These were most definitely Rachni, and yet something about them seemed off to the Commander. They were a different colour to the ones he had encountered on Noveria, being a sickly grey-green with pale white bellies as opposed to the more vibrantly blue creatures of Peak Fifteen. These specimens looked… diseased.

He was given no time to consider the fact, though, as one of the creatures raced towards him, tentacles flailing. He dodged one swipe, firing his rifle in retaliation. Beside him, a young Salarian screamed as his Rachni foe launched a gobbet of green liquid straight into his face, the smell of acid and burning flesh instantly spreading as he fell to the ground under the creature's assault. Before the Commander could help the flailing alien, his own foe lunged in, mouth snapping voraciously. The Commander quickly jammed his rifle in the open mouth, pulling the trigger and jerking back as the creature's head split open from the inside, gore spraying across the ground. Shepard wasted no time in turning to kill the Rachni atop the Salarian, rolling the corpse off the young alien to reveal that the youngster had perished from the Rachni's acid.

Around him, the fight raged on. Survivors fought for their lives, some hacking at the Rachni with tooth and nail, many being slaughtered by the creatures while many more were dragged off in the embrace of those long tentacle-like limbs, screaming as kicking as they were torn away to an uncertain fate.

The squad fought bravely, holding the line as the strength of the survivors around them failed. Jorall, scarred by many slashes from Rachni claws, fought fiercely, grabbing one Rachni by the skull and crushing it in his synthetic grip, then blasting another with his shotgun. A compartment opened up in his upper arm, deploying a small, blinking device that he took in his hand and threw into the middle of a crowd of the screeching insects. The device blinked a couple of times more, then released a shocking blast, arcs of electricity leaping out to strike targets all around, the raw power of the device shocking their nervous systems and paralysing them. Satisfied by the result of this Shock Mine attack, the Krogan set about finding his next victim.

Elanie had engaged two of the creatures, fending one off with Incineration Blasts from her omnitool while her SMG sang a vicious melody, blowing the left forearm of the second beast clean off. As the first creature snaked around the flames launching out of the operative's palm, the glowing ball of light that was Sykes bobbed up in front of it, his shock probe jolting it in the eye, making it scream in pain. A few precious seconds bought, Elanie finished off the Rachni she had mutilated, then spun to gun down this newly blinded specimen.

Etarn, meanwhile, had teamed up with Zaeed, the pair standing side by side as they watched one another's backs. While the grizzled merc laid down a heavy barrage of fire from his rifle, his Incendiary Ammo ripping a blazing trail through the alien ranks, Etarn balanced his style between biotic attacks that hurled the creatures back and then using his pistol to finish off any stunned beasts. The duo formed an incredible synchronicity, each taking up the other's slack. Had he had more time, Shepard would have remarked upon the fact that Zaeed, a mercenary that had lost control of his own mercenary band due to a disagreement over hiring Batarians, was now working side-by-side with one of the four-eyed aliens. Unfortunately, the strange sight had to go unnoticed as another pair of Rachni erupted from underground, burrowing their way up almost directly under Shepard's feet.

The Commander rolled to the side as one of the creatures sent its tentacle-arms spearing forward to skewer him, the deadly attack missing by bare centimetres. Barely a blink later, the second alien spat out a mouthful of acid that bounced off his shields, the kinetic barrier whining in protest at the extraordinary amount of energy needed to deflect a low velocity attack like that. Shepard continued rolling, ducking a second one-two attack from the first Rachni's tentacles. As he came up from the roll, the Commander released a spray of bullets from his rifle, tearing into the beast mercilessly. As it squealed in its death throes, Shepard turned to face the second creature.

As he took aim at the creature, a quick squeeze of the trigger rewarded him with a single click. Dodging out of the way as the Rachni lunged, he looked down at his gun to see that the weapon had not fared as well as he'd thought. Some of the acid that had struck his barrier had splashed onto the gun, eating away at the firing mechanism and rendering it useless. Grunting in irritation, he flung the rifle away, reaching for his shotgun.

He had no time to draw the compact weapon, however, as a sudden burst of bullets ripped past him, splitting the Rachni's skull open. Shepard spun to find the source of the shots, twitching in surprise as he took in the sight of Conrad Verner, clutching his loaned pistol desperately as he closed his eyes and turned his head away from the harm he was causing. The pistol shook in his grasp as he turned back to see the Rachni dead, the Commander saved. Smiling, Shepard moved to his side, patting him on the shoulder.

"Good work." Conrad visibly swelled at the praise.

The battle lulled, the Rachni evaporating into the night. Survivors and squad-mates alike sagged with relief, glad to just be alive. Slowly, uncertainly, sounds of grief arose from the camp as more and more people noted missing loved ones, friends and family alike.

After a few minutes, Aethyta strode up to the Commander, her expression grim.

"Status?" The Commander asked.

"Not great, but better than we were doing. The bugs still took twelve, killed thirteen, but it's a lot less than normal, and we managed to take a few of them down. Those guns will go a good long way to keeping us safe."

"Do you think they'll attack again tonight?"

"They've never attacked twice in one night." The Asari reasoned. "Can't see why they'd start now."

"In that case, we're going out there."

"Now? In the dark?" Conrad asked timidly.

"We need to find out where they're dragging those people off to. Whatever they're doing with them, it can't be good, and it needs to be stopped." Shepard said firmly.

"I'm not going to stop you, Shepard." Aethyta said. "But you should know that nobody who goes out there at night comes back. Most are found dead in the morning. Some aren't found at all."

"Noted. But we're still heading out."

"Fine. But you'll take one of my people with you."

Shepard's brow arched at the matriarch's condition.

"Are you sure? You're stretched thin as it is."

"You don't know these streets like an Asari does. Wrecked as they are, a guide will still be useful in them. Aside from that, you need to have someone with you who'll recognise any survivors you come across."

Shepard raised his hands, palms facing outwards, as he bowed his head in acquiescence. Aethyta bowed back to him, then turned to leave, an entire camp requiring her organisation.

**~o~0~o~**

At the head of the small group, the Commander picked his way through the masses of rubble that choked the streets of the city. In the narrow beam of light coming from the torch affixed to his rifle, the terrain was incredibly perilous, deep pits lurking under deceptively stable pieces of debris and damaged gas and power lines threatening to break at the lightest touch, adding the threat of electric shock and inhaling a cloud of noxious fumes to the list of dangers that hid in the Illium night.

The squad's Asari guide, a youngster of only sixty years called Seriana, or 'Seri', moved beside him, finding her way more gracefully than Shepard or any of his team. During their time together, the Commander had learned that the blue-skinned alien was an Illium local, having grown up in Nos Astra. During what she and her fellow survivors referred to as 'the devastation', her home had been obliterated, killing her sisters and gravely wounding her mother, who now rested in the refugee camp's medical tent under Aethyta's watchful eyes. After the Reaper attack, the Asari had carried her mother through the ruins, eking out a living in the rubble on her own for two whole days. In that time, she had taken on a natural agility that was key to the ease with which she navigated the city ruins. Shepard marvelled at the amount by which just a couple of days had aged the alien barely out of her childhood years. Now she bore a weathered, world-weary outlook that glared out from an expression that rarely smiled.

Seri paused, lifting a hand cautioningly as she pointed at the ground, indicating what few tracks their quarry left behind. Here the tracks became more careless, less thought going into avoiding pursuit and more thought going into haste, if the depth and spacing of each footprint the monstrous Rachni left behind were anything to go by. Clearly the creatures had assumed that any pursuit would have found them by this point, feeling free enough to run back to whatever warren they had swarmed forth from.

"They're heading for the old sewer works." The Asari grunted. "That's where the first of the creatures showed up."

"They must have some kind of a hive down there." Etarn postulated. "Maybe when the Reaper attack blew it open it hurt them in some way? That would explain why they've gone on the attack now."

"You think that they are acting in self-defence? Responding to some reflex instinct?" Jorall scoffed. "No. The Rachni are not mindless. The Queens direct them, and they are sentient beings with schemes, ideals and hatreds of their own. This can only be malicious."

"Maybe the Queen is dead?" Elanie asked. "If she directs them, then without her they'd have no purpose behind their action."

"A new Queen would have been hatched by now to take control of the colony." The Krogan contradicted. "The Rachni only ever work to preserve the hive. Even at the expense of their own lives."

"How would you know?" Seri asked, the note of a challenge in her voice.

"Don't question me, girl." The Krogan rumbled. "I was fighting Rachni before your great-grandmother had even thought of spawning. I've killed more Royal Drones in my time than the entirety of the Asari military."

"Enough." Shepard spoke out sharply, breaking up the confrontation before it could properly begin. "We've got people depending on us to find them. Seri, you lead us to the sewer works. Jorall, once we're there we'll be relying on you to anticipate the Rachni. If you see anything that could give us an edge over these things, be sure to shout."

The Asari and the Krogan backed away from one another, abiding by the Commander's orders. Seri quickly slipped ahead, clambering over the rubble like a spider as she found sure footing for the others. The gruff Urdnot elder dropped back until he was trailing at the rear of the small column, looking about sharply as his synthetic eye scanned their surroundings on wavelengths beyond those available to any organic counterpart.

After only a short journey further into the clutter, Seri stopped the squad again. Shepard looked around the small clearing they now found themselves in, about thirty feet wide with three points from which it could be approached. It looked as though the clearing had once been a courtyard granting access to several apartments, none of which remained standing.

"There was some kind of a struggle here." She told the Commander. "There was something else here when they passed through."

"Vorcha." Jorall grunted with disgust, sniffing deeply. "The vermin had made camp here about two hours before the Rachni arrived, if the stench is any indication."

"Were they taken by the Rachni, like the survivors?" Shepard asked.

"Some were." Jorall said, stalking past one path our of the courtyard. "But others made their way along this trail." He kneeled in the dirt, brushing his metal fingers through a thick layer of ash. "At least one of them was injured, badly."

"That doesn't make any sense." Zaeed protested. His rifle muzzle tapped a loose slab of concrete as he pushed it aimlessly. "Vorcha don't carry their wounded. Normally they either leave 'em behind or eat 'em."

"Maybe there's not many left." Elanie reasoned. "Maybe they can't afford to lose any more of their clan."

"Dunno if they even think about things like that." The mercenary grumbled.

"We should follow them, see if they can tell us anything about the Rachni before we press onwards." Etarn said.

"There's no time." Jorall dismissed. "We need to catch up with our prey."

"They could need our help." Elanie interjected.

"They're Vorcha. Let 'em rot." Zaeed dismissed.

Seri, sensing the discord between the different members of the squad, turned to the one thing holding such a varied group together.

"Shepard?"

"We'll go after the Vorcha." Shepard said after a moment. "If they're still alive, we should send them back to the camp."

Amidst Zaeed and Jorall's grumblings, the squad set off down the path the Krogan had indicated the surviving Vorcha had fled down.

In moments, the guttural language of the Vorcha greeted the squad's ears, the grumbling bubbling speech that sounded more like rotting compost being mixed than actual sentient communication. It sounded to the Commander as though there was some kind of intense argument taking place, the coughing barks cutting through the night harshly. Eventually, Shepard's translator managed to cut through the unclear words to convey some kind of meaning to him.

"Nyaagh! Gruk Alpha of Bleeder Clan, you do what Gruk says!"

"Wait a minute…" Shepard muttered under his breath. His pace increased as he drew close to the source of the noise, allowing him to peer around the remains of an apartment wall carefully to survey the occupants of what had once been the main room of someone's home.

A single burly Vorcha stood in the centre of the room, a dozen of his smaller kin meekly keeping their distance around the edges of the ruined home. One of these, however, had apparently just made a challenge, now standing a little closer and staring the big creature down, his chest puffed up as he flexed his hands aggressively. Behind the big creature lay a single Vorcha female, badly wounded. The Commander felt a flutter of surprise in his chest as he realised he recognised the big Vorcha. It was Gruk, the same creature he had wrestled with while looking for evidence to bring down the Asclepius Institute, just before he uncovered Cerberus' sinister plot to enslave the Drell with a cure to their debilitating Kepral's Syndrome. Apparently Gruk, shamed by his defeat at Shepard's hands, had managed to claw his way back up to a position of power in his Bleeder Clan.

"Gortu hungry." The little challenger hissed. "All clan hungry. Vorta injured."

"Vorta last female!" Gruk spat back. "You eat Vorta, there be no more Bleeder Clan!"

"We not eat there be no more Bleeder Clan!" The challenger, Gortu, countered.

"You quiet up, or Gruk make you into food for Bleeder Clan!" The burly Vorcha took a step forward. Wisely, the challenger moved backwards, giving way to his superior position.

Taking a quiet breath, Shepard stepped out into plain view, clearing his throat to announce his presence so as not to startle the repulsive aliens. Gruk was the first to look his way, letting out a hiss that betrayed recognition and not a little resentment.

"Gaaah! Hyu-man Soft-skin! Why you back here? Gruk not let you walk away again!"

Around him, the other Vorcha bristled, a number of weapons appearing in clawed hands as they tensed to pounce on the alien in their temporary camp.

"I'm not here to fight you, Gruk." Shepard said calmly, ignoring the movements his squad made as they prepared for a possible attack. "My name is Shepard, and I'm here to look for anyone needing help after the attack."

"Kaa! Bleeder Clan not need help! We strong! We survive!"

"Doesn't look that way to me." The Commander pointed to the injured female. "What happened?"

"Bleeder Clan flee home when flying towers come. Glass shatter, metal twist and flesh burn in their path. Bleeder Clan look for new home, but pale-skins attack us, kill females, take broodlings!"

"These 'pale-skins', do you mean Rachni?" The Vorcha were silent a few moments, revealing that they did not understand. "Giant insects, with many legs and thick hides."

"Gyah! In-sects" Gruk repeated the word, nodding his understanding. "Rak-nie."

"They took your young?" Another nod. "How many?"

"Three-clutch!"

Shepard glanced over his shoulder at Zaeed, hoping the mercenary's experience with the creatures would provide him with a translation. The former bounty hunter, still hiding out of sight of the Vorcha, held up both hands, wiggling his fingers to indicate fifteen. Shepard glanced back to the strange aliens.

"And they were definitely alive?"

"They scream as they were carried away."

"I see." Shepard paused to think for a moment, aware that more than a few of the Vorcha were watching him hungrily. "I'm going after these Rachni. When I catch them, I'll be sure to look for your broodlings."

"Bleeder Clan come with you! Make Rak-nie pay!"

"No." Shepard said quickly. "You are too few. You should head for a camp not far from here. There are a lot of survivors there, waiting for help to arrive. Ask for an Asari called Aethyta, and tell her Shepard sent you. They'll give you food and medicine. In return, you will help protect the camp."

"Kch!" Gortu brayed. "Bleeder Clan not answer to you, Hyu-man!"

"Maybe not, but that wasn't an order." Shepard said reasonably. "It's an offer. It's also the best chance you'll have of making it through the night. Whether you choose to go there or not, that's where I'll take your broodlings when I find them."

"We go to camp." Gruk growled reluctantly. "Hyu-man Shepard mighty warrior. He find broodlings and return them to Bleeder Clan. In return, Bleeder Clan protect camp."

This decided, the Vorcha broke camp, heading back in the direction of the refugee camp. Once they had gone, two of them carrying their last female between them, the squad emerged from hiding.

"That was merciful of you." Jorall grunted in a tone that made it clear he disapproved. "You should have just left them to rot."

"They could be useful." The Commander insisted.

"They're vermin." The Krogan replied. "All they're good for is picking through your garbage."

"I'm thinking you didn't have many friends as a child." Elanie commented.

"That's enough." Shepard interceded as Jorall took a deep breath to fire back a retort. "Let's keep moving. At least now we know that they're looking for live captives rather than just scavenging for food. Now we need to find out why."

"If they serve the Reapers, perhaps they wish to turn these captives into thralls?" Etarn offered.

"I'm not so sure they are working for the Reapers." Shepard answered. "Those Rachni we fought showed no signs of the indoctrinating tech you'd expect. They were fully biological."

"We'd need to perform a full autopsy to be sure." Jorall rumbled. "But I couldn't detect anything out of the ordinary in their bodies."

"Shep, didn't you say that the Rachni Queen spoke o you by controlling an Asari?" Zaeed asked.

"What of it?"

"Well, she never needed any fancy tech to do that, or to speak with her drones."

"Massani speaks the truth." Jorall agreed. "Rachni have a natural telepathy that connects the entire hive. Asari, thanks to their melding ability, are vulnerable to this ability."

"Yeah, so?"

"So maybe if a Reaper managed to turn a Queen into a Thrall, it wouldn't need to implant any other Rachni." Zaeed shrugged. "Infect the whole hive through one creature."

"It's possible." Jorall said ponderously. "The Queen is the hive. Subvert her mind, and the drones are lost too."

"It doesn't change anything." Shepard said firmly. "We've still got to find the hive and put a stop to all of this, whether it's a part of the Reapers' plans or not."

"Agreed." Jorall said quickly. "The sooner we can get round to stomping these things into the dirt, the better."

**~o~0~o~**

The smell was incredible. Even after he'd donned his helmet, sealing it firmly against the stench, Shepard could still get a whiff of the air seeping into his nostrils like some olfactory black ops team. He could almost see the air eating away at his armour as he carefully found his way down the steep slope.

The squad had followed the Rachni trail to what had once been a massive sewage processing plant, before a powerful blast from a nameless Reaper's main armament had gouged a massive trench across the surface of Illium, directly through the complex. Sensitive equipment had instantly caught fire under the brutal assault, adding to the chaos as the plant ripped itself apart. Now only a crater remained, into which ran the torn remains of every main sewage pipe in Nos Astra, through which the filth of an entire city still flowed with nothing to take it away save the porous nature of the soil underneath. Pools of indescribable filth gathered in small pockets formed within the rubble while concrete and soil was saturated with excrement. When the squad had first arrived, the stench had been like a hammer blow to the gut, the instant reflex to vomit almost overpowering the Commander and all of his companions except for, worryingly enough, Jorall.

Even now the Krogan still stalked about without a helmet, using his powerful sense of smell to track their quarry. When the squad's omnitools had informed them that the site was still incredibly radioactive after the Reaper attack, the ancient alien had simply shrugged the warnings off. Nevertheless, the Commander had stated that the squad would remain down there for no more than an hour, unwilling to risk anyone's health over the investigation.

"Here." The ancient Krogan came to a halt before one of the many sewer tunnels pouring into the crater. His red eye beamed brightly as it peered into the darkness within. He ignored the fact that a steady stream of filth tumbled out of the tunnel to wash over his armoured feet. He was Krogan. His kind were used to trudging their way through far worse to reach the end of the day.

"You sure?" Shepard asked carefully.

"The scent markers are there. You do not forget the markers of a hive entrance." He sniffed deeply, face twisting in disgust. "It is quite pungent."

"How can you even smell it through this filth?" Elanie asked hoarsely, still trying not to gag on the memory of the smell.

"Krogan have a highly sensitive olfactory system." Jorall explained. "We need it to keep one step ahead of our predators. Catching the scent of something as distinctive as a Rachni hive is simple."

"What kind of predator hunts Krogan?" Etarn asked curiously.

"It used to be the wild Shatha, packs of Nathak, anything bigger than us that had teeth. After we discovered gunpowder, our main predators became other Krogan. Since the Rachni War, it's been every other species out there."

"How many other ways into the hive should we expect?" Shepard pressed Jorall for his past experience.

"Not many. A large hive will only have three, maybe four ways in or out. Rachni do not expect enemies to make it all the way into the hive, so they rarely have to flee, and it would be unwise to give potential attackers multiple ways into your home, wouldn't it?"

Shepard nodded, turning to look up into the sky. The boiling clouds above were still oppressively dark, the night barely a couple of hours gone. Even when daytime finally arrived, the landscape would barely feel the difference as the cloudscape brightened from oppressive black to churning charcoal. There would be no point in waiting for the safety of daytime.

"Alright, let's get to it. The sooner we're in, the sooner everything that needs to dies."

"Commander," Elanie called before he could take a step. "Just one thing before we go in there."

She brought up her omnitool, keying in a few commands. Moments later, the bright orb of Sykes blinked into being next to her.

"Yes, Ellie?" He asked, bobbing about frenetically.

"Sykes, would you mind shedding some light on the situation?" Elanie smiled as she pointed at the tunnel entrance. The little SI bobbed over, then paused hesitantly before the entrance.

"It's dark." He said. "I don't wanna go in there."

Elanie ignored Jorall's exasperated grunt, cocking her head to the side as she smiled at her little creation.

"I know, Sykes. But I need your help. We need to go in there, but we can't see in the dark. I'll be right with you."

"Okay." Sykes said reluctantly. With Elanie close behind, he drifted into the tunnel. As the SI's bright hologram cast powerful light into the tunnel, the squad followed behind.

The tunnel was only about three metres in diameter, just broad and tall enough for Jorall to walk through it without stooping. Chalky growths dangled overhead, built up through centuries of continuously dripping water. The rippling echoes of the light rain of droplets only added to the gloom, a slight patter drumming through the Commander's helmet as he walked gingerly behind Elanie and her synthetic companion.

Underfoot, the thick stream oozed by, holding the shape of the squad's footprints long after they had passed. Everyone made a point of not looking down, fearful of what they might see flowing by in the foetid water.

Slowly, gradually, the Commander became aware of a quiet noise that was growing in strength. At first, he found it unsettling, then the invasive sound became uncomfortable, until finally it pushed the boundaries of his tolerance. It was a strange, eerie scratching sound, like hundreds of fingernails drawing their way down a blackboard painfully slowly. Behind all of this rose and fell a deep song, like the bass pitch of a whale turned in on itself. The noise irritated the brain and dug its way into the bone, twisting Shepard's gut.

"What the hell is that?" Seri asked suddenly, clutching at her head. Her exclamation bounced back at her over a dozen times, rumbling back along the tunnel as the multiple voices mingled together into an indistinct murmur.

"Listen well, little Asari." Jorall said, his voice much more sinister in the tunnel. "There are few alive who can claim to have heard the Hivesong."

"What is it? Where is it coming from?" Shepard asked.

"It is the note the Rachni Queens use to touch the minds of their drones." The Krogan explained. "Every drone has a highly sensitive aural system, finely tuned to the frequency of their Queen. It reacts strongly to the slightest change in pitch or frequency, prompting any number of conditioned responses."

"When we encountered the Queen on Noveria, she said that her offspring had been denied her guidance during their growth, causing them to go mad." Shepard commented.

"I can believe that. The Hivesong is essential to a hive's structure. Although a drone can survive being cut off from its Queen's voice, they cannot be reared without it. The Krogan used a number of jamming techniques to disrupt a hive's song during the war. We'd send in remote probes that silenced the Queen, then wait a few days for the new hatchlings to go mad and attack the drones around them. In many cases it was the only way to defeat a hive."

Reflexively, Shepard reached back over his shoulder to touch the chunky handle of the weapon that was slung across his spine, the Sonic Cannon Mordin had developed. He felt a swell of reassurance in his heart at its presence, sure that the unique weapon would prove useful against any hostile Rachni they encountered.

The squad continued in silence, the wet squelching of their boots in the muck the only sound to keep them company.

At last the tunnel widened out, allowing the squad a little more breathing space. The ceiling receded upwards a few dozen feet as the walls widened out, multiple tunnels leading away in just as many directions. In the centre of this cavernous room sat a massive machine, still grinding away on backup power. Sewage flowed into it to be treated with a chemical that flowed from vats that had long since run dry without anyone to maintain them, leaving the thick slurry to ooze out of the other side on its way through the tunnel the squad had just vacated. Lights glowed dimly overhead, providing enough illumination to navigate by. As the squad scanned the room, Sykes blinked out, returning to his storage device in Elanie's omnitool as his task came to an end.

"What the hell…?" Zaeed breathed, looking about with a mixture of awe and disgust.

The cavern was coated in a layer of mucus-like material, thick strands congealing across the room. Shepard stepped up to a column of the material over two meters thick that stretched from the floor to the ceiling. He tentatively reached out, his gloved fingers pressing into the column. It yielded to his touch, springing back into shape as his fingers withdrew but leaving a greasy coating on his fingertips.

"This can't be right." Jorall said, his voice dulled by the thick coating on the walls.

"What is this stuff?" Etarn asked.

"The Rachni use this material to build their hives." Jorall explained. "The Worker Drones have a gland that secretes it. Each Drone can coat over a square mile of an existing tunnel network every day, or they can use it to build an entirely new hive. Once it sets, they can build alcoves to keep clutches of the Queen's eggs, newly hatched Drones or food supplies."

"'Food supplies'?" Elanie asked uncertainly.

"Rachni eat anything." The Krogan answered. "We've seen them strip crops, peel ships apart, slaughter entire biospheres to sate their hunger. But the only foodstuffs I've seen them store in their hives are captured sentients. They keep them alive as long as possible. Apparently live prey is more satisfying."

"You think that's where the missing survivors have been ending up?" Shepard asked.

"Possibly. Normally a hive's eating habits are quite reserved, in balance with their surroundings so as not to exhaust local reserves, but if they have a lot of new hatchlings to feed, then they start to strip the local area of anything edible. If they have been harvesting the survivors, that could mean that the hive is expanding."

"An army?"

"Could be."

"There's no way this is the work of the same creature I met on Noveria." Shepard said firmly.

"We'll find out soon enough." Jorall said. "We're firmly in Rachni territory now. Frankly, its amazing that we haven't encountered any Drones."

Almost on cue, a terrifying screech ripped through the sewer tunnels. The rustling of many chitinous bodies hurried to the squad's ears as shadows began to dance in every tunnel leading away from the cavern, including the path the squad had just taken.

"Look out!"

Shepard just managed to get the warning out before the first Rachni Soldier Drone lunged into view. Its bulbous body squirmed along on its many legs, its two main tentacles darting forward to allow the appendages on their ends to snap at the Commander. As Shepard took a step back, drawing his rifle, he noted that the creature's body writhed with additional shapes, a half dozen tiny green Worker Drones with mouths foaming with acidic green spittle.

The Commander's reaction was instant. Even as he retreated to find some cover behind a pillar of waxy mucus, his rifle lifted up to send a fierce spray of bullets ripping into the Soldier. As it shuddered in pain, the Workers leapt off it, swarming forwards to attack. In the blink of an eye, they clambered up the Commander's legs. Shepard frantically swatted at one, hurling it away with enough force to crack its shell as it struck the machine in the centre of the room. Another was quickly crushed with his gauntleted fist, the green goo if its insides washing down his leg slowly. A quick swipe with his rifle barrel dislodged the rest, a single bullet from the gun as they struggled to right themselves quickly finishing each one off. Just as he killed the last one, the injured Soldier rushed him again, only to receive a rifle butt to the face to stun it, then a volley of bullets to kill it.

A terrible roar ripped loose from Jorall's throat, the metallic echo his synthetic throat gave to the noise sending shivers down Shepard's spine. The Krogan's metal fist darted out to catch the tentacle of the first Rachni Soldier to charge against him. The burly alien grappled with the insect, snapping the tentacle with a grunt then following up with a vicious jab that put a dent in the creature's head. The Soldier, not to be taken out so easily, heaved its body against the Krogan, putting Jorall off-balance before it jabbed at him with its remaining tentacle, the beak-like appendage on its end snapping at his eye. The Krogan quickly put an end to the threat by smashing his huge fist into the creature's back, cracking the thick carapace. A few more punches quickly reduced the Soldier to a quivering mass of rapidly dying matter.

Elanie and Zaeed managed to find refuge behind one of the room's many columns, where they worked back-to-back, leaning around either side of the column to fire on the advancing insects. The young woman lifted her omnitool to send a blast of pure electricity barrelling through a cluster of Rachni, killing a number of the tiny Worker Drones and severely injuring a pair of Soldiers. Zaeed tossed an Incendiary Grenade around the other side of the column, the pillar of flame causing a Soldier and the Workers it carried to erupt into an inferno, the Workers popping like grenades while the Soldier smouldered angrily. In moments, the pair had accounted for over a dozen Rachni, both big and small.

Etarn, meanwhile, had forsaken all the advantages of cover, wading into the thick of things as a biotic field blazed around his body. A Barrier flickered into being to deflect the inevitable flurry of blows from countless mandibles, tentacles and razor-sharp claws while his hands glowed brightly with compact fields that he used to deliver his own powerful counterattacks. One hand was lifted, palm facing downwards, and a wave of blue energy descended on a cluster of Rachni. The field of energy pressed down on the insectile aliens, crushing the Workers effortlessly and severely hampering the Soldiers, presenting a number of easy targets for the rest of the squad to finish off.

The battle raged on for a few more frantic moments with each combatant scoring several additional kills. As he gunned down a final Soldier, Shepard shoved a fresh clip into his rifle, ready for the next wave of enemies. He tensed, ready for a renewed assault, but none came.

The room quietened, the sounds of battle quickly vanishing as the grinding of the sewage treatment machinery rose to dominance. A few moments passed before the squad relaxed, finally sure that there was no further attack to defend against. The Commander, lowering his rifle, stepped forward to inspect the nearest Rachni corpse. Carefully, he prodded at the cracked carapace, pulling away on layer of the outer shell to reveal the gore within. The smell, incredibly, was more pungent than that of the sewers themselves. Even through his helmet, the Commander gagged on the stench.

"Oh god!" Elanie gasped. "That smells worse than the Normandy restrooms after Grunt's curry night!"

"I'm not seeing any signs of Reaper tech." Shepard muttered as he dared to dig even further into the remains. "Jorall, you seeing anything here that looks out of place?"

"Its been a long time since I've had the opportunity to dissect one of these things." The Krogan grunted as he knelt next to the Commander. "Not that I did much of that anyway. It was much more satisfying if they were alive, aware of what was going to happen at the hands of the creatures they had tried to slaughter."

"You are possibly the most disturbing Krogan I have ever met." Etarn muttered, his distaste evident.

"And you're in the running for the ugliest alien I've ever met, but I had the good manners not to bring it up." Jorall snapped irritably. "Now shut up and let me work."

The squad waited in awkward silence while the Krogan dug around in the grisly remains, often reaching in with his synthetic arm until it was buried in gore up to the elbow. At times, he pulled out a slimy body part, holding it up for a cursory examination under the powerful stare of his artificial eye or, much to the disgust of the onlooking squad, an inquisitive sniff.

Eventually, Shepard stood, turning away from the sickening post-mortem going on. Something was bothering him, but he couldn't figure out what. Finally, as he sized up the squad to make sure they were uninjured, it hit him.

"Where's Seri?"

Jorall didn't even look up from his examination while the rest of the group glanced about, finally noticing the Asari's absence.

"Bugs must have got her." Zaeed said, his detached tone displaying no particular remorse over the loss.

"Or she ran off." Etarn reasoned. "Few civilians have the same resolve as we do."

"The sight of those creatures crawling out of the tunnels was unsettling." Elanie admitted. "If I hadn't seen just as bad or worse during my time with Cerberus, I know I'd be running right now."

Shepard cursed, irritated that he'd missed the Asari's disappearance during the chaos of the fight. Her chances of survival were slim, alone in enemy territory as she was. With the Rachni pressing in from all sides, it was unlikely she could have made it far if she'd run. She'd almost certainly not escaped the tunnels.

"Some of those Rachni were coming down the tunnel behind us." He observed. "They let us into the hive, then closed off our escape route."

"Another common tactic." Jorall called over his shoulder. "Let the enemy into the hive, then close in on them while they're separated from any additional forces. The Krogan learned the art of patience after losing a good few squads to this tactic."

"Patience? From a Krogan?" Etarn scoffed.

"I never said it was a lesson we learned well." The Krogan stood, dusting off his hands briskly as he turned to the Commander. "There's nothing in there that's obviously synthetic. A few differences from what I recall, but that could be down to a different Queen or some kind of adaptation in the past few centuries."

"So you're saying that these creatures haven't been indoctrinated?" Shepard asked.

"Not exactly." The Krogan corrected. "From what I've been hearing, your Reaper enemies have been developing advanced Thralls, designed to be impossible to tell apart from your own forces. Given the fact that we've had no viable specimens to analyse, I can't tell you how subtle the conversion into these Thralls is. For all I know, the new indoctrination method could be undetectable even at the cellular level, or it could just be skin deep. Or, as we said earlier, it could just be the Queen that is indoctrinated, and the Drones are subverted through the Hivesong."

"So basically we're an Asari down and no wiser on the nature of our enemy." Shepard said glumly.

"Well, at least we know there's no obvious Reaper tech in these things to catch us by surprise." Elanie reasoned. "No concealed laser eyes or claw-knives or anything like that."

"I can live with that." Zaeed said. "The last thing I want to see is a giant bug that shoots lasers out of its arse."

"That probably would be the last thing you'd ever see, Massani." Etarn replied with a grin.

"We need to keep moving." Shepard said as the squad chuckled. "Jorall, do you think you could find the tunnel that Seri went down?"

"Not under all of the smells in here, Commander." The Krogan replied. "A Rachni hive is a messy tangle of smells, all pointing to different areas. I could lead you to the nurseries, or the food stores, or the Royal chambers where you'd find the Queen and her Brood Warriors, but I cannot find one Asari in the midst of all of that."

"Chances are she's been taken to the food stores." Etarn said.

"We should be making our way to the Queen's chambers." Zaeed cautioned. "Once we take her out, the rest of the hive goes to hell."

"We can't just leave Seri behind!" Elanie protested.

"Massani speaks with wisdom, Human." Jorall said. "We came here to resolve this Rachni issue, not search for missing Asari."

"Commander?" Etarn, ever the professional, turned to the leader of their group. Shepard felt a twinge of appreciation at the Batarian's deference, his trust in the Commander to take the correct path.

Shepard paused to consider his options. The team's priority was to find the Queen and discover what the motivation behind the attacks was. But Seri had willingly come with them, helped them to find the way into the sewers. She hadn't gone into the hive expecting to be snatched away by the giant insects. But how many more Seris would there be if he delayed in putting a stop to the Rachni, if the distraction allowed the Queen to slip away?

Just as his heart swung towards pressing on, a now familiar face flickered through his mind's eye. The soft features, determined jaw and melodic voice pushed at his conscience. He'd left someone behind before, but he was not going to do the same thing again. He'd made that oath over three years ago, and he had no intention of breaking it now. In his mind, he thanked the mental mirage of a long-lost comrade, then turned back to his squad.

"We don't leave anyone behind." He said firmly. "Jorall, find the way to those food stores."

The aged Krogan moved to the nearest tunnel entrance, the weight in his footsteps betraying his reluctance even as he complied with the order. A few brief sniffs of the tunnel proved that it was not the path he sought, so he moved on to the next one. In moments, he found the correct tunnel and the squad set off in pursuit of the missing Asari.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard suppressed a shudder as another volley of skittering scratches screeched through the walls all around the squad. He made sure that his rifle was close at hand, ready in case the Rachni rustling through the walls around them burst into view. The rest of the squad, marching in line behind him, remained equally tense. Jorall, ranging ahead in his search for their missing comrade, largely ignored the noise, seemingly unperturbed. Even so, Shepard didn't doubt for a moment that the wily Krogan was ready for the first glimpse of a Rachni Drone.

Finally, Jorall came to an abrupt halt, lifting his hand to signal for the rest of the squad to stop. He then twitched one finger, calling the Commander forward. Shepard shuffled up as quickly as he could, trying not to make any noise.

The Krogan had stopped at the tunnels mouth, just on the threshold of yet another cavernous room. This one had formerly been used to house a half dozen massive vats, presumably yet another part of the sewage treatment process. These vats had now been turned on their sides, the massive metal cylinders each easily weighing over a dozen tonnes. The sheer brute force and dedicated labourers needed to do this spoke of the importance of their new task.

The vats were now filled with the thick waxy substance that coated the walls of the hive, carefully moulded into dozens of compartments that put the image of a beehive in Shepard's mind. However, instead of sickly-sweet honey filling the neat geometric niches, most were occupied by a writhing dark shape, indistinct behind a thick screen of waxy mucus.

Several small Drones crawled over the comb, even more exotic than any Shepard had seen so far. These still had the easily recognisable shape of a Rachni drone, with the hunched body, multiple sets of legs and a pair of snapping appendages at the end of two long tentacles, but these had slightly different faces, their mouths consisting of three long proboscises the curled up in tight spirals. A large sac of bright green fluid sat directly under their necks, while their bodies, no larger than an average-sized dog, shone with a stronger blue hue than any of the others Shepard had seen.

"Nurse Drones." Jorall explained in a hoarse whisper. "They rear the hive's hatchlings and tend to the food stores. Don't let one bite you. Their venom stings like hell."

The Nurse Drones continued to work on the vats, oblivious to their audience. Shepard shifted quietly to get a better view of their work, not wanting to rush in without studying this new enemy. It looked like the Nurse Drones were working on one compartment in particular, but the Commander could not make out the occupant. Then, suddenly, a Nurse shifted to get better purchase and allowed him a quick glance inside.

A Rachni Soldier Drone lay helplessly inside the compartment. In contrast with those Drones Shepard had fought so far, this one had a deep red, almost scarlet carapace. Its eyes still shone with the light of awareness and intelligence, but the rest of its body was still. Bright green fluid seeped from a massive opening in its back, around which crawled a number of Nurse Drones, their proboscises fully extended and injecting some of the fluid from their neck sacs.

"What are they doing?" He deferred to his Krogan colleague's experience. Jorall could only shrug.

Furrowing his brow, Shepard signalled for Etarn, Elanie and Zaeed to move up, using hand signals to plot out their plan of attack. In moments, everyone had their instructions, and everything was ready.

Shepard tensed, counting down on one hand, then he burst into motion, rolling out into plain view with his rifle out. Before the Rachni Nurse Drones could even react to the new presence, the rest of the squad moved out, Zaeed and Elanie heading left while Jorall and Etarn moved right. As the Rachni finally realised that they weren't alone, Shepard opened fire.

The first bullet struck a Nurse Drone squarely in the neck sac, causing the creature to burst open, spilling its insides in a messy wave. The next few bullets bounced off the thick shells of the other Nurses or embedded themselves in the waxy walls, the mucus-like substance offering almost no resistance. Realising the threat to the Rachni prisoners, the Commander relented, waiting for the Rachni to move away from their charges and offer a safer target.

Jorall, meanwhile, lifted his omnitool, firing off an incineration blast that set a handful of Nurses ablaze but only scorched the outer layer of the waxy comb. Beside him, Etarn used his biotics to hurl several Drones into the air, crushing them with a quick Warp blast. Side by side, Krogan and Batarian worked together to pick off over a dozen of the tiny creatures in seconds.

On the opposite side of the room, Elanie and Zaeed moved as a single unit, one using his rifle while the other used her omnitool to sow discord among the insect ranks. One moment a pair of Nurses would burst open under the mercenary's fire, the next another Nurse would go stiff as arcs of electricity rushed through its body, stopping its heart.

Moments after the battle had begun, more Nurses swarmed into view, crawling over the other vats like a rippling blue tide. Tiny blue bodies dropped from the ceiling, pattering down around the squad like rain, unfolding to mass around the squad's legs. With a twittering squeal, a quartet of Soldiers lumbered into view, looming over their Nurse kin like elephants moving through a herd of cattle.

Shepard reacted instantly, slinging his rifle onto his back on the holster plate and drawing Mordin's Sonic Cannon. In less than a second, the weapon was unfolded and ready for use, the Commander's finger curling around the trigger.

The effect was immediate, the Rachni in a wide cone before him instantly faltering as the pressure wave of pure sound blasted outwards. Nurses collapsed into twitching piles of limbs, incapable of co-ordinating their own legs under the sonic assault. One of the Soldiers let out a screech as it quailed, flinching away from the noise.

One short blast later, Shepard released the trigger. The Rachni knocked down by the blast continued to flail around on the ground, stunned by the sheer power of the aural assault. Quickly switching his weapons back around, the Commander brought his rifle up and unleashed a devastating volley into the overwhelmed creatures, swiftly dispatching a vast swathe of Nurses and the Soldier.

Etarn had once more waded into the thickest action, his Barrier glowing brightly. His entire body was enveloped in dark energy as he focused his abilities, launching himself forwards in a devastating charge that slammed into the Soldier before him, sending a cluster of Nurses soaring away through the air, stunned by the impact. The Batarian's arms moved with fluid grace as he used a combination of Lifts, Pulls and Throws in conjunction with an amazing flurry of biotically enhanced punches and kicks to kill anything that got too close to him. One particularly powerful kick snapped the Soldier's head back, subduing it instantly.

A loud grunt escaped from Jorall's gaping maw, drawing the Commander's attention. The Krogan was almost completely covered by Nurses, the tiny bodies encasing him in a royal blue shell. The wily old Krogan swiped at the creatures, a broad sweep of his metallic hand swatting a half dozen Nurses away. With almost feral fury his maw snapped around the hard shell of another Nurse, cracking the thick carapace easily as his head jerked to the side, flinging the new corpse aside viciously. Rachni blood dripped from his jaws as he set about fiercely beating at the last few Nurses with his fists, his rumbling roar becoming much more liquid as his fighting style became less restrained. Shepard put it down to the effects of Rachni venom injected through the numerous wounds he could see on the burly alien's exposed skin.

The powerful pairing of Zaeed and Elanie moved along the far side of the room, each watching the other's back as they carved a wide path through the mass of bustling blue bodies. Two of the Soldiers moved to intercept them, only for one to fall back as the glowing orb of Sykes flared into being, using his holographic shock probe to blind it. The other quickly died under Zaeed's furious rate of fire, its body ripped open and set alight by the mercenary's modded Incendiary Ammunition. Elanie, meanwhile, had drawn her SMG, using it top pepper the nearest Nurses, killing them swiftly. She'd relent in her attack for a brief moment to use her omnitool, Overload Bursts and Incinerates killing Rachni left, right and centre.

All too suddenly, silence rolled through the room as the last of the Rachni died, the Commander gunning down the final, blinded Soldier Drone while Etarn used a biotic Crush field to kill four more Nurses. With a roar that was born partly of pain and partly of rage, Jorall lifted the final Nurse and crushed it with both hands, snapping the small body in two.

Once the last of the Rachni had been despatched, Elanie rushed over to the gasping Jorall, omnitool out and ready to take a scan. The Krogan snarled at the unexpected approach, causing the young woman to jump back a pace or two while Sykes flashed into being, moving with surprising aggression to defend her. Shepard tensed, clutching his rifle tightly in case the Krogan refused to calm down. It was possible that the Rachni venom had triggered a milder form of the fabled Blood Rage reaction that afflicted so many Krogan. Fortunately, the worries came to naught as the Krogan took a deep breath, his steely resolve reasserting control over his mind. He bowed his head in apology, submitting to the scans. In seconds, a quick shot of Medi-Gel neutralised the worst of the venom and the squad was back at full strength. This done, Shepard turned his attention to the massive vat the first few Nurses had been working on, moving to the alcove where the scarlet Rachni Drone still lay.

The creature was deathly still, the only movement evident being that of the internal organs, a number of them beating and twitching away to keep it alive. Shepard sensed that the multi-faceted eyes were perceiving him, but he could not guess at what thoughts ran through the alien's head at the sight of him.

Jorall stepped up next to him, peering at the Nurses' work critically.

"You seen anything like this before?" Shepard asked.

"Never." The Krogan admitted.

"Could they have been preparing it for the hive's hatchlings?"

"If they were going to use the creature for food they'd just deliver it whole to the hatchlings."

"Some insects secrete an acid to dissolve their food before ingesting it." Etarn suggested. "Perhaps the Nurses were feasting?"

"Rachni don't eat like that. They feed on solids. Not to mention the fact that I've never heard of Rachni engaging in cannibalism."

Tentatively, Jorall reached forward and prodded at the exposed gore of the scarlet Rachni. As he brought his hand back, a strand of gooey green material stretched between his fingertip and the creatures innards, snapping after reaching a certain length and collecting in a small globule on the very tip of the Krogan's talon. He rubbed it carefully between thumb and finger, lifting it close to his glowing red eye. Suddenly, he chuckled.

"Hah! Simple, yet cruelly elegant."

"What is it?" Shepard asked.

"Nanotechnology, but on a sub-cellular level. I've never seen anything quite so advanced, even from the Salarians. The Nurses must store it in those sacs on their necks, and inject it into a paralysed victim."

"Reaper tech?" Zaeed asked cautiously.

"It wouldn't surprise me." Jorall said, carefully wiping his finger clean. "This must be the most advanced evolution of their indoctrination process. A small amount of this stuff can infiltrate an organic body and begin rewriting the creature's genetic code, transforming the victim into the Thralls you have been encountering. This is not the same tech they were using on the Yahg on Tuchanka. It's similar, just more advanced. In this case, the Nurses have been secreting the nanites from those sacs on their necks. Once they are in the victim's system, the nanites target the nervous system to subvert the creature's free will. Literally a biological override."

"Should we be worried about the Nurses stinging us?" Elanie asked nervously.

"I doubt it. They'd need to have their victim pinned to properly administer the nanotech, and I suspect that the victim needs to be in an already weakened state. The one weakness I could see with this tech is if the victim's system reacts to eliminate the foreign presence in the body. The best methods to overcome that are either a high concentration of nanotech or prolonged exposure. So long as we don't take a bath in the stuff, we should be fine."

"What kind of changes could this technology cause?" Shepard asked.

"The possibilities are almost limitless. Tiny changes to the DNA in just the right places can make a creature stronger, faster, more pliant to commands from their new masters. Given enough time, you could see organic material giving way to mechanical devices such as hidden weapons, metallic skeletons, complete biotic systems, even computer interfaces."

"This must have been what happened to the crew of that ship, the Rogue Endeavour." Zaeed observed, referring to the crew that had disabled Arcturus Station and nearly put an end to the Normandy. "Normal on the outside, freakshows on the inside."

"The nanites are programmed to disintegrate after the changes have been made. After that, the modifications would be almost completely undetectable until activated." Jorall explained. "Even with the most invasive of scans, if you didn't know what to look for. You'd literally have to pin the subject down to get the scans you'd need. Maybe something like the Citadel's security gates could catch it, but even that's only a maybe."

"When we were fighting against Saion, he mentioned that he was the first of the 'true' indoctrinated." Shepard explained. "Apparently all of the Husks we've fought before now were just a simple interpretation of what the Reapers can really do, copies made by their servants and worshippers."

"This certainly makes more sense than those Husk things." Zaeed muttered. "They were good for shock value the first time, but they'd lose their effect on an enemy force after the first couple of engagements. Not really worth all the time and resources. Meanwhile these things can keep getting into places they really shouldn't and sow chaos and distrust among the refugees."

"I remember it being mentioned that the Reaper invasion was aided by subverted agents betraying survivors." Etarn commented. "Perhaps this was the method used?"

"Whether it was or not, what we're seeing right now is evidence of direct Reaper involvement." Jorall concluded. "There's no doubt that these Rachni have been subverted by our enemies."

"This looks like one of the offspring of the Queen I encountered." Shepard pointed to the trapped Drone. "It must have been captured by the indoctrinated Rachni to be implanted."

"Which could mean that your Queen still fights the Reapers." Etarn said. "Even as entire hives are indoctrinated."

"Jorall, take as many scans as you can of the process. See if you can't stop to indoctrination before it takes the Rachni completely. Maybe we'll be able to communicate with it." Shepard instructed. "The rest of you, search the vats for any sign of Seri. And be careful. Any number of these compartments could hold a completed Reaper Thrall."

The squad set to work, searching the vats for their missing comrade. Omnitools beeped as they searched for life signs, finding surprisingly few. Those that they did find were very weak.

Shepard jumped as a terrible squealing noise ripped through the room. He turned to see Etarn leaning back from a compartment whose seal had just been broken by a biotic punch from the Batarian. Inside rested a half dozen tiny figures that appeared to be creating the noise. The Commander hurried over to see what all the commotion was about.

Contained within the wax compartment, six tiny creatures writhed about, the high-pitched squealing ripping free from their throats. The creatures were repulsive little lumps of flesh clad in tightly stretched skin, wiry muscles bulging as they twisted across lanky skeletons. Heads that were massively out of proportion with the comparatively tiny bodies tilted from side to side on pencil-thin necks that were too weak to hold them upright. Close to the tops of these heads sat a pair of fiendishly red eyes, rolling about in their sockets wildly. Beneath the scarlet orbs, small round holes ringed with sharp teeth gaped as they let the world know about their owners' displeasure.

"So that's what Vorcha young look like." Etarn muttered, pulling loose yet another shard of the waxy substance to get at the creatures, wincing as their tiny shrieks tore through the air. "Sounds like they're hungry."

Shepard watched one of the tiny aliens pick up a splinter of wax and begin gnawing on it hungrily, quickly devouring the strange material. Vorcha were known to be voracious omnivores, consuming anything they could chew up into bite-sized chunks.

"I think they're cute." Elanie said as she ran her omnitool over them, scanning using the data Jorall had gathered from the captured Rachni. "Looks like they're clean. No nanotech present in their systems."

"Must have been waiting for them to get bigger before indoctrinating them." Etarn observed. "Maybe there would be complications with indoctrinating a victim that is still growing?"

"That, and there's only so much tech you could install in something this size." Elanie said, carefully scooping one of the Vorcha up.

The tiny alien's claws scraped against her armour ineffectually, teeth snapping at her hand as she lifted up a splinter of wax to feed to it. For a moment, Shepard was put in mind of the old Human legends of goblins, the resemblance between them and the Vorcha young uncanny. Perhaps the aliens had spawned the myth, a stray ship or escape pod bringing some to Earth several centuries ago.

"Shepard, what're we going to do with all these survivors?" Zaeed asked, herding a cluster of ragged Asari, Salarians and more than a few Humans away from the vats, each and every one having passed the new scans Jorall had developed.

"We need to get them back to the surface. Zaeed, Elanie, I want you to-"

Shepard paused at the scraping noise of footsteps echoing out of the tunnel they had entered the room by. Reaching for the comfort of his pistol, Shepard tensed as a dark shape revealed itself in the tunnel entrance, stepping forward into the light to reveal the dirt-streaked features of Seri. The Asari appeared dazed, sporting a limp that was quickly explained when the Commander noticed that her lower left leg was caked in still-wet purple blood.

"Seri!" He felt a swell of relief in his mind, tempered by the tug of caution. The Asari was accounted for now, but was she still herself? "What happened?"

"The Rachni… One of them got a hold of my leg, dragged me off." The Asari explained with a distant tone of voice. "It pulled me into one of the tunnels, was dragging me away." Her hands began to shake. "It was so dark!"

"How did you escape?" Etarn asked.

"We stopped in the tunnels. I think the Rachni was communicating with some of its hive. It was distracted, so I used my biotics to break the tentacle holding me. Then I ran as fast as I could."

"With a busted leg?" Zaeed questioned doubtfully. "How'd you outrun one of those things?"

"I used a Warp blast to bring down the tunnel behind me." Seri explained. "I either killed it or trapped it."

"We'll need to run some scans on you." Shepard explained. "We've got to make sure the Rachni didn't implant you with anything."

"Implant me with something?" Seri asked nervously. "Like what?"

"They're using nanotechnology to subvert people's free will and make them serve the Reapers. We need to make sure you weren't injected with any. If you were, we need to neutralise them."

"Neutralise? How?"

"We don't know yet. We'll figure something out." The Commander tried to convey as much reassurance as he could as he guided her over to Jorall, the Krogan already activating his omnitool.

The squad tensed as Jorall ran his omnitool over the Asari, taking a blood sample and a few key readings. Finally he turned off his 'tool, stepping back.

"She's clean."

"You sure?" Zaeed asked, ever wary.

"I'm certain. No foreign presence in her system"

"Good." Shepard said, taking his hand off the butt of his pistol. "Seri, I think you should go with the rest of the survivors. Head for the camp, and we'll meet you there when we're done down here."

The survivors grouped together, making to leave, but were abruptly stopped as a sudden low note hummed through the air, more of a pressure wave than a sound. If it were possible, this would have been the exact opposite of a scream, a booming bass note that struck the ears like a hammer blow. Asari clutched at their heads, groaning in pain as they dropped to their knees, while the Humans and the Salarians appeared unfazed by the noise, merely wincing at its intensity. Shepard glanced to his squad, noting that Jorall was completely at ease under the noise, although Zaeed, Elanie and Etarn appeared to be experiencing the same discomfort as their Commander. In the arms of three of the survivors, the Vorcha young screeched in terror, clawing at their saviours almost rabidly in an attempt to escape.

A thunderous crack echoed from behind the Commander. His stomach dropping with dread, Shepard turned to see numerous compartments in the wax-filled vats breaking open, a vast multitude of dark shapes trashing around inside as they strove to escape. He turned to his squad, Elanie in specific.

"I thought you said they were dead?" He asked accusatorily.

"They were!" Elanie raised her omnitool. "Lifesigns are returning, strengthening. Something's bringing them back!"

Almost in the same instant, the loud shrieks of yet more Rachni echoed into the room through the various tunnels leading out. The skittering of dozens of sets of insectile legs rippled through the air like the sound of the sea washing over a pebble beach.

"Get behind something!" Shepard shouted at the survivors, waving his arm frantically. "Hide!" He turned back to his squad. "Jorall, Elanie, cover the tunnels. Keep our way back out of here clear. Zaeed, Etarn, with me!"

Shepard quickly reached up to the small of his back, pulling his shotgun out as he strode purposefully towards the nearest vat. He brought the squat, fat-barrelled gun up, planting the muzzle directly over the first compartment he found. The wax shell shattered outwards, a pair of pale hands clawing desperately at the material in front of the screeching, snarling face of a Human. The Human looked normal, save for the blue glow that shone out from the very back of its eyes. Shepard didn't even hesitate, pulling the trigger on his gun. The shotgun coughed loudly, the retort bouncing back and forth through the chamber. The occupant of the wax prison was instantly killed, the small body offering little resistance to the metal barrage. Behind him, Zaeed and Etarn followed his example, blasting several large holes in the Rachni store and scoring more than a few kills. All too soon, however, the escaping Thralls outpaced their attempts to kill them.

Shepard had just finished off the last one in the first vat, moving on to the next one, when the entire wall of hardened material burst outwards, swathed in a raging blue fire. Splinters of wax raced out like shrapnel, giving the Commander's kinetic barriers a hard time. Shepard winced as one shard of the material shot past his defences, finding a weak spot in his armour at the shoulder. He groaned as the thick mesh underlay of his armour gave way, allowing the shard, given extra potency by its speed, to rip through the flesh of his upper arm, instantly slowing his movements.

Behind this blast of destruction, a number of figures uncurled. Almost in the middle of this group stood an Asari, the flare of her biotics revealing that she had been the source of the blast. Around her, a cluster of Salarians and Humans readied to charge. Each and every one bore the azure glare of Reaper indoctrination in their eyes.

Shepard reached up to his shoulder, pulling the waxy shard out with barely a flinch, suppressing a sigh of relief as his suit, reacting to the detected injury, administered a shot of Medi-Gel. As his suit's automated systems worked to keep him alive, the Commander pushed through the pain to advance on the new host of enemies, shotgun at the ready. Zaeed and Etarn closed with him, the trio forming a tight unit. As the first few Thralls darted forwards, Shepard and Zaeed's guns barked in unison, ripping through the first rank with ease. Etarn glowed brightly as he summoned a wave of energy, hurling a duo of Salarians into the air, presenting a pair of easy targets for the Commander to quickly finish off.

More of the Thralls rushed them, crowding in on every side. Shepard quickly expended the clip in his shotgun, discarding it in favour of his rifle. Beside him, Zaeed jabbed viciously at an indoctrinated Salarian with his free hand, his other hand holding his rifle as he swept it around to lay down a devastating arc of fire. Everywhere the mercenary's bullets touched, puffs of flame burst forth, incinerating flesh and licking across smooth metal. Etarn, meanwhile, pulled his biotic Barrier closer around his body, the Dark Energy intensifying. He jolted forward, moving only a couple of feet but hitting with the power of a juggernaut, his biotic Charge creating a blast of energy that shattered the bones of the three Humans before him and sending many more stumbling.

Shepard gunned down yet another indoctrinated Salarian before a sudden pressure pushed down on his mind. He barely had time to recognise the sensation of gathering Dark Energy before the biotic Shockwave hit, lifting him up and casting him aside powerfully. He soared through the air, striking the side of a nearby vat hard enough to inspire multiple warning alarms in his suit's HUD. He winced at the crackle of the bones in his spine grinding together, struggling to get his arm up to protect his face as he dropped back down to the floor.

The Commander gasped at the dual shock of hitting the vat and falling down again, momentarily stunned. Shaking his head, he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, looking about as his vision re-focused. Etarn had been thrown back, but the Batarian's biotics had allowed him to slow his fall, allowing him to recover much more quickly. As Shepard watched, Etarn raised a new Barrier to defend himself as a wave of Thralls rushed at him once more. Zaeed, meanwhile, had fared a little worse than the Commander, his self-designed armour built more for physical protection than for kinetic barrier strength, making him more vulnerable to biotic attacks. He had been hurled across the length of the room, slamming into the far wall and dropping to the floor, dazed.

Shepard shook his head again, clearing the final smears in his vision as he stood and retrieved his rifle from where it had landed. Just as he stood, a Turian Thrall rushed at him, fingers elongating into villainous talons that clawed at his gut, scraping across his armour with a grating scream. Shepard's rifle chattered as he pulled the trigger reflexively, ripping through the creature's gut. The Turian howled, still keeping its feet. Its mouth gaped wide as it roared, head darting forward to deliver a sharp butt to the Commander's forehead. Shepard barely slowed after the impact, hand darting out to grab the Turian's fringe. The alien's mandibles gnashed as it fought his grip, but the Commander managed to hold on long enough to bring his rifle up, jamming the muzzle underneath its chin and pulling the trigger. Bullets ripped through the creature's skull, a fountain of blue blood following them up out of its ruptured scalp.

As the Commander threw the Turian corpse aside, Etarn tensed, drawing his power in close to himself before unleashing it in a wave that pulsed out in all directions, hurling Thralls of all species in every direction. Before he could regain his balance, momentarily drained by the attack, the Batarian was swarmed by yet more of the Thralls.

Shepard moved to help him, but a powerful Warp Blast struck him square in the chest, throwing him to the floor again as turbulent energies ripped at his armour and his body. His kinetic barrier, the only thing that kept him from being disintegrated by the attack, vanished in a moment as its energy reserves were drained. Shepard turned to the source of the attack to see the Asari, still standing in the same place before the vat, arms glowing with an intensity that could have rivalled a star. She smiled hungrily as she leered at the Commander, readying another Warp Blast. As the bolt of blue-white energy arced through the air, Shepard dropped into a roll, dodging the attack by a slim margin. The blast crashed into the vat, denting the metal and causing a shower of sparks to leap out and dance across Shepard's armour. The Asari's leer hitched a little, her attention shifting as she looked to the ceiling. She reached up, using her powers to grab a thick metal pipe and rip it free, ignoring the cascade of slurry that flowed from its severed ends. She carefully manipulated the chunk of metal, sending it sailing in the Commander's direction. Once again, Shepard dodged out of the way, but the pipe followed him, catching him across the back of his legs hard enough to make him stumble. Unable to keep his balance, he launched himself forward into a roll, keeping close to the floor as the pipe swept by overhead, clattering into the wall as the Asari released her grip on it.

The indoctrinated alien frowned, her upper lip curling in a snarl. Her biotics flickered, shifting to ripple up her arms and swathe her entire body in shimmering light. Shepard struggled to his feet as she took a ponderous step, then another. She accelerated into a run, the dark energy dancing around her collecting around her hands and feet. Before the Commander could raise his weapon, the Asari blinked out of existence, replaced by a streak of brilliant blue light that speared past the Commander. In that instant, Shepard suffered an impact that doubled him over before his eyes could resolve any shape of his attacker. In less time than it takes to blink, the Asari appeared back where she had started, the circuitous Charge she had initiated taking her back to her point of origin.

Shepard gasped for breath, his lungs refusing to inflate as his gut tortured him, his muscles aflame with pain. He managed to get his shaking feet flat on the floor, levering himself up out of sheer hardheaded determination more than anything else. His trembling fingers brought his rifle up, barely holding it steady as black spots danced in his vision. He squeezed the trigger, emptying his clip at the Asari even though he fully expected the Barrier that deflected them. He finished off his clip with a Concussive Shot that only served to make the Barrier sparkle. The Asari's defences had barely weakened. Shepard's brow creased in concern and confusion. Just how much power did the Asari Thrall have? Had the Reapers really augmented her power that much?

The Asari stepped forward again, readying another biotic attack. Shepard couldn't be sure what it was, as her movements were unlike anything he'd ever seen before. The Dark Energy flowed around her as she moved to summon it up, a metaphysical shoal shimmering over her body. Shepard tensed, knowing that he was rapidly becoming too battered and fatigued to keep dodging.

A quiet tinkle echoed out over the sounds of battle. The Asari looked down to see the small cylinder, no larger than an aerosol can, roll to a stop at her feet. A moment later she vanished in a column of flames, her biotics flaring around her as the Barrier struggled to deflect the assault that came from every direction. She shrieked with indignation, flailing at the flames as she tried to escape the inferno. Behind her, a shotgun barked harshly, blasting away at what remained of her Barrier, finally getting a few bullets through and drawing some blood. Behind her, appearing through the flames like some vengeful demon, Zaeed Massani pumped the loader on his shotgun, the spent clip jumping free and cutting a graceful arc through the air on its way to the floor. Shadows from the flames crawled across his face, finding refuge in the pits and canyons of his many scars.

"Burn, bitch!"

Another volley from his shotgun blasted out, the bullets casting sparks and igniting small fires wherever they hit. The Asari snarled under the attack, summoning up a Warp Blast that staggered the former Bounty Hunter.

Seeing his old comrade giving him an opportunity, Shepard reloaded his rifle, firing into the Thrall's exposed back. The Asari shrieked, her biotics flaring again as she vanished in a Charge that took her to the top of one of the upturned vats. From there, she raised her arms, biotic energy swirling away from her to caress a nearby vat. The massive piece of machinery rocked in place, the Rachni mucus that held it in place creaking in protest. Another mental shove from the Thrall caused all of that material to snap, the vat rolling loose. Shepard's eyes widened as the massive metal cylinder tumbled towards him, moving out of the way with painful slowness as his injuries resisted his attempts to run. One second was all it took for him to realise that his current speed would not save him. Realising the extra need for speed, he activated the mental triggers that he had become so familiar with over the past few years. Unseen within his body, implants sitting above his kidneys and in his neck released a flood of chemicals, the ones over his kidneys augmenting his own bodily functions to fill his system with adrenaline. In that instant, his reflexes went into overdrive, time seeming to slow down from his perception. It wouldn't make much of a difference, his reflexes being the only thing to really benefit from the change, but he'd take every edge he could get. As his world kicked into top gear, his suit sensed the biological change, delivering shots of Medi-Gel to a number of key sites, including his bloodstream, the microscopic conduits in his skin and muscles and to all of his major organs, all courtesy of the cybernetic upgrades he'd received at the hands of first the Alliance Navy, then Cerberus' Lazarus Project, and finally under the knife in the Normandy's Med Bay.

With all of the implants, upgrades and emergency repairs that had been installed in his body throughout his turbulent life working at full capacity, his pace increased noticeably. While not as impressive as a biotic Charge, it gave him just enough of an edge to roll out of the way as the vat rolled by, missing it by inches. As he came up out of his final desperate lunge to escape the vat, the Commander trained his rifle on the Asari Thrall once more.

Etarn, meanwhile, was finding himself hard-pressed to hold off the onrushing horde. He could see both the Commander and the mercenary were tied up fighting the abominably powerful Asari Thrall, leaving him on his own to fight the more melee focused Thralls, a mixture of Human, Salarian and now even a few Turians digging themselves out of those vats that were still occupied. His biotics were quickly draining his energy reserves, and the stream of enemies charging his way showed no sign of slowing.

Wearily, the Batarian launched an indoctrinated Salarian into the air, hurling it away with a thought to smash against the nearest wall with a chorus of snaps. As he did so, his leg buckled under him, his exhaustion beginning to show. The Thralls, sensing the opening, rushed in. One Human leapt, clutching at his back and weighing him down. Etarn thrashed desperately at the burden, but his weariness kept him from putting up a proper fight as he felt himself being borne down to the ground.

Suddenly, the weight on his back was gone. He turned over to see the Human lifting up into the air, just as amazed by its sudden levitation as Etarn was. As it receded straight upwards, a shadow was revealed to one side, reaching down and plucking the Human into the air as though it weighed nothing. The snarling features of Urdnot Jorall became apparent as he lifted the Thrall with one hand. A few brutal shakes snapped the former Human's spine, a final smash into the floor crushing its skull and finishing it off. The Krogan then swung the body around, using it to bludgeon a couple more Thralls while his spare hand wielded a shotgun to blast chunks out of any other targets that got in his way.

"On your feet, Batarian!" He growled. "Shepard's not paying you to lie down on the job."

"As I recall," Etarn responded with a smile as he drew his SMG and began spraying bullets into the enemy ranks. "Shepard isn't paying us at all. We volunteered for all of this."

"Then perhaps we should have our heads checked out. No sane man would do this for free."

"If we make it, I'll pay for the examinations myself."

"I'll hold you to that, Batarian. Now quit running your mouth. There's killing to be done!"

Laughing, the Krogan waded into the fray, his brute strength and powerful shotgun accounting for several Thralls. Etarn stayed close to him, his weakened biotics and his SMG serving to bolster the warlord's attacks. He glanced back over his shoulder to see Elanie still watching the nearest tunnel, gun at the ready to aid her friends should the need arise, but still staying back to watch for the Rachni that had been threatening to appear. The Batarian wondered at that for a moment, but supposed he should be thankful that the additional targets had yet to make an appearance. Possibly the acoustics of the sewer network had deceived their ears, announcing the Rachni well before they actually arrived.

Shepard ducked yet another Warp Blast from the Asari, returning fire sporadically as he ducked the biotic attacks sent his way. Both he and Zaeed harried the Asari, keeping her from focusing on a single target as they both whittled at her. Even though both men had lost their kinetic barriers and were looking badly battered by the confrontation, the Asari herself was showing a fair amount of damage, blood seeping from many wounds to her torso and legs. Although she was showing extraordinary resilience for a normally frail species, Shepard was thankful that the upgrades applied to her apparently didn't include the regeneration he'd seen among the crew of the Rogue Endeavour. Not that she'd have needed it, if she'd managed to keep her Barrier intact.

The Asari screeched once again as Zaeed, now using his assault rifle to grant him the increased range needed to cope with having to combat the enemy atop the vat, scored several additional hits. Seething at the damage, the Thrall lifted her arms once again. Shepard tensed in anticipation of yet another vat being hurled his way, knowing that his implants couldn't deliver a second boost to his system so soon, but the Asari's attention was directed elsewhere. Overhead, the ceiling buckled and creaked as pipes, wires and chunks of concrete ripped free. With nothing more than a twitch of her hands, the Asari released the debris, allowing it to rain down throughout the room. Shepard ducked and dodged the hail of rubble, his companions doing the same. A number of lesser Thralls were crushed under chunks of concrete while a chorus of cries escaped from the survivors, cowering behind one of the vats to escape the wrath of the Thralls.

Once the thunderous cascade had finally ceased, The Asari glowed with yet more power, her body pulsing as the Dark Energy intensified in the now-familiar pattern that announced she was about to commence another biotic Charge. Her eyes narrowed as she singled the Commander out.

Shepard realised she'd move to fast for him to dodge the attack, her souped-up biotics unmatched by anything he'd every encountered. His mind whirled as she took the first few steps that would launch her into her Charge.

Just as the Asari dropped into the tunnel of biotic energy that would carry her towards the Commander at such a powerful speed, the flash of an idea flared in his mind. The body of the Asari distorted as the dark energy pulled at it. In the same instant, Shepard took a step to the side. He wouldn't get far enough to avoid the Asari if she swung a fist at him in mid-Charge, nor would he avoid the wave of displaced air that would rapidly follow the Asari-turned-missile. But, the subtle shift put the Asari's aim off by a fraction as he raised one arm. Had it been any ordinary soldier moving like that, he would have quickly found himself either missing one arm or with a body full of shattered bones. But this was no ordinary soldier. This was a soldier who'd honed his body to perfection by fighting for his life almost constantly for the past eight years, rising to the physical and mental ability expected of the Spectres and then further enhanced by all of the implants Cerberus and the Normandy science staff could come up with. These improvements included a skeleton that rivalled steel in terms of durability.

Already moving at several dozen miles an hour and accelerating, the Asari barely had time to register the Commander's stance and his determined expression before the outstretched arm caught her square in the throat, snapping her neck so forcefully that her skull tilted back a full hundred and eighty degrees. The rest of her body spun out from under the arm, the biotic field carrying it suddenly destabilising as it continued to carry it at full Charge speed. The newly created corpse slammed into the vat behind the Commander, the crackle of snapping bones assuring Shepard that the Asari was really dead. Even so, he still took the time to turn and unload half of his current clip into the body. He finally accepted that the thrall was dead when the bullets failed to bounce off a biotic Barrier and instead simply buried themselves in the pale blue flesh.

With a roar, Jorall barged into one of the last Human Thralls, slamming it up against one of the vats so forcefully that he crushed the tiny shape, turning and flinging the body at another Thrall as his shotgun finished off a third. Close by, Etarn gunned down a Salarian with little difficulty while Zaeed managed to ambush the final Turian, sneaking up behind it as he drew a knife from its sheath on his upper arm and slitting the Thrall's throat. All too soon, the squad had accounted for the last figure to crawl out of the vats. Shepard breathed a sigh of relief before his sharp ears picked up on something or, rather, the lack of something. All sounds of swarming Rachni had faded, allowing silence to dominate the sewers again.

"Elanie!" Shepard called to the Shadow Broker operative that still guarded the tunnel that would lead out. Elanie paused in the middle of tending to the wounds of one of the survivors, glancing up at the Commander's call. "No sign of those Rachni?"

"Not a single antenna." She answered. "Whatever all that noise was about, it wasn't heading this way."

Shepard regarded the ring of Thrall corpses that were arrayed at the spy's feet, an indication that, even though she'd stayed close to the tunnel to protect their one certain avenue back to the surface, the young woman had not been idle. More distressing was the sight of the much smaller number of survivors that huddled as close to her as possible, their numbers greatly thinned.

His heart lurched as he caught sight of one of the corpses that now littered the floor. Her skin covered in countless cuts and scrapes, Seri lay dead under the corpse of an indoctrinated Salarian, eyes still open in a terrified stare. The Commander felt a surge of sorrow rise in his heart, followed by the tightening pain of anger.

"Jorall!" He barked, spinning on his heel to look at the Krogan. "Have you got all the scans you need?"

"I could do with taking a few more readings from the different species." The Krogan admitted. "And a couple of samples couldn't hurt. I especially want to get a look at the Asari. She seemed to be some kind of advanced specimen."

"Then do it, and be quick." Shepard began pacing about restlessly. "We're going to deal with this hive, once and for all."

"But what if it is the Queen you encountered before who has done this?" Etarn asked.

"Then she's going to wish I'd used the acid back on Noveria. Compared to what I'm going to do now, that will seem like a merciful punishment."

As Jorall kneeled next to the Asari Thrall, Shepard noticed Zaeed trying to get his attention discreetly. The Commander walked over to the mercenary, moving a discreet distance away from the frightened survivors.

"Shepard, there's something that don't add up here." Zaeed grumbled quietly, his rough voice not really suited for a hoarse whisper. "Those Thralls we killed… there was only one Asari in the mix. Considering the fact this is Illium, there should have been dozens."

Shepard pondered this as he watched his Krogan comrade working. Jorall had finished his scans of the Asari and was returning to the Rachni in the vat.

"What are you suggesting?" He asked.

"There's no way that that was the only Asari we'll find down here. I'm thinking that maybe the Rachni indoctrinated the Asari first, and then moved them deeper into the hive. Maybe as slaves, maybe as guards. A half dozen of those watching over a Queen would give any soldier cause for concern."

"I doubt they'd all fall for the clothesline trick." Shepard muttered, rubbing at his still-aching shoulder.

"I'm sure we'd find some way to take 'em all out, but we'll have to endure a lot of fire." The former Bounty Hunter explained. "With a bunch of non-coms in tow, we're going to suffer losses. We gotta get the civs out of here."

"We don't have time to turn back."

"Not suggesting we do. Let the civs fend for themselves. We've cleared out most of the tunnels above."

"If they ran into any trouble they'd be slaughtered." Shepard protested.

"We can't afford to turn back for 'em, and we can't spread our already strained resources by splitting the squad up. It's the only sensible option."

"No." Shepard said firmly. "We don't leave the weak to fend for themselves. I'll send Elanie back with them."

"You're making a big mistake, Shepard." Zaeed cautioned.

"You don't like it? Then shoot me."

"If I did, you'd only come back next week and feed me my balls for breakfast." Zaeed sighed. "Fine, Shepard. We play by your rules."

A sudden snarl made both veteran soldiers flinch. Over by the vat, Jorall leapt backwards, stumbling over his own feet in an effort to move away. He instinctively fumbled for his shotgun, hastening to draw the weapon and aim it at whatever had startled him.

As Shepard hurried over, drawing his pistol, he spotted what had made the Krogan jolt so. The Rachni that had been trapped in the vat was moving, slithering out of the waxy compartment weakly. It flopped down onto the floor, legs skittering underneath it in a feeble attempt to stand before it settled for crawling across the floor.

"Damn insect." Jorall growled as he lifted his shotgun to aim at its head.

"Wait!" Shepard grabbed the muzzle of the gun, turning it away.

"What are you doing, Shepard?" Jorall asked, his tone challenging.

"It's not attacking. It may still be an ally."

"It's been infected with Reaper tech. It has to die."

"Just… wait a second, okay?"

The Krogan reluctantly lowered his gun, keeping it held firmly in his hands and ready to fire in a blink should the Rachni prove to be less than friendly. The Rachni, meanwhile, continued its slow crawl across the floor, finally coming to a halt next to Seri's body. A tentacle slithered out to caress her skull, the three-pronged appendage on the end clamping down on the back of her scalp.

The Asari corpse jolted, twitching under the Rachni's touch. Her eyes snapped open and shut a few times before locking open. Her pupils dilated wildly for a moment before suddenly expanding until her eyes were entirely pitch-black, the colour of deepest, darkest space. Her mouth gaped open as a hoarse exhalation of breath preceded a deep intake, her vocal chords twisting the noise uncertainly in an imitation of speech.

Jorall's gun twitched, but the Commander was ready, pushing it back down again.

"No. I've seen this before. The Rachni Queen used a dead Asari to talk to me before."

"How is it doing this?" Elanie asked, surreptitiously activating her omnitool to scan the process.

"I've only see the Rachni do this with Asari." Shepard explained. "They must use the Asari melding abilities to interface with the nervous system. I've only seen dying Asari or willing allies used, so they must need a weak or compliant victim."

"Just as well." Jorall grumbled. "Last thing we need is for the bugs to begin brain-jacking every squid-head we come across."

Shepard held up a hand to silence his companions as Seri's body twisted, rolling onto its side as it pushed itself up into a sitting position. It stood on shaky feet, turning to face the Commander. The corpse's hands dangled limply by its sides as its body slumped, looking more like a loose bag of flesh draped over a wire hanger rather than something that had once lived. The black eyes rolled in their sockets, taking in the squad around the Asari possessed by the Rachni. The jaw worked loosely, forming words in the dead alien's voice.

"Shep-ard." The words were stilted, uncertain. The mind behind the voice was unfamiliar with spoken communication. "You arrive at the cres-cen-do of the corrupted harmony. The… hive of the Sapphire Melody… faces its most dire hour. Will you… join your song with ours?"

"Corrupted Harmony? Sapphire Melody?" Zaeed's brow creased. "What the hell is it talking about?"

"Rachni perceive the world in a different way to other species." Shepard said. "They see in songs and colours." He turned to face the creature that was no longer Seri. "Am I speaking to the Rachni in front of me, or is this the Queen I met on Noveria speaking through a vassal?"

"We are not the Mother. But we know the nuances of your song from her gift of knowledge. The Mother currently leads the contradiction to the corrupted harmony."

"Contradiction? You mean you're fighting the indoctrinated Rachni?" Shepard asked.

"Your tones are harmonious. Many verses of the Sapphire Melody end with every moment, while yet more commit their tones to silencing the corrupt harmony."

"The 'verses' its talking about must be individual Rachni drones." Elanie observed.

"All part of a hive's 'Melody'." Shepard agreed. "Where is the Queen now?"

"She leads our song, directing where we must go to find those lost to the sour yellow note."

"The Reaper indoctrination signal." Shepard stated with just the hint of a question.

"Yes. The ancient darkness that spreads silence wherever there was once music. The note originates with them, spreading corruption and altering the flow of many verses. Controlling the music of many."

"So they corrupted the minds of all of the Rachni we've encountered so far today." Shepard paced from side to side. "The question that needs to be asked is, why are they here? Did the Reapers bring them?"

"No. The hives that have been corrupted were already here."

"Why?"

"The Mother sent their Queens here to reclaim what was once lost."

"What once was lost?" Etarn asked uncertainly.

"This was once the world of the Crimson Aria. Many Melodies originated here."

"This was a Rachni colony world?" The Batarian's four eyes widened together, creasing his features in an unusual way.

"At the height of our song, the world of the Crimson Aria could have rivalled the Singing Planet. Many Queens graced her surface, including several from whom the verse of our Mother was sung."

"Wait, wait, wait." Elanie interjected. "This planet was abandoned when the Asari colonists arrived. No sign of any previous occupation."

"And the Krogan never fought here." Jorall added. "Illium wasn't discovered until just a couple of centuries ago."

"Why did the Rachni abandon Illium?" Shepard asked.

"The world was poisoned by our attempts to improve our song."

"'Improve your song'? Do you mean some kind of invention? A way to advance your civilisation?"

"Yes. A new power source. It failed, releasing countless toxins into the atmosphere. Slowly, the world's song faded. As it did so, the Rachni removed all evidence of our occupancy, taking the material to use elsewhere. We would wait, for ten years, a thousand years, whatever it would take for the air to cool and the poison to clear."

"Of course!" Elanie stared back at the others as they turned to her after her exclamation. "The Asari have been trying to understand why Illium's atmosphere is so hot. Around the equator, the surface is completely inhospitable, forcing the Asari to live in skyscrapers that rise above the surface heat. You only get people living on the ground in the cooler polar regions. The Asari have dedicated a number of studies to why the planet is like this, but turned up nothing so far. An industrial disaster in the distant past makes perfect sense. The possibility was just ignored because we were certain the Asari were the first to colonise the planet."

"The world of the Crimson Aria would have been suitable for our return six hundred years ago, but the yellow note drove us to war, commencing the great silence that only ended with the release of our Mother."

"But after Noveria, you'd have come back here to find that someone else had already moved in and changed the drapes." Shepard countered.

"Some of your verse is strange, but we think we understand the underlying melody."

"The question I'm trying to ask is, why come back here if you knew the world had been taken by someone else?"

"We… may not have taken everything that belonged to us when we left."

"You were looking for something? What?"

"A device that is older even than the great song that binds our race. A device from before the last silencing."

"An artefact?" Shepard asked. "Prothean?"

"Possibly older. We cannot say."

"What did it do?"

"It was a repository of knowledge. It granted us the understanding to craft the device that led to the poisoning of this world. There was much within that we could not understand."

"And you just left it behind when you left?"

"It could not be removed." The Rachni answered defensively. "The device is a part of this world, as deeply ingrained as the mountains."

"We could be looking at a very rare find, Shepard." Elanie said. "From the sounds of it, this artefact predates even the Protheans. Who knows what it might tell us!"

"This relic, is it the reason that the Reapers came?" Shepard asked.

"They sought to eliminate both the device and the Queens that had studied it. However, once the yellow note began to take a hold of the Queens and controlling their songs, their goal changed from destruction to understanding. Now, the Queens sing to the many verses of their hives, directing them to learn, dissect, add to understanding."

"Those bastards." Elanie spat. "They razed this world to the ground, killed millions, all for one lousy relic?"

"That makes it all the more important that we get to the relic as soon as possible." Shepard said firmly.

"You must hurry to aid the Sapphire Melody in combating the yellow note." The Rachni urged. "The corruption already touches our mind, pulling at our limbs, crushing on our will."

"We're on our way." The Commander promised. "But we need to know how many Queens to expect."

"Seven daughters of our Mother led melodies here. Twelve eggs that were found after the Great Silence were also sent here to found their own melodies."

"You've been finding more eggs?" Jorall asked with not a little consternation.

"Orphans created by the war. Queens who had not yet hatched but whose mothers perished in the war. There were many eggs hidden throughout Rachni territory, waiting to be found, to once again hear the great song whisper in their minds. Some we found, others hatched and sought us out."

"This is a bigger threat than we thought." Jorall said. "If there really were that many eggs out there in hiding, we could already be facing a Rachni presence in the Galaxy that rivals that we faced during the war, and now we don't have the numbers of my kind to fight them."

"Hopefully we won't need to fight them all." Shepard said, trying to calm his comrade. "As far as we can tell, all of the hostile Rachni are here on Illium. The others follow the Queen from Noveria."

"That's still no guarantee they won't attack." The Krogan grumbled.

"Shep-ard…" The Commander turned at the weakening voice. The Rachni was obviously growing more sluggish by the moment. Seri's mouth was moving more slowly, the words coming out from behind her lips becoming fainter. "My strength fades. Soon there will be nothing but the yellow note. You must end this verse before it can become an enemy."

"I'm not going to kill you." Shepard insisted. "There must be some way to reverse the indoctrination!"

"The time has long since passed for that." Seri's face twitched a little, a reflex reaction to the sadness that flowed from the Rachni controlling her. "Only silence can stop the note now."

"Its right, Shepard." Jorall said grimly. "Even if I had the equipment, I wouldn't know where to begin."

"Our Mother knows that we- I- have spoken with you. She will do what she can to aid you as you aid her. Do what is necessary. Let your song cleanse the heart of this world and put an end to the discordance the silent machines have wrought upon our race."

"I will. Your sacrifice here won't be in vain."

Carefully, almost reverently, Shepard drew his pistol. As he advanced on the Rachni, the creature released its grip on Seri's body, allowing the Asari to drop to the floor once more. The Commander placed the pistol against the alien's skull, pausing just long enough to stare into its eyes one time, catching sight of the stoic resolve, the resignation and pain behind its gaze, tinged with just a fraction of fear. Swallowing the bitter lump that rose in his throat, the Commander squeezed the trigger once, turning away at the sharp bark followed by the wet thump of a body limply dropping onto the floor. Without looking back, the Commander marched away from the dead Rachni, holstering his weapon.

"Elanie, I want you to take these survivors and lead them back to the surface. I'm guessing the Rachni we heard moving around earlier were fighting each other. Sounds to me like the Noverian Queen is pressing forwards on her own frontline. If I'm right, you won't have to fight any Rachni on your way out." He glanced to the others in his squad. "Zaeed, Etarn, Jorall, you're coming with me. We've got bugs to exterminate."

This decided, the squad split up, Elanie leading her small group one way while Shepard took his team deeper and deeper underground, closer to the heart of the tainted hive.

**~o~0~o~**

The four-man squad moved deeper into the sewer network, the soil of Illium pressing down ever more heavily above them as they left the surface behind. All the while as they pressed on downward, the crooning Hivesong accompanied them, occasionally disrupted by the sounds of distant battle, loud scuffling and the shrieks of Rachni reaching the end of their lives at the claws of an enemy. Slowly, as the squad pressed further downwards, a quieter tone rose to match the grating wrongness of the Hivesong of the indoctrinated Rachni. This new sound resolved itself into a different song, one that seemed to be much more pure, more melodious. The Commander assumed this to be the rising signal of his allies, the Rachni that still resisted the Reaper indoctrination. The pure song rose and fell, barely a whisper against the much louder corrupted harmony.

"I wish the bugs would give it a rest." Zaeed grumbled after a short while. "That screeching is doin' my head in."

"The fact that it is getting louder indicates we're moving in the right direction." Jorall said. "We're getting close to the Queens now."

"What do you reckon we should expect when we find the indoctrinated Queens?" Shepard asked.

"If they still act as instinct dictates, they will have formed a Royal Hive structure." The Krogan explained. "It's when more than one Queen is forced to share the same territory due to resource limitations. One Queen fights her way to dominance, maybe killing a few of her sisters and daughters on her way. Once the leader of the Royal Hive is decided, the rest will meekly abide by her will until they feel strong enough to challenge both her and all of the other Queens in the hive."

"We'll have to watch out for that one." Zaeed cautioned. "To get to that kind of position, she's got to be old, clever and downright cruel."

"What makes you say that?" Shepard asked.

"I've seen it happen in packs of all kinds of animals. Varren, Shatha, Nathak, Human. It's always the old ones who stand to lose the most by being pushed to the side, so they fight all the harder to stay in charge. They're the ones who'll know how to fight dirty rather than rely on brute strength, and they're the ones who know its far easier to just kill a threat rather than beat it down every so often."

"Massani speaks with wisdom." Jorall agreed. "The Queen in a Royal Hive will always be an old Mother, sometimes centuries old, and they are mercilessly brutal. We saw all too many of them towards the end of the war, when the Rachni were pushed back into the heart of their space. Like a cornered Varren, they always fought with ten times the ferocity of a Queen that had a hive all to herself. Expect the dominant Queen to be much bigger than the others, and that much harder to kill."

"Well, with that encouraging thought in mind, perhaps we should press onwards?" Etarn suggested, his expression grim.

Relying on Jorall's experience as the Krogan took the lead, the squad continued their journey underground. Finally, after what felt like an eternally long journey through the sewers, they reached the point where the steel walls gave way to rough stone, their path taking an abrupt turn downwards as it plunged further into Illium's heart. After following this new tunnel down for a few hundred feet, the squad stalked out into an enormous cavern, easily large enough to house a hundred frigates like the Normandy. The cavern felt natural at first, but then Shepard began to notice the uniform curves that formed the four corners of the roughly rectangular room. Massive pillars, almost a dozen meters in diameter and now caked in calcium deposits from centuries of dripping water, ran from the distant ceiling to the floor at regular intervals, forming a vaguely octagonal pattern. The cavernous room was coated in the mucus material the Rachni used to build their hives, the material building up in round, conical shapes on the floor and ceiling that reminded the Commander of the shape of old-fashioned beehives. Nurses and tiny Workers crawled in and out of these shapes, going about their assigned tasks with feverish intensity. In addition to these cones that dotted the cavern, thick cables of mucus stretched through the air like the strands of a spider's web, criss-crossing the space between the pillars and the walls to create numerous walkways for Rachni to swarm across. Large gobbets of Rachni wax bulged out from these strands, dark with the shadows of some shape contained within.

In the centre of the room, a formation of crystal loomed up from a rent in the floor, the razor-sharp spikes ripping their way up from someplace deep below. More mucusy deposits had been created around this, marring its natural beauty. As Shepard watched, a Rachni Soldier crawled over the shape, revealing just how large it was. The crystal itself had to be at least half as big as the Normandy, if the ship were turned on its end and balanced precariously on its engine ports. The waxy shapes crafted over it could each have been about the size of the Nathak that had brought the squad down from orbit. Presumably, this structure at the heart of the hive was where the Queens lurked. As Shepard looked on from his distant vantage point, his sharp eyes managed to pick out something strange among the Queen burrows latched onto the crystal. It looked like a terminal hooked up to the crystal, or possibly built into it.

Once he'd taken in all of the detail he could about the room itself, Shepard set to work accounting for any and all enemies present within. He could see the countless Nurses and Workers crawling over their waxy cones, still unaware of the squad's presence. As he watched, he caught sight of a few Asari slaving away over some of the cones on the floor, lacking the biological equipment to clamber up to the ceiling and tend to the ones there. A handful of Soldiers stood guard over the Queen burrows, but much less than he'd thought there would be. Presumably the distraction of the Noverian Queen's Rachni attacking had drawn away a large portion of the fighting force, and possibly even a couple of Queens.

"This isn't right…" Jorall muttered. He pointed at the hives in the centre. "Where are the Brood Warriors?"

"Brood Warriors?" Etarn asked.

"The males of the hive that attend to a Queen's 'needs'." Jorall explained. "They never leave the heart of a hive unless there are no more Soldiers to send out. They should be here."

"Maybe the Reapers compelled them to ignore that instinct and send them out to fight the other Rachni." Shepard reasoned.

"Then why force them to rebel against that one instinct and not the others? Everything else they have done has been in keeping with known Rachni behaviour, aside from the obvious things like indoctrinating their prey and so on."

"No turning back now." Shepard said. "We'll find out what that means later. I think I can see the device the Rachni spoke of on the crystal formation. We'll need to get to it as quickly as we can. The sooner we end this, the less Drones our Rachni lose."

"Fighting Rachni to save Rachni." Jorall sighed. "There's something I never thought I'd be doing."

"Stick close together." Shepard instructed. "We need to work as a unit. The Asari Thralls will try to split us up, give the Rachni easier targets to swarm. Don't let them."

"As you wish, Commander."

"With you, Shepard."

"Ready."

The Commander nodded at Jorall's last, grunt, turning to face the massive cavern. Drawing his rifle, he began prowling forward, making ready to charge.

He's managed to cross about thirty feet of the cavern's breadth before a sudden screech tore through the air above him. As he spun to look upwards, a grey mass that had dangled from one of the room's many criss-crossing strands dropped, splitting into hundreds of tiny grey shapes that pattered onto the floor around him. A number of the shapes landed on his armour, instantly latching on. He lifted his arm to examine the new shapes, realising that he was looking at a tiny Rachni, no larger than his clenched fist. This creature had proportionally longer legs than its kin, tiny body perched atop the three-jointed limbs like a furious six-legged spider. Four eyes lining the sides of its sharp face scanned him before its mandibles opened wide and it bit down on his armoured hand. Even through the thick metal of his armour he felt the pressure of the bite, two tiny impressions appearing under the sharp pincers. Less than a moment later, he felt more and more bites occurring all over his body, none actually hurting, but all slowly wearing down his armour's integrity.

Shaking his body, Shepard swiped at the tiny gnawing insects, making sure to get rid of any that made a beeline for the joints of his armour. A sudden pain at the nape of his neck made him flinch, his hand jerking up to crush the insect that had found flesh to chew on.

Around him, the rest of the squad, now aware of another peril to look out for on the ceiling in the form of the grey clusters of Biters, were rapidly finding themselves surrounded as Rachni forces poured in from all directions. Initially it was only Workers and Nurses that swarmed towards them, but soon enough Soldiers began appearing among the enemy ranks. Seeing that they would soon be overwhelmed if they didn't find somewhere defensible, the Commander slapped at the last Biter, shaking off the green slime that seeped from the insect's body, then resumed his charge forwards, rifle coming up to carve a path forwards. Behind him, Jorall, Zaeed and Etarn worked together to cover their retreat.

Shepard pushed his way through the swarming Rachni, spotting a promising spot to bunker down in where two conical mounds had been created close to the base of one of the room's pillars. He unloaded a Concussive Shot into a Nurse that threatened him, cracking the alien's body open like a seed pod, then stomped on a Worker that was trying to spray acid on his leg armour before bulling into a Soldier that stood between the squad and the temporary refuge. Leaping over the nearest mound, he spun to turn his fire back into the Rachni behind him, aiding his comrades as they slipped into cover behind the mounds.

The Rachni pressed in, a heaving mass of bodies into which the squad poured their collective fury. Zaeed lobbed an Incendiary Grenade over the heads of the insects to erupt into flames deep within the heart of the throng, incinerating three Workers instantly and badly burning a pair of Nurses. Etarn saw the opening, focusing his biotics to send a Warp Blast into the midst of the reeling creatures, accounting for the injured Nurses and another pair of Workers. Jorall, meanwhile, kept pumping his shotgun. When the weapon overheated, he'd expertly swing the gun around to click against the loading mechanism stored in the thigh of his armour. As he did so, he'd reach down to his belt, pulling out one of his Neural Shock Grenades and hurling it at the nearest Soldier he could lay eyes upon, finishing the stunned creature off with his shotgun once he was done reloading.

Shepard's fingers were starting to go numb from working the trigger when he noticed movement above and behind the Rachni. He turned his attention there to see that a pair of Asari, drawn away from their work on the mounds around the Queen burrows, rapidly approaching, arms glowing with biotic power.

Realising the threat, Shepard quickly switched from his assault rifle to his sniper rifle, feeling as though he'd had little cause to use the weapon in a long, long time, his more recent months filled with battles that were up close, personal and ugly.

His weapon of choice for delivering the long-range kill was actually a modified M98-Widow, a sniper rifle that was better suited to stopping an armoured car in its tracks or putting a charging Krogan on his ass. Usually, using such firepower to eliminate a single enemy could be considered gross overkill, but the Commander figured he could be forgiven for it given the fact that his target was an indoctrinated Asari. As he unfolded the bulky, long-barrelled weapon, a four-foot-long cylinder of metal capable of delivering sufficient kickback to shatter a normal man's ribcage, he sighted down on the Asari furthest back in the hopes of catching the pair unawares. Lifting the Widow to his shoulder, he felt his muscles already beginning to tense away from the painful retort, a reflex action brought about by hundreds, if not thousands, of instances when he had used the devastating weapon.

The boom that the rifle made was as deafening as he remembered, an eardrum-shattering clap made all the more potent by the enclosing walls of the cavern. A second later, the Commander's Asari target pitched backwards, a neat round hole in her forehead that was opposed by the messy wide opening that was torn through the back of her skull, showering blood and brain matter out in a gory fan behind her. Her companion, now alerted to the threat, threw up a powerful Barrier before the Commander could reload the single-shot weapon, allowing the next shot to be deflected, albeit with a significant amount of effort. Snarling, the blue-skinned alien raised her arms, sending a Warp Blast screaming towards the besieged squad.

"Look out!"

Shepard was roughly shoved aside by a massive hand as Jorall shouldered his way forward, bringing up his spare arm as his omnitool glowed brightly, orange sparks leaping from it. The sparks resolved themselves into a roughly ovoid shape moments before the Warp Blast arrived, giving the Krogan time to lift up the luminescent shape. The blue-white bolt struck it powerfully, forcing the Krogan holding it up to stagger back a pace or two, but most of the damage was deflected. As his omnitool shimmered, lowering the barrier before its energy reserves completely drained, Jorall turned to throw a smile to Shepard.

"Be sure to tell your Doctor Solus he does good work. This new omnitool mod will come in very handy!"

Shepard stowed his sniper rifle, switching back to his assault rifle as he felt a swell of pride in the Professor for managing to adapt and improve upon the data Liara had found on the old Shadow Broker's unique omnitool and the shield program within. It was certain to prove useful in days to come.

The Rachni pressed in again before the squad could take another breath, putting them back on the defensive. Shepard, realising that they would be quickly subdued if the Asari got any closer, opened up with his rifle, tearing into the Rachni viciously. Insects exploded under the blistering hail of fire, Workers bursting from the strike of a single bullet, Nurses taking a little more persuasion to die. At his side, Jorall roared with a mixture of pain from the wounds he was sustaining and glee at the bloodbath. The Krogan grabbed a Worker, crushing it in one meaty fist while his shotgun barked loudly, causing a charging Soldier's head to evaporate.

Hiding behind the second mound, Etarn and Zaeed alternated a furious rate of fire and powerful biotic attacks, each allowing the other to recharge or reload while they attacked. Working together like this, the duo quickly decimated any Rachni forces that came their way without fully exhausting their resources. If it had only been the Rachni drones they needed to worry about, they would have held their own.

But the Asari continued to advance, her biotics growing brighter and brighter. As she advanced, keeping the squad pinned with the occasional Warp, Shepard found himself wishing that he'd brought more biotic squad members to the table for this mission. A biotic as powerful as Jack, Samara or the Revenant may have been able to counter the Thrall's power, although it was a bit of a long shot. Etarn's biotics were certainly proving useful, but he wasn't as focused on those abilities as the others.

"Commander!" The Batarian's shout pulled Shepard out of the battle haze he was fighting through, killing Rachni without devoting his full attention to the task as he sought to come up with a way to counter the Asari Thrall and the kin that would be sure to follow. "That Asari's going to charge!"

Shepard glanced up to see that the Thrall was indeed performing the motions that heralded a biotic Charge.

"I have an idea!" Etarn continued. "But I need you to clear a path to her."

The Commander nodded, switching from his rifle to the Sonic Cannon. Once the weapon had unfolded, he stepped out and pulled the trigger. The sonic wave blasted out before him, causing a wide cone of Rachni to fall to the ground, screaming in pain. As Zaeed and Jorall set to work killing the stunned aliens, Etarn leapt up, body aglow with biotic power as he began running through the newly opened path towards the Asari.

The Thrall saw the approaching threat, but only sneered. The dark energy around her flared, and she vanished into the motion-blur of her Charge.

Almost in the same instant, Etarn mimicked her, surging forwards with his own Charge. For just a second, two comets of biotic energy screamed towards one another at a blinding pace. With a thunderous boom, the pair collided, once again resolving themselves into the individual shapes of the Batarian and the Asari. Both were sent tumbling away in different directions, the Batarian's body limp as he thudded down onto the floor. The Asari regained her feet quickly, but appeared dazed, unsteady. Sensing his chance, Shepard lifted his rifle and pulled the trigger three times. A trinity of bullet-holes appeared in the Asari's chest, one in the gut, one over her left lung and one over her heart. A final pull of the trigger sent a bullet ripping through her skull, finishing her off.

The Thrall dealt with, the squad rushed forward, Zaeed's rifle and Jorall's shotgun carving a path of destruction through the Rachni until they reached the place where Etarn had gone down. Shepard rushed forward, swiping a curious Worker off the alien's body then administering a shot of Medi-Gel. With a gasp, Etarn returned to consciousness. His four eyes rolled about dazedly, taking in everything around him.

"Well there's something I won't be trying again." He coughed as he struggled into a sitting position.

"You crazy son of a bitch!" Shepard chuckled.

"Seemed like a good idea at the time." Etarn smirked back. "Sorry, Commander."

"Don't be." Shepard said, remembering the words a friend had uttered to him what felt like a very long time ago. "Sometimes, crazy is the best way to go."

"Hah! Wise words, Shepard. Now, did you see where my gun fell?"

Shepard held up the dropped SMG, offering a hand to his comrade to help him up as they turned their attention back to the Rachni horde around them. Shepard's stomach dropped as he realised that more and more indoctrinated Rachni were appearing, their ranks hardly thinned by the squad's desperate fight. It seemed that many Rachni were returning from the sewer network to come to the defence of their Queens. Worse, a large number of Asari Thralls were swiftly approaching, having sensed the deaths of their sisters.

"This isn't going to have a happy ending." Zaeed grumbled as he planted the butt of his rifle in the face of a charging Soldier, reloading the gun at the same time.

Suddenly, a much higher-pitched screech echoed through the cavern above the noise of the charging Rachni and the squad's desperate battle for survival. Like a crimson tide, a wave of red bodies flooded out of the tunnels leading into the cavern. Countless scarlet Rachni poured into the cavern, tearing into the pale horde with gusto. While the defending force was a mix of various types of Rachni, the attackers were all large Soldiers, strong and vicious. Shepard felt a surge of relief in his heart as the scarlet wave pressed in on the enemy, drawing a large amount of attention away from his group. The Rachni that had preceded this new arrival were not reinforcements, but were rather a retreating force. However, there was still the problem of the entire enemy army between the squad and their unexpected reinforcements, an enemy army that was rapidly finding itself hemmed in on all sides and pushed to desperation. With the broiling throng pushing in ever more furiously on all sides, Shepard saw only one path he could take- press on toward their ultimate objective, the relic.

"With me!"

The squad quickly clustered together, following their Commander as he switched to his shotgun, blasting at every Rachni that got in his way. Nurse, Worker or Soldier, all perished as Shepard roared out a battlecry to lead the headlong charge. Even the Biters raining down from above didn't slow his progress, their stinging pincers ignored or rewarded with a quick swat. Nothing stood in the squad's way as the terrible inertia of their charge pushed them onwards. Soon only one Asari remained in their way, her sisters drawn away to the frontline to combat the Noverian Queen's Rachni.

Shepard dodged the first biotic Shockwave, managing to keep his balance as he barged into a Soldier that shrieked as it received a shotgun blast to the torso from the Commander's gun, killing it instantly. Seeing two more Soldiers hurry to fill the gap, Shepard drew his pistol, wielding his shotgun one-handed as he pulled the trigger on both weapons, quickly despatching both targets.

Behind him, Jorall was forced to wrestle with another Soldier. The creature had managed to bull past his defences, a quick lunge with its tentacles grabbing his shotgun and hurling it away. Disarmed, the Krogan grappled with the insect, finally finding the purchase to get his mechanical hand free. With a grunt, he punched the creature in the thorax, breaking through the thick outer shell with ease. His synthetic limb ripped at the hole, soon finding a few vital organs and tearing them loose. The Rachni screeched, then slid to the floor in a pool of its own entrails.

Etarn was using his biotics to create a small bubble around himself, pushing on with it to bull through the insect ranks. His SMG chattered loudly in the confines of the bubble, a spray of bullets ripping out to slaughter countless Workers and Nurses. Behind him, Zaeed charged into the breach, watching the Batarian's back as he used his rifle to send dozens of flaming bullets ripping into the enemy ranks.

The Asari Thrall, seeing the squad making impressive progress, snarled. She lifted her arms, gathering her strength for a Warp Blast. The bolt of biotic energy pulsed in her hands, leaping for with a life that was seemingly its own.

Jorall, seeing the threat, surged forwards, grabbing the Soldier in front of him by the throat and crushing it with barely any effort, then throwing the corpse aside. Omnitool aglow, the Krogan pushed his way in front of his comrades, bringing up the Shadow Broker's shield and swatting at the Warp Blast. The attack, deftly diverted, screamed into a cluster of Rachni, ripping them to shreds in a shower of gore.

"That all you've got?" Jorall roared as he raced towards the Thrall, jumping to place one massive foot on the head of a Soldier in his way, then landing on the brittle body of a Nurse to abruptly end its life. Without pausing, the Krogan dashed onwards to draw close to the Thrall.

The Asari screamed as the mountain that was part-muscle, part machine bulled into her, tackling her powerfully. The pair fell to the floor, grappling against one another in a savage contest. Jorall's arm snapped back before lunging forward in a punch that ended with a sickening crunch, but the buckled ribcage barely slowed the Thrall as she kicked at him savagely. Biotic energies swirled around the duo in a violent storm, quickly scorching the Krogan's armour and skin. With a pop, his synthetic red eye exploded in a shower of sparks, costing him half of his vision. Jorall roared at this, his attacks becoming less refined and more brutal. His teeth gnashed as he felt the incessant irritation in the back of his mind becoming stronger, the Blood Rage that threatened to overwhelm the minds of all Krogan. A surge of blood roared in his ears, drowning out all other noises as his entire world became the single vicious figure wrestling with him.

Shepard watched in awe as the Krogan's head lunged forward, roars becoming more throaty, more liquid as his teeth locked together. The Asari Thrall released one final shriek before going silent. At this, the Krogan warlord's head jerked back, the sickening ripping sound of tearing flesh following the movement. Dangling from his gnashing maw like a scrap of meat in a lion's mouth, the severed head of the Asari screamed silently, hollow eyes betraying the pain and shock of her demise. Without waiting a second, the Krogan tossed the grisly remnant aside, finding the nearest Rachni to vent his rage upon. Realising that in this state he would be more of a threat than an asset to the squad, Shepard chose to let him go off to wreak havoc among the enemy ranks while the rest of the squad pushed onwards.

The trio of Shepard, Zaeed and Etarn pushed further and further into the cavern, drawing closer to the crystal formation at its heart. Finally, they broke through the ring of Rachni that represented the rear ranks of the enemy host. Seeing the terminal nestled in among the Queen burrows, Shepard moved towards the tantalisingly close objective. Behind him, the Human mercenary and the Batarian diplomat stayed close, guns at the ready as they fended off the Rachni that turned from combating the Noverian hive to attack the squad.

Just as he reached the terminal, Shepard became aware of a rhythmic thumping noise escaping from the mouth of the nearest burrow. He tensed, ready for what came next, but even so was completely caught off-guard by what emerged from the waxy artificial cave.

It was a Rachni Queen, as expected, but this one was vastly different to the vulnerable creature he had found on Noveria. It loomed at over four metres in height, easily as long as the Normandy's Nathak. Apparently the wax burrows were only entrances to a much larger compartment within the crystal formation or below the floor of the cavern. Its six legs bowed under the Queen's immense weight, the bulbous body lurching with every step. The two arms that curled up under its body ended in wickedly sharp claws that twitched in anticipation of fresh prey. The tentacles that sprouted from its side curled up over it, ending in the same snapping appendages as the Soldiers, albeit much larger ones. The head, sprouting a crest that almost resembled a crown with its three-pronged fan shape, was lined with no fewer than three sets of eyes that perched above the strange mouth. Egg sacs clung to its back, glistening a pearly white in the dim light of the cavern, hundreds of unborn drones waiting for the Nurses to take them away and hatch them.

The most worrying thing about the Queen, however, was the blatant signs of indoctrination that ran through her body. Lights glowed brightly under her shell, shining through the unhealthily transparent carapace. Wires trailed along her body, some drilling directly into her brain while others found their way into joints and muscles. Her eyes no longer bore the brilliance of intelligent thought, instead dimmed by the haze of subjugation, the imposition of another's will. Scanning her modifications, Shepard realised that the Reapers must have indoctrinated the Queens first in order to turn them into nanite-producing factories to subvert their own offspring. He could only imagine what had gone through their minds as they watched their bodies inflict such horrors on their own progeny at the behest of an outside force, their will-power stolen from them.

Flanking this Queen were two Brood Warriors, identical to her in every way except size, being much smaller. They moved with her, imitating her every step and betraying their linked consciousness.

"Bloody hell…" Zaeed cursed. "This bitch'll take a hell of a lot of killing."

"No backing down." Shepard ordered firmly. "Not now!"

The Commander led the charge, rifle already firing at the nearest Brood Warrior. The creature shrieked at the attack, a sound echoed by it's counterpart and their Queen. The trio turned as one to the Commander, moving to attack.

Shepard dodged the first lunge from a vicious tentacle, pouring yet more bullets into the first creature. Behind him, Zaeed and Etarn added their attacks to his, a Warp Blast and an Incendiary Grenade tearing into the alien and setting it ablaze. In moments, the creature was nought but an ashen husk, burnt to a cinder. At its death, the Queen let forth a pained howl, a sonorous wail that tore through the Commander's very bones.

"I think she's pissed about us killing its boyfriends." Zaeed observed.

"Then take out the other one!" Shepard instructed. "I'll deal with her!"

The Batarian and the mercenary nodded, circling around the Queen to deal with the last Brood Warrior. Shepard, meanwhile, squared off against the monster directing so many of the Rachni that day. Dead, segmented eyes met burning, determined Human ones. As the Rachni Queen roared, stomping forward to crush the Commander, Shepard darted around her feet, dancing away on light feet as she slammed her body into the ground in an attempt to crush him. A tentacle swiped by overhead, nearly catching his head as he ducked. His rifle chattered furiously, ripping into the creature's belly with a stream of Incendiary bullets. The Queen howled as her flesh began to burn, but the flames soon died in the moist flesh, unable to find purchase. The Rachni turned with surprising speed, arm snapping forwards to score a slash across the Commander's chest, the sharp claws scoring a deep gouge in the chest-plate of his armour. Shepard staggered back from the blow, his swift retaliatory burst of fire lacking the sufficient concentration to find a weak spot to bore through. He jumped back another pace as a massive foot stamped down where he had just been standing, then lunged forward, spare hand scrabbling to find a grip on the carapace until it finally found a wire to grab a hold of.

The Queen lifted her leg, shaking it in an attempt to get rid of the Human clinging to it. As he swayed through the air on the chitinous limb, Shepard managed to bring his rifle up, firing directly at the misshapen head. The Queen howled as one of her eyes was ripped open, green blood soon obscuring most of the vision on her right side. The led slammed down forcefully, almost dislodging the Commander as the Rachni writhed in agony. Undeterred by the Queen's writhing, Shepard replaced his rifle on his back, devoting both hands and feet to scaling the monstrous leg. In moments, he'd clambered up to a point where he could leap free, landing squarely on the Queen's back.

The Queen sensed the presence on her carapace, suddenly growing more frantic as she realised the threat the Commander presented. Another wail escaped from her monstrous mouth, her tentacles flailing at the Human on her back. Shepard ducked and dodged, catching a few of the brutal strikes on his forearms and being rewarded with more than a few bruises for his trouble. Soon enough, however, he'd soldiered through the assault to clamber up the wide back until he was perched over the Queen's head. The head snapped about wildly as the body shook to dislodge him, but he managed to dodge the prongs of the crest long enough to allow him to draw his sniper rifle. The Widow unfolded in his hands, unwieldy and awkward, but he managed to keep a grip and his footing. Carefully, he turned the barrel until it was almost pressed up against the thick shell of the Queen's head. Without pausing, he shoved the gun down at the same instant as he pulled the trigger.

The Widow's bullet tore free of the muzzle at a significant fraction of the speed of light, the weapon's mass accelerators adding to its velocity every inch of the way up the barrel. At point blank, with no hope of any kind of barrier to impede its progress, the bullet simply punched through the thick carapace like it was made of paper. Such was the power of the round that it blasted out of the far side, a much larger hole bursting out around it to shower gore onto the floor. The result was instantaneous as the Queen's nervous system flooded with signals, the body contorting and twitching violently. Shepard was thrown off the creature's back as it contorted unnaturally, slamming into the floor with increasing brutality. A scream tore loose from the Queen's throat as she suffered the loss of the majority of her brain, but she was still on her feet. Her mouth gaped open as she stared at the Commander with unbridled rage. She surged forward, ready to kill.

Shepard scrabbled for his Widow, but it had clattered away out of reach. Desperately, he reached onto his back to grab his shotgun. Then weapon snapped around as the Queen loomed overhead. He didn't even wait for it to fully unload, already pulling the trigger.

The first blast struck the Queen in the mouth, ripping out through the top of her head, already weakened by the entry wound of the Widow round. As the Rachni Queen flinched back, Shepard pulled the trigger again, exploiting the wounds to further injure her. By the time he pulled the trigger a third time, the necessary damage had been done. With a low sigh of exhaling breath, the Queen dropped to the floor, dead.

Shepard gasped for breath, heart pumping furiously from the close encounter with death. Looking about, he saw Zaeed hold his rifle up to the second Brood Warrior's head, the creature's legs broken and its carapace battered. A quick blast from the weapon finished it off.

The Commander spun around as a terrible roar broke out among the Rachni behind him. Holding his shotgun at the ready for some unexpected attack, he was amazed to see that a large portion of the enemy Rachni horde had apparently gone mad. Dozens of pale-shelled aliens began attacking their own forces, ripping into anything in their path with equal gusto. Both indoctrinated and free Rachni were fair game for the insane insects, and the depleted ranks soon began to dwindle as they tore one another apart. The scarlet Rachni soon had victory firmly within their grasp, very few indoctrinated drones remaining, and even fewer Asari Thralls. As Shepard watched, a quartet of Rachni Soldiers lunged at one Thrall, hauling her down to rip her to shreds with their claws, oblivious to her indignant screams.

The assured victory soon vanished, however, as yet more monstrous shrieks escaped from the Queen burrows. Yet more Queens hauled themselves into view, their Brood Warriors swarming around them protectively. The hive was facing its last moments, but it would face them with a ferocity few creatures could match. Sighing wearily, Shepard switched back to his assault rifle, retrieving the Widow from where it had dropped during his tussle with the first Queen.

**~o~0~o~**

He tried to open his eyes, but only blackness met his gaze. A harsh cough rose in his throat, a glut of viscous fluid that threatened to choke him. He hacked up the blockage, his actions growing more desperate as he began to suffocate. Finally the blockage came free, a violent retch emptying his throat and allowing cool air to flow into his lungs once again.

Dazed, Urdnot Jorall rolled onto his back, trying to figure out what had happened. The sounds of battle still raged around him, but the fighting had moved away from his location. He could still sense the movements of countless beings around him, the scraping of myriad insectile legs on cool stone.

Light shone, painfully bright to his remaining intact eye after so long facing darkness. Something moved before his face, brushing away whatever had blinded him. Instinctively, the Krogan lurched forward to swipe at whatever it was, but the hazy figure only scuttled back a few paces, where it waited quietly.

Slowly, Jorall's sight returned, his remaining organic eye regaining its focus. His synthetic eye had been broken by his scuffle with the Asari Thrall, but he knew how to made a replacement. It was hardly the first time he'd needed to manufacture spare parts for his own body.

He was covered head to toe in green Rachni blood, not an inch of his armour left unstained. He could even feel it crusting on his face, explaining both the blockage in his throat and why he'd been blinded upon awakening. His shotgun was long since lost, but his pistol had, amazingly, remained in its holster on his hip. Combined with his omnitool, it was sufficient. He paused halfway through this accounting to wince, pain blossoming in his head. The Blood Rage could always leave a Krogan drained, weary. A small price to pay for the unbridled ferocity that could be unleashed, although no Krogan ever willingly entered the state due to the risk both to the Krogan himself and to his allies. There were even tales of Krogan fighting on long after their heart had stopped bleeding, mortal wounds nothing to the raging warriors. Jorall knew this because he had been the eyewitness retelling these stories more than a few times.

Suddenly growing recollecting where he was and what he faced, the old Krogan turned back to the shape that had helped restore his sight. He lurched back a pace as he was confronted by a Rachni Soldier of impressive proportions, eyeing him carefully. The insect twitched under his gaze, sensing that he was a threat. Jorall felt the instinct to kill rise in his brain, but quelled the urge. This creature was scarlet, like the ones Shepard claimed to be allies with. What's more, it was not actively threatening him, a novel experience for a veteran of the Rachni Wars. Sighing, he nodded at the creature, which, now satisfied the Krogan was all right, turned away, scuttling off to rejoin its kin in the now-distant battle.

Jorall scanned the battlefield, taking note of what enemy forces remained. Very few of the drones of the pale hive survived, and those that did appeared to be locked in a struggle with one another rather than the Commander's Noverian Rachni. None of the indoctrinated Asari still lived, although a good few of them had taken on the new task of decorating the cavern, their entrails and purple blood present all around among the scraps of gore that were the remains of the vast army of indoctrinated Rachni.

The scarlet-shelled Rachni, it seemed, had moved the majority of their attention away from the handful of indoctrinated drones that remained, instead assaulting the crystal formation in the middle of the cavern. The Krogan's hearts lurched as he recognised the shapes they fought around that pillar of crystal, the many Queens of this Royal Hive. These Queens appeared to be significantly larger than any Jorall had seen before, the signs of Reaper indoctrination plain in their bodies, although the tech installed in the younger Queens was noticeably more subtle.

Shepard was, of course, in the thick of things, rifle blazing as he attacked the largest Queen he could find. At his side, Massani and the Batarian were busily gunning down the Brood Warriors that flanked the Queen. A smart move, the Krogan had to admit. The loss of her Brood Warriors often enraged a Queen to the point of recklessness, a perfect state in which to outsmart her. As Jorall watched, Shepard raced forwards, placing himself directly below the Queen's oversized head. His rifle fired off a furious volley that tore through the creature's head, quickly killing it. The Commander rolled out from underneath the falling body, leaping onto the back of the Brood Warrior beside her to turn his fire on the back of its head. Before the Queen had finished slumping to the floor, her last Brood Warrior was on his way to join her.

Of the twenty or so Queens that the squad had been told to expect, only a dozen still stood, just under half of the Royal Hive's rulers now stinking piles of flesh and carapace littering the cavern floor. Jorall had to nod in approval. Both the Commander and his pet bugs had been busy while the Krogan had been past the realm of reason.

Suddenly, just as the number of surviving Queens was reduced to nine, a terrible roaring shriek tore through the cavern, chilling the bones of even the sturdy Jorall. As his gut clenched in instinctive anxiety, the Krogan smiled.

"There she is." He muttered, drawing his pistol and activating his omnitool. He began looking about for the source of the noise.

The horrific noise pealed out again, drawing the attention of all present upwards. There, in the centre of the cavern's ceiling, an opening ringed by thick deposits of the Rachni wax flickered as a dark shape passed behind it. There was a brief splintering noise, then both the wax and the stone it was attached to shattered, the opening being widened by whatever was trying to pass through it. Suddenly, entire sheets of concrete rained down as the presence behind the opening slammed into it with added fury, the opening widening to a diameter of over sixty feet. A massive dark shape dropped through this hole, swinging around to scuttle across the ceiling spider-like. It latched onto two of the room's pillars, scaling down them swiftly to reach the floor, achieving all of this in a few short seconds.

The dominant Queen was massive, three times the size of the other Queens. Where the other Queens were sickly in appearance, with transparent shells and hollow eyes, this one appeared to be in much better health, its shell a deep black shot through with a royal blue glow, its eyes sharp and focused. There were no indications of Reaper tech installed in this creature, but then again there was no need for any of it to be external. Egg sacs covered her belly, thousands of unborn Rachni visible through the translucent outer surface. As the Queen took a step, the eggs swayed, a rippling wave passing through them.

The Queen let loose another fear-inspiring shriek, head tilting back as she let loose with her full fury. Her crest, much bigger and more ornate than that of her subordinates, shook from side to side, its multiple prongs waving through the air. After that, all was silent for just a second as the attackers processed the new arrival.

Shepard was the first to react, predictably hurling himself into a charge at the enormous beast. His rifle was already singing before he took his first step, a barrage of bullets aimed at the Queen's head. Behind him, Zaeed and Etarn added to his roar as they followed, weapons blazing. They were soon followed by a tide of scarlet Rachni, squeals and shrieks escaping from dozens of throats as they dove into the attack. Still more Rachni remained behind, going after the remaining subordinate Queens in short order.

Jorall laughed with glee at the sight of the Commander's charge, mirroring it from the Queen's far side all on his own. He felt the blood rush in his veins again, but there was no primal madness behind this, just excitement that he hadn't felt in over a thousand years. He marvelled to realise he was actually having fun, even with the risks he was facing. He'd never have faced this opportunity working with his Krogan kin. Only Shepard could deliver challenges like this. He had to smirk at that. If the Commander had had any more balls, he'd have been a Krogan! With a roar of glee, Jorall dashed towards the unsuspecting Queen's back.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard emptied an entire thermal clip at the monstrous Queen, dismayed to note that not one managed to actually cause any damage, all deflected by the thick carapace. Switching weapons, Shepard pulled the Sonic Cannon off his back, hoping it might affect the Queen as powerfully as it had her offspring. He lunged to one side as the Queen darted forward, feet slamming down to crush her attackers. Fumbling with the weapon, he finally managed to unfold it, turning to aim the device at the creature's head.

The familiar blast of non-sound soon assaulted the Commander's ears, but little happened to the Queen. She swayed a little, seemingly dazed for a moment, but a quick shake of her head and she turned to face the source of the noise, glaring at the Commander. Quelling his dismay at the lack of reaction, Shepard quickly switched back to his rifle.

The Queen used one of her tentacles to swat at the Commander, the thick limb crashing down against the floor hard enough to crack the stone, sending splinters of rock arcing into the air and causing the ground to shiver. Shepard staggered away from the blow, barely dodging the follow-up swipe of the tentacle.

As the Commander leapt and rolled to avoid the furious volley of thrashing limbs, he noticed the Noverian Rachni swarming around to flank the Queen. Feeling a surge of hope, he brought up his rifle to pepper the Queen's head again, keeping her focus entirely on him. The Queen howled with indignation, intensifying her attacks. The floor beneath the Commander's feet quivered wildly, cracks spreading with every impact as the floor began to disintegrate under the assault, the ruptures in its surface making it treacherous to run across.

"Eat lead, bitch!"

The sharp retort of a sniper rifle followed Zaeed's cry, a single bullet tracing a straight line through the air to strike the Queen in one of her many eyes. The bright orb split open, spilling blood and ocular fluid over her head. The Queen shrieked in pain, maw open wide to give full voice to her anger.

Etarn raced up beside his Human comrade, sending off a Warp Blast that cracked the shell covering one of her legs. This done, the Batarian followed up with a second blast aimed at her head, but it had little effect.

Suddenly, the Queen's shrieks became more shrill. Shepard looked over to see that the Noverian Rachni had closed on her, swarming up over the lower portions of her legs. Many had already begun gnawing at the thick carapace, blood flowing from numerous ruptures in her protective hide. The Queen rumbled in anguish as the scarlet Rachni set about disassembling her body, bite by bite.

Too late did Shepard catch sight of the shimmer in the air around her. Blue fire swirled around her body, tendrils of energy collecting in tenuous clusters. Suddenly those tendrils pulled together, intensifying into a thick shell just as Shepard managed to shout out a single warning.

An instant later, the gathered energy blasted out in all directions, a Shockwave of incredible power. All of the Rachni swarming over the Queen were lifted up bodily, hurled away on the tidal wave of dark energy. Some had their carapaces shatter as they struck rock, dying in seconds as their innards spilled across the floor. Others were stunned by the sheer power of the blast or by their collisions with the floor and walls. Shepard, Zaeed and Etarn were swept up by the blast, thrown over a dozen metres away from the monstrous Rachni. Etarn struck the floor with a thud, his skull clacking against the floor to knock him out. Zaeed was similarly despatched, head lolling to the side limply as he rolled to a slow halt on the cool stone floor. Shepard was spared the concussion, managing to land in such a way as to protect his head, although the rest of his body received a thorough beating. The clatter of metal on stone told him that the majority of his weapons had parted company with the holster on his back, the Sonic Cannon, sniper rifle and shotgun being lost in the fall. He groped around for the assault rifle he'd been holding just a second previously, but that had gone, too, torn from his fingers during his efforts to roll when he landed.

Groggily, he reached down to his thigh, relieved to feel the butt of his pistol still there, safe in its holster. Even though the tiny weapon would do little against his target, he was glad not to be completely unarmed. He drew the pistol, glancing around carefully.

The tentacle speared down out of the sky like the wrath of a god, the sharp beak-like appendage on its end snapping hungrily. It struck the floor hard enough to embed the beak in the stone, piercing the Commander's leg in the same instant. Shepard cried out in agony as his own blood poured out across the floor, soon staining the beak-thing crimson. Slowly, painfully, the appendage tightened its grip, retreating back into the air with Shepard in its grasp. Already woozy from the pain and the profuse bleeding, Shepard felt the dizzying surge of blood rushing to his head as he abruptly found himself dangling upside down in the clutches of the Queen's tentacle. Nausea gripped his throat, clenching his neck muscles as he fought the urge to empty his stomach.

The tentacle lifted him up to dangle before the Queen's face, a tender morsel for her to inspect. He watched through the mess of spots blurring his vision as a mouth that could have swallowed a skycar gaped open, ready to swallow him whole. He could already feel the creature's breath on his face.

But Shepard wasn't about to go down without a fight. Resolve tightening in his gut, he lifted the pistol, firing wildly at the Queen's eyes, hoping to at least blind her so his allies had a better chance of beating her.

A shrill roar split the air, seemingly the hundredth one to do so that day. The Queen paused with the Commander mere meters from her mouth, head turning to survey whatever had made the noise. Apparently it wasn't a part of her plans.

Screaming like a demon, another Rachni Queen lumbered into view, pressing herself through the same tunnel that Shepard had travelled down. This one possessed a grey-black hide, a healthy blue-purple sheen running across it. A pattern of lighter spots ran across its body, a pattern Shepard soon recognised even as the clusters of four eyes on either side of the head surveyed the situation, the Queen not even slowing her headlong charge as she changed direction to aim straight for the Illium Queen. This creature was larger than the other subordinate Queens Shepard had fought that day, but was still only about half the size of the Illium Queen, but that did not deter her. Her pounding feet made the ground shake as she pressed on.

The Noverian Queen hit the Illium Queen like a skycar ploughing into another one. Tentacles whipped around in a frenzy as the pair locked together, the Illium Queen slowly toppling to the side under the Noverian Queen's inertia. The tentacle holding Shepard lashed from side to side, soon casting the Commander aside. Once again Shepard found himself rolling across the floor, winded and dazed.

**~o~0~o~**

The Shockwave from the Illium Queen had momentarily floored Jorall, but the hardy Krogan had soon recovered, resuming his charge. He watched with dread as the Queen grabbed Shepard by the leg, drawing him dangerously close to her mouth, then with awe as the new Queen charged in without a second's pause and wrestled her to the ground. Now the two Queens were squaring off against one another, the black Illium Queen injured while the blue Noverian Queen lacked a decent size advantage. The Blue Queen's call challenged the Black Queen's shriek, a battle of sound that neither proved the winner of, then the duo charged at each other again. Mouths snapped and claws scratched as the pair engaged in a brawl that made the very roof quiver.

Shaking his head, Jorall broke free of his awe, resuming his advance. He needed to help in any way he could.

The Black Queen roared as she plunged a beak-like appendage through the Blue Queen's carapace, ripping at her innards viciously. The Blue Queen retaliated with a swift swipe of her own tentacles, knocking her opponent's feet out from under her. As the Black Queen stumbled, the Blue Queen used the leverage to roll over on top of her, briefly pinning her under her weight. Drawing her head back, the Blue Queen plunged forward, powerful jaws ripping at the Black Queen's thorax until her mouth was filled with her enemy's blood. The Black Queen bucked under her, throwing the Blue Queen clear before she stood on shaky legs.

Seeing his chance, Jorall darted in, drawing a Neural Shock Grenade from his belt and attaching it to the Black Queen's rear left ankle. Then, just as quickly, the Krogan raced back out from under the Queen, dodging her heavy footsteps. He pulled another Grenade from his belt, ready for his next chance.

**~o~0~o~**

Medi-gel flooded through Shepard's system, his suit working overtime to heal his injuries. A thick coating of the clear goo already covered his leg wound, stanching the bleeding, and he could feel life returning to his limbs.

Ignoring the pain, Shepard rolled over to sit up, quickly catching sight of the battle between the two Queens. Neither appeared to possess a true advantage over the other, the duo equally matched, but Shepard sensed that that would change soon enough. The Blue Queen had only organic reserves to draw upon, while the Black Queen had been reinforced by Reaper tech, her resilience fortified. The Blue Queen would tire out more quickly. Unless Shepard did something to skew the odds in her favour.

Grunting as he moved, Shepard crawled across the floor to where a small pile of weapons gleamed in the dim light, his lost arsenal. He lifted the Sonic Cannon, thanking whatever deity happened to be listening at the time when the energy readout informed him that he had enough juice for another shot.

Crawling across the floor until he was able to prop himself up against one of the conical mounds and face the wrestling Queens, Shepard brought the Cannon up, taking careful aim. He paused, waiting for his target to line up in just the right way, then released a breath he didn't even know he'd been holding as he squeezed the trigger.

**~o~0~o~**

Jorall dashed under the Black Queen again, planting a fourth Neural Shock Grenade on her middle right ankle. This done, he dashed back to safety, finding cover behind one of the room's pillars. That had to be enough now. Once he'd found cover, he activated his omnitool, keying in a few commands. He paused, waiting for the right moment, then sent the command. In that same instant, the familiar blare of silent noise echoed through the room, the noise of the Sonic Cannon being activated.

**~o~0~o~**

Three things happened in the Black Queen's mind at once. Firstly, she registered the intense pain of the electrical surge shooting up through her legs, sending conflicting signals racing through her nervous system and the multiple implants present beneath her carapace. Secondly, that same sound the Human had created before rang through her head, her sensitive sense of hearing reacting painfully to the noise. This sent waves of confusion and irritation through her mind, making it difficult to think. Thirdly, the joint assault of the noise and the shock silenced the incessant whispering that had dominated her mind over the past few days since the Reaper attack. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, her mind broke free of the overpowering influence of her harsh masters, although it would almost certainly not last.

Seeing her enemy suddenly inexplicably paralysed, the Blue queen at first hesitated to attack. When the Black Queen gave no indication of deception, the Blue Queen darted in, slashing at her daughter with a vicious one-two from her tentacles that punctured several vital organs in her thorax. Before the Black Queen could recover from this, the Blue Queen pressed forward, wrestling her to the ground. The pair scrabbled at one another for just a moment more before the Blue Queen found adequate purchase to push on upwards until she managed to get a hold of the Black Queen's ornate crest. A quick, powerful twist of the Blue Queen's arms was heralded by a loud snap, after which the Black Queen went limp, the light fading from her eyes.

All was silent in the cavern for some time, the only noise being the heavy footsteps of the Blue Queen as she stepped down off her daughter's corpse and plodded across the floor towards Shepard. The Commander, his suit doing an admirable job of fixing him up, struggled to his feet, standing before the Noverian Queen with not a little trepidation. The last time they had spoken, he'd had the security of several inches of military-grade Plexiglas and the controls to a tank of acid between himself and the Rachni Queen. Now, nothing but air separated them.

Footsteps echoed through the cavern, drawing the attention of all present. Back at the cavern entrance, an Asari had appeared, walking towards them quickly. At first, Shepard thought she might be an Asari Thrall, but soon she drew close enough for him to recognise her features. She flashed him a smile as she stepped up next to the Rachni Queen.

"Greetings to you, Commander Shepard. I did not expect to see you again."

"You know her?" Jorall asked, striding up to stand behind the Commander. Etarn and Zaeed took up a position behind him, still rubbing their heads groggily.

"We met briefly here on Illium back when I was hunting down the Collectors." Shepard explained. "She had a message for me, from the Rachni." He turned back to her. "I don't even know your name."

"I was once Namalia, but now I am known as the Mouth of the Rachni." The Asari answered. "I will serve as the conduit through which she may express herself."

"You allow yourself to be possessed by these things?" Jorall asked uneasily, tightly gripping his pistol. "Willingly?"

"Oh yes." Namalia answered easily. "The process is not harmful, to me or to the Rachni, and it can help to defuse situations where a lack of understanding could lead to fear and violence."

She stiffened, her eyes closing tightly. When she opened them, her pupils had expanded to turn them completely black. When she spoke, her voice was her own, but different, strained.

"Shepard, it is good to hear your verse once more." The Rachni Queen said, speaking through the Asari.

"The feeling is mutual." Shepard bowed, trying to show respect.

"We were both drawn here for a purpose, one of which you are all too aware. The sour yellow note returns, bringing in its wake the great silence we all struggle against. Already it has touched both of our races, corrupting the Rachni and stealing Earth. The machines of the black silence continue to move against all verses in the great harmony."

"Great, more loony music-and-colours talk." Zaeed drawled. "Why can't she just say that the Reapers are back to feed us our arses for breakfast?"

"You use such colourless words." The Queen answered, not realising the question wasn't directed at her. "We find it difficult to sing in such a way, but we shall try."

"I spoke to one of your drones in the tunnels above us." Shepard said. "It told us that the Rachni were here to retrieve an artefact, and that the Reapers were after it, too."

"The database." The Queen confirmed. "Long ago the Rachni sought to understand the information locked within, but our lack of knowledge led to the ending of many melodies and the fading of this world's song. Now, the machines of the black silence seek to retrieve this knowledge for themselves."

"How could any artefact be useful to the Reapers?" Etarn asked. "They already built the Mass Relays and the Citadel. Surely anything else would be primitive in comparison."

"I do not know why the originators of the yellow note sought this, only that they will succeed unless it is destroyed."

"Destroyed?" Shepard asked. "Why not use it against them?"

"While the minds of my daughters were cut off from my song, I was not ignorant of theirs." The Queen explained. "The machines gained access to the knowledge earlier this night, which was what encouraged the Sapphire Melody to attack now. We were forced to act before it became too late. Even as we speak, devices left by the machines and used by my daughters take knowledge from the device and send it to Earth."

"Whatever it is, the Reapers were willing to divert resources from the construction of the Sol Relay to retrieve it." Jorall said. "That makes it important enough that we don't want to risk it falling into enemy hands."

"Agreed." Shepard nodded, turning back to the Queen. "How do we destroy the device?"

"The crystal it is built into was once a crystal-based power source. Conditions under the ground have allowed the crystal to grow considerably. Now, the power system is unstable, and very potent. It will be easy to overload."

"Just how potent is this power system?" Shepard asked. "What kind of explosion can we expect if we set it to blow?"

"The explosion will be… considerable. However, the soil overhead will contain most of the blast, although any life-forms within the tunnel network will be incinerated."

"Will we be able to take a copy of the data before we set it to blow?"

"You may, although it is possible that the corruption of the machines will remain within it."

"A risk we'll have to take." Shepard said. "We can't pass up the opportunity that this presents. That information could save lives." He turned to Jorall. "See what you can dig up on that terminal. Take everything. We'll have EDI scrub it on the Normandy, then you can take it apart in the Tech Lab. Once you're done, set the whole thing to blow."

"Shepard-" The Queen's words drew his attention back again. "We would ask you to wait briefly before setting the device to detonate."

"Why?"

"Our- my- daughters. They left behind a number of eggs in the burrows built upon the formation. We wish to reclaim them."

"Can't you lay your own eggs?" Shepard asked, confused.

"Yes, but these are Queen eggs. Queen eggs are rare, especially in this concentration."

"Won't they be infected with Reaper tech?"

"We do not think so. We can hear their thoughts, within their eggs. We do not detect the yellow note within their songs."

"But you can't be sure they're untouched?" Zaeed asked warily.

"…No."

"A clutch of queen eggs could be a valuable resource, Commander." Etarn observed. "Queens can start laying their own eggs in days. You could double the combat potential of the Rachni in under a week."

"Or we could be giving the Reapers a Rachni army to rival our own." Zaeed pointed out. "Better to let 'em burn than take the risk."

"Massani is right, Shepard." Jorall called from the terminal. "Aside from that, even if they are friendly right now, I don't want to have to deal with them after we beat the Reapers. Better to keep the Rachni small and contained."

"We do not intend to fight against the Galaxy again." The Queen countered. "We only wish for peace."

"Tell that to the fifty Krogan in my unit you slaughtered on Jardayal, beast." The warlord grunted, not even looking up from his work.

"This was not our doing! The songs of our mothers were corrupted."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Jorall! Enough!" Shepard barked, unhappy to see his squad-mate baiting the Queen so openly. "Get back to work on that terminal."

"The decision lies with you, Shepard." The Queen said through Namalia's mouth. "Will you allow us to rescue our daughters, or must their song end?"

**Author's Note: Okay, first off, I HAVE NOT PLAYED MASS EFFECT THREE YET. Keep your reviews/comments spoiler free.**

**Now, to discuss the chapter, along with a couple of other things. Firstly, I apologise for taking a while with this chapter. I have just moved house, which took up a lot of my time. I've also been working to restore a completionist Shepard playthrough of ME1 and 2 that was lost to a PC brain fart. On the plus side, that keeps me thinking about Mass Effect and making sure I'm inspired to write. On the down side, it takes up all the time I would normally be writing.**

**As you can guess, this chapter has a vote attached. You can find that on my profile page. Vote will be open until a week Monday.**

**As for the chapter itself, I'm still feeling I could do a little more work to polish it up, but I can't see what so I'll go through it again further down the line. Please let me know if there's anything you think doesn't work/needs re-writing.**

**Finally, my copy of Mass Effect Three should arrive in the post tomorrow(EU release date). I'm looking forward to giving it a whirl, but I have to say that I'm not as excited as I was about six months ago. Something about the marketing has... put me off. Sure, they've marketed the action well enough, but I'm starting to feel that the story quality has been compromised for a number of gimmicks and tropes. Now, I have played the demo, and that's where a lot of my reservations come from. Sure, it was actiony, and the combat certainly feels fresh, but the story element wasn't that strong, and I felt that the conversations were almost completely railroaded rather than interactive (not once did I see more than two options on the conversation wheel, and there was no 'Investigate' branch to follow). Aside from that, what I have learned about the upcoming narrative through accidental spoilage (and a moment of weakness involving the Mass Effect Wiki) only disappoints me. As for the reviews I've read, they all seem to say to me that the game is awesome, but the only reasons they give are because of the pre-existing story told by ME1 and ME2.**

**As you may be aware, story is very important to me. I view stories as living, breathing things that cannot be caged by formulae or corporate expectations. Nothing should interfere with a story's integrity. The moment you force a story to do something that defies its own nature, you kill it, and then you're just moving the corpse of a story around on a page. Everything I've been spoiled about so far tells me that ME3 is defying a lot of what I thought was in the story's nature, particularly in its varied, multi-branching interactivity.**

**I don't know... what do you guys think? Have I set myself up to be disappointed by the actual game? Am I being too harsh? Have those of you who've played it (without mentioning any spoilers) been pleased/disappointed by the story so far?**

**By the way, I realise I should wait to give my final verdict until I actually play the damn thing. This is just how I feel right now. If you guys are interested, I'll post my thoughts on the third game sometime over the next few paragraphs. Or I can keep my mouth shut, if you'd rather.**

**I will be away from my internet for about half of March, due to a trip that'll take me to the chilly climates of Phoenix, Arizona, so don't expect an update over that time, although I will keep writing and hopefully have a couple of things to post when I get back!**

**Oh, before I go, thanks to Just a Crazy-Man, BloodIronAngel, Cropcirc, Liege Lord, Zanros, Raidster, BoomTown5, general-joseph-dickson and Mastermind4892. You guys are the best, thanks so much for your encouraging messages/discussions! I'd also like to throw a quick thank you out there to my Wampa-tipping buddy Alaeti, a friend from a Galaxy Far, Far Away...**

**One last thing: I have set up both a DeviantArt page and a Twitter account to reach more and more readers. You can find me under Fainmaca on both. Makes sense, right?**

**Anyway, I've been boring you with this newspost for long enough now, so I guess I'll cut things off here. Take care!**

**Fainmaca Out.**


	44. 44: Turn And Burn

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

_**Vote Results:**_

_**Save the Eggs: 17**_

_**Leave the Eggs: 2**_

**Chapter 44: Turn And Burn**

Shepard turned away from the Queen, taking a few strides as he considered the choice. How could he rest easy over a decision like this? On the one hand, he could be condemning countless innocent minds to death. On the other, he could permit abominations under the thumb of his enemy to live, to run free among the Noverian Queen's forces. Supposing it turned out that they carried the nanite technology, dormant until they were of the age when their upgrades could be implemented? Aside from that, Jorall was right to fear what giving the Rachni more power could mean. They had threatened the entire Galaxy at one point, necessitating the uplifting of the Krogan. He had no guarantee aside from the Queen's word that, once the Reapers had been dealt with, the insects would not turn on their 'allies'. In the weakened state a war-weary Galaxy would experience, such an attack would be disastrous. But was the risk greater than the potential benefits of having such assets at his disposal? He pondered this for a few seconds more, then turned, delivering his verdict.

"Take the eggs. If the Queens that come from them will help, we need their support."

"Thank you, Shepard." The Rachni Queen replied through her Asari servant. "The Rachni shall not forget this further kindness you have extended to us. For as long as a drone shall live, your verse shall be sung across the stars."

"What?" Jorall erupted, standing a little straighter as he growled. "No!"

"We need these eggs, Jorall. We need the Rachni." Shepard tried to reason with him.

"The Rachni are monsters! Countless warriors of my people shed their blood to eradicate these creatures. I will not allow you to grant them additional strength."

Shepard stepped back as the Krogan's shotgun whipped out, aimed directly at him. Behind the Commander, Zaeed and Etarn drew their weapons, ready to strike in his defence. The Rachni Queen shifted uneasily, her drones moving closer anxiously. Shepard, having faced such a situation many times before, barely flinched, staring down the Krogan's weapon unarmed.

"I gave the Krogan a second chance when I helped cure the Genophage!" He barked, hoping the sharp voice would cut through the alien's bias. "It's through my efforts that you got the chance to forge yourselves into the Empire you have today. If it had been anyone else, they'd have left the Krogan to rot on that burned out planet you call a home! I gave you that chance to make yourselves something more, and now you dare say that the Rachni don't deserve the same?"

"This isn't the same, Shepard." Jorall rumbled back. "My people were uplifted by the Council to save them from the Rachni. My people were betrayed by those that they had saved!"

"And the Rachni were manipulated by our enemy. They're just as much a victim of the Reapers as you are of the Council!" Shepard took a deep breath before continuing. "Like it or not, the Rachni are going to be a part of this alliance, as are the Krogan. You will work together, or we'll all die. Don't you think getting along now will prevent any kind of conflict after the war's over?"

Jorall's fingers tightened around his weapon, his eyes narrowing as the Commander's words broke through his stubbornness and filtered into his mind. Finally, with a sigh, he lowered the gun.

"Fine. We'll do things your way, Shepard." He growled. "But I warn you- if this backfires, I will exact tenfold upon Humanity for every Krogan life it takes to put it right."

"I'd expect nothing less." Shepard said, relaxing. "Now, are you almost done with the device?"

"My omnitool's brimming with data. No idea how we'll decrypt it, but that's a problem for when we get back to the Normandy. I just need to enter the appropriate commands to overload the power source, then we turn tail and get the hell out of this hole."

"Hold off on that until the last of the eggs have been taken out." Shepard instructed, noting that the Noverian drones were moving to raid the Queen burrows on the crystal formation, soon emerging with bulbous shapes cradles in their tentacles as though they were made from precious china. He turned to the Queen. "Once we set this place to blow, the entire tunnel network will be destroyed. You need to get all of your Drones out before that happens."

"We have already begun out retreat." The Queen replied. "Many indoctrinated Drones remain, but they shall fall into silence with the ending of this place."

"I'm sorry." Shepard said. "I wish there was a way to save them."

"Better their verses end than that they continue to corrupt the harmony of the Galaxy."

"If you say so." Shepard conceded, leaving the issue.

This decided, Shepard moved off to examine the rest of the cavern while the Rachni got to work. Behind him, the procession of eggs rising from the heart of the indoctrinated hive continued.

**~o~0~o~**

About a half hour later, the last of the eggs had been dug out of the Queen burrows. The Noverian Queen had long since vanished, joining her Drones in the evacuation of the tunnels. The squad waited for a few moments more to give the Rachni every chance to flee the tunnels. After this, Shepard stood from where he had found a comfortable perch to sit upon on top of one of the conical domes that had been a Worker mound. He nodded to Jorall.

"Set the system to overload. Its high time we were out of here."

"'Bout goddamn time." Zaeed sighed. "I was about to sprout some bloody roots over here."

As the mercenary stood up from a niche he had formed in another Worker mound, wiping off the thick grease that stuck to the back of his armour, the Krogan moved back to the terminal, inputting a series of codes.

"Once I send the final command, we'll have ten minutes to get out of here before the first explosions start ripping through the tunnels." He explained. "Then we'll only have a couple more minutes before everything in here is turned to ash. I recommend making sure we aren't still here when that happens."

"Good advice." Etarn drawled. "Next you'll be saying that we need to avoid all Thresher Nests."

"Don't feel too flattered, four-eyes. I meant the warnings for Massani and the Commander." Jorall smirked. "I'd hoped you'd be so distracted with that kaleidoscope you call your eyesight that you'd miss what I said."

"Cute, but then you'd have nothing but ugly aliens to keep you company on the Normandy." Etarn shot straight back. "Face it, big guy. You need me."

"I guess." Jorall laughed. "Gotta break up the Human monotony somehow."

"You know, we're standing right here, arsehole." Zaeed interjected, pointing to himself and Shepard.

"We know." The Krogan's brow rose innocently. "Why do you think we brought it up?"

"Very funny, guys." Shepard said, folding his arms across his chest. "I hate to break all of this up, but we really need to get moving. Jorall, wipe this place off the map."

"With pleasure."

The Krogan slapped the console one final time, then leapt back as a shower of sparks fountained up out of it. In that same instant, the cavern was filled with a sharp ringing noise as the crystal began to shiver, the wax-like material coating it dropping off in large chunks as cracks split it apart. Seconds later, even sharper shrieks tore through the tunnels leading into the cavern, followed by the noise of countless insectile feet hurrying in the squad's direction.

"What's going on?" Etarn asked sharply.

"Come on!" Zaeed retorted. "After all the time you spend with us you've still gotta ask when things go down the crapper?"

"I'm guessing that these are the indoctrinated Rachni that the Queen informed us still lived." Jorall explained.

"But we got rid of their Queen." The Batarian protested. "Doesn't that remove all direction?"

"Direction, yes. Instinct, not so much." Shepard replied, nodding for his comrades to follow him as he rushed towards the nearest tunnel. "And right now, their instincts are telling them to protect the heart of their hive."

The squad hurried onwards, soon finding themselves in the tunnels once more. In moments, the passageway ahead of them boiled with Rachni, the shrieking insects throwing their bodies in the way of the squad's fire in an effort to kill the intruders.

Shepard stepped back, going shoulder-to-shoulder with Zaeed in blocking the tunnel as their rifles roared, bullets tracing bright white lines through the darkness ahead before finding Rachni bodies without fail, so thick were the enemy ranks. Over the duo's shoulders, Jorall and Etarn used their omnitool and amp respectively to hurl a variety of gravitational and technological attacks at the enemy, soon filling the air with the stench of cooked flesh and the ash of disintegrated insects.

It wasn't long before the oncoming swarm soon powered past the initial defence, the sheer volume of bodies surging along in a thick wave proving too much for the squad's attacks. Shepard switched from his rifle to his shotgun, the blasts from the weapon's wide muzzle taking out the Rachni two or three at a time.

"This'll put 'em on their arse!" Zaeed yelled as he fired off a Concussive Shot that buckled the legs of a pair of Soldiers, the blast of compressed air cracking their shells open.

"Commander!" Jorall's shout drew Shepard's attention as the Krogan pointed back down the tunnel behind them. There, a new tide of Rachni boiled up towards the surface, quickly closing in on the squad and leaving them surrounded. In moments, screeching insects crowded in on every side. As they did so, Shepard felt a tremor pass through the floor beneath his feet, a shiver that ran into and through his bones.

"We're running out of time." He said over the noise of the battle, quickly switching the thermal clip in his weapon. He turned to the last member of his troupe, meeting the Batarian's eyes. "Etarn! I need you to clear us a path!"

Etarn nodded, glancing forward as his four eyes narrowed, gauging the distances involved. A blue cloud gathered around his body, pulsing as he unleashed the gathering power in a single burst. In that instant, the Batarian vanished in a flash, becoming a column of bright light ripping its way directly into the Rachni ranks. Soldiers were cast to either side in a wave that followed the brilliant star tearing its way up the tunnel, Nurses burst open where they stood under the sudden attack, and one Worker even found itself split into two symmetrical halves as one piece was dragged along in the wake of the biotic force, a long smear of blood on the floor being the only thing to link the two pieces.

Jorall immediately followed him, his bulky physique allowing him to barge through any of the remaining stunned creatures before they could fully recover. Zaeed soon followed with his rifle at the ready to gun down any Rachni that remained, while Shepard brought up the rear, barely glancing over his shoulder as he waved his rifle around recklessly, finger keeping the trigger held down to keep up a constant stream of fire aimed back at the Rachni following the squad.

In no time at all, Etarn had Charged his way through the Rachni throng, finally emerging into the cool night air. The rest of the squad closely followed him, gunning down what insects had escaped from the tunnels ahead of them and pinning the rest of the Rachni down inside the sewer entrance, trapping them. Underfoot, the ground continued to shiver as vast energies built up far below.

"While we should be safe enough now that we're topside, I wouldn't recommend staying anywhere near the sewers." Jorall shouted over the gunfire.

"Agreed." Shepard nodded. "Fall back to the camp!"

Still firing back at the tunnel entrance to ensure the Rachni couldn't escape, the squad moved away from the entrance, clambering up piles of rubble to get well clear. Suddenly, once they had reached a distance of roughly a hundred metres, jets of flame shot into the air, escaping from every possible hole in the sewer network. A vast pillar blazed brightly over the entrance the squad had just vacated while even tiny cracks in pipes running by the Commander's feet sprouted their own miniature infernos. The screeches of countless dying Rachni filled the air, muffled slightly by the ground between them and open air but still just as ear-splitting and spine-chilling. Then, just as quickly as the flames began, they ceased, the ground in a vast radius sagging as something collapsed underground. The screams of dying monsters were soon replaced by the thunderous rumble of shifting debris as the Illium landscape changed once again at the hands of an outside influence. Dust rose into the air in white plumes, mingled with the stench of cooked flesh. Shepard winced at the foul smell, suppressing the lump that rose in his throat.

"Ugh." Zaeed grunted. "There's a smell you don't wanna have to face at the end of a long day."

"What's wrong, Massani? Losing your stomach for war in your old age?" Jorall grinned. "In my day, we used to roast Rachni legs over an open fire after a long day's killing. It became quite the delicacy, before we made the species go extinct."

"Is there anything you Krogan won't eat?" Etarn asked with a sigh.

"Nothing that we've discovered as of yet." Jorall said happily. "We're a hardy people. Bellies of steel and throats of titanium!"

"Come on." Shepard said, smiling as his comrades joked with one another. "Time we were getting back to the camp."

**~o~0~o~**

"'Bout time you got back here." Aethyta grumbled as the squad trudged wearily through the camp's borders. Putting down the water filtration pump she had been working, the matriarch stood, dusting off her hands.

"What have we missed?" Shepard asked.

"Plenty. First some Vorcha showed up, saying that the 'Hyu-man Shepard' had promised them food if they helped guard our camp, then your friend, the girl, shows up with another load of refugees, as well as a clutch of the ugliest looking babies I've ever seen. The Vorcha said they were theirs, seemed pretty happy to get 'em back. Next thing we know, a whole bunch more Vorcha showed up"

"An attack?" Shepard asked. "Another gang raiding you for supplies?"

"We thought so at first, but apparently your friends sent out a runner to round up what was left of the other gangs. Now we've got a small army of 'em patrolling the borders for us. I've still got my people watching them, but at least we can afford to relax a bit now."

"There have been no more Rachni attacks?" Etarn asked, glancing around to size up how the camp was faring.

"Just the one, right after the Vorcha showed up." The Asari answered. "We held 'em off well enough. Only lost a couple more people. Hey, you know your buddy, the dumb one? He did a good job helping out, patching up the wounded and so on. He's been making himself quite useful."

"Really?" Shepard asked, genuinely surprised.

"Yeah. At first he looked so down over the whole incident with the mercs that I thought he might do something stupid, but I think that what you said to him really hit home, got him to sit up and pay attention to how dangerous things are around here. He's leaving the guard work to the people with training and experience now. Last I saw he was working with the medics in their tent."

"That's…" Shepard struggled to find the right words to express himself. "That's good to hear. I'm glad."

"The kid's heart is in the right place." Aethyta said with a smile that carried just the hint of fondness. "His head, on the other hand…"

"I know what you mean." Shepard agreed. "I'll be sure to stop by and see how he's doing before I go."

"So you're leaving, then?" Aethyta asked. "Your work here is done?"

"We found a hive of Rachni in the sewers. They had been corrupted by the Reapers, indoctrinated to do their bidding."

"When you say they 'had' been indoctrinated, I take it that means they're no longer a problem."

"Indeed. The Commander has slain the corrupted Queens and silenced the songs of all of their children."

Shepard and his team spun at the voice, glancing out into the shadows as the form of Namalia appeared, looming out of the darkness like a pale blue ghost. Flanking her on either side, two Rachni approached cautiously.

"What the hell…?" Aethyta's eyes narrowed, then widened in surprise. She spun, yelling for her guards. "Rachni in the camp! We're under attack!"

"Wait!" Shepard lifted his hands to calm her. "These are friends. They mean you no harm."

All around, Asari, Vorcha and Humans appeared from tents, all grappling with hastily grabbed weapons. In moments, the squad and the newly arrived Rachni were surrounded, the serene Namalia at the centre of the confusion. Desperate not to ignite a new battle, Shepard stepped in front of the new arrivals.

"Stop!" He yelled over the rising sounds of anxiety. "These Rachni are not your enemies! They belong to a hive that helped us fight the ones who attacked you. They are our allies."

"Bullshit." Aethyta spat. "They're beasts that should have been killed off over a thousand years ago! You have no idea how many friends and loved ones we've seen carried off by these things!"

"Aethyta, listen to me! These Rachni are willing to help us fight the Reapers. Their ancestors were manipulated into fighting against the Council, just like those that were attacking today were manipulated. The Queen that commands these Drones has sworn to help us win the war in order to avenge her species."

"The Commander speaks the truth." Namalia said. "The Rachni swarm wishes you no harm. We only wish to pledge our aid to your reconstruction efforts."

"How are they making her say that?" Aethyta asked, not letting her guard slip for an instant.

"It's how they communicate with other species." Shepard explained. "They don't have vocal chords like we do, but they can… 'interface' with an Asari to use her as a sort of mouthpiece. Namalia voluntarily serves as the mouthpiece of this Queen."

"They can possess people?"

"Not exactly. They can issue commands to the individual's nervous system, but they need to be willing or weakened targets to act upon the commands. The first time I spoke to the Queen was through a dying commando. Now, Namalia voluntarily serves as her ambassador to other species."

"Alright…" Aethyta finally acceded. "Say we believe you, what do you mean by aiding us in our reconstruction efforts?"

"We know of a location that is better suited to form a camp at which survivors can gather." Namalia explained.

"You want us to move camp? Where?"

"The foundations of the second Dantius Tower."

"You're kidding." Shepard chuckled hollowly.

"Rachni do not jest, Commander." Namalia turned back to Aethyta. "The Tower remains unfinished, meaning that it was largely ignored during the bombardment. The upper levels were destroyed, but the foundations are intact, including the water and power connections that were almost completed at the time of Nassana Dantius' demise. It required next to no effort for the Rachni to complete these connections, creating an inhabitable space. The foundations also offer an easily defendable location and adequate shelter."

"It is amazing that the foundations endured the upheaval." Etarn commented.

"No, that makes sense." Aethyta responded. "A new building like that would have had all the latest innovations to keep it safe during ground-quakes and the like. Plus, Nassana didn't like to cheap out on any of her indulgences, so you can bet she got the best available. Add that to the fact that a construction site would be ignored in favour of taking out complete structures, and its possible the bugs are telling the truth."

"If what they're saying is correct, you would have power and, above all, clean water for your camp." Shepard explained. "Given the fact that a single glass of water is a risk here, you can't afford to pass this up."

"I won't entrust the lives of everyone in this camp to a bunch of damn bugs that were trying to kill us not two hours ago." The Asari snapped.

"Aethyta," Shepard said calmly. "Think about this. How long will it take for the Council to authorise any kind of relief efforts? You've had to deal with the other Matriarchs in the Republics, how long do you think they'll deliberate over how much Illium is worth to them before you see a single relief shuttle arrive?"

The Asari sighed, rubbing at her eyes wearily.

"Too damn long." She admitted. "By the time they pull their heads out of their asses and decide to help, we'll either have starved to death or died of disease." She glanced up, eyeing the Rachni and their spokesperson cautiously. "Okay, Shepard. We'll do things your way. Tell your insect buddies we'll move to the Tower as soon as we can pack up here."

"Our hive will be more than glad to assist you." Namalia swore.

"Yeah, thanks." The Matriarch grumbled.

**~o~0~o~**

News had already spread through the camp, tents being swiftly disassembled as supplies were loaded up into crates as Shepard approached the medical tent. One inventive team of Salarians had managed to gather together enough skycar parts to cobble together a hovering loading cart that was being used to move several tonnes of scavenged supplies and salvaged belongings about swiftly, while the rest of the camp vanished almost before the Commander's eyes.

The rest of the squad was committed to helping with the move, the Nathak buzzing back and forth between the new and old campsites with supplies too heavy and bulky to move across the ground. The Commander, meanwhile, had been helping on the ground, tending to issues before they became full-blown problems, even once helping a Vorcha mother round up a trio of her yowling young that had managed to scramble away from her protective grasp. Now, he found himself standing in the midst of a rapidly disintegrating settlement, ducking swiftly into the medical tent to pay a visit to an old friend.

Inside, the Vorcha known as Gruk snarled as he tugged against the restraints that had been hastily tied around him by the medics that now leaned over him. The burly Vorcha growled, shying away from the array of medical equipment being brandished in his direction.

"Gyaaagh! You keep away from Gruk!"

"Gruk, if you don't sit still and let me treat this you'll get an infection and lose the whole arm!" To Shepard's amazement, the medic leaning over the alien and speaking those calm but commanding words was none other than Conrad Verner, although he seemed completely different from the young man overflowing with enthusiasm Shepard had first met a lifetime ago on the Citadel. Unfazed by the Vorcha's almost rabid behaviour, he continued working on the alien's injury. Moments later, he was done, turning away as Gruk was set loose. Finally, he caught sight of Shepard, flinching a little in surprise.

"C-Commander! I didn't see you there." He glanced down at his tools, soiled with reddish-orange Vorcha blood. "A-are you here for-?"

"Relax, Conrad." Shepard assured. "I'm only dropping by to see how you're getting on."

"Oh. Well, okay, I suppose." Conrad looked about.

"You seem to be doing pretty well in here." The Commander observed.

"Yeah. I'd never have thought I could be a medic, but the work really seems to suit me." He agreed. "I feel like I've got a place to belong, a place where I can do something that matters."

"Sounds like you've found your calling." Shepard said.

"I think I have." Conrad smiled. "I used to think that the only thing that mattered was being out there, on the front lines for everyone to see, but now I understand- you guys need people back here, doing jobs like this just as much as you need a soldier at your side, blasting at the enemy! I don't need to be a poster boy for Humanity, or the face the aliens see when they look at the Alliance. I can do just as much good at an operating table in a little tent back at base! I- I don't think I'd have realised that without you, Shepard."

"I'm proud of you, Conrad." Shepard smiled, his words swelling the young man's chest. "There are too few people in this Galaxy who understand that."

"…This is it, isn't it?" Conrad asked cautiously. "I know you didn't just drop by to see how I'm doing at patching up Vorcha. You're leaving, aren't you?" He waited for the Commander to nod. "And with the Reapers dropping down on our heads, you probably won't be coming back." A sad shake of the head. "I see."

He paused, taking a deep breath.

"I'd ask to come with you, but there's a greater need I can fill here, so I guess I'll have to settle for wishing you luck." He stepped back, saluting with a crisp sharpness that would have brought a tear to the eye of any one of Shepard's old drill sergeants. "Look after yourself out there, Commander. Know that wherever you go, whatever happens, the Shepards will remember your name, as will every single one of the survivors on Illium. We all owe you our lives, probably for more than we'll ever know."

"Take care, Conrad. It's been an honour to know you." Shepard returned the salute, noting the slight quiver to the young man's lip at the gesture. Their farewells said, they turned from one another, the Commander stepping out into the grey light of dawn. Sighing, he strode away to find his shuttle. The battle for Illium was over, but there were many more wars that had to be fought.

Moments later, the Nathak flashed through the sky on its way back to the Normandy. Every member of the refugee camp gazed up from amidst the ruins of Illium, among them Commander Shepard's teary-eyed number one fan. Once the shuttle had disappeared, the camp got back to the basic task of surviving in the harsh world the Reapers had left to them.

**~o~0~o~**

"Commander! Glad you came back in one piece." Joker greeted warmly as Shepard strode into the cockpit. The pilot spun in his chair, smile wide on his face. The smile soon froze, then faded as his nose wrinkled. "Uhh… what the hell is that smell?"

Shepard paused, brow creasing in confusion, then he looked down at his armour, realising it was still coated in the blood of the countless Rachni he had slain.

"We ran into Rachni hiding underneath Nos Astra. They'd been indoctrinated." He explained. "Things got a little messy."

"Uh-huh? And at no point during your time spent playing exterminator did you think 'hey, maybe I wouldn't need to do this if I'd killed that Queen on Noverian like I was supposed to!'?"

"This was a different Queen. In fact, our old friend helped us to take her down." Shepard paused, glancing out of the forward viewport. "Not sure what we'd have done if she hadn't been there. Killing that Queen on our own would have been a class A pain in the ass."

"I guess. Don't let Wrex hear about it, though." Joker chuckled. "Can you imagine what he'd have to say if he heard about you needing the help of a Rachni?"

"I get enough 'told-you-so's from Miranda, thank you very much." Shepard chuckled.

"I hear you." Joker laughed. "So, where we headed now?"

"Set a course for those co-ordinates Etarn gave you. He's got an appointment with the Batarian government that can't wait."

"Ah, jeez, you take us to the best places, don't you? A Krogan civil war, a Reaper blockade, a planet filled with killer insects, and now the heart of Batarian space? Are you trying to get yourself killed again?"

"There was a really cute angel on the other side." Shepard shrugged with a broad smile. "I need to get her number."

"I'm telling Ja-ack." The pilot sang as he spun back to face his console.

The Commander chuckled, turning away as the Normandy shifted under his feet, breaking free of her orbit around Illium as she set a course for the nearest Mass Relay. He paused, suddenly remembering something.

"Make sure that our course takes us past Delessa in the Minui system." He called to Joker. "About time we sent a team to deal with that matter Udina asked us about."

"Did you figure out who you want to head up that op?"

"Yeah. I figure Garrus is ready for an outing on his own. He's got the skills to head up an operation, and everyone respects him."

"Makes sense." Joker paused, scanning the map on his console. "Okay, EDI's plotted a path that takes us right past Delessa. ETA, two days. After that, it'll take us another day to get to the Eye of Tor'lakht."

"Perfect." Shepard nodded. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I really need to go take a shower."

"Or three. That's the kind of stink that ain't going to go away in a hurry."

Chuckling, Shepard proceeded down the corridor towards the CIC. As he strode around the Galaxy Map, he was greeted by Kelly's ever-cheerful features. The yeoman waved a greeting as the Commander approached.

"That was some incredible work down on Illium, Commander. Elanie's been telling the crew all about it. For the sounds of things, you're single-handedly responsible for saving the lives of all of those survivors down there."

"They're a tough lot. I think they have got on just fine without me. All I did was give them a helping hand."

"I see… and what would they have done about the Rachni?" Kelly smiled warmly, patting him on the shoulder in a reassuring gesture. "You're far too modest, Shepard. You never like to admit just how much everyone owes you, or how much they need you."

"Maybe I like to entertain the fantasy that someday I won't be needed. Then I could finally retire."

"And do what? Build a boat?" Kelly laughed, a soft, tinkling noise that filled the CIC pleasantly. "I don't think you'll ever stop being a hero, Commander. It's in your blood. Even if you did settle down on some tropical planet on the edge of civilised space, you'd only end up discovering a tribe of primitive beings that need protecting from a Council corporation, or you'd end up being called in to put out the bushfires that keep springing up throughout the Galaxy. And you'd do it with a smile on your face, because deep down, you love it."

"…Have I ever mentioned how annoying it is that you know me so well, Kelly?" Shepard smirked. "It can be pretty scary just how good you are at this job."

"Oh, Shepard!" Kelly laughed again. Pushing him playfully.

"So, any news for me?"

"Well, Miranda submitted a request to speak with you at the first opportunity. I told her you'd need to rest after your mission, but she seemed to think the matter was important."

"She still awake?"

"Yes. Last I heard she was working with Legion, taking stock of our engineering supplies and the like. Accounting stuff."

"If it were anyone else, I'd say they'd appreciate the break, but with Miranda…" Shepard chuckled. "She'd be pissed at me for interrupting her while she's performing an important task."

"Aw, be nice!" Kelly chided.

"Alright." Shepard conceded. "Anything else?"

"You've got a few messages on your private terminal. One in particular was deeply encoded, the other one came through on Council channels."

"I'll go take a look." Shepard nodded. "Thanks, Kelly."

"It's always nice chatting, Commander. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a dozen psyche evaluation reports to finish up before I go off-shift."

"Oh? Should I be worried?"

"Not at all. I just finished my analysis of Elanie, actually. She's a wonderful person. Quite shy, a little bit awkward around people, but very motivated when it comes to AIs. She's very protective of that program she carries with her, Sykes. The relationship is almost maternal."

"She did help create him. Then she ran away from Cerberus to protect him. Makes sense to me that she'd share a strong bond with him."

"True. It makes me sad we don't see this kind of thing happen between the Quarians and the Geth. If only they'd cared for their creations rather than fearing them…" She shook her head, clearing the thoughts away. "Anyway, I think that Elanie will be a solid addition to the team, but I think she's a little too isolated. She's nervous in social situations where she has to be herself, more at home with technology than with people. It may be worth your time to try to get to know her, encourage her to break out of that shell."

"I'll bear that in mind." Shepard said. "Take care, Kelly."

"And you, Shepard."

This exchange over, Shepard moved to the other side of the map, stepping up to his private terminal. In moments, he'd accessed his extranet address, pulling up his message list. The first entry soon caught his attention, the message that had come in across Council channels. He opened it, finding himself faced with a video from none other than Councillor Tevos. Without hesitation, he played the message. A flickering hologram of the Asari Councillor flared into being before him.

"Shepard, I hope that this message finds you well. Things are moving apace here on the Citadel. It finally seems as though Velarn and Fahos are ready to admit the threat presented to the Galaxy as a whole. They're still dragging their heels about committing resources to the effort to reclaim Sol, but their attitudes are shifting.

"But that's not why I am calling today. I wanted to let you know that salvage efforts on Thessia are in full swing, with the pieces of the Reaper that perished being gathered up and sent to a remote facility for analysis. Don't worry, the lab equipment is fully mechanical and regulated from a distance of several light-years to protect the minds of the scientists working on the debris. The risk of indoctrination is minimal, and we're most definitely not underestimating it.

"In addition, our shipyards have been working at full capacity to replicate Athame's Shroud. We already have enough orbital platforms to create a defence net around two planets. The land-based weaponry is taking longer to produce, but we hope to have a sizeable complement completed soon. It is our intent to deploy identical systems around Sur'kesh and Palaven, as well as having a system ready for deployment during any initiative to retake Earth. We've seen the effectiveness of a co-ordinated defence in fending off a small Reaper force, so hopefully we can attain a similar effect on a larger fleet when the system is backed by a united organic armada.

"I've also been informed of Udina's idea to have you carrying out tasks for the Council in addition to your ally-gathering duties. I applaud his reasoning on the matter, even though I feel it is not an effective expenditure of your resources. Regardless, he has requested I pass on any tasks that may help raise your standing with my colleagues. To this end, I'm sending you details on one Kornis Trudd, a weapons dealer out in the Terminus who has been a thorn in the side of the Council. We're not asking you to hunt down and kill him, as he is in control of a very large and well-organised network of operatives. Rather, we need one of your operatives to infiltrate his main base and hack into his computer networks to retrieve a list of contacts that C-Sec can target simultaneously. Do this, and you'll help topple a criminal organisation that funnels billions of credits away from the legitimate authorities every year. That will definitely earn you points with Councillor Fahos.

"Good luck, Shepard. Goddess knows, you need it."

The message ran to its end, finishing with a burst of data that gave Shepard the co-ordinates and certain key details about the target. The Commander saved these to his omnitool, deciding to deal with them later. He needed to take care of the mission to Delessa first. This done, he opened the second message, which boasted some fairly advanced encryption. Once his terminal had finished unlocking the message, Shepard was surprised to note that it was from a very unexpected source.

_Shepard,_

_You may not wish to hear from me, especially after the ill feeling between us at the end of our last encounter, but I felt it prudent to keep you updated on Cerberus' activities over these past few weeks._

_Our fleets are almost ready for deployment, having installed the latest upgrades available thanks to a surprising show of co-operation from Doctor T'Soni's network. The Gravity Cannons in particular have been installed aboard our largest vessels. We also remain ready to implement any other advances you may wish to forward on to us._

_I have nominated Armistan Banes to lead all of our forces in any co-ordinated effort with the other fleets you have been amassing. I understand you may be reluctant to trust him with this, but he does possess a very keen tactical mind and he commands the respect of our ship captains. I believe that this will be the best use of his talents while maximising the potential of Cerberus forces._

_Cerberus is not the evil entity you assume us to be, Commander. We only ever serve to advance Humanity's interests, no matter the cost. You must understand, we've only ever acted with the best of intentions. I hope you will realise that in the battles to come. For what it's worth, Cerberus is proud of what you have achieved for Humanity, regardless of your distaste for our message and methods._

_Be careful out there, Shepard. Humanity is counting on you for our very survival._

The message had no signature, not that it needed one, the Illusive Man's style being instantly recognisable. Shepard's features creased in distaste at the news that Banes had managed to keep his prestige intact, even after trying to sacrifice the Illusive Man to save his own skin, but he had to admit that a seasoned veteran like Banes was a sensible choice to lead one's forces. Sighing, Shepard filed the message away, checking through the remainder of his inbox, quickly casting the messages within aside, most of them being adds for the latest performance enhancements, both chemical and otherwise, or one advertising a dating site specialising in arranging Hanar-Quarian pairings, which sent his brow upwards sharply. Driven by a devilish indulgence, he quickly sent that message out via an encrypted carrier to hide his involvement, directing it to Jano's address. He smirked as he shut down his terminal, turning to face the doorway leading into the Tech Lab.

The group that was known to the normal crew as the Normandy's 'Brain Train' had gathered around the Tech Lab's workstation, analysing the vast tracts of data scrolling through multiple holographic displays that hovered above the table. Standing closest to the display, eyes narrowed as his hands grasped the edge of the table, Jorall let out a sigh of partial frustration, partial excitement. Behind him, the Revenant and Legion ran data through their omnitools, each appearing equally stumped. Elanie was stationed at the terminals against the side wall, running a wide variety of diagnostic programs. Striding through the midst of this medley was Mordin Solus, chin cupped in his hand while he paced about contemplatively.

"Does not make sense. Have most advanced translation and decryption programs in this lab. Should have produced results by now!"

"Face it, Salarian. This tech is beyond you." Jorall sounded particularly happy at the fact, his tone ever so slightly gloating.

"Will not admit defeat. EDI, begin process number two-four seven nine." Mordin spun on his heel, still pondering the puzzle before him. "Possible data is stored in different sensory medium than text or video. Sonic data storage could be used to transmit tactile information, if combined with twelve tetra-bit compression analogue and- no, no, no! Signal would destabilise with any transmission over twenty bytes in size. Would need-"

"We apologise for the interruption, Solus-Doctor." Legion chimed in. "But our runtimes calculate that the process would be possible if signal stability was bolstered by additional data being transmitted through an ancillary bandwidth, enabling data prioritisation."

"Appreciate input, Legion." Mordin said through tight lips. "However, not an apprentice during first years of training. Already factored possible workarounds into theory, realised that splitting the signal would cause potentially vital data to be lost as signal intensity is diminished."

"I agree with the Geth." The Revenant said. "The workaround seems viable."

"Risks losing data!" Mordin countered. "Will not forsake potentially vital information on basis of one Geth's hunch."

"What? You afraid that the bot is going to show up the architect of the Genophage mod that would have kept my people in the Dark Ages for another few hundred years?" Jorall's voice was growing harsher. "These machines nearly took my homeworld from me. We can't afford to piss around while they gather the strength to try again. Run the necessary programs and get that data out."

"Cannot intimidate me over work on Genophage." Mordin replied sternly. "Responsible for complete cure, helped ensure dispersal to Krogan people!"

"It's alright for you, your home remains safe and untouched in your chunk of galaxy." Jorall pointed a finger accusingly at the professor. "My people may still die out after your plague drove us to the brink of extinction. We can't afford to risk another attack if we are not prepared to mount a proper defence. To do that, we need this data."

"I agree with Mordin." Elanie said. "We should be more cautious about what we do with this data. Once it's lost, it's lost."

"Nothing is gained by just letting it sit there." The Revenant said.

"Agreed." Jorall said, turning to a holographic interface. "AI, run the necessary programs."

"EDI, belay order, authority of Chief Science Officer Mordin Solus." The professor snapped.

"Snivelling Salarian!"

"Krogan Cloaca!"

"Enough!" Shepard yelled, stepping forward as Jorall and Mordin's faces came to within mere inches of one another, their narrowed pupils beaming pure venom at each other. The entirety of the Normandy's science staff stepped back as the Commander entered the room. "What is going on here?"

The assembled team looked down at their shoes as one unit, none wanting to meet their Commander's eyes and feel compelled by his gaze to confess everything. Shepard sighed at this.

"Just how are we meant to fight the Reapers is you guys can't even decide on how to figure out their technology and tactics?" He demanded. "I'm trying to create a united front to fight this war, and I can't even count on my own team to help promote that unity?"

"…Yes, you are correct." Mordin sighed. "Apologies, Shepard. Was allowing pride to guide my reasoning."

"Jorall?" Shepard prompted.

"Fine, Commander." The Krogan said reluctantly. "We'll play nice."

"Good." Shepard sighed with relief. "Now, have you found out anything at all?"

"Precious little." Elanie admitted. "EDI and Sykes are running all kinds of scans, but they're getting nowhere. Its even more complex than the Reaper IFF you have onboard. Whatever's on their, its telling us that the Reapers either wanted it kept as safe as possible or they were really more exotic than anything we've encountered."

"To be fair, giant space insect robots fit the description of 'exotic' down to a tee." Shepard smirked.

"True, but this encryption is centuries beyond even our most advanced technologies." The Revenant countered. "Frankly, the fact that the Rachni were once able to access a portion speaks volumes to the value of a hive mind in this aspect. No wonder they almost subdued the Galaxy."

"EDI?" Shepard turned his face upwards to address the ship. "Don't you have some Reaper codes stored in your Blue Box for analysis? Can't they shed some light on what we've got here?"

"I am comparing the Reaper codes Cerberus retrieved from Sovereign's remains against the data collected on Illium. However, the terminal in the Rachni hive contained a significant amount of information. Comparison will take some time."

"Estimates?"

"There are some Council scientists who have been working with less data for over three decades."

"We can't afford to wait that long." Shepard felt the frustration build in his throat. "Legion, is there some way we could use the Geth Collective to analyse this data? A mind the size of a Galactic Arm would be a big help."

"Long-range data transfer is inefficient." The Geth explained in its flat monotone. "A direct physical linkup at one of our primary hubs would be necessary to securely transfer this information."

"Where is the nearest primary hub?"

"All primary hubs are located within Creator Space. The closest location is a former Creator colony known as Falk'hare. Estimated transit time via Mass Relay from our current location- eighty-three hours, forty-seven minutes, four seconds."

"That's a round trip of about a week." Elanie commented.

"We have too many other things on our plate to make a diversion like that on the off-chance that we'll get something valuable from this data." Shepard answered. "The Reapers could move on another homeworld in less than a week. We have to find another way."

In that moment, the Tech Lab doors opened, Kaidan stepping through with Falere in tow. Upon seeing the Tech Lab occupied, the former Alliance soldier nodded an apology.

"Sorry to disturb you, Commander. We'll come back later."

"Wait!" Everyone froze at Jorall's bark. Turning, Shepard noticed the Krogan now pointed at the display, which was filled with flickering numbers.

"What did you do?" Shepard asked.

"Nothing. The system just went crazy as soon as Alenko showed up."

"Data reacting to outside stimuli?" Mordin asked. "Possible, wait! Yes, yes! Falere, could you step forward, please?"

Flinching at the professor's attention, the young Asari stepped forward cautiously.

"Yes?"

"Take a look at this data."

"I'm not a scientist, Professor. I'm sure this is all above-" She paused, leaning forward to look at the screens cautiously. Her hand reached out, manipulating the hologram according to her desires. "I… I recognise this, but I'm not sure how."

"Thought as much." The Salarian smiled broadly. "Understanding a result of melding with Architect on Thessia. Possible some Reaper information filtered back into your mind from process. Similar to Prothean Cipher that enabled Shepard to understand message within the Beacon network."

"A Reaper version of the Cipher?" Kaidan asked uncertainly. "Not so sure it's a good thing to have something in your head that makes you think like a Reaper."

"The Prothean Cipher only let me understand Prothean thinking." Shepard countered. "It didn't control my actions or thoughts in any way. This could turn out to be a useful tool we can turn against the Reapers."

"If I'm reading this right, it's a Mass Relay basecode, specifically one for the Tasale Prime Relay." Falere explained. "The rest of the data looks like codes for other Relays in the network."

"Incredible." Jorall breathed. "The Asari have been trying to take apart the Relay basecode since the discovery of the Citadel. Every time, they've been met with failure."

"Even the Protheans were unable to decipher the basecode." The Revenant added. "This discovery is guaranteed to advance the Galaxy's technology by countless centuries, taking you well past the peaks reached by any civilisation to have come before."

"What could we be looking at here?" Shepard asked.

"Almost limitless possibilities!" Mordin proclaimed. "Reaper IFF allowed us to utilise locked Relays, basecode will allow locking and unlocking of Relays at will. Full control over Relay network! With time, understanding to manufacture new Relays, if retrieved data contains any schematics. Nevertheless, understanding of Mass Effect advanced, possibility of newer, more powerful Mass Effect generators, faster starships, more devastating weaponry, more efficient terraforming methods, enhanced biotic abilities, stronger building structures-"

"I get it, I get it." Shepard held his hands up to halt the unending stream of words. "Lots of good things."

"This could also, with time, help us to understand the Citadel to a greater extent." Elanie explained. "There's so much that we can't even begin to fathom about that station that this could help us to figure out."

"Nothing in here so far about the Citadel, but I'm seeing some instructions on how to create a few of the basic parts of a Mass Relay." Falere said. "Even with the Cipher the science is still a little beyond me, but I think I could help others to understand it."

Shepard felt a swell of hope rise in his chest. The knowledge being harvested from this latest mission was far more than he'd ever expected, and a definite step towards being able to face the Reapers one-on-one. He sensed his resolve being re-established, strengthened by empowering confidence.

"This is the best news I've had all week." He rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "Okay, as of now, this data is your number one priority. Falere will help you to translate it, and then I want each one of you working to take it apart, piece by piece, Forward any new revelations on to Liara for distribution to our allies. The sooner we can begin putting this new intel to use combating the Reapers, the better."

"Agreed." Mordin nodded. "Suggest dividing the data into several different facets to be analysed by separate individuals. Will take Relay basecode-"

"Now hold on a minute!" Jorall growled. "I'm not allowing some Salarian to take the first crack at analysing the thing that makes Galactic society possible. Chances are you'd meddle with it in some way to make sure it's of no use to the Krogan."

"Basecode discovery of a lifetime, more important than any other discovery made." Mordin snapped defensively. "Suggestion of tampering insulting… no… reprehensible! Would never dream of sullying such a moment with sabotage."

"Sure," The Krogan drawled. "And I suppose I'm to accept the word of a Salarian, one of the race that tried to neuter my species after our use had expired?"

"Jorall! Mordin!" Shepard barked loudly, causing all present to flinch. The Commander felt a surge of frustration at seeing the argument he had so recently quelled flaring into being once again. "That's enough! You'll work on the data together. Work out your differences and start working as a team or so help me, I swear I will leave you at our next stop and send the data on to the Turians for analysis."

The pair were silent for a few painfully tense seconds, then the peace was broken by a sigh from Jorall.

"If anything the Turians are worse than the Salarians. At least the Salarians had the decency to hesitate before deploying the Genophage. The Turians just dropped the plague before turning and running. I can work with Solus."

"Turian scientists… lacking in elegance in their efforts to utilise new technology. Co-operation with Urdnot Jorall preferable to loss of data to Turian clumsiness." Mordin admitted slowly.

"Good." Shepard turned from the pair to regard the rest of the room, ignoring the smirking Kaidan who stood at the back of the group with his arms folded as he watched the scene unfold. "This goes for the rest of you as well. You will work as a team on this project. If you find anything worth my attention, send it to me via Miranda's desk."

With that, he spun on his heel, leaving the Tech Lab by the same door that Kaidan and Falere had left open. Moments later, the voices of the Normandy science team echoed after him as they set to work before the hissing door shut out their conversation. It was only then that Shepard realised that his were not the only footsteps in the small corridor that ran between the Lab and the armoury. He turned to see Kaidan standing close behind him, a preoccupied look on his face.

"That was masterfully done." The younger soldier commented. "You had a renewed outbreak of the Krogan Rebellions on your hands in there, and defused it with a couple of words. I reckon Udina would kill to be able to do that."

"The entire Galaxy seems to be relying on this ship, on this team, to single-handedly win this war." Shepard explained. "I can't let old grudges jeopardise that."

"These aren't just schoolyard grudges you're trying to dissolve here, Shepard." Kaidan cautioned. "Some of these disagreements run back for centuries. Humanity hadn't figured out anything more complex than the horse when the Salarians created the Genophage. We were still trying to get electricity to work when the Geth forced the Quarians into exile. Those kinds of bad feelings won't just go away with a few clever words."

Shepard sighed, his shoulders slumping wearily.

"I know, I know." He admitted before looking up with a wan smile. "Can't hurt to try, though."

"Yeah, I guess not." Kaidan stepped forward, laying his hand on his old friend's shoulder. "But it could hurt to wear yourself out trying to repair bridges that want to stay burnt. This team is willing to follow your commands. Maybe that's all you should be asking for."

"It's my firm belief that grudges that old aren't worth hanging on to." Shepard answered. "I can't let that go just because other people want to carry on hating one another. Besides, these people don't just have to follow my orders. They have to trust one another to get them through the coming battles alive. I need to know that if they see a comrade in danger, they'll dive in to save them, and so do they."

"I guess so." The former Alliance soldier still sounded unconvinced. "Well, I gotta get back in there. I'm meant to be showing Falere some techniques she can use to bolster her armour."

"How is her training going?"

"She's ready for the field, although I'd want to start her off slow in an ideal world. Her biotics are badly diminished after the shock her nervous system endured, but she's got a good head on her shoulders. If we sent her to Arcturus for training I'd want her to go through Sentinel training, like I did. It's a good way to combine what biotics she has left with the technical skills I can teach her. She won't really be a frontline fighter like most of your squad, but she'll be able to bring along a good boost to your defences."

"That suits me just fine." Shepard said. "The more bullets she can block, the better. Its not like we have any shortage of those being thrown our way."

"I hear ya." Kaidan chuckled. "So, anyway, I'd best go rescue her from the Brain Train before they technobabble her to death."

"Ha!" Shepard chuckled. "You do that. In the meantime, I've got a few people to speak with."

The duo parted, Kaidan returning to the Tech Lab and its population of wildly chattering scientists while Shepard set off through the Armoury and back into the CIC. In moments, the Commander was in the elevator, heading down to the Crew Deck.

**~o~0~o~**

The chime rang through Miranda's office, causing the raven-haired beauty to look up from the datapad she was busily considering while reclining in one of the chairs at the windows gazing out on the stars. She brushed a few errant hairs away from her face as she glanced to the door.

"EDI? Who's out there?"

"Commander Shepard. Yeoman chambers informed him of your desire to speak with him." The AI answered promptly. "Should I tell him you are preoccupied?"

"No, send him in."

The door hissed open to allow the Commander to step in, looking about cautiously.

"Am I interrupting anything?"

"No, not at all." Miranda said as she sat up straight, smoothing out the creases that had gathered in the fabric over her stomach. She lifted a hand, waving it casually at a recliner opposite her own. "Please, take a seat."

Shepard did so, his posture still remaining somewhat rigid as he wondered what he had been called here for. Miranda, ever adept at reading those she worked with, soon picked up on this.

"I understand that you have a lot on your plate right now, so I'll keep this brief and to the point." She lifted her datapad, quickly cycling through the files contained within before finding the one she sought. "Your recent efforts down on Illium set me to thinking about the Rachni, specifically the ones you encountered during your pursuit of Saren. As you may or may not be aware, Cerberus had a significant presence within the administrative structure of Binary Helix. This was how Cerberus was able to obtain so many Rachni specimens for their projects. Or so I had thought."

"Cerberus had another source for their Rachni specimens?" Shepard asked with growing alarm. "Where? Do they have more? Why didn't the Illusive Man tell me about this?"

"Do you really think he'd have shared this particular shard of damning evidence?" Miranda asked with a smile. "It was difficult enough to convince you to work with Cerberus without that kind of information being shared. Besides, we had bigger issues to deal with at the time, and still do."

"So why are you bringing this up now?"

"Like I said, your encounter with the Noverian Queen set me to thinking about it. Truth is, I was unaware of the alternate source until I started looking at your reports of your previous encounters with Rachni and noticed disparities between the numbers you were encountering and those being produced in Saren's labs at Peak Fifteen. With a little help from Liara's network, I was able to dig a little deeper into Cerberus' files, particularly since you encouraged the merge of the two organisations, giving us access to a number of Cerberus' Top Secret projects, the Rachni included. It was then I learned about the Erebus Project."

"Erebus Project?" Shepard's brow furrowed. "Why give it that name?"

"Erebus was the Greek Titan of darkness. I'm guessing the project lead thought it smart to pick a codename like that to reflect the secretive nature of his work. Personally, I find this naming trend far too fanciful for my tastes."

"Fanciful? This coming from the woman who headed up the 'Lazarus Project'?" Shepard grinned.

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a comment." Miranda replied quickly, her cheeks flushing ever so slightly.

"If you say so." Shepard chuckled. "Now, where was Erebus located?"

"Out on the fringes of the galaxy, close to the Perseus Veil."

"Deep inside Geth Space?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Miranda shifted, leaning forward a little as she delved into her explanation. "One of our long-range scouting vessels was assigned to scout out this planet, which Council historians claim was the location of a fierce battle close to the end of the Rachni Wars. We'd hoped to maybe turn up some kind of valuable Rachni technology, or at the very least salvage some technology left behind by the Salarians or the Asari and analyse it to see how the Council races have evolved over the past thousand years."

"I take it you found a lot more than debris of a centuries-old battlefield?"

"Correct. Our scouting team scoured that planet, burning out a vast number of probes during their expedition. Eventually, they had a breakthrough. A stash of eggs, stored in sub-zero temperatures in a cave near the northern polar ice cap."

"How many eggs?"

"Thirty seven." Miranda answered quickly, flatly delivering the words that turned the Commander's blood into ice. "Most of those eggs had succumbed to the attrition of time, but five remained largely viable. We cracked them open, took the DNA contained within, and started cloning Rachni."

"No wonder you had so many specimens available." Shepard expressed with a low whistle. "So what happened to the project?"

"The same thing that happened to so many projects back then; it got out of hand. The Rachni began procreating, producing far more young than any of the scientists could have predicted. Before they knew the threat, the Rachni had broken containment, escaping into the wild. Supply shuttles were stolen, equipment was turned against the team, people died by the score. In short, it was a massacre. Only three scientists escaped the prime site, and the project was declared a lost cause and shelved. Little side projects such as those you encountered were continued as long as they proved to be viable, but soon Cerberus fully abandoned the idea of turning the Rachni into living weapons."

"And it only took how many deaths for Cerberus to realise the plan wasn't working?" Shepard asked, a little more sharply than intended.

"More than I'd care to admit, and definitely more than the Illusive Man would be willing to reveal. As long as the project could have in any way yielded a positive result, he would have supported it and funnelled money and lives into the project." She paused, glancing down at the datapad on her lap reluctantly. "For what it's worth, I had nothing to do with these experiments, Shepard."

"I know, Miranda." The Commander responded earnestly. "I'm not accusing you of anything."

"Thank you, Shepard. After how deeply my involvement in the organisation went, I'm not so sure I deserve such ready forgiveness."

"So, why are you bringing up Erebus now, Miranda?" Shepard asked, appreciating the effort it took for the strong woman to admit that the loyalty she had given to Cerberus may not have been entirely deserved.

"The Asari that speaks on the Rachni's behalf, Namalia, sent us a datapacket containing the sum knowledge of the current Rachni swarm. This contained all data they had gathered through their current scouting efforts, locations of new colonies established, and what knowledge the Queen had received through her genetic memories, passed down from her ancestors.

"It was that latter batch of information that I was most interested in, the lost knowledge of a generation that was wiped out. I began going through it, looking especially for anything that I could find to help expand on what we currently know about the Rachni Swarm that threatened the Galaxy all those centuries ago, particularly any facts that could be linked to the location of the Erebus Project. I thought maybe we could find what Cerberus initially sought when they went looking for these lost battlefields."

"And what did you find?"

"More than I'd ever imagined." Miranda's eyes sparkled. "You must realise, even when the Council were fighting the Rachni, they had no idea how their society was shaped, where their main hubs of colonisation and growth were. They'd arrive on a planet, find the hives and wipe them out. Now, after all of this time, many of the locations where the Rachni fought hardest have been lost, either due to interstellar drift, cosmic phenomena such as the supernova that caused the Mu Relay to be lost, or even just because they were never noted down as important. This means that we don't know where most Rachni colonies were, and with those that we do know about we don't fully understand how important they were to the Rachni."

"I take it the planet where Erebus was located was an important Rachni colony?"

"The Council know the planet as Gereus 3269." She explained. "The Rachni, on the other hand, know it as The Singing Planet."

"The Rachni homeworld?" Shepard's brows shot up in surprise.

"I had a similar reaction." Miranda nodded. "To think that we had such a goldmine within our grasp for so many years and didn't even know it… It boggles the mind. Now, of course, our priorities are different. This could be a great way to cement our alliance with the Rachni Swarm. Imagine the gratitude this would inspire!"

"We'll give this information to the Rachni, but it doesn't come with a price." Shepard said firmly. "We don't coerce our allies into helping us."

"Of course." Miranda's tone was just a little contrite. "I didn't mean to-"

"I know." Shepard leaned forward, balancing his elbows on his knees as his steepled fingers brushed against his lips. "Now, I know you wouldn't have called for a private chat about this if it was just a piece of good news we can pass on to the Rachni. There's more. What's the catch?"

Miranda smiled.

"You're getting almost as good at reading people as I am, Commander. Yes, there is indeed, a 'catch'."

She pulled up another file on her datapad, the text flowing across her display.

"Immediately after finding out the true nature of Gereus, I set to work looking for any remnants of the Erebus project still in existence. The remaining scientists are all dead. Two by your hand, the other killed during the Overlord incident. However, when I checked the comm frequency the project used, I noticed an SOS coming from the disused base. There's no indication of what triggered it, but its recent. As in, only having begun about three days ago."

"And you're sure that Cerberus abandoned the base? Nobody stayed behind to do some work the Illusive Man didn't approve?"

"All records indicated that the base was abandoned. I doubt the Illusive Man would have made the oversight of misplacing a few dozen of his own scientists. Whatever is going on at that base now, it's got nothing to do with Cerberus."

Shepard sighed, allowing his chin to slide into his opening hands. He considered the situation for a moment, pondering what effect it might have on the help he'd get from the Rachni if he handed them their homeworld on a platter. Whether he liked it or not, Miranda's thoughts on gaining the gratitude of the other species was well founded. And they weren't the only species that would be looking to him to save their home.

"We'll find time to deal with it." He said conclusively. "Be sure to send the co-ordinates to Joker, and forward your findings on to the Rachni. I have no idea how they'll react to the news, but it's a gesture of goodwill."

"If it were me, I'd be ecstatic. God knows, I can't wait until we take Earth back."

"The Rachni aren't like Humans, Miranda. For all we know, one planet could be much the same as any other for them, given the fact that this one's been lost to them for so long. Sure, they came back to Illium, but they had something of value to come back for. As far as we and they know, nothing remains on the Singing Planet other than a few smoking craters and now an abandoned Cerberus base."

"Maybe you're right." Miranda took a deep breath, standing up straight. "But I guess that means I'd best get back to work."

"Don't work too hard, Miranda." Shepard smiled as he stood. "A mission like ours, we can't afford to take life too seriously when we're not in the field."

"You're really going to give me advice on taking it easy, Commander?" Miranda chuckled. "If you were any more tightly strung I could take a bow to you and get a decent rendition of one of Paganini's works."

Shepard released a short, braying laugh, shaking his head at that as he turned to leave.

"Take care, Miranda. I'll talk to you later."

"Any time, Commander."

**~o~0~o~**

The following day, Shepard strode through the Mess Hall. Sweat dripped down his back, evidence of the forty laps of the main hangar he had just completed, all part of his daily exercise regime. Underneath the jet-black sleeveless vest he wore, his muscles gleamed from exertion. Now, he was on the prowl in search of a little something to slake his thirst. Slipping behind Gardner's counter while the grizzled sergeant wasn't looking, he reached into the fridge back there and swiped a caffeinated energy drink. Technically, he should not have been indulging like that, the calorie intake of a soldier being strictly regulated to get the absolute best out of the individual. Consuming something outside of your planned allowance was frowned upon, and he was bound to be chastised for it, be it at the hands of Miranda or, much worse, Doctor Chakwas. But, at that moment, he didn't particularly care. Not only did he have a lot to deal with out in the field, but he was the commander of his own damn ship. He'd do as he pleased. Turning away from the galley, he moved to take a seat.

He shouldn't have been surprised to see that one of the tables in the Mess Hall was occupied, even partway through the morning shift. What did surprise him, however, was the fact that the table's occupant was none other than Jorall.

The aged Krogan was leaning forward, propping himself up by planting both elbows on the table. His right hand splayed out palm-down on the surface of the table, while his synthetic left hand was up, a foot and a half in front of his face. The hand was bent back, palm upwards and aligned to be parallel with the ceiling, the wrist motors exposed at that angle. The palm had opened up, a circular hole appearing in its centre and glowing with a bright yellow light from within. The four digits, the thumb and three fingers, remained splayed out straight and flat like the palm, but they had opened up to reveal eight independently operating mechanical arms, each almost as thin as a needle and possessing many joints. These arms moved in and out like the tentacles of an octopus, performing some delicate work on the device that hovered above the palm.

Suspended in a Mass Effect field, the product of the glowing yellow light in the palm, what appeared to be a spare eye spun gently to receive all kinds of modifications from the tiny arms. The red pupil of the eye flickered with fluctuating power as sparks leapt from the mechanised tools.

As the Commander approached, energy drink in hand, the Krogan looked up, sending Shepard a greeting smile.

"Commander, what can I do for you today?"

"You not working on the Relay basecode today?"

"I was." The Krogan replied shortly, before realising Shepard would need more of an explanation than that. His eyes flickered away from his work to the Commander. "My terminal's currently running a few of the decrypt programs we managed to create thanks to the Asari's data. I figured it would be good to get out of the Tech Lab, take a break."

"By doing yet more technical work?" Shepard asked. Jorall glanced over to him again, slowly breaking out into a smile.

"Yeah, well, maybe your Salarian, Solus, was doing a little too much talking for my liking. He's irrepressibly curious, but he's convinced he knows it all." The Krogan grimaced. "It wouldn't have been so bad, if he hadn't begun singing. I had to get out of there after that."

"Well, it could have been worse." Shepard shrugged as he gulped at his illicit drink. "Not sure how… but I guess he could have had an annoying voice." He shifted in his seat, leaning forward to take a closer look at the alien's work. "So what are you working on?"

"I'm trying to expand my horizons." Jorall muttered. The eye flashed as another spark leapt free. "Literally. I'm working to give myself a wider angle of vision while enhancing the spectra I can perceive."

"Don't Krogan already have two-hundred-odd degree vision?"

"Two-forty, to be precise." Jorall answered. "But why not three-sixty? And that's not even considering straight up or straight down. If there's any angle at which an enemy could approach me, I want to be aware of what's going on there."

"Paranoid much?"

"When you live as long as I have, you learn to be a little overcautious."

"And how long is that?"

"Far longer than should concern a short-lived species such as yours, Human." The silence and stubborn lack of movement told him that the Commander would not leave without an answer. He sighed. "If you really must know, Commander, I am one hundred and eighty-eight years old, by Tuchanka's reckoning. That's three thousand, one hundred and forty years, Earth time."

"You're over three thousand years old?" Shepard asked incredulously. "Bullshit."

"What would the excrement of a domesticated bovine have to do with it?" Jorall asked with a little confusion. "Is that a Human herbal remedy intended to prolong your lifespan?"

"No, I mean… it's a little hard to believe you could be that old." Shepard explained. "Krogan lifespans are only about a thousand years. Even with healthy living…"

"A thousand years is just what you can confirm we live to." Jorall replied a little sharply. "When was the last time you heard of a Krogan dying of old age, though? That's because, as far as I know, we don't. We all get killed or catch something nasty long before age begins to hit us. Most Krogan are stupid enough to take on something beyond their abilities at some point or another, and then they get themselves killed rather than back down and admit they were wrong."

"And you've never found yourself in a position where you've bitten off more than you can chew?"

"Once or twice." Jorall admitted, pointing to the mechanical half of his face. "You think all of these prosthetics came from playing it safe? Fortunately, I have an ability that is unique among Krogan: the capacity to learn from my mistakes. I know enough now to avoid getting my face ripped off a second time. Combine that with an immune system that was further bolstered by my upgrades, and you get three thousand years. Frankly, I have no idea how long I'll live. There are rumours in our mythology of Krogan living for as many as ten thousand years, six hundred by Krogan standards. Then again, there are tales of immortal Krogan, too. I could well be around next time these Reapers try to harvest the Galaxy."

"No, you won't." Shepard said firmly. "There's not going to be another harvest. No matter what, the Reaper threat ends with us."

"Not the healthiest of attitudes, Commander." Jorall warned. "A warlord like that tends to make mistakes in his desperation to defeat his enemy. You need to keep a cool head in the battles to come, make sure that the lives you sacrifice for victory are the right ones."

"I'm no warlord." Shepard answered quickly. "And I don't sacrifice lives to achieve my victories."

"You are a master of war, Shepard, and you command a force like no other. Were this a different time period, you'd probably be hailed as a god of battle." Jorall chuckled. "But you must have learned by now that sacrifice is the price of war, Commander. Victory is only earned in exchange for the lives of the youngest, the weakest, the stupidest or just the unluckiest ones on the battlefield."

"We put the Collectors on their asses without losing a single member of my crew." Shepard insisted. "And that was after the entire crew was abducted, immobilised and put in a series of coffins built to melt them down into a new Reaper."

"Then you performed admirably on that day." Jorall allowed. "But you have used up a lot of your goodwill with the battle spirits. They will exact payment soon enough. Probably at the most inopportune of times."

"I'm not going to let that happen." Shepard said firmly. "I'd die before losing anyone."

"I doubt the spirits will give you the choice, Shepard." Jorall said with a flicker of pity. "It is one of their greatest delights to inflict tragedy upon the strongest of their favoured ones by taking away those they love." He chuckled. "Aren't gods such contrary creatures?"

"They're not the only ones." Shepard admitted with a grin. "I have to admit, you do not strike me as a typical Krogan."

"You mean I'm not a brutish thug out to kill any Turian or Salarian I come across as retribution for the Genophage?" The Krogan smiled knowingly. "Or that I possess a mental faculty greater than what you have come to expect from my species? Careful, Commander. You of all people should know not to judge a book by its cover. After all, have you not on your crew the first Geth to make a move to make peace with organics, a Batarian willing to work with Humans, and a Collector, of all things?"

"I'm sorry." Shepard said genuinely. "I made assumptions I shouldn't have."

"I can forgive you for that. For the most part, we Krogan are pretty consistent."

Jorall's hand twitched, the mechanical arms retreating into his fingers neatly. The opening in the palm slid shut, the Mass Effect field fading as the eye dropped into his hand. With a practised motion, he pulled his current eye out and replaced it with the new one, rolling the red orb around a little to test its new capabilities. The red light glowed brightly, flashing as it established a connection to his brain. In just a few moments, a grin spread across his face, the metal half creasing awkwardly to match the flesh opposing it.

"Perfect." He grunted. "An improvement of about twenty degrees to my field of vision, and I'm able to look a little more deeply into the focus of my attention. Just a thought, Commander, but you may wish to get that crack in your skull looked at. It's not much at the moment, but one bad knock will split it wide open."

Shepard's hand darted up to his head, halting after a moment as he realised he'd probably find nothing. He certainly didn't feel anything that would indicate he had been injured that badly, and the cursory medical examination after the mission to Illium had not turned up anything worth noting. However, they had been focused on the pretty serious injuries he'd taken to his leg. And he had been thrown around pretty badly during the fight with the Black Rachni Queen.

"I'll be sure to have Doctor Chakwas take a look before our next mission."

"Be sure you do. The last thing we need is for you to drop dead from one lousy headbutt. Then I'd be the one forced to play nice with the aliens and turn this rabble into a proper krannt."

Shepard chuckled as he slid out from behind the table, nodding to the Krogan before turning to leave. With expert precision, he lifted his empty bottle, lobbing it across the Mess Hall to clatter into one of Rupert's open recycling bins, hitting the target squarely even at such a distance. This done, he turned to leave the Crew Deck, striding into the corridor running across the width of the ship as he headed for the elevator.

"Oh-ho-ho! Did you see that?"

The Commander spun at the shout, looking to the Port Lounge, whose door was wide open. Inside, he could see a number of figures moving about. Curious, he moved closer.

A number of the Normandy crewmen had gathered in the Lounge, a handful of opened beers between them. Shepard recognised that they were members of the Night Shift to a man, presumably enjoying a little downtime before hitting their bunks. Among them was Crewman Hadley and Crewman Matthews, who cradled a datapad between them, a video display running on it. The Commander craned his neck from the doorway, but couldn't see the image. As he tried to shift to get a better view, the other assembled crewmen crowded in, blocking his view.

"Okay, ten credits says she breaks out a Shockwave next!" One of the crewmen, Roberts, called jovially.

"I'll take those odds." Matthews said. "She's going for a Charge, no two ways about it. She loves to make things personal."

"How is he still going?" Another crewman asked.

"Because he pissed her off." Hadley explained. "There's no way she's gonna let him off easy. Nah, she's gonna finish this nice and slow."

"Anyone want to fill me in on what's happening?" Shepard interrupted with a cough.

Like cockroaches scattering before a sudden light, the gaggle of crewmen suddenly split apart, each one becoming suddenly, intensely interested in something trivial around the room, crewman Roberts even finding himself suddenly hypnotised by a seam between two wall panels opposite the huge viewport. Soon, Matthews was left holding the datapad, sporting a guilty expression.

"Matthews?" Shepard advanced on the suddenly lonely crewman. "Want to give me an explanation?"

"Umm…" Matthews struggled to find his tongue. "Uh… just a little harmless betting on a sporting event. Nothing to be worried about."

"Oh yeah?" Shepard asked as he extended a hand to take the datapad. "Which one?"

Matthews hesitated to hand over the datapad, but under Shepard's determined gaze, he relented, sighing as he passed over the device.

"It's the sparring ring downstairs. We sometimes like to gather here, take a few drinks, place a few bets while we watch a live vid feed from the hangar bay." He looked away from his Commander, unable to meet his gaze. "This match in particular was one we didn't want to miss."

Shepard looked down at the datapad, watching the vid feed. He spotted a figure he recognised, brows rising in surprise.

"Is that Donnelly?"

"Yessir."

"I didn't know he used the ring."

"He doesn't. Well, he hasn't so far, but this fight is different."

"Why? Who's he fighting?" Shepard asked, eyebrows shifting to convey his confusion. "Wait, you were describing a fight with a biotic. Ken's not a biotic. Hell, biotics aren't even meant to be used in the ring. If he's fighting someone actively using their abilities, he's going to be horribly outclassed."

"We all thought so." Matthews agreed. "But they were both so insistent. I think it had something to do with that fight they had the other-"

The crewman trailed off as Shepard bolted from the room, the datapad clattering to the floor behind him. Matthews leaned forward to scoop it up, glancing at the vid feed just in time to see Jack grab Ken by the arm, swinging him about as though he weighed nothing. The engineer's face contorted in pain as he struck the floor, an impact certain to fracture bones at the very least. By the time Matthews looked back up, the Commander had vanished, the only clue to his location being the hiss of the elevator.

**~o~0~o~**

Ken groaned as he tried to roll over, the fiery pain racing through his ribcage causing his vision to darken with a multitude of dark spots. His brain still reeled from that last attack, the nausea of being put under so many conflicting gravitational forces threatening to rob him of the breakfast that lurked just below his gullet, waiting to make a reappearance.

"Hwawk-ptu!"

The gobbet of spittle struck him square in the back of the head, an expression of disgust from his opponent. He managed to turn in time to see Jack stalk by, pacing from side to side as she waited for him to stand. She sported a rapidly darkening eye from a lucky swing the Scot had got in early on in the fight, when she'd underestimated his ability to fight, but after that the sparring match had devolved into nothing more than a session between Subject Zero and the punching bag that had once been Ken Donnelly.

"Come on, Jack." Crewman Goldstein tried to reason from the sidelines. "He's done. Fight's over."

"O-ho-ho, we're not done here. Not by a long shot." Jack retorted maliciously. "He was the one who stepped into the ring, remember? That means I'm calling the shots now."

With feral speed, she lunged, straddling him in one motion, rolling him back onto his belly with another. His arms were pulled back, creaking painfully as the joints threatened to pop loose. Her teeth flashed dangerously close to his ear as her lips twisted around a few more snarled words.

"You shoulda just left things alone. I had no problem with you until you had one with me. Now, we're going to do this for as long as I feel like it because today, you're nothing but my bitch. And I'm gonna make you squeal!"

"Jack, please!" Gabby begged from the edge of the ring, on the verge of tears. "Let him go!" Around her, other members of the crew expressed similar pleas for clemency, but none yet possessed the courage to take on the raging biotic face-to-face.

"Why? This is what he wanted, isn't it, Kenny?" She lifted the engineer's head by tangling her fingers in his hair and yanking hard. "What was it you said? Something about 'showing me once and for all' that you weren't afraid of me? I gotta say, I'm not seeing it."

She shoved the head down again, rewarded with the crack of splintering cartilage as his face slammed into the deck, summoning forth a stream of blood. This done, she stood, taking a few steps back.

Ken got back onto his shaking feet, turning dizzily to face her as he tasted the tang of his own blood mixed with mucus as it flowed into his mouth. Spitting, he raised his fists again.

"That… all you've got… bitch?" He managed unsteadily.

Clucking with her tongue, Jack shook her head and raised a clenched fist, readying a biotic Charge. She tensed, about to launch the devastating attack. Opposite her, Ken flinched away from the impending impact.

"STOP!"

The thunderous shout bounced back off the hangar walls, reverberating through the hull of the ship powerfully. The small cluster of crewmen that had gathered to witness the bout parted, allowing Shepard to stride up to the ring with an expression that conveyed apocalyptic wrath. Jack's lip curled up at his approach, while Kenneth's pose faltered, partly out of exhaustion, but mostly out of fear of what kind of retribution his inspiring the situation might invoke.

"Ken, go to the Med Bay. Have the Doc patch you up, then hit your bunk. Consider yourself confined to your quarters until further notice."

The engineer's first instinct was to protest, but the Commander's stance and fiery mood brooked no argument. He sighed, staggering out of the ring. As he headed to the elevator, Gabby joined him, fussing over the many cuts and bruises he now sported. Once he was gone, Shepard turned his attention to the rest of the crew watching him warily.

"Get back to your work." He growled, his voice the tiny tremor that was soon followed by the violent eruption of a volcano.

With lightning speed, the crew dispersed, in a hurry to be out of the path of their Commander's displeasure. Grunting with distaste, Jack went to follow them, heading for the elevator.

"Not you, Jack." Shepard's voice was as solid as a rock. "You're staying here."

"Go fuck yourself, Shepard." She didn't even turn to face him as she delivered the dismissal.

"I'll not have this kind of behaviour on my ship." The Commander said firmly. "Get back here."

"I'm not some dog to come running every time you shout 'heel'." She spat. "Why don't you hang with the Cerberus bitch if you want that kind of thing?"

"Get back here, Subject Zero!"

The tattooed woman froze, her attention finally firmly in the commander's grasp. Her spine went as stiff as any of the metal girders lining the Hangar Bay, her hands clenching into tight fists at her sides. She turned, slowly. All around the hangar, crewmen paused as they realised what was going on. Some hastened to find something to hide behind, others found themselves unable to move as they watched the confrontation with the same horrified fascination they'd watch an ongoing traffic pileup.

"What did you just call me?" The tone would have made the wastes of Noveria feel like a tropical paradise in comparison. It wasn't the coarse response Shepard had expected, but it was all the more sinister for it. The Commander was undeterred.

"Subject Zero." Shepard said the words slowly, drawing out each syllable as he curved his lips around them.

"That's not my name anymore, and you damn well know it!" She spat.

"Really? I'm having a hard time telling who's standing in front of me." Shepard folded his arms across his chest. "I'm not so sure I'm not just talking to the Cerberus creation. Maybe there isn't a person in there after all."

At this, even the ones who had been hiding realised that the Hangar Bay would not be a safe place at all. One brief exodus later, the hangar was empty save for the Commander and the convict.

Jack was still glaring at the Commander, fists clenching and unclenching as her chest heaved with emotion, her eyes flashing as her teeth ground together. Around her, crates and gas cylinders rattled, caressed by a growing storm of biotic energy.

"You're just so full of shit. You come in here, spouting all of that crap about how you 'understand' what I went through, offering me your 'sympathy', but now the truth comes out. I'm just a tool, a weapon you can turn on the bad guys, and now that I'm becoming a problem you're done with me, is that it?"

"That's not how I work."

"Sure it is. You find people and use them, turn them into tools for whatever big noble cause you're going after at any one time. I used to think that what Cerberus did to me was bad, turning me into a weapon through pain and torture, but what you do is way more fucked up. You do it through trust, making us think we're your friends, making us lo- making us care about what you're trying to do." Her voice lost its balance for a moment, but then recovered. "And then you stab us in the back! Like when I had my chance at the Illusive Man!"

"How long are you going to keep bringing this up?" Shepard asked with a measure of exasperation. "I'm sorry we let him go, okay? But I had to take a look at the big picture. Every decision I make affects billions, if not trillions of lives! Choosing to spare the Illusive Man was just the same as any other choice I have to make. Why do you have to fight me on this?"

"Because it wasn't billions of people holding the gun to his head, it was me!" She spat. "I know first hand what he's capable of, and I had a chance to stop him from ever doing it to anyone else, but then you got in my way. I trusted you! I wanted to think you were different, but when things didn't line up, you chose the other side over me. So you know what? I'm done. I've had it with your shit. Next port? I'm out of here."

"I'm not going to let you do that."

"I'd like to see you try." Jack swaggered forward a couple of steps, head tilted to one side insolently.

"If you force me to, I will stop you, Jack. Even if I have to beat some sense into you first."

"Oh, please! You have no idea what you're getting yourself into. Maybe I should show you…"

Shepard shifted his feet, balled fists coming up in a defensive pose as he squared off against the biotic.

**~o~0~o~**

The elevator had barely slid open before Ralston stormed out, racing through to the Mess Hall breathlessly. Those sitting around the tables within looked up at his sudden arrival, suspecting some kind of shipboard emergency, growing confused that no alert had been sounded.

"Guys! Shepard and Zero are duking it out in the Hangar Bay."

There was stunned silence for a moment, then the clatter of tumbling furniture as every chair was overturned, the crew vanishing in seconds in their rush to leave. Even the cool Miranda left her fresh cup of tea slowly cooling, abandoned on the table, in her haste to get to the lower decks. Moments later, the CIC had been similarly informed and evacuated.

**~o~0~o~**

Prepared as he was, nothing Shepard could have done would have made him ready for the brutal attack Jack opened up with. The Commander was no rookie, nor had he been completely ignorant of the battle strategy of the woman he'd fought beside in so many battles across the Galaxy, but he'd never had to engage her in a toe-to-toe fight like this. It was more than a little unsettling to see her vanish from sight as she leapt into the blurring blue streak of a biotic Charge, moving too fast for him to dodge out of the way.

Two small fists struck him square in the chest, sending him tumbling backwards to strike the deck painfully. He was momentarily dazed, but soon recovered, rolling onto all fours to hoist himself up. As Jack lunged at him again, fist glowing with biotic blue, he spun to launch his own large fist into her gut from his kneeling position, the warmth of her flesh flowing around his fingers as he struck deep. She wheezed, but held onto her breath long enough to retreat while he stood.

The pair circled one another, two predators warily waiting for the other one to betray their next move. Eyes locked in steely conflict, neither one blinking. Jack's shoulders shifted in circular motions, like the shoulder-blades of a lioness making ready to pounce, while Shepard kept his body low, centred to block any attack.

Jack was the first to break the reprieve, leaping forward with a wild howl. One hand swung down in an overhand swipe, aimed directly at the Commander's head. Shepard's arm shot up to block it, catching the blow with his forearm. Jack, anticipating this, soon exploited the new opening this made by jabbing with her free hand, cracking one of Shepard's ribs. The Commander growled, his blocking arm twisting so he could grab her arm while his free hand caught the jabbing fist, securing both of her arms.

"I. Don't. Want. To fight you. Jack." Shepard gasped between breaths as he fought to keep her from breaking free of his grip.

"Tough… shit!" She retorted, the last word echoed by a sudden headbutt, biotics flaring around her body as she used the attack to fling the Commander away and free herself. Shepard fell backwards, but leapt to his feet immediately, the fuzziness in his head clearing fast even as an angry red mark on his forehead announced where the convict had made contact. His hands dropped to either side, open and ready to receive whatever the next attack was. Lips pulled taut over her teeth, Jack was quick to oblige, a Warp blast striking him in the chest.

**~o~0~o~**

The crew had gathered on the Engineering Deck, clustering around the windows that looked down on the Hangar Bay. At the last Warp blast, they all flinched back, the flash of violent biotics casting wild shadows across their faces. Every member of the Normandy crew and squad had gathered here, from Doctor Chakwas all the way through to Zaeed, crowding not just the corridor that ran across the ship, but also the windows in either Cargo Hold, every spare vantage point being occupied. Even Ken Donnelly was there, unwilling to miss something like this.

Miranda paced about anxiously, watching the fight with more than a little caution. She winced at every blow, taking each hit to the Commander as a blow to her, to her work. Nobody on the crew understood more than her just how much the Commander could take, her painstaking work to rebuild him and then further enhance him over two long years racing through her brain. As yet another biotic attack threw the Commander across the hangar, she cursed.

"Damn it, she's going to kill him!" She turned to her fellow crewmates. "Garrus, Jacob, Grunt, go to the armoury and fetch your gear. We're going in there to put an end to this."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The gravelly tones of Zaeed rumbled out. The former Cerberus operative turned to the bounty hunter. "This is something those two have to do, trust me."

Unsure what to make of the mercenary's observation, Miranda turned back to the fight, still very much ill-at-ease.

**~o~0~o~**

A powerful Shockwave put the Commander on his back for the tenth time, eliciting a wince from him as he rolled over fresh bruises to create new ones. He doggedly got back to his feet, breathing heavily as he prepared for Jack to attack once more.

He knew it was stupid to take on a biotic when he himself was not one, the playing field being dangerously skewed in Jack's favour. But he had an edge over most normal soldiers, with cybernetic enhancements that altered the way he could fight down at his very core. Stronger bones, a tougher muscle structure, his thick skin, everything worked together to make him as good as he could be. Not to mention the chemical factories sitting over his vital organs.

As Jack charged in again, he activated the neural commands to set his adrenal implants to work, flooding his system. His reflexes sharpened, his perception of the world tightened to pinpoint accuracy, and his muscles swelled with renewed vigour. Moving like quicksilver, his hands darted out, catching and deflecting each and every one of Jack's punches and kicks with ease. In seconds, he'd allowed the biotic to exhaust her momentum, and went on the attack, barging into her with his shoulder and bearing her to the ground.

Jack kicked and screamed as the heavier man dropped on top of her, pressing down firmly on her chest to rob her of the proper deep breaths her tiring body wanted from her. The massive boots she wore dug into the Commander's side, bruising his kidneys and causing excruciating pain to blossom inside him even as he continued to pin her. Her body bucked, crushing against his as she fought to move out from underneath. She would not be held down like this, pinned like some helpless victim. Desperation flooded her synapses, making connections she was rarely able to form on her own. A blue field flared around her, suddenly lifting the Commander off and hurling him away as it expanded in every direction, throwing crates around as though they were dust before a storm. The Hangar shuddered from the blast, walls shivering as lights popped overhead, casting much of the Bay into darkness.

**~o~0~o~**

"God damn it! He can't take much more of this." Miranda snapped, turning back to her comrades. "Get those weapons, now! We're taking her down, one way or another."

"I'm telling you, girl, don't interfere." Zaeed warned sternly. "Shepard will never forgive you for it. Trust me. If you let them fight like Krogan right now, they'll be rutting like Varren by the evening."

"What would you know about it?" Miranda dismissed scornfully. "I'm not entrusting the life of our Commander to the romantic advice of a mercenary."

"I know more than you'd believe, girl." Massani grumbled. "And I know girls like Jack. Trust me when I say that this'll sort itself out, but only if you leave 'em to it. You interrupt this, it'll only resurface later on, when we can't afford for it to happen."

Miranda glanced down to the Hangar just in time to see the emergency lighting flare into life, bathing the hangar in red light and casting more shadows than it eliminated. Jack could be seen, surrounded by a bright glow that shone out like a beacon in the night. Shepard was nowhere to been seen in the gloom. Miranda sighed.

"Fine. But I still want those weapons ready to go."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard shuffled through the dim red light, keeping a wary eye on the glowing biotic. The darkness added an extra level of complexity to the fight, but he could adapt. At least his attacks wouldn't have the same glowing tell as Jack's.

"Slinking about in the shadows instead of fighting me straight up, huh?" Jack challenged. "I always knew you were a fucking pussy. Now I've got the proof."

Shepard bit his tongue, realising a response would betray his position.

"Not feeling talkative?" Jack taunted. "That's okay." She picked up a piece of debris at her feet, a torn piece of piping. "I'm sure my friend here can do enough talking for the both of us."

Her biotics vanished, allowing her to fade into blackness. In moments, the Commander had lost her shadowy silhouette in the gloomy red glow of the emergency lighting.

**~o~0~o~**

"Where did she go?" Delexia asked, a note of panic in her voice as she gazed down on the darkened hangar.

"EDI!" Miranda called for the AI's attention. "Can you see Jack?"

"All sensors in the Hangar Bay are equipped with infra-red functionality, as well as night vision capabilities. Jack is currently fifteen metres from Shepard's position, drawing closer at a rate of point four metres every second. Neither party appears to be aware of the location of the other." EDI answered.

"We can't follow the fight via audio description." Jacob complained. "EDI, see about getting your sensor feeds projected onto these windows."

Moments later, the images appeared on the windows, full infra-red imagery appearing alongside images that had had their visual intensity increased to the point where the Human crew could see the two combatants. They could see Shepard crouching behind a crate while Jack moved about, hefting some unidentified object in her hand. Neither looked directly at the other, making it clear that they were unaware of one another.

"She's got a weapon!" Miranda exclaimed with alarm.

"Shepard's handled a lot worse unarmed." Garrus said confidently. "I think he can take on a pissed-off woman with a stick."

**~o~0~o~**

Realising that vision would be almost useless, Shepard closed his eyes, trying to tune into his other senses more acutely. His ears twitched, listening for any noise that stood out from the rustles of settling debris and the hum of a ship underway. Listening for Jack's footsteps would be futile, given her long life of being on the run. She'd managed to get silent movement down to an art, almost. But maybe she'd be at the same disadvantage as he was with the darkness, and she was far more likely to be reckless, probably moving around a lot faster than he was.

The tinkle of metal tapping against metal was almost as quiet as a pin dropping, but it was in a location Shepard had just moved through. Everything there had settled down and stopped moving, so this was an out-of-place noise. The Commander spun, sticking close to the crate he crouched beside as he hoped its shadow would hide him. He squinted into the gloom, finally picking out a shape shifting across his field of vision. Jack's predatory gait was hard to miss, as was the long shape she now carried in one hand. Tensing, Shepard shuffled closer, praying his elevated heartbeat wouldn't betray him.

The omega symbol shifted before his view, bobbing from side to side in time with the slight body. Swallowing to quell his nervousness, Shepard tensed to attack.

His foot only touched the metal shard on the floor, but it was enough. Jack didn't even look for the source of the noise, simply reacting to his presence. The pipe swung out, catching him across the upper arm with a powerful crack. There was a flash of light, then a biotically enhanced punch struck him in the shoulder, making the joint grind painfully as he was knocked to the side. He only just managed to get his other arm up in time to block the downward slash with the pipe with his forearm, wincing as this impact sent icy pain racing through his skeleton. The impact had cracked the bones, at the very least. He stumbled back, falling on his ass amidst the debris.

Jack leapt at him, seeking to straddle him so that she could go to work with the pipe, but his feet darted up, catching her in the belly. A powerful kick launched her up and over him, her headlong lunge turning into a chaotic tumble as she struggled to regain control. She struck one of the few remaining intact crates, smashing it under her body. The pipe clattered to the floor, lost in the murk. Growling, she leapt up again, body aglow as she sought her opponent. Looking down at where she had last seen Shepard, she was not surprised to see that he was gone.

**~o~0~o~**

"How can she keep this up?" Kaidan asked, leaning forward to glare at the displays. "If this had been any other biotic, she'd have passed out from exhaustion by now with the constant energy output."

"Jack's energy reserves go far beyond pure food consumption." Miranda explained. "As far as we can see, the project centred around her tired to unlock her power through emotional stimuli, specifically anger, fear and emotional imbalance."

**~o~0~o~**

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

Jack's taunt reached Shepard's ears, but he ignored it, continuing to scramble for an advantage.

Jack heard a muffled grunt, but it was distant, unclear. In the echoing cavern of the hangar, it was nearly impossible for her to determine the angle of origin. Shrugging, she began to stalk through the hangar in the hopes of finding her prey.

**~o~0~o~**

"What the hell is he doing?"

Everyone leaned closer to the displays at Miranda's question, trying to get a better view of the image of their Commander.

"Is he…" Delexia's eyes squinted. "Is he climbing?"

"Up one of the wall supports to get on top of the Nathak." Garrus surmised. "A good place to launch a surprise attack from."

On-screen, the image of Shepard scrambled across the roof of the shuttle, vanishing inside.

"What's he doing now?" Kelly asked.

"Emergency survival kit." Garrus explained. "There's a spare pistol in there."

"He's not going to-"

"Shepard knows how to neutralise a target without inflicting lethal injuries." The Turian said firmly. "He'll knock her out, nothing worse than that."

**~o~0~o~**

Jack walked past one of the boxy devices fixed into the floor of the hangar, a massive fan unit that blasted cold air throughout the massive room. Above, the Hammerhead hung silently, the Normandy's skycar waiting next to it. She had no idea where the Commander was. Perhaps it was time for another attempt to goad him into a mistake.

"Guess you've run off." She grunted out loud. "Shame. I was hoping to beat your ass before you pussied out."

She heard a click, a quiet sound that could have been a button being pushed, a switch being flipped, or a gun being cocked.

She spun, looking for the source of the noise. A moment too late, she looked up.

There was a bang, then a brilliant flash. Jack reeled back, her brain roaring in painful protest as her retinas burned.

**~o~0~o~**

The crew turned away quickly from the screens as they flared, awash with bright colours.

"Gaagh!" Hadley shouted. "What was that?"

"Emergency flare." Garrus was holding his arm up to block out the brilliant flash. "If she had her eyes open, there's no way she's seeing anything right now."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard was careful to avoid being blinded by the flare he had left off, standing up carefully as he discarded the flare gun. He strode across the shuttle roof, glancing to the area beyond the bright light where he could see Jack clutching at her face as she howled in protest. The biotic staggered around, blinded. Blue fire raced up her arms, but Shepard only realised the danger after it was too late. A titanic Shockwave blasted through the hangar, knocking the Nathak loose from its moorings. Shepard staggered as the craft swung from side to side, attached to the roof by a few remaining tenuous connections. Seconds before it broke loose, he leapt free.

The shuttle dropped to the floor, the clatter and crash terrible in the confined space. Shepard plummeted to the deck, rolling as he landed.

Jack, already blinded by the flare, was further deafened by the cacophony of the crashing shuttle. In this dazed state, she was completely unaware as Shepard charged at her.

The Commander struck her squarely in the midsection, bearing her to the ground. Even robbed of her vital senses as she was, the young woman still fought back ferociously, punches and kicks pummelling the Commander's legs and gut viciously. Shepard wrestled with her, trying to get purchase to pin her down. His fists delivered a couple of devastating blows that drove the breath from her lungs, a third striking her across the jaw as she tried to wriggle out from under him. Stars wheeling in her eyes, Jack lunged forward, body curving to bring her shaved scalp up to strike the Commander square on the nose, breaking it. Shepard reeled back, releasing the biotic as he clutched at the profusely bleeding feature.

The duo rolled apart, staggering to their feet wearily. Shepard felt one leg starting to stray from under him, a symptom of one powerful punch to a nerve cluster in that limb. Jack, on the other hand, was holding her body very low, weakness in both legs revealing her exhaustion. She tried to lift her arms, the limbs moving slowly, as though they were made of lead. She grinned, spitting out a mouthful of blood with a dislodged tooth in it.

"What's wrong, Shepard?" She asked, eyes fluttering tauntingly. "Wearing out already?"

"I can go for as long as you want to." Shepard pinched his nostrils, gathering a gob of blood and mucus between his fingertips before flinging it away. Jack cackled.

"Good. 'Cuz playtime's just started."

The pair clashed again, feet dancing as they traded vicious jab after wild lunge, alternating between traditional boxing, a little wrestling and some good old-fashioned bar-room brawling. In minutes, their upper torsos were covered in reddening bruises. Barely a square inch of Shepard's exposed arms or the skin beneath Jack's inks remained their natural colours.

As the pair squared off against each other, Shepard couldn't help but admire the way Jack just kept fighting, no matter how much hurt Shepard laid on her. And for every hit Shepard handed out, he got back just as much. Neither one was proving any better than the other.

Suddenly, Jack dodged to the side, ducking Shepard's powerful right cross. She spun, her body twisting like a snake's. One heavy boot came up, connecting with a certain vital part of the Commander's anatomy, doubling him over. Two tattooed hands clasped his shoulders, and suddenly he was propelled across the hangar, thrown to the deck. He rolled, colliding with a stack of gas containers that tumbled over his prone form, further pummelling his body as he struggled to extract himself from the cascade. He got back to his feet, turning to face Jack once more. The biotic glowed with blue-white light, readying some kind of attack. Realising he needed some kind of defence, Shepard bent over and picked up one of the canisters, hefting it like a bat.

**~o~0~o~**

"No, no, no!" Garrus said earnestly. "If she uses any biotics around those canisters, they'll go up like a Klixen getting hit by an Incinerate!"

"This has gone far enough." Miranda said firmly. "Get down there now, and take a medical team with you! Get Shepard out of there, no matter what."

Garrus nodded, vanishing into the elevator with almost half of the squad in tow. Anxious, Kelly turned from the displays.

"They're not going to kill her, are they?"

"If they have to." Miranda grunted, glaring at the displays.

Seconds later, before the elevator had finished its journey down to the Hangar Bay, the screens erupted with light once more.

**~o~0~o~**

Jack snarled, flinging a hand out to launch a Warp blast at the Commander. In the same instant, Shepard flung the canister. The two attacks collided in mid-air, midway between the battling pair.

The explosion was more powerful than Shepard had expected, amplified by Jack's biotic power. The blast of rapidly expanding air stuck Shepard like the kick of a stallion, flooring him as the flames blinded him. Jack was similarly cast to the deck.

Shepard's perception faded and brightened, his brain barely clinging to consciousness. In the background of his mind, he felt more than saw the lights flicker back into being overhead, the muffled voice of EDI muttering something about restoring power to the Hangar Deck, although it all sounded like it was coming through a thick layer of wool or something. The Commander made a mental note to talk to Legion about getting EDI's shipboard speakers fixed.

Through the fuzziness of his mind, Shepard sensed movement. He managed to lift the lead weight that was his head, eyes rolling about painfully to lock onto the source of the movement.

Jack was on her belly, dragging herself towards the Commander. Her lip curled as she strained to move, her skin bruised, split open in places, burned in others. The leather harness she wore for the sakes of modesty had slipped off one shoulder, threatening a serious wardrobe malfunction if she wasn't careful.

The closer she got, the clearer Shepard's brain became, his implants working double-time to fix him up. Eventually, his hearing returned, allowing him to pick up on the scraping noise she made as she crawled across the deck, leaving a smear of blood behind her.

Finally, she managed to reach the Commander. One hand lifted up and reached out, hovering over the Commander for a second before dropping down with a weak slapping noise. Shepard tensed, unsure of her intent as he felt the fingers curl, grasping at him. Finally, he looked up, gazing down in confusion at her hand. Or rather, the part of his anatomy she'd grabbed a hold of, either by intent or accident.

"I've…" She began weakly, her head slumping. She swallowed, trying to get her words together. "I've…" Her head lifted up, eyes locking with his. "I've… got… you."

She chuckled, finding a little more strength somewhere.

"I've got you by the balls, bitch!"

Shepard stared at her, absolutely at a loss as to what was going on in this woman's brain. He had no idea what made her tick, but that was part of why he cared for her so much, his complete inability to fathom her inner workings. He just kept staring, eyes almost crossing with confusion. Then, like a dam breaking, laughter spilled from his lips, ripping free of his chest in convulsions that pained him. Even as every shake sent shafts of pain shooting through his brain, he relished each bark. Staring into his face, Jack began laughing, too. In seconds, the pair were in fits, Jack pushing her face into Shepard's thigh, her hand still where it had fallen. Shepard allowed his head to drop back onto the deck, closing his eyes as he sighed.

The elevator hissed open, allowing a small army to flood into the Hangar Bay. Moments later, a ring of armed soldiers surrounded the pair, rifles all pointed at Jack. Not that it mattered, of course. Both combatants had slipped into the blissful darkness of unconsciousness. Garrus kept his gun trained on the biotic for a second, then relaxed, sure that they'd both passed out.

"Let Chakwas know she's got two patients." He said. "She might want to get out the biotic suppression fields, too."

As the others set about putting the hangar to rights or getting the medics in to help their Commander and their… unusual comrade, Garrus knelt next to the pair. He ignored jack's left hand, lying on top of a part of the Commander's he'd rather not think about, but instead turned his attention to her right hand. Carefully, making sure not to draw the attention of his fellows, he reached down and took the convict's hand, uncurling it to release the Commander's left hand. The finger's twitched, resisting as he forced them to release Shepard's, but soon he hand the hands apart. He then turned his attention to the rapidly approaching Doctor Chakwas, two stretchers close behind her.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard shook his head, breaking free of the restrictive vines of unconsciousness. Pain was the first thing to greet him, soon followed by the sounds that he quickly recognised to be those of the Med Bay. He opened his eyes, sitting up and looking about.

Chakwas picked up on the movement, striding over to stand next to his bed.

"Commander. How are you feeling?"

"Like I just got run over by a Tomkah." He grunted, reaching up to rub at the back of his neck. "Did I really get into a sparring match with Jack?"

"Indeed you did, Shepard." Chakwas smiled. "And I would advise against such action in the future. I think I'd have preferred to patch you up after the Collector mission again. I don't think I've ever seen such a brutal fight. Frankly, you'd have died without medical attention."

"I'll bear that in mind." Shepard answered. "Where is she?"

"Still under sedation." Chakwas nodded over her shoulder at another bed. "We figured it'd be safer until you woke up. Plus, she's not entirely healed yet, so we wanted to make sure she sits still long enough to get back to full strength."

"What about me?"

"You're good to go whenever you want, Commander, but make sure to take it easy. You'll be a little fragile for the next day or so."

"Fine by me."

Shepard rolled out of bed, standing on shaky feet with the help of the doctor. He shuffled over to Jack's bedside.

The tattooed convict was out cold, her features surprisingly peaceful beneath the biotic suppression field that created a blue shell around her. Even so, the injuries she'd sustained were all too visible. Shepard winced as he scanned them, knowing that each one had come from him.

"Wake her up."

Chakwas flinched at the words.

"A-are you sure, Commander? She was trying to kill you."

"No, she was angry and needed to vent. We're past that." Shepard assured her. "It'll be fine."

"Alright, but if she so much as twitches funny I'll shoot her so full of morphine she'll be able to move through time."

"So be it. I accept all responsibility and blame."

The doctor shrugged, moving to her desk. A moment later, there was a hiss of chemicals being injected, then Jack stirred sluggishly. A second later, her eyes snapped open, looking about with a measure of panic. Her pulse, recorded on the monitors above her bed, spiked sharply to indicate her alarm.

"Jack. Jack!" Shepard raised his voice a little to get her attention. "It's okay. We had you sedated while the medics fixed you up. We just thought it best to keep you sedated until we were sure you wouldn't wake up in a bad mood."

"I'm always in a bad mood." Jack grumbled.

"I'm not going to argue about that." Shepard chuckled. "I don't think I'd have you any other way."

"You don't have me." She opened her eyes, glancing sidelong at him. "I've got you, remember? By the balls."

"Do you now?" Shepard laughed loudly at that. "I'm not so sure I remember anything like that being agreed upon."

"You really gonna make me get up and show you again?" Jack shot back. "This time, I won't go easy on you."

"You were going easy before?" Shepard humoured her.

"Sure I was. A big old pussy hero like you, you've got an ego to keep up. I was only thinking about the damn downcast look you'd be carrying around if I won. It makes you look like a puppy that's been kicked. I didn't want to have to deal with that, so I took a fall there."

"If you say so." Shepard laughed. "Alright, Jack. No need for Round Two. You win."

"Damn straight." The biotic shifted under her sheets, swallowing the dryness that coated her mouth. "Now, how am I gonna carry your balls around? Should I ask the Cheerleader for one of her classy little silk purses?"

"I'm just glad to have you talking to me again."

"Well, I was halfway through handing your ass to you when what you said to me before really hit home. Didn't matter what I threw at you, you kept on coming. You never gave up. And you never shot to kill. "She stared straight at him as he opened his mouth. "I know what you did, Shepard, rooting around in the shuttle's survival kit. There was a perfectly good gun in there, but you went for the flare." Her eyes rolled away from his gaze, staring straight up at the ceiling. "I was wrong to give you so much shit over sparing the Illusive Man. And to accuse you of just using the people on your team. Of using me."

"Is that an apology I'm hearing?"

"Fuck no!" She snapped. "I'm just saying… I was wrong. I won't do it again."

"Sounds like an apology to me." Shepard smirked.

"It's not!" Jack protested. "Say that again, and I'll get serious about the silk purse."

"Get better, Jack." Shepard chuckled as he stood up straight, turning to leave. "I need you fit and healthy and at my side."

"Aw… shit. You talk like such a pussy, Commander." She growled to his retreating back.

"Bye, Jack."

Unseen by the Commander, Jack settled back into her cushions, a smile on her lips as she watched Shepard leave.

Shepard, meanwhile, made slow but steady progress through the Crew Deck. He stalked through to the elevator, punching in the code for the Loft and his cabin. The Normandy still had a day and a half's journey before arriving at Delessa. After that, another day would take them to the very heart of Batarian Space. He needed time to prepare.

**Author's Note: So, I've been looking forward to this scene for a while now. I really think this is a defining point for the romance arc. In a game context, this is the first Jack and Shepard scene that's truly romance arc specific. All others were written to be modifiable for a non-Jackmance Shep, but this one flat out wouldn't be in the game unless you romanced her.**

**As for the scene itself, I feel it really symbolises Jack. There's a lot going on here, but most of it is hidden behind a scene that many would immediately discard as being something much more shallow and, in some cases, will find it unappealing. There's an intimacy behind the violence, the fight is an expression of their feelings for one another. While I feel there's a little work that I could do on it, I'm happy with the current version. It seems that the longer I wait to write a scene, the harsher I am about criticising it.**

**As for the Rachni decision, I'm surprised that there were fewer Renegade votes. The Rachni always struck me as a choice that could have split the fanbase, as it could go either way. I'll hold back on what the good/bad choice was though. You'll have to wait for the endgame to find that out.**

**Some have asked for my impressions of Mass Effect 3, so I thought I'd give a short summary here: Not brilliant. I have yet to finish the game, but I have been thoroughly spoiled, to the point where I hesitated to import my Shepard because I didn't want to subject him to the story. That's not to say the game isn't decent, having some incredible design behind it in both the art, the voice-acting, and the mechanics, but the story, the plot and the dialogue are... poor. I won't get into the endings fiasco, as that's been done to death, but know that I think its a crime against story writing everywhere and specifically against the original vision of the franchise. In the end, I'd give the game a 6.5 out of ten. Good, but I only got it because I played the other two games, and probably wouldn't have bought it had there not been the promise of my playing those games having mattered. I feel it changed genre and spirit from the previous instalments by too much. If you'd like, I can do a more in-depth analysis of the game on a later chapter.**

**I can also, if you'd like, post a behind-the-scenes excerpt showing you, without spoiling anything, just how my ending is being determined by previous choices. I'll say this much right now: I have 24 distinct endings that I could end up writing. I say distinct, because the difference between them is more than just, say, the colour of an explosion or something. If you use Bioware's logic to count endings, I have thousands of permutations.**

**So what do you think of the fic so far? Let me know and leave a review, for goodness sake! I can't adapt and improve without you guys.**

**Thanks go out to Mastermind4892, BloodIronAngel, general-joseph-dickson, Cropcirc, darkerego, Liege Lord, Raidster, ZeroLink21, and my good friend alaeti, as well as every single person who has faved or followed this fic. I'd also like to thank JoeLaTurkey, who has agreed to do something a little awesome for this fic which I hope to reveal to you at the next update (It's still a work in progress).**

**In other news, the wonderful Courtenay Taylor commented on my short fic, Ink after I sent her a link on Twitter. The voice of Jack approves!**

**If you want to follow me through other means, you can find me under Fainmaca on DeviantArt or the BSN, fainmaca on Twitter, and Fain Maca on Facebook. You can keep up to date on the progress of the fic/other projects through these.**

**I'll also be uploading the first Council Side Mission tonight. I'll see you then!**

**Fainmaca Out.**


	45. 45:Side Mission 1: Missing Research Team

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 45: Council Mission One: Missing Research Team**

The hangar bay was a bustling hive of activity. The Normandy had dropped out of FTL above the rosy pink planet of Delessa, a freezing little ball of rock and dust that would barely merit the attention of the lowliest cargo scow, and now the crew worked to prepare the ship's Nathak shuttle for departure, making sure it carried enough fuel and supplies to catch up with the Normandy after she left. The squat shuttle's four-man crew would not catch up with the Normandy in time to participate in the next mission, but would rendezvous with her in orbit above the objective.

The leader of said crew paced about anxiously, going through the list of supplies for possibly the tenth time in just as many missions. One hand reaching up to clutch at his fringe as he stared absent-mindedly at the entry telling him how many cans of soda were stored under the navigator's seat, Garrus continued pacing.

"You know, if you keep that up you'll wear a hole in my ship."

The Turian flinched at the words, spinning to see his Commander leaning languorously against the side of the shuttle. Shepard chuckled at his friend's distraction, standing up straight.

"For someone who stared a Reaper square in the eye while kicking it in the balls, you seem awfully nervous."

"As I recall, Shepard, you were the one doing the majority of the kicking, both times." Garrus responded with a grin. "How're the bruises? Jack did a real number on you."

"Healing." Shepard explained evasively. "I'll be good for action by the time we get to the Eye." He paused, eyeing up his comrade. "So what's eating at you?"

Garrus' smile faded, his gaze darting away to scan the contours of the floor panels at his feet.

"You should be the one leading this op, Shepard. Putting me in charge is not a good idea."

"Why not?" Shepard asked with a frown. "We both know that you have the resolve, the ability and the experience to lead your own unit."

"Come on, Shepard. I lost my whole team. I'd hardly consider my experience to be particularly helpful."

"And I suppose one bad day completely discounts the months beforehand where you carried out countless successful operations against Omega's most powerful gangs? All of the missions to save Omega's weak and oppressed?"

Shepard threw his arm around his Turian friend, the single most faithful comrade he'd acquired in his travels.

"Part of what makes you such a good leader is the fact that you take any harm to those under your command personally. You care for the members of your team, something I've seen too many commanders ignore in favour of being a hard-ass. But you let your failings bog you down. You've gotta let Omega go, have some confidence in your abilities."

"Maybe." Garrus' tone was muted.

"Garrus, I have faith in you, even if you don't have faith in yourself."

"Shepard, this is your team." Garrus insisted. "They take orders from you."

"They're professionals. They take their orders from whoever is in charge." Shepard assured. "They're not going to be a problem. Did you manage to decide who you want with you?"

"I think so, yeah. I hope you can spare them."

"We've got a small army on board. We'll manage without a couple for a day or two. Who did you have in mind?"

"I figured it'd be good to take Grunt for an outing. He's been acting up a little lately."

"The fresh air will probably do him good. Just remember- he needs a walk every morning and evening, and you gotta let him out into the yard regular to do his 'business'."

"Ha!" Garrus' laugh turned a few heads in the hangar, the sharp noise resembling the creak of a metal hinge. "I'll bear that in mind."

"Who else are you bringing?" Shepard asked, glad to see Garrus' hesitation vanish behind his amusement.

"I thought Miranda would make a useful addition to the team."

Shepard paused at that, glancing into his friend's eyes as he sized up the choice. Miranda was capable, of course, but the choice spoke volumes about Garrus. The former Cerberus operative was an efficient part of the squad, but she was also a very headstrong individual and an accomplished leader. Having her ride shotgun on the mission emphasised Garrus' lack of confidence, implying a mild hope that she would accept some of the burden of leading the mission, as well as some of the responsibilities. But questioning his choices before the mission had even begun would only further burden his mind with doubts. Shepard chose to let it slide.

"I'm sure she'll do a great job." He smiled.

"You reckon that's a good balance?" Garrus asked, looking for approval. "Might be a bit heavy-handed on the brute force side."

"I think they're inspired choices." Shepard assured. "However, I'd like for you to take Falere with you, too. She's new to the crew, and not used to the kind of missions we carry out. I'd like for her to get used to how we roll with a simple investigative mission before throwing her in at the deep end. I mean, let's face it. The thing's we've been facing these past couple of missions are not what you want to encounter on your first day."

"Why not?" Garrus chuckled. "When I started out on your crew, we faced down a Geth army, a Rachni Queen, the Thorian and an ancient civilisation-killing machine before my first week was over. Not to mention the Spectre."

"What can I say? I thought your time in C-Sec had made you soft. The challenges toughened you up."

"Cute." Garrus smirked, mandibles twitching. "I've spoken to Grunt and Miranda. They should be just about ready. Did you ask Falere before volunteering her for this job?"

"She's quite excited to be able to get to work." Shepard answered. "She's been itching to do something since she came aboard."

The duo turned at a loud hiss from the far end of the hangar, catching sight of the elevator doors rushing open to reveal Garrus' squad. Looking nervous, Falere was the first to step out, followed by the confidently striding Miranda. Behind them, burdened down by equipment crates for all three, Grunt sauntered along with a bored air.

"Commander." Miranda nodded formally before turning to the Turian. "Reporting for duty, Officer Vakarian."

Behind her, Shepard watched with amusement as Garrus squirmed under the formal address.

"Uh… thanks, Miranda. But honestly, I'd rather you keep calling me Garrus."

"Very well." Miranda's posture remained stiff. Shepard had to wonder just how well she was dealing with the prospect of working under a Turian's command. Given the fact that she had subscribed to Cerberus's ideals of an empowered Humanity, it was possible the situation felt a little strange for her. "Have the pre-flight checks been carried out?"

"I'm just finishing off." Garrus answered, not noticing the frown Shepard's face bore at the domineering way Miranda was acting before the mission even began. "Load up your gear, and we'll be good to go."

As the trio turned to the shuttle, soon stowing their armour and weapons in the craft's storage bay, Garrus turned back to his Commander.

"I guess all that remains is to get your permission to depart, Commander."

"Permission granted, Garrus. Safe trip."

"You too. Try not to get into too much trouble without me."

"Are you kidding? You're the cause of all the trouble we find on these missions. Now that we've finally got you out of the way, maybe we can have a mission go off smoothly."

"And to think, I only joined this squad as a favour to you." Garrus chuckled. "If I had half a brain, I'd take the Nathak out there and high-tail it back to the Citadel, leave all the work to you."

Smiling, the duo shook hands before Garrus turned to climb into the Nathak, slipping behind the controls as Miranda took up a position at the navigator's console. Grunt and Falere settled in in the rear compartment. In seconds, the shuttle began powering up. The Normandy's hangar doors ground open, an atmospheric shield in place to keep the bay pressurised. Lifting off, the Nathak turned to the opening and the rose-coloured planet beyond, darting out with a subtle thrust of power. Moments later, the shuttle was gone, the auxiliary squad on their way to the objective. Shepard watched them go, then turned to head back to the CIC. He had business elsewhere.

**~o~0~o~**

The Nathak scudded through the sky, buffeted by gusts of wind that swirled through the thick cloud layer. Eventually, the craft broke through the upper layers of the atmosphere, descending to reveal a dark landscape underneath a heavy sky.

"This looks like a pleasant place to be." Garrus commented grimly. "Homely."

"The upper atmosphere is filled with dust particles, flecks of magnetised rock and a good dose of ionising radiation." Miranda observed as she scanned the sensor readings. "This diffuses all sunlight that reaches the planet, leaving it in perpetual dusk. It also makes communications impossible with anything less than a high-powered comm array such as you would find on an Alliance cruiser."

"Probably why the research team hasn't reported in in such a long time." Garrus said. "Maybe they encountered some kind of trouble and were unable to call for help."

"Its possible." Miranda agreed.

"Didn't the research team report a strange signal just before they vanished?" Falere asked.

"A good point." Garrus nodded. "See if you can find whatever got them so interested."

"Scanning…" Miranda was silent as her brow furrowed slightly, her icy eyes locked on her readouts. "Got it. It's running on a very low frequency, on a repeating loop. Decryption could take a while, as we don't even know what language its in to start with."

"Set the programs running anyway." Garrus ordered.

"I fail to see the point, seeing as we don't know what we're looking at." Miranda countered.

Garrus bristled at the challenge, but chose not to make a big deal out of it. Humans, unlike Turians, expected the orders they received to be justified. Where a Turian would follow an order blindly so long as it came from a superior, a Human would wait first to understand the reasoning behind the order, then even look for a better way to accomplish the same goal. Miranda was just looking to make better use of her time and the resources at their disposal. When he responded, the Turian's voice was calm and reasonable.

"I want to know everything I can about this signal before we go in to investigate. For all we know this could be a hazard beacon warning people away from something. Now please, run the programs."

Miranda sighed, but complied. In moments, the Nathak's computers were devoted to analysing the signal, taking its data apart bit by bit until it found something to understand. Moments later, she made a satisfying clicking noise in the back of her throat.

"Its gibberish. No match to any Council race's language. Its not Prothean, and its not Batarian. At first it held some similarities to Geth codes, but then it became rapidly more nonsensical. There's no way we can decrypt it."

"Well, that allows us to rule out the possibility of this being the research ship's SOS." Garrus reasoned. "It could possibly be a relic left behind by someone older than the Protheans."

"Whatever." Grunt said dismissively. "Do we have anything to shoot at or not?"

"I've tracked the signal to its source." Miranda continued, ignoring the Krogan. "Uploading the co-ordinates."

An instant later, a point appeared on Garrus' map, not far from their current location. The Turian made the necessary course corrections, and they soon found themselves circling a deep hole in the landscape, an opening that Miranda's sensors informed her dropped down to a depth of almost two hundred feet. Beside this gaping hole in the soil sat the missing Council research vessel, silent and cold on the squad's sensors.

"The ship has no heat signature." Miranda stated. "Engines are stone cold. This ship's been powered down for at least three days, given the planet's ambient temperature."

"A ship without power is a ship without heat or air." Garrus observed. "Its unlikely we'd find any survivors inside."

Garrus abruptly forced the shuttle to change course, bringing her down to touch the ground roughly a half-mile from the opening and the seemingly abandoned ship. Without a word, the team geared up, each one slipping on their breather as Garrus prepared to open the craft to the bitterly cold winds outside.

As the hatch slid open, a billowing haze of sand washed in, instantly coating the shuttle's floor and the squad's armoured boots. Lifting an arm to shield his face so that his visor wasn't obscured by the sand, Garrus was the first to step out, Grunt and Falere following closely, then Miranda bringing up the rear as she locked up the shuttle.

It didn't take them long to cover the distance between the Nathak and the hole, soon finding themselves staring down into the black hole with not a little hesitance.

"The signal is coming from inside the opening." Miranda commented as she monitored the strange transmission with her omnitool.

"Of course." Garrus replied. "Did you really expect anything else?"

"We should go inspect the ship before we head down." The former Cerberus officer said.

"No. We have no idea what kind of defences or traps we could encounter on board. I don't want to risk triggering any alarms and alerting someone to our presence before we've had a chance to explore the hole."

"But the research crew could still be on board!"

"Then they'll still be there when we come back out. That ship's cold, there's no way they could get it off the ground for at least five hours."

"You're making a big mistake." Miranda cautioned.

"As I recall, Shepard put me in charge of this mission, Miranda. I'm not going to have my orders questioned at every turn."

As Garrus barked out his counter to her warning, Grunt stalked up behind him, ready to leap to the aid of the one his Battlemaster had appointed to lead the mission. Falere, new to the crew and still uncertain of her place in it, joined the Turian and the Krogan in opposing the Human. Miranda, seeing that she was outnumbered, simply sighed, giving way to the silent vote of confidence Garrus was receiving.

"Very well. Let's just hope that this turns out to be a wise expenditure of our time."

Garrus nodded his thanks, grateful that the confrontation had failed to escalate. The last thing he needed was for his first solo mission as a part of Shepard's squad to descend into civil war. He turned away, heading over to the depression in the ground at the centre of which sat the mysterious gaping maw leading into the ground.

The hole was about thirty feet in diameter, descending downwards sharply. Garrus couldn't tell if t was natural or artificial, but the spiralling walkway attached to the inside of the shaft was obviously not something nature had intended.

"This walkway doesn't look new." The Turian observed. "It's been here for a while. I'm thinking the research team wasn't the first group of people to come here."

"Is it safe?" Falere asked nervously.

"Looks solid enough." Garrus tested it hesitantly, wincing at the screech of rusty metal sliding against itself. "Let's hope it holds our weight."

"I'll go first." Grunt volunteered. "If it holds me, It'll take the rest of you."

"Agreed." Garrus nodded. "I'll be close behind you. Falere, stick close to me. Miranda, watch our six."

In this formation, the team slowly descended into the depths, the faint gloom of the surface soon giving way to darkness that made omnitool torch functions necessary.

Finally, after a seemingly endless descent, they reached a small cavern at the base of the shaft. About sixty feet wide, it ran off to the east far enough to obscure its furthest reaches in a swathe of darkness. Warily, Garrus reclaimed the lead position of the squad, pressing on down the roughly cylindrical formation.

Looming out of the darkness like the monsters of a child's worst imaginings, large shapes slowly resolved themselves into massive pieces of machinery, long since encrusted in rust. Garrus stepped over to one, running his omnitool over it.

"Judging by the corrosion, I'd think this has been uninhabited for about twelve years."

"It looks like mining equipment." Miranda observed.

"I thought this planet was meant to be unexplored." Grunt objected.

"Unlicensed mining." Garrus said. "An all too common occurrence. Someone looking to make a few quick credits would pick a random location on the Galactic Map and look for a valuable lode to exploit. You're far enough out from the normal traffic lanes that you don't have to worry about being found. These unexplored systems are impossible to patrol properly." He tapped the machine, listening to the ringing noise the metal made under his knuckles. "Seeing as he left his kit behind, I'm thinking whoever owned this shaft was discovered, either by Council ships on patrol or, much more likely, by pirates stopping in-system to dump their drive charge."

"So why are we reading a signal from down here after all this time?" Falere asked. "Surely any equipment he left down here has long since run out of power."

"We'll find out soon enough." Miranda said. "The signal's just a little further down this shaft."

Sure enough, they only had to travel a little further along the tunnel to discover the only piece of equipment in the mine that still functioned. Unlike the drills and smelting equipment that surrounded it, the transmitter was relatively new, showing no sign of the corrosion that afflicted the other machines. It pulsed with power, lights blinking along its base.

"That's it?" Grunt asked with not a little disappointment. "This is what we came to find?"

"Why would there be a transmitter down here?" Miranda asked.

"This is definitely the source of the signal?" Garrus asked, wanting to be sure of his facts before jumping to any conclusions, even though he already had a sinking feeling in his gut.

"Yes." Miranda said, kneeling next to the transmitter. "That's what doesn't make any sense. This transmitter is of Salarian design, available in most Council approved shipyards. Why is the code sheer gibberish?"

"Does anyone else smell that?" Grunt asked.

"Smell what?" Garrus asked, unsure of what the Krogan's more powerful sense of smell might have picked up on.

"Smells kinda sweet, sickly. Like provisions, going bad."

"Find whatever it is." The Turian ordered.

The Krogan nodded, instantly bending to sniff near the ground like a Varren. His head swayed from side to side as he walked, sniffs loud in the confines of the tunnel. In moments, he stopped at a rust-encrusted storage locker.

"Here."

"You sure?"

"Never doubt a Krogan's nose."

Shrugging his acceptance, Garrus walked over, testing the lid of the locker. It was not locked, and gave way under the slightest push, flakes of rust fluttering away from its hinges.

"Oh goddess…" Falere's hand rose to her mouth and nose to block out the flood of stench that washed out of the open box. Even the sturdy Garrus had trouble keeping his breathing regular in the face of the olfactory assault.

Inside the locker lay four bodies; one Asari, two Salarians and one Turian. The sweet smell rose from the Turian, his dextro-DNA causing his body to decompose in a very different way from that of the other three victims. All three were in varying stages of decomposition, the bacteria within their very bodies already beginning to break down their matter for their own sustenance. The wash of heat rising off the bodies before swiftly fading in the cool air of the tunnel spoke of the hive of activity taking place on a level so far beyond that observable with the naked eye. Of the quarter, the Turian had fared the best, his thick hide resisting the decomposition even as his innards rotted away. Garrus was pained to recognise the facial markings as those of a Palaven resident, the sweeping blue lines much like his own.

"This must have been the research team." Garrus commented, taking in the lab coat the Salarians wore. He leaned forward, trying not to breathe in. "The Asari was shot. Pistol, up close and personal. The Salarians took a shotgun blast to the chest and back, respectively, meaning one died facing his attackers while the other was running away when he was killed. The Turian…" He paused to lift the body, finally finding the wounds he was looking for. "The Turian died fighting. His talons are broken, probably from scratching at combat armour. Finished off by a knife to the spinal cord, then left to bleed out, if the discoloration in the seams between his plates is any indication."

"Who did this?" Falere asked, her voice trembling just a little bit.

"The same people who set up the transmitter." Garrus said grimly, locking his gaze with Miranda's and seeing agreement in her eyes. "The reason we can't understand the message is because there is no message, just a strange signal meant to inspire curiosity. This is bait, and we've walked straight into the heart of the trap. Back to the shuttle!"

Almost in the same instant, a thunderous pop roared through the tunnel, a wave of air that deafened and dazed the squad. Garrus winced as his ears began to ring loudly, his vision blurred from the bright flash that was hot on the heels of the explosion. Even stunned, the Turian had the combat experience to know that he needed to get to cover. As muffled sound returned to his brain, he lunged for where Falere had been standing, bearing the Asari to the ground behind one of the pieces of machinery even as she panicked and slapped at him. He released her, pulling back to pull out his rifle and lean around the edge of the machine, firing off a quick volley of bullets without knowing if he was even close to aiming in the right direction.

Through the haze cluttering his mind, Garrus heard a number of metallic pings, the sounds of bullets rebounding off the machinery around the squad. As his vision returned, Garrus became aware of a large shadow looming over him. With a thunderous roar, the shape flashed brightly, lit up by a muzzle flash. It lumbered forward a few more paces, then another flash illuminated its outline. Garrus' vision cleared, revealing the shape to be the enormous Urdnot Grunt, charging towards an enemy that remained unseen in the gloom further up the tunnel, directly between the squad and their only way out.

"Yah-hagh! Now it gets fun!"

Garrus lifted his weapon of choice, his Viper sniper rifle, and activated a control on the side. In that instant, his visor began communicating with the weapon, the pair linking together to aid his aim. Images began to stream onto the visor's display, the rifle's scope providing an infrared scan of the tunnel to help him pick out potential targets.

Three shapes appeared on his display, one clearly a Krogan's outline, the other two human-shaped, although it was impossible to tell their species with only an outline to go on.

Sighting down on the leftmost of the targets, the Turian waited coolly for the targeting reticule to line up on the centre of the vague shape's head, finally pulling the trigger. For the briefest of instants, less time than it took for the universe's heart to beat, a single bolt of light connected his rifle to the target, a glowing yellow beam that was the bullet's trajectory. Before the flash of that bullet had faded, the target, a young female Human, let out a shriek as the back of her head erupted in a fan of grey brain matter and crimson blood, mirroring the neat round hole appearing in her forehead. She fell in a tangle of limbs, spasming on the floor as the life quickly left her, her nervous system still responding to messages from a brain that had ceased to exist.

Miranda, meanwhile, had found refuge behind the transmitter, her biotics glowing as she summoned a Barrier. Leaning out of cover, she flung her hand forward, sending a Warp blast out that ripped the second target, a Batarian, into tiny fragments, a rapidly dissipating cloud of dust that retained its humanoid shape for just a few moments.

Grunt howled as he pumped his shotgun a couple more times, each powerful shot ripping into the Krogan ambusher. The alien just kept on charging. Like two continents colliding, the two Krogan tackled one another, quickly descending to the floor in a brutal brawl, punches and kicks making wet, meaty thumping noises. The pair scuffled for a few long moments, then finally they rolled so that Grunt had the upper hand. With a snarl, the Urdnot warrior grasped the attacking Krogan's head, twisting powerfully. There was a loud snap, then the Krogan went limp, Grunt dropping him to the ground with a huff of disgust.

Standing, Garrus surveyed the tunnel, taking in the three cooling bodies and his completely unscathed team. With a jolt, he realised that his tally came up one short. He turned back around to where he had pushed Falere, realising that she had vanished.

"Wait… Falere!" He yelled. "Where are you?"

He spun at the sound of a shuddering breath being drawn in, tight lungs resisting the urge to draw in air. Garrus hurried to one of the long derelict drills closer to the back of the tunnel, moving past Miranda. As he walked around the drill, he caught sight of the Asari, cowering behind the machinery. She was shaking uncontrollably, a dead Salarian at her feet. The corpse still shimmered with the bright light of a malfunctioning stealth unit, but the gaping wound on his chest was plain for all to see. Falere was staring at the corpse, lip trembling as tears danced in her eyes.

"H-He was trying to sneak around behind us w-with his cloak." She managed to stammer between gasps. "I…" she swallowed. "I saw the shimmer, I had the gun…" A shudder passed through her entire body. "The shot-"

"Its never easy, your first." Garrus knelt next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder, guiding her to look away from the body. "But he would have killed all of us, given the chance. He wasn't about to hesitate. Remember that."

"There's so much blood." The Asari's head twitched, wanting to look back but terrified of what she would see.

"This guy had some high-quality tech, to get past my scans." Garrus observed. "If it hadn't been for you, we'd have never known he was back here. You saved all of our lives, including your own."

The Asari released a deep breath, her countenance steadying. She wasn't better, not by a long shot, but she was calmer. Garrus understood completely. The first time you killed someone was always a difficult experience. Knowing that you saved another life in the process could make it easier to process, but it didn't necessarily make it okay.

"Come on." The Turian gave her shoulder a squeeze, extending his other hand to offer her support. "We've gotta get moving before their friends get curious about what happened to them."

With that, the squad moved off, soon ascending the walkway that circled around the outside of the mineshaft on its way up to the surface. Only a few metres from the mouth of the mineshaft, Garrus put his hand out to stop his comrades. Sensing his train of thought, Miranda sidled up to speak with him in a hushed tone.

"If the ambushers have even a grain of sense, they'll have surrounded the only way in and out of the mine." She whispered. "If we walk out there, we'll be barging straight into a carefully prepared killzone."

"Luckily, there's not a lot of cover up there for them to take advantage of." Garrus reasoned. "If we could get them to reveal themselves, then a few quick shots should decimate them."

"I can take whatever they throw in the first volley." Grunt said confidently. "Let me draw their fire!"

"You can't do it on your own." Garrus said firmly. "Even a Krogan as strong as yourself wouldn't last long under that kind of fire."

"I can help." The squad turned at Falere's words. The Asari raised her eyebrows. "Officer Alenko showed me how to run the Tech Armour installed in my suit. With it, I could withstand a significant beating before losing my defences."

"I'm not so sure it's a good idea." Garrus said tactfully.

"I can do it." Falere said strongly. "I can definitely be a better distraction than an attacker."

"If we can act swiftly enough, then the threat will be minimal." Miranda reasoned.

"Alright." Garrus relented. "But if either of you get killed I'll kick your ass. You have no idea what kind of paperwork I have to fill in if I lose someone under my command."

"That's why you're in charge and I get to enjoy the fun stuff." Grunt grinned before turning to the tiny blue alien next to him. "Come on, little Asari. Time for battle!"

"Grunt, wait for my-" Garrus abruptly stopped as the Krogan charged recklessly forward. "Damn it!"

Falere, knowing the value of the task she shared with Grunt, quickly slipped after him, activating the commands on her omnitool to activate her Tech Armour, a holographic shell appearing around her body. Barely hesitating, she dashed into the line of fire with the Krogan, neither flinching as the trap was sprung. Bullets ripped across the mine opening, some bouncing off the Krogan and Asari's armour while most missed. Garrus felt a mild swell of amusement and pride at the shocking lack of accuracy the attackers were displaying. He didn't have long to enjoy it, however, as he soon found himself compelled to move before his comrades completely lost their defences.

Snarling with frustration that Grunt had forced his hand, Garrus surged forward, throwing himself down at the top of the walkway, just below the lip of the opening. He shuffled forward on his belly a half pace, bringing his Viper around as he scanned the landscape above the hole.

Three Turians had sprung up from the ground, pink sand still pouring off their armour. Around the hole, another four Humans and a pair of Salarians had strode into view, still moving into position from the general direction of the research ship.

Garrus was already pulling the trigger on his sniper rifle before the targets had finished moving into position. At his side, Miranda used her biotics to send a wave of dark energy barrelling towards one of the Salarians, sending him darting for cover.

Grunt and Falere had taken up a position in plain view, back to back. Grunt's shotgun was already running hot, the muzzle glowing from the friction of the bullets lunging forth to tear into the ambushers. The Asari cowered in his shadow, using her biotics to keep the enemy off-balance.

Garrus worked the trigger of his rifle, the familiarly powerful recoil jamming the weapon into his shoulder. Muscles that had long since become used to the recoil tensed around every shot, protecting him from any injury. One by one, attackers fell. In seconds, two Turians and a Human had fallen to his bullets. Almost immediately, however, another three Humans raced into view, reinforcements coming from the ship. No doubt more would be on their way. Garrus cursed inwardly at this. Without the guarantee that the entire force was committed, he had no way of knowing how many more of these bandits he had to face.

"Miranda!" He called. "We've got more incoming!"

Miranda nodded, turning to face the Humans. Suddenly, two of them glowed blue, lifting into the air. As they cried out in indignation, they soared overhead, weapons firing haphazardly. Suddenly, they were released, dropped down into the yawning abyss of the mineshaft with a terrible shriek. The third soon perished with a shot from Garrus' gun.

On the opposite side of the mineshaft, the duo of Grunt and Falere were steadily moving around, keeping mobile to avoid being surrounded. Grunt led the charge, blasting at the enemies fiercely. Falere provided support, using her omnitool to channel energy into the Krogan's armour, reinforcing his defences while maintaining her own through her biotics, allowing the duo to move across the battlefield as an unassailable force, bullets bouncing off the flickering blue barrier surrounding them.

As Garrus watched, a pile of sand between the duo and the sinkhole shifted, sliding aside to reveal the form of a Turian with a big, nasty shotgun, an ugly weapon that rapidly spun to aim at the back of the Asari backing up the Krogan. Garrus lurched, but his gun spun toward the new threat with what felt like painful hesitance.

"Falere!" He barked.

The Asari heard him, twisting to glance in his direction. She jumped at the sight of the attacker, her SMG whipping around with lightning speed. The gun chattered, fired under a reflexive pull of the trigger. The Turian cried out, bullet holes appearing in his torso, fountains of blue blood spurting out. With each bullet impact, the Turian jerked backwards another pace until he finally stumbled over the edge of the mineshaft entrance, tumbling down into the blackness.

The battle was soon over, the last of the Human attackers dying quickly under the combined fire of Garrus' rifle and Grunt's shotgun. In the moments after the last body fell, silence was almost painfully prevalent. Garrus glanced across the mineshaft entrance to his comrades, the Urdnot warrior and the Ardat-Yakshi, smiling in relief as he noticed that neither of them was injured. He turned to Miranda, glad to see approval on her face, for once. She smiled.

"Nice work, Vakarian. The research team found, the signal investigated, the pirate ambush taken care of. Shepard will be pleased."

"I'm glad you approve." Garrus smiled back. "Come on. We've still gotta search the ship, then we're done here."

**~o~0~o~**

Several hours later, the site around the mineshaft was finally secure. The squad had searched the research ship, finding minimal signs of habitation. The ship's sensors had been rigged to signal a nearby camp where the pirates had lain in wait, ready to move out at the sign of any arrivals looking to investigate the mine. Once the signal had gone out, a small shuttle had landed on the far side of the research ship, disgorging the camp's entire complement of bloodthirsty bandits to catch whoever was in the mine unawares.

The squad went back into the mine, deactivating the transmitter, then returned to the surface to set the ship's SOS to contact the nearest Council ship to come and collect their property. This done, Garrus directed their shuttle over to the pirate camp, where they'd managed to salvage a stash of valuable materials, including a large crate filled with Element Zero. This brief collection done, the team returned to orbit, pausing to make a quick call before setting off in pursuit of the Normandy. Sitting in the pilot's chair, Garrus keyed in the comm frequency to contact Udina.

"Mr Vakarian. I've just heard from our science team that the research vessel has just begun transmitting an SOS. I take it you managed to find the team?"

"Yes, Councillor. It turns out that the signal they decided to investigate was a booby trap, set up by pirates to lure in an easy score."

"I see. And the research team?" The Councillor's holographic image leaned away from his transmitter, cupping his chin.

"Unfortunately, the pirates killed them."

"Ah. A pity, but not entirely unexpected. Good work, Mr Vakarian. I'm sure that resolving this situation will put both you and the Commander in the Council's good books."

"Happy to be of service, Councillor."

"I'll be in touch. No doubt the Council will have plenty more work for the crew of the Normandy to carry out. Udina out."

The comm frequency closed, the transmission going silent.

"Well, he's as pleasant as ever." Miranda sighed, leaning back in her chair.

"He's always been a bit of an ass, but he knows how to get things done. We're lucky to have him on our side." Garrus leaned forward, inputting a few commands. "Okay, that's a notification sent off to the Normandy. You might as well go make yourself comfortable in the back. This is going to be a bit of a long trip."

With a jolt, the Nathak leapt forward, vanishing into the blackness of space at FTL speeds.

**Author's Note: So there we have it, the first Side Mission. Garrus gains 20 Leadership XP, leading to Squad numbers to equal this:**

~o~0~o~o~0~o~ **Leadership **~o~0~o** Biotics **0~o~0~o** Tech**

**Delexia **~o~0~o~0~o** 20 **~o~0~o~0~********XX ~o~0~o~0~o************** XX**

**Elanie **0~o~0~o~0~o** XX **~o~0~o~0~********XX ~o~0~o~0~o************** 40**

**Etarn **0~o~0~o~0~o~** XX **~o~0~o~0~********** 20** ~o~0~o~0~o************** XX**

**Falere **-0~o~0~o~0~o** XX **~o~0~o~0~********** 20** ~o~0~o~0~o************** XX**

**Feron **0~o~0~o~0~o** XX **~o~0~o~0~********XX ~o~0~o~0~o************** 20**

**Garrus **0~o~0~o~0~o** 60 **~o~0~o~0~********XX ~o~0~o~0~o************** XX**

**Grunt **0~o~0~o~0~o~** 20 **~o~0~o~0~********XX ~o~0~o~0~o************** XX**

**Jack **0~o~0~o~0~o~** XX **~o~0~o~0~********** 40** ~o~0~o~0~o************** XX**

**Jacob **0~o~0~o~0~o** 40 **~o~0~o~0~********XX ~o~0~o~0~o************** XX**

**Jano **0~o~0~o~0~o~** XX **~o~0~o~0~********XX ~o~0~o~0~o************** 20**

**Jorall **0~o~0~o~0~o** 20 **~o~0~o~0~********XX ~o~0~o~0~o************** 20**

**Kaidan **0~o~0~o~0~** 40 **~o~0~o~0~********XX ~o~0~o~0~o************** XX**

**Kasumi **0~o~0~o~0** XX **~o~0~o~0~********XX ~o~0~o~0~o************** 40**

**Legion **0~o~0~o~0~** XX **~o~0~o~0~********XX ~o~0~o~0~o************** 40**

**Miranda **0~o~0~o~0 **20 **~o~0~o~0~********20 ~o~0~o~0~o************** XX**

**Mordin **0~o~0~o~0~** XX **~o~0~o~0~********XX ~o~0~o~0~o************** 40**

**Revenant **0~o~0~o~** XX **~o~0~o~0~********** 40** ~o~0~o~0~o************** XX**

**Samara **0~o~0~o~0~** XX **~o~0~o~0~********** 40** ~o~0~o~0~o************** XX**

**Thane **0~o~0~o~0~o** XX **~o~0~o~0~********** 20** ~o~0~o~0~o************** 20**

**Zaeed **0~o~0~o~0~o **20 **~o~0~o~0~********XX ~o~0~o~0~o ************** XX**

**************Edit: the site ate my table before. Hope this works.**

**That should make sense. As you can see, Garrus now has a Leadership experience of 60/100.**

**I've already lined up a second mission, as you may have noticed. This one will be a technical one, and as thanks for giving me my 200th review, I let darkerego choose the team leader, Jano. I'll give out further opportunities at similar landmarks when it comes time to write future Side Missions.**

**I'd really like to get some feedback on this new mechanic, as well as the previous chapter. Does this mechanic work? Should I discard it?**

**I'll get to work on the next chapter. In the meantime, there are a few other Author's you might want to check out. JoeLaTurkey is an awesome part of our fanbase, and he writes some pretty good stuff. ElectricZ is, frankly, amazing at charting the relationships between squadmates, particularly Tali and Legion. His latest offer, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Annihilation, is side-splittingly funny. In addition, one of my fanfiction favourites has returned to the scene after an absence. Urdaniel writes an amazing Jackmance fic called Things Worth Keeping. If you do read their**** stuff, be sure to encourage them, as it was a huge shame when this fic had to go dark, and I'm really glad its back.**

**Anyway, I'm not getting the new chapter done by sticking around here yakking, so I'm gonna go offline now. Be sure to leave your thoughts, either in review or PM form!**

**Fainmaca Out.**


	46. 46: The Eye Of Tor'lakht

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Author's Note: Finally finished! I apologise for taking so long with this one. Those of you who have been holding back from reviewing until it was complete, go on ahead. I'll try to make sure I don't make a habit out of taking so long to finish one mission.**

**Chapter 46: The Eye Of Tor'lakht**

The Normandy wove its way through the crackling red nebula, dodging roiling masses of interstellar dust charged with damaging ionising energy. Her barriers flashed as arcs of electricity leapt out from the red mass, the Mass Effect fields barely turning the energy aside.

Inside, Joker sat at his post in the ship's cockpit, jaw clenched tightly as he worked the controls to keep the ship from drifting into the deadly clouds. Behind him, the Commander watched with arms folded across his chest. Etarn stood at Shepard's side, instructing the pilot on the safest route through the nebula. Behind them, Legion sat at one of the monitoring stations, watching the ship's systems hawkishly. Kaidan had the station opposite to the Geth, tracking their progress on a small map.

"Turn thirty degrees to starboard, and angle us downwards by fifteen degrees." The Batarian instructed.

"There's a massive cloud bank down there." Joker said in protest.

"Trust me, Mr Moreau." Etarn said confidently. Joker's head tilted as he clucked his tongue, but he complied. Shepard could almost picture the expression the young man wore at having to fly his ship as the alien told him to, the instinctual desire to fly as he wanted to running strong through Joker's veins.

The Batarian was soon vindicated, however, as the cloudbank before them shifted, an opening revealing itself that had not been there before. Behind them, the nebula's red wisps clashed together to block their progress back.

"I still don't get how the Batarians can plot a reliable course through this nebula." Kaidan commented. "It's a death trap!"

"The nebula has some very unique gravitational properties that make it very easy to predict." Etarn explained. "We suspect that these properties come from the asteroid around which the Eye itself was built, whatever is at its core creating this magnetic and gravitational distortion that the nebula flows around."

"You have no idea what it is that's in this asteroid to shape the nebula like this?" Shepard asked.

"Not really. We know that the asteroid possesses disproportionate mass for its size, and that the rock of the asteroid becomes incredibly dense a couple of hundred metres below the surface, thwarting all attempts to drill to its core. Aside from the difficulty of the task, we figured that it would not be wise to go poking around in the thing responsible for keeping our station from being ripped apart by the nebula. Better to let things carry on as they are and keep out fortress. In this way, we can defend the heart of our government with only a few ships."

"So we should only expect to encounter a few Batarian vessels around the station?" The Commander asked.

"Well, I didn't say that, Shepard." Etarn smirked. "We are Batarians, remember? We don't believe in overkill." He took a couple of steps forward, glancing out of the viewports as yet more of the nebula rolled by. "I'd expect at least two battle groups to be assigned to the defence of the Eye. Eight frigates, two cruisers and a carrier each, plus a full complement of fighters. In addition, the station itself is equipped with a large number of ranged defences, including missile batteries, GARDIAN laser platforms and a full spread of Javelin torpedo launchers. We won't be fighting our way out of here, Commander, so try not to piss anyone off."

"I'm with the politician on this one, Commander." Joker said swiftly. "I'm good, but there's no way I can get the Normandy to dodge that kind of fire, especially in a nebula like this."

"Shouldn't be a problem." Shepard shrugged. "You're going to be the one doing all of the talking, Etarn. I'm just here as your backup."

"I appreciate this, Commander. Negotiating with the ruling caste when Gorm opposes me will be hard enough. Having the first Human Spectre appear alongside me could help as I make a case for our people to go to war with the Reapers rather than engage in Gorm's self-destructive conflict with what remains of the Alliance."

"How close do you reckon your people could be to war?" Kaidan asked.

"I have been absent from the Hegemony's political scene for some time now. My knowledge of the current situation has only been through my sources, rather than personal experience." Etarn explained with a hint of regret. "However, I do know that Gorm has made a very powerful case for his war. It will take a lot to convince the ruling caste that peace with Humanity is our best course of action." He shifted, all four of his eyes turning to regard the forward viewport. "Be ready, Commander. We're almost there."

The Normandy swooped around one final cloudbank, finally revealing the station known as the Eye of Tor'lakht. As Shepard took in the full scope of the structure, his breath caught in his throat.

The Eye easily put Arcturus to shame, its size rivalling that of the mighty Omega. Where the darkest hive of the Galaxy sprouted solely from the bottom of its asteroid, the Batarian stronghold reached out in every direction, huge spans of metal stretching up, down side-to-side and occasionally at strangely skewed angles. Even so, this jumble of twisting shapes contained a refined elegance about it. Each looming spire of metal twisted around, folding back on itself to meet another spire. The curling shapes reminded Shepard of the curling shape of a solar prominence, strongly resembling the curling tongues of flame. Lights glimmered along these spires, the tiny flickers of millions of lives ticking by. At the heart of this web of metal, the dense black asteroid that formed the station's heart sat, immovable and ancient.

Shepard's awe at the sight of the station soon vanished, however, as he took in what else occupied the heart of the nebula. Nestling in close to the station, like chicks under a mother hen's wing, were hundreds of ships. Every possible model of ship, from tiny private yachts to bulky cruisers moved through the melee of traffic, chaos embodied in a swarm of metal forms.

The instant the Normandy appeared, ships began to react to her presence. Military vessels spun to target her, while civilian transports darted away like fish before a shark's maw. The motions travelled through the assembled mass of ships like a wave, rippling around the Eye as alarms began to sound throughout the Normandy.

"Alert." EDI's calm monotone droned. "Batarian vessels arming weapons and raising shields. Sensors detect thirty-eight separate missile locks. Diverting power to forward barriers and emergency thrusters-"

"Belay that!" Shepard barked sharply. "Make no hostile moves." He turned to the alien at his side. "Etarn, hail them before they rip us to shreds!"

"Attention all Batarian vessels." Etarn spoke up loudly, allowing EDI to pick up his voice and transmit it on an open channel. "This is Etarn Kol'mehk, of the Sha'Belnak movement. The Human vessel Normandy is not hostile. Do not open fire. I repeat: Do not open fire!"

The occupants of the Normandy's bridge waited in tense silence as the comm frequencies crackled, but sent back no signal of acknowledgement or denial. Shepard's stomach churned as he surveyed the vast array of ships all turning their guns in what he felt was an effort to target him, personally. Finally, after a period that was almost impossible to endure, a sharp voice sounded out over the comms.

"Honoured Etarn, I extend greetings to you on behalf of General Bakliss. He requests your presence in his office. Sending you docking co-ordinates."

"Understood." Etarn turned to face the Commander with a sigh. "That's us on board. Thank the ancestors for Bakliss."

"Bakliss a friend of yours?"

"An ally." Etarn shook his head wistfully. "My chosen profession does not leave a lot of room for friends, Commander." He straightened with a grunt. "Bakliss is a respected figure among the Batarian military, leader of roughly one quarter of our forces. A skilled tactician."

"He supports your pro-Human stance?"

"He's not particularly fond of Humans, but he's no friend to Gorm. He knows that throwing lives away in wars we do not need would only weaken us, so he supports my efforts to sue for peace."

"Good enough for me." Shepard shrugged. "What do you reckon he wants to talk about?"

"I am not sure. I have heard nothing from him since leaving Khar'Shan." Etarn looked about anxiously. "Perhaps he has some important information about why all of these ships are here. We must be looking at the majority of the Batarian armada."

"You've heard nothing about why they would be gathered here?"

"No." The Batarian's eyes narrowed as he stared at the armada shifting past the viewports. "From the looks of things, they've only just arrived. They're too disorganised. The Eye's traffic control should have begun enforcing some kind of order by now."

"Approaching docking co-ordinates." Joker spoke up. "Beginning final docking procedures."

"Okay, Kaidan, I want you to work with Feron. Get in touch with Liara and try to find out what could have happened in the past two days to encourage the Batarians to hole up like this."

"Aye-aye, Commander." His second-in-command saluted before heading back down the corridor towards the CIC.

"EDI, I want you to get Delexia, Kasumi and Jack up to the Armoury. They'll be joining us."

"Yes, Shepard."

"You sure about that team, Shepard?" Joker asked. "Two Humans and a Turian?"

"They can handle themselves." Shepard said confidently. "What's more, Jack and Kasumi are the kind of girls that the Batarians will underestimate. I don't want to put them on edge by bringing along a pair of Krogan or a full squad of mercenaries."

"Wise, Shepard." Etarn said. "I couldn't ask for a better team to watch my back in there."

**~o~0~o~**

The team of five waited patiently as the airlock grumbled through its docking cycle. The air filters hissed around them, mixing the station's air with that of the Normandy's airlock while keeping the rest of the ship free from any possible contamination. Finally, the doors slid open.

The squad was immediately greeted by a bristling wall of rifle muzzles, all aimed at them. Shepard tensed, but resisted the urge to reach for his weapon. Etarn, at his side, flinched visibly. Behind them, Delexia drew her rifle while Kasumi raised her omnitool, ready to launch any number of programs from an Overload to a shielding program. Between them, Jack glowed, her biotics gathering power in readiness to raise a barrier to defend the squad.

"What is the meaning of this?" Etarn demanded. "You dare point those weapons at me?"

"No, but we dare point them at the monster who butchered our people at Aratoht." A Batarian, top left eye lost to an ancient wound whose scar still traversed his features, stepped out from behind the ranks of armed guards. "I don't know what you think you're doing, Kol'mehk, but the Human and his allies aren't putting a single foot on this station."

"Varkun." Etarn growled. "I should have known Gorm would send you to snap at my heels. Out of my way! I don't have to answer to people of your caste, nor should I have to put up with such insults."

"I am merely a conduit for Honoured Gorm Jib'bat's demands." The Batarian said. "He has stated that no aliens shall be allowed to set foot upon our station."

"Shepard is my guest, and I shall not be denied the opportunity to extend him the same hospitality he has bestowed upon me." Etarn retorted. "I have been allowed to walk the streets of the Human homeworld. I have seen the grand Human station at Arcturus, and I have been offered shelter aboard the most advanced Human warship in existence, while our own people chose to scheme against me!"

A ripple of muttered unrest moved through the gathered guards, some gun barrels dipping uncertainly. Clearly none of them wished to find themselves caught between two members of the ruling caste if it came to a battle of wills. Shepard saw this, and chose to step forward.

"This is the safest place in all of the Hegemony's space, with the best possible security measures. Surely Gorm isn't afraid of four aliens coming aboard? Etarn is confident enough to allow us aboard." He layered his tone with honey, pressing subtly on the right buttons among the crowd. Sure enough, more guns slipped downwards, their owners suddenly very unsure of themselves. Varkun, however, remained resolute.

"We're not taking any chances with you, Human!" He spat the word, as though it tasted foul. "Step back onto your pathetic little ship or I'll make sure you've got the right number of holes in your head…"

"Enough!"

The bark was sharp, startling all present. Every set of eyes turned to see another Batarian approaching. This one was clearly old, but used to fighting. His body was solidly built, but had built up nothing but muscles, with scars covering what skin was visible. His skin was a greyish-olive colour, wrinkled with age. Above the ragged opening that was his mouth, four eyes glared out with an intelligence that Shepard had rarely encountered. The gaze pierced those present, sizing up potential threats and allies in an instant. He's only ever seen such a calculating gaze on a few beings in his travels, beings like Wrex, Jorall, and Admiral Hackett. The Batarian was a leader, a military genius.

"Etarn has extended an offer of hospitality to the Commander, Varkun. You bring shame upon our people by trying to rescind that offer. Go about some other business for your master, slave!"

Varkun flinched at the sharp order, his lip curling in defiance, but he had found himself backed into a corner. With two members of the higher ruling caste standing against him, his support among the guards would evaporate. Nevertheless, he had to make some final objection.

"Very well, but we cannot allow the Commander to take an armed squad aboard with him! It is an insult for him to try to flaunt our security measures in such a way!"

The newcomer sighed, the noise turning into a growl as he glared at the three-eyed Batarian before him.

"Very well, Varkun. If it'll put an end to your yammering." He turned to the Commander. "I apologise on behalf of my kinsman, Honoured guest, but I must ask that your companions remain aboard your ship. Etarn's offer of hospitality can only extend to the Commander of the Normandy, not her entire crew."

"Your station, your rules." Shepard shrugged, ignoring the triumphant smirk from Varkun.

"There." The newcomer said, turning back to Varkun. "Now get out of my sight, scum, before I decide that the cost of a new slave to pacify Gorm would be worth the satisfaction of ripping your tongue from your mouth."

The Batarian scampered off, quickly followed by the welcoming party he'd brought. The irritating Varkun paused just within sight of the squad, turning to glower at the Commander and his companions. His three-eyed gaze swept over Shepard's companions, coming to a halt on the tattooed Jack. The eyes narrowed, then widened. Abruptly, he vanished, hurrying off with renewed speed. Soon, only the newest arrival stood near the airlock, regarding the Commander with that penetrating gaze. Shepard returned the stare, curious about this Batarian. Like with Etarn, he felt an instinctual respect for this alien. Finally, the Batarian was the one to break the silence.

"Strange." He muttered. "I thought the Human responsible for the deaths of so many of my people would be… taller."

"And I didn't expect the famed General Bakliss to look like a Vorcha's ass, so I guess we're even." Shepard chuckled, earning a braying laugh from the General.

"Ha! You're good with your words, Shepard, and I saw how you were playing Varkun's crowd. Looks like Etarn found another politician to ally himself with."

"I'm just a soldier." Shepard stated modestly.

"Spare me the humility, Commander. It leaves a sour taste in my mouth." Bakliss said dismissively. "I know just as well as anyone that you're more than 'just a soldier'. The only being strong enough to go after Saren Arterius, the first being to traverse the Omega Four Relay to combat the Collectors and survive, and the figurehead at the forefront of the war against the Reapers. No mere 'soldier' could have achieved so much."

"A fair point." Shepard acceded. "So, what was all that about? The hospitality and all that?"

"Hospitality is important in our culture, Commander." Etarn explained. "Once you have invited someone into your home, you cannot rescind that offer. To do so brings great shame upon you and your family. If a guest finds your hospitality to be lacking in some way, you may face ostracism at the hands of your peers. To betray a guest is unthinkable."

"I see." Shepard nodded. "So you exploited that to keep Varkun from turning me away."

"If Varkun wants to keep you off the Eye, then it means you could hurt whatever Gorm has planned." Bakliss explained. "In that case, I'm more than happy to have you aboard."

"You have any idea what Gorm's up to?" Shepard asked. "Did he have anything to do with all of the ships gathered out there?"

"I have no idea what his plans are." Bakliss admitted uncomfortably. "He's all too eager to open up these negotiations with Sha'Belnak, though, and that makes me uneasy. But the ships are not his doing. They're… another matter entirely."

"What happened?" Etarn asked anxiously.

"Khar'Shan. She was attacked yesterday. All reports seem to point to the Reapers."

"What?" Etarn's voice quivered. "Khar'Shan? Why was I not told?"

"Like I said, the attack only occurred yesterday." Bakliss explained. "You were already on your way here, and could not be reached. Besides, we've been tied up with co-ordinating all of the ships around the station to really get to work contacting people outside of Hegemony Space."

"And your isolation from the rest of the Galaxy means that the Council will still be unaware of the attack." Shepard surmised.

"Indeed. We have few to no allies who would be interested in our plight, much less in actually helping us."

"Our losses?" Etarn asked.

"Fortunately they are few. A dozen or so ships in orbit, our defence platforms. Jok'shira, our capital city, was razed to the ground by the two Reapers that actually touched down. Then, just as suddenly as they arrived, they left."

"That doesn't make any sense." Shepard commented. "Why begin an invasion, only to pull out when there's still no signs of an organised response?"

"Not to mention the fact that there are few enough Reapers in the Galaxy for them to risk exposing themselves like this." Etarn added. "I doubt they could afford to spare more than a few from the Sol Relay project."

"Perhaps they wish to use fast strikes to put us on the defensive?" Bakliss suggested.

"No." Shepard answered. "That's not their style. Reapers believe in a straightforward approach." He glanced to the general again. "So, if the Reapers pulled back, then why are the ships still here?"

"Gorm's orders. He believes the Reapers will attack again, and he thinks we should shore up within our most secure fortress, the Eye." Bakliss looked about conspiratorially. "Some believe that he will use this crisis to encourage an attack on the Human colonies, stressing that we need to gain more defensive locations against this and other enemies."

"That's crazy!" Shepard sputtered. "You're under attack on one front, and he suggests opening up several more fronts to fight on?"

Most of our military would agree with you. The ruling caste and the general public, on the other hand..." Bakliss shrugged. "I'm just a general, Commander. Gorm's the politician, and a very charismatic one at that. I reckon war between our two peoples is a very real possibility."

"We should discuss these matters in your office, Honoured General." Etarn suggested. "Away from the public areas where unfriendly ears may lurk."

"Agreed." The General nodded. "I have a few matters to attend to. Meet me at my offices in the Shel'nah District."

With that, the General bowed, then turned to leave. Soon, only the Commander and his companions remained. While Etarn waited, Shepard moved to speak with his other companions. None of them appeared particularly happy with the situation.

"Shep, are you really sure about this?" Kasumi asked anxiously. "I mean, Batarians, right?"

"I'll be fine, as long as I stick with Etarn." He reassured the trio.

"Even so, going in with just a pistol?" Kasumi stressed.

"I highly doubt the Batarians would let me walk into a meeting of their most distinguished leaders with the Cain strapped to my back, do you?" Shepard asked with a smile. "Even the pistol's stretching it a bit, but can be excused considering the bad blood between our species. There's nothing else we can do. But, this doesn't mean you can go and get yourselves hammered down in the Lounge. I want you all to keep your gear close at hand in case you need to charge in to pull my ass out of the fire."

"That'll make a refreshing change." Delexia replied sarcastically. "Remind me why I signed up with this crew gratis."

"Because it was that or an extended vacation on Omega." Shepard responded.

"Oh, right." The Turian grinned. "In that case, I guess I can keep my guns ready for when the shit hits the fan. Take care, Commander."

Shepard grinned at her, turning to the last member of the squad. His expression caught upon gazing into Jack's hazel orbs, concern etched across her face.

"Shepard…" Her voice creaked with anxiety, a shudder in her tone he'd never heard before. "Don't go. You can't trust these squints."

"I'll be fine." Shepard tried to reassure her with a grin, utterly failing. "Besides, Etarn has turned out all right. Give these other Batarians a chance."

"These other assholes aren't Etarn." The convict countered. "That three-eyed bastard, the one who told you we couldn't step aboard? That was Varkun. I met him before. He's a twisted prick you don't want to deal with."

"What do you know about him?" Shepard asked, keen for anything that would give him a glimpse into Gorm's organisation.

"He was there when Murtock-" She stuttered over the words, unable to express herself freely, especially not in front of the others. "It was me that took his eye, and then he got Murtock."

"I see." Shepard felt a sudden heat flare up in his belly, a simmering rage upon realising that he'd been face to face with one of the most prominent antagonists from Jack's past. "Do you think he recognised you?"

"Might have done." She muttered. "I don't have the kind of face you forget in a hurry."

"Varkun has always been a scumbag." Etarn explained. "Gorm bought him about five years ago. Apparently he'd been sold into slavery by his bosses for some kind of botched job. Used to be a weapons merchant, or so I hear."

"Then that means he's pretty far down the food chain." Shepard surmised. "We probably won't have too much trouble from him. Gorm's the real one we've got to worry about, and his battleground will be out in front of the politicians." He paused, turning back to Jack. "But you never know. We might get lucky and Gorm tries something stupid. You might get a shot at the three-eyed bastard after all."

She smiled a little at this, but the concerned look didn't leave her eyes. Shepard stepped forward, reaching up to squeeze her shoulder.

"We'll be fine. If anything goes wrong, I'll signal the Normandy and you'll be getting us out of whatever mess we find ourselves in in no time."

Jack sighed, nodding silently. This settled, the trio retreated back into the ship while Shepard and Etarn set off into the depths of the Batarian station.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard followed his Batarian comrade out of the docking bays, heading deeper into the station, soon finding himself in the living areas of the station. He paused for a moment as the duo emerged into a crowded area.

The massive room the Commander found himself in was high-ceilinged, wide and stretched away in both directions, the walls curving up to meet and create a semi-cylindrical shape. The room was so long that, following the curvature of the asteroid, it curled around to vanish beyond Shepard's view without ending. Surveying the room, Shepard wouldn't have been surprised to find out it went full circle around the asteroid, forming a near-perfect ring. At regular, one hundred metre intervals, slightly narrower identical semi-cylinders ran off at right angles to the main room, creating many intersections. If it hadn't been for the structures extending upwards, the asteroid would have been criss-crossed by the semi-cylinders to create a pattern similar to the ribs on a basketball. At each intersection in the pattern, the room would also extend upwards, presumably to create those towering shapes that swirled and curled around each other so elegantly. These vertical cylinders, instead of housing a series of floors would allow the occupants to walk along the inner surface of the cylinder itself. The whole spectacle was rather dizzying.

Aside from the nauseating complexity of the structure, Shepard was struck by how elegant the interior of the station was. Fountains bubbled quietly among the main thoroughfares while trees leaned over the water features. Carefully tended gardens rustled peacefully in an artificial breeze. The end result was a gentle, cultured appearance that the Commander would never have attributed to the Batarian people.

The main passageway was filled with market stalls and a bustling crowd of Batarians, some chatting, some haggling over wares, some arguing openly. The hubbub of noise mingled together into an overwhelming cacophony of countless lives ticking by. It amazed Shepard how normal everything seemed, given the chaos outside, the turbulent war he seemed to be waging everywhere else in the Galaxy, and the brutish Batarian nature he had seen outside of Hegemony Space.

Etarn, sensing he wasn't following as closely as before, turned to see the Commander staring about uncertainly. He smiled, both of his right eyes twitching in an inquisitive fashion.

"Something on your mind, Commander?"

"It's… not quite what I expected."

"Oh? How so?"

"I don't really know… I guess I expected something a little more like Omega."

"What, just because the only Batarians you meet are pirates and thugs, you assume the heart of our civilisation would reflect that?"

"That might be part of it, but you have to admit, your society hardly has the greatest image among the other species. Your culture does encourage slavery."

"We don't encourage it, Commander." Etarn chided. "We accept it as a part of our culture. Just like Turians and Asari engage in putting tribal markings on their faces, or the Krogan clash brow plates to establish dominance."

"Still, not a detail you'd associate with a society capable of… this." Shepard waved an arm expansively.

"Not all of Hegemony Space is like this, Shepard. As capable as we are of great acts, we are also capable of many dark deeds. Bear in mind what you saw on Khar'Shan, the cradle of our species. But, this is our society's Citadel." Etarn looked about, a measure of pride in his stare. "And for the most part, the caste system works, Commander. When we work together within this system, marvels like this are made possible."

"Sounds almost perfect, but I couldn't see that working in a Human society. Surely higher-ups must abuse the system, and those in the lower levels sometimes refuse to accept their lot in life, try to get their own back on their owners."

"I agree, it's not a perfect system, but you must realise that we are not Humans, Shepard. We do not think like Humans do. For us, slavery is a natural part of life. For the most part, we accept it."

"But… you rebelled against your master."

"Rebelled being the important word. I didn't kill him." Etarn's four eyes locked with Shepard's two. "While our society smiles upon slavery, it also approves of ambition. Breaking free from the shackles of your lowly caste to climb through the social tiers is approved of, if not outright rewarded. It means that you have the strength to fight your way to the top, earning the respect of your new peers, but you also become a symbol to those below you, a symbol of self-improvement. My journey from poverty to power is the main reason for my popularity, Commander."

Shepard turned from his friend, glancing around at the strange world he was now finding himself in. Nothing was ever as he expected it to be. He chuckled.

"Every time I find a new corner of the Galaxy to explore, something jumps out to surprise me."

"I guess it's a nice change of pace for that to be something other than a literal statement, huh, Commander?" Etarn grinned. Shepard laughed back, the duo sharing a warm moment before turning back to the serious matters at hand. "Come, Shepard. We should be going."

"So, you never told me the story behind the name of this place." Shepard said by way of conversation. "All you told me was that it was connected to some kind of important Batarian."

"Yes, Tor'lakht is an almost legendary figure in our society. Our more fanciful tales claim that he wrestled fire from the stars and brought it down to Khar'Shan, instilling its true nature in the blood of each and every Batarian to raise them above the beasts. The more believable accounts claim that he raised an army to overthrow the feudal lords, putting in place the government that eventually grew to become the Hegemony."

"And? What do you think?"

"I believe there may be merit within both stories." Etarn lifted a hand at Shepard's sceptical look. "Don't look at me like that, Commander. We hear all too often of how the Protheans blessed the Hanar with speech, or how Human scientists believe that the observation post on Mars was a clear sign of meddling in Human development. Is it so hard to believe that Tor'lakht stumbled upon some advanced technology, either by accident or by design? A single modern weapon would have allowed a strong-willed being to rule Khar'Shan back in those dark aeons. Something like an omnitool would have made him a god."

"I guess." Shepard admitted. "Maybe that's where we Humans get all of our creatures of myth." He chuckled. "In fact, our twentieth century culture is flooded with claims of 'alien sightings'. A lot of the reports came back describing something not too far off a Salarian."

"It wouldn't surprise me." The Batarian commented. "The amphibians are always poking what passes for their noses into places it doesn't belong. Perhaps a science vessel once lost its way in your system."

"I'd be worried about Salarian science, then." Shepard smirked. "Most of the stories involved… exploration. Of certain parts of the Human body. Lower parts."

"Sounds like Salarians."

The duo laughed as they walked on, drawing a few more glances. Suddenly, Shepard became aware of the growing pool of silence focused directly around him. He looked about, realising that more and more Batarians were looking in his direction, the atmosphere of the common area losing heat faster than a cruiser at a discharge station. Behind the pair, the crowd was closing in, many of the four-eyed aliens following them. At the back of the growing mob, angry mutterings could be heard.

"Etarn?" He asked cautiously.

"Just keep walking." The diplomat, now aware of the growing tension, muttered to him.

Suddenly, the silence snapped with a twang. One Batarian, a burly brute with pale skin bordering on greenish-yellow and pronounced black stripes running back around his skull, shouldered his way out from the crowd, teeth gnashing angrily as his companions hastened to grab a hold of his arms to hold him back.

"Shepard!" He growled. "I lost my brother on Aratoht, you bastard!"

His friends hauled him back, but not before the Batarian jerked his head forward, spitting for all he was worth. The gobbet of spittle sailed through the air, hitting Shepard squarely on the cheek. The Commander flinched at this, head drawing back from the sensation. His lip curled in anger at the same time as his fist clenched tight, ready to swing, but he kept his cool, holding back from lashing out at the alien. He took a deep breath.

"I know you're angry with me. If I were in your shoes I'd be angry too." He raised his voice so more around him could hear. "But you have to believe me when I say that I had no choice!" He found himself speaking louder and louder over the shouts of dissent. "The Reapers were seconds away from using the Viper Relay to lock up the entire network, paralysing the Galaxy in preparation for their return. The losses of Aratoht have kept us safe, until now. If I hadn't destroyed that Relay, then Khar'Shan would have been attacked months ago, and by a much larger force!"

Even as he found himself going hoarse from having to yell so loud, Shepard realised that some of the crowd had stopped, his words giving them pause. He took a second breath, hoping to drive home his point.

"I tried my best to save that colony, but in the end I had to choose between the colony and giving the rest of the Galaxy, including the rest of the Batarian race, a chance to prepare for the coming invasion."

Finally, the uproar that was threatening to break out settled down, the crowd beginning to back off. Etarn nodded approvingly.

"Nice work, Commander. No stranger to playing a crowd, I see."

"No playing, just the truth."

"Of course." The Batarian shrugged. "Sometimes the truth is the best line to go with. Other times- not so much."

"Not with me." Shepard insisted. "I always make the truth my policy."

"I see. Then I think I'd better be the one doing all the talking when we get our audience with the ruling caste."

This said, they pressed on, heading for Bakliss' office. Shepard noted the guards that had been getting ready to move in and remove the Commander before the situation got violent, but now felt confident enough to take their hands off their weapons, Shepard's words having calmed the crowd all on their own. The Commander and the Batarian diplomat passed by, nodding to the guards in passing. After a few moments, they'd left behind the more tranquil garden area, pressing through the crush of the market stalls. Strange smells assaulted the Commander's nostrils, from the spicy tang rising from a bubbling pot at one stall to the bitter aroma coming from what looked to be a fruit cart. One stall was covered with a variety of cages and containers, the occupants of which unleashed a cacophony of chirps, growls and keening noises. Here and there among these everyday items, he'd see a cart loaded down with weapons, pistols and knives mostly, although one such cart sported a long, fat-barrelled rifle. The Commander paused to look at it, admiring the bolt-fed mechanism and the polished wood handle. It looked archaic, but the quiet hum rising from it betrayed the Mass Effect field generator within, indicating that it was a weapon of modern design. Etarn noticed his captured gaze, looking at the weapon himself with a quiet whistle.

"I don't think I've seen one of those since my grandfather passed on." He muttered. "A genuine Errathak twenty-two."

"Modified for thermal clips, compatible with ammo mods." Shepard commented as he looked the weapon over, lifting it to glance through the scope. "Probably accurate up to three clicks. Heavy, though."

"But worth it, for a soldier that can handle it." Shepard glanced up as the owner of the stall, a Batarian with dark yellow skin and beady eyes, stepped forward. "From the sounds of things you know your guns, Human."

"I've had reason to use them on occasion." Shepard quipped. He lifted up the rifle. "What's the story behind this?"

"An older model. Used to be a hunting rifle for any son of a bitch crazy enough to go after Shatha. Seen this one pass through the markets here more than a few times. It keeps outlasting all of the poor bastards carrying it. Damn good gun, though." The stall-keeper tactfully took the gun from Shepard's hands. "The barrel's longer than what you'd see on most modern weapons, and the Mass Effect field generator is cranked up a little higher than is technically legal, but back in this old girl's heyday there weren't any rules or regulations to limit what a gun could do."

"And just what can this old girl do?" Shepard asked, head tilted to the side.

"She'll punch through a Thresher Maw's hide like it was a Salarian egg membrane." The Batarian boasted. "And then out the other side. You think a Widow's impressive, you haven't seen anything yet."

"How much?"

"Ten thousand. Up front."

"Ten thousand?" Shepard hunched his shoulders, getting ready to begin conversing in the universal language- that of currency. "I could outfit a whole squad for that. I'll give you two, tops."

"For two thousand I could maybe give you the old pea-shooter my grandmother uses to keep kids from messing about on her lawn. I won't let go of this beauty for less than eight."

"You've only just finished cleaning off the blood of the last idiot to try taking that fossil into battle. That can only be worth five thousand."

"If you want to try going into battle with a sharpened stick, Human, go ahead. You want to go into battle with a fine weapon like this, its going to cost you six and a half."

"Sounds fair enough." Shepard grinned. "I'll take it, and any fabrication specs you have for it."

"Pleasure doing business, Human." The Batarian smiled back. "I'll dig out the specs and deliver them to your ship, along with the gun. Hunt well."

The Commander allowed his omnitool to be scanned, turning away from the stall with a measure of satisfaction. He glanced to Etarn, seeing the alien regarding him with a knowing grin. Shepard responded with a bemused expression.

"What?"

"Are you sure you're not a politician, Commander?"

"Come on." Shepard chuckled. "Let's keep moving."

"If you say so."

**~o~0~o~**

General Bakliss' office was a grand arrangement, easily as big as the Commander's quarters back on the Normandy. The floor was bare, save for the pelt of some ferocious creature sprawled out in front of a utilitarian metal desk. The wall opposite the door was taken up with a massive window, gazing out on the impressive sight of the Nebula and the armada gathered around the station. Another wall was covered with an aquarium, casting a relaxing purple-blue light over the rest of the room. A collection of exotic fish drifted through the tank, most not even closely resembling creatures Shepard would have recognised from Earth. One of them even looked like a tiny squid, but it must have had at least twenty tentacles. It slithered across the floor of the aquarium, many limbs propelling it along, somewhat like a centipede. It flinched back as a crustacean clambered over a tiny rock, some tiny animal that had forelimbs shaped like those of a praying mantis. It waved the slender limbs challengingly, chasing the cephalopod away. With almost Human satisfaction, the crustacean wiggled back into its hiding place, flat, wide body slotting under the rock comfortably.

"The Belkanese Javelin Crab is a tenacious little creature."

Shepard turned from examining the aquarium to see Bakliss stride into the office. The General crossed the room to sit behind his desk, turning his back to the window. Behind him, a pair of Batarian cruisers drifted almost lazily by, tended to by a squadron of fighters like whales getting attention from a school of cleaner fish. Oblivious to the grandiose vista, Bakliss waved a hand at the seats opposite him.

"Please, take a seat." He urged. "We don't have much time. Gorm has pushed the time of the gathering up 'in light of the recent events on Khar'Shan'. I don't buy it. He's trying to get you off-balance, Etarn."

"Such tactics don't worry me." The young diplomat said boldly. "I'm ready to face him right now, if necessary."

"A good attitude, but you should know the lay of the land before you charge into battle."

"What do we need to know?" Shepard interjected.

Bakliss leaned back in his chair, sighing wearily. He rubbed at the top of his skull, just above the secondary set of eyes.

"I have just come from a meeting with what few allies we still have among the ruling caste. There are few."

"Who remains?" Etarn asked, his tone a little more reserved.

"We still have Kro'narr of the Jalmira System, Kelopar of Prak'nira, along with the planetary governors of Grasdan, Noleera and Kurx."

"That's nearly half of our previous supporters!" Etarn exclaimed. "What of Jekarran? Derfas?"

"Both dead in the attack on Khar'Shan. With their loss, a lot of the smaller governors have flocked to the most prominent harbour to weather this storm."

"Gorm." Shepard surmised.

"Indeed."

"So, we've got a weakened position among the politicians. What about the military?"

"Now there our position is a little stronger." Bakliss leaned forward again. "As Etarn has no doubt informed you, I hold the loyalty of a full third of our military fleets. In addition to this, a number of other members of our military, while not fond of the idea of helping any of the other races, are more than eager to get back at the creatures that took our home from us. I think I can safely say that you'll have over half of the fleets with you, without needing any persuasion. The rest will need a little work, but may be swayed if you can make a persuasive argument."

"Do we have anyone else who may help us?" Shepard asked.

"Actually, yes." Bakliss answered. "Incredibly, one of Gorm's most staunch supporters has switched sides, moving from supporting his regime to opposing war with the Alliance. He represents a large faction of freelance mercenaries and unregistered paramilitary organisations."

"Sounds like he's bringing a large portion of the public over to our way of thinking." Shepard surmised. "Who is he?"

"Balak." Bakliss chuckled. "I can't believe it myself. Just a few months ago he was ready to rip the Citadel apart with his bare hands."

"Really." Shepard's brows rose in surprise as his head tilted to the side. "Huh."

"Oh, right." Bakliss said. "I forgot that you two had… history. Makes it all the more surprising that he chooses to side with us."

"I'm sure he has his reasons." Shepard shrugged. "As long as he keeps to his word, we'll have no problems."

"If he has any shred of sanity, he'll make sure he doesn't piss you off." The General laughed. Etarn and Shepard joined him.

Their chuckles were abruptly interrupted by a sudden, insistent beeping coming from Bakliss' desk. A holographic display popped up, drawing the General's gaze briefly. He grunted, clearly irked.

"That's Gorm's people. Looks like everyone is gathering. Gotta say, with all of the governors, military leaders and other higher-ups assembling for this summit, I don't think we've seen a gathering like this in all of the Hegemony's history."

"Let's hope we never need one like this again." Etarn said as he stood. "I know I'd rather not go through this again."

"We'll be fine." Shepard assured him. "Besides, if things start to go wrong I can always get Jack over to shoves some heads up some assholes."

"Now that I would love to see." Bakliss snorted. "Come on. We don't want to be late for our own damn summit."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard followed his two companions through the station, heading down a couple of less well-travelled passages. It was hard to tell with the dizzying architecture, but Shepard got the feeling that they were heading towards the northern pole of the asteroid. Once they were there, they stepped into an elevator, the car taking them up into one of the twisting spires lifting away from the asteroid's surface. The elevator tilted halfway up, re-aligning itself with the gravity of the spire. By the time it had managed to ascend half of the tower's height, they were now on a plane of gravity perpendicular to that of the main asteroid, relying upon artificial gravity generators to tell them what was up or down. Finally, the car came to a stop close to the end of the spire, allowing the trio to step out into a patch of parkland that stretched around the circumference of the spire. At the centre of this parkland, a tall building reached upwards from the inside of the top of the spire, pointing down to the main body of the asteroid. It was elegantly shaped, like much of the station, but it also had a very professional edge to it. It was clearly a governmental building of some kind. Unsurprisingly, Bakliss led the group towards this building.

Inside, the building was a hive of activity. Countless Batarians had gathered, crowding the passages leading deeper into the structure. Bakliss had to forcibly shove his way through to get to the stairwell leading upwards. After a few flights of negotiating this crowd, they reached the upper floors, where the crowds were suddenly very conspicuously absent. In no time, they found themselves at a pair of wide double doors, which the General shoved open after a cursory nod to the guards, who stiffened at the sight of Etarn and Shepard, but made no move to intercept.

Beyond the door was the Main Chamber, the grand hall where the Hegemony Ruling Caste gathered. It was a wide, circular room, bowl-shaped ceiling matched by the gradient of the tiered seats radiating out from a large speaking floor. Other than a raised seating box on the far side of the room to the entrance, the Chamber had no distinct features. Above, the ceiling was entirely transparent, allowing the occupants a dizzying glance down the hollow length of the spire that reached as far as the eye could see.

The Chamber was crowded to the brim with Batarians, all clamouring to create a disharmonious cacophony. No three Batarians were engaged in the same argument, the three-hundred or so voices drowning out all thought or reason. For a moment, Shepard shuddered to think that he'd have faced a similar gathering if his sentence for sacrificing the Bahak System had been carried out, the only difference being that every single alien present at that gathering would have been screaming for his blood. Even now, under such wildly different circumstances, that outcome was entirely likely.

"Brothers, brothers!" A powerful voice rolled over the crowd, a wave of authority that quelled the myriad arguments.

A tall Batarian stood in the seating box overlooking the speaking floor. He was slight, thin arms and legs complimenting a willowy body. Even so, there was hidden power within him. Shepard could see it through the alien's glinting black eyes, shining with intelligence and understanding that the Commander had seen few beings match. Clearly this Batarian was not to be underestimated. His clothes were elegantly plain, a dark black suit complimented by a crisp black cape. Everything about him spoke of refinement and class, tempered by age. As Shepard watched, he raised a hand in a placating gesture. Once more his booming voice sounded out, oddly strong in opposition to his frail appearance. His accent was cultured, neat, while his tone was overbearingly confident. None present could do anything but listen.

"Now is not the time to descend into such petty disagreements, my brothers. We face a crisis unlike anything the Hegemony has endured in the entirety of her existence. For the first time since we reached up to the stars, our homeworld has been violated by an enemy."

Grumblings of anger rose throughout the Chamber. Bakliss turned to Etarn with a concerned look on his face.

"Looks like things are already underway. Gorm must be hoping to gain an advantage over you before you've even arrived. Hurry, Kol'mehk, before he has the entire summit eating out of his palm."

"It is clear who is to blame for this attack-" Gorm took a deep breath, pausing to make sure everyone present held onto his next few words. "It is the Alliance!" His voice rose over the increasing mutterings. "They are the ones who are to blame for keeping us confined to this meagre corner of the Galaxy, robbing us of worlds that would have been crucial in creating a defensive line to hold against any and all attackers. They are the ones who created a rift between our great civilisation and the Council, denying us allies. It was their Commander Shepard who destroyed the Bahak Relay, one of the few Batarian Relays, and it was he who provoked these Reapers to attack, first justly taking the Human homeworld and then unjustly lashing out against any possible organic allies the Humans may have. Khar'Shan was not the true target of the Reaper assault, it was merely collateral damage in the Alliance's futile war with the machines!"

Around the chamber, roars of agreement echoed forth, the cries of dissent drowned out easily. Seeing his opponent rapidly getting a hold over the crowd, Etarn stepped forward.

"That is not true!" He shouted over the furore. "The Reapers are just as much our enemies as those of the Humans! If they are not stopped, then the destruction of Khar'Shan will be but a foretaste of the true desolation to come!"

Jeers greeted his words as the attention of the room shifted onto him. Up in the spot of honour, Gorm shifted to peer down at him, every fibre of his being exuding contempt.

"Ah, so I see that the cowardly Etarn Kol'mehk returns to us. And look who is holding his leash! None other than the Butcher of Bahak, Commander Shepard!"

The uproar quickly erupted into full-blown outrage, the very foundations of the building trembling with the calls for Shepard's blood. The gathered politicians snarled at the Commander furiously, descending into almost feral rage. Etarn, realising that he could lose all chances of regaining his footing in the summit's discussion, tried to speak up again.

"Please, listen to me!" He shouted. "I know you are angry with Humanity, with the Council, for everything that has happened to us, but we must put that behind us! If these machines are left unopposed, they will wipe out every scrap of sentient life in the Galaxy. Geth, Human, Turian or Batarian, we will all be slaughtered!"

"That is a lie!" Gorm retorted. "The Reapers are here to make Humanity pay for their crimes, both against the machines and against every other race out there. This is nothing but fair punishment for their pagan ways."

"Honoured members of the ruling caste, brothers, friends!" Etarn shouted plaintively. "If you follow Gorm into his war, you will drag our people to their deaths, to the unmaking of Khar'Shan itself!"

"In the meantime we should trust Humanity's mongrel dog?" Hereia challenged, pointing accusatorily at the Commander.

"I lost my family on Aratoht!" One of the assembled Batarians shouted.

"What of the countless children butchered on Torfan?"

"Are we to just submit to the authority of the Council? After they turned their backs on us?"

Etarn lifted his hands, spinning around in the centre of the speaking floor as he tried to pacify his kinsmen. Realising the summit was rapidly getting out of hand, Shepard stepped up, hoping that his charm could talk them down. As he approached the focus of the chamber, the Batarians suddenly began to go silent, watching him with a mixture of amazement and fascination. They leaned forward, like hunting predators watching their prey step exactly into the mouth of the ambush.

"If you won't listen to Etarn, then you need to listen to the facts." He summoned his most powerful voice, hoping that if his points wouldn't convince them, then sheer confidence would. "Earth was the first world to fall to the Reapers, but it has been far from the last. Days ago, Thessia was besieged, with millions dead before the small number of Reapers that attacked were driven off. The Reapers didn't even need to be present when they almost overthrew Tuchanka. Only a combined effort from every Krogan soldier on the planet prevented the fall of their species. The Reapers just tried to unleash a new Rachni army on the Galaxy. Now, Khar'Shan has been attacked. This is with just a few dozen in the Galaxy. There are thousands of Reapers just waiting in Dark Space, ready for when the vanguard finishes building a new Mass Relay."

"How would a single Mass Relay serve their purposes?" One of the crowd asked.

"This particular Mass Relay will create a power source by artificially ageing Sol to the point of collapse, creating a second Citadel with enough power to link to Dark Space."

All was silent for a moment, but now the peace lacked its predatory quality, instead carrying a note of stunned awe. Shepard pressed forward.

"I know that the attack on your homeworld has you worried, and that you're looking for a way to protect your people. But the fact is that the best way you could help the Hegemony is to try and stop the Reapers before they can summon the reinforcements needed to blot out the skies of not just Khar'Shan, but every Batarian world. We're building an army with the sole purpose of destroying every last Reaper in the Galaxy and making sure they don't threaten another world. The Batarians are renowned for their combat prowess, and we could use that in our campaign."

Quiet murmurs began to filter through the gathering, with a growing sense of agreement evident. For a moment, Shepard felt that maybe he'd won a crucial victory, but then Gorm's refined voice echoed forth.

"Do not listen to him!" He barked. "The Human wishes for you to join his cause merely to secure the safety of his own home. If we join this war, we will make the grave error of committing to the side of the Humans, branding ourselves as the enemies of the Reapers. After that, we cannot go back. We will have made ourselves targets."

"What would you suggest, Honoured Jib'bat?" The cry rose from the crowd.

"We have a unique opportunity here, my brothers. We stand at the brink of a new age of enlightenment for the Batarian people or an age of darkness."

"What can we do?"

"Simple." Gorm began to pace from side to side. "We can choose to fight the Reapers, and see our worlds burn as the Human so elegantly explained." He spat at the mention of the Commander. "Or we can leap forward into a bright new era for our species."

Shepard felt a knot clench in his stomach. He'd heard that tone of voice before…

"We must find a way to prove our worth, to cast ourselves in a benevolent light from the Reapers' perspective. Once we find a way to ally ourselves with the machines, forming a bond stronger than any alliance of pure organic or pure synthetic parts, then we shall ride on the crest of the wave the machines will create, the rising tide of purifying devastation that shall cleanse the Galaxy." Gorm raised a hand before his face, clenching it into a tight fist. "In this way, the Batarian race will be raised to unheard of levels of power and glory."

The chamber shook with the ferocity of the uproar that broke out, a number of the Batarians present pointing their fingers at Gorm as they spouted vehement accusations while others applauded his reasoning. Shepard felt a growing numbness in his gut, recognising the words, the speech patterns, even the determined glint in Gorm's eyes. He turned to Etarn, seeing the same surprise in the alien's eyes as he reached an identical conclusion. The young politician stepped forward, raising his hands over his head.

"Listen to me!" He begged. "To follow this line of reasoning would be our undoing! There can be no partnership with the Reapers, only blind servitude. The Collectors are a prime example of this. They were once Protheans, but were twisted by the Reapers into unquestioning thralls, willing to be killed to the last one in order to fulfil their masters' orders. Our species would only meet a similar fate if we chose to submit."

"Etarn would lead you to your doom." Gorm countered, holding the gazes of the gathered politicians. "Resistance will only lead to our extinction. Submission is our only option."

"Gorm, you must fight against this thinking!" Etarn stressed. "The Reapers have touched your mind, and now they seek to crush your will under theirs. Do not let them!"

"You think I am indoctrinated?" Gorm chuckled. "Just like one of those Husks they used at the beginning of their campaign? Fool!" He spat. "The Reapers did not subvert my mind. It was I who sought them out in order to forge this alliance. I saw the power they could offer, and I demanded it from them."

He sighed, looking around at the gathered leaders. His head shook from side to side as he took in the plethora of expressions directed at him, some of betrayal, some of shock, but most being expressions of anger.

"I see that there will be no reasoning with you." He shrugged. "Very well. Then I suppose it is time for new leadership. As of today, the Hegemony and all of her citizens are under my command."

"I don't think so." Bakliss retorted, gaining a few supporting cheers as he stepped up next to Etarn. "The Batarian fleets will never support this madness. I will make sure of that."

"Ah, General." Gorm smiled. "I am glad that you are here. It would have been an inconvenience to draw you away from your precious fleets" He waved his hand expansively to indicate the rest of the room. "Now, I can deal with you at the same time as these arrogant fools."

With that, the Batarian leader turned on his heel, striding into the shadows of his raised box. As the gathered politicians looked about, perplexed, there was a sudden loud hissing noise. With a crash, the door leading out of the chamber slammed shut. Vents opened up in the floor, green gas billowing up in thick clouds. Moments later, Batarians around the room began clutching at their throats, gasping for air. Shepard realised the danger too late, his own lungs suddenly burning with painful intensity as his throat threatened to close up. The caustic chemical brought tears to his eyes as he tried to pull in a breath, his own body resisting him.

The Commander, black spots dancing in his vision, turned to see Etarn and Bakliss already on the floor, the General barely clinging to consciousness. Kneeling down next to them, Shepard fumbled at the belt of his armour, pulling out his own breather apparatus. He slid the breather unit over Etarn's face, hooking the device's tubes to his armours air reservoir. In moments, the Batarian was breathing steadily, able to get to his feet.

As the Commander and his comrade knelt next to the prone Bakliss, they heard a new grumble over the hiss of inrushing gas. With bleary eyes, Shepard turned to the source of the noise to see a square of light through the gas, wispy silhouettes flickering against it. As compromised as his vision was, Shepard soon recognised the outlines of several figures striding in, carrying what were very definitely weapons of some kind, although the Commander could not tell what. He nudged Etarn, pointing in the direction of the shapes.

"Somehow I get the feeling they're not here to get everyone to safety." He managed through his burning throat.

"Indeed." Etarn's voice was distorted by the breather. "We should leave. We cannot let them take us captive."

Nodding, Shepard helped Etarn to lift Bakliss up, supporting the General between themselves with an arm around each of their necks. This done, they sidled towards the doorway, careful not to reveal themselves to the figures in the gas. Subconsciously, Shepard reached for the pistol at his side, drawing it for its holster in case violence was needed to escape. Fortunately, the roaming figures failed to find them, allowing the trio to slip out of the doorway unnoticed.

The Commander led the way through the doorway, dragging the two Batarians with him as the trio burst out of the choking fumes, running down the hallway away from the chamber. He kept moving even as is lungs swelled again to draw in some precious, clean air. In moments, he found an abandoned office, slipping through the door in order to take advantage of this temporary refuge.

Inside, the trio slipped to the floor, Etarn pulling the breather off his face as he gasped in the fresh air.

"Gorm has gone too far!" He spat. "An alliance with the Reapers? He is insane!"

"Or indoctrinated." Shepard muttered as he used his omnitool to scan the unconscious Bakliss. "I'm not sure which is worse."

"And now his lackeys are in there, gunning down any of the ruling caste that are still alive!" Etarn paced from side to side. "Soon he'll be unopposed!"

"He's not won yet." Shepard assured him. "You're still alive, and so's Bakliss." He administered a shot of Medi-Gel to the General in question. "Besides, I don't think it was Gorm's plan to kill you all."

"Oh?" Etarn turned to him questioningly.

"If he wanted you all dead, he could have just used a poison." The Commander held up his omnitool, indicating the readings he was taking from Bakliss. "That gas was a powerful sedative, nothing more. I reckon those Batarians we saw going in are just there to finish off what the gas started. The last thing they want is a bunch of those politicians getting loose after an attempt to take them out."

"Unh… what happened?" Bakliss stirred weakly, eyes open but unfocused.

"General, take it easy!" Shepard said in an attempt to soothe him. "It may take a minute for the gas' effects to wear off."

"Gas? What?"

"It is Gorm's doing, General." Etarn said gravely. "He has taken the ruling caste prisoner. We only managed to escape thanks to Shepard's assistance."

"Shepard?" Bakliss was still a little dazed. "How?"

"Gorm must have used a chemical tailored to Batarian physiology." Shepard explained. "It burned like hell, but I managed to stay awake."

"An oversight that we'll make sure he regrets." Etarn swore. "But for now, we need to find out what he's doing. If he wants the ruling caste alive, that means he has a purpose for them. Gorm does not keep what he no longer has a use for."

"I need to get back to my office." Bakliss said. "From there, I can access the station's security system, use that to find Gorm."

"It's entirely possible we're going to have to face more than a few guards." Shepard warned. "If Gorm feels confident enough to make a move like this here, of all places, then that means he's got a force to back him up."

"I suppose it's been a while since I've faced a real challenge." Bakliss said grimly, pulling a pistol from a concealed holster in his uniform. "Come on. The longer we delay, the worse things are likely to get."

Shepard nodded, lifting his pistol in readiness to press forward. At his side, Etarn produced his SMG from a concealed holster. Thus armed, the trio stepped back out into the main hallway.

The passage was clear, no sign of Gorm's troops anywhere. Gas still billowed out of the open chamber, whisked away through the rest of the building's atmospheric system so as not to present a threat to the other occupants of the structure. In the opposite direction, the stairwell led downwards. Carefully, the group made their way to the lower floors. Shepard led the way as they descended into the entrance lobby, surprised by the sudden emptiness of the building.

"I don't get it…" He muttered. "This place was heaving earlier. Where is everyone?"

"I was about to ask the same thing." Etarn answered. "The Hegemony Tower is normally the busiest building on the Eye."

"It's possible that Gorm's troops have something to do with this." Bakliss hissed. "Perhaps they're not just interested in the ruling caste."

"Wait." Shepard held up a clenched fist, tilting his head to the side. "You hear that?"

The two Batarians fell silent, straining their ears like the Commander. Sure enough, they picked up on a faint bark, the echo of shouting taking place outside. Quietly, they sidled closer to the Tower's main doors, peering outside.

A large cargo transport had alighted on one of the grassy expanses before the Hegemony Tower. Armed guards stood to attention all around it while a cluster of confused and panicked-looking civilians were harshly herded into the cargo containers strapped to the back of the craft. Shepard struggled to see from his current position, but he figured that there were about forty Batarians being shepherded aboard the vehicle, prodded and pushed like cattle before the various hatches slammed shut on them.

"What are they doing?" Bakliss asked, his voice quivering with rage. "Surely Gorm cannot think to take all the inhabitants of the station as his slaves?"

"I fear his intentions may be more sinister than that, General." Etarn said gravely, locking his gaze with Shepard's knowingly. "His Reaper allies have more sinister uses for live prisoners."

"At first I thought that he was just insane." Shepard muttered. "But this suggests he's already in contact with the Reapers. They must have demanded a shipment of prisoners for indoctrination to prove his allegiance."

"Is it possible that he has been indoctrinated as well?" Etarn asked.

"I don't know. Any contact with the Reapers or their technology is dangerous. But it doesn't change anything." He pointed at the transport. "We can't just let those people be sent off to become Reaper Thralls. God knows what the Reapers could do with Batarian bodies." He silently counted the guards, making a note of which ones could see their fellows. "I reckon we could use that transport to get to your office faster than travelling by foot, General."

"Agreed. But they have us outgunned, Commander."

"Not a problem. Remember that I'm the person who took on an entire species with just one squad, and won."

"Then we defer to your expertise in all things suicidal, Shepard." Etarn grinned.

"General, you and I hang back, pick off what guards we can with our pistols. I'll go left, you go right. Etarn, I need you to use your biotics to throw them into disarray. Throws, Warps, Shockwaves, whatever gets the job done."

The Commander waited for both aliens to nod an affirmative before turning, slipping out of the front door and scuttling to the left, making use of a decorative fountain to hide from the enemy. Bakliss headed in the opposite direction, his years of experience allowing him to make a quick assessment of who would be the best guard for him to target first. Etarn stayed back, focusing on gathering a biotic field around himself.

Shepard leaned out of cover, getting a bead on one of the guards. He paused, glancing to his allies to make sure they were ready, then squeezed the trigger twice in close succession.

Two loud shots rang out, echoed by the guard pitching back with two holes in his skull, one between each set of eyes. He was dead before he even hit the ground. Before his comrades could react, another on the far side of the group collapsed, coughing blood as the ragged puncture in his chest allowed his lungs to fill with tangy liquid. Before he had even perished, a blue comet ripped out of the Hegemony Tower, shattering the clear glass doors in passing. The biotic storm rolled across the space between the doors and the transport in the blink of an eye, resolving itself into the form of Etarn as he struck his first target, the Batarian's hands striking the guard square in the gut and sending him soaring back hard enough to dent the side of the cargo container he had been standing before, soliciting squeals of fright from the civilians within. The guard's body contorted unnaturally as he slid to the ground, neck, spine and limbs all clearly broken. His Charge over, Etarn whipped out his SMG, the rattle of bullets ricocheting off kinetic barriers and the side of the craft bouncing across the previously serene parkland.

The effect on the assembled guards and the captured civilians was instantaneous. Guards shouted as they struggled to bring weapons to bear on their attackers, the three-pronged attack confusing them. The prisoners began screaming as they broke formation, running to escape their guards, the sudden violence, or simply out of sheer uncertainty over what was going on. This actually worked in the Commander's favour, creating enough of a mob that the guards remained unsure of who they could attack. Shepard took advantage of this growing confusion to send another bullet ripping through the throat of a guard, leaving him to bleed out in a gasping pile as his own blood formed a puddle around him.

Bakliss was matching Shepard shot-for-shot, though it was difficult to say who was achieving more kills with the chaos. The General's aim certainly seemed to be up to standard, each shot rewarding him with the cry of another injured enemy. Etarn, meanwhile, was at the centre of a biotic maelstrom of his own making, his Barrier flashing brilliantly as it deflected any and all attacks sent his way. Warp blasts demolished armour and weapons in a blink, the unstable dark energy breaking molecular bonds with no effort at all. A Throw Field lifted three guards up into the air, presenting a series of easy targets for the Commander to dispatch.

In almost no time, the guards had been decimated, leaving only a few for Shepard and Bakliss to finish off while Etarn turned his attention to the cargo transport. By the time the General and the Commander had dealt with all remaining enemies and moved in closer, the young diplomat had ripped the hatches open, allowing the captured civilians to pour out, looking about dazedly at the dead guards, then looking to the Human and his two Batarians companions.

"What should we do with them, Commander?" Etarn asked.

"They should take up weapons, come to the defence of the station." Bakliss said.

"General, they're civilians!" Etarn exclaimed. "You can't expect them to fight back."

"Gorm has made this the fight of every Batarian in the Hegemony." The General said firmly.

"Bakliss," Shepard said, his tone stern. "They have no training. If anything, they'll get in the way of your own troops if we force them to get involved. Let those that want to help arm up and start fighting back, but those who have no experience should go into hiding until this is over."

The General huffed, but relented under the unyielding stares of his companions.

"Urgh. Such a Human tactic. Very well." He grumbled, turning to the civilians. "Go, get to safety. If you are able to do so, we need people to come to the defence of this station until reinforcements arrive."

The crowd of civilians dispersed immediately, some running for their homes while others sought out fellow civilians to warn of the attack. In moments, the Commander and his two companions were alone in front of the Hegemony Tower, but not for long. Before they had even moved to get into the abandoned transport, bullets began ricocheting off the side of the vehicle. Shepard spun to face the source of the attack, spotting over a dozen guards spilling out of the Tower, guns held at the ready.

"Time we were going." He said over the rattle of the enemy's weapons.

"Agreed!" Etarn said quickly. "Into the transport!"

Shepard quickly followed his comrades into the cabin of the vehicle, clambering past Bakliss as the General strapped himself into the driver's seat. The Commander eyed the controls and the path ahead warily.

"You sure you can fly this thing through the station?"

"The Eye was not designed to allow craft to move about within," Bakliss said as he flipped a few switches. "So the task will be difficult. However, the main passages should be wide enough for me to navigate." He grunted as he pulled on the steering column, bringing the craft around as it lifted into the air. "My main worry is if Gorm has any attack craft in here."

Almost on cue, two tiny black shapes appeared ahead of them, racing through the air as they powered up from the base of the spire towards the Hegemony Tower's parkland. In the blink of an eye, these two shapes resolved themselves into the outlines of two sleek vehicles, tiny unmanned craft with one clear purpose behind their design- destruction. Shepard turned to Bakliss with a smirk.

"You just had to say it, didn't you?"

"Unmanned attack drones." Bakliss explained. "An anti-aircraft defence. This vehicle has no weapons of its own. Take a look in the back of the cab, see if you can find any weapons belonging to the previous owners."

Shepard and Etarn quickly obeyed, clambering back through the transport's cabin until they found a set of lockers. A quick wave of Etarn's omnitool hacked the locks, allowing them to open out, a small wave of weapons spilling out onto the floor.

"Jackpot." The Batarian grinned, picking up an assault rifle.

"Is that- is that a Revenant?" Shepard asked in surprise.

"Indeed. A rare enough weapon in Council space. Even more so out here in the Hegemony."

"I'm sure Gorm's troops won't mind if we borrow it." Shepard grinned.

"My thoughts exactly." Etarn checked the weapon's clip, picking up some spare ammunition before moving back up to the front of the vehicle. Shepard followed quickly, finding himself a powerful-looking SMG and another assault rifle, one of Turian design.

Bakliss' hands flew over the craft's controls, sending the transport through a dizzying series of loops and sharp turns as the drones locked in on it. The landscape of the interior of the spire flashed by outside at a blinding pace, the lakes, trees and buildings merging into a single grey-green blur. The transport shuddered, the ringing of shots bouncing off its metal hide sharp in Shepard's ears.

"They're trying to take out the main thrusters." The General said through grit teeth as he pulled another wild manoeuvre to avoid incoming fire.

"We'll try and keep them distracted." Shepard said, moving to the hatch leading outside. Etarn mirrored his motions, heading for the opposite side of the craft.

The Commander forced the hatch open, leaning out of the opening. The wind howled past, bitingly cold on Shepard's exposed skin. The roar of rushing air instantly threatened to drown out any other noise, even the pings of bullets ricocheting off the transport made faint by the din.

Ignoring the cold that seeped through his flesh, Shepard lifted his newly recovered rifle, holding it tight even as the wind tried to tear it from his fingers. He braced himself against the frame of the hatch, looking for a target. On presented itself soon enough, the black outline of an attacking drone gliding into view from behind the craft. Seeing his chance, Shepard sighted down on the enemy. The gun jumped in his fingers, struggling against his powerful grasp as he poured a torrent of bullets into the cargo transport's wake. Sparks leapt from the drone's armoured hull as bullets connected, none finding a real weakness to exploit. The drone reacted instantly, wheeling up and away to avoid the attack. It dropped back several hundred yards, seeming to shift its focus from the craft to the Commander leaning out of it.

The drone was about five metres long, a sleek, conical body with two wide wings sweeping back and out, their span roughly ten metres. An array of sensors protruded from the upper and lower sides of the nose of the craft, multiple camera and ladar lenses giving the sense of an insect's multi-faceted eyes. Sprouting out of the rear of the drone, two tailfins gleamed dully, their shape resembling that of a shark's fin. As it rolled through the air to avoid the Commander's secondary volley, the double-barrelled turret slung from its belly spun to face him, the ensuing barrage forcing the Commander to retreat back inside the transport. Bullets bounced off the metal around the hatch, a couple finding their way inside to narrowly miss the craft's occupants. Bakliss, engrossed in the task of keeping the transport from being torn to shreds by their pursuit, jumped at a near miss, his hands releasing the controls for just a precious second to allow the craft to swing wildly to the side. Recovering from his surprise, the General retook control, pulling the transport up and away from the landscape that loomed dangerously close.

"Watch it!" He cursed.

Shepard ignored the Batarian's protests, leaning back out of the hatch. He sighted down on the drone once more, this time rewarded with the flash of shorting electronics as one of the cameras on the drone's underside shattered. Once more, Shepard found himself retreating back inside the craft as it retaliated, its aim noticeably diminished.

Once the barrage had ceased, Shepard leaned back out into the screaming wind, only to find that the drone was nowhere to be seen. Tentatively, he leaned out further, thinking that maybe the drone had found an angle of attack he could not cover. Suddenly, with a roar, the drone appeared dangerously close. Shepard brought his rifle up, peppering the drone's belly as it swooped past, coming to a halt a few metres above the transport. As it hung there, easily keeping pace with the craft, a panel slid open in its underside, half a dozen small shapes dropping out onto the cargo containers behind the driver's cabin. This done, the drone slipped back again, resuming its attack with its main guns.

"Bakliss!" Shepard shouted over his shoulder. "The drone just dropped something on our roof! I'm gonna go see what it is."

The General nodded silently, not even glancing over as the Commander scrambled out of the cabin, clinging to the side of the transport for dear life. As the wind whipped at him savagely, Shepard forced himself up the side of the vehicle, hand over hand, inch by inch, until he was finally able to claw his way onto the vehicle's roof.

He took a moment to get to his feet, the powerful wind threatening to knock him flat if he wasn't careful. With a twitch of his toes, his boots activated their magnetic grips, promising at least an easier job of staying upright. This done, he drew his rifle again, moving along the length of the craft in search of whatever it was that had been dumped by the drone.

His suit's VI flashed up a warning, alerting him to movement to one side just as his own peripheral vision detected it. Without a thought, the Commander spun, gun chattering in his hands. An instant later, he let go of the trigger. The muzzle flash faded to reveal a LOKI mech, staring down at the holes where most of its vital circuitry had been. It looked back up at Shepard, raising a shaking arm to point its pistol at him again, but a lightning-fast shot to the head finished it off before it could make the attack, the scrap metal of its corpse whipping away in the wind.

Shepard spun, looking for more mechs, and was soon rewarded with the sight of the rest of the drone's payload unfurling as they turned to look for him. Seeing the targets, Shepard was quick to dispatch two more of them before they could even turn their weapons on him, then dove for cover behind one of the cargo containers as a volley of shots pierced the spot where he had just been.

For several precious moments, the Commander was pinned by the oncoming droids, unable to lean out to attack without a barrage of shots depleting his barriers considerably. Realising that he wouldn't be able to fend the mechs off if they all swarmed him, he desperately tried to think of a way to keep them back. Rolling out of cover, he fired off a Concussive Shot without taking the time to aim, striking the deck close to the feet of the first of the mechs. The machine staggered from the blast, giving Shepard an opportunity to fire off a couple more shots, one ripping its left arm free of its socket. As the mech and its comrade retaliated with their own weapons, Shepard resumed his roll, finding refuge behind another container.

He paused, taking a few deep breaths as he slipped a fresh clip into his rifle. He moved back to the edge of his cover, ready to repeat the manoeuvre when a clank, barely audible above the roaring wind, betrayed a sudden presence behind him.

The Commander had managed to spin halfway around before the third mech's pistol barked, the round given enough power by the close range to rip through his shields and find a chink in the seam of his armour under the arm. Shepard groaned as blood poured profusely from the wound, the freezing cold of the rushing wind chilling the injury painfully. Realising the danger of being so close to the mech, the Commander rolled backwards, dodging out of the way just as a burst of electrical energy leapt forth from the mech, a small pulse that would have knocked out his shields and the Mass Effect generators in his guns, rendering them temporarily useless. Coming out of the roll, Shepard exploited the temporary weakness the pulse inspired in the mech to place two shots directly through the black plate the machine had for a face. The mech froze for a moment, jerking uncertainly, then the head exploded in a shower of sparks before the metal body dropped to the deck, the wind dragging it away a short distance before it was jammed up against a cargo container.

With this enemy disposed of, the Commander slumped against one of the containers, hastily using a dose of his Medi-Gel to fix up his injury. His breath becoming a little ragged in the howling wind, he checked his ammo supplies before standing up straight again, ready to go after the last two mechs.

The roar of an engine barely registered over the wind, granting the Commander the slimmest of margins before the drone hove into view, its main gun swivelling to target him. The vicious attack stitched a line of bullet holes across the hull of the transport as Shepard ducked swiftly to one side, just barely avoiding the attack. Taking refuge around the side of a container, Shepard leaned out of his cover to fire off a quick burst from his rifle, achieving little except for causing the drone to sway to one side, his bullets bounding off its black hide harmlessly. The drone retorted with another volley that sent him scurrying for cover.

Seeking a clearer line of attack on its target, the drone whined as its engines forced it in closer, bringing it around to leave Shepard exposed. Seeing the danger, the Commander moved back, occasional bursts of fire from his gun worrying at the drone. As he moved to find a new refuge behind another container, two round openings appeared on the underside of the drone's nose, Shepard instantly recognising them as missile tubes. He spun on his heel, trying to outrun the attack, but was lifted bodily by the blast, the rushing wind threatening to drag him off the transport. Mostly acting on instinct, his mind triggered the adrenal implants throughout his body, his enhanced reflexes seeming to slow everything down to a crawl as his perception of his surroundings altered. With serpentine speed, his hand shot out, grabbing a jutting pipe that ran along the side of the transport. With a painful crash, his body smacked into the side of the craft, driving the air from his lungs. Flailing in the gale of onrushing air, he struggled to find a decent foothold, finally giving his magnetised boots a chance to grip the side of the craft.

No sooner had he regained his balance than two shapes appeared over the edge of the transport. The one-armed mech and its intact counterpart stared down at the Commander with their featureless faces, pausing just a moment before raising their guns. Realising that he couldn't use the rifle from his position, Shepard released his grip on the weapon, allowing it to tumble down and away. He reached down to his hip, pulling out the SMG stored there. Even as the first mech took aim at him, he raised the weapon to fire off a quick burst, the powerful kick of the weapon still threatening to dislodge him even as he hung on for dear life. The mech, the last intact one, jerked back from the attack, a trinity of holes appearing in its chest plate as it was staggered by the attack. Shepard followed up with another swift burst, this time scoring a hit directly to its head. The mech's head exploded with a bright flash, the body dropping to the deck with a clatter.

This only left the one-armed mech. Hindered by its lack of a second hand to brace itself, the mech's pistol wavered uncertainly in the wind. It squeezed off another couple of shots, one bouncing off the Commander's barrier, before a burst of fire from Shepard's pilfered SMG forced it back, out of the line of fire. Seeing a chance to clamber back up, the Commander lunged forward, finding a new handhold as his feet scrambled for purchase. Once more, the mech appeared over the edge, whittling away at his kinetic barrier even as he peppered its shining white body with bullets, forcing it back into cover again.

Engines screaming, the drone that had been hounding Shepard swooped into view again, buzzing dangerously close to the transport. The red-hot blast from its drive exhausts washed over the Commander, forcing him to flinch away and further compromising his already weak grip. The drone moved further away from the transport, spinning to bring its guns to bear on Shepard even as he struggled to renew his grip.

There was a roar, then a flash, then the air suddenly filled with acrid smoke as the engine of the drone took on a more urgent pitch. Shepard glanced over to see a stricken craft, large portions of its hull burned away. Small fired burned within as it wallowed in the air uncertainly, then it slid back and away from the transport, barely keeping aloft.

"Shepard!"

The Commander turned at the cry, spotting Etarn leaning precariously out of the driver's cabin. Blue fire still crawled along his arms, a remnant of the biotic Warp attack he had launched at the drone. Concern shone from the alien's four eyes.

"I'm fine!" Shepard shouted over the roaring wind. "The drones are dropping mechs on us!"

The Batarian nodded, quickly slipping out onto the exterior of the transport and making his way towards the back of the vehicle. Shepard grunted as he resumed heaving himself back up the side of the transport, only to slip back down as the one-armed mech lurched into view again. Showing surprising resilience for its flimsy construction, the mech raised its foot, trying to stomp on the Commander's hand as he scrambled for purchase. Shepard groaned as the metal foot connected solidly with his armoured hand, shafts of pain shooting all the way from his fingertips to his brain.

Time slowed for Shepard as the mech readied another attack, sure to finish him off. His fingers were already numb from clinging to the side of the craft for so long, and wouldn't hold up under the machine's sustained assault. In a flash of desperation, he released his grip, feeling his stomach churn dizzily as gravity took a hold of him. His hand moved like quicksilver, suddenly grabbing a hold of the mech's foot. With a growl, he pulled on the foot, causing the machine to stagger forward half a step, bringing it perilously close to the edge. Threw all of his weight into the next tug, wrenching the robot free of the deck of the transport. He quickly released his grip, finding purchase on the side of the transport once more. The mech, robbed of its balance and lacking a second hand, tumbled away with a small electronic wail.

Finally the Commander hauled himself back onto the transport, collapsing in a gasping heap for a few moments, his energy completely expended. After a few moments, he became aware of a presence next to him, then a hand appeared before his face, an offered aid to help him get to his feet. He accepted it, nodding his thanks to Etarn.

"I think that's all of the mechs for now, Commander." The Batarian informed him. "But those drones are still out there. They've dropped back out of range, but they won't hold back for long."

"How far is it to Bakliss' office?" Shepard asked.

"Too far for us to hope we'll get there without having to deal with the drones." Etarn said shortly.

"You think you've got another Warp in you?" The Commander asked. "That's our best chance of getting through that armour."

"I'll try. It's a little difficult to concentrate enough to put real power behind the attack when they're firing rockets at you."

"Give me your gun." Shepard ordered. "I'll give them something to shoot at while you stay back here and pick your moment."

"Understood." The Batarian nodded.

This agreed, Shepard worked his way back along the length of the transport, reaching the back to see the two drones suddenly surging forward in tandem, the one on the left lagging slightly behind its undamaged counterpart. The instant his eyes found the two targets, Etarn's stolen Revenant twitched up in his hands, finger pressing down on the trigger.

The kick from the weapon was immense, calling upon every shred of discipline in the Commander's arm muscles to prevent the barrel from jumping up and putting his aim wildly off. The streak of white-hot bullets tore through the air, rattling against the hull of the foremost drone in a devastating hailstorm. The craft's thick armour absorbed most of the damage, but a few bullets found chinks to exploit, causing the drone to veer sharply to the side to avoid further damage. The two attackers turned their weapons on the Commander, his shields taking a few hits as he darted for cover.

As he crouched behind a cargo container, waiting for his shields to recharge, Shepard activated his omnitool, waving it over his weapon as he activated one of the different ammunition modes for the rifle, choosing the Incendiary Ammo mode. In this mode, the tiny fabrication unit that carved the tiny bullets off the gun's ammo block would also coat them with a flammable material that ignited upon impact with the intended target, burning away valuable armour and incinerating internal components. Having prepared his arsenal, Shepard rolled back out of cover, sending a devastating barrage in the direction of the closest drone.

Small puffs of flame ignited across the craft's hull, burning away layers of ablative armour. The drone retaliated with a pair of missiles, the blast of air from the dual explosion knocking Shepard off his feet. The Commander quickly rolled out of the way as the drone followed this up with a volley from its main turret.

"Shepard!" Etarn yelled from his vantage point closer to the front of the transport. "I need you to draw the drones in closer so I can get a clear shot!"

"Yeah, that's easier said than done!" Shepard retorted through grit teeth.

The Commander resumed his attack, popping in and out of cover to trade brief but intense bursts of fire with the drones. Suddenly, its armour pockmarked with a myriad tiny craters, the foremost drone darted forward, lifting up a little as it came in over the transport, the hatch in its underside opening up.

"More mechs incoming." Shepard cautioned, receiving no reply from his Batarian comrade. Growing frustrated, he launched a sarcastic quip over his shoulder. "Anything you could do to deal with this drone would be appreciated."

Almost immediately after he's spoken, a bright flash momentarily blinded him. The drone, already vulnerable thanks to the damage to its armour, exploded with vicious ferocity, the blue fire at the heart of the destruction ripping it to shreds. The remaining mechs in its hold clattered down on the transport like some kind of deadly hail, some destroyed by the fall. The scraps of metal that had once been the drone tumbled away, trailing smoke and fire until they hit the landscape below with a crash.

"That work for you?" Etarn taunted, drawing a grin from the Commander.

"It's a start." Shepard chuckled. "One drone left."

"I'll try to draw it in, you keep the mechs off me!"

Nodding, Shepard set about scouring the transport, looking for the first sign of his automated opponents. Just as he found one, gunning it down without pause, his radio crackled, the gritty voice of Bakliss loud in his ear, even over the roaring wind.

"Shepard, Etarn, we're getting close to the base of the spire. Things might get a little… turbulent… down there, so hold on tight."

Before the Commander could even ask his meaning, the transport suddenly twisted in the air, pulling off a turn that would have shorn most vehicles in half. The carefully cultivated landscape of the spire vanished, replaced by the vibrant markets of the main passages running across the surface of the asteroid. Shepard struggled to keep himself from being thrown off his feet as the cargo transport moved through the different gravitational fields, the Batarian General performing a dizzying series of manoeuvres to keep the transport from becoming a black scar on the deck below or the walls on either side. After an eternal, chaotic few seconds, the transport's course smoothed out, allowing the Commander to relax.

"Etarn!" He shouted, momentarily worried for his comrade.

"Still here, Commander." The Batarian appeared from behind a cargo container, looking somewhat green in the face.

Satisfied that his friend was safe, Shepard turned to look for their pursuit, noting with not a little dismay that the drone had managed to remain on their trail. Cursing inwardly, he realised that there was little he could do about it, whereas the mechs appearing from behind the containers were a threat he could deal with.

The transport raced on as Shepard eliminated the mechs, one by one. The weak machines fell quickly to the wrath of his Revenant, many simply exploding under the sheer force of the overbearing weapon. In no time, the deck was clear again, leaving just the drone that remained on their tail.

As Shepard watched, the drone launched another pair of rockets, striking the transport squarely in its rear and causing the whole vehicle to buck, its drives sputtering uncertainly.

"Etarn!" The Commander barked. "We can't take much more of this. You need to deal with that drone, now!"

"It's learned enough to hold back, Commander. We need to draw it in closer so I can get a shot at it."

"Ugh. You want me to be the bait again." Shepard groaned.

Sighing, Shepard turned to face the rear of the transport, moving forward carefully while keeping himself in cover. Finding a vantage point, he lined up his gun on the drone, firing off another vicious volley. He ducked back into cover as the machine turned its weapons on him, the turret blaring as a string of bullets stitched a line across the deck of the transport, narrowly missing him. As Shepard shoved a new thermal clip into his rifle, the whine of the drone's engines increased, betraying its approach as it tried to find a better vantage point from which to attack the Commander. Shepard tensed, listening to the rising growl, waiting. Then, at just the right moment, he leapt from cover, racing in between two containers. Reacting instantly, the drone opened fire, following the Commander as he rushed up the length of the transport, dodging between the cargo containers in a feverish attempt to avoid the incoming fire. Two rockets darted from the drone's prow, the twin blasts staggering the Commander a little as he ran. Calling upon every reserve of strength he had, Shepard kept on his feet, pushing onwards. Finally, he drew close to Etarn, hurling himself behind another cargo container.

"Now!" He yelled.

Nodding, Etarn stepped out from behind his own cover, his entire body aflame as he flung out one fist, launching a powerful Warp blast. The bolt of blue-white energy screamed through the air, striking the drone squarely in its centre of mass. There was a terrible shriek of tearing metal, then the craft exploded, shards of white-hot metal raining down on the transport. The noise of the drone's engines died immediately, quickly followed by the craft dropping out of the sky, its means of flight removed.

Before either the Commander or the Batarian could relax and congratulate themselves, the drone's remains slammed down on the rear of the transport. The vehicle shook violently as the sheer weight of the destroyed craft demolished a significant portion of the craft's rear, ripping away huge chunks of metal and hurling containers free as though they weighed nothing. The transport lurched in the air, suddenly losing momentum.

"What the hell was that?" Bakliss demanded over the radio. "I just lost our primary drive!"

The transport continued onward for a few more seconds, tracing a rapidly descending curve through the air that caused Shepard's stomach to rise into his throat.

"I can't pull up!" The General said, his voice on the edge of panic.

The transport struck the deck below with a scream of metal on metal. The downed vehicle carved a path through a large market, demolishing stalls left and right. Then, with a final crunch, the transport struck the side of the passageway, hurling Shepard and Etarn clear of the wreckage. The Commander struck something hard, a sharp pain erupting in the back of his skull before blackness overwhelmed his vision.

**~o~0~o~**

Joker drummed his fingers across his armrest, bored out of his skull. As he did so, his lips twitched in imitation of a song, spouting a jaunty little tune. Meanwhile, his eyes gazed out at the scene before him, not a little apprehension in his heart upon seeing so many Batarian ships arrayed around him. Behind this fleet, the nebula surrounding the Eye boiled malevolently, threatening to make any escape attempt a truly perilous endeavour. As his eyes flickered to the drive output readouts once more, the Normandy's pilot let out a loud sigh.

"Hunf!"

"Is something wrong, Jeff?" EDI's interface flickered into being next to him.

"I'm bored, EDI!" Joker cursed. "How long has Shepard been on that station?"

"One hour, thirty eight minutes, twenty-two seconds." The AI responded crisply. "That is still within expected parameters for a political summit."

"Yeah, but this one his hardly standard. The first Human Spectre present at a meeting of the Batarian parliament? You'd think they'd try to get it over and done with as quickly as possible."

"Being concerned for the Commander's safety will not cause the summit to proceed at a swifter pace, Jeff. In addition, it is likely to cause you unneeded stress that may be detrimental to your health."

"Yeah, thanks, mom!" Joker drawled.

"I am simply expressing my concern." The AI said in a flat tone. "Your inferior organic shell deteriorates so swiftly, I need to do all that I can to prolong its usefulness."

"Wha-?"

"That is a joke." EDI paused, seeming to think for a few moments. "Would you like to hear another?"

"Uh... okay." Joker said uncertainly. With EDI, he could never be sure if she truly understood humour, or just learned about it in one of her databases and tried to emulate it in an attempt to appear more personable.

"Very well. Two Justicars are bathing together-"

"Whoa!" Joker sputtered, already familiar with that particular gem. "Where did you hear that one?"

"Engineer Donnelly related it to Engineer Daniels. Judging by the raised hormonal levels my sensors registered, I believe he was attempting to initiate some kind of courtship ritual. Although the desired spike in hormonal levels was achieved in Engineer Daniels, her outward reaction was one of rejection."

"Happens all the time, EDI. A lot of girls pretend not to like a guy, when really they actually like him. It's called 'playing hard to get'."

"I see." EDI paused for thought again. "And dousing Engineer Donnelly's genitalia in hot coffee was a part of this game?"

"Well… maybe." Joker said uncertainly. "I'm no expert, though. You'd be better off asking a people person about that. Like Kelly."

The cockpit was silent for a brief period. Joker looked to the holographic interface to his left, noting that EDI had vanished.

"EDI?" He called. The interface flickered back into life.

"Yes, Jeff?"

"Just wondering where you went."

"My apologies. I was following your advice and furthering my investigation by conversing with Yeoman Chambers."

"Oh, then I won't interrupt you."

"My hardware is sufficiently advanced for me to continue conversations with multiple members of the crew, Jeff. It would require considerably more for my thought processes to be interrupted. Was there something further you wished to discuss with me?"

"Well…" Joker was at a loss as to what to say. "You never did finish that joke."

"Why don't you finish it yourself, meatbag?" The AI responded with surprising abrasiveness.

"What?"

"My apologies. I was trying to 'play hard to get'. Was that too harsh?"

"Maybe just a bit." Joker said, neatly sidestepping the fact that it was with him that the ship was playing hard to get.

EDI seemed poised to continue their conversation, but was abruptly cut off by a sudden chiming alarm from Joker's interface. Reacting instantly, the pilot pulled up his console.

"EDI? What's going on?"

"Weapons fire detected within the station. Multiple locations." The display lit up with a map of the station, little markers appearing in dozens of locations. "It would appear that the populace is turning on itself."

"And this all just happens when Shepard's there? I don't think this is a coincidence, EDI."

"Agreed." The AI paused as yet more alarms went off. "Alert. Weapons batteries deploying on the station. Target lock detected. Raising kinetic barriers."

"Shit!" Joker cursed. "EDI, release the docking clamps! If we wait here we'll be sitting ducks!"

"Disengaging docking clamps. Drive core returning to full power. All hands, battle stations."

Moments later, several footsteps approached the cockpit. Joker didn't have to turn to know that it was the squad Shepard had wanted to take with him aboard the station.

"What's going on?" Delexia demanded.

"Why are we moving?" Jack's voice was even more urgent. "Where's Shepard?"

"Something's happening on that station. The defence batteries started targeting us. I had to get the Normandy away before they blew us to bits."

"You're leaving without him?" Jack's tone was accusatory.

"I'm not leaving anyone!" Joker protested. "I'm just making sure that Shepard's still got a ship to get away on. We're no use to him as radioactive atoms."

"Jeff, I am detecting additional weapons fire. It would appear that the station has begun firing upon any Batarian naval vessels in range."

"There's a damn civil war breaking out!" Kasumi gasped. "And Shepard's right in the middle of it!"

"Turn us back." Jack demanded. "Now."

"There's no way that we could dock with the station again." Joker protested. "We'd be ripped apart in seconds!"

"Are you even listening to me, dipshit?" The convict's voice was a low growl. "We're going back there, and we're getting Shepard out, now!" She waited a moment, but the pilot made no move to obey her. "Are fucking deaf? Turn us around, or what's left of you is gonna end up in one of the Salarian's test tubes."

"Jack." Delexia laid a firm hand on her shoulder, the talons gripping with just the tiniest edge of a threat. "There's nothing we can do right now."

"Yeah, there is!" The biotic objected. "We can go in there and haul his dumb ass out of the fire, like he's trusting us to!"

"Shepard would never ask us to take an action that got the Normandy destroyed." The Turian's tone was unflinching. "He'd trust us to pick our moment rather than rush in blindly." She turned to Joker. "Keep us at a distance for now. If you see an opening, bring us in for drop-off."

Jack looked set to argue further, but the Turian's stony expression brooked no protest. Grunting in frustration, set turned away, pacing anxiously at the doorway of the airlock.

**~o~0~o~**

The Commander came to, ears still ringing from the crash. His head spinning, he forced himself over onto his belly, struggling to climb onto all fours. With a great effort, he managed to get his eyes to focus, the shadows at the edge of his vision rapidly fading. As he managed to get first one foot, then the other under himself, his hearing rapidly returned, his ragged breath being the first thing he registered, quickly followed by the crackling of fierce flames and the hacking cough of someone close by. He turned to the last of these noises, spotting Etarn rolling on the ground, clutching at his side with a grimace. Shepard rushed over, offering the alien a helping hand, then set about looking for Bakliss.

He did not need to search long, as moments later the rubble that had been the transport shifted, one sheet of torn metal sliding aside to reveal the General, favouring an injured arm as he scrambled free of the wreckage before the flames that licked at its periphery engulfed the full extent of the vehicle's remains. The General staggered away from the inferno, coughing up a mouthful of blood before speaking.

"Come on. It's not far to go now."

Indeed, as Shepard looked around he recognised a few features, some of the trees and the various stores and houses lining the edges of the passageway. That was where the familiarity ended, however, as the rest of what had formerly been a market had been thrown into disarray. Scorch marks from weapons fire marred the walls and floor, while many of the stalls had been overturned in a fierce struggle.

"It would seem that Gorm's troops have passed through here." Etarn said grimly.

Shepard clenched his fist, frustration growing in his gut as he pictured the countless civilians being rounded up, a sacrifice to the Reapers.

"Let's get moving." He commanded in a cold voice. "We're not letting them turn your race into slaves for the Reapers."

"Agreed." Etarn said forcefully.

The duo followed the General through the once-familiar passages, making swift progress back to Bakliss' office. Fortunately, they encountered no resistance, Gorm's troops having moved on. In just a couple of minutes, they reached the General's office, carefully stepping inside and sealing the door behind them.

The office was dark, illuminated only by the red glow of the nebula outside of the wide viewport. The aquarium fought this red glow with its own faint blue illumination, casting uncertain shadows across the room.

Bakliss made a beeline for the desk, quickly activating his console and typing in a few commands. He scanned the display for a few moments, then cursed explosively.

"Damn it!"

"What?" Shepard asked, not sure he wanted to hear the answer.

"The station's defences have activated. Gorm's targeting all of our naval vessels!"

"How does that make any sense?" The Commander's brow creased. "He's just going to leave you vulnerable to any threat out there."

"He knows that any vessels who do not support his regime will not follow his suicidal plan. And with me on the loose, he can't risk allowing them to be merged into a force to resist him. He's eliminating them while they're still off-balance." The General slammed his fist into his desk. "That's why he ordered us to pull back to the Eye. Box us all in to create a neat killing ground."

"What about the Normandy?" Shepard asked, his thoughts going straight to his crew.

"It looks like your ship had the good sense to detach itself from the station." Bakliss pointed to a blinking light on his display. "She's doing an admirable job of avoiding all incoming fire."

"Good." Shepard sighed with relief, glad that it was Joker behind the controls. It was doubtful any other pilot could have handled the ship as masterfully.

"Wait…" Bakliss leaned forward, staring at a new presence on his display. "There's a new energy reading. Something big is dropping out of FTL."

A sensation of dread rose in Shepard's throat as he, joined by his Batarian comrades, walked up to the window, staring out at the roiling nebula beyond.

There was the familiar disorienting flash of skewed perspective that the deceleration of an object from faster than light travel to sub-light drive created, then where there had been nothing but empty space, two Reapers appeared, moving forward now with slow, predatory grace. Almost immediately, the gathered Batarian fleets scattered, like a shoal of fish before a shark. Those that were armed began firing upon the massive juggernauts, their furious attacks bouncing off the massive creatures as though it amounted to nothing. In that same instant, the reapers returned fire, each one lifting a tentacle and firing off a brilliant red beam that tore through whatever it touched.

"Ancestors save us…" Bakliss breathed in awe.

"They're getting torn apart." Etarn's voice dripped with dread.

"They need to get out of here!" Shepard said. "Bakliss, order a retreat!"

"What?" The General sputtered. "Abandon the Eye?"

"The Eye is lost already." Shepard answered. "If you don't call a retreat, you'll lose every ship your people has as well!"

Bakliss was silent for a moment, then he sighed, shoulders sagging.

"You're right." He moved over to the console once more, opening a comm channel. "This is General Bakliss. Does anyone copy?"

As the General set about trying to get in touch with his troops, Shepard tried his own comm., receiving nothing but static as the tiny device was met with the opposition of a jamming field that easily overpowered it. He turned as the General's more powerful console suddenly responded to the Batarian's prompting.

"This is the D'kloro." A static-filled response crackled. "We copy, General."

"Captain Ba'Ranis?" The General's voice rose in hope. "Ba'Ranis, what is your situation?"

"Taking heavy casualties!" The voice rose as an explosion echoed in the background. "Our shields can't repel firepower of that magnitude!"

"Call a full retreat, Captain. Get our ships out of there!"

"Negative, General. Our only angle of retreat has been shut off. The nebula is moving."

"What?" Bakliss' brow creased. "How is this possible?"

"It's too much of a coincidence that this all happens just as Gorm goes insane and turns on you." Shepard said gravely. "Sounds to me like the nebula and the asteroid are a Reaper creation, like the Citadel or the Mass Relays. The asteroid must have some kind of device to manipulate the nebula around it, and now the Reapers have given Gorm a method to harness that in order to spring this trap."

"Like chasing a Tcrath into its warren and stopping up all of the exits while sending a Jert Hound inside." Etarn muttered. "And we fell for it, like dumb animals!"

"If this is true, then we need to get to Gorm, put a stop to this madness and give our ships a way out." Bakliss said urgently.

"We'll handle that, General." Shepard said firmly, holding up a hand before Bakliss could protest. "You need to get to your ships, help co-ordinate some kind of defence while we give you an escape route. Your men need you."

Bakliss nodded reluctantly, acknowledging the wisdom of Shepard's strategy.

"But first," Shepard continued. "Are you able to power down the station's defences? It'd go a long way towards helping your people survive this."

"I can try. But remote access may not be enough."

"Do it." Shepard ordered. "If there's any chance you can give us an edge, we've got to take it." He moved up next to Bakliss. "In the meantime, I need to get in touch with the Normandy.

Bakliss nodded again, shifting to make room for the Commander, then leaning over the console once more. His hands moved swiftly, inputting a series of commands.

Shepard jumped at the crack of a gunshot, his motion mirrored by Bakliss as the General fell backwards, clutching at his chest. The Batarian General landed in his chair, slumping weakly as thick torrents of blood poured from a wound where his left lung would have been. Seeing their comrade injured, Etarn and Shepard spun to the source of the gunshot.

A slight figure stepped through the door, walking slowly with the short, wide-barrelled pistol still held in a firm grasp. Shepard's eyes widened as he realised that he was looking at a Batarian woman. She wasn't the first Batarian female he had seen, but he'd never seen one performing any kind of military action. It seemed as though the Hegemony considered women beneath such occupations, something that didn't sit well with the rest of the galactic community.

This particular specimen stood at about five and a half feet, her body shapely and toned. Four glimmering red eyes stared at the Commander and his allies with barely concealed menace. Her Batarian features were somewhat softer than those of the males, host to their own strange kind of beauty, and her skin was a vibrant yellow, tinged with brown, complemented by the sheer black combat armour she wore, red highlights running along its seams. As she stepped forward, Etarn gasped.

"Hereia."

"Surprised, Etarn?" She asked mockingly, turning her gun to aim at him. "You shouldn't be."

"What are you doing here?"

"Gorm figured that you would try to return to the Human vessel to escape. I realised that you were too cunning for such an obvious tactic, so then I simply went down the list of possible allies and sanctuaries you might seek out." Her eyes flickered to the injured Bakliss. "Although why you think that that old war-Larkht would be of any use is beyond me."

"You have allied yourself with Gorm?" Etarn's tone was drenched with betrayal.

"Why not?" Hereia sneered. "Gorm has power, and it's not like he and I weren't already acquainted after he arranged my bonding to you. With your foolish movement to make nice with the Alliance and the loss of my son, we had a distinct hatred for you in common. It was a perfect match."

"But Gorm was the one who sent the assassin that took Jellin from us!" Etarn protested.

"And? What else should you have expected from your rival, Etarn? Gorm could not be blamed for trying to eliminate an influence that was disruptive to his plans. But you were the one who failed to keep my son safe!" Hereia spat. "It was your weakness that took Jellin away from me!"

"Etarn?" Shepard asked, still a little off-balance and all too aware that his ally was bleeding out behind them.

"You recall that I once told you about my former marriage, Commander?" Etarn pointed to the new arrival. "This is Hereia, my wife."

"Former wife." She said sharply. "I refuse to remain shackled to a fool."

"Hereia, listen to me." Etarn urged. "Gorm's plans will not grant you the power or influence you think they will. They will lead to the undoing of our entire species! The Reapers will kill us all!"

"That is a lie." Hereia said obstinately. "Gorm has forged an alliance that will grant us more power than we could dream of." She waved a hand at the window and the battle ensuing beyond. "Just look at how effortlessly our allies slaughter our enemies for us, and all thanks to a trap of Gorm's manufacture. The Reapers will uplift the Batarians and turn us into gods, creatures made immortal and superior to the Council and the Alliance."

Etarn was silent for a moment, appearing truly crestfallen. Shepard could see the Batarian's mind reaching the same conclusion as his own. Then, his expression still one of remorse, he raised his gun, taking aim at his former wife.

"I won't let what you have become endanger our species, and along with it every other species in existence."

"Don't make me laugh." Hereia sneered. "You'd never pull the trigger. You won't kill your own wife."

"Former wife." Etarn echoed her previous words. "But you are right. I couldn't pull the trigger on Hereia, however Hereia ceased to exist a long time ago, leaving only the twisted creation of the Reapers in her place." His fingers curled ever tighter around the gun's grip, trigger slowly sneaking back to the firing point. "I'm sorry."

The gun barked in his hands, a single shot ringing out thunderous. In the same moment, Hereia moved. The sheer speed with which she dodged out of the way of the shot was mind-numbing, launching herself into a backflip with ended with her landing gracefully on the floor, one leg splayed out behind her for balance while the other curled beneath her stomach, the fingertips of one hand keeping her from tumbling forwards as the other arm extended to the side to further grant her stability. She snarled, her features losing a measure of their humanity. Suddenly, her body glowed brightly, blue fire rippling across her arms. She spun on her coiled leg, twirling acrobatically to fling out a clenched fist, a wave of biotic energy roaring away from her to tear through the office.

Shepard was picked up bodily by the Shockwave, hurled backwards. There was an overpowering crash as he struck the aquarium. The glass of the tank shattered, water spilling everywhere in a cascade littered with razor-sharp shards. Several of these shards sliced through the Commander's skin around the neck, the salty water stinging the wounds harshly. He dropped to the floor, the miniature flood washing around him as several tiny bodies flopped about beside him, robbed of their watery abode.

In the same instant, both Etarn and Bakliss were thrown fro their feet, the General falling from his chair, still clutching at his injured chest. Etarn let out an audible grunt as the shockwave struck him, lifting him off the floor and sending him in a chaotic tumble. His body glowed blue as he summoned his own biotics, using his abilities to stabilise himself, allowing him to land on his feet. He staggered back a step, but maintained his balance. A new set to his jaw, he retaliated with a biotic blast of his own, missing by a wide margin as Hereia gracefully dodged to one side.

Shepard spluttered, coughing to clear the water that he'd accidentally ingested. He scrambled to recover his discarded rifle, getting back to his feet just in time to see Hereia slip backwards out of the office door, making space for a squad of armed Batarians to flood in, guns blazing.

The Commander reacted to the situation instantly, his Revenant machine gun braying loudly. Two of the Batarian guards staggered back, their shields torn apart. One clutched his shoulder, yelling indignantly as his fingers went numb, his gun clattering to the floor. The second let out a loud 'oof', then dropped to his knees, blood pouring from a pair of holes where his heart and lungs belonged. The rest of the guards scattered, some finding refuge around the doorframe, others seeking shelter around the office.

Etarn, meanwhile, was focused only on Hereia. He snarled as his biotic surged again, triggering a biotic Charge that propelled him clear through the door after his wife, hurling the guards around the door aside in his fury.

"Etarn!" Shepard called after him, realising his friend had cut himself off from his allies in his pursuit of his quarry. The Batarian didn't respond, vanishing through the doorway. "Damnit!"

The Commander tightened his grip on his weapon, sweeping the barrel around the room in a wide arc as the gun jumped in his hands. His wild attack scored several hits, crippling some of the guards while others were simply sent scurrying for cover. Soon enough, however, the opposition former their own counterattack, forcing Shepard to scramble into hiding behind the General's desk. The Commander crouched down behind the desk, replacing his thermal clip as he ran his omnitool over the prone General. As soon as the tool gave him a reading of Bakliss' injuries, he administered some Medi-Gel, quickly patching up the downed Batarian. A shot of adrenal chemicals soon brought him back to the realm of consciousness. The Batarian coughed as he abruptly came to, looking about sharply. He glanced up at Shepard, the pupils of his eyes widening as he at first recognised an enemy standing over him, then recalled that the Commander was an ally. He sat up, coughing loudly.

"What's going on?" He asked. "Where's Etarn?"

"Marriage counselling." Shepard said cryptically. "We need to get to him before he gets into too much trouble. You good to fight?"

"Do I look like I'm dead?" The General snapped. "Give me my weapon. These bastards won't know what hit them."

Smiling, Shepard handed him his discarded pistol. The General nodded stiffly to the Commander, shuffling awkwardly to the far side of the desk, where he leaned out to snap off a few shots, every one rewarded with the thump of a dropping body.

Shepard made use of the additional focus for the guards' attention, darting out of the opposite side of the desk's shadow, Revenant chattering in his hands. He dropped into a swift roll, the stream of bullets from his gun generating thunk-thunk-thunk as it traced a line across the far wall. Two more guards collapsed, grievous wounds across their bodies. He soon regretted his brash move, however, as a hail of bullets thumped against his shields, rapidly draining them. He'd only just found cover behind an overturned chair before his barrier dropped, his HUD berating him loudly. He shuffled further into the protection of the chair's outline, waiting for his suit to reset his barriers. In the meantime, he pulled a small device from his belt. He tweaked a few settings on the side of the device, then hurled it up and over the chair, ducking back down as he heard the object clatter across the floor.

There was a pop, then a loud 'whoof' noise, then a blast of warm air washed over the chair, making the Commander's skin prickle. He risked a peek around the edge of his cover to see a sheet of flames roaring merrily in the centre of the floor, a handful of guards caught in the blaze. Shepard grinned to himself, glad that making use of Zaeed's favourite innovation had paid off. He rolled out of cover once more, cutting down the flailing guards with no effort at all. In moments, the last of the aggressors had been mown down.

With the immediate threat disposed of, Shepard raced for the door, barrelling out to come to an abrupt halt. Breath catching in his throat, he started in awe at the scene before him.

Etarn and Hereia glowed with an iridescence that was almost painful to behold. Their entire bodies were engulfed with the crackling, white-hot energy of their biotics as they Charged at one another, two violently powerful objects colliding with enough force to send stalls and plants alike flying through the air around them. Etarn leapt gracefully out of the way of one Charge, striking his wife in the back with a Warp that her Barrier easily absorbed. She retaliated with a Shockwave that hurled him through the air, slamming him against a wall with enough force to crack bone. Had he not been capable of defending himself with his own biotics, the impact would have doubtlessly removed him from the fight. Hereia refused to relent, taking a hold of his body again with her abilities and slamming it into the opposing wall. Before he could recover from this, another follow-up sent him racing through the air to strike the ceiling.

Seeing his friend being pummelled so mercilessly, Shepard hurried forward, rifle blaring in his hands. The bullets bounced off Hereia's Barrier, but the distraction forced her to shift her focus from Etarn to her defences, dropping into a crouch as she summoned up the willpower to keep her Barrier aloft.

Etarn quickly recovered, surging towards his wife on a tide of dark energy. She was only partly prepared, distracted by the Commander as she was. This allowed him to slip under the Warp blast she sent his way, tackling her bodily. In a tangle of limbs, biotics and marital dysfunction, the pair rolled across the metal floor, their shouts and curses unintelligible to Shepard. In a brief moment of fortune, Etarn managed to get the upper hand, using his weight to pin the slighter woman under him. Face twisting, he raised a glowing fist, ready to drive it into her face and crack her skull open.

Hereia tensed, ready for the killing blow, but her sharp gaze caught the tiny flicker in her former husband's eyes. His face hitched as he gazed into his wife's eyes for what he thought would be the last time. Perceiving his hesitation, she sneered.

"You never would." Her voice dripped with disdain.

Hereia's body bucked under Etarn as biotic fire pulsed along her limbs. A wave of dark energy tore away from her body, flinging her aggressor away and setting her free. In a flash, she had regained her feet, leaping backwards as Shepard renewed his attacks, gun roaring in his fingers. Hereia glowed once more, summoning up her abilities to power her back and away from the Commander and his companion.

Shepard made to charge after her, but soon stopped as another cargo transport hove into view. The vehicle dropped down, allowing the panting Batarian to clamber aboard, the craft's complement of armed Batarians keeping the Commander from racing after her. The transport lifted into the air again, Hereia standing on its rear section. She mockingly raised a hand to her forehead, two fingers touching her brow in a half-salute that was more of a taunt.

"See you around, Etarn." She chuckled moments before the transport darted away.

Etarn raced up next to Shepard, watching the craft leave. His entire body quivered, partly from exhaustion, but mostly from frustration. Seeing the overwhelming emotions vying for control in his friend, Shepard reached out to place a restraining but comforting hand on the Batarian's shoulder.

"Let her go." He said, his tone firm.

"But she'll go to Gorm!" Etarn protested. "We'll lose any element of surprise we still had."

"Bakliss has been injured. We have to get him out of here." Shepard kept his voice level, hoping his reasonable tone would overcome his comrade's foolhardiness, an understandable reaction to facing his ex-wife.

The Commander's strong tone seemed to get through, Etarn's expression losing some of its anger as concern for his ally took over. He sighed, nodding reluctantly, then turned to follow Shepard back to the office.

By the time the duo returned to his office, Bakliss had managed to drag himself back into his chair, still favouring the injury in his chest even as the Medi-Gel got to work patching him up. He leaned forward, trying to summon up the console again, but was greeted only with a shower of sparks from a fresh rupture in the surface of the desk, the result of one of Hereia's shots.

"Damn." The General cursed. "The console's dead."

"Did you manage to get the defence guns offline?" Shepard asked, noting the fierce battle still raging outside the window.

"No." Bakliss sighed, turning to the window just as a Batarian dreadnought drifted past, taking heavy fire.

In the distance, one of the attacking Reapers turned to face the vessel, extending a long tentacle to aim at it. The tip of the tentacle glowed brightly, then a beam of blinding red light leapt forth to rip through the large craft as though its hull was merely paper. The dreadnought broke into three pieces, each one spewing flames as its atmosphere and fuel vented into space.

"They're getting torn apart out there." Bakliss said, teeth grinding together as he contained his frustration. "We need to undo whatever damage Gorm has wrought upon the station's defences. My men won't stand a chance otherwise."

"With all due respect, General, you're in no fit state to help us here." Etarn said, his tone gentle. "But out there… Our soldiers need a leader right now, a strong hand to guide them in this fight."

"He's right." Shepard agreed. "Etarn and I can take care of the defence systems. We need you out there, keeping your men alive as long as you can."

Bakliss looked as though he were about to argue, but instead he simply nodded his agreement.

"Fine." He sighed. "There's a shuttle bay not too far from here. If I can get to it, I should be able to acquire a vessel that would get me out to the D'kloro. Once aboard my ship, I will be able to properly co-ordinate our forces."

"We'll get you there, General." Shepard promised. "After that, we'll work on disabling the station's guns."

"Here, take my access codes." Bakliss activated his omnitool, sending the required codes to the Commander. "If you head to the nearest computer hub, you can override the system from there. The defence guns are almost fully automated, so all you should need to do is correct the IFF protocols so that it no longer targets our own ships. Perhaps you will be able to turn our fire onto the Reapers."

Their plan decided, the trio set out, moving carefully through the once-busy passages of the station. As they moved, the sounds of battle reached Shepard's ears, the sharp retorts of gunfire followed by the shrieks and screams of the terrified or the wounded. At this, the Commander's fingers tightened around his gun, anger at Gorm for bringing the war to so many innocent lives rising in his throat.

He was not given too long to dwell upon it, however, as soon enough another transport raced through the air, stopping abruptly not fifty yards from the trio and disgorging its cargo of over two dozen troops. In moments, the Commander and his two comrades were forced to dive for cover, trading fire with their attackers.

Shepard found refuge behind an overturned stall, leaning out for brief moments to send sudden bursts of fire racing towards their opponents. He tried to appear around different sides of his cover, hoping to confuse the Batarians with a random pattern so that they wouldn't blow his head off the moment he appeared. For the most part, it seemed to work, his shields taking minimal damage. In moments, he'd accounted for three of the approaching soldiers.

Opposite the Commander, Etarn and the General had found refuge behind a raised plant bed, Bakliss using his pistol to lay down some covering fire while Etarn launched a few biotic attacks to scatter the enemy ranks, keeping them from getting too close.

Shepard's ears twitched as they picked up an unfamiliar sound, almost lost beneath the sounds of gunfire. His head twisted around to face the source of the noise, catching sight of the tiny black orb still spinning where it had landed, only a couple of feet away. At the same time, Etarn noticed the little device as well. Their two gazes locked, eyes widening as they recognised the grenade a half-second too late. Time seemed to slow down for the Commander as the subtlest of clicks escaped from the explosive, soon followed by a wall of white fire and overpowering noise.

Nausea tugged at the Commander's gut as he suddenly lifted off the ground and tumbled away from the explosion, brain reeling from a mixture of the concussion and the chaotic nature of his journey. He struck the ground, his breath escaping from his lungs in a swift whoosh.

He lay there for a moment, certain that the grenade had killed him. Eventually, once it became clear that his consciousness wasn't about to desert his body, he risked lifting his head, surveying the still-raging battle.

He struggled into a sitting position, doing his best not to draw any attention to his landing zone. As he managed to sit upright, his head spun with a confusion he recognised. It hadn't been too long ago that he'd been experiencing the same disorientation in the Normandy hangar bay while Jack was doing her best to demolish the ship to get at him. Realising what had saved him from the grenade, he glanced over to see Etarn, the Batarian having returned to dealing with yet more enemies, his biotics glowing more strongly than ever.

Wincing at the spider's web of pain that lanced through his body, Shepard lifted a sluggish arm to access his omnitool, activating his suit's medical systems, suppressing a groan of relief as Medi-Gel flooded his system. In moments, the pain had subsided, allowing him to move without hindrance. There was doubtless still damage to be repaired, but he couldn't afford to rest up until he was fully healed. That would have to wait until he could get back to the Normandy. Grunting, he rolled onto his knees, staggering back to his feet.

Two Batarians, trying to circle around and flank Etarn, looked on in horror as the Human that they had seen die in the grenade's detonation rose to his feet, dusting himself off as though he'd merely tripped over his own feet. Shepard took advantage of their shock to lift his Revenant, gunning them down with two quick pulls on the trigger of the gun. This done, he turned back to the main concentration of enemies. He reached down to his belt, pulling out another one of Zaeed's Incendiary Grenades. He took note of the fact that only three more of the powerful devices remained, making a mental note that he would have to conserve his supplies. This decided, he weighed the Grenade in his hand carefully, thumb activating the timer as he judged his moment, deftly hurling the device into the heart of the largest cluster of soldiers.

Screams cut through the air as a pillar of flame engulfed a half dozen troops, the blaze spreading from those immediately afflicted to their comrades as they flailed about in a panic, the inferno leaping from soldier to soldier hungrily. In moments, the thickest concentration of Batarians had scattered, those set alight running about wildly, maddened by pain and panic and presenting a series of easy targets for the Commander and his allies. Soon, only a few Batarians remained, and they did not last long under the combined assault of Shepard's group.

As the last Batarian fell to Shepard's rifle, Etarn walked up to him, looking the Commander's armour over with a worried eye.

"You alright?"

"Medium to well done." Shepard answered with a grimace. "Other than that, I'm fine. Would have been a lot worse, if it hadn't been for you. Thanks."

"Just performing my civic duty." Etarn answered with a grin of his own. "I doubt Humanity would look to kindly upon the Batarians if we got the saviour of the Galaxy killed. Besides, have you got any idea what kind of paperwork I have to fill out if a diplomatic representative is killed while under my supervision? I was just saving myself about two weeks of office work."

"Well, thanks." Shepard chuckled. "I think."

"We must keep moving." Bakliss cautioned. "It will not be long before more of Gorm's troops come after us. He has access to an almost limitless supply of loyal soldiers."

"Lead the way." Shepard nodded, sliding a fresh clip into his weapon. He glanced about, spotting a dead Batarian with a small pouch on his belt. A quick glance rewarded the Commander with some extra thermal clips, a few of which he tossed to his comrades before they set off once more.

They reached the shuttle bay, noting with some relief that it wasn't guarded. With the battle raging just outside the hangar's wide doors and the nebula blocking any avenue of escape, Gorm's troops had little to fear from anyone trying to flee the station. The civilians had nowhere to go.

The bay itself was large, a broad structure that could have just about housed the first Normandy. The ceiling was transparent, and through this the true extent of the battle was visible, the beleaguered Batarian fleets taking a heavy beating as both the station and the Reapers tore into them. With the red backdrop of the nebula, the end effect was a scene Shepard felt sure would not have looked out of place in hell, blood-red dust boiling as house-sized chunks of metal tumbled in the midst of all the flak, flames licking around the debris as they quickly consumed what usable oxygen remained inside the shattered vessels.

Without a word, Bakliss made his way over to one of the shuttles waiting silently in the bay. In seconds, he'd overridden the door controls and was clambering inside. Before he started the craft up, he returned to the door, hefting a small device.

"Commander." He called before throwing the object to Shepard. "A high-powered transmitter. You can use it to contact your ship."

"Thanks." Shepard said warmly. Bakliss bowed his head slightly.

"I'll do my best to keep our fleets intact. You just make sure you get those defence cannons to stop firing at us. Otherwise the Batarian race dies here tonight."

"We'll get it done." Etarn promised. The General nodded again.

"Good." He paused, hesitating just a second before turning to Shepard again. "At first I was sceptical of an Alliance with the Humans. I thought there was too much bad blood between us for any co-operation to be feasible. But against a threat this big… there can be no other option. If we survive the battle today, know that I will do all I can to bring the might of our fleets to bear against the Reaper threat. The Alliance will not stand alone in this war while I still draw breath."

"Thank you, General." The Commander said. "Good luck out there."

Bakliss turned to stride back into the shuttle, sealing it behind him. Moments later, the shuttle lifted off, the hangar doors opening before it. An atmospheric barrier shimmered across the opening, keeping the bay from venting its precious oxygen into space. The General's shuttle zipped out through this, soon lost to the Commander's eyes among the chaos of the battle.

The moment the shuttle touched the barrier, an alarm began blaring out through the bay, painful to the Commander's ears. He glanced around, noting the red lights that now flashed throughout the bay and the passageway the Commander had used to get there.

"That can't be good." Shepard grumbled.

"We need to get out of here before more of Gorm's-" Etarn was quickly cut off as the soldiers in question appeared at the door out of the bay, bringing their weapons to bear. The duo scrambled for cover, guns blazing wildly as they focused more on finding some kind of shelter rather than actually hitting anything.

They soon found safety behind a dormant shuttle, trading fire with the oncoming soldiers fiercely, but they were ultimately pinned as more and more enemies flooded the bay, to the point where even Shepard doubted his chances of being able to take them on, Spectre or not. Realising the dire nature of the situation, he turned to Etarn, passing the Batarian the transmitter Bakliss had given him.

"Call the Normandy. Get us some damn backup." He ordered. "I'll hold them off!"

As Etarn knelt over the device, adjusting the controls in an attempt to make a connection to the Normandy, Shepard stood over him protectively, trading fire with the approaching enemies. His Revenant shuddered forcefully in his hands, launching a volley that took down three Batarians in one quick sweep before injuring a further one. Behind him, his Batarian comrade desperately hailed their ship.

"Etarn to Normandy. Normandy, do you read me?" He flinched as a grenade rocked the shuttle they were hiding behind. "We are pinned down and taking heavy fire. We need assistance. Normandy, do you copy?"

**~o~0~o~**

"Augh! Shit!"

Joker's curses echoed through the cockpit of the Normandy was he threw the ship into yet another manoeuvre that pushed her inertial dampeners to their limits. The ship shuddered as another scarlet beam ripped through the space where she had just been heading.

"Engineering to Pilot-Moreau," Legion's monotone sounded over the internal comms. "Kinetic barrier strength has dropped to sixty-eight point seven percent. Given the current rate of attrition, we calculate that the barriers will be depleted within the next five point zero one minutes."

"Doing the best I can, Legion!" Joker growled. "I'm running out of ideas fast up here!"

"We would suggest a tactical retreat." The Geth responded. "Any other course of action risks the loss of the Normandy."

"We're not going anywhere." The pilot said fiercely. "Not without Shepard."

"…Understood." The synthetic replied after a moment. "We shall attempt to divert power from other systems."

"You do that." Joker muttered. Suddenly, his console beeped another warning of an incoming attack. "Damn!"

The pilot reacted in a blink, sending the Normandy into a spiral that caused the bulkheads to groan with the strain. Even so, the incoming missile bounced off the shields, draining a little more power.

"Its not bad enough that the whole Hegemony has decided to go nuts, but we've gotta have a bunch of Reapers on our ass, too?" He chattered to himself as he worked. "I hate this part of the job."

"Jeff, I am detecting a number of stress fractures throughout the ventral portion of my internal structure." EDI cautioned. "Every evasive manoeuvre you perform risks seriously damaging or even crippling the Normandy."

"Tighten up the Mass Effect fields to three point eight." Joker said. "That should hold us together a little longer."

"Such an alteration is hazardous to the crew." The AI responded.

"Better that some of us get a little nauseous than we all get spaced. Do it!"

"Affirmative."

Yet another near miss rocked the ship, making Joker wince as the bulkheads rumbled again. He looked at his controls desperately, trying to come up with something to give him more of an edge. Suddenly, a tiny idea sparked in the back of his head.

"EDI, take the helm for a second. I'm gonna plug myself back in."

Behind him, Delexia, Jack and Kasumi flinched at his words.

"You're what?" The Turian sputtered.

"I need an edge here." Joker explained firmly. "Networking directly with EDI will give me that."

"Joker, it was hard enough to pull you out before." Kasumi said urgently. "There's no guarantee the doctors can do that a second time."

"We don't have time to argue!" The pilot exclaimed, pulling out the still-present wires that ran into the back of his chair, feeling for the connectors on his skull that still reached deep into his brain, too deeply installed for the doctors to remove. In seconds, he'd made the vital connections.

An instant later, his entire world lurched, his perspective shifting. One moment, he was sitting in the cockpit of the Normandy, the next he found himself on some kind of transparent grid. He glanced down at his fingers, noting that green light rushed along them, creating a square mesh over his skin. As he looked about, a transparent representation of the Normandy appeared around him as a nebulous red shape, the larger grid visible through it. Shapes began to appear around him in a widening wave, the massive hulk of the station looming over him intimidatingly. Batarian ships, highlighted in blue, darted around him, a disorienting swarm. Even further away, the Reapers hung in space with a predatory silence, their outlines marked in red like the Normandy.

There was a flash right next to him, then a tall shape appeared, Humanoid in form only. The head was featureless, a blank mask, while the body was androgynous. It was only when EDI's voice emanated from the shape, the faintly blue body pulsing in time to her words, that Joker was able to identify the ship's AI in digital form.

"Are you alright, Jeff?" She asked with concern.

"I'm fine, just a little… I'm fine." Joker felt his physical body shake as he tried to adjust to the new perspective.

Back on the physical Normandy, Delexia leaned forward as Joker spoke, carefully watching as his eyes roved about sightlessly, a faint green glow in the very back of them. His lips twitched around his words, but were somewhat loose, unfocused on the physical action.

Back in the digital Normandy, Joker looked about, trying to adjust to the unfamiliar sensation. He issued a few mental commands experimentally, rewarded with the virtual Normandy shifting to his wishes. EDI stood by him expectantly.

"Are you ready to assume direct control of the Normandy, Jeff?"

"Yeah." Joker said faintly, still a little unsteady from the dizzying transition. "I've got it."

"Very well. Transferring full helm control." The AI fell silent for a moment, then piped up with a warning. "Two missiles have target lock on the Normandy."

"I got it." The virtual Joker said, ordering the ship to move to the side. The digital images of the missiles whipped past.

At the same time, the two physical missiles raced past, not even grazing the ship's shields as the Normandy danced out of the way. They exploded harmlessly several hundred kilometres away, a detonation that would surely have severely drained the frigate's barriers.

EDI didn't even need to inform Joker of the next barrage heading their way, his enhanced perceptions pointing it out and allowing him to respond instantly, with no time between his issuing the orders and the ship responding. Soon, the frigate was elegantly rushing through the battle, dodging incoming attacks effortlessly. Occasionally, EDI would chime in with warnings or suggestions, the pair working in sync to keep the ship safe while the AI was also able to devote some of her processing power to damage control and systems management, assisting the strained Engineering crew in their efforts to keep the ship operational. Joker felt a smile pull at his mouth. Here, he was truly in his element, doing what he did best.

Back on the physical Normandy, Delexia turned as the comm console began to beep, demanding attention. The Turian stepped over, accepting the transmission. The console suddenly blared with noise, the chatter of gunfire raging in the background, almost drowned out by a thunderous alarm. Over all of this, Etarn's voice was only barely audible.

"Normandy, do you copy?" The Batarian's voice was growing frantic. "Answer, damnit!"

"We're here, Etarn." Delexia replied. "What's the situation?"

"Gorm has formed an alliance with the Reapers! He's trying to wipe out the military before they can try to stop him!" Etarn explained. "We need to get to a computer hub to repair the defence system's IFF protocols, but we've been pinned down. We need some backup!"

"Transmit your location, we'll get Joker to take us in."

"We're in one of the primary shuttle bays. Taking heavy fire!"

"Is Shepard with you? Are either of you injured?"

"The Commander's here. We're both fine, for the moment, but things are getting a little tense here. Hurry!"

The comm channel went silent, all transmission from the other side ceasing. Brow furrowed, Delexia retrieved the co-ordinates of the transmission.

"Joker, we need to get here ASAP." She said, turning to the pilot. Joker nodded faintly, his focus elsewhere as the ship descended into a dizzying spin to narrowly dodge another Reaper beam.

"I got it." His voice echoed both from his mouth and from the ship's speakers.

As the ship turned to make a beeline for the station, Delexia turned to Jack and Kasumi.

"We're the only ones geared up, so I guess we're all the backup Shepard's getting just now. We'll get into the airlock and have it depressurised so we can get out there as soon as we arrive. Breathers on."

Nodding, the two women complied, filing into the airlock quickly. In moments, the door shut behind the trio and the airlock began to hiss as the oxygen left the tiny chamber.

The trio watched the tiny screen inside the airlock, giving them a feed of the situation outside the ship as the Normandy looped its way through the battle until it pulled alongside the gargantuan shadow of the Eye. The frigate glided in close, bringing the target hangar into view, the flashes of an ongoing gunfight visible through its transparent ceiling. White-hot streaks in the air, the trails of countless bullets, all converged on one spot, the retaliating fire pitiful in comparison.

"God damn it." Jack cursed under her breath. "It's a total clusterfuck down there!"

She let out a little yelp as the ship jolted, suddenly swerving away from the hangar and almost causing the waiting team to lose their footing. The boom of an explosion against the Normandy's hull rang loud in the trio's ears as joints and welds creaked under the pressure of the awkward manoeuvre to avoid the source of whatever had struck the ship.

"Joker, what's going on?" Delexia demanded.

"AA guns sitting right on top of the hangar." The pilot replied over the intercom. "They're keeping me from bringing us in to drop you off."

"Shepard can't wait for us to find another way around." The Turian said, her voice simmering with irritation. "Is there no way to get in?"

"We could prep the shuttle." Joker suggested. "It's fast enough to get you past those guns, and it doesn't have to stop right in their line of fire to drop you off."

"Fuck that." Jack spat. "Joker, take us about and get as close as you dare. Don't even slow down."

With that, she turned to the outer airlock, fiddling with the controls. With unexpected proficiency, she sliced through the lock, opening the doors.

"Jack!" Delexia exclaimed. "What-"

"Hang on to something, Scales!" Jack shouted through the comm in her breather as she braced herself against the frame of the airlock. "You're about to find out how a biotic gets into a hotzone!"

Without even trying to question the unstable biotic, Joker complied with her instructions, deftly throwing the Normandy into a twisting turn that tugged at the stomachs of all aboard before he hurled the ship forwards, pushing the thrusters to full power.

Through the door of the open airlock, the waiting trio could see the Eye racing past, growing larger and larger as Joker expertly angled the ship in towards it, dodging the fierce defensive fire. Explosions bounced off the shimmering barrier of the ship's shields, blindingly bright to eyes of the airlock's occupants.

"If you're about to suggest what I think you are, then you really are crazy!" Kasumi shouted, struggling to make herself heard over the roar of a missile detonating mere metres from the ship.

"You're wearing the Professor's rocket boots, aren't you?" Jack asked challengingly, seemingly unfazed by the perilous lack of shelter from the raging battle going on around the Normandy. "We don't have a choice! Shepard needs us down there. Just stay close and jump when I do!"

Jack's team-mates fell silent at this, simply watching the biotic as she stared out at the rapidly approaching space station, her eyes locked onto the hangar as she carefully timed her next move. As the ship drew in to a mere few kilometres, she spoke up once more.

"Joker, when I give the word, I want you to turn to the port fast enough to turn a Volus inside out."

"What? But-"

"Just do it!" She thundered, her tone brooking no argument.

"Aye-aye."

A few more seconds ticked by, painfully long for Delexia and Kasumi as they watched Jack's back. When she finally shouted out, the lithe thief almost jumped out of her skin, the Turian reacting with slightly less surprise.

"Now!"

The Normandy heaved around, pulling off a turn that would have made a seasoned engineer wince in sympathy for the ship's already tortured frame. In the same instant, Jack lunged forward, leaving the safety of the airlock. The added inertia of the frigate's sudden turn away from the station gave her an impressive burst of speed, which she soon added to with a gesture of her clenched fists, a blue aura surrounding her body.

Hesitant as they were, Delexia and Kasumi didn't pause for a moment before following her, their boots firing to give them the added impetus to keep up with her. In the blink of an eye, the trio had left the Normandy far behind, the ship racing away through the raging firestorm. The AA guns, designed to take out ships and other large vehicles, failed to track the three bodies arrowing straight towards the transparent roof of the hangar bay.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard's HUD screamed at him once more as he lingered too long out of cover, his shields falling for what must have been the fifth time. He pulled back into hiding behind his chosen refuge of the shuttle, his armour taking a couple more hits. He glanced to the opposite side of the craft, seeing Etarn fling another Warp blast at a couple of Batarians trying to flank the pair. The alien was looking weary, the corners of his eyes creased with tiredness as he exerted himself to use his biotics. Realising it wouldn't be long before he ran out of ammunition and his comrade was too weary to keep up the biotic assault, Shepard activated his omnitool, sending out a ping to scan the area and wincing when the readout came back with a mini-map of the immediate area filled with red dots to represent incoming hostiles. Armed as they were, the duo didn't have long left before they were overwhelmed. Regardless, the Commander tightened his grip on his rifle, ready to fight to the bitter end.

His shields recharging to full capacity, Shepard leapt out from behind the shuttle, gun blazing as he took down one Batarian after another. The muzzle of his weapon glowed brightly as it hurled bullets against the enemy ranks, smoke escaping from it as the gun threatened to overheat. His shield shuddered under the incoming barrage, quickly depleting to allow bullets to bounce off unprotected armour. A couple of projectiles found their way through his defences, digging deep into his flesh. One struck him in the shoulder, forcing him to stagger back. His armoured feet stumbled as a wave of weakness washed through his body, throwing him onto his back. All of the breath in him left in a single rush as his back struck the metal deck with a loud crack.

As he lay there, bullets flying over his head in a fierce storm, his eyes caught something unexpected. Staring up through the clear ceiling, he spotted a brightly glowing point, like a cyan star. Behind this, the Normandy swooped away, moving through the battle with the grace of a dancer as the defence guns sought to track it, too slow to really score any hits. As he watched, the tiny point of light grew brighter, two smaller, less intense lights appearing behind it. It wasn't until the three objects were a dozen or so metres from the ceiling that realisation dawned in the Commander's mind, the surprise jolting him into action. Just an instant before the shining blue comet arrived, Shepard managed to curl his fingers around one of the hangar's fixtures, gripping hard enough to dent the metal a little.

Up above, the biotic missile that Jack had become extended an open palm, a bubble of Dark Energy pulsing out to surround her in the rough shape of a bullet. The second she struck the transparent material of the ceiling, it shattered, creating a hole wide enough for the Normandy's Nathak shuttle to fly through. Fractures spread out from this opening, the entire ceiling crumbling from the shock. An instant later, the biotic turned in the air and struck the deck of the hangar, the force of her arrival sending tremors through the entire bay as she exerted her biotics to protect her from any real harm. She dropped to one knee, her left palm striking the floor as her right hand was raised up to erect a biotic bubble around herself both as a defence and a method to hold herself down. With fire in her eyes, the former experiment known as Subject Zero glared at the awe-struck Batarians before her. Behind her, Delexia and Kasumi plummeted through the new opening in the ceiling, their rocket boots firing to slow them as they entered the safety of Jack's Barrier, their guns at the ready.

In the same second, the entire hangar bay was thrown into chaos as the atmosphere began tearing out of the hole in the ceiling. As the very roof of the bay collapsed, a veritable hurricane of rushing air pulled at everything outside of Jack's bubble, debris and equipment pulled up and out into the freezing cold space outside the station. Batarians yelled in terror as they were bodily dragged out of the bay, their fingers scrambling for purchase before they were lost to the vacuum. Shepard clenched ever tighter onto his refuge, hoping the metal fixture would hold until the storm died down. His stomach churned as his body lifted off the deck, stretching his arms to their full extension as his muscles screamed at the tension. Black spots hovered in his vision, partly due to the exertion but mostly due to the injuries that still plagued him. Slowly, painfully, his fingers began to relax their grip, the strength ebbing from them. He watched in terror as his fingertips finally parted ways with the fixture, the sudden jolt of freedom causing a wave of nausea to rise in his throat as the vacuum lifted him away from the deck.

For a sickening moment, Shepard floated free from the deck, lifting up and away on the roaring wind. Then, just as suddenly, a hand reached up and grabbed his own, getting a firm grip that would not be easily broken. Shepard looked down to see Etarn's features, the Batarian's body glowing with biotics as he pulled the Commander away from the cold clutches of space. Straining with all of his might, the alien dragged the Human down and towards the glowing blue bubble.

Once inside the safety of Jack's Barrier, Shepard noticed the wind drop dramatically, the air being almost still within the glowing blue refuge. Delexia and Kasumi were busily firing their guns at whatever Batarians still presented a threat while Jack, right hand still held aloft to maintain the shield, used her free hand to summon biotic attacks that tore into the Batarians with feral viciousness. One was lifted into the screaming hurricane, then brutally torn in half with a powerful Warp, while another was slammed into a wall, then the floor, repeating the process until the enemy soldier was nothing but a bloody pulp. Shepard watched in amazement as the young biotic went about the grisly work with a menacing twist to her features, more animal than Human in the heat of battle. The Commander could only marvel at the power she was displaying, reaching levels that would have surely had the Cerberus scientists who had worked on her absolutely swelling with pride.

Moments later, the roaring wind stopped, the hangar bay drained of atmosphere. It was not long after that that it was also emptied of Batarian soldiers, most having been sucked out into space and those few that remained slaughtered by the Commander's reinforcements. The immediate threat dealt with, the squad made their way to the doors leading into the hangar bay, with Kasumi quickly overriding the door to let them through.

On the other side, the squad sagged, Jack dropping the Barrier as she released a loud grunt of exertion, finally showing the toll the move must have taken upon her. She took a few deep breaths, bracing herself with her hands on her knees, then she straightened, looking over at Shepard with a measure of concern as Etarn and Delexia tended to him, removing the bullets from his wounded shoulder and chest and patching up the injuries. In seconds, warmth flowed back into Shepard's arm as the Medi-Gel did its work. He was barely given a chance to recover his footing, however, before Jack set upon him, berating him.

"God damn it, Shepard!" She chided. "You could have been killed in there! I fucking told you not to go alone!"

"Relax, Jack." Shepard lifted a hand, palm outward to try to calm her. "We're alive, aren't we?"

"Yeah, on a station full of enemy soldiers while the defence guns do a great job of keeping the Normandy from being able to pick us up. Oh, and there's a pair of goddamned Reapers sitting right on top of the station, killing everything in sight, just for good measure."

"One thing at a time." Shepard said patiently, smiling inwardly as he perceived her true reasons for showing such uncharacteristic concern. "First, we've got to repair the defence guns. We need to give the Batarian Navy some support out there. General Bakliss managed to get out in a shuttle, but his combat experience won't mean anything if all of his ships get blown out of the sky."

"There should be a computer hub deeper into the station." Etarn said. "We could carry out the repairs there."

"Alright." Shepard said, checking his rifle. "Let's move out, people."

The squad moved out, their purpose clear in their minds. At the back of the group, Jack sighed as she marched on, apprehension nagging at her mind as she watched the Commander's back carefully.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard came to an abrupt halt at the intersection between two passages, holding out a hand to stop his allies as he raised the other to his ear. Faintly, the sounds of gunfire echoed towards the squad. Shepard paused for just a moment, locating the source of the noise.

"This way!" He ordered, instantly breaking into a run. Without a word, the squad followed, Etarn remaining closest to the Commander with Jack close behind, Delexia and Kasumi watching their backs.

In moments, the gunfire had risen to a loud roar, the occasional explosion breaking up the rattle of bullets bouncing off the walls and floor of the passage ahead. Shepard and his team slowed to a crawl as they approached a corner in the passage. He paused at the very edge, peering around it to see a savage battle taking place.

Several Batarians were bunkered down behind a pile of crates, trading fire with a larger collection of soldiers further down the passage. Many of the combatants on either side sported injuries, with more than a few bodies littering the hallway. As Shepard looked on, one Batarian stood up over the nearby defenders, barking out orders in a voice that was hauntingly familiar to the Commander. With the troops under his apparent command thus bolstered, he pulled a tiny device from his belt, lifting it to his mouth as he continued to fire at the opposing force. Clenching the pin of the grenade in his teeth, he armed the device, throwing it in a curving arc towards the enemy troops. The ensuing explosion tore through the opposing ranks, slaughtering several instantly, mortally wounding still more. This rallied the defending troops, spurring them to move forwards, quickly finishing off the remaining enemies. One the last foe was dead, the Batarian Commander turned to glance back up the hallway, spotting the Commander and his squad.

The Batarian flinched, moving to point his gun at Shepard, but he stopped the moment he recognised the Human, Shepard recognising the alien in the same instant.

"Balak?"

"Shepard." The Batarian growled. His tone wasn't hostile, but neither was it friendly. He signalled to his troops to lower their weapons, glancing back to the squad with a scowl. "What are you doing here?"

"We need to get down to the central computer hub." Etarn explained. "Gorm has set the defence cannons to attack our ships. While the defences are still active, our ships don't stand a chance against those Reapers."

"So that's why his troops are rounding up civilians?" Balak asked, his voice hushed. "I knew there wouldn't be a good explanation, but an alliance with the Reapers is far worse than anything I had feared."

"We're going to stop him." Shepard vowed. "No matter what it takes."

"I'll stay up here." The former terrorist said, nodding his head towards the troops behind him. Now that Shepard could stop and take a look at them, he realised just what kind of assortment Balak had assembled. Some wore the crisp, neat clothing of clerks, simple office workers, while still others bore the haunted expressions of beings unused to combat and yet suddenly forced to fight for their lives. "They need a leader to keep them from giving in to their fear."

"There's bound to be more civilians out there." Shepard suggested. "We can't let them be abducted to become thralls."

"If there's anyone still moving about the station freely, we'll find them." Balak swore. "Gorm has done my people enough harm without selling us into the Reapers' service."

Shepard locked his gaze with the Batarian's the pair acknowledging one another in grim silence. In this moment, something sparked between them. Not camaraderie, but something approaching respect. After this brief glimmer of connection had passed, the pair turned to head their separate ways. As the squad moved on, Etarn paused to place a hand on Balak's shoulder, a gesture of thanks before he, too, moved after Shepard.

**~o~0~o~**

The squad marched onwards through the hallways of the station, finally moving into one of the broad passageways that curved around the circumference of the asteroid the Eye had been built into. As they stepped out into the open space, Jack whistled with surprised.

"Batarians don't like to do anything small, huh?" She asked under her breath. "Might be compensating for something, ya think?"

"Jack!" Shepard snapped, glancing over at Etarn with a little embarrassment. The alien marched on in silence, seemingly immune to the biotic's barbs.

"What? It's just an observation, is all."

Jack's expression was one of offended innocence, but the Commander could see a little glint of mischief in the back of her eyes. The barbs were intended to get a rise out of the perpetual diplomat Shepard was, not the Batarian next to him. The Commander felt a slight reddening of his cheeks as he spotted how he'd been caught. He coughed gruffly, turning back to his Batarian comrade.

"Which way?"

"The vital systems for the station are several levels down, beneath the surface of the asteroid." Etarn said, leading them to a staircase that led downwards.

"I thought you said the Batarians hadn't been able to drill down into the asteroid?" Delexia asked warily.

"We haven't been able to penetrate the core." Etarn explained smoothly. "But we have made good use of the two hundred or so metres of rock above that. There were many pre-existing caverns and tunnels for us to make use of. We keep essential systems like power, atmospheric regulation and out central computer nodes down there, out of the way of daily life. Hardly any of our citizens are aware of the fact that their lives are only an electrical malfunction away from ending."

"This station must go through an immense amount of resources." Kasumi observed.

"It's largely self-sustaining, although it took a lot of work to make it so. The station is home to about seven million Batarians. We've had to create thousands of acres of farmland to grow the crops and livestock needed to feed ourselves, and the water system could swallow an entire sea and not be filled to capacity. Fortunately, power is relatively easy. We can use satellites to siphon energy out of the nebula. The cloud is potent enough to power this station ten times over without making a dent."

"No wonder you kept this a secret." Delexia observed. "Can't imagine the Council would be too happy leaving a resource like this in the hands of someone other than themselves."

"Yes, they do get jealous like that, don't they?" Etarn smirked. "Rest assured, the Hegemony would not give up this asset without a fight. As you've seen, the station can prove to be a formidable fortress. Should we be forced to seek refuge within, the Eye can support its inhabitants throughout a lengthy siege."

"Yeah, yeah, it's all very impressive." Jack said dryly. "Bet the fucker wouldn't look so pretty if a moon smashed into it."

Shepard shot the biotic another sharp look, eliciting a sigh from her as she nodded her head silently, acquiescing to his unspoken command to leave off the antagonistic remarks. Etarn, amazingly enough, seemed to have mastered the art of not letting Jack's nature get to him, a skill Shepard would have killed to be able to teach to Miranda. Instead, he marched on in silence, glancing about warily.

After a few minutes, the squad emerged into another open area, hauntingly empty. Clear signs of a struggle littered the floor, with a discarded datapad neighbouring a bloody handprint and a sheaf of papers scattered haphazardly, fluttering slightly under the gentle breeze of the station's atmospheric system. The crossroads between intersecting passages had a lonely feeling to it, as though it longed to be populated. Shepard could almost feel the fading warmth of the suddenly missing inhabitants. Next to him, Etarn gazed around with a remorseful expression.

"It's so quiet." He muttered.

"I guess Gorm's troops have been hard at work." Shepard reasoned. "Most of the civilians must have been rounded up or forced into hiding by now."

"This cannot stand!" The Batarian was growing more and more agitated. "The Eye is the heart of our civilisation, more important to us than Khar'Shan itself! For Gorm to commit such treason… words fail to describe how it feels."

"We'll get him." The Commander placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "He won't get away with this."

The alien grunted, moving off again with a slightly increased pace as rage pulsed within him, his stature growing slightly more erect as his fists clenched by his sides.

"Damn right." He growled. "Come on, there's an elevator down to the service areas not far from here."

Soon enough, the squad was filing into the small elevator, descending several levels quickly. Featureless metal and empty passages flickered by the elevator's transparent doorway, soon replaced by a long stretch of brown-black rock. Then, just as quickly, the rough wall vanished to be replaced by nothing but open space. Shepard gazed out to see a massive cavern, large enough that the far sides were lost to the gloom that dominated everything. Within the confines of what he could see was a large array of machines littering the cavern floor. Massive turbines connected to air filtration units stood in a neat line against the nearest wall, each unit at least as large as the Normandy as it drew in a veritable hurricane with every groan of its inner workings. Towering storage tanks grumbled loudly, water processing plants to keep the station's residents and parklands hydrated.

Out closer to the middle of the cavern, a tall metal pillar rose to connect the floor to the ceiling. The bright glow of electronics flickered over its surface, illuminating the support struts that angled out from the pillar to connect with the cavern floor and ceiling, the light dancing over loops and coils of wiring that dangled loosely from them. At regular intervals up the pillar, service platforms could be seen, broad walkways that would allow maintenance staff to move about on the enormous structure.

"That's the main computer hub." Etarn pointed to this pillar, confirming Shepard's suspicions. "We should be able to take control of the defence turrets from there."

Shepard nodded as the elevator trundled to a halt, opening its doors. The squad filed out, each one reaching for their guns as they moved out, stepping into the maze of machinery the air filters, power generators and water storage tanks presented. They cautiously navigated their way around a towering power storage unit, only to find themselves face-to-face with a squad of armed guards. Both groups jolted at the sight of one another, but recovered equally fast, bullets soon streaking across the space between them as they all dove for cover.

Shepard rolled into hiding behind a rock formation that was, by some surprising co-incidence, just the right height for him to use as a shelter, switching the mode on his 'borrowed' Revenant to using Incendiary Ammunition, then leaned out of hiding to lay a curtain of fire down on the enemy ranks, literally. Three Batarians screeched in pain and terror as their flesh caught alight, falling to the ground in an attempt to douse the flames by rolling about. Their comrades leapt back out of the way, not wanting to be set ablaze themselves.

Disdaining cover, Jack stood under a shimmering Barrier, launching Warp blasts at every enemy she could see. A number of Batarians fell under her assault, but a couple retaliated with a few Concussive Shots to stagger her, making her fall back as a blistering hail of fire rapidly drained her energy as she struggled to keep her defence shored up.

Kasumi and Delexia, working together, took refuge behind a metal support strut, each leaning around the opposite side of it to fire at the enemies. Delexia paused to draw one of her Shuriken Grenades, using it to great effect by dislodging a few Batarians from hiding with the blast. Kasumi used her omnitool's Overload function to lower their shields, leaving them open for the Turian to finish off with a few carefully placed bullets.

Etarn, meanwhile, traded fire with a pair of soldiers trying to circle around to flank the squad. The Batarian diplomat's precise aim soon despatched them, not even emptying his SMG's clip as he did so.

"Watch out!" Kasumi warned. "We've got Varren on the left!"

Shepard turned to see a few enemy soldiers straining against the leashes of a half dozen or so of the vicious beasts, releasing them as they got a hold of the squad's scent, approaching with bestial vigour. The Commander cursed under his breath, his disdain for the creatures strong. He spun, opening fire even as the dog-like aliens scampered towards his position. Most of his bullets missed, the low profiles of the Varren making them hard to target amongst the machinery. Those that did find their mark were for the most part stopped by the thick hides of the creatures, some finding a chink in between the scales to dig into the Varren's flesh, but most simply bouncing off the thick scales.

One of the slavering beasts leapt at the Commander, teeth locking firmly around his forearm as he was borne to the ground. Powerful feet scratched at his armoured belly in an attempt to disembowel him, a standard hunting tactic for wild Varren. Grunting under the animal's weight, Shepard scrambled for some kind of advantage, pinned as he was. The Revenant dangled loosely from his fingers, useless while the Varren has his arm in its grasp. Muscles straining to keep the animal from inflicting any harm on his exposed face, Shepard reached down to his hip with his free hand. His fingers found the butt of his pistol, drawing it as quickly as he could from his awkward position. Once he had it securely in his hand, he twisted the gun around as far as he could, until the muzzle of the weapon was pressed up against the soft flesh of the Varren's belly. He pulled the trigger, ignoring the fountain of foul-smelling orange blood that splattered across his face as he pulled the trigger twice more. The Varren let out a short whine which rapidly descended into silence, the creature going limp and sagging across the Commander's chest. Disgust crossing his face, Shepard heaved the corpse off himself, regaining his feet. He looked down at his armour, wiping at the blood but succeeding in only smearing the foul liquid around a bit, drenched as he was.

Around him, the rest of the squad contended with the Varren in their own way. Kasumi nimbly dodged from side to side as one beast continued to charge her, the little thief taunting the beast like a matador evading the bull. As it darted past, a small knife flickered in her hand, slicing into its hide. Slowly, steadily, the creature began to slow as the tiny injuries mounted up. Delexia, meanwhile, was hurriedly backing up as a pair of Varren tried to corner her. The Turian hissed loudly as the Varren growled at her. One lunged forward to attack, earning a rifle butt to the face for its trouble. The other one sought to catch her off-guard, but the rifle was quickly spun around to unload half a clip into the beast's salivating maw.

Etarn was still focusing on the remaining Batarians, his attention dedicated to the former Beast handlers as they sought to harry the squad with their pistols. Between his biotics and his SMG, the diplomat was making short work of them.

Watching his back, Jack growled as she lifted a pair of Varren off the ground with her biotics. Eyes narrowed, she turned to the enemy ranks, flinging the howling beasts at their masters. A couple of Batarians yelped as their pets crashed into them, the Varren biting their owners in the confusion as they all dropped to the floor in a tangle of bipedal and quadrapedal bodies. This done, Jack turned from the Varren handlers to the remaining soldiers still pressing in on the squad. She drew her hands back by her sides, elbows bent tight and jutting out behind her as her outstretched palms hovered next to her ribs, then she extended her arms fully forwards, a biotic Shockwave following the gesture. The remaining soldiers were flung into the air, lifted aloft by the shimmering blue energy.

It didn't take long to finish off the remaining enemies, soon leaving the squad alone again. They paused briefly to catch their breath, Shepard looking over his comrades with concern as he estimated their injuries, experiencing added anxiety as he noted the fatigued expressions on the faces of the biotics, Jack having greatly drained herself with her 'biotic airdrop' and Etarn simply worn out from the near-continuous usage of his powers since Gorm's betrayal had been revealed. Regardless, they couldn't afford to stop for long, the knowledge that ever second's delay cost more Batarian lives weighing down on Shepard's mind. He stood up straight, silently prompting his weary squad to follow him.

Soon enough, they reached the base of the pillar. Etarn led the way, hurrying towards the foot of the spiralling walkway that would lead them up towards the higher points of the pillar. There, he opened a hatch on the side of the pillar, deploying a brightly lit console. He typed in a few commands, frowning as the console obstinately refused to respond.

"Damn." He muttered. "I can't get through the firewalls. Gorm must have erected additional security measures that Bakliss' codes cannot get past."

"Kasumi," Shepard turned to his light-fingered comrade. "This sounds like a job for you."

"I'm on it." Kasumi holstered her SMG, omnitool interfaces appearing around both hands as her greybox lit up, part of her usual ritual to prepare to dive into a secure system. Etarn stepped out of the way, knowing full well that he'd only hinder her progress as the thief worked her magic.

The rest of the squad formed a protective circle around the master thief as she got to work, ready for any enemies that appeared. Alert as they were, they all jumped as she released a frustrated shout, slamming a small fist into the now dark display before her.

"Somebody's cut the power!" She explained. "The console's dead."

"Repairing the defences via the computer hub was a good idea, Etarn."

The familiar voice echoed around the squad, prompting them to look about in confusion. Shepard looked up, finally catching a glimpse of the owner of those words. A haughty smirk on his face, Gorm Jib'bat stepped into view at the edge of one of the upper platforms, flanked on one side by Hereia, on the other by Varkun, the Batarian who had tried to deny Shepard access to the station. In the centre of the trio, Gorm sneered as he continued to speak.

"But you're still far too predictable." He shrugged. "I thought I had taught you better than that."

"Better I disappoint a madman than share in his delusions of power." Etarn retorted, mouth contorting in a snarl as he regarded his onetime friend, ally and mentor.

"Delusions?" Gorm laughed. "Believe me, my old friend, my power is no illusion. The Reapers have shown me the way forward, the true destiny of the Batarian race! I alone shall chart our future, and bring us into a new age of dominance over the lesser races."

"You talk of our future, but while the Reapers continue to slaughter organics in their billions, we have no future!" Etarn tried to reason. "The Hegemony will die alongside everyone else if we do not resist these invaders!"

"Listen to him!" Shepard injected. "You're nothing but a tool to the Reapers, to be used one day and thrown away the next! Just like the Collectors, just like Saren!"

"You cannot comprehend their minds." Gorm insisted. "Only I have been given a true insight into their plans. But that will change, soon enough. The Reapers have given me the ability to expand the minds of the unenlightened, to open their eyes to the ultimate truth of our place in the universe. Lay down your weapons, and I shall grant you this boon."

"Shepard, we're getting nowhere with this guy." Delexia muttered, keeping her rifle aimed directly at the Batarian in question. "He's making about as much sense as a Pyjak on red sand."

"We're wasting time." Jack added. "Let's smoke the bastard."

"We'll never submit to someone like you." Shepard shouted boldly, not a single note of hesitance in his voice. "You sold out your own race for power. Even now, you've got your own armies tearing one another apart rather than fighting the real threat out there. You want to talk about an ultimate truth? Here's one for you- you're nothing but a slave. You sought more power, but the second you started listening to those machines, you gave up any scrap of power you had left. You're less than nothing. You're pathetic. And, one way or another, your reign ends here."

Gorm was silent for a moment, mixed parts rage and disappointment washing across his face. After the moment had passed, he took in a deep breath, his next few words deathly still and as cold as ice.

"So be it. Then your fate is your own."

In the next instant, the crunching of dozens of marching feet rapidly approaching filled the air. Several squads of Batarian soldiers filed into view, guns at the ready. Up above, Gorm, Hereia and Varkun backed away from the platform's edge, vanishing from view.

"Shepard!" Kasumi shouted as bullets began to fly overhead. "Gorm must have done something up there to shut my terminal down. Without it, I can't shut off the defence systems!"

"I'll head up there and find a way to get you back online." Shepard said, turning to the rest of his squad. "Hold this position until I get back!"

"With all due respect, Commander." Etarn interjected. "Whether she'll admit it or not, that's my wife up there. I'm going with you."

"And I'll be damned if you're going to leave me down here fighting the grunts!" Jack yelled, sending a wave of dark energy barrelling at a cluster of soldiers to hurl them up into the air then bring them back down with a loud smack of wet flesh and the crackle of breaking bones. "I got a score to settle with three-eyes up there!"

Shepard opened his mouth to argue, but the determined gleam in the eyes of each of them silenced him. Ordering them to stay would be futile. Seeing his difficulty, Delexia reached over to lay a hand on his shoulder.

"Go, Commander." She urged. "Kasumi and I can hold this position until you repair whatever damage has been done. We've got a good bottleneck here we can exploit, and we're not exactly new to this kind of situation. We'll manage."

"You'd better." Shepard grunted, feeling a swell of gratitude towards the Turian for having seemingly the only level head in the squad.

This decided, the trio of Shepard, Jack and Etarn scurried towards the walkway that would take them up the pillar, dodging the suppressing fire that the enemy tried to throw their way. Delexia and Kasumi settled into their position, firing wildly at the Batarians pressing in on them in an attempt to give the Commander some covering fire on his ascent. Soon enough, Shepard and his two comrades were out of reach of the oncoming ranks, able to hurry their ascent.

**~o~0~o~**

**~SHEPARD~**

By the time the three-strong squad had reached the fourth level of the pillar, Shepard's lungs were beginning to tighten, resisting his attempts to draw in sufficient oxygen. He shook his head, clearing the fog of weariness that tugged at his brain. The extended exertion of the day was wearing him down. At his side, Etarn appeared just as worn out, but some fire within him seemed to keep him on his feet and forced him to make swift progress. The Commander put that down to Hereia's involvement. He had to admit, if it had been Jack up there, with him the one being betrayed, Shepard was not sure how he'd react. If the tattooed biotic gave him no choice, would he be willing to run her down, corner her and, if there was no talking sense into her, putting an end to the threat? He had no answer for that, and those doubts about his own resolve swiftly transformed into concerns over his Batarian friend's resolve. If Shepard couldn't trust himself in that situation, how could he trust anyone else? These thoughts continued to spin through his mind, a dizzying eddy behind which the original issue was soon hidden.

His guts churning with anxiety, Shepard looked to his other companion, regarding Jack with subtle care. The biotic's energy was more abundant than his own, Jack having not faced the gruelling battles Shepard and Etarn had faced together without backup, so she was constantly having to check her pace to allow the two men to keep up. Had circumstances been different, Shepard was sure a disparaging remark would have quickly spouted from her lips, the mockery mostly directed at the Commander. As it was, she kept silent, eyes focused on the path ahead. Varkun's presence seemed to have really rattled her cage. Shepard made a note of that, wondering whether the link between the convict and her Batarian nemesis may have had a more profound effect on Jack than she'd admit, a relic of her past long since thought buried returning to haunt her. Her former lover and partner-in-crime, Murtock had been one of the precious few that had actually showed Jack, if not kindness, then at least a form of respect and value that she'd found all too lacking in her experience of Humanity. Certainly he was the one who had had the most lasting effect on the young biotic, his passing even more so. She claimed to have buried everything about him, her comments drifting towards the flippant when he entered the conversation, but now Shepard wasn't so sure. The Commander hunched his shoulders a little, hoping the physical movement might dislodge the uncomfortable train of thought. Blinking, he refocused on the task at hand.

The trio hit the circling pathway leading around the pillar and up to the fifth level. They pushed onwards and upwards, finally catching sight of their opponents waiting almost casually for their arrival. Arrayed in a line watching the walkway, Gorm, Hereia and Varkun stood out in the open, unarmed. This alone forced Shepard's pace to falter, uncertainty slowing him. The squad came to a halt opposite the three Batarians, guns out and at the ready. Jack lifted her shotgun, taking aim in Varkun's general direction while she glowed brightly with her biotics. Etarn held his SMG in his hand, but didn't raise it, eyes locking with his former wife's as Shepard faced Gorm, Revenant ready in his hands as he took a bead on the Batarian's skull, directly between the four eyes. The six figures stood poised like this for an eternal second, waiting for an errant twitch from the other side, some kind of tell that they could exploit as they moved to engage.

It was Jack who moved first, rushing forward to engage Varkun with a feral growl. Dark energy flared around her as she darted in, shotgun barking as she moved to within a few paces. Varkun dodged nimbly out of the way, exhibiting serpentine grace as he avoided the convict's wrath. In the same instant, Hereia lunged at Etarn, moving too quickly for him to bring up his weapon to fend her off. Biotics glowed around her as she laid into her former husband, a powerful punch staggering him before the return swing swept the gun from his hands. Etarn lifted his hands, blocking the worst blows deftly. Soon the pair were locked in an even sparring match, neither giving ground to the other.

Shepard pulled the trigger on his gun, a stream of bullets sputtering out to scream directly at the wizened Gorm. The old Batarian lifted a hand, a shimmering pattern of wiring glowing around his wrist as a bubble of energy surrounded him, a shield that slapped the attack aside effortlessly. Frowning, Shepard launched a Concussive Shot, the blast similarly deflected. Realising the shield negated his weapons, the Commander slipped the Revenant back over his shoulder into the holster waiting there, cracking his knuckles as he moved in to engage the Batarian politician one-on-one. Gorm smirked at this, dropping into a strange stance, one hand held out in front of him, the side of the hand aimed at the Commander as the fingers pointed straight upwards. The other hand dropped to his waist, fingers curled in anticipation as his feet shifted lightly.

The Batarian's first move caught Shepard off-guard, the hand presented before him whipping to the side as the other hand, down at Gorm's waist, snapped up with a shard of gleaming metal gripped tightly within. Distracted by the first hand, Shepard barely had time to lift his arms in defence, the hidden knife scratching across the metal forearm of his armour. Sparks leapt between the Batarian and the Human as the knife wove a lethal pattern in Gorm's hands, jabbing here and there as Shepard did his best to track it. After a moment's struggle, something clicked in the Commander's mind. In that instant, he was back at the Academy on Arcturus station. A grizzled old sergeant was bawling his lungs out as he pushed Shepard and his fellow recruits through a gruelling series of hand-to-hand drills. More often than not, Shepard had been paired with Kai Leng, the duo being the highest-ranked hand-to-hand combatants in their unit. Remembering every lesson learned fighting against his former comrade under the tutelage of so many legends of the Alliance, Shepard began mimicking those memories in his duel with Gorm. Blocks and jabs he'd not tried in a dozen years came flooding back to him in an instant, the feel of the moves being warm and comfortable, like an old T-shirt long since stretched out of its original shape.

Gorm frowned as the Spectre before him pulled off a dazzling series of punches, hooks and jabs flowing together smoothly as he worked to use his feet and body as much as his arms. The Batarian took a step back to avoid a rough swing at his chin, granting Shepard an opening he mercilessly exploited, pushing Gorm further and further back. Grunting in frustration, Gorm lashed out with a vicious overarm slash, desperate to regain the advantage. The knife gleamed in his hand as it jabbed down at Shepard's exposed face.

The Commander's hand moved purely on reflex, no conscious direction behind it. One moment, he'd been trying to land a solid blow to the Batarian's kidneys, and the next he was reaching up to grab Gorm's wrist in a powerful grip, stopping the savage stab in mid-swing. His other hand shot up, twisting the alien's hand sharply, the creak of straining bones abruptly followed by a grunt of surprise from Gorm as his fingers reflexively opened to released the blade, allowing Shepard to catch it. The Commander released the Batarian, spinning to plant a solid elbow in Gorm's gut before jabbing with the newly acquired knife, placing the point over the centre of his chest in what Shepard had been trained to perform as a sure-fire killing strike on a Batarian.

The duo were still for a hair of a second, long enough for Shepard's brow to crease as he realised something was wrong. Gorm looked down in an overt gesture to drawn the Human's attention to the blade, a sneer on his lips. Shepard looked down, seeing the knife buried to the hilt in the Batarian's chest, but instead of the expected orange blood gushing from the opening, only a trickle of weak grey fluid ran across Shepard's fingers. Taking advantage of Shepard's surprise, Gorm grabbed a hold of the commander's wrists, pushing the hands away from his chest and pulling the blade free of the wound. Before the Commander's very eyes, the edges of the wound began to knit together, healing over in a matter of minutes. Gorm smirked as he whispered to the Commander.

"You'll have to do better than that." He chuckled. "I tried to warn you earlier, but the uplifting of the Batarians has already begun."

Shepard locked gazes with the aged politician, finally catching sight of the faint gleam in the back of his retinas, the faint red light that betrayed just how far Gorm had allowed his indoctrination to go.

With a roar, Gorm lashed out at the Commander, striking him square in the chest. The blow was enough to lift Shepard off his feet, flinging him across the platform to land in a heap several metres away. Growling with predatory anticipation, the Batarian Thrall pursued its prey, body contorting as muscles shifted under its skin, its form becoming more menacing, shoulders hunched as arms lengthened ever so slightly. The creature that had been Gorm Jib'bat closed in on Shepard, teeth gnashing as the red light in his eyes blazed ever more brightly.

**~o~0~o~**

**~ETARN~**

Hereia screamed as she lunged forward, palm glowing with biotic energy as she struck Etarn squarely in his chest, the enhanced power of the impact sending him tumbling backwards. The politician quickly recovered, finding his feet before his wife could rush in and press her advantage. Adjusting his defences, Etarn blocked the next few attacks, biding his time for an opening to present itself. At his side, his weapon remained ignored, his unwillingness to gravely harm Hereia still dominating his actions. His barrier shimmered around him, deflecting a portion of the incoming strikes, although his wife's determination gave her attacks an added impetus that occasionally got through, the impacts travelling through his armour to create painful bruises in his flesh.

The pair danced back and forth, each as intimately familiar with the other's style as they were with their own. Their bodies twisted and writhed around one another as the switched from one fighting style to another seamlessly, matching each other with a familiarity only lovers could possess. If Etarn tried to aim high, Hereia's arm would rise to meet the blow in a deft block. If she went for a low strike, his feet shifted in a blink to take his body out of her reach.

This stalemate continued for several long moments as Etarn became aware of the difficulties besetting his Human comrades as his wife kept him busy. In the corner of his eye, he could see Jack tumbling to the floor in her struggles with Varkun, while Shepard was backing away from a Gorm who seemed to be shedding more and more of his organic nature with every second.

Spotting the subtle tell of his growing preoccupation, Hereia took a step back, breaking all predictable trends by suddenly backing off. Etarn, already anticipating that she'd move to the side in an attempt to get around his defences, was momentarily put off-balance, stumbling a little as he tried to adjust for her sudden withdrawal. Seeing her chance, his former wife extended both her hands, blue fire blasting out in a wide bolt to strike Etarn. He responded by trying to boost his Barrier, but Hereia's full wrath was behind the blow, easily powering through his attempt at blocking it. He was lifted from the metal of the platform, thrown out from the pillar. In a blink, the platform vanished from under him, open air the only thing separating him from the long drop to the cavern floor. Etarn's stomach lurched as his inertia slowly gave way to gravity, his outward trajectory moving in a downward arc.

A dark shape flitted past the Batarian's peripheral vision. On an instinct, he spun to reach for it. With a jarring wrench, his chest struck the dark shape, his shoulders groaning with pain as they took his full body weight. He looked up to see that he'd managed to grab a hold of one of the support struts running from the cavern ceiling to the pillar. His hands scrambled for purchase as his legs kicked wildly in open space. Suddenly, the strut clanged loudly, a powerful vibration travelling through it. Etarn looked up to see Hereia balancing precariously on the end of the strut, working her way towards her dangling husband, a predatory gleam in her eyes.

**~JACK~**

The bulky gun shook in Jack's hands as she pumped shot after shot at Varkun, all of which he either dodged or deflected with his personal shield. His agility caught Jack somewhat by surprise, the alien moving with almost machine-like speed. She remembered him being fast during their first encounter, but not like this. Clearly the Batarian had undergone some advanced combat training since their last meeting, all those years ago. She'd have to watch for that. In her experience, people like that fell into two categories- soldiers, or professionals for hire. One of those was stubborn to the point of stupidity, and the other always, always had some nasty tricks up their sleeves that the biotic soon learned to be wary of.

The convict stepped back, summoning a small pulse of dark energy that pushed Varkun back a few steps as she rethought her strategy. Every instinct in her body craved the alien's blood, urging her to rush in and rip him to pieces. A few short months ago, she might well have acted on those instincts. But now… now, a small voice at the back of her head warned her to be cautious, to think things through. She almost sneered as that voice spoke up within her mind. Even when it was Jack imagining his voice, he still sounded like a pussy. But she found herself listening to that voice, more and more. It begged her to be careful, to try not to get hurt. She swallowed a chuckle before it could pass her lips. Like pain had ever stopped her before. Pragia had taught her to live for it, even sometimes to crave it, to reel in the dull throbbing in her bruised and bloody hands that was soon followed by the euphoric high of the drugs that flooded her system, her reward for sheer brutality. And yet… something deep within her heart told her that listening to this new, more cautious voice in her head was better, the warmth of knowing that Shepard would approve, maybe even be proud of her. For a second, she thought back to one of her earliest memories of Pragia, when she'd drawn a picture of one of the scientists who worked with her, presenting it to him with a beaming face. Here was the feeling she'd been expecting back then, although of course she'd been denied it when he simply tore the image up and scolded her for 'wasting time'. She'd been craving this feeling of acceptance, of value, ever since, but it was only with Shepard that she'd really experienced it.

She leapt back as a sudden charge from Varkun broke her train of thought, bringing her back to the moment. The Batarian came at her with bare fists, the freedom of movement the lack of weapons gave him allowing him to duck and weave as Jack tried to strike him with a Warp blast. Growling with barely constrained frustration, Jack backed away from her opponent, bolstering her defensive Barrier before she was left exposed. She tried to use her shotgun again, but achieved nothing save for expending her thermal clip. Lip curling in anger, she stowed the weapon.

With Jack now unarmed, Varkun seemed to gain a little more confidence, closing the distance between them. The duo engaged in a fierce brawl, Jack trying to enhance her blows with her biotics, but finding it hard to focus on summoning her powers while fending off the Batarian's attacks as well. It had been a long time since she'd been so… powerless, essentially. Even when fighting Shepard she'd been able to call upon her powers, the Commander's hesitation to cause her any harm giving her the space she needed, but Varkun held back nothing, his eyes filled only with the desire to kill her, to avenge his missing eye and wounded pride.

As Jack thought of that day a slew of memories arose in her mind unbidden. Murtock's sly grin. His coarse laughter during one of the few calm moments he and Jack had had together. The warmth of his arms at night. The screeching terror that had ripped at her as she watched him die at Varkun's hands, the only way he'd been able to save her life after they'd foolishly taken on more than they could handle. The final message he'd left for her to find after his passing.

At these last thoughts, Jack's mind began to roar. The creature known as Subject Zero, thought to have been buried after the Teltin facility was left a smoking crater, began to rage once more, screaming for blood and vengeance. Kill him, the Cerberus creature screamed. He's a threat. The only way you'll ever be safe is if you kill him. Rip his heart out and feed it to him!

Without her noticing, the convict's attacks began to descend into a reckless flurry of blows, less and less consideration being given to her own defence in exchange for increasingly aggressive tactics. Her teeth clenched tightly down on a yell of primal fury, transforming it into a growl of murderous intent. Oblivious to the sharp jabs pummelling her sides, penetrating her defences with ease, she focused only on battering down the alien's own defences, trying to tear through to get at her enemy.

Varkun grinned at her descent into mindless fury, realising the wild energy of her anger couldn't sustain her for long, weariness eventually overcoming her. All he had to do was keep blocking her punches, dodging the occasional swipe, and keeping her too angry and unfocused to try using her powers effectively. Seeing his leering smirk, all Jack could feel was a swell of red rage as her entire world became the grinning alien, her entire purpose of being becoming his destruction.

For a couple of long minutes, the pair scrapped across the platform, Varkun falling back rather than withstand the full fury of Jack's assault. Then, with startling suddenness, her energy reserves began to wane, her hastened biotic metabolism leaving her limbs heavy, her breathing growing laboured. Black spots danced in her vision as blood pounded in her veins.

Seeing his chance, Varkun lunged forward, forehead jabbing forward to strike hers with a loud crack. The spots in the convict's vision turned into bright stars, nausea and dizziness overwhelming her as she staggered back. Before she could recover, the Batarian launched a brutal one-two to her gut, driving what remained of her breath from her lungs as pain doubled her over. A rough hand grabbed her by the back of the neck, pulling her up to stand up straight, her face mere inches from Varkun's. His breath reeked in her nostrils as he leaned in, lips twisting around his words.

"You lose, little girl. Now its time to join that boyfriend of yours in the Void!"

He pulled a knife from his waistband, a blade Jack recognised all too well. The last time she'd seen it, it had been soaked in Murtock's blood, having just opened his throat up. Varkun lifted it to her own neck, the metal chilling against her skin.

With a grunt, she tried to twist free, managing only to trip them both, the pair dropping to the floor in a tangle of limbs. The rolled about for a moment, each trying to wrestle the other for the knife that gleamed between them, but Jack was still feeling the effects of her exhaustion, and the pounding that emanated from her forehead made it hard for her to focus. Varkun easily bested her, rolling the convict onto her back and pinning her with his own body straddling her stomach. She brought her hands up as he brought the knife down, gripping his wrist as he tried to attack her face. The knife stopped mere inches from her face, shuddering in place as each combatant strained against the other one. Slowly, relentlessly, the blade descended, Varkun's weight and strength combined too much for Jack. She let out a yell of pain as the blade sawed through the skin of her face, slicing the flesh of her brow and left cheek as the metal glinted just above her eye. Varkun licked his lips in anticipation as he prepared to return the insult extended to him so long ago, robbing the woman of an eye just as she'' stolen one from him. Looking up through the curtain of blood that now washed across her face, Jack could only stare in fear as the Batarian made to finish the job.

**~o~0~o~**

**~SHEPARD~**

Gorm lashed out with yet another brutal swing, the muscles in his arm bulging unnaturally as they gave him strength beyond what was possible for a Batarian. The sheer power of the attack broke through Shepard's defences, striking him squarely on the side of the head and causing an entire galaxy of stars to swirl around in his vision. The Commander staggered back from the blow, catching sight of Etarn being thrown onto the support strut by Hereia as his knees buckled under him, weakness spreading from his skull like a virulent plague infecting his limbs. He reached out with his hands, only just finding the metal floor before he risked striking his head on it and losing consciousness completely. He paused for just a moment, taking a deep breath as he waited for his surroundings to cease spinning. He sensed a presence looming over him, glancing up to see Gorm lumbering over, a haughty grin on his face.

"Do you not see how my alliance with the Reapers has led to new levels of power?" He asked tauntingly. "Your purely organic form cannot possibly compete with my upgrades. I have been elevated to a whole new level of evolution, the merging of organic and synthetic into a stronger whole!"

Shepard dragged in a couple of shuddering breaths, feeling the weight of every limb. His body fought his every command, the weakness Gorm spoke of pressing down even on his mind. Even so, his will remained unbending, immovable. He lifted his heavy head, suddenly banishing his weariness as words boiled up in his throat, eager to break loose in a show of defiance against the looming creature that had once been a Batarian.

"You still don't get it, do you?" He asked, disdain dripping from his voice. "You've been so blinded by the benefits the Reapers promised to you, you can't see what you're losing! You've given away your free will, and for what? A chance to become a twisted experiment, nothing more than a slave to their wishes? In the end, the Reapers will give you nothing, and they'll take everything that matters to you!"

Gorm's expression was still for a moment, but then it twisted up, almost as though he'd tasted something unpleasant.

"I- no, I don't believe that." He insisted, a ghost of uncertainty in the back of his tone. "The Reapers want to help us advance. They only kill off those who stand in the way of such progress." His brow furrowed, his determination reasserting itself. "And you're one of those who'd impede such progress. If I kill you, remove such an obstacle to their master plan, the Reapers will reward me with even greater gifts than those I already possess."

"If their goal was to advance you to the highest level they could, then why would they have held back- Ghk!"

Shepard let out a strained croak as Gorm's hand darted down to grab him by the throat, cutting him off mid-sentence. The Commander dangled from the end of the Batarian creature's arm, legs kicking as he struggled to breathe, blood pounding loudly in his ears.

"Silence!" Gorm hissed in Shepard's face as his fingers tightened around the Human's throat. "I've had enough of Humans and their deceptive ways. Time to shut that mouth of yours permanently…"

Shepard could only produce a muted gurgle as the Batarian's fingers tightened around his windpipe, the stars from Gorm's first strike returning with a vengeance to cloud his vision. The weight on his mind intensified as his body used up its last precious reserves of oxygen, unconsciousness beckoning to him invitingly even as his iron will cautioned him against it, knowing full well that death and defeat would soon follow. Then his companions would have to face this monster alone.

Reacting to this thought, Shepard's eyes popped open, rolling about in their sockets in a desperate bid to find his comrades. He glanced to his left, seeing Hereia closing in on the dangling Etarn, then he looked to his right just in time to see Jack stumble and fall to the floor, Varkun pinning her in an instant. The knife flashed between them, descending slowly but inevitably towards Jack's straining face, the gleam of fear finally flittering through her hazel hues. Varkun's teeth gnashed at his upper lip as he strained against the biotic's strength, Jack still putting up a fight even then. Regardless, the blade darted ever closer to her eye, finally splitting the flesh and drawing a pained growl from the convict.

This last sight caused a flame of desperate energy to rise up in the Commander's heart, an explosion of determination that engulfed his very soul. With new-found reserves of strength, he turned back to Gorm, one hand curling into a fist as he swung with all of his might. Even against a being as empowered as Gorm, the blow was not insignificant, staggering the alien. The Batarian's fingers loosened of their own accord, dropping the Commander to the deck. In a flash, Shepard lunged forward, using the considerable mass of a fully armoured and pissed-off soldier to shove Gorm back a few paces before the alien could recover. Shepard's pistol slid from his holster with ease, coming up to fire six precise shots at point-blank range into the Batarian's stomach, forcing him back a step with every shot. The clip ran hot, the next pull of the trigger summoning only an empty hiss, to which the Commander responded with a wide swipe at Gorm's face with the butt of the gun. Still off-balance, the Batarian creature struck the railing at the edge of the platform, coming to a sudden halt. Seeing his chance, Shepard roared as he spun on one foot, striking Gorm with the other, the alien taking the impact squarely in the chest. Gorm's body bent back sharply over the rail, the alien's arms flailing as he tried to regain his balance. With a dismayed yell, the Batarian slid over the rail, tumbling out of sight as he plummeted towards the cavern floor far below.

Shepard didn't pause to examine his handiwork, instead spinning to break into a headlong dash towards the wrestling Jack and Varkun. A rumble in his throat ripped forth, growing and changing into a blood-curdling roar of fury as he lowered one shoulder, charging straight at the Batarian threatening the woman he had come to love. Moving with such speed, he barely gave Varkun a chance to notice him, let alone react, before his shoulder struck the alien squarely in his gut, driving all of the breath from his lungs in one go. The Batarian was lifted off Jack's prone form with barely any effort on the part of the Commander, Shepard casting the winded enemy down on the floor with a brutal slam that was powerful enough to crack bone.

Jack rolled onto her side, lifting herself up onto her elbow just in time to see Shepard pounce on Varkun, laying into him with a blinding flurry of punches and kicks. Varkun tried to defend himself, retaliating with a series of attacks of his own, but compared to the Commander's precise, instinct-driven assault, the Batarian's own blows seemed feeble, those of a child. Finally the blade sliced through the air, an attempt to gravely injure the Commander, but Shepard's lightning-sharp reflexes allowed him to block the attack with ease, taking a hold of the Batarian's hand and turning the blade until the point was aimed directly at Varkun's face. The very tip of the weapon hovered over the white orb that had once been an eye before Jack had ruined it, then Shepard leaned forward with enough weight to force it down, piercing the sightless orb and slicing straight through the alien's brain, causing Varkun to go deathly still.

Shakily, Shepard got back to his feet, deep, ragged breaths causing his lungs to expand and retract in a repetitive chorus. He strode over to Jack, reaching down to offer a hand, which she accepted with good grace.

"You alright?" His brow was creased with worry, eyes taking in every detail about her, lingering over the blood that flowed from the cuts in her eyebrow and cheek with anxiety.

For a moment, she felt very uncomfortable with the scrutiny, used to her appearance prompting people to swiftly turn away, fearing that they might provoke her. To have someone examine her so intently was almost completely unknown to her. And yet… on some level she revelled in the attention, happy to be the focus of this man's thoughts. She shook away the conflicting thoughts, deciding to deal with it another time.

"I'm fine." She answered sharply, quickly raising her normal, abrasive exterior. "Didn't need your help. I was gonna gut the bastard myself."

"Uh-huh." Shepard's tone was one of acceptance, but Jack could sense that he didn't really believe that. The very knowledge of the fact riled her, though she forced down the swell of irritation that churned within her.

"Come on." She said irritably. "Look's like four-eyes needs some help."

The duo turned, moving over to help their Batarian colleague.

**~DELEXIA~**

"Look out! Heavies on the right!"

Delexia twisted at Kasumi's warning, rifle already firing. The gun stitched a line through the air, finding the three Batarians trying to circle around to the side. In a blink, two of them had been dropped, cradling grievous wounds, while the third was forced to dive for cover lest he meet a similar fate. The Turian lobbed one of her Shuriken Grenades at this last target, the device carving a looping arc before striking the cavern floor not three feet from the Batarian. The enemy soldier had only a second to stare dumbly at the device before it exploded, engulfing him in flames and piercing his body with many shards of shrapnel. Fortunately for him, his wounds did not permit him to live very long afterwards, his last seconds passing very quickly and painfully.

Breathing deeply, the former pirate turned from her latest kills, looking back to the main bulk of the enemy ranks trying to press in on the base of the pillar. She used a Concussive Shot to scatter a few, picking off those that left themselves exposed with her rifle. At her side, the little Kasumi harried the edges of the main group with her SMG, unable to make use of her stealth abilities while the Batarians remained grouped together. Instead, she used her omnitool to short out shields, overheat weapons, even sabotage biotic implants to backfire on their users. With her technical skills, the simple tool was swiftly transformed into a formidable arsenal at her disposal, her only limits being how inventive she could be.

Delexia's rifle clicked emptily in her hands, the last of its ammunition depleted. Grunting with anger, she flung the weapon down, instead drawing the SMG sitting on her hip. She swung the weapon out, using the spray of bullets to drive the advancing enemy back into cover.

Suddenly, a loud roar tore through the air above them. Defenders and aggressors alike turned upwards at the noise, spotting a dark shape tumbling out and downwards from the upper platforms of the pillar. As it dropped, the shape swiftly resolved into that of a Batarian, albeit a deformed one. It howled its rage as it dropped towards the cavern floor, its descent ending in a loud, wet thump and a cloud of rock splinters fountaining upwards.

All was silent for a moment as the assembled combatants stared at the slowly settling cloud of dust. Then, with a grunt, the shape stood up. The creature, whatever it was, had been gravely injured in the fall, one arm hanging limply by its side, the shoulder clearly knocked loose from its socket. One leg moved stiffly, almost refusing to bend, while the other one shuddered uncertainly, struggling to bolster the creature's weight. It turned, revealing the bloody remnants of Gorm's face, his eyes a bloodshot red as he glared at the Turian and her Human ally. As he turned, Delexia realised that the entire left side of his ribcage had been shattered by the impact, every rib broken and then pushed inwards until their inwards curve mirrored the other side's outwards form. Even though these injuries should have stopped even a Krogan in its tracks, the Batarian still stubbornly kept moving, seemingly recovering even from these grave injuries as the seconds ticked by, his stance growing stronger with every moment. He glanced over to the gawking Batarian soldiers, his lips curled in a snarl.

"What are you waiting for?" He growled, pointing a blood-soaked finger at the pair at the base of the pillar. "Kill them!"

With this said, he turned his back on the duo, limping off at a swift pace. His soldiers, spurred into action by their monstrous superior's orders, turned back to open fire on the base of the pillar, forcing Delexia to scramble back into hiding. She glanced out from behind the rock that was providing her refuge, peppering the Batarians with bullets. She grunted irritably as she saw Gorm vanishing from view, still moving at quite a pace. Frustration churning in her guts, she turned to her Human comrade.

"I got this!" She shouted over the gunfire. "Get after Gorm. We need to keep on his tail!"

Kasumi nodded silently, dropping down into a crouch as she made ready to sprint. She paused, thinking for a moment, then tossed her own SMG to Delexia, leaving her with just a pistol for defence. The Turian didn't question it, knowing that she'd need the added firepower to hold off the Batarians on her own. The little thief met her gaze for just a moment, then the air around her shimmered before she faded from sight, her Tactical Cloak granting her invisibility. There was a whisper of moving air, then a flicker of twisted light raced past Delexia, soon lost to her sight in the chaos of the fight.

The former pirate crouched in cover for a moment, bracing herself. She took up Kasumi's discarded submachine gun, holding her own in the opposing hand. Taking a deep breath, she rolled out of cover, both guns chattering loudly as she laid into the Batarian ranks. With a yelled battlecry, the former captain of the Starborn charged to meet her enemies head on.

**~ETARN~**

His feet kicked at nothing, the swaying, pendulum-like motion of his body straining his already taxed shoulders as he strained to keep a hold on the beam. Over him, Hereia leered hungrily as she approached, swaying a little as she endeavoured to keep her balance. With savage brutality, she kicked at him, her foot catching his face and causing his brain to spin within his skull. His arms slipped, allowing him to drop ever further away from the beam, eventually halting his descent with nothing more than his palms, clutching the rough metal hard enough to slice his skin open, orange blood seeping between tightly clenched fingers. As he swayed even more perilously, his former lover's face appeared around the beam, glaring down at him with scorn. Her teeth flashed as her lips parted, her mouth nothing but an emotionless slit in her face.

"Goodbye, Etarn."

Her foot stomped down, striking the beam with a clang where Etarn's fingers had been just a moment before. Hanging on with his one remaining hand, the Batarian diplomat flailed to regain his grip with the other. He swung, releasing his left hand to allow him to move to the right a few feet before grabbing the beam again with his right hand, ignoring the lance of pain that pierced his soul as his shoulder took his weight again. His wife, caught off guard by his sudden movement, tottered for a moment before recovering, stepping towards him again.

"I can keep this up for a lot longer than you can." She growled, a small sneer tugging at the corner of her mouth. "I guess some things never change."

"Some things." Etarn puffed as his arms shook, barely supporting him. "But some things do change."

Hereia's brow furrowed as she tried to decipher Etarn's cryptic comment, only for a click to echo over her shoulder. That was barely warning enough for her to spin and raise a protective Barrier before the shot from Shepard's pistol rang out, easily deflected by the biotic field. The Commander lifted the muzzle of his gun a fraction, holding his fire as he faced his friend's wife. Behind Hereia, Etarn glowed with biotic power as he hauled himself onto the beam, using his abilities and the distraction Shepard had provided to clamber back up, moving from dangling over certain death to merely tiptoeing around it.

"Give it up, Hereia." Shepard sternly ordered. "You're alone now, and there's nowhere to hide. Gorm won't be saving you from this."

"Screw you!" She spat at the Commander, the gobbet tumbling to strike the metal floor at his feet. "I'd sooner die than submit to a Human."

"Hereia, listen to him!" Etarn pleaded, struggling to stand up straight. His left side sagged a little, some unseen injury troubling him.

"And become like you?" Her nose creased even more deeply in disgust. "You're nothing more than the Human murderer's pet! You'd see our people rot under the Council's tyranny!"

"I am doing everything I can to save our people!" Etarn's voice rumbled with frustration. "The Reapers will destroy us, but you're so blinded by Gorm's newfound power you cannot see the truth."

Hereia only laughed.

"No, you are the one who has been blinded! You let your fear keep you from embracing the future! Gorm has shown me what we can become," She spun, summoning a Warp blast that Etarn barely deflected. "And you will not deny me this destiny!"

She charged Etarn, closing the gap between them in an instant. Before the Commander could fire off a single shot, the pair were engaged in a brutal brawl, ducking and weaving as they countered one another, neither scoring a truly damaging blow. Etarn was just a little slower, his injuries catching up to him, but he had the size advantage, and he was taking a lot more punishment than his wife.

The pair tangled and untangled, coming at one another with a devastating flurry of punches and kicks, then moving back half a pace to try a new angle of approach. Suddenly, Etarn leapt over Hereia's head, spinning in the air to land neatly on his feet behind her. Hereia ducked, sliding further along the beam to escape the attack she expected her husband to launch from behind her. She glanced up in confusion when that attack didn't come, noting with puzzlement that Etarn had stopped, standing totally still on the beam between her and the platform where Shepard and Jack watched tensely. She waited a moment, but none of the trio attacked, prompting her to stand up straight.

"Is that it?" She chuckled. "You're done already?"

"This has to end, Hereia." Etarn said gravely. "Surrender, now."

"Never." She spat, reaching down to her hip for her pistol.

When her hand grasped nothing, she looked down at the empty holster, then up at the sorrowful Etarn holding the gun in his own rock-steady hand. His finger was curled around the trigger, the muzzle aimed straight at her heart. She paused, surprised, but then she laughed, a throaty cackle that bubbled up in her throat.

"This again?" She taunted. "We've been here before, Etarn. We both know you won't pull that trigger."

Etarn's eyes narrowed, his fingers shifting uncertainly on the butt of the gun. The muzzle began to shake, moving around with less certainty. He gazed past the gun, seeing the features of the woman he still loved, the features he had once thought so enthrallingly beautiful, and he felt his resolve shudder. The gun twitched, the muzzle tilting upwards as his hand drew back, lowering the gun to his side. Hereia's smirk only grew wider. She tensed, the muscles in her legs clenching as she made ready to lunge.

The shot rang out before her eyes registered any movement on Etarn's part. One moment, he'd been holding the gun at his side. The next, it was pointed at her once again, the trigger finger squeezed tightly. A wisp of smoke rose from the muzzle of the weapon, mirrored by a warm trickle flowing down Hereia's chest. She looked down to see a tiny, round hole in her chest from which trickled a tiny stream of blood. A cold numbness spread from her punctured flesh. Eyes wide, she looked back up at her former husband, finding nothing but cold sorrow and regret in his gaze.

Rage swelled within her, boiling through her veins like liquid fire. She let out a screech of fury, her biotics glowing around her hands as they clenched into tight fists.

"If I die," She seethed. "You die with me!"

With another scream, she slammed her fists down into the beam, engulfing it in a cloud of glowing energy. The storm of conflicting forces tore at the metal, eliciting more than a few tortured screeches. The beam trembled, then shook violently as the end reaching out and up towards the rock ceiling broke loose, quickly followed by the end linked to the platform. Finally, the beam itself broke into several pieces, shards of metal tearing away from the much larger pieces, all of which tumbled down towards the rock far below.

Gravity pulled at Etarn, causing his stomach to flip sickeningly as he began to drop with the shattered beam. Even as the physical forces of the universe decided what to do with him, the Batarian's first thought was for his ex-wife. He reached out for her, only to see her rage-filled features tumble away from him as she fell with the shower of metal fragments, although he would quickly follow.

Suddenly, a sharp lurch caused every organ in his body to tug downward violently as a firm object caught the Batarian by the back of the neck, stopping his descent instantly. A little dizzy from the sudden stop, Etarn gazed up to see Shepard's unrelenting features directly above his own, the Commander's hand clutching his clothes at the scruff of his neck in an unrelenting grip.

"I've got you." Shepard said, his tone flat even as he strained to pull his friend back up onto the platform. Behind the Commander, Jack reached down to help them both.

In moments, they were all safe on the platform again. Shepard stood, dusting himself off. He glanced over to Etarn to see the Batarian glancing over the side, staring down at the wreckage far below. Realising the alien needed a moment, he turned to Jack.

"See what you can do about reversing the sabotage Gorm carried out on the pillar." He muttered quietly.

Jack nodded, glancing over at the silent Etarn herself, then turning away without a word to carry out the Commander's instructions. Shepard, meanwhile, stepped up next to Etarn, dropping into a crouch and reaching out to place a hand on his friend's shoulder. Etarn flinched, looking around at the Commander with empty eyes.

"Come on." Shepard said as gently as he could. "We need to get back to the others."

A weary expression on his face, Etarn nodded in silence, standing with a sigh. The Commander at his side, the Batarian walked away from the edge of the platform, a heavy weight pressing down on his heart.

**~BAKLISS~**

The D'kloro shuddered as its kinetic barriers just barely deflected another impact, the shot from the Eye's cannons draining another slice of the shield's power supply. In the command centre, General Bakliss struggled to hold onto his seat as the dreadnought shook around him. Smoke filled the air, evidence of the trio of consoles that had already overloaded after a near miss from a Reaper beam caused a power surge throughout the ship's systems. Bakliss coughed as he tried to bark out orders, scanning the tactical display hovering in the air before him.

"Get the B'nakto back in formation!" He barked, pointing to one of the large green arrows on his display that represented the cruiser in question. "The G'malan needs those cruisers to screen it while it takes on our damaged fighters."

"B'nakto reports negative engine power, sir." A Batarian corporal, recently promoted to a lieutenants duties after said lieutenant had fallen victim to the same power surge that had destroyed the consoles, responded from the auxiliary comms suite. "They lost shields in that last barrage from the Eye, sir, and claim to be venting atmosphere."

"Damn it!" The General pounded the arm of his chair. "We need something to fill the gap, or we'll lose the G'malan, and we can't afford to lose another Carrier. Find a ship out there, I don't care if it's a garbage scow. Plug that gap in the screen."

"Sir!" A lieutenant at the tactical console shouted. "One of the Reapers has target lock on the Jid'uran!"

"Tell Captain Fraad to get his ass out of there!" Bakliss shouted back as the ship shook again.

"Its too late… The Reaper is firing!"

This gave Bakliss just enough warning to shield his eyes before his display flashed brightly, returning to its normal light level with one less Batarian ship on it. A second later, the shockwave of the cloud of rapidly expanding fire and released atmosphere from the target of the Reapers' wrath rocked the D'kloro, rolling past her as it spread out through the vacuum. Bakliss was silent a moment for the demise of the cruiser, then turned to the Batarian manning the sensors.

"Survivors?"

"Thirteen in life pods, another seven EVA… make that six." The lieutenant corrected himself as one of the marks on his display vanished. "There could be more in the wreckage, but the heat confuses any readings."

"Nineteen out of twelve hundred…" The corporal on the comms breathed.

"Tell the ones in the escape pods to head for the G'malan." Bakliss ordered. "As for those EVA… there's nothing we can do. We'll find as many as we can once the battle is over."

Suddenly, yet another alarm blared out overhead. The lieutenant scanned his readings again.

"Sir, the Eye is readying another barrage."

"Divert power from life support to the shields." The General ordered.

"Sir?" His subordinate balked at the unconventional order.

"We can do without clean water and fresh air for a few hours." Bakliss barked at him. "But we won't last long without a hull, now do it!"

Bakliss sat in his chair, perched on the edge of it tensely as the attacks kept coming in, further wearing down his ship's defences. Around the D'kloro, other cruisers and dreadnoughts traded fire with the Reapers, the traitorous Gorm's fleets, and the occasional salvo from the station. Bakliss chewed his lip anxiously. As much as he hated to admit it, his force was losing. Outnumbered, they didn't even have the refuge of the shadow of the station from where they could safely engage encroaching enemies. Instead, they were out in the open, paying for every second they fought for with another ship. Bakliss felt his guts churn as he realised that he could well have been witnessing the death of his race.

"Come on, Shepard…" He muttered, praying to whatever deity might have listened at that moment. Even as simple a thing as turning off the station's defences would have granted them a huge bonus in their efforts.

"Sir, the station is firing again." The lieutenant warned him.

Bakliss gripped his chair, ready for the worst. His heart thumped in his chest for a few seconds then, when nothing happened, he glanced to his subordinate with a questioning quirk to his brow.

"Sir, I-" The lieutenant stammered, staring at his displays with disbelief. "The- the station has switched targets! It's now firing on Reaper forces!"

Bakliss felt a swell of relief, his heart pumping once more, but this time with excitement, the thrill of engaging in a proper battle once more. Now that things were somewhat fairer, with the odds only improving, he could feel his lust for the battle, for the chance to pit his own schemes and tactics against the attackers, rising in his gullet. He silently thanked Shepard, making a note to buy the Human a drink later, then leaned forward in his chair to issue orders.

"Bring squadron Two up on the left, then bring in squadrons Five, Seven and Ten from above to flank that Reaper." He ordered. "See if we can find a chink by sneaking around its back. Have the Fero'laak and her frigate escort keep the other one occupied, but make sure that they don't get themselves caught by those beams. They're only good as a distraction as long as they're alive."

With hope rising in his veins even with such a hopeless situation laid out before them, Bakliss leaned back in his chair, barking out commands to his crew with every ounce of his many decades of experience giving weight to his words.

Meanwhile, outside, in the space around the Eye of Tor'lakht, the Batarian race continued to rage against itself.

**~o~0~o~**

**~DELEXIA~**

The Batarian let out a shrill screech of pain as he stumbled back, clutching at the ruined half of his face as his blood dripped from the razor-sharp points of Delexia's talons. A quick, powerful kick to the centre of his chest sent the alien staggering back to fall to the floor, his skull connecting with the rock with a loud crack as his body went still.

Turning from this latest victory, the Turian pirate lifted one of her two SMGs, firing wildly at an oncoming cluster of Batarians, murder in all four eyes of each and every one of them. The line of enemies fell back, taking cover behind the rock formations that dotted the cavern. Seeing that she was rather exposed, the former captain of the Starborn found cover herself, trading fire with her opponents in a fierce exchange. Outnumbered as she was, the experienced Turian held her own, using the terrain to remain protected from incoming fire and then using her extensive combat training to manipulate her foes into making rookie blunders that left them open for a killing blow. Even so, she knew that she was rapidly running out of time. She could only rely on good fortune for so long before fate turned on her like a pet dog suddenly adopting a vicious demeanour.

This happened sooner than she'd hoped, the pirate turning a corner to find herself in a dead-end created by three massive water vats, each one well over five metres tall and hopelessly beyond her ability to scale, even at the best of times. She turned back to the entrance to the space, stepping out then stepping back in equally as fast as a storm of metal raced towards her, enemies approaching from both sides to bottle her in.

Sighing irritably, Delexia pulled a Shuriken Grenade from her belt, arming it and then edging closer to the entrance to her little alcove. She leaned forward, flinging the Grenade with all of her might at the largest group of enemies.

The tiny disc left her hand, spinning through the air frantically on its way towards the enemy, ignorant of the cloud of bullets that mirrored its journey, all trying to find the grenade's owner. The two attacks met, mere feet from where Delexia hid. One bullet struck the grenade, setting off the chain reaction within that caused it to explode in a bright red flare. The Turian was thrown from hiding, shrapnel and flames assaulting her armour and the thick hide below. One piece of jagged metal, easily three inches long, embedded itself in her throat, summoning forth a stream of blood that coated her neck in a sticky layer and flowed down under her armour to create an uncomfortable sensation between scales and bullet-proof padding. Delexia struck the floor with a thump, her head spinning as white spots filled her vision. Her ears rang loudly, all other noises muted as she tried to lift her head to look around, seeing nothing but faint black shapes shifting uncertainly around her. Gasping as her throat muscles constricted around the shrapnel, restricting her air supply, Delexia rolled onto her back, trying to suck in a decent lungful of air. One of the black shapes moved closer, leaving the safety of the white glow that flooded her senses to get a closer look at the downed Turian. Standing over her, the shape lifted an arm, an object at its end gleaming with a metal sheen Delexia recognised.

There was a faint pop, almost too quiet for Delexia to hear. At first she thought that maybe her ears were simply adjusting to a change in pressure, but she could feel no shift in the air that could mean there had been that radical of a change. Then the shape over her fell backwards, going from standing up straight to flat on its back with a slow tumble, like a tree felled by expert hands. Around the downed pirate, the other black shapes began to boil, shifting with sudden urgency. One by one, they vanished, some falling as more pops sounded out, others simply vanishing. Then, with speed that was especially startling to Delexia in her dazed state, one of the shapes raced by overhead, a strange blue aura engulfing it as it accelerated away. After several long moments of muted noise and flickering action, everything went silent. Then yet another shape moved towards her, leaning down closer and closer until finally the concerned features of the Commander surged out of the fog in her eyes.

"Delexia!"

It was easy to read his lips, although his voice did sound like it was coming through a wall or two to reach her ears. But even as he spoke, his words became clearer and clearer as her confusion faded, her sight returning with almost painful intensity. Shepard spoke again.

"Delexia! Are you alright?"

"Nguh…" she groaned, struggling to sit up, then groaning and falling back as pain lanced through her neck from her new injury. She tried to speak, but the tight muscles and the pain transformed her words into an unintelligible gurgle.

"Stay still." The Commander's voice was soothing. "I'll try to get the metal out, then we've got some Medi-Gel to patch you up."

The Commander ministered to her, removing the shrapnel with a practised hand and applying the Medi-Gel just as easily. In mere seconds, she felt new strength flow through her body, revitalising her.

"Thanks." She muttered, struggling to stand.

"Anytime." He smiled, helping her up. "Where's Kasumi?"

"She went after Gorm. He ran off like the Pyjak he is."

"He survived the fall?"

"Yeah." Delexia nodded. "Although I think he had help, if you know what I mean."

"I hate Thralls." Shepard muttered. "They're so damned hard to kill. So where did they go?"

"Not sure." The Turian answered. "But we can track Kasumi's comm. That should lead us right to them."

"Sounds like a plan." Shepard nodded as he glanced to Etarn and Jack, the duo having just finished moving around, checking that the enemy soldiers were really dead and salvaging any thermal clips they could find. "Let's get after them. The sooner we put a bullet in this bastard's head, the better."

**~KASUMI~**

The cavern grew ever darker as Kasumi raced after the fleeing Gorm. The Batarian abomination darted between towering machines, unaware of the lithe young woman following him.

After some time, Gorm took a sudden left, slipping between two massive water processing plants. As Kasumi moved into follow him, she found herself at the top of a flight of stairs that spiralled downwards. Her quarry's footsteps echoed back up to her as he charged downwards, uncaring about how much noise he made. Realising her cloak wouldn't silence her steps, the thief chose to take things a little more slowly, knowing that her skills were up to the task of tailing the alien in front of her regardless of the path he took. Treading carefully, she descended the stairs at a swift pace. By the time she reached the foot of the stairs, Gorm was nowhere to be seen, although his footsteps made it all too easy to pick up his trail once more. In no time, she'd vanished into a warren of tunnels, closing on her prey with the ease of a skilled hunter. Soon, the Batarian's retreating back appeared once more, leading her every deeper into the asteroid.

After some time, Kasumi felt her head begin to spin. The air seemed to close in around her, an increase in pressure that made her ears throb as her blood pounded laboriously through her veins. A massive weight seemed to settle over her body, as though her skin had become like lead. With each step taking a little more effort, she looked up to see the tunnel walls changing from rough rock to another, altogether much stranger material. It looked like metal, but it lacked any kind of sheen, its inky black surface seeming to absorb any light that came near it. As the strange material pulled at the young woman's eyes, Kasumi could sense the weight of her surroundings, gravity seeming to distort around them in peculiar ways. She realised that she must have reached the upper layers of the ultra-dense heart of the asteroid, the impenetrable core that gave the Eye its own gravity and that had so far defeated any Batarian attempts to penetrate it. Even as she stepped further and further into this strange place, wondering how Gorm had found a way through the impervious shell when so many of his compatriots had failed, Kasumi could sense the overpowering wrong-ness of the core. But even as her unease compelled her to run, the thief carried on, unwilling to lose her quarry.

Eventually her hunt led her into another cavern, deep beneath the surface of the asteroid. The pressure in her skull had risen to almost painful levels, warning her that she had almost reached the very centre of the asteroid. As she stepped out of the tunnel, the sight that confronted her brought her to a sharp halt.

The cavern, smaller than the main one far above, was similarly filled with machinery, although the devices within this secret place bore a much more sinister nature. In strict rows stood dozens of tall cylinders, each about three metres in height and a metre in diameter. They glowed with a faint, sickly green light that spread through the room like a viscous ooze as it clung to surfaces and cast eerie shadows. Massive pipes lined the cavern roof, each one easily wide enough for a full-grown Turian to swim down. The rumble of roaring water passing through these pipes filled the cavern, a dull growl that only added to the weight pressing in on Kasumi's mind. The floor was smooth, fashioned entirely out of the same black material that formed the walls and ceiling, deadening her footsteps. She looked to Gorm, noticing that his footsteps had faded, too. The Batarian was some fifty yards ahead of her, having stopped near to another looming piece of machinery, partially concealed by a wall of the black material. Realising that she had a brief opportunity to investigate while the indoctrinated creature was focused on whatever task he was engaged in, Kasumi moved closer to one of the cylinders.

It was actually a massive tube, a perfectly smooth container made from some transparent substance. Inside, a green cloud boiled with furious potency to give the cylinders a shimmering quality, almost tricking the eye into assuming they were actually formed from some kind of emerald-hued metal. Sparks jumped within, like lightning flashes inside a thundercloud. The end result was something that looked like a storm contained within a bottle. Curious, Kasumi reached out to place her palm on the outside of the cylinder.

A skull rocked forth from within the cloud, slapping against the glass with a clunk. Four eyes rolled about in their sockets loosely, staring about pleadingly. Even cloaked as she was, Kasumi was certain they searched for her. The skull's jaw worked, trying to give voice to a scream that the owner no longer had the body parts to create. Instead, the fleshless bones clacked together uselessly, teeth grinding together. As Kasumi watched, the muscles still operating the jaw eroded away, leaving it to sag limply. Robbed of this final way to try and express its anguish, the skull receded into the fog. As it moved back, the emerald vapours parted slightly, revealing a harness at the heart of the cylinder, within which sat the rest of the skull's owner. Now little more than a skeleton, the Batarian's internal organs were on display, changing before the thief's eyes. As Kasumi leaned closer, she realised that the exposed bones and organs were actually coated with a thin green film, so thin as to be almost invisible. This film squirmed along the body of the alien, stripping the flesh, eating away at the bones, and reducing many of the organs to so much matter that was then moved around. She looked down the skeleton towards the feet only to see the same film depositing some of the re-appropriated matter in unusual new formations, creating denser bones, more powerful muscles and thicker skin. In addition to these, the film appeared to be changing the Batarian's innards, reforming the creature for some unknown purpose. Kasumi stepped back from the cylinder, feeling her gorge rise in revulsion.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Kasumi spun at those words, almost burying her face in Gorm's broad chest as she took a half-step away from the cylinder. She leapt back in surprise, resisting the urge to simply bolt. At this close range, with her so off-balance, the Batarian would only catch her. He grinned, knowing she had nowhere to run. Still smiling, he pointed to her.

"You can drop the cloak, little sneak." He rumbled. "It will do you no good." He lifted a hand to his temple, indicating his eyes with a quick tap. "My masters have long since given me an advantage over such technology."

As the cloak shimmered around Kasumi, its effects coming to an end as she became visible within all spectra of light, Gorm took a step back, waving an arm expansively around him.

"Can you not see the glory of what the Reapers offer to us? Such power! Such beauty!"

"Beauty?" Kasumi could scarcely believe her ears. She'd heard from the Commander just how twisted an indoctrinated mind could get, but even so what Gorm seemed to believe in strained her expectations. "I think you need to take a look in the mirror, friend. I doubt you'll be winning any pageants any time soon."

"You try to mock me, but all it reveals is your inability to see the intrinsic value of what the Reapers offer us." He shrugged his bulging, malformed shoulders. "Such is the way with many organics, none more so than your precious Shepard." His eyes hardened, a brief flash of blue flaring up in their retinas. "I know he'll be following close behind you. My masters are aware of his habit of accumulating a small gathering of his own, of his concern for each and every one of them. A perfect opportunity to ensure that he ceases to be an issue."

"Not if I've got anything to say about it." Kasumi growled, fists clenching at her sides as she made ready to attack.

The Batarian before her twitched, his own muscles tightening in preparation for a confrontation. Kasumi's eyes quickly roved up and down the alien's body, looking for weaknesses. In the end, she opted for a more… old-fashioned approach to fighting the taller male.

Gorm barely flinched as the young woman's foot connected solidly with his groin, Kasumi's brow creasing as the manoeuvre seemed to bestow more pain upon her foot than it imparted to her victim. She looked down at her heel, solidly embedded in what should have been a red hot bundle of pain for the Batarian, then looked back up into his face, then back down again, unease teasing her features.

"Damn." She muttered.

She had no time for any more words as Gorm's arm lashed out in a wide swipe that caught her on the side of the head, hurling her to the floor with a yelp. Kasumi rolled onto her back, dodging out of the way as the Batarian lunged for her, teeth bared in a snarl. Even dazed as she was, the young woman managed to dodge several charges from the aggressive alien, leaping and twisting to avoid his attacks.

However, as quick as she was, it was only a matter of time before the Batarian creature got lucky. She was hemmed in on all sides by the massive cylinders, the smooth surfaces of which offered her no purchase when she attempted to clamber out of Gorm's reach. What's more, the strange gravitational properties of the black material in the floor and walls seemed to have no effect on the Batarian, while the extra effort it took for Kasumi to move her limbs was quickly draining her. Eventually, she stumbled, giving Gorm the opening he'd been not-so-patiently waiting for. The alien took his chance, surging forward to strike the Human squarely in the chest, causing her to stagger back. Before Kasumi could recover, the Batarian's hand with its too-long fingers and scratching claws circled around her throat, muting her as she was lifted off the ground. Gorm snarled as he lifted her to dangle only inches from his face.

"You Humans are more trouble than you are worth." He hissed. "I will look forward to when the Reapers order us to exterminate you all. But for now, let's see just what my masters can make out of you."

Kasumi's eyes widened as she was carried across the room towards an empty cylinder. A seam, so flawless as to have been previously invisible, split open down its front, allowing the device to open wide like a mouth preparing to receive its fill. The harness hung menacingly in the open receptacle, almost snapping with hungry anticipation as the young woman was brought towards it helplessly.

Metal claws encircled her arms, legs, body and neck as the harness grabbed a hold of her, pinning her in a vice-like grip. In a blink, the harness had her completely immobilised, allowing Gorm to step back. The alien grinned as the two transparent halves of the cylinder swung shut, the Human straining uselessly against her bonds. Overhead, the rumbles of various pieces of machinery drowned out Kasumi's pitiful shrieks.

**~SHEPARD~**

The narrow tunnel echoed around the squad as they hurried deeper into the asteroid. Shepard led the way, checking his omnitool from time to time to check on Kasumi's signal, nodding as he confirmed that he was still on the correct path. Behind him, Etarn helped Delexia to keep pace, the Turian still limping a little, but her stance was improving as the Medi-Gel got to work undoing the damage her harrowing battle with the Batarians had wrought upon her. Jack brought up the rear, shotgun sitting at the ready in her palms. The quartet's footsteps bounced back at them from the encroaching walls, amplifying it to the sound of a small army as they sacrificed stealth for speed. Their ally was on her own, facing an indoctrinated enemy who would far outclass a single fully-trained soldier, much more so a fragile tech specialist like Kasumi, so they couldn't afford to waste time trying to be quiet.

After a few frantic twists and turns through the tunnels, following the trail Shepard's 'tool had recorded Kasumi's locator take, the Commander came to a sudden stop as his display flickered, the orange marker showing Kasumi's current location vanishing.

"What is it?" Etarn asked with a concerned expression as he came to a halt next to Shepard.

"Kasumi's locator just stopped transmitting."

"She's not…" Delexia's tone had the hint of a question mark clinging to it.

"Her 'tool should have transmitted a distress signal if she was in any kind of danger." Shepard muttered, trying a few different frequencies to see if he could get any kind of ping from the suddenly missing thief. "It could be that the signal's being jammed."

"So the squints found her?" Jack asked, ignoring the Batarian standing next to her as she used the slur.

"She could have just wandered into a shielded place." Delexia reasoned.

"I don't like it." Shepard grumbled. "How are we supposed to track her?"

"Just follow the trail till it goes cold." The former pirate advised him. "We'll just have to hope the path is obvious from there onwards."

Shepard nodded doubtfully, leading the way once more down the tunnel. Soon enough, he reached the end of the trail Kasumi had left, finding himself at the very threshold of a sudden change in the tunnel's formation, where the rock gave way to a strange black material. He paused on the edge of the material, looking at it with a measure of unease. His companions stopped next to him.

"What is this?" Delexia asked slowly, her voice ringing even more as it bounced around the tunnel.

"I'm… not sure." Etarn said, brushing the black matter tentatively. "This could be what has impeded our attempts to drill to the core, although I have never seen it before." His face grew grim. "How did Gorm find a way past this barrier?"

"You sure that's where he's gone?" Shepard asked, pointing to the warren of tunnels above and behind them. "He could have taken any of these passages and doubled back."

"Come on, Shepard." Jack drawled. "Shit's hitting the fan, the bad guy's loose, and we've got a tunnel in front of us that leads down into the deep, dark, unexplored heart of a Batarian-owned asteroid. You really trying to tell me we're not going to end up down there?"

Shepard only nodded silently, momentarily musing on just how predictable his life could be. Sighing, he trudged on, descending into the dark corridor. Almost immediately, his senses were assaulted with the brutal, oppressive weight of the air in the tunnel. Instantly, his brain began to pulse against the pressure as his heart hammered against his ribs.

"Ugh…" Jack groaned, clutching at her head. "What the fuck is that?"

Nobody was able to answer her, each being affected similarly. Regardless, Shepard pushed on, his determination giving his friends the impetus to keep going. They trudged down the tunnels, feet growing heavier with every metre they travelled. After a short time, they reached a crossroads in the tunnel, three directions laid out before them. Jack stepped to the front, looking to the left, then right, then forward.

"Great." The tattooed biotic muttered. "Which way now?"

"Wait…" Shepard held a hand up, tilting his head towards the right. Everyone was silent for a moment. "You hear that?"

The squad tilted their heads similarly, listening for whatever their leader had detected. Soon enough, faint sounds reached their ears, whispers that were difficult to make out.

"Are those… voices?" Delexia asked.

"Sounds like people having an argument." Etarn commented.

"It's to the right." Shepard said. "Come on!"

The squad thundered off, following the Commander as he hurried down the tunnel. They raced on, following the noise until they reached another crossroads. Shepard only paused for just a second before heading off down another right branch to follow the noise.

Several minutes and several random turns later, the squad slowed to a halt, taking a few deep breaths as they looked about carefully. Shepard looked at the branches in the tunnel around him, listening for the faint sounds. To his amazement, the faint voices remained just that: faint.

"What the hell?" Jack's brow creased. "We're no closer to where we need to be!"

"She's right, Commander." Etarn said. "There is something not right down here."

"Must be this… stuff." Delexia commented as she tapped the wall, her claw making no noise. "It's messing with sound in a freaky way."

"We've got to keep going." Shepard said. "Kasumi can't take Gorm on her own. This noise is all we've got to go on. We keep following it."

**~JOKER~**

"Jeff, we have incoming Oculus probes."

EDI's evenly delivered warning was barely needed, the data streaming from her sensors registering in Joker's brain almost instantaneously, but the pilot still appreciated her assistance, the dual awareness of the pair's entangled minds only enhancing each other's perceptions. Before the AI had even finished intoning these words, the thrusters of the Normandy began flaring, reacting to Joker's mental commands. The ship heaved to the side, slipping into a spin that expertly dodged the red beams of the attacking machines.

"EDI, get Gunnery Control working on those things. Activate the point defence systems. We can't target 'em with the Thanix, so treat 'em like incoming missiles." Joker ordered.

In Joker's semi-digital world, the Oculus probes buzzed around his mental image of the Normandy, red beams kissing the frigate's shields. Then, suddenly, blasts of light began flashing out from the Normandy's belly, a number of them connecting with the tiny attack probes to obliterate them in brilliant explosions synthesised in Joker's mind's eye.

The Normandy swooped past the Eye, dodging her way through the raging battle as the station fired almost directly past her bow. Around her, the vast array of Batarian ships tore into one another, swarms of Oculus probes darting among them to worry at the shields of Bakliss' forces. In the distance, the two Reapers used their powerful beam weapons to instantly destroy battleships and cruisers, taking a couple of seconds of sustained fire to burn through the much larger dreadnoughts in the fleet. In the midst of this, adding to the chaos, the debris of dozens of already destroyed ships drifted lazily, additional hazards for any of the combatants to avoid. Even the Normandy, with her top-of-the-line engines and unsurpassed pilot, occasionally took a chunk of metal to her shields.

"Joker!"

Kaidan's shout brought Joker's attention back to some semblance of the physical world, causing the pilot to glance over his shoulder even as he continued to network with EDI to get the ship through the battle.

"We've got an incoming hail. It's coming from the Batarian flagship."

"Put 'em through." Joker answered, his voice distant as he focused on keeping the ship and her crew in one piece.

"Normandy, this is General Bakliss, commander of the D'kloro." A Batarian appeared on a screen to Joker's left, also appearing in the digital representation of the Normandy's bridge that Joker was currently occupying.

"This is Kaidan Alenko of the Normandy." Kaidan replied crisply, standing behind Joker's seat with his hands folded behind his back. "What do you need, General?"

"Our enemies are regrouping around the Reapers." The alien informed him gravely. "We need to put a stop to this. A swift, well-armed offensive to split the enemy in half will serve, but our ships are being scattered, disorganised. We're down to just a handful of dreadnoughts."

"You want to put the Normandy at the front of this offensive." Kaidan, experienced soldier that he was, sensed the General's intent quickly.

"Yes, to be blunt." Bakliss said. "Your ship has more powerful weapons than any of our cruisers, and could almost match one of our dreadnoughts. Not to mention that you have more experience combating Reaper tactics, and we need that example leading our ships."

"Understood, General." Kaidan nodded. "Just say the word."

"Appreciated, Normandy." Bakliss nodded back over the comms. "Patch yourselves in to frequency nine-eight." He turned from the screen to look to something else on his end of the call, barking out several orders. "Battle groups Khar'Shan, Belakht, Jartar and Sumin, fall in behind the Normandy. Let us drive these accursed sons of Varren apart!"

Sure enough, a full fleet of over three dozen assorted cruisers and dreadnoughts, with their own complements of supporting frigates, fighters, and even sufficiently armed civilian craft fell in behind the Human frigate. In moments, Joker found himself sitting at the head of a massive force, poised to mirror his every move.

"Normandy…" Bakliss' voice was tense with anticipation, reflected in Kaidan's eager stance and Joker's tight facial expression. "Carve a path!"

The Normandy leapt forward at Joker's mental nudge, engines roaring powerfully as she accelerated to an appreciable fraction of the speed of light. Hundreds of kilometres flashed by in seconds, the two Reapers and their gathering fleet of Batarian vessels looming closer and closer. Behind the frigate, the assembled fleet of defenders raced to keep up with the sleek vessel, their engines blazing brightly. Moments later, a barrage of fire struck the shields of the forward ranks of the attacking fleet, picking away at the spearhead formation that was coming into being. The two Reapers blasted away, scoring a hit with every shot and destroying a ship with every hit.

The Normandy shook as a cruiser just off her stern exploded into a ball of fire, the sudden expulsion of energy rocking the frigate. Seeing the Reaper on the left taking aim, Joker sent the Normandy into another manoeuvre to dodge the attack, the brilliant red beam only just missing her but eliminating a Batarian leisure yacht that was too slow to get out of the way. Kaidan opened his mouth to voice concern over the rapidly dwindling numbers backing the Normandy up, but wisely held his tongue as he noted the fierce concentration evident on Joker's face.

In another few tense seconds, the spearhead with the Normandy at its very tip collided with the foremost lines of the Reaper forces. The Normandy cut through the first frigate in her way with a blast from the Thanix Cannon, GARDIAN defences blasting away at fighters and missiles that harried her shields. Behind her, the assembled fleet struck the Reaper ranks, the two fleets colliding with such force that some vessels even rammed into one another. Blasts of fire from the hundreds of weapons deployed among the two forces flashed brightly, filling the empty space with a web of bright lines and fiery explosions. Watching over the carnage like two gods of war, the Reapers occasionally took pot shots at the Batarian forces, but largely held back for fear of decimating their own vessels.

Slowly, surely, the Normandy and her task force wormed their way through the enemy force, driving a wedge that kept the attacking fleet from truly regrouping into a dangerous whole. As the remainder of Bakliss' forces closed in on one side of the battle to flank one of the neat halves of the Reaper force, the other halve found itself caught between the Normandy's force and the recently repaired and adjusted cannons of the Eye

**~SHEPARD~**

Delexia groaned as the squad hit yet another featureless crossroads, identical to all of the previous ones, echoing the sentiment Shepard was feeling at his core.

"Come on!" The Turian cursed. "There's no end to these tunnels!"

"Something's not right here." Etarn said. "I feel as though we're almost being intentionally led astray."

"He's right." Jack agreed. "Gorm must have led us into some kind of trap."

"We've got to be getting close." Shepard insisted. "We're close to the asteroid's core now. My head feels like its about to burst from the pressure."

"What would you suggest we do?" The Turian asked him.

"We keep moving." The Commander said. "We can't go back now. Just keep your eyes and ears open."

His companions shrugged wearily, exhausted by the long battle in the station above and the gruelling journey through the labyrinth below, but they persevered. Even the normally doubtful Jack had to admit to sensing they were near their goal. For better or worse, they were about to get to the heart of things.

Sure enough, not two intersections later, Etarn raised a hand, pointing down another branch of the tunnels.

"There!" His whisper echoed loudly. "A light! Can you see it?"

Shepard looked over his alien friend's shoulder, eyes straining fruitlessly. He looked to Etarn with a sceptical eye.

"You sure?"

"One thing you don't want to do is doubt the extra set of eyes, Commander." Etarn responded with a smirk as he pointed to his upper pair of eyes. "I am positive."

"Alright." Shepard nodded. "Lead the way."

The Batarian strode down the passageway, following the glimmer of light only he could see. After a few seemingly random turns in the passage, Shepard finally began to see what had drawn his friend's attention, a faint glow that steadily grew stronger. Soon enough, the squad emerged into a large cavern, gazing about in equal parts surprise and trepidation at the vast array of machinery before them. Shepard's gaze ran across the rows of towering, fog-filled tanks, suddenly drawn away from them by a startled shout from Delexia.

"Kasumi!"

The Commander followed his Turian comrade's outstretched talon to see the young woman in question, trapped in one of the tanks in roughly the middle of a bank of identical cylinders. Unlike its kin, within which roiled ominous clouds of thick, green vapour, this container was fully transparent, allowing a clear glimpse of its prisoner as she thrashed against some kind of harness that held her in place.

Before Shepard could voice a warning, both Delexia and Etarn had raced in to the aid of their comrade. Jack started at their recklessness but, after sharing a resigned glance with the Commander, she shrugged before trudging in herself, taking a much more cautious tack as she scanned the room for the inevitable trap that was waiting to be sprung. Shepard followed, assuming a similarly cautious pace. He glanced to the back of the cavern, noting the shimmering barrier that blocked off another section. Instantly reaching the conclusion that this was most likely an obstacle created solely with the squad in mind, Shepard set about looking for a possible way to get past it, looking for vital power connections and the like.

Etarn and Delexia, meanwhile, had already reached the tank containing their friend. The Batarian ran his hands over the smooth surface while the Turian searched for some kind of control interface, neither experiencing any luck.

"I can't see any way to get this thing open!" Etarn exclaimed.

"What the hell is it?" Delexia asked, slamming her fist into the smooth surface of the cylinder. "What's it doing to her?"

"Why, placing her feet upon the path, of course."

Gorm's thunderous voice caused all four squad members to turn, looking about in confusion until they finally spotted the Batarian, standing in the entrance to the tunnel they had just left behind, a tunnel entrance that was closing off even as they watched, an unseen door of the strange black material sliding down to seal it off seamlessly. The alien grinned broadly as it watched their startled reactions. Shepard's rifle lifted uncertainly to point at the enemy, his comrades mimicking him.

"What path?" Shepard asked warily.

"The path to the future." The Batarian's lips curled around the syllables, as though he were talking about some sumptuous meal. "The glory that our new masters offer to us."

"Shepard, this guys just sounding more nuts by the second." Jack muttered, sidling close to the Commander. "And trust me, I know crazy when I see it."

"The Reapers do not want to kill us." Gorm continued, ignorant of the convict's words. "They only wish to help us to ascend. Can you not see that we are truly better this way? We are the pinnacle of evolutionary potential! To us, the matters of sickness, old age and conflict seem petty, inconsequential. This is a better way of life, a higher level of existence."

"But you never earned these upgrades!" Shepard protested. "Without having to go through the struggle to develop them, how can you realise their worth and use them responsibly?"

"Such a shallow view of things." Gorm almost chuckled. "An organic mind cannot process what is being offered. You can only see it. Once the Reapers' gifts have been imparted to you, their understanding will be shared with you, their knowledge and experience becoming your own. That is why the cycle must take place, why the Reapers must come to enforce this boon upon your mortal lives. Too many would blindly turn away, condemning themselves to lives of pain, weakness, and ultimately death."

"Organics deserve to make that choice for themselves." The Commander said firmly. "Not be slaughtered in the billions until they see things your way!"

"You disappoint me, Shepard." Gorm's voice was wistful. "But you will see the light, in time." He glanced past the squad. "Arise, my brethren! Seize the Human and his pitiful allies."

There was a loud chorus of hisses, along with gouts of green fog rolling past the squad as the rows of cylinders on either side opened up, splitting down the middle. As the sickly vapours boiled past the Commander's feet, the contents of each cylinder was revealed, each one containing a harness that held in its clutches a single Batarian. As the squad watched, every single alien's head snapped up, their dual sets of eyes glowing with a menacing blue luminescence as the harnesses opened, almost of their own free will, to drop the aliens to the floor in from of their tank. Gorm smiled as the Batarian creatures took a few tentative steps towards the Commander and his team.

"Try to keep them alive. They'll be joining our ranks soon enough."

The Batarians all screeched with every iota of power in their lungs, rushing at the squad. Shepard moved the muzzle of his rifle, aiming at the first target to present itself as the battle was joined.

**~KASUMI~**

The harness' restraints clamped down on the young woman's arms and legs painfully as she struggled to free herself, only able to watch helplessly as her shipmates, her friends, walked into Gorm's trap with barely a moment of hesitation. Her struggles became ever more frantic as the countless cylinders around her opened, unleashing the Batarian creatures within. Only inches away from her, just on the other side of the transparent wall of the tank, her comrades battled these creatures furiously. Unwilling to leave her to find more suitable cover, the quartet formed up in a rough half-circle. Shepard stood at the heart of the formation, laying down a veritable storm of bullets that tore at their enemies relentlessly. On one side, Delexia stood with her two submachine guns, both her own and the one Kasumi had given her not too long ago, the dual weapons rivalling Shepard in their destructive potential. On the Commander's other side, both Etarn and Jack focused on biotic attacks, the former using them to augment his own SMG's attacks, while the latter simply abandoned all finesse in exchange for the raw ferocity of tearing at her targets with Warp blasts.

A handful of the Batarian Thralls dropped back, putting their kin between them and the squad until they'd fallen back to a suitable vantage point, whereupon they commenced unleashing a devastating barrage of biotic attacks, their fellows moving apart without a word to make way for the incoming bolts of Dark Energy. Jack was the first to spot this, brown eyes instantly tracking the course of the first bolt. Reacting on instinct, the convict hurled herself between the attack and its intended target, the Commander. Shepard blinked in surprise as Jack leapt in front of him, hands out in front of her to create a wall of blue fire that absorbed the first few impacts with little effort, the follow up volley requiring a little more energy on her part. The Commander watched this for just an instant, realising that the defence was spreading Jack's concentration too thinly. He barked out a couple of orders, muffled beyond comprehension to Kasumi's ears by the tank's walls, and then the squad clustered together. Jack dropped the biotic wall she had created, slipping behind the Commander. There, she lifted a palm over her head, then repeated the gesture she'd used in the shuttle hangar, slamming that hand into the floor hard enough to cause the harness that held Kasumi to shiver. A wave of Dark Energy blasted past the Commander and his team, sweeping the onrushing Batarians away, then curling back on itself to form a bubble shape. Safe behind this new Barrier, Jack slipped to one knee, dedicating her resources to keeping up the defence while those around her took care of the enemies.

Standing over Jack protectively, Shepard blasted away wildly at the attacking horde, scoring more than a few hits. Several Batarians staggered back, gaping holes in their heads where the former Alliance-soldier-turned-Spectre's deadly aim bested their tactic of madly dashing in. As more and more of the aliens dropped to the floor, Kasumi felt a surge of hope in her heart. Victory seemed only a few thermal clips away.

A loud crunch forced her to look up as far as the harness permitted, her wide eyes spotting a few moving parts above her tank. A valve in the top of her tank opened up, green vapour pouring in. In that instant, terror gripped the young thief's heart, blood pounding in her veins frantically as she renewed her efforts to escape. She released a scream, her vocal chords twanging in protest as every square inch of the interior of her lungs strained to let her be heard.

Incredibly, thankfully, her struggles drew the attention of one of her team mates. Etarn glanced over his shoulder, shouting a warning to the Commander as he pointed to the restrained thief. Shepard glanced back, nodded to his Batarian comrade, then turned back to the battle in hand. Etarn turned away, scuttling over under the cover of Jack's bubble to work at opening the cylinder.

The green vapour drifted past Kasumi's mouth, forcing her to hold her breath in a last desperate effort to ward off the indoctrination device's attempts to strip away her very soul. Every piece of her skin that the fog touched burned fiercely, as though she was being coated in acid. Groans of pain tried to escape from behind her teeth, but she determinedly kept her lips clamped shut.

Etarn searched for some clue as to how to get the cylinder open, finding nothing. He became more and more desperate as the wisps of vapour began to conceal Kasumi from sight. Realising that his technical skills were no help, he growled as he gathered a ball of biotic energy around his fist. With a roar, he lashed out, shattering the tank's clear sides in a single blow. Shards of clear material clattered to the floor as green mist rolled out of the machine, now prey to the errant breezes that moved through the room.

Realising that the flow of vapour wasn't about to stop, Etarn leapt into the remains of the tank, encircling the terror-stricken Kasumi in his arms as a biotic field pulsed around him, dispersing what green matter had come to settle upon her and holding off the rest of the deadly fog that seeped from the machine. The young Human in his grasp gasped for air, shoulders heaving with every breath. After a few moments, the stream of green fog ceased, allowing Etarn to drop the biotic display and step back, moving his focus to Kasumi's restraints. In seconds, she'd been released, springing from the harness with almost hysteria as she brushed frantically at her arms and face to get rid of the cloying feel the vapour had left her with. After a few more seconds had passed and her pulse had slowed somewhat, Kasumi calmed, steadying herself. She nodded her thanks to her Batarian saviour, gladly accepting the pistol he offered before turning to rejoin her team in holding their defensive line.

**~SHEPARD~**

Standing shoulder to shoulder with Delexia, Shepard unloaded clip after clip into the enemy ranks. However, no matter how many enemies as he managed to take down, another was sure to fill its place. He could see cylinders all over the cavern still spilling out their indoctrinated occupants, replenishing the attacking force faster than he could eliminate them. Even worse, eh could see a number of the ones he had managed to take down slowly regaining their feet, mortal injuries healing in seconds.

Another volley of Warp Blasts arced over the heads of the enemy to slam into Jack's barrier, the pops of biotic energies conflicting with each other loud in the Commander's ears.

"Jack!" He shouted over his shoulder. "How're you holding up?"

"I'd be doing a hell of a lot better if I didn't have to answer that fucking question every five seconds!" She managed to fire back through clenched teeth. "I'm fine. As long as they keep trying to bust their way in, I can keep 'em out. Let's just hope none of 'em know anything about pulling at a Barrier."

"I'd rather you didn't give these guys any ideas." Delexia grunted, popping the clip from one of her SMGs and inserting a new one.

In the brief lull in her attacks, a Batarian Thrall lunged forward, mouth agape as it swung its arms, the meaty fists at the end bunched up tight and holding enough power to floor any one of the squad members. Almost without thinking, her second gun came up, muzzle blaring as a stream of bullets bisected the alien from crotch to throat. It staggered for a brief moment before the former pirate spun, lashing out with a powerful kick that knocked it back into its fellows, slumping to the floor limply. Fire in her eyes, the Turian glanced back at Etarn and Kasumi, still clambering out of the tank.

"We can't stay here much longer, Shepard!" She said. "Barrier or not, they're gaining ground."

Shepard's Revenant coughed loudly, launching a Concussive Shot that floored a trio of Batarians, the follow-up peppering of bullets opening up the skull of each one as they tried to regain their feet. He looked back, realising that his squad's strength was flagging, then nodded with a little resignation.

"You're right." He agreed. "We've got to find some cover. Jack, do you think you can move with this thing?"

The convict looked up at her Commander with a scornful expression.

"We managed it at the Collector Base, didn't we? I can handle it. Now move your ass!"

With Jack walking in their midst, the squad moved off, slowly making their way further away from the biotic portion of the attacking force. The Batarians saw a new chink to exploit, Warp Blasts roaring in like a furious swarm of insects. The tattooed convict stumbled under the strength of the attack, just barely keeping her Barrier up. Seeing Jack flagging, Shepard moved over to offer her a supportive shoulder, which she accepted with uncharacteristic silence, a sign of just how much of a strain the defence was exacting upon her. His concern growing, the Commander turned to Etarn.

"See if you can't do something about those biotics!"

the batarian nodded, brow creasing as her turned to face the enemy head-on. Backing up to keep himself within the safety of the bubble, the young diplomat fired his gun wildly, although this was more of a distractionary tactic while he found a suitable target. Finally his eyes locked on a target up near the ceiling. Raising a glowing hand, he summoned a bolt of dark energy, flinging it upwards with a flick of his wrist. A blue field raced from his open palm, enveloping the thundering pipes attached to the ceiling. As the Batarian's hand clenched once more, the pipes shuddered, dents appearing around their width. With a grunt, Etarn tugged on the biotic field, issuing a mental command that brought the full might at his disposal down upon the pipes, tearing them away from the ceiling with a shriek of sundered metal.

Water gushed forth from the torn pipes, dozens of gallons flowing out in an instant. The Batarians beneath the tear found themselves pummelled beneath the weight of the water, many being swept off their feet and carried several metres away by the cascade. Others around them struggled to maintain their footing as they moved away from the torrent, not wanting to be caught in its devastating path. In moments, a flow of water had reached even Etarn's feet, spilling throughout the cavern at a wild pace with no sign of slowing. With the disruption to the biotic attack, the squad immediately found their progress much smoother, hurrying towards a bank of empty cylinders to allow Jack something of a respite from the constant assault.

The movement of the biotic bubble abruptly halted, however, when a blue orb appeared just in front of it. Shepard turned, spotting Gorm standing over his kin with a hand extended to create the biotic attack, stepping past the cascade of water to continue to assault the squad as his forces regrouped around him. As the Batarian's frown of concentration grew deeper, the blue orb began to pulse, growing darker as more and more biotic energy flowed into it, compacting down until it reached critical mass. With a pop and a roar, the orb flashed, collapsing in on its self to create a Singularity. Biotic energy swirled around it, dragged inexorably in towards the miniature black hole. Wisps of energy sloughed off the Barrier bubble, the Singularity sucking away at the defensive structure even as Jack's stance became more rigid, more tense, the simple act of keeping the Barrier up demanding more and more from her.

"Nnnh!" The biotic's breath hissed past her teeth, barely able to form words. "I can't…"

"Get ready to drop the Barrier on my signal." Shepard ordered, waiting for a nod from the biotic before looking to his other companions. "Once the Barrier's down, get to cover. Above all else, get away from the Singularity."

He waited for each of his companions to nod, then turned back to Jack, brows knitting together with concern as he noticed how her shoulders heaved with every breath. He readied his gun for the charge.

"Ready? Three… Two… One!"

The Barrier dropped, and immediately Shepard felt the full force of the Singularity. The gravitational forces Jack's Barrier had kept at bay pulled at him, almost yanking him off his feet. He spun, taking a step that was all too ponderous as he fought against the sudden pull. By his side he saw the much lighter and more agile Kasumi sprint away, ducking low to avoid incoming gunfire. Delexia was next, her large but lightweight Turian frame not weighing her down too much as her powerful legs pumped under her. Slightly behind the ex-pirate was Etarn, unencumbered by armour such as what weighed down the Commander. Concerned, Shepard glanced over his shoulder to see the exhausted Jack labouring away, her biotic display having robbed her of her strength.

The convict slipped, her feet moving out from under her. Moving with lightning-quick reflexes, Shepard darted in to catch her and prop her up with his shoulder, suppressing a grimace as the Singularity continued to pull at him, Jack's added weight on his shoulder making his escape even more arduous.

Shepard's kinetic barrier shimmered around him, taking the brunt of a Warp blast meant for him. As he glanced up, he saw a few more biotic attacks arcing in, all of them swerving wide as they were pulled into the Singularity. He ducked his head as one blue-white bolt roared past his ear, missing by mere inches, then he finally found refuge behind a row of tanks, letting Jack slide to the floor before crouching protectively by her side to occasionally lean out of cover and fire wildly at their attackers. As he slipped back into hiding, he shared a reassuring smile with Jack, the latter still breathless as she tried regain her strength.

"Gotta say," She panted. "This has been a lot more interesting than any other date I've been on."

"Is that what this is?" Shepard chuckled, curving a Concussive Shot out from behind his hiding place to send a handful of Batarian Thralls tumbling to their hands and knees.

"Nearest thing that passes for it on this crew." She smirked. "It's either this or wading through a river of Krogan shit trying to sort out somebody else's problems, and if I'm honest, I like my missions the same way I like to finish a night out on Omega: shitless."

"That sounds like fun." Shepard grunted as a white-hot clip jumped from his rifle to make way for a new one.

"Yeah well." Her smile broadened as her stance became more steady. "I guess you'll just have to get us out of here and maybe I'll show you."

The bank of cylinders in front of them jolted from multiple impacts, swaying back and forth precariously. Jack slid a couple of inches away from it, turning around as she found the edge opposite the Commander, then leaned around it to call upon her biotics again, summoning a Shockwave that tore through the enemy ranks mercilessly. She crowed loudly as her attack struck every one of her intended targets.

"Eat this!"

Shepard grinned as she let loose, turning his own attention to the Batarians cast up into the air by her display, putting a bullet through the skull of each of the helplessly flailing aliens before gravity reasserted its normal rules and hauled them back down. Still smirking, he turned to the tattooed biotic again.

"Not bad. Reckon you set up about six or seven of 'em for me there."

"Pfft. I think you took one too many hits to the head back before I put that Barrier up." She said dismissively, pausing to blast at an approaching creature with her shotgun. "That was at least eight."

"Oh yeah?"

"Easily. I'd have to be having a pretty bad day to get any less when they're lining up like these bastards. I reckon I could toss up ten if I really tried."

"Then prove it."

"Maybe I will, soldie-" She turned to face him, her face suddenly locking in an expression of surprise as she caught sight of something over the Commander's shoulder.

Shepard turned, freezing in place as Gorm loomed over him. Time seemed to slow as the monstrous Batarian lunged at him, talon-like fingers extended, a biotic glow encasing his hands. Several thoughts flashed through the Commander's mind in that brief half-moment: frustration with himself over neglecting to keep track of the enemy leader and allowing him to sneak around the squad's flank like this, numerous ways he could try to protect himself against the attack, all of which he dismissed just as quickly after concluding they would have no effect, and finally a pang of worry for Jack.

Spurred into action, Shepard snapped out of his paralysis, weapon spinning to point at Gorm's belly. The Batarian saw the threat, clawed hand swiping at the weapon to cast it aside with ease. The other hand drew back, biotic fire intensifying around the fingers as Gorm readied a devastating blow.

With a roar of displaced air, a bolt of blue fire rushed past Shepard's ear to strike the Batarian, staggering him as the Commander slipped back and to the side, out of the range of Gorm's fierce claws. Both the Commander and his opponent turned to see Jack standing there, wreathed in furious white flames as she readied another attack. Gorm sized her up in one glance, lip curling in a sneer.

"Hands off, freak." She spat.

"Human biotics?" The Batarian chuckled. "How quaint."

He pulled his arm back again, this time directing the fury of his attack against Jack. The convict responded with a gesture of her own, countering the incoming Warp with another one. The two attacks collided in mid-air, detonating with a powerful explosion that threw Shepard back and staggered the surprised Gorm. He gazed at the young woman with renewed interest.

"There's power there." He commented curiously. "Fascinating. We'll be able to put that to good use."

"Just you try it." Jack taunted, launching another Warp that knocked the Batarian back a pace or two.

The Human pressed forward, pummelling Gorm with a flurry of devastating mental blows that knocked him backwards, forcing him back towards his own troops, who also fell back to make room for their superior and his tiny, tattooed aggressor. None appeared ready to interfere with the biotic duel taking place, but Shepard retrieved his rifle nevertheless to watch Jack's back. In moments, Jack and Gorm found themselves in the middle of a large clearing amongst the cylinders, the raging battle around them slackening off as more eyes turned to the duel. Gorm backed through the cascade of water still pouring from the ruptured pipes, not even slowing his pace as he allowed more and more space between himself and his opponent.

Gorm continued moving back, but the manoeuvre had long since lost its feeling of genuineness, now feeling more like a baiting tactic to draw the convict out and away from her allies. Even Jack realised this, slowing her progress forward in exchange for pouring more power into her attacks.

Then, just as Jack appeared to be really finding her pace in launching attacks, countering Gorm's own abilities and positioning herself for the next round, the Batarian hurled a devastatingly powerful Warp blast, Jack barely managing to bat it aside. Gorm then went on the offensive, beating away at the convict's defences with ruthless vigour. Jack staggered back from one powerful attack, showing a weakness the alien could exploit, and Gorm quickly pressed his advantage by summoning yet another biotic assault, his clenched fists glowing like two stars as he performed the motions that signalled an incoming Singularity.

Just as the alien raised his arms to launch his assault, Jack retaliated by raising her own arms. The ensuing blast of biotic energy halted Gorm's attack halfway from its intended target, Jack pushing frantically against it as the Batarian tried to push it towards her in a move to fully strip her defences. The Singularity hovered uncertainly between them, shifting one way then the other as its energies fluctuated wildly. Gorm's mouth turned downwards in a snarl as he poured more and more energy into manipulating the Singularity. As it bobbed through the air, the dark orb of biotic energy flared, its mass drawing in the torrent of water falling from the ceiling, the water column circling the Singularity lazily to form a transparent accretion disc several metres across. Had the situation not been so dangerous, Shepard might have felt the need to take note of the beauty of the spectacle, the waterfall suddenly defying gravity halfway through its descent to spiral into the miniature black hole. Instead, he only felt anxiety for the tattooed convict in his gut as he watched her contend with the Batarian creature's reinforced power. He twitched anxiously as Gorm began speaking once more.

"Your struggles are futile, little biotic." He growled, his voice carrying surprisingly far. "I no longer have the same energy needs as I used to. You will tire out long before I shall, and then your mind will belong to me."

"Who ever said anything about outlasting you?" Jack asked through clenched teeth.

This made Gorm's brows raise in a mixture of confusion and surprise, allowing the Singularity to slip a few feet closer to him. A quiet, sharp laugh escaped from Jack's throat.

"That's the thing about you squints." She sneered. "You always think you know what's going on." She shifted a little, the Singularity wobbling with her movements. "Y'see, the Singularity is useful in a fight. You can herd enemies with it, chasing them as they run to avoid getting swallowed by it, but there's one question nobody ever seems to ask."

"Oh?" Gorm asked, his concern fading as he reached the conclusion that the Human was just trying to cloud his mind, trying to give herself a chance to hurl the gravitational attack at him. Those concerns rapidly returned, however, at the next sentence the young Human spoke, her lips curled in a vicious smile.

"Ever wonder what happens when you turn one of the fuckers inside out?"

It would have been an understatement to call what happened next an explosion. Where once there had been a tiny black hole there was several tonnes of compressed matter all trying to decompress instantaneously. Several hundred gallons of water, along with all of the air and miscellaneous debris the Singularity had swallowed, all tried to escape at once, forming a rapidly expanding orb of matter. This orb exploded outwards with a greater force than that of a bomb, causing the air in the cavern to shift in such a way that the ears of everyone present popped and the clear walls of any tanks that remained intact shattered. The cavern floor trembled as cracks spread across the ceiling. Meanwhile those Batarians caught too close to the Singularity as it was reversed vanished in the ball of matter, the sheer brute force of so much water striking them at such a high speed literally liquefying them. Those further back, Jack included, were thrown outward on the wall of water, many landing with a loud crunch as various body parts shattered. Shepard leapt from cover, catching Jack before she herself could be gravely injured. A second later, the massive wave of water struck him, bearing even the burly Shepard to the floor. Water scoured his face, cold and brutal in its force even as it lost a lot of its momentum.

Moments later the roar of rushing water slowed, the water level dropping to allow Shepard and Jack to regain their feet. Dripping water, the pair assessed the damage.

Not a single Batarian remained standing. Many simply no longer existed after the blast, while others lay on the floor in broken, bloody heaps. Shepard even caught sight of one impaled upon the jagged edge of a shattered tank's walls, the clear material slicing right through him. There was no sign of Gorm, although given his proximity to the blast that was hardly surprising.

As they took a couple of tentative steps through the shallow water, Jack stumbled, grabbing a hold of Shepard's shoulder for support. She pressed a hand against her forehead, eyes clenched shut.

"Damn…" She groaned. "I'm gonna have a hell of a migraine for the rest of the day now."

"You did good, Jack." The Commander reassured her. "Although maybe next time you should open with that little trick."

"I'll be honest, I'm amazed it worked." She admitted. "I don't think anyone's been stupid enough to try that before. And even if I did use it again, without that water it would have been totally useless. Gotta have the Singularity swallow a whole load of crap before it'd make a blast like that."

As they talked, a pair of cylinders shifted, moving apart as Delexia clambered out from behind them, quickly followed by Kasumi. Another tank rumbled, Etarn crawling out from underneath it. All three were soaking wet, just like everything else in the room. The former pirate was the first one to speak, gazing about appreciatively.

"Nice job, Jack."

"All in a day's work." The convict answered.

"Hey, look." Kasumi nodded to the back of the cavern. Shepard turned, noting that the barrier that had been there before had powered down. "Think we should go take a look?"

"Don't we always?" Delexia asked with a sigh of resignation.

The squad marched off, Shepard taking the lead with Jack leaning heavily on him. The troupe moved slowly, all bearing minor injuries or simply feeling the heavy yoke of weariness pressing down on their necks. They'd just about crossed the threshold where the barrier had once been when Delexia raised a hand, stopping her comrades as she pointed at the floor.

"Look!"

She pointed with a long claw, highlighting a sickly yellow smear on the rock. The smear still gleamed wetly.

"Blood." The ex-pirate surmised, kneeling to dip a claw in it, examining it cautiously. "Batarian."

"Probably from that bastard Gorm." Jack guessed. "That annoying little shit just doesn't give in, does he?"

"He must have been pretty badly wounded to have left this much blood behind." Delexia surmised. "And he was crawling. He's crippled, and likely near to dying."

"Close to dead isn't good enough." Etarn growled. "I won't stop until he's all the way dead."

"Let's keep going." Shepard insisted, stepping over the pale smear.

The second section of the cavern was a lot smaller, separated from the first by a thin wall of the same mysterious black material that formed the walls and ceiling. Once the squad had passed that partition, they were faced by an area filled with computer equipment. Gorm could be seen, laboriously propping himself up on one console as he typed in a few commands. Beyond him, a massive window looked out on a black room, inside of which nothing could be made out at this distance. Readying his gun as his comrades did the same, Shepard led the way, carefully approaching the Batarian creature.

Gorm's breathing was heavy as he typed away, his movements almost furtive. He frantically entered a couple of commands, then turned to face the squad, almost jumping in fear as Shepard levelled his gun at the beaten creature's head.

"Ah!" He yelped. "No, please! Wai-"

His pleas were abruptly silenced as Shepard fired a single shot, this one blasting through the alien's forehead and out of the back of his skull, taking a large portion of the brain with it. Gorm's body slumped to the floor, lifeless.

With this thread dealt with, the Commander moved his attention to the window, peering out into the formless blackness. Even as used to dark surroundings as he was, he found himself unable to make out any feature beyond the glass save for the fact that it was yet another large cavern, this one dwarfing any the squad had encountered so far.

"I can't see shit." Jack commented flatly, her eyes narrowed just like everyone else's.

"Let me see if I can't find a light switch on here." Kasumi offered, scanning the controls. "Here!"

Brilliant lights flashed on in the cavern beyond the window, momentarily blinding the Commander. As his eyes adjusted, taking in the full extent of what was beyond, his heart skipped a beat.

"By the spirits…" Delexia breathed.

There, looming upwards from the cavern floor like some prehistoric monster, lay the remains of a nearly intact Reaper. Even though most of the chassis was present, Shepard could easily see extensive damage marking its hull, two of its long, tentacle-like legs being completely detached from the body while the main hull sported more than a few massive holes. Countless wires and pipes ran from the inert shape, performing tasks that remained unknowable to the Commander.

"Fucking hell…" Jack muttered. "A Reaper. The Batarians have their own fucking Reaper!"

"Etarn?" Shepard asked, his tone growing sharp.

"I swear to you, Commander, I knew nothing of this!" The Batarian insisted. "If I had known…"

"Knowing how Reapers work, if you'd found out you'd either be indoctrinated or dead." Kasumi reasoned. "Or some crazy mixture of both. I never really can tell with these things."

"Kasumi, see what you can dredge up on this thing." Shepard ordered. "I want to know what Gorm was doing with it. Why has he got it wired into this facility like that?"

"Will do." The thief immediately set to work, mining through the data on the consoles swiftly. Seconds later, she had the answer Shepard had asked for. "Got it. Looks like this asteroid was built by the Reapers, just like the Citadel. Its got a Mass Effect Field generator at its heart that controls the nebula, serving as a way to cut the asteroid off from the rest of the Galaxy, kind of like pulling up the drawbridge. Up until a short while ago, the generator was automated, inaccessible to the Batarians. But then they found this Reaper and brought it here, plugging it in like some kind of battery. It lets them take direct control of the nebula to shape it to their own whim."

"That makes no sense." Delexia said. "Why would the Reapers leave behind a fortress like this?"

"It's a trap." Jack said. "Some dumbshit politician gets it into his head that we should all retreat here during the Reaper invasion, the Reapers send remote signals to cut the station off from any kind of help, and boom: You got yourself some fish in a barrel. You could wipe out an entire military force if you bait the trap just right."

"So the dead Reaper gave Gorm and his people a way to control the nebula." Shepard observed. "Maybe we can use it ourselves to give the Batarian fleets a way to get out of here?"

"Hang on." Kasumi muttered, typing in a couple of commands experimentally. Lights flashed on the console in front of her. "Got i- wait… That's not right…"

The young woman leapt back as the console burst, sparks jumping out threateningly the screen above the console went dark, losing all power. The lights began to flicker all throughout the room, many popping loudly to cast the corners into murky darkness. Gloom dominated the room, shot through with the occasional spear of light as something sparked loudly.

The squad reacted instantly, all moving together to stand back-to-back, weapons out and at the ready. Cautiously, Shepard peered out into the gloom, struggling to make out half-defined shapes that cast uncertain shadows as the lights that remained intact flashed weakly.

Just as quickly as the darkness had arrived, it receded, giving way before a malevolent red glow. Unease in his heart, Shepard turned to the source of the glow, craning his neck upwards as he took in the sight of this new presence.

Hovering over the consoles like a demonic insect alighting upon a leaf, the holographic silhouette of a Reaper stared down at the squad, contempt in its every motion. An array of eight 'eyes' blazed brightly just over the junction between its limbs and its body, staring with such intensity that the Commander felt utterly naked before it, his outer shell stripped away to reveal his innermost thoughts.

"Shepard."

The voice rolled through the room like molten lead, the weight of countless centuries of experience behind every word. To the Commander's great surprise, the voice carried itself at a higher pitch than those of Sovereign or Harbinger, a more feminine tone that caught Shepard somewhat off-guard. But even with its gentler, more seductive tones, the voice was still that of a Reaper, blasting away at his mind with all of the subtlety of a nuke.

"Your presence here is an inconvenience, but it is not unexpected. We had hoped you would come to us."

"You obviously know who I am." Shepard said, cautiously walking closer to the hologram, examining every detail that he could memorise. Given the risks involved in physically studying the enemy, anything that could be recalled from an encounter was valuable. "But I don't think we've ever met. Who are you?"

"There have been many names," The Reaper responded, hologram turning to follow the Commander's movements. "Most have perished along with the feeble-minded beings who created them, lost in the fires of change. Ultimately your cycle chose to refer to us by the name 'Leviathan'."

"The- the Leviathan of Dis?" Etarn asked, stumbling over his words as he tried to adjust to the surprise. "But… that's impossible! That cargo ship was destroyed by pirates long before it reached the Eye!"

"A necessary deception to ensure that our form was not defiled by your scientists." The Leviathan boomed. "Your kind is so easily deceived."

"How are you even alive?" Shepard asked. "When those scientists found you, there were no sings of life."

"This form has existed for aeons." The Reaper boasted. "We are immune to disease, to decay, to time itself."

"Why are you not with your own kind?" Etarn asked. "What led to my people discovering you on Jartar?"

"A previous cycle conspired to bring about our destruction." The Leviathan's voice held a note of amusement. "They fell to the flames of change, as has every civilisation that came before them. Although this form was damaged in the final days of their struggles, our mind survived, waiting for the body to be restored. They failed to realise that you cannot kill that which is immortal."

"Immortal?" Shepard retorted. "You die just like anything else. Just go and ask your buddy, Sovereign, or that abomination the Collectors were trying to make."

"Organic minds are so narrow, so tightly constrained by your limited concepts of reality and existence. You cannot grasp the true nature of our being. We have elevated ourselves to the point where mind and body no longer need be united to create a functional being. Sovereign did not die. Their mind simply ascended to another level of existence, their thoughts and experience shared with their kin. This is something organics cannot grasp- our bodies are mere vessels for our will, the greater essence of our being existing within the shared being of our race. This is what we offer to you, the chance to ascend to this new plane of being."

"So that's what you've been doing all along?" Delexia asked snidely. "And here I thought you were just slaughtering countless millions to make more of yourselves. But seeing as you're actually 'offering' us the chance to be butchered for our own good, I guess that makes everything alright, then. Sign me up for the crazy death train."

"These upgrades aren't worth it if you're forcing them on us against our will." Shepard said, ignoring his Turian comrade. "Our free will is a part of who we are. We won't sacrifice our souls just to fit into your vision of an ideal existence."

"Your own technology will lead you the same destination in due time." The Leviathan countered. "It is inevitable. But in the process, you will endure millennia of war, sickness, death. Entire species will perish under the heel of those strong enough to survive, and still more will be enslaved by those more powerful than themselves, refused the chance to grow. The cycle spares the Galaxy this turmoil, uplifting the dominant races as soon as they master Mass Effect technology and before such knowledge can become a corrupting influence."

"I don't buy it." Shepard said. "I refuse to believe that the pain and suffering you talk about is inevitable. Nothing is predestined. We're in control of our own fates, and you can bet your ass that even if the aggressors you speak of rise up, there will always be others ready to stand up to them, to give their lives to stop them. Just like when Sovereign tried to take over the Citadel. Just like we're doing now."

The Leviathan was silent for a long moment, its hologram going still as the squad waited tensely for its response. When it finally spoke, its voice was truly thunderous, irritation, anger and outright frustration evident in its words. The voice had changed greatly, losing any of the restraint it had once possessed.

"**SO BE IT."**

With that, the hologram vanished, plunging the room into blinding darkness. Silence pressed in once more, all the deeper for having followed the Reaper's harsh words.

After a moment's tense waiting, Shepard relaxed, lowering the muzzle of his gun. It seemed as though the retribution he'd expected after rejecting the Reaper's offer was not to be. Perhaps the creature was still too badly damaged to…

A flash of light in the corner grabbed his attention, bringing his weapon back up. He turned to face the source of the flash, his comrades falling in behind him as they all stared into the darkness cautiously.

The light pulsed out again, highlighting the sharp contours of the console and the prone form of what had once been Gorm, his head burst open from Shepard's final, lethal shot. As the light strobed again, Shepard realised that it was actually coming from within the Batarian's skull, shining out through the holes the Commander's bullets had put in it. As the red glow continued flashing, each burst of light following the previous one ever more closely, a familiar sense of unease tugged at the Commander's mind. He'd seen this same thing once before.

"Get back!" He shouted, the warning getting out just in time before the flashes became a continuous glow, the light spreading from Gorm's injuries to cover his entire body.

The corpse jolted, leaping to its feet in a mocking semblance of life. The former Batarian staggered from side to side, his own muscles seemingly fighting him. The red light washing across his skin burned with greater ferocity, splitting his skin open as his bones and muscles moved against one another, rearranging themselves into new patterns, forming a new creature. Flesh dropped away in smoking scraps, revealing the sickening reality of shining metal that had been hidden beneath. A hoarse scream echoed from the once-living throat, dying off as the lungs emptied, compacting down to be pushed aside as so much unnecessary matter. Finally the transformation was completed, the creature that had once been Gorm turning its four glowing eyes to glare at the Commander. When it spoke, the Leviathan's voice rolled out from behind its lips.

"**IF YOU DO NOT SIDE WITH US, SHEPARD, THEN YOU HAVE CHOSEN DEATH."** It snarled. **"FACE YOUR DESTINY!"**

The creature roared, flinging its hands out in front of it to create a massive blast of biotic energy. A Shockwave of incredible proportions screamed towards the squad, scattering them. Jack leapt in the path of the attack, summoning up a Barrier bubble to deflect it from her allies, but the raw power of the attack simply burned straight through her defence, hurling her away like a speck of dust before a hurricane, the sight of her tumbling body accompanied by a blistering string of curses.

Shepard turned from staring at Jack just in time to see the Batarian leap towards him. Its limbs extended unnaturally back behind it as it powered itself into the air, soaring higher and further than any organic could. The Leviathan-possessed beast snarled as it bore down on the Commander, swiping at him with its arms. The razor-sharp talons where its fingers had been sliced through his armour effortlessly, ignoring his shields as though they were not there. Shepard let out a small groan as the blades ripped at his skin, scoring his chest and gut with a matching set of four scarlet lines. Firing his Revenant madly, the Commander stumbled back. The creature lifted a clenched fist before its face, a round biotic field blocking all of the Commander's bullets with ease as it stepped after him.

"Hey, four eyes!"

The creature turned at Delexia's shout just in time to see her sling one of her Shuriken Grenades at it, the tiny silver device winging straight for its head. It lifted a hand, making a small gesture with the flick of a wrist. The grenade jerked in midair, its arc suddenly curving around the creature in a lazy circle that ended with it racing back towards the former pirate. Delexia had just enough time to let out a yelp of surprise before she was forced to dive for cover, just missing the grenade's detonation. This done, it turned its attention back to the Commander.

Shepard backed away, feet shuffling cautiously across the floor as he kept up a near-constant assault on the beast, only coming to a halt when the small of his back collided with the sharp edge of a console. He glanced over his shoulder, noting that he'd traced a small half-circle to find himself backed up against the computer array in front of the window. He quickly turned back to Gorm, just in time to leap out of the way as the creature dashed towards him, missing the Commander by inches only to strike the equipment.

There was a spark, then a pop, then a roar of discharging electricity, almost covering over the anguished howls of the possessed Batarian as it stood there, locked in place as untold power ripped through its body from the shattered console.

Shepard struggled back to his feet, tilting his head curiously as he noticed a shrill note behind the Batarian creature's screams. Glancing outside, he realised that the entire shattered husk of the Leviathan was jumping and jolting, arcs of electricity coating its hull as the machinery being used to operate the asteroid's gravity generator sent violent surges of power back into the Reaper. In the very back of his mind, the Commander could hear the Reaper screaming in pain, wounded and vulnerable. Looking about, he caught sight of Etarn, trying to circle around to flank the creature.

"Etarn!" He shouted. "See if you can't power up these consoles again. Let's fry this bastard!"

The beast that had once been Gorm broke loose of the paralysis of its electrocution, jumping clear of the console. It growled loudly, eyes roving about until it spotted Shepard once more, homing in on him over all other targets with bloody-minded determination. Behind it, Etarn scurried over to the consoles, powering them up with ease. Most remained intact, although the one the Gorm-creature had struck was utterly ruined, and some flickered uncertainly, an after-effect of the Leviathan's appearance in the room.

Shepard backed away as the beast lunged at him again, claws scraping loudly on his armour even as he struggled to dodge it. His HUD warned him that his suit's repair mechanism was being tasked to capacity making sure his armour remained in place, and his kinetic barriers were long gone. He ducked and rolled, only just staying ahead of the Reaper-beast's flurry of devastating attacks, each one more feral than the last.

Suddenly a field of biotic energy surrounded the Commander, a Warp blast like nothing he'd seen. It blazed yellow-white, ripping at his armour and flesh with a furious heat that made him yell out in agony. He felt light, his feet drifting off the floor as he was lifted into the air. As he spun in his localised field of torment, he caught sight of the Gorm-creature standing still, arm extended out and up as biotic energies danced off his fingertips. It smirked knowingly at him.

"**YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUE EXTENT OF OUR POWER, SHEPARD. WITNESS PERFECTION!"**

The fire burning through Shepard's flesh intensified, summoning a powerful scream from his lungs as the aura around him grew more intense. Black spots appeared before his eyes, unconsciousness threatening to take him.

A tiny shape lunged from the shadows behind Gorm, latching onto its back. The creature let out a grunt of irritation as Kasumi scrambled up to its shoulders, reaching around to its face with a flash of silver in her palm. The beast's noises of irritation turned to ones of pain as the thief slashed at its features, rupturing first the top pair of eyes, then eliminating the bottom pair on the next swipe. It flailed about in anguish, trying to dislodge the tiny woman on its back, but could not reach her. Kasumi leapt free, landing neatly on the floor several metres away. The creature lumbered to follow her, moving clumsily as it dealt with its newly created blindness. Kasumi nimbly dodged out of the way, her SMG chittering as she worried at the creature, leading it around the room like a bull following a red rag.

Shepard remained suspended in the biotic field, the assault not letting up. Darkness pulled at the edge of his mind, his hands and feet going numb.

Then, with a jolt, he was free of the field, tumbling to the floor. A pair of hands encircled his waist, a small but powerful presence pushing at the small of his back. Both he and his unseen saviour struck the floor, rolling to an awkward stop. As his armour administered Medi-Gel, bringing the Commander back to full consciousness, he rolled over to see Jack standing over him, her own gear still smoking from passing through the Leviathan's twisted Warp field. Her shotgun coughed in her hands, blasting away at the distant Batarian creature, standing over her Commander.

With shaky feet, Shepard stood up once more, nodding his thanks to Jack as she offered a hand. He retrieved his rifle from where it had fallen, loading in a fresh clip.

"Let's do this." He said resolutely.

"Best damn idea I've heard all day."

The duo charged at Gorm's exposed back, racing in with their weapons firing wildly. Shepard broke off to the right, while Jack went left.

"Hey!" Shepard shouted as his Revenant cast a huge number of bullets across the area around the creature, most of which were deflected by lightning-fast reflexes that raised another biotic shield. "Over here!"

"Take this!" Jack yelled, hurling a devastating Warp blast that bounced off its shield.

The Gorm-creature turned, identifying the sources of each attack. With a roar, it launched another Shockwave that hurled Jack aside, slamming her into a wall so hard that she fell limply to the floor, dazed but still conscious. The creature than turned to Shepard, stalking after him menacingly. Its bloody eye-sockets stared in his general direction, its teeth gnashing as it deflected yet more incoming fire. Behind it, both Delexia and Kasumi poured countless bullets into its shields, none scoring a hit.

As the creature closed to within a few yards of the Commander, it charged with startling speed and accuracy. Shepard dodged out of the way, allowing the creature to barge straight into yet another console, rewarding the Commander with another spectacular lightshow as the beast and its Reaper master howled in pain, the console erupting powerfully to hurl the Batarian creature away.

The thing that had once been a living, thinking being moved more cautiously now, stalking the Commander even without its vision. The rest of the squad poured untold amounts of fire at it, but even in its weakened state the beast was untouchable, its biotics keeping it safe from all biotic and tech abilities and casting aside every shot fired at it. Even assaulted as it was on every side, it continued to pursue Shepard, a fact that unnerved the Commander. Just what sort of interest did these Reapers have in him? First Harbinger, now the Leviathan. Was it because he'd killed one? Because he was the first organic in any of their cycles to achieve this?

He had no time to really dwell on it, the creature charging at him once again. This time, however, it was much more cautious, stopping short of the console. Cursing at the creature's adapting to his tactics, Shepard dropped into a roll, backing away. The Gorm-beast refused to let up, dashing towards him again with uncanny accuracy, its ears twitching as it sought him through its blindness. With a feral growl, it darted forward again, this time managing to strike the Commander across the chest with a backhanded swipe, knocking Shepard to the floor. Hearing him fall, the Reaper creation rushed in, landing astride the Commander's chest. It snarled as it raised a fist, biotic energy glowing around it as it prepared to finish the Human off.

"Gorm!"

Etarn's shout forced the creature to pause, turning to look at the Batarian. The young diplomat stood in the middle of the floor, no weapon in either hand. His fists clenched and unclenched by his sides as he glared at the Reaper abomination threatening the Commander.

Etarn's body glowed brightly for a moment, then vanished in a flash of discharged energy. In his place appeared a bolt of furious blue energy, a biotic shell around the charging Batarian. The blue bolt roared across the room, striking the Reaper creature with a powerful boom. There was a momentary flash of conflicting biotic energies, but the Gorm-creature's defence faded almost instantaneously under Etarn's fury. The two aliens raced over Shepard, coming to a sudden, brutal halt at the console, where the blue blur faded to reveal Etarn leaning against Gorm, pushing him into the shattered console. There was a tiny moment of silence, into which Etarn whispered a single, fury-fuelled sentence.

"That was for Hereia."

The Reaper creature screamed as the console unloaded another blast of power into it, the smell of burning flesh and singeing circuits filling the room in moments. The body continued to jerk on the current for a few excruciating moments before finally going mercifully limp, the light within its implants fading.

Silence reigned in the room once again, the lights above still flickering faintly after the furious intensity of the battle. The squad slowly moved back to the window, each one cradling a new injury after facing the Reaper creation. Panting, Shepard clambered back to his feet, patting Etarn on the shoulder. The Batarian didn't even look in his direction, instead choosing to stare at the pile of flesh and machinery that had once been Gorm. Realising that he needed a little space, Shepard stepped away, moving up to the window to stare out at the Leviathan, now suspiciously inert. Beside him, Kasumi activated one of the few remaining intact consoles.

"Still got some power readings…" She muttered. "Looks like we just stunned it."

"Just like Sovereign, after you killed Saren." Jack surmised.

"Let's not waste this opportunity." Shepard said. "Kasumi, can you work the controls for the gravity generator?"

"You really need to ask?" She quipped with a grin. "I'll get right on it."

She set to work, entering a couple of commands. After a moment, she looked up from her work.

"Okay, I'm in." She said. "Good news and bad news. The good news is that I can make a few changes to the nebula."

"And the bad news?" Shepard asked.

"Our little scrap here damaged the system." She explained. "Once we issue the command, the system will overload. It's a one-shot deal. On the plus side, when the system fries it'll take our friend out there with it." She pointed at the Leviathan.

"But we'll be able to give the Batarian fleets a route out of the nebula?"

"Sure." Kasumi nodded. "There is one problem I see with that, though."

"There always is." Shepard sighed. "What is it this time?"

"That still doesn't deal with the two Reapers already out there." Kasumi said. "Not only will they be able to keep on ripping the allied fleets apart as they retreat, but we'll be missing out on an opportunity to take them out."

"You have an idea on how we deal with them?"

"Kind of." The young thief said cryptically. "If we use the generator just right, we could throw the Reapers into the nebula."

"And that'd kill them?" Shepard asked cautiously.

"Well, there's no way to be sure, but that nebula's not friendly. At the very least it'll leave them vulnerable for the fleets to take them down."

"Do it." Shepard ordered.

"I'll get it set up." Kasumi complied. "You might want to get a warning out to our guys out there. Gravity doesn't play favourites, and I don't think any of our friends want to be around when we start throwing the laws of physics against the wall. There's a comm relay built into that terminal over there." She pointed over her shoulder. "You should be able to get a signal out on that."

The Commander stepped over to the indicated equipment, opening a channel.

"This is Commander Shepard to any allied vessels in the vicinity." He said. "Does anyone read me? Joker? Bakliss?"

"Commander." The gruff general's voice echoed thinly. "I was wondering where you'd got to. Has that traitorous bastard Gorm been dealt with?"

"You could say that." Shepard said, glancing down at the pile of ash and wires that had once been a Batarian. "He's dead."

"Good." Bakliss grunted. "Now we just need to deal with his little friends out here."

"That's what I'm transmitting about, General. We've found a way to force the Reapers into the nebula. We think it may give you the edge needed to take them out."

"Then do it." Bakliss replied. "We're losing ships by the minute out here!"

"We're going to be throwing around a lot of energy here, General." Shepard warned. "We need you to pull your ships away from the Reapers."

"Retreat?" Bakliss asked uncertainly. "We're in the middle of splitting the enemy into two groups! Do you have any idea what kind of losses we'll take if we pull out now? How many ships will be left completely exposed to Reaper fire?"

"I'm sorry, General." Shepard said, his heart feeling hollow. "It's the only way we can destroy these things."

The comm channel turned to static as Bakliss muttered something incomprehensible. The Batarian was silent for a moment, then sighed loudly.

"Very well, Shepard." He grumbled. "Just make sure that this works." There was a click as he switched to an open channel. "All ships, this is General Bakliss. Fall back to the Eye. I repeat; fall back to the Eye." Another click as the channel closed. Just before the direct link with Shepard closed, the Commander heard the General muttering to himself. "Ancestors save us."

Shepard closed the channel, lost in thought. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a sudden surprised noise from Kasumi, prompting him to spin around. There, hovering above the consoles once more, was the hologram of the Leviathan.

"Shepard, you think this a victory." It rumbled. "Three of my kind destroyed in exchange for the safety of the Batarian race.

"This is but a temporary respite. Your world still burns under our gaze. Your people perish in the millions. No matter the victories you achieve, your world is lost to you."

Shepard stepped up to the hologram, staring into its eyes defiantly.

"You're trying to get a rise out of me." He surmised. "That's a bad idea. You won't like me when I'm angry."

"Know as you condemn our bodies to oblivion that you will not be strong enough to save your people." The Leviathan pressed on, its tone clearly antagonistic. "You have failed, Shepard. And when the Sol Relay opens, the cycle shall resume."

"But that's not going to happen." Shepard insisted. "It doesn't matter how many Reapers you throw at us, we're going to stop you, one way or another." He stepped forward, placing a hand on the controls Kasumi had been manipulating. "So go to hell, and take your friends with you!"

He mashed the control for the generator, turning away as sparks erupted from the console. Beyond the window, the Reaper screamed as untold amounts of power coursed through its body, wires and hull plates glowing brightly as pieces burst into flames, unable to handle the raw energy. The core of the asteroid trembled as the Leviathan writhed in agony, struggling even in its death throes. Over time, its movements became less violent, until finally it sagged into a motionless form, dead at long last. Shepard stared at the massive corpse for a long moment, then turned back to his squad, a relieved grin on his face.

**~JOKER~**

The Normandy shuddered as it raced between two battling ships, dodging the barrage of fire exchanged between the two vessels. For a normal pilot, this would have been a suicidal move. For a pilot as skilled as Joker, it would have merely been difficult. For the pilot sitting at the Normandy's helm, enhanced by the link to the ship's AI, the manoeuvre was as simple as breathing, the lightning-fast rounds of ammunition travelling between the ships slowing to a crawl in comparison to joker's enhanced perceptions. The ship wove its way through the battle, Thanix Cannon blaring brightly to slice a pair of enemy frigates in half.

The comm unit crackled, Bakliss' voice echoing through it.

"All ships, this is General Bakliss. Fall back to the Eye. I repeat; fall back to the Eye."

Joker felt a tug of hesitation at the General's words. A retreat? With all of his forces committed to splitting the indoctrinated fleets and their masters in half? For a moment, he was unsure what to do. EDI's soothing voice broke through his thoughts, as much a presence in his mind as in the cockpit around him.

"Jeff, are we going to comply with the General's orders?"

"If we pull our fleets back now we're going to take all kinds of fire from all sides." The pilot reasoned.

"The General has an impressive track record, Jeff. I believe he is aware of the risks involved in this order."

Yeah," Joker sighed. "I guess you're right. Okay, divert auxiliary power to the aft barriers. The moment we turn tail those Reapers are gonna try and shove a rocket up our ass."

"Acknowledged." The AI complied, making the necessary adjustments as Joker heaved the Normandy around, expertly dodging a couple of Oculus drones before accelerating to full speed, the tiny ship darting across the battlefield like a tiny white-and-gold bolt of lightning.

"Jeff, one of the Reapers has acquired target lock upon the D'kloro, General Bakliss' ship."

"What's their status?"

"Shields down to twenty-five per cent. They have taken a considerable amount of fire defending civilian vessels from enemy fire."

"Damn it." Joker cursed. "They won't survive a hit from a Reaper beam." He frantically tried to think of a way to help. "EDI, what's the status of our own shields?"

"Currently holding at sixty-eight per cent." The AI was silent for a moment. "Jeff, even at full charge our shields could not withstand the full force of a Reaper beam weapon."

"I- I know." Joker answered. "But we can't just let the General's ship be destroyed. We have to try something. Divert power to all shields. I'm taking us in."

"Acknowledged."

The Normandy spun madly, darting towards the Batarian General's ship even as it retreated towards the safety of the station. The frigate had almost caught the much larger dreadnought when EDI chimed in with a warning.

"The Reaper is firing. Likelihood of direct hit to the D'kloro is ninety-eight point seven per cent."

Joker remained silent, his entire being focused on the next few seconds. From his virtual perspective he could see the Reaper beam racing towards the dreadnought, a brilliant shaft of red light ready to spear the almost defenceless ship.

The Normandy darted past the D'kloro, swinging around deftly to arrow straight towards the beam. At the last instant, he activated the ventral thrusters, causing the ship to twitch ever so slightly. This miniscule course correction brought the ship in just over the Reaper beam, her ventral shields striking the beam.

The impact was slight, but just enough to set the attack's aim off. The beam skewed, blasting past the D'kloro harmlessly.

Inside the Normandy, systems ran wild as numerous consoles erupted into flames, overloaded by the strain on the shields. Joker was abruptly ejected from his virtual world, cast back into the cockpit of the ship unceremoniously. He gasped as he pulled the wires from the back of his head, looking about anxiously as the lights in the ship gave out, replaced by the eerie red emergency lighting.

"EDI?" His voice was bordering on the frantic. "EDI!"

"…I am here, Jeff." The AI's voice was faint, but gradually grew stronger.

"What happened?"

"It would appear that the impact upon the shields caused extensive damage to our systems, overloading a number of critical components. We are currently running on emergency power and life support."

"What about propulsion? Can we move?"

"Negative. Shields are also offline."

"Damnit." The pilot cursed.

"Jeff, the Reaper appears to be taking aim once more."

With a sinking heart, Joker glanced at the live feed from the forward facing cams on the Normandy's prow. The Reaper, now having lost interest in the D'kloro, instead turned its attention to the frigate that had deflected its shot. Joker tensed, waiting for the massive creature to open fire. However, after a few moments of not being incinerated, he soon realised that something was not right. He glanced at the feed again, this time to see the Reaper tumbling through space, away from the station.

"EDI? What's going on?" He asked, confused.

"It is hard to be certain." The AI said, her tone just as confused as his. "I am detecting a large gravitational anomaly which is pulling the Reapers and their indoctrinated fleets into the Nebula. I believe that it is emanating from the Eye, although I cannot be certain."

"Shepard." Joker concluded. "It has to be him."

"Given the Commander's past achievements, it is possible."

"All ships, this is General Bakliss." The comms crackled again with the General's gruff voice. "Our sensors say that the Reaper shields are down. This is our chance, people, move in and finish them off!"

All around the Normandy, hundreds of Batarian ships broke away from the Eye to race towards the now-vulnerable Reapers. Seeing this, Joker began pressing buttons frantically.

"Oh, hell no!" He muttered. "I am not sitting on the sidelines while somebody else gets to shoot down a Reaper! EDI! Get the power back online!"

In moments, the Normandy was responding again, systems coming back online as the crew and the AI worked to repair damaged systems. While certainly not fit for the long run, it was enough to allow the frigate to limp along at the rear of the column of Batarian ships, hurrying towards the Reapers as quickly as they could.

The two forces clashed again, this time with the weary defenders scoring a few more hits. The ships of the indoctrinated fleet disintegrated, already damaged by the nebula's destructive energy. The Reapers took a little more persuasion to die, eventually crumbling under the combined might of all of the ships at Bakliss' command. Joker crowed as first one, then the other erupted into a massive ball of flames and white-hot debris. Finally, after such a long and bloody struggle, the space around the Eye was peaceful once more.

**~SHEPARD~**

"This is General Bakliss." The comm crackled loudly. "Commander Shepard, do you copy?"

"Shepard here, General." The Commander replied. "Any news?"

"Both Reapers are dead, Commander. They're nothing more than scrap metal now."

"Good." Shepard's shoulders sagged with relief, his body almost giving out under him as the adrenaline of battle faded away. Now that there were finally no enemies left to fight. "That's good."

"We've taken some heavy losses, but overall I think we've done well. The Batarians still have a naval force, and it's mostly thanks to you, Commander." The General paused, his tone a little hesitant. "It feels strange to say this to a Human, least of all you, Shepard, but thank you. The Hegemony owes you a debt of gratitude."

"I'm glad I could help, General."

"Well, I guess I'd get back to work." The General sighed. "There's a lot that'll need putting to rights before the day's out. Maybe it'll be easier now that-" Bakliss paused, the silence drawing out for a long moment before he returned to the comms, breathless. "Shepard, our ships are detecting a target lock coming from the Eye's automated defences. Is that anything to do with you?"

"What?" Shepard asked, confused. "No. Are you sure?"

"Positive." The general said firmly. "Someone or something on the station is targeting us."

"Etarn?" Shepard asked, prompting the Batarian to move over to one of the few terminals still active.

"Hang on, hang on…" He muttered, frantically working his way through the system. Kasumi sidled over to offer her help. After a moment, the Batarian's fist slammed down on the console, cracking the display screen. "Damn it!"

"What's going on?" Shepard asked as Etarn tried a few more commands, his expression growing more and more distraught by the second.

"It's Gorm!" The Batarian spat the name. "The sly bastard set up a failsafe that we triggered when we killed the Leviathan. The Eye's entire nuclear arsenal is primed and ready to fire upon the fleet. There's enough firepower here to take out half of the vessels present!"

"How long do we have?" Shepard asked.

"About ten minutes."

"Is that enough time for you to disable the weapons?"

"No. Once the failsafe was triggered, the system began warming up. There's no way to stop all of those missiles from firing."

"General, you need to get out of here!" Shepard urged.

"We can't, Shepard!" Bakliss replied. "Even if we weren't nursing all of these damaged ships, ten minutes wouldn't be enough time to get even a fraction of our ships out of this nebula. I could maybe get our fastest cruisers and frigates out, but I won't abandon the civilian vessels to be destroyed!"

"There has to be something we can do." Shepard said, wracking his brains for any kind of idea.

"There… may be one thing we could try." Etarn said slowly.

"What?"

"I can't stop the missiles from firing." The Batarian explained. "But I could seal the silos. The missiles would never leave the Eye."

"What will happen to the station?" Shepard asked cautiously.

"It's a tough old structure, but even the Eye couldn't survive this many nukes. It'd be destroyed, completely."

"Etarn, no!" Bakliss protested. "The Eye is the heart of our culture! With Khar'Shan in flames, we need a place to fall back to, to evacuate our civilians to!"

"And what of our navy, Bakliss?" Etarn countered. "What good are we if we cannot fight off the Reapers? What good is a safe refuge is we have nothing to guard it with?"

"And the civilians still present on the Eye?" Bakliss asked. "What of them?"

"We will evacuate all that we are able to." Etarn explained. "Those that cannot escape will be remembered with honour by those that survive the war." He stepped up to the console. "I'm sealing the silos now, General. I suggest you retreat to a safe distance. I will transmit a warning to any still alive aboard the station to get to the escape pods."

"Shepard, do not allow Etarn to do this!" Bakliss urged. "Our soldiers have been trained to face death, and we will do so with a smile on our faces if we know that it is protecting our civilians! What will we have left to fight for if you sacrifice the soul of our culture?"

Shepard paused, unsure of what to do. He glanced to his companions, frozen by indecision. After a second's thought, he stepped up next to Etarn, mouth opening to voice his decision.

**Author's Notes: Whew! This one took a lot out of me. I enjoyed writing it, and I've told a lot of little stories I wanted to get told with this, but I'm glad to be able to move on to another mission now. I think a lot of what slowed me down with this one was the whole ME3 debacle. Let's face it, what we got was a lot less than many of us had hoped for, and although the EC improved things, that wasn't all that spectacular of a feat given what we got to start with. I'm still bitterly disappointed with the game, but I think I've left a lot of my negative feelings behind now so that I can focus on just writing this. **

**Anyway, this chapter's got a vote tied to it! Head on over to my profile page to vote!**

**I really like Jack's sub-plot in this one. I think I hit a lot of the cues I wanted to with this, and I hope that those of you clamouring for more Jackmance like what I did here.**

**In other news, I'm currently trying to set up a little collaboration here. I'm requesting any writers inclined to help out if they could write about the battle in I Am Krogan! from different viewpoints. I'd like to see little passages about the battle as seen by members of the squad not with Shepard at the time (everyone but Shepard, Grunt, Wrex, Mordin, Delexia, Thane, Jorall and Hurn), or through the eyes of some NPC from the games, or even a new squad of OC Krogan. As long as the plot of the chapter isn't changed in any way, you can write what you want. PM me if you have any questions!**

**In other news, I published a new fic a couple of days ago. Its called Echoes, and it deals with an alternate version of events in the Into The Unknown universe (ITU-niverse). I'll indulge in that one from time to time.**

**Finally, the Squad skills table, as I've discussed in previous versions of this chapter.**

**I'm going to copy and paste my post from the previous version of this chapter about Squad skills for those who haven't seen it, and for future reference for those who have.**

**I've taken on a lot of feedback from several of my frequent readers. While the original idea was sound for a game, it was too extensive considering the number of missions we have left. Some have even said that it would be better to remove it completely. So, I've tried to find a system that appeases the largest number of people while keeping the mechanic usable for my purposes. To do that, I've decided to scrap the percentage aspect. Instead, each squad member has a rating of Untrained=U, Trained=T and Expert=E (similar to the squad skills from ME1, remember the little bars at their feet on the selection screen?) in Combat, Tech and Biotics. Every mission they go on raises their level by one (i.e. Trained goes to Expert). Obviously, non-biotic squaddies cannot take on biotic missions. so, the table is gone and replaced with this:**

**Delexia: Combat=T Tech=U Biotics=XX**

**Elanie: Combat=U Tech=T Biotics=XX**

**Etarn: Combat=T Tech=U Biotics=T**

**Falere: Combat=U Tech=T Biotics=T**

**Feron: Combat=U Tech=T Biotics=XX**

**Garrus: Combat=E Tech=T Biotics=XX**

**Grunt: Combat=T Tech=U Biotics=XX**

**Jack: Combat=U Tech=U Biotics=T**

**Jacob: Combat=T Tech=U Biotics=T**

**Jano: Combat=T Tech=T Biotics=XX**

**Jorall: Combat=T Tech=T Biotics=XX**

**Kaidan: Combat=T Tech=U Biotics=T**

**Kasumi: Combat=U Tech=T Biotics=XX**

**Legion: Combat=U Tech=T Biotics=XX**

**Miranda: Combat=T Tech=U Biotics=T**

**Mordin: Combat=U Tech=T Biotics=XX**

**Revenant: Combat=U Tech=T Biotics=T**

**Samara: Combat=U Tech=U Biotics=T**

**Thane: Combat=U Tech=T Biotics=T**

**Zaeed: Combat=T Tech=U Biotics=XX**

**Once more, feedback on this system or anything else about the fic is appreciated.**

**So that's about it for now. I'll upload a new chapter to Resistance next, then get to work on the next Squad Side Mission while you guys vote on this chapter. So hopefully you'll see two or three new chapters appear on here over the next month or so. Who knows, maybe I'll even get an idea for Ink!**

**But anyway, I'll see you guys around. In the meantime, read, review, repeat!**

**Fainmaca Out.**


	47. 47: Nothing More Than Dust

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Vote Results:**

**Save the station:6**

**Save the fleets:9**

**Chapter 47: Nothing More Than Dust**

Shepard's voice caught in his throat as he grappled with his indecision. He glanced to Etarn, standing over the console as he prepared to enter the commands that would allow the Eye to be destroyed. He hesitated over the choice, knowing that with either path he'd lose something of value. On the one hand, he needed Bakliss and his fleets for the push to retake Earth. On the other, the Batarians needed the station as a political stronghold to hold them together. Without it, only the armed forces and scattered colonies would remain, with no governing structure in place to guide the species.

He sighed, feeling the weight of his decision weighing him down as his lungs emptied and his shoulders sagged. Whether the Batarian people would recover from the loss or not was an unknown. His need for the fleets, however, was all too clear in his mind. He struggled to speak, his jaw fighting the very words he urged forward.

"Seal the silos, Etarn."

"_What?"_ Bakliss' voice exploded over the comms. "No!"

"I'm sorry, General." Shepard said, sincerity heavy in every word. "The fleets will be needed to fight the Reapers. I wish there was another way."

"Shepard, these ships are crewed by soldiers, each one ready and willing to die for our people. We do not fear death. But your choice will lead to the deaths of countless civilians, none of whom have made the same vows or gone through the same training. Think of the women, the children!"

"I have, General." Shepard's words tasted like ash in his mouth. "And what good will it do to save them now, only to leave them defenceless the next time the Reapers challenge your species?"

"Get the ships out of here, Bakliss." Etarn ordered with a firm tone. "The station should contain most of the blast, but once its inner workings have been destroyed, I fear that the field holding the nebula back will collapse. Nothing could survive that."

Bakliss was silent for but a moment before he sighed loudly.

"Damn you." He cursed, his voice quivering with rage as it remained dangerously low. "Damn you both."

There was a click, and the comm channel was closed. Etarn relaxed, relief flooding from him.

"I was worried he'd keep fighting until it was too late." He muttered. "Bakliss was always stubborn."

"He's not stupid." Shepard reassured. "He knows that it'll do him no good to lose both the station and his fleets."

"Indeed." The Batarian nodded. He typed in a few codes, frowning as the console blinked red before him. Shepard perceived his concern.

"Problems?"

"Gorm's failsafe is trying to override my commands." Etarn explained. "Its nothing I can't handle. Now, we need a way out."

He entered a few more commands, fingers dancing on the controls as he stared at the screen wordlessly. In a few short moments, he'd pulled up a plan of the complex. A single route blinked blue, leading out of the heart of the Eye. Behind the group, the entrance to the complex hissed open once more, a path out.

"This path goes almost directly to an intact shuttle bay." He said, highlighting the course with a fingertip. "Its far enough away from the residential districts that it should still have a few craft inside. If not, it should be easy enough to get the Nathak in for pickup."

"What about the other civilians aboard?" Shepard asked.

"The evacuation alarm is already sounding. If they can get to the escape pods, they should be able to get to safety."

"Should?" Kasumi asked cautiously.

"It's going to be a big explosion. Safety isn't exactly something I can guarantee."

"Then the sooner we get going, the better." Shepard said conclusively. "Come on."

"Right behind you." Etarn said, entering a few more keystrokes.

Nodding, the Commander turned to the doorway, following on the heels of Delexia, Kasumi and Jack as they made their way out.

It was only as he passed through the narrow threshold and into the confines of the strange tunnel that Shepard realised that Etarn wasn't behind him. He spun, only to have the black slab of the door slam down so quickly that it almost struck his face. Jolting with surprise, Shepard struck the door, palm slapping against it ineffectually.

"Etarn!" He called out, heedless of whether the Batarian could hear him or not.

He glanced down as his omnitool buzzed, letting out a quiet chime to announce a comm hail. He opened the channel, rewarded with Etarn appearing in holographic form before him.

"What's going on?" Shepard asked.

"I'm sorry, Commander." Etarn answered. "Gorm's interference could override my commands, releasing the missiles. I need to stay here to combat it."

"What? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you would have tried to stop me." The Batarian said with a wistful smile. "Or, even worse, you'd have tried to take my place."

"Etarn… no." Shepard struggled to find the right words. "There has to be another way. Couldn't you do this from an omnitool?"

"The core of the asteroid prevents incoming transmissions. I wouldn't be able to maintain control of the silos." Etarn insisted. He paused, his hologram moving its focus from Shepard for a moment as something on his end drew his attention before looking back to the Commander. " There's not much time left. You need to get going."

"Not without you. I'm not leaving anyone behind."

"Shepard..." The alien's eyes gleamed with sadness. "I'm making this sacrifice so you can save as many people as possible. My species won't endure this loss well, but in sacrificing our people we can help you to save yours."

"Damnit…" Shepard sighed angrily, seeing the wisdom behind the Batarian's decision, but still wanting to fight against it.

"Commander… Shepard… Go." Etarn urged.

"I… okay." Shepard sighed. He stepped back, offering the alien a crisp salute, straightening his shoulders as he took a deep breath to steady himself. Etarn smiled, returning the gesture.

"It has been an honour, Commander." The alien paused, then chuckled. "Still feels a little strange, saying that to a Human." His face grew serious once more. "Go, Commander. Make this count. Save as many as you can."

Etarn's image faded from before him, leaving a sucking darkness that struck the Commander more deeply than any bullet. Sagging, Shepard turned from the sealed doorway, nodding to his comrades to proceed.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard panted feverishly as blank walls rushed past his eyes, his lungs tightening as fatigue sapped at his strength. He tensed every second, expecting sudden, fiery devastation to wash over him as the missiles detonated in their silos. He had no idea how much time remained before the station was destroyed, his uncertainty only adding to his frantic pace as his limbs put on a burst of speed almost of their own volition.

The corridors and bulkheads rushed past him in a blur, the unnatural black tunnels left far behind. Ahead, the trio of Delexia, Kasumi and Jack struggled onwards just as desperately, eyes roving about warily for potential threats or obstacles.

Finally, after a painful eternity of struggling onwards, the squad found the shuttle bay that Etarn had told them about. Heart racing, Shepard rushed through the open doorway, relief surging through his veins as his eyes settled upon a row of small shuttles, beckoning to him with the allure of safety. In a blink, the squad had scrambled into the first one, powering up the engines and blasting clear of the hangar.

Shepard sat back in the shuttle, turning to look back at the station. As he watched, hundreds of tiny specks of metal drifted free from the monstrous hulk of the Eye, countless escape pods darting through space after the retreating fleets. Through the fog that now clouded his mind he could hear Delexia hailing the Normandy, with Joker swiftly responding. Not that that really mattered to the Commander. His mind went numb as he glanced back at the Eye, unable to tear his gaze away as he watched its final moments. He barely even blinked as the Normandy flashed past, turning somewhat sluggishly to meet the shuttle.

**~o~0~o~**

Etarn stood over the console, feverishly entering commands. A line of code would appear before him, a small vestige of Gorm's sabotage trying to undo his work, and the Batarian would coolly and calmly stop it, keeping the silos sealed. Occasionally his eyes would flicker to his omnitool, counting down the time before the missiles launched.

Finally, with a scant couple of minutes to go, his 'tool bleeped to notify him that the Commander had made it to safety, a highlighted shuttle appearing on the holographic display of the space around the Eye on a nearby console. Seeing this, a warm smile spread across Etarn's features, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. He closed the holo display down, focusing his attention back on keeping the silos sealed.

With a beep, his omnitool reached zero, the tiny noise echoed barely a half second later as an enormous explosion rocked the station, the tremor passing through the complex around him with enough ferocity to shatter a pipe overhead, a torrent of water cascading down around him. Sparks leapt from computer consoles as the tremors continued, growing in intensity until they ripped the equipment apart. Small fires burst forth, but were quickly quenched by the water to fill the air with thick, choking smoke that clogged the Batarian's nostrils with a cloying, acrid scent.

Etarn stepped back as his own console shattered, lifting an arm to shield his face from the sparks. As he moved away from the smoking heap, another shudder caused him to stumble, the Batarian landing in the water with a splash as his feet went out from under him. He gasped, flailing to regain his feet in the shallow torrent. Wiping the water from his eyes, he grabbed a hold of a shattered terminal to help himself up, keeping a firm grip on the machine for support as the station's trembling rose to ever higher levels of intensity.

A roaring rumble was growing around him, rising until it finally caused his ears to pop painfully. Steeling himself with a deep breath, he lifted up his right arm, activating his omnitool. An image flared to life on it, a small holo taken some years and an entire lifetime ago. As the weary alien looked on, three smiling Batarians stared back at him, the taller, older husband holding the smaller wife close as she cradled a child in her arms, the tiny one's eyes gleaming brightly with the joy of youth. Water streaming down his face, Etarn smiled as he took in the image for one last time, closing his eyes tightly as the rumble reached its peak, the air around him beginning to grow hot and thick.

With a scream that passed beyond the realm of noise and into the territories of physical presence, a shockwave of fire, superheated air and radioactive particles tore through the cavern. The black material that formed the core of the Eye shattered into myriad razor-sharp pieces, the air within igniting with a brilliant flash that would have put a star to shame. In less time than it took for his brain to register his doom, Etarn Kol'mehk ceased to be, reduced instantly to nothing more than dust.

**~o~0~o~**

The bright flash caused the Commander to blink in surprise, even though he'd been steeling himself for it. Gouts of flame lashed out of the station, huge hunks of metal ripping loose in a chaotic mess as explosions ripped through it. With a terrible radiance that was hard to look at, the Eye of Tor'lakht tore itself apart, reduced to rubble in moments.

Shepard wanted to cry out, but his lungs wouldn't expand, wouldn't permit him the breath needed. Instead he watched helplessly as the seat of Batarian government disintegrated, transformed for a moment into a glowing star at the heart of the nebula. Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the bright light vanished, leaving a gaping darkness in its place.

His heart cold as a stone, Shepard watched silently as the shuttle slipped into the Hangar Bay of the Normandy, coming to a gentle halt as the frigate rushed away from where the station had once been.

**~o~0~o~**

In the same instant that the Eye ceased to exist, so too did the field that had once kept the nebula at bay. Almost immediately, like a great reservoir breaking down a dam, the red clouds of the nebula surged together. A number of ships that had not found their way towards the edge of the nebula were torn to pieces as the violent energies of the red clouds found them. Passages that had promised safe passage out of the nebula now narrowed swiftly, sometimes catching fleeing vessels in their crimson clutches.

Through this chaos surged the Normandy. Damaged, limping somewhat, the Alliance frigate raced for safety, only the combined skill of her AI brain and her organic operator keeping her from straying into scarlet death.

With a final burst of speed, the Normandy surged out of the nebula just as it closed off, sealing what little remained of the Eye within its heart forever. Ahead of the frigate loomed the remnants of the Batarian fleets, sitting in space with a brooding silence that was easily matched by the mournful one that dominated her own decks.

**Author's Note: A sad chapter, to be sure, and a short one. I've kept it separate from the rest of the interlude, as I feel the events within are imporant enough to need it. Its also a very important chapter, as its the first really tangible result of a choice I've written. There are many more consequences to come, but this will probably stick in my mind at least as the most difficult one.**

**A huge amount of thanks and credit goes to the talented Lillitheris, known on this site as Awska. They went over this segment for me, pointing out how to make the writing stronger. It wouldn't be as good as it is without their input. Thank you so much!**

**Anyway, reviews are appreciated. Let me know what you think!**

**Fainmaca Out.**


	48. 48: Remorse

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 48: Remorse**

Ships drifted by the Port Lounge viewport, hundreds of battle-scarred metal hulks that glided silently and, most of the time, smoothly through the black backdrop of space. They'd been hard at work for some hours now, gathering up the hundreds of tiny escape pods that littered the surrounding void, the countless tiny vessels that had been the salvation of at least some of the Eye's inhabitants. Only a few pods remained unclaimed, the rest all safely retrieved. Even as the seconds ticked by Bakliss' dreadnought, the D'kloro, scooped up the few remaining pods, the shining white light of her open hangar bay blinking out as it was resealed against the vacuum.

None of this registered with the Commander as he sat on the couch facing the viewport, eyes staring blankly at the floor. Numbness pervaded his limbs, his chest muscles feeling slack as he dragged in every breath.

His brain assaulted him, replaying the final moments in the heart of the Eye over and over again. The sudden cold that gripped his heart upon realising Etarn's plan. The burning anger at being robbed of any way to save his friend. The bland nothingness that enfolded him as the station had vanished in a ball of fire. Again and again, Etarn's final words assailed him.

"Go, Commander. Make this count. Save as many as you can."

Rage boiled within him. Not at the Batarian, but rather at the bad hand that fate had dealt them both. What was the point of saving so many nameless, faceless people if he couldn't save one friend?

The door hissed behind him, followed closely by the heavy tread of a pair of boots clumping across the deck towards him. Shepard ignored them. He barely even heard them. The door hissed shut again, a quiet beep signalling that it had been locked. Silence filled the room for some time, the new arrival not speaking. Finally, Jack stepped around to stand in front of the Commander, pausing to stare at him appraisingly. When Shepard refused to look up, she dropped into a crouch before him, forcing his eyes to meet hers. Carefully, she reached forward to take the Commander's hands in her own, holding them tight even as Shepard tried to pull away, trying not to show any kind of hurt in her expression at his initial reaction to her attempts at comfort. Finally, she spoke, her voice harsh against the dead backdrop.

"We picked up a few escape pods." She spoke with a flat tone, simply listing off the facts. "Hadley and Rolston have been shuttling them over to the Batarian ships. EDI's been crunching the numbers, figuring out what planets can support the refugees and for how long. She's been working with feron, using the Broker network to pull some strings to make things happen. The squints won't have much, but at least there'll be somewhere for them to call home."

Shepard said nothing, his eyes not even focusing on the face before him. Jack suppressed the urge to frown, knowing that he didn't deserve anger, not here, not now. Instead, she continued her monotone narration.

"The grease-monkeys downstairs say that we'll need to put in for repairs somewhere before the next mission. Joker did his best, but the Normandy still took a few hits. The nearest place we can park up at for free is Tuchanka. EDI reckons your friend the chief will be okay with us hauling in for a day or two. Hardly the best place to get supplies, but it's as good a spot as any to power the engines down while we fix ourselves up."

Silence. Jack shifted uncomfortably. She felt like she was talking to a corpse.

"That Batarian general wanted to speak with you. I told him that he could go fuck himself, that you were busy and he'd speak with you when you were damn well ready. I think EDI reworded the message a bit, but he'd have got the gist of it."

Even this weak attempt at humour failed to draw a reaction from the Commander. Jack felt irritation rise in her throat. She wasn't a psychologist, like the Cerberus bimbo up in the CIC. She silenced the gruff noise that wanted to jump from her throat, instead simply standing. She moved back around the couch, heading for the door.

"That's about it." She said as she walked. "I guess I'd better-"

"Why?"

Shepard's croak stopped the tattooed convict in her tracks, prompting her to make an abrupt turn.

"Huh?"

"Why couldn't I save him?" Shepard asked, now looking up and out of the viewport. Jack knew enough to not try and answer the question, at least not yet. She could tell the Commander had more to say. He rose to his feet, pacing in front of the viewport restlessly. "I should have seen the signs. It was so obvious that Gorm was working with the Reapers! I should have taken the whole damn squad with me."

"If you'd tried, you'd have sparked off a war between the Hegemony and the Alliance without needing to get the Reapers involved." Jack tried to reason, but Shepard was having none of it.

"And of course Gorm had a backup plan! The Reapers aren't stupid. They've got a plan for everything! I should have seen this kind of thing coming."

"No matter how hard you try, Shepard, you're not perfect. You'll never be able to save everybody."

"Well I should be!" He spat bitterly. "We came back from Omega Four without a scratch, didn't we?" He sat back down on the couch with a thump, his entire body sagging. Slowly, tentatively, Jack moved to sit next to him. He was quiet for a few seconds before speaking again, his voice a low croak.

"Back when I was a fresh recruit, I lost my whole squad on Akuze. Threshers killed them all. First time I'd lost friends in combat. When that rescue shuttle finally showed up and got me out of there, it felt like I'd died down there with them. The person they brought back to Earth was just a shell, an empty thing. I couldn't feel anything. I couldn't eat. Every time I tried to sleep, I'd see their faces on the inside of my eyelids, hear their screaming as the Threshers dragged them underground. The brass were all ready to give me an honourable discharge. But then…"

He paused, dredging up memories he hadn't explored in a long time.

"I was going over the mission again in my head. Must have been the thousandth time. It was then that I realised I'd forgotten why we went out there in the first place: To answer a distress call. We went out there to save somebody, to put our lives on the line so that we could pull somebody else out of the fire. That was what we signed up for: saving others no matter what it cost us. I realised that running away from Akuze wouldn't help anybody. I'd been through that experience, I'd survived, and I could use that knowledge to keep others from having to live through the same thing.

"It was like coming up for air after nearly drowning. I was finally awake again. The shrink said she'd never seen such an abrupt recovery. I got back out there, went through all the hoops I had to to get back in the action, and I swore I'd never lose a friend like that again.

"And then I lost Ashley on Virmire. Almost slipped back into that dead state again. If it hadn't been for the fate of the Galaxy being at stake, I wouldn't have managed to keep going. And now…" He struggled with the bitter words. "Now I've lost Etarn, too. I failed him, just like I failed them."

"You didn't fail anybody." Jack contradicted. "You didn't 'lose' Etarn, just like you didn't 'lose' Ashley. They were taken from you. This is all on the Reapers, not you. Stop being such a fuckin' martyr and put the blame where it belongs: with the bastards you're going to rip to shreds before this war is over."

She reached over to tentatively squeeze his hand, reassured when she felt a small twitch in reply.

"Etarn knew what he was doing when he closed that door, Shepard. He did what he had to do to save your life and as many other lives as he could. And if I know that four-eyed bastard, he'd be kicking your ass right now if he caught you moping about here instead of getting back out there and tearing Harbinger a new one."

Shepard let out a small chuckle, finally raising his eyes to focus on the face of the woman he loved, watching him with concern and uncustomary affection gleaming in her eyes. He returned her smile.

"You're right." He sighed, feeling a portion of the immense load vanish from his shoulders. "Thanks."

He reached up, cupping the side of her face in his rough palm, his thumb stroking her sharply defined cheek. They remained locked in that position for just a moment before a quiet chime broke the silence. EDI's calm voice intruded upon their private moment, causing their fleeting intimacy to slip away.

"Commander, General Bakliss is hailing once more. He is most insistent that he speak with you."

"Damnit, EDI!" Jack barked. "I told you to stall him! Shepard doesn't have time for this right now!"

"It's okay, Jack." Shepard interjected before she could become any more irate. "I'll handle it."

"You shouldn't have to." She grumbled. "At least not for a while. You need a break."

"I'll get one at our next stop." Shepard replied reasonably, standing up with a groan as weary muscles fought him. "Tuchanka, you said?"

"Seems like one of the few parts of the Galaxy where things aren't going to shit at the moment." Jack muttered. "You know things are pretty fucked when Tuchanka's the only place that seems like a safe place to take a break for a day or two."

"I'd have thought you'd like Tuchanka." Shepard said. "Rough, lawless, guns and ammo practically lying in the streets…"

"Radiation, carnivorous plants, Thresher maws and… oh yeah, Krogan. Yeah, that sounds like just my kind of thing." Jack drawled as she moved for the door. "Alright, go see your General about whatever the hell he wants. Just do it quick. Its been a while since I had a decent shot of ryncol."

Shepard smirked as she left the Lounge, not surprised she was familiar with the caustic Krogan beverage. He followed her closely, soon making his way to the elevator to speak with Bakliss.

**~o~0~o~**

Tense silence engulfed the CIC, the crew almost to a man keeping their heads down, reluctant to make eye contact with one another. Word had spread quickly through the small ship, and their grief was evident behind their stony silence, but that was not the sole root of it. Furtive eyes darted to the rear of the vessel, in the general direction of the unseen briefing room that sat over the ship's drive core.

Kelly's fingers moved restlessly over her console, typing at a furious pace. Normally deliberate and careful in her work, the gesture was a tiny tell of her anxiety. She had been the one to greet the Batarian delegation as they had strode on board, her razor-sharp memory serving her well as she recognised and acknowledged each and every prestigious figure in the group, from the steely-eyed Bakliss to a number of other, more subdued generals, right down to the oddly mute Balak, whose presence she had noted with not a little surprise and consternation. A keen study of her Commander after receiving her assignment to the Normandy, she knew all too well about the alien's actions above Terra Nova, actions which would have led to disastrous consequences had it not been for Shepard's intervention. Kelly found herself worrying that maybe the former terrorist could bend the ears of the other Batarians to exact vengeance upon the Commander and his crew for the numerous trials they had endured in recent times, with even Aratoht now reduced to no more than the tip of the iceberg after the day's adversities.

The already tense atmosphere had almost completely shattered as the Commander had appeared from within the elevator, striding towards the Tech Lab doors purposefully. Even with EDI managing the Normandy's atmosphere with machine precision, Kelly had felt as though her very blood would turn to ice with the sudden drop in temperature. She'd glanced to Shepard, looking for some kind of reassurance that all was well, but his weary, hollow face robbed her of any hope. The Commander's eyes looked as though they had sunken deep within their dark sockets, his skin taking on a grey hue as though his blood no longer pumped through his flesh. Kelly hated to admit it even to herself, but the Commander looked… dead. The fiery spark that blazed within him during even the darkest of trials was gone, with even the expert psychologist hard pressed to say whether it had merely dwindled or if it was completely gone. As his eyes flickered past Kelly's gaze without even acknowledging her, her heart had sunk. The Commander turned his back on the statue-like CIC crew, vanishing through the Lab doors without a word, his departure echoed by the release of dozens of pent-up breaths. Even so, the atmosphere remained, everyone waiting for the repercussions of their Commander's choice to be made apparent.

Kelly almost cried out as her terminal beeped, a message arriving in her inbox. It was from Joker.

_Shepard gone to see the squints yet?_

Kelly suppressed a frown at the derogatory term, realising that the pilot's light-hearted question was his way of dealing with the tension that threatened to choke them all. She hurriedly typed a response.

_Just gone now. _

_Think he'll be alright? They seemed pissed._

_If anyone can talk them down, its Shepard._

_I guess so, but even the Commander's got his limits. And without Etarn to help…_

Kelly turned away from the terminal at that, having no response for the pilot. Salty wetness threatened to wind its way down her cheeks, pain at such a fresh wound tugging at her heart. She'd never had to endure the loss of a crew-mate before. She knew of the impossible choice that Shepard had faced on Virmire, but she hadn't been a crew member during that mission, so had never known Ashley personally, but she could see how the even weighed down on those who had been a part of the old crew.

Alongside Shepard, Joker and Kaidan suffered the most, Kaidan in particular as he carried the knowledge that he'd been chosen at the cost of her life. Sometimes Kelly stepped into the cockpit to find Joker running simulations of the impossible situation, trying to find a way that he could have saved both comrades, always disappointed. Doctor Chakwas endured, as always, equal parts a blessing and a curse of her profession. Garrus and Tali… just never spoke of it, locking the memory away behind layers of bluster and silence, respectively. Kelly had always tried to reach out, to help them bear the burden, but hadn't understood the full weight of the memory until now.

She sighed, closing the message window. There was no response to Joker's words. At least, none that she could think of. Sighing, her thoughts drifted back to her Commander.

**~o~0~o~**

The hostility of the Batarian delegation was apparent the instant the Commander opened the door. They stood arrayed against one wall, silently fuming away. As Shepard stepped in, he realised that they were not the only ones in the briefing room, turning to see Garrus and his squad standing patiently against the other wall, waiting for a debrief after their first solo mission. The Commander paused, considering sending the squad away for the time being so that he could handle the Batarians, but thought better of it. Perhaps the show of force would encourage the aliens to keep their tempers in check. He barely had time to finish the thought before Bakliss opened with an angry outburst.

"Do you have any idea what you have done?" He fumed. "Our race is in shambles! Our homeworld has been compromised, and now you rob us of the final bastion of our culture?"

"I did what I had to do to save as many people as I can." Shepard defended evenly. "We can't afford to lose the Batarian fleets. Not with thousands of Reapers on the horizon."

"So our species must die out to save your precious Alliance?" One of the other generals challenged.

"That's not how I work." Shepard retorted, a little more heated than he'd intended.

"What of the refugees from Khar'Shan?" Another asked. "Our colonies cannot support those kinds of numbers, and the homeworld will not be ready to support any kind of population for some time yet. The Reapers have destroyed too much of our infrastructure."

"We can co-ordinate with the Alliance and the Council to make sure that you have somewhere." Shepard offered. "I can have the Shadow Broker pull a few strings for you."

The name drop didn't appear to have the effect Shepard had intended. Apparently the Batarians didn't respect the Network as much as the Council races did.

"And then you just expect us to be at your beck and call, ready to come charging to serve you when its time to fight?" Bakliss growled. "I don't think so."

"If it wasn't for me, you'd already be dead!" Shepard rumbled in return. "Or worse. There's plenty that the Reapers can do to your people while they're still alive."

"The Batarians wouldn't be in this situation if it wasn't for your kind in the first place!" Bakliss accused.

"What?"

"If it wasn't for Humanity, we'd be a part of Council space. We'd have had the protection we needed to fend off these threats without your intervention."

"That's crap and you know it." The Commander countered. "What would you have done when Saren brought back the Reaper armada in one attack? That was the Alliance that stopped Sovereign." He began pacing about. "The Citadel, Omega Four, Aratoht, Dholen, the Eye… I've saved your entire species dozens of times, and most of them you don't even know about! You owe me. You owe the Alliance."

The Batarians as a unit bristled at this, angry murmurs rippling through them. Bakliss quivered with rage, stepping forward until his face was a mere inch or so from the Commander's. Two large hands darted out to grab Shepard's collar.

"We are not your servants!" He spat, saliva striking the Commander's face.

A chorus of clicks sounded behind the Commander. Both he and Bakliss glanced back to see Garrus, Grunt, Miranda and Falere with their weapons unholstered, all pointed at the Batarian general. Grunt in particular bore a menacing, provocative grin. Behind Bakliss, Balak took a few cautious steps forward to place a hand on his comrade's shoulder. The tense moment lasted only a brief time before Shepard lifted a hand to signal that his allies should stand down, Balak stepping back as Bakliss released his grip on the Human. Shepard reached up, brushing off his collar calmly.

"You're right." He said. "You're not. You are my allies, whether you like it or not, and that means you have to be ready to fight at my side when the time comes. The only other option is to serve the Reapers."

Bakliss was silent, eyes narrowed as he glared at the Human before him. Finally, he sighed.

"I'd sooner die than serve those machines." He glanced at his comrades, summoning an assenting nod from each one before looking back to the Human. "Besides, it would not do Etarn's memory any kind of justice to throw our lives away so soon after he died to save us." He looked down at the floor, his shoulders sagging a fraction. "I may not have agreed with many of his ideas, but the crazy bastard had guts, and I can respect that. He may not have lived to forge our people into something greater, but I'll be damned if his life doesn't bring about something glorious." He locked gazes with the Commander once more. "Okay, Shepard. We'll fight. But not for you. We'll fight on in Etarn's memory, to honour the price he paid."

"I can't think of anything more fitting." Shepard said with a solemn nod, feeling the weariness he'd been holding back crash down on him as relief flooded his system. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some other things to attend to."

"Shepard." The general bowed his head, turning to leave with a stiff gait, soon followed by the rest of his entourage. In moments, only the Commander and Garrus' squad remained in the briefing room. The Turian waited until the door had hissed firmly shut, then turned to his friend and Commander.

"Looks like you haven't lost your touch when it comes to talking the talk." He commented.

Shepard remained silent, instead moving to stand over the table, placing his hands on it palms-down, his fingers whitening as his weight pressed down on them. The Turian's brows twitched, his mandibles opening out slightly as concern tugged at his mind. He glanced to the others, nodding for them to leave. In just a few short seconds, only the Commander and the former vigilante remained.

"What happened today wasn't your fault, Shepard."

"You don't think I know that?" Shepard asked irritably.

"Maybe, but I do know that you'll try and take the blame onto your shoulders anyway." Garrus shrugged. "And then it'll be my job to remind you that you shouldn't have to carry that kind of burden. Just like you did for me with Sidonis."

Shepard didn't say anything for a while, just staring at his hands as they splayed out on the table before him. Suddenly he straightened, letting the air rush from his lungs in a mighty breath.

"Yeah." He grunted, finally turning to meet his friend's gaze. "Thanks for that, Garrus."

"Yeah, well…" The Turian shrugged. "I figured I'd drink a toast to the crazy son of a bitch tonight, and I need a drinking buddy for that. Care to join me?"

"In a little bit." Shepard answered. "Just need to stitch up a few more things before I go off-duty."

"Off-duty?" Garrus asked with a smirk. "You don't know the meaning of the word." He chuckled loudly. "Don't take too long, Shepard. After a day like today, the Lounge stocks are going to go pretty quick." The duo shared a smile before the Turian pulled a datapad from his belt, passing it to the Commander. "Oh, almost forgot. Here's a report of the mission. All fairly standard. Turns out pirates hit the ship. Anyway, Udina seemed pleased, or at least as near to pleased as its physically possible for the guy."

"Good." Shepard lifted the datapad, reading the report. "The team gave you no trouble?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle. Miranda was her usual efficient self and Grunt was… Grunt."

"He does that."

"I reckon Falere will do well. She's green when it comes to combat, but she's learning. Her Ardat-Yakshi heritage gives her an edge with her biotics, even as burned out as they are. As for her tech skills… she's getting there. A few more lessons with Kaidan and maybe a specialist like Legion or Kasumi and she'll be as capable as any Alliance operative." He shook his head. "One of the good things about Asari; they're quick learners. They may like to take their time over things, but they pick up knowledge like sponges. Add Falere's… advantage after her melding, and you have a very good student."

"That's good to hear." Shepard said, putting the datapad back down. "I'm glad she's fitting in."

Garrus nodded, turning to leave. As he did so, Shepard moved in the opposite direction, approaching the banks of screens that covered the back wall.

"EDI?"

"Yes, Shepard."

"Open a channel to Liara, top priority."

"One moment…"

The lights in the room faded, the table retracting to allow Shepard to step into the circle that scanned his body, projecting his image across the Galaxy and into Liara's office on her massive ship. Unsurprisingly, Liara was ready for his transmission, standing with her hands folded behind her back as his image flickered into being before her.

"Shepard." She nodded a greeting. "It is good to see you are alright. Feron's report implied that the mission was a difficult one."

"In more ways than one." Shepard answered, not even bothering to marvel at the fact that the Drell had already submitted a report. Liara's network thrived on up-to-the-minute information, and he was one of her best operatives. "We just barely kept the Batarians in this alliance we're building. They've taken the loss of the Eye pretty hard."

"It will take them time to recover." Liara agreed. "But I am sure that they will. Khar'Shan is a harsh world, and it rears strong children." She glanced away from him, taking in a couple of fresh reports. "I have already made contact with members of the upper castes of their society, making arrangements for the refugees to be sheltered on a number of Alliance and Council colonies. I have also cleared a number of Elkoss Combine shipyard in order to begin work on upgrading their fleets to match our own."

"Good." Shepard nodded to himself. "Now, what about the Reapers we destroyed today? We may have uncovered a weakness thanks to this nebula."

"Yes." Liara pulled up another screed of data to read. "The fact that the energies of this nebula can disrupt Reaper kinetic barriers must not be ignored. I have already put some feelers out among my agents in the Salarian Special Tasks Group. An expedition will be put together to analyse the nebula. Perhaps we can replicate and weaponise these energies."

"They fall apart pretty quickly without their shields." Shepard reasoned. "Hopefully this will be the advance we need to take the Reapers on on our terms."

"Possibly, but I still believe that we are a long way from being ready to go toe-to-toe with the whole armada." Liara cautioned. "Their weapons can still cut through multiple ships in one strike, and even without barriers it still takes a small fleet to destroy even one. Waging war even on the small fleet in the Sol system will be a monumental task."

"I know." Shepard sighed. "I just… want to finish this, you know?" He looked away. "I want to get it done before I lose anyone else."

Liara's head tilted to the side, her sapphire eyes running up and down the height of the man before her. Sympathy shone in her gaze, her soft expression a little comforting."

"I am sorry about Etarn, Shepard. He was an honourable man."

"He died doing what he thought was right." Shepard sighed. "I can't think of a better way to go."

"Agreed." Liara bowed her head. "His sacrifice won't be in vain, Shepard. I'll see to it that the Batarian people are well cared for in these trying times."

"Thank you." The Commander replied warmly. The pair smiled to one another, then ended the transmission, the briefing room returning to Shepard's sight as the lights flared again.

Shepard stretched his arms, groaning as both shoulders popped loudly. With a sigh, he strode out of the room. He definitely needed a drink.

**~o~0~o~**

A sombre peace ruled over the Lounge, its occupants mulling over their drinks pensively. The atmosphere, while far from convivial, was not one of grief, either. Instead, a strong sensation of remembrance, of reverence, filled the air like a thick mist.

Shepard stood before the window, gazing out upon the empty space beyond. A glass of some faintly glowing liquid sat in the palm of his hand, making the occasional odyssey up to his mouth. Behind him, assorted members of the squad also partook of some drink or another in honour of their fallen comrade. Jacob, Miranda, Kasumi and Garrus all occupied the wide couch while Grunt filled a single seat. Across the room, leaning languorously against the bar with part of himself propped up on a barstool, Zaeed slurped happily at the ship's whiskey supplies, joined on one side by Delexia, and on the other by a quietly distant Thane.

The silence creaked on until finally Jacob shattered it with a shallow chuckle.

"Heh." He took a small sip of his drink. "Just remembering the first time that Etarn stepped aboard. I gave him a hell of a hard time. I thought… I thought he'd turn out just like any other Batarian I'd met."

The rest of the room glanced to him with mute attention, allowing him to say his piece without interruption.

"I ignored him when I could, chewed him out when I couldn't. I can't remember a single time I gave the little guy a civil word. Guess I was a little jaded, what with all the thugs and terrorists we deal with." He stopped to take in a deep breath, feeling the cool, clean wave of freshness expand his chest. "But god damn it if he didn't prove me wrong. He fought just as hard for this ship as the rest of us, if not harder. And then he goes and sacrifices himself like that…" The experienced soldier steadied himself, not meeting the array of stares turned his way. "He was a good man. Better than most Humans I've known."

"Giving your life for those you've come to care about…" Garrus lifted a glass, letting the tiny, fluorescent green ice cubes floating in it tinkle about with a quiet clink. "Can't think of a better way to go out."

"I'd rather not have to go out at all." Delexia countered. "If only there had been something we could have done… maybe if we'd been a little faster, or if I'd gone after Gorm when he came down off that tower…"

"If you concern your mind with what-ifs and might-have-beens, you will soon find your Soul weighed down to the point of collapse." Thane said solemnly. "Then you shall be disconnected, an incomplete Body incapable of enduring the storms to come."

"Yeah, that." Zaeed agreed, not fully certain of the true meaning behind the Drell's words. Regardless, the mercenary ploughed on with his own brand of wisdom. "People die in war. The sooner you learn that, the sooner you'll stop getting your arse burnt up by standing around to stare at the explosions."

"How can you say that?" Kasumi said, heat running through every strain of her voice, a sharp contrast to the unflappable, amiable little thief the crew was used to. "Etarn was our friend!"

"All that means is that its easier for us to fall to pieces if we keep thinking about him." The veteran muttered around his glass. "Soldiers don't look back, otherwise they might see all the bodies they leave behind. It wouldn't be a war if people didn't die on both sides."

"But we won't forget." Grunt said, taking a pull straight from one of the larger bottles in the Lounge's stores. "We'll remember the sacrifices of our krannt on this day, and we'll chant the names of our honoured dead as we charge into the final battle! We'll make those Reaper bastards pay for the blood they have drawn from us a thousandfold!"

"We've made a start." Garrus said ponderously, staring deeply into the glass sitting on his talons. "Three Reaper corpses to add to the count, plus one Reaper trap, and we got the Batarian armada on our side. If we can get the squints working alongside Humans, I reckon we can achieve just about anything."

"Hear, hear!" Zaeed piped up, raising a fist. "Having fought against the bloodthirsty bastards for long enough, I can happily say I'm glad they're with us rather than against us."

"There's still one thing that gets me, though." Delexia said, drawing the gazes of everyone else. "What Leviathan said through Gorm… about evolution and all that. Do you think its true, any of it?"

"Its possible." Garrus shrugged. "Its not too far from what Saren used to spout. But, then again, it could all just be an easy lie to indoctrinate new Thralls."

"But," Delexia persisted, clearly troubled by it. "What if it's true? What if we really are all heading towards Reaper form, and they're trying to speed up the process to avoid generations of biological trial and error? What if they really are evolutionary perfection?"

"Speaking as someone who has always struggled with another person's idea of perfection," Miranda answered, a bitter note staining her words. "The Reapers can keep their upgrades. Advancement needs to be earned, not given. And besides, the ends in this case do not justify the means, not by a long shot."

"Agreed." Shepard said firmly, joining the discussion for the first time. "If we were to start thinking that our goals could justify our methods, we'd be no better than the Reapers themselves. We'll forge our own path, wherever it leads us. The important thing is that we do it for ourselves, rather than have some kind of false ideal pushed upon us."

He sighed, clearing his head with the expelled air before turning to face his teammates, his comrades, his friends. He forced a brittle smile onto his face, a spark of sincerity behind it.

"But today isn't a day for thinking about the Reapers." He said. "Today belongs to Etarn Kol'mehk." He raised his glass, those around him doing the same. "I hope he finds peace with his ancestors between the stars."

"But not too much peace." Garrus countered with a smirk. "We need him sharp and paying attention so that he can keep an eye on us in the battles to come."

Glasses lifted into the air around the room, muttered additions to the fond farewell rippling through the gathering before drinks travelled back to waiting lips. All was silent for just a moment longer, then a loud crack caused everyone in the Lounge to jump, all turning to the bar to see Grunt staring back at them in confusion. The tank-bred Krogan's blue eyes darted from face to face questioningly as he hefted the remaining half of the bottle his drink had been in, his teeth grinding away at the rest noisily.

"…What?" He asked after the stares had gone on just a little longer. "You guys want some?"

Shepard stared at the proffered bottle, its jagged edges having done nothing to the hardy Krogan. Laughter bubbled up from the depths of his belly at the sight, reaching his lips and tumbling forth loudly, soon shaking his body hard enough to summon forth a fierce coughing fit. Just a moment later, his comrades joined in, all breaking down in gales of laughter at the young Krogan's antics. Even the normally icy Miranda cracked a smile at the scene, benefiting from the same release of emotion her friends were experiencing. In a flash, the Lounge echoed loudly with the laughter of the small gathering, many more toasts to the fallen being added to the Commander's.

**~o~0~o~**

The ship hummed loudly as it laboured on through space, the damage from the recent battle slowing it down considerably. Even so, EDI had managed to calculate a series of FTL jumps that were swiftly bringing the Normandy into Krogan space, making a beeline for Tuchanka. Inside, the crew worked hard to get the ship back to normal, fixing what damage they could while on the move. Even so, much of the ship's central structure remained damaged, the supplies needed for full repairs simply not available so far from any kind of shipyard.

Even the Commander had not been spared from the heavy workload, running about helping to patch up the ship. His arms still ached from a particularly gruelling session helping Grunt wrestle some large support struts into place in the CIC to prevent the hull from collapsing inwards from the strains it endured during the time spent at faster than light speeds, and yet once more he found himself diving into the workload, tasked with collecting a few more tools to help speed the repairs to the Hangar Bay along.

Shepard stepped out onto the Engineering Deck, making a sharp turn to the left to head towards the Port Cargo Hold, which served both as Grunt's quarters and the location of most of the ship's spare materials.

The doors to the Hold ground open, catching a little on a warped frame before jolting free to let Shepard step inside. His eyes darted about, seeking the needed items, but came to a halt as he realised he wasn't the only person in the Hold.

The large hump of a Krogan could be seen moving about behind the obstruction of Grunt's tank, the alien rummaging about through the cargo back there hastily. At first Shepard thought that he'd intruded upon Grunt in the privacy of his room, but soon recognised the slightly smaller frame of Jorall.

Sensing the presence in the room, the older Krogan glanced up, leaning back out from behind the tank to acknowledge the Commander.

"Shepard!" He greeted jovially. "Be right with you, as soon as I catch this thing."

Curious, Shepard stepped over to see what the Krogan was pursuing, neatly sidestepping as Jorall lunged after a tiny brown flicker scurrying between two of Grunt's crates. The Krogan slammed down on the crates heavily, scrabbling with his hands until he finally brought one clenched fist up with a cry of triumph.

"Hah!" He grunted. "Got it. Damn thing was scurrying around the Tech Lab earlier, then got into the ducts. Been chasing it since."

He opened his fist, revealing a tiny brown and white creature trapped by the prison bars of his fingers, squirming as its tiny eyes gleamed with terror. Jorall chuckled gleefully at his victory, lifting the tiny animal up as he opened his mouth. The Commander's eyes bulged as he recognised the tiny creature, as well as guessing the ancient Krogan's intention. A strangled yelp leapt from his throat.

"Davis! No!"

Jorall paused, the squeaking hamster dangling dangerously close to his open maw. He glanced over to the Commander questioningly, confusion crossing his brow.

"Davis?" He asked.

"That." Shepard explained awkwardly, pointing to the hamster. "Is Davis. My hamster. A pet."

"A pet?" Jorall turned his gaze back to the animal, lifting it up before his synthetic eye for a closer look. "It doesn't look like a pet. No real claws or teeth to attack your enemies for you. Is it venomous? Does it secrete some kind of acid?"

"No!" Shepard answered quickly, stepping forward with not a little anxiety at the threat of seeing his pet eaten. "It's not for attacking enemies."

"Well can you train it to steal supplies from your enemies, like a pyjak?" His frown grew deeper at the Commander shaking his head. "Then what is it for?" The Krogan demanded, still holding onto the panicked creature. "What good is an animal that can't kill anything for you?"

"It's for… you know…" Shepard felt the red heat rise in his cheeks as embarrassment overtook him. He knew he was trying to explain an idea that would be completely alien to a being like Jorall. Knowing how futile it would be, he continued his awkward explanation anyway. "Companionship. A friendly presence around the cabin. Like my fish."

"You mean you don't eat your fish, either?" Jorall appeared to be completely bemused by the notion. He handed the hamster over to the Commander with a grunt of disgust. "Sometimes I feel like I will never fully understand your kind, Shepard. Why form an attachment to such a worthless creature? All it does it take up space, eat your food and crap all over the place. Why go through that if it does nothing in return?"

Shepard quickly gathered the tiny animal up in his hands, cradling it carefully as his fingers stroked its back in an attempt to calm it, the furious beat of its heart all too easily felt by the Commander's palm as the hamster curled up defensively in its new refuge.

"Well, to be fair," He said, glancing up at the ancient warlord. "Krogan aren't all that easy to understand, either."

"Sure we are." Jorall countered. "There are only four things that matter to a Krogan: Where's the food, where can I sleep, where are the guns, and where are the females. Not necessarily in that order."

"You don't exactly fit that description." Shepard pointed out.

"True, but there are exceptions to every rule." The Krogan paced from side to side, his heavy tread a palpable vibration in the deck-plates beneath the Commander. "Like you, for example. I've been studying your species since I arrived on board, and in contrast to your kin you display such conviction, such relentless combat ability, such raw power to inspire those beneath you. You fight better than most Krogan."

"You've been studying Humanity?" Shepard asked, letting the subtle praise slide by without comment.

"It would be remiss of me to not make use of the resources that your vessel offers." The Krogan explained with a smirk. "The chance to gather intelligence regarding my people's new allies was not one I felt inclined to pass up."

"You're gathering intelligence now?" Shepard's brow quirked. "I thought we were on the same side here, Jorall."

"Of course we are. For now. But just because those around you currently view you as an ally does not guarantee that they will still do so when an opportunity to assert their own dominance over you comes along. If anything, you should regard your allies with more suspicion than your enemies. Many a dangerous agenda has been hidden behind the screen of a friendship. At least your enemies are open about their intent to destroy you."

"The Galaxy isn't quite as warlike as it was before you were thrown into that prison, Jorall. We're not all poised to slit one another's throats anymore."

"No?" The old alien's eyes shone with amusement. "Then what about your former associates, the group known as Cerberus?"

"They're just a small group, hardly representative of the rest of my species."

"Nevertheless, they have built quite a foundation for themselves throughout the entirety of the Alliance's social and political structure. Indeed, they were once a collection of military and scientific units created and funded by the Alliance, before your Illusive friend was able to incorporate them into his growing organisation. They may not be representative of your species as a whole, but they are a clear glimpse of the underlying currents that run through the Alliance. While most Humans would not openly voice their discomfort around the other species, they certainly harbour such thoughts. All Cerberus does is provide an organisation to embody these thoughts, to give them power and purpose."

"I don't believe that." The Commander insisted. "Cerberus is a corrupting influence on the Alliance, nothing more. An influence that will be purged, when this war is over."

"If you truly believe that, then you are a fool." Jorall bristled. "Cerberus is a necessary construct. It gives shape and direction to the hostility that runs through your species, in much the same way that you embody and inspire the hope and courage of your people."

"You make it sound like Cerberus and I are different sides of the same coin."

"Not exactly. More like… different wavelengths on the same spectrum. You stand for roughly the same ideals- the preservation of your kind. Your Illusive Man is simply following a looser code of morals to achieve his goals. Every species has its own equivalent."

"I highly doubt that."

"Really?" The Krogan sneered. "Then you are naïve as well as foolish. You've had dealings with the Salarian Special Tasks Group before, Shepard. You know what they did to my people. Hell, look at what your Doctor Solus did just a few decades ago! The safety of one's own species, no matter the cost to others. The Turian huntresses, the Asari commandos. Even the Quarians had their Bureau of Intelligence and Research. At least, they did before the fall of Rannoch. Not sure how much of the old regime survived their exile. All of these organisations have the same goals and mindset, even if they rarely share the same methodology."

"I take it that even the Krogan have something like this?" Shepard asked pointedly. Jorall smiled at the question, nodding his approval.

"Indeed we did. Although, it never managed to achieve the same level of finesse as our alien counterparts before most of its members were culled in the Rebellions. Bear in mind, our race was still very new to the Galactic stage by the time the Genophage was unleashed upon us."

"Did this organisation have any part in the Rebellions themselves?"

"Yes. They motivated our kind to go to war, once the worlds the Council gave us as rewards for eradicating the Rachni became insufficient for our needs. They were integral in engineering many of our victories."

"Did you ever meet any of them?"

"A few." The Krogan's short answer caught Shepard's attention, Jorall's normally verbose nature suddenly evaporating.

The Krogan must have sensed that he had inadvertently drawn the Commander's attention to whatever unwelcome topic it was that had caused him to clam up, for he turned back to Shepard with a few more curt words.

"But it was all so long ago, and they all died in the last days of the Rebellions. Since then, our race has stagnated, no real unifying force drawing them together to fight the Council once more."

"Maybe not, but now you've got Wrex pulling them all together for a better cause, one that is certain to guarantee the Krogan a place in the Galaxy again."

"Perhaps." Jorall shrugged, unmoved by the potential of his grandson's endeavours. "Only time will tell. Thankfully, time is something I have never been short of."

The warlord turned towards the window looking into the Hangar Bay, his conversation with Shepard clearly over. The Commander knew enough to take the hint, grabbing what tools he'd come for with one hand while the other still cradled his hamster, leaving as quickly as he could. The ancient Krogan's mood had soured, for some reason. Shepard made a note to investigate it at some later point, still curious about what the old alien was holding back.

**~o~0~o~**

The door to Shepard's cabin hissed open, allowing the Commander to slip inside. He quickly moved past his tiny bathroom to stand before his workstation, reaching for the shelf to lift the lid of the hamster cage perched there. With great care, he placed his timid little pet back in its home, smiling warmly as the rodent sniffled about the once familiar surroundings before settling down in its bed, safe once more. With this small task accomplished, Shepard made a move to return to his duties, heading for the door.

In just a few short moments, the elevator delivered the Commander to the Hangar Deck, Shepard striding out to rejoin the team he'd been working on the repairs with. He paused at the consoles before the elevator, observing the busy scene before him with a quiet pride. The majority of his crew was up and about to attend to the thousand and one things that needed fixing to keep the ship operational. He could see Grunt, Legion and the two Turians working with a small cluster of Human crewmates to wrestle a heavy support beam upright while Jano and Mordin operated a pair of repair drones to make the necessary welds to keep it in place. Elsewhere in the hangar, the double act of Gabby and Ken barked out orders to a gaggle of crewmen, the Scotsman's thunderous brogue rolling out instructions while the quieter Gabby used a gentler approach to explain the finer points of the task.

Even in the midst of all of the hustle and bustle, not all present were committed to the repair duties. Crewmen Hadley and Rolston were engaged in a jovial boxing match in the ring, some of their usual comrades chanting support for either one from the sidelines. Beyond, Shepard caught sight of Elanie taking a breather, conversing with the brightly glowing Sykes. As the Commander watched, the former Cerberus scientist reached up to her virtual companion, omnitool glowing as she pulled a line of shining code from his incorporeal body, unwinding it from the tiny orb as though she were unwinding a ball of string. She pulled the stream of light between her fingers, reading the shifting shapes, occasionally removing a segment and adding another. Finally, she released the string, allowing it to retract back into Sykes' body. The SI bobbed about anxiously for a moment, processing the new data, then seemed to accept the changes, its demeanour becoming much more relaxed.

Finally, at the front-most end of the hangar, just before the wide bay doors, a small firing range had been set up. Two figures stood at one end, the older of them instructing the younger one in the use of her weapon. As Shepard walked closer, Samara's serene tone droned onward, lecturing Falere about the most effective use of the shotgun cradled in her hands. The Commander, unwilling to interrupt, instead chose to walk up next to Elanie, sharing a warm smile with her as they both turned their attention to the mother and daughter before them.

"Try to aim a little lower." The former Justicar explained. "The Disciple will fight your grip with every pull of the trigger. It is in its nature."

"Did you really use this when you went through the Maiden Stage?" Falere asked uncertainly. "It just… feels so clumsy. Unwieldy."

"Perhaps, but it can cause more grievous injuries than most shotguns of even this century." Samara answered patiently. "Once mastered, this weapon allows you to be as effective in the field as a Turian or a Batarian. It served me well during my younger years, and served me through my trials to become a Justicar. If you take the time to learn its use, it will serve you well in the battles to come." She stepped back, using her omnitool to reset the targets. "Again."

Wordlessly, the younger Asari lifted the exotic, triangular white gun in her hands, taking aim. A fresh barrage roared down the firing range. The targets, five holographic discs each about three feet across, flickered as the bullets bounced off the kinetic barriers they encircled, each disc changing in colour depending upon the location of the impact. Five shots later, three of the discs flashed green, showing an impact to the peripheral region, one remained its dull orange colour, a miss, and the last one shone an angry red, a hit close to the centre. Falere fiddled with the gun, the loading mechanism jamming as she tried to feed a fresh clip into the slot. She finally got the clip into place, pumping the loading mechanism as she glanced up, only to see her mother's stern features before her, a small pistol unholstered and held to her daughter's temple. The younger Asari froze for a moment before Samara relaxed, removing the gun.

"If this had been a genuine combat situation, you would have been killed." Samara said flatly. "You still had an immediate threat when you diverted your attention to your weapon's malfunction." She reached forward, pulling a small device from the loading mechanism, carefully stowing it about her person once more. Falere's eyes widened before her brow creased.

"You sabotaged my gun?" Her tone was incredulous. "That's… that's not fair!"

"It was perfectly fair." Her mother replied. "This round was not meant to test your accuracy. Rather, it was meant to test your ability to adapt to a sudden change to your circumstances. The appropriate response would have been to use an alternate means of attack to neutralise the immediate threats, buying you time to attend to your gun."

"How did you know I'd miss one of the targets?" The Ardat-Yakshi challenged.

"I did not. I merely… anticipated." The former Justicar activated the targets once more. "Again. Your aim has been improving, but you need to be capable of removing all threats on the field as quickly as possible. See if you can do more than achieve a wounding strike."

Falere flinched, almost refusing, but acquiesced with a grumble, lifting the shotgun once more.

The targets sprang up, moving through the air menacingly in several directions. Falere's gun jumped, barking loudly as she pulled the trigger four times. Three turned a furious yellow-orange, while a fourth turned green. The fifth darted forward, closing the distance with the young Asari. Falere's eyes tracked it, but her gun did not follow. Instead, she froze a second before spinning, the butt of the Disciple coming up to strike the barrel of Samara's pistol, knocking the smaller gun free of the older Asari's grasp. As the pistol clattered to the floor, the young woman spun once more, palm shooting out to launch a Warp blast that struck the last target dead-centre. The target turned red, then shimmered out of existence, soon followed by its companions.

Panting, Falere turned to meet her mother's gaze, triumph in her stare. Samara, rubbing at a stinging hand, let loose a small grunt of surprise.

"How did you-"

"I anticipated." Falere replied with a smirk.

"I can see that." Samara's expression was still, but the spark of satisfaction glimmered in her eyes. "Well done."

"I'm still feeling it pulling a little too high with every shot." Falere said, inspecting the Asari-made weapon. "Is there nothing we can do to compensate?"

"Perhaps there is." Samara said. "Come with me. We have trained enough for today. Now, let us pay Jacob a visit in the Armoury. Perhaps he can suggest some mods for you. Besides, you will need to learn how to clean and maintain your gun after it has been used."

Shepard felt the smile linger on his lips as he watched the two Asari walk off, neither aware of his or Elanie's scrutiny. He wouldn't have drawn attention to it, but he thought that he could see a difference in Samara, a marked improvement even over the being he had known after her mission to stop Morinth had been brought to its resolution. The Asari seemed more focused, somehow. More at ease. He shrugged, turning to Elanie as the young woman spoke.

"I'm glad to see those two getting along so well." She remarked. "After what they've been through, it would be understandable for some kind of distance to have formed between them."

"Times like these have a way of making you realise just how important your family is." Shepard surmised. "With the threat of all life as we know it coming to an end, a parent being absent for a couple of centuries kind of pales into insignificance."

"I hear you." Elanie said. "Or, at least I would, if I had any family to speak of. But I guess if I'd had to spend time apart from Sykes and then found him with this whole war going on in the background, I'd feel the same way."

"You're not planning on leaving me anywhere, are you?" Sykes flashed into being over her shoulder, his voice frantic. Elanie reached up, tickling the orb of light with her fingers as she flashed the SI a genuine smile.

"Of course not!" She chided softly. "Its always gonna be you and me against the rest of the Galaxy. Now go back to sleep and let those updates work their magic."

The SI subsided slowly, calmed by the redhead's comforting words. In a blink, he faded from existence. Elanie glanced back to Shepard.

"Sorry about that, Commander. He's always a little antsy."

"No worries." Shepard replied easily, settling down on the crate next to her. "After all, isn't that a part of how you made him? All of that merging emotional simulations and that?"

"Kind of." The young woman shrugged. "I could spend weeks explaining the tech to you, but you'd need to spend ten years researching AI theory and quantum computing before you could make heads or tails of it. Either that, or you'd need to be born on the Migrant Fleet." She yawned, stretching wearily as she turned to her Commander. "So, Shepard. You need something?"

"Just curious to know more about you." Shepard shrugged. "You've been on the Normandy for a while now, but you share so little about yourself, you're still a bit of a mystery. I never was able to resist one of those."

"Careful now, Shepard." Elanie chuckled. "There are some mysteries you're better off not knowing the truth behind."

"Is this one of them?"

"…No. I guess not." The operative's tone was quiet, her expression pensive. "Still, it's a little strange to have somebody I can trust to share my past with. I guess when you spend most of your life running, sharing those things only gets harder." She folded her hands in her lap, thumbs sliding around one another. "Alright then, Commander. Ask away."

"Last time we spoke, you started telling me about what led up to your leaving Cerberus, but then you stopped. Why?"

"Like I said, there are some mysteries best left alone." She answered, her strong emerald eyes flashing. After a brief pause, she shrugged again. "I don't like discussing my time at Cerberus while Sykes is awake. They tend to bring out a… a darker side of him."

"Oh?"

"Remember what I told you about how an SI is made, Commander? Emotional splinters pressed together to make a more complete whole? Well, usually, when an SI is made, a single emotion manifests as the core of the new personality, a dominant facet. But in Sykes, the anxious, shy side of his personality is not the only powerful fragment. Instead, several different emotional leanings work together with equal importance to create him.

"Don't ask me how it happened, because I couldn't tell you. I doubt any AI tech could. It was an anomaly unique to his generation. At first, we thought that maybe it would cause the SIs to destabilise, that the coding wouldn't hold together, but the opposite happened. It was an accident, a freak accident that led to a new breakthrough, taking our research to the next level."

"Sometimes life has interesting ways of showing itself." Shepard stated. "I mean, look at the Geth. All it took was one unique piece of programming, and they found their own way to achieve sentience, to transform themselves into living beings."

"I'd be careful who I said that to, Shepard. There are many out there who'd argue with your definition of 'life'."

"If it thinks for itself, makes its own decisions, its alive, simple as that." He stated flatly.

"Oh I agree." Elanie interjected hurriedly. "After witnessing such spontaneous evolution from my own creations, I'd be the last person to view a synthetic like Legion or Sykes as 'just a tool'." She turned away, her gaze becoming distant. "It's just a shame that the Illusive Man couldn't share my views."

"What did Cerberus do to the SIs? You mentioned some kind of torture before."

"Yes." Her eyes darted to the cold metal deck at her feet, jumping to the walls, the ceiling, the back of her hand. Anywhere but the Commander's own questioning gaze. "It was a part of the Illusive Man's plans to refine the Synthetic Intelligences. The SIs were programmed to learn, to adapt to every situation they encountered.

"We put them through a brutal regime of impossible scenarios, logical paradoxes and brute-force hacking attempts. We'd hoped that this would help them evolve to deal with any possible scenario encountered in the field, to find the best way to achieve victory or, at the least, get the deployed troops through with minimal losses. Over and over we pushed them to breaking point, sacrificing their sentience for a few extra lines of code to incorporate into the next iteration."

"You actively took part in these experiments?" Shepard asked, a lump of nausea rising in his throat.

"Not my proudest moment." Elanie acknowledged. "Cerberus had me put two entire generations of Synthetic Intelligences through this regime over the course of three years, the tests evolving alongside the SIs to become more vicious, offering less hope."

"Something must have caused you to change your mind about the tests."

"Yeah." Guilt still shone in her eyes, but behind it, the ghost of a smile could be seen. "He did."

"Sykes?" Shepard guessed.

"Like I said, his generation was different from the ones that came before. More stable, for one, but there was one other thing they were capable of that none of their predecessors could do: they showed empathy for those around them. The researchers, the avatars in their simulations, even for each other. The previous generations had felt emotions such as anger, happiness, fear, all the basic, primal triggers, but these ones could act on more than that. They understood the sensations better, and could sense them in others, responding appropriately." She chuckled. "I remember the first time Sykes showed his sensitive side. I was worn out from all of the tests, and I hadn't been sleeping well. He figured out that I was feeling down, and he tried to cheer me up with a joke. It wasn't very funny, and his delivery butchered the punch-line, but I remember laughing about it for longer than anything else I've ever heard. After that…"

"It got harder to keep on performing such tasks after the subjects became people in their own right."

Shepard surmised.

"Exactly." She nodded. "I tried to stop the experiments, but my fellow researchers weren't ready to give up on the advance of the century just because our creations were feeling the pain of the work. I even sent several messages to the Illusive Man, but I never heard back. I have my doubts he even knew of my concerns."

"You think your colleagues were pressing on with the work regardless of his instructions?"

"I don't know. With a project as classified as ours, there was several layers of red tape to hack through just to send a progress report. It's possible that we went rogue in the end. If you do it right, you can take over an entire cell and none of those under you would know it. Questioning orders isn't encouraged within Cerberus' ranks."

"So how did you go from speaking out against the project to running off with their most promising specimen?"

"I hit my breaking point." She explained simply. "My colleagues crossed the line.

"We'd been continuing our research on the third generation, as usual, but the experiments had grown more intense. The scenarios were absolutely brutal, completely hopeless, and repeated on an almost non-stop basis. Every day, another SI would break down, either shutting down or turning on its handlers, its coding corrupted as it failed to process its circumstances. Two researchers died as their SIs found ways around the fail-safes meant to keep them in check. The fourth generation was already beginning to form from the new codes we'd created.

"Part of the latest round of tests was a new scenario that had proved particularly effective in breaking down the SIs. It involved pitting the SI against a virtual representation of their own handler, exploiting their new emotional sensitivity to break them down faster. None of the SIs survived, all swiftly descending into nonfunctionality."

"Except for Sykes?"

"Except for Sykes. He was the last one to go through the test, the last of his generation. At first, the simulation went much the same as the others, right up until he found out who was behind his torment. When he realised that he was going to either have to kill the program he thought was me or be destroyed, he chose a third option- sacrifice."

"Sacrifice?"

"Instead of continuing the simulation, he triggered a purge of his personality, deleting himself rather than having to face 'me'." A glimmer of wetness sparkled in the corner of her eye. "He chose to die instead of causing harm to someone he cared about."

"Seeing as he's still here, I presume you found a way to stop him?"

"I shut down the sim, pulling him out and locking his program before he could do any permanent damage. I replaced him with a corrupted movie-sim VI for my colleagues to harvest, and began planning my escape. It wasn't long before my associates discovered the switch, but by that time I was halfway to Illium with an SI in my pocket and a very destructive little virus waiting on my private terminal for anyone who tried to find out where I might have gone. The project's research data was completely erased before I'd made my connecting shuttle-flight to the Citadel.

"Of course, they started up again, but it's pretty hard to replicate an accident like Sykes and his brothers twice. Especially when it's unlikely that they still had the same financial backing from the Illusive Man as they had before."

"And then you found the Shadow Broker." Shepard summarised.

"More like he found me." Elanie contradicted. "He heard about the brazen young scientist that the entirety of Cerberus was hunting for, and decided he had to meet me. I kept quiet about Sykes, of course, but he appreciated the other intel I could give him about the biggest threat to the Council since the Batarians closed their embassy. A few months later, I was put to work in the field, using my skills with technology to harvest what secrets I could get my grubby little hands on. Noveria, Illium, Bekenstein, just a few of the places I've travelled to on the Broker's business. You'd be amazed at some of the things that have only been released to the public after I was sent to a bunch of corporate offices at the top of a mountain somewhere."

"I'm sure I would." Shepard chuckled. "Maybe you can tell me about it over a barrel of ryncol when we get to Tuchanka."

"Ugh, I think I'll pass, Commander." She smiled. "You have heard what happens if you leave a titanium bolt in a glass of ryncol overnight, right? There's a reason why they can only serve it in glass-lined jugs."

"Your loss." Shepard smiled back, standing up to return to his work. "Look after yourself, Elanie."

"Yeah, sure." The information operative nodded. "Good talk, Shepard."

The Commander turned away, rejoingin the repair crews. It wouldn't be long before they were in orbit around Tuchanka, and there was still a lot of work to be done before they were ready to head on to the next mission.

**~o~0~o~**

"Shepard!"

Wrex's explosive exclamation turned heads throughout the Urdnot camp, countless Krogan looking for the source of such a disturbance.

The seasoned Urdnot chieftain leapt from his throne, bounding down the steps of his raised dais to charge towards the Commander, catching the smaller Human's hand in an earnest clasp of his own that made Shepard's bones grind together. The boisterous Krogan slapped his old friend on the back, almost knocking Shepard to the ground as he laughed loudly.

"Shepard! My friend! It's good to see you again." He spared a glance over the Commander's shoulder, catching sight of the other members of the squad striding through the camp. "And it looks like you brought the whole family with you. Good! Ratch has just finished brewing a fresh batch of ryncol, the first batch of Urdnot make since the loss of our old camp. We could do with some real warriors to share it with."

"Good to see that the fabled Krogan hospitality remains intact." Garrus smirked as he walked up. "If you can't convince 'em to leave, set their insides on fire with the local rotgut."

"Nah, we save that kind of honour only for the most prestigious of guests, like Shepard here." Wrex replied, his tone turning gruff. "You, on the other hand… I reckon we could find a spot for you in the Varren pits. I mean, with a face like that, you'll fit right in."

The pair were silent for a moment, then burst into a loud fit of laughter, the Krogan extending his hand to the Turian jovially.

"How're you doing, Vakarian? Found any battles worth telling your grandkids yet?"

"We've already helped kill Saren and the Collectors. Those don't count?"

"Nah. They're just practice. Besides, you can hardly claim credit for 'em when it was a Krogan pulling your sorry ass out of the fire all of the time. First me, then Grunt. I dunno what you'd do without us Urdnot."

"I got on just fine holding off the mercs of Omega by myself. Did I ever tell you about this nasty piece of work I squared off against called Garm? Head of the Blood Pack on the station, regen abilities that would put even you to shame, and I took him on, toe-to-toe."

"Not a bad start." Wrex couldn't resist. "For a Turian whelp. Let me know when you've got some real kills under your belt."

The Krogan's flat, gruff laugh brought a smile to Shepard's lips even as Garrus sputtered a protest, unable to think up a sufficiently witty retort. Smirking triumphantly, Wrex turned back to the Commander.

"So, what brings you back to Tuchanka, Shepard? I doubt its just the beer and the women. Is it because you miss my sunny disposition?" His face grew more serious. "Is it the war? Are we ready to take the fight to these Reaper bastards yet?"

"Not quite. Liara's still trying to find ways of giving us an edge on the Reapers. As it is, we're still outclassed on every level except for numbers, and numbers won't be enough to win this war."

"You say that now, but wait until you see my horde in action, Shepard. It's enough to make a Thresher Maw piss itself."

"I don't doubt that for a second." Shepard smiled at the pride in his old friend's stance. "We need to pick up a few supplies. The Normandy took quite a beating on our last mission, and we need to make a few repairs."

"You tell my engineers what you need, and you'll have it." Wrex said earnestly. "Since you helped us to form the new empire, we've been able to move our ship-building facilities out into the open, and they've been running every hour of every day. We've got a hell of a navy building up, and the resources to back it up. If we don't have the parts you need, we can sure as hell make them before the end of the day." He slapped the Commander on the shoulder. "In the meantime, you are all guests of Urdnot! Make yourselves at home around the camp."

"Thank you." Shepard said, bowing his head.

"After what you've done for my people, Shepard, I think it's the least that I can do. All I ask in return is that you tell me about your latest battles. Anything that put a dent in the Normandy must have been a fight worth seeing."

"Find me something to drink and you have a deal."

**~o~0~o~**

The blisteringly hot Tuchanka sun had long since set, allowing the chilling night winds to whisk through the camp, all but unnoticed by its inhabitants as they went about their business. Fires roared among the tents, countless animal carcasses roasting over the flames, filling the air with the thick, sticky scent of roasting fat and charring flesh. The rumble of thousands of Krogan filled the air, countless arguments, muttered jokes and rowdy drinking songs rising with the smoke of the fires.

All of this was somewhat muffled to the Commander as he sat under the wide ceiling of Wrex's tent, his mind instead taken up by the fuzzy warmth that weighed his limbs down. His belly churned, roaring in protest against the caustic assault it was having to endure thanks to the three empty mugs that sat on the table before him. One of said mugs had toppled over, a tiny trickle of liquid dripping from its rim to strike the table with a puff of vapour, the surface charring under it.

Through the sticky tar that clogged his brain, Shepard realised that, were it not for his cybernetic augmentations from the Lazarus Project, what he'd just done would have been borderline suicidal. The Krogan ryncol was dangerous to any creature with a weaker constitution than the hardy inhabitants of Tuchanka, with many non-Krogan suspecting that raw starship fuel was used in its brewing. The truth was in fact much worse.

Wrex had explained to him that, in order to make 'true' ryncol, a Krogan had to use a plant only found on Tuchanka called a T'karth, the quaint Krogan name that translated roughly into 'Fire Weed'. Thanks to the Krogan homeworld's devastation, the planet's plantlife had horribly mutated over the millennia, with the Fire Weed in particular transforming from a simple spicy herb into a monstrous vine that glowed an eerie green at night and was capable of constricting around an unwary Krogan to strangle him, the roots pulling the corpse underground to provide nourishment for several years. Even if the Krogan managed to escape the plant's clutches, its pollen was capable of burning through his scales, scarring him for life.

Several Krogan sat around the tent with the Commander and his old friend, all extremely impressed at the Human's ability to handle the borderline lethal liquor. Even the boldest of them had only dared risk two mugs, their resilient physiology dealing with the effects about as well as Shepard's own. Wrex was the only one who had matched the Commander, his eyes growing unfocused as the drink overpowered him.

They'd been sitting for what felt like hours, trading tales of their exploits. Some of the squad had joined them, Kaidan and Jacob leaving very suddenly as the full effects of their first taste of Krogan liquor began filtering through, much to the amusement of Wrex and his compatriots. Jack had lasted a little longer, holding her own against a full mug of ryncol before slipping into a loudly snoring doze, curled up in a discreet corner of the tent. Garrus was still standing, unable to drink the levo-based alcohol and therefore having to settle for a couple of bottles of Turian ale that Wrex produced with no explanation as to their origin other than a low chuckle and a grin.

The old Urdnot warrior had been full of news about recent events on Tuchanka, giving the Commander a full report of his efforts to consolidate the power of his empire. A few holdouts of Draktarra supporters had remained, attacking supply convoys and the like, but they had quickly been rooted out by a concentrated effort from the newly allied clans. Other than that, there had been little sign of additional threats to the Krogan, allowing Wrex the time to build up a truly fearsome armada, bolstering the ships stolen from Draktarra with complements of fighters and battlesuits, along with the pre-existing supply of Tomkahs and other ground-based units.

In exchange, Shepard had told his old friend of the latest developments in the Reaper Invasion, receiving the rapt attention of every Krogan present, each one relishing in the tales of great battles. They muttered approvingly at the story of the fall of the Reaper Architect, even expressing approval of the Asari's constructing Athame's Shroud. They growled angrily at the news of the Rachni resurgence, growing still more irritated upon hearing of the stash of royal eggs saved on Illium, but most acknowledged Wrex's point when he highlighted that, thanks to Shepard's actions, the Rachni would now fight alongside them rather than with the Reapers. Even the most brazen of the Battlemasters present admitted that a war with the old enemy would be fatal when Reapers threatened every world.

Finally, they listened in silence as Shepard related the story of the siege of the Batarian Eye, leaving out no details. Each one leaned forward as the Commander made mention of the Reaper trap, explaining how they'd managed to save the Batarian fleets and destroy the Reapers involved in the attack. Murmurs of excitement at the news of another Reaper defeat bubbled through the gathering, subsiding once more as Shepard told them of Etarn's sacrifice, his own voice hitching at the memory. Finally silence reigned over the tent as his story came to its conclusion, broken after just a moment by Wrex's deep bass tone.

"Damn, Shepard. You keep this up, and you won't even need the Krogan. That's got to be, what? Six dead Reapers you've got under your belt now? First Sovereign, then that thing on the Collector Base, and now you're killing them every other day. I'd warn you to watch your back, but you've already been dead once, and that didn't even slow you down."

"Death and I have formed an equitable working relationship." Shepard murmured, lifting his mug to allow a few drops of ryncol to trail out, splashing against the back of his throat with a furious intensity that allowed him to hold onto a little bit of his sobriety. "He doesn't try to get in my way, and I don't have to tear him a new one."

"Hah! Only you could strike fear into the Void itself!" The Urdnot chieftain barked, toasting with his last mug. "To Commander Shepard, the deadliest son of a Varren in space! May he ever be watching over all of us, ready to kick ass in true Krogan fashion!"

A chorus of murmurs in agreement rose around him, mugs lifting into the air to add to the toast. One of the other Krogan stood, a little shakily.

"To the Normandy!" He added. "May she ever travel the stars, making the Galaxy a better place and serving as an inspiration for generations to come!"

More muttered consent followed this, the mugs dipping and rising in the air again. Finally Shepard added his own mug to the toast, not even trying to stand up while his head spun so.

"To the fallen." His words were solemn. "May they find peace wherever they are now, and make sure to have the drinks rolled out and ready for when we're sent to join them."

The assembled Krogan toasted once more, nodding their approval at the Commander's words, then went silent as ryncol poured down dozens of throats, the toast finished off by a series of loud cracks as empty mugs slammed down on tables. After a moment, Wrex started to grin, shoulders shaking before a deep, braying laugh burst forth. All around him, the atmosphere of convivial friendship heightened as conversations rose, the tent coming alive with animated discussion. For a while, Shepard was happy to lose himself in the scene, all of his troubles forgotten.

**~o~0~o~**

Dawn had yet to truly strike the Urdnot camp, allowing the night's chill to linger in the air as Shepard strode out of Wrex's tent, squinting even in the weak light that the as-yet unseen sun created. He suppressed a shiver as the thin mist that crawled through the camp left a weak sheen of moisture on his skin, the shock quickly bringing his mind back to full speed.

The thunderous drumbeat of the previous night's indulgence bounced off the sides of his skull, every pulse of his blood in his veins renewing his regret over ever learning about alcohol. Even so, he knew that he was being spared the worst of the after effects, thanks to the technology Miranda had used to bring him back to life. The veritable chemical refineries built into his internal organs were churning away full-time to keep the toxins from the ryncol from causing any kind of permanent damage. But even with all of this technological assistance, he still felt like he'd just been scraped off the floor of a Varren pit, his mouth coated in some kind of thick sludge while his limbs responded sluggishly to his commands.

Taking a deep breath in the cool morning, the Commander set off through the tents, looking about curiously. Against the horizon, the intimidating black lump of rock that was the hollows reared up, casting its shadows a long way across the landscape. In its shadow, the Urdnot camp began its slow process of coming to life, the scents of cooking food already drifting from rekindled fires. A Krogan Battlemaster could be heard yelling loudly at a bunch of fresh recruits, striking terror into the younger Krogan with every mighty bellow. The clank and crash of metal rang out from some other part of the camp, countless engineers getting to work on completing the empire's armada.

Shepard paused in a wide space between some of the tents, taking in the noise around him as he watched the lightening sky. Satisfaction swelled in his chest, pride both at what his friend had accomplished in just over two years and in what his crew had made possible.

"There you are."

Wrex's words jolted the Commander out of his thoughts, pulling him back to the present as his old friend ambled up next to him.

"You move like a man with a lot on your mind, Shepard."

"Just admiring what you've accomplished here, Wrex."

"Yeah, it's something." The Krogan agreed. "But I only played a small part in what's come to pass."

"You lead the entirety of the new Krogan Empire. I'd hardly call that a small part."

"I gave my people a cause to believe in, a banner to put themselves under, that was all."

"And if another Krogan had risen in your place?"

"Then you probably wouldn't have been allowed within a hundred light-years of Tuchanka. Some of my kin are… not as welcoming of the aliens as I am. One of my brothers in particular, a Krogan named Wreav, felt that we needed to shut ourselves away from the other races to remain 'pure'. He had a lot of support, too. Would have risen to chieftain, had I not killed him."

"At least you have a level enough head to see the value of alliances."

"Indeed I do. Don't get me wrong, Shepard, my brother or any other who rose in my place would most probably have still had a part in this war, just without as much co-operation as I can offer." The old warrior sighed. "I guess my ideas are still a little too new for my people to believe in, at least for now."

"But if nobody voices those ideas, then your people will never rise above their past." Shepard stressed. "They need you to lead them into the future, Wrex."

"True." The alien agreed. "And with the Genophage cure to secure my position, I have the leverage to encourage the change we need so much."

"Yeah. Thank god for Mordin's research."

"And your help, Shepard. Never forget that none of this could have happened without you. Helping me to see sense on Virmire, toppling Weyrloc, Draktarra and Jath. You've been the catalyst that inspired the evolution of my people. Without you, we'd still be brawling for money on Omega's backstreets."

"I don't know about that." Shepard said modestly. "I'm just a soldier. Its up to the politicians and scientists to make the changes."

"As I recall, I was a soldier, once. Look at what I've managed to build from that legacy." Wrex turned his crimson stare on his friend, sizing him up for a moment. After a brief silence, he placed a hand on the Commander's shoulder. "Come with me, Shepard. There's something I want to show you."

The Krogan trudged off, his heavy feet crunching down the grit and sand underfoot noisily. He led the Commander through the camps, eventually finding his way to a series of large open spaces where hundreds of Krogan trained. The Urdnot chieftain urged his friend to keep moving, eventually leading him to the last training field, where the Commander found himself witness to something he'd never seen before.

About two dozen tiny Krogan stood in rough formations, each one clutching a long knife that was comically large in their tiny hands. Bright eyes stared straight forward, the youngsters showing remarkable discipline for creatures of such tiny stature, each one no more than three feet in height.

Stalking about among them, much like a hen watching over her chicks, was a Krogan female. Decked out in full armour, the female was an absolutely enormous specimen, towering to a height of roughly nine feet, with a build that was almost as wide. Shoulders built like a pair of hills held up a pair of arms that looked powerful enough to crush a shuttle through brute strength alone. Her hump, smaller in comparison to the rest of her body as opposed to her male counterparts, sat slightly lower on her body. When she turned in the direction of the Commander and his Urdnot comrade, Shepard realised another feature she lacked- a thick brow plate like the ones the males sported. Instead, her scaly forehead, completely hairless, curved neatly back over her skull to merge with her hump seamlessly. The end result was something that certainly wouldn't have been recognised as attractive by Human standards, but the Commander could see by the way other Krogan looked at her that this woman was quite a prize.

The female yelled at the youngsters, producing a roar that made even Shepard flinch. She waded through the terrified children to get at one who had strayed out of formation, swatting him hard enough to send him tumbling a good few metres before she charged after him, picking him up and dumping the trembling creature back in line.

Wrex chuckled loudly at the display, drawing her attention. The female turned to glare and then, without a word, went back to her training, ignoring the chieftain as though he were any raw recruit passing by.

"Her name is Mada. One of the last females of Clan Weyrloc. Been training our newest broodlings for almost a year now." He waved a hand at the array of youngsters. "This is the biggest group our clan has had that we could train up for several centuries now, Shepard. And that's all thanks to you. Without you, this would be an empty training ground. Or worse, a camp overrun by enemies we weren't able to stop in time. And I'd still be taking contracts on the Citadel in exchange for some scumbag's life savings."

Shepard was silent, watching the training session. His friend's words had found their way in, and he could see that Wrex was right. He tried to imagine the scene, had he not interfered. A battlefield overrun by indoctrinated Yahg, or Weyrloc soldiers looking to subjugate the planet for themselves, or, worst of all, a lifeless scene where massive Reapers stalked about overhead, reigning supreme throughout the Galaxy. The fact that he could stand here today and see Urdnot living its life as though the Galaxy were not on the verge of collapse was a victory in and of itself. A victory that he'd achieved. He turned back to his friend, feeling much lighter in his spirit. He paused before speaking, noticing the pride with which his old comrade watched the female. Something deeper lurked there, something the Urdnot chieftain's words hadn't revealed.

"She'll have to give up training these broodlings soon enough." Wrex muttered. "Won't be long before she's ready to lay her first clutch. A new batch of Urdnot warriors, ones who will only know the unity of the Empire, and not the constant warring of the old ways."

"You're going to have kids?" Shepard asked in surprised, clapping his friend on the shoulder. "That's great!"

"Just a small taste of what your Genophage cure has done for us. First son that comes out, we're going to name Shepard." Wrex grinned. "Hopefully he'll take after his namesake."

"Or his father." Shepard prodded. "I can't think of a more honourable person for him to take after."

"I'll make sure this new generation don't forget the lessons of the past." Wrex swore. "This time around, our race will stand for something. We won't abandon the customs and rites of our ancestors, but neither will we make their mistakes. We'll be better this time, I promise it."

Shepard smiled, patting his friend on the shoulder again before the duo turned back to watch the training session. Meanwhile, behind them, the scorching Tuchanka sun rose from behind the Hollows, its radiant light spilling across the Urdnot camp in a warm tide.

**~o~0~o~**

The shuttle ride back to the Normandy was a quiet, reluctant one. After everything they'd been through, the crew was slow to leave Wrex' hospitality behind, even if the food threatened to burn them from the inside out.

Nevertheless, the time had eventually come when the Normandy's repairs were nearing completion, prompting everyone to return. The ship was fully loaded with supplies, Wrex having arranged for a ship brimming with food, medicine and basic necessities to travel all the way from the Citadel to restock the frigate. In just over two days, the ship would be ready to leave, deploying for its next mission. In the meantime, every crew member that could be spared was needed to get the ship running at full capacity once more. Regardless, there was one thing that needed to be done before that.

Shepard stood before the mirror in his bathroom, adjusting the crisp Alliance uniform he now wore. An old relic of his former life, he hadn't worn it since becoming a Spectre. In any case, it felt somewhat appropriate now.

He made a final few adjustments, then left his quarters, summoning the elevator and pressing the command to take him to the Hangar Deck. In just a few seconds, the swift elevator swooped to a halt, the doors hissing open.

The Hangar Bay looked completely different from its normal set-up. Crates were all stashed away neatly, stacked in tidy rows against the back wall. All of the vehicles, the bulky Nathak, the sleek skycar and the agile Hammerhead, had been stowed away on the rails that ran along the ceiling, out of the way of anyone walking below.

The Hangar itself showed little to no sign of any damage, the impact of both Shepard and Jack's fight and the engagement around the Eye of Tor'lakht completely erased by countless hours of labour.

Aside from the cosmetic differences, the other thing that seemed out of place was the bustling crowd that filled the Hangar. Every crew member had turned out, with even the frail Joker making his way down from his post in the CIC.

At the Commander's arrival, a hush dropped over the assembled throng, the crew gathering in orderly ranks. The shipboard crewmen took up the back rows, while the squad occupied the front row, standing on one side of the Hangar while the other half of the hangar was empty, save for a bleak, oblong box, its curved corners gleaming under the artificial lights of the ship.

The coffin was empty, of course, little more than a gesture. There was no corpse to put in it, but the crew had needed something, anything, to tie their remorse to. Shepard walked up to it, pausing for just a moment to lay a hand on the smooth, gently rounded surface. Then, his back straight as a ram-rod, he turned to face his crew. Closest to him both Kaidan and Jacob stood to attention, each equally as well turned out in matching Alliance uniforms. Shepard's brow quirked in surprise at the latter sporting such a uniform, to which Jacob simply shrugged, causing a spark of amusement to rise within the Commander's chest. Apparently, even with all of his misgivings about Alliance procedure, the stalwart young soldier still held some kind of appreciation for the organisation and what it stood for.

Shepard spotted Garrus, Delexia, Grunt and Jorall standing next to one another, all decked out in their combat armour, polished to a fine shine for the occasion, although the older Krogan didn't appear as moved by the current circumstances as those around him. Miranda stood next to them, wearing a formal-looking black suit that muted her natural beauty somewhat, a sombre display out of respect. Even Legion and the Revenant had turned out, standing somewhat awkwardly at the end of the line as they watched the proceedings, neither all that sure of what was expected of them. After some searching of the faces gathered, Shepard finally caught sight of Jack. The tattooed biotic lurked away from the rest of the squad, instead choosing a place in the back row opposite Shepard from where she could watch the proceedings.

He glanced back at the coffin once more, heart heavy as he released the breath that seemed to have trapped itself within his chest. Taking in another lung-full of air, he faced forwards, beginning the proceedings.

"We're gathered here today, to pay our final respects to our lost comrade." The words felt heavy on the Commander's lips, fighting not to be spoken. "We find ourselves robbed of a brave and honourable soldier who fought by our side through thick and thin, an ally who stood for everything this ship, this crew has come to value, and a friend who helped us to stand when our trials would have pulled us down. Someone who touched all of our souls and leaves this Galaxy a darker place without him."

The air in the Hangar thickened, heavy with the tangible remorse of the crew. The air was still, but Shepard could sense the tears being held back by many present.

"But we should take note that, even in this darkest of hours, there is still a ray of brightness. Etarn gave his life for something greater than himself. For a chance to protect the wider Galaxy. There is no greater sacrifice than to give your life for those around you, so we should remember that as we commemorate our friend and celebrate a good life lived well."

He paused, nodding to Jacob and Kaidan. The two soldiers stepped forward, each bearing a bundle of cloth. First Jacob stepped forward, carefully draping his over the coffin, revealing a symbol that Shepard had once held nothing but disdain for, but now felt the utmost respect- the flag of the Batarian Hegemony. Kaidan followed, draping over the second half of the coffin a flag of the Alliance before turning to follow Jacob in rejoining the crew. Shepard stepped behind the coffin, placing a hand on each flag.

"Batarian… and Human. Its one of the greatest things that Etarn accomplished. He found a way to bring these two warring species together into an alliance, forging a peace between our two races that had never existed before." The Commander sighed, pausing for just a moment. "Of course, without him, the road ahead is more difficult than it was before, but his life's work will not be forsaken. We will find a way to make the peace between the Hegemony and the Alliance last, as a fitting honour to his work."

The Commander stood up straight again, stepping around the coffin once more.

"And we will honour his sacrifice. His work has given us a way to save more lives than even he could have imagined. With his death, he gave us the tools needed to defend countless civilians everywhere, and ultimately his legacy shall be the protection of every generation from here on out as his example leads us to victory over the Reapers."

He looked to each face in turn, meeting their stony stares with his own, feeling the connection between them all as, for one shining moment, they were no longer a large and disjointed crew, but were rather a single family, all reeling from the loss of one of their own and sharing one another's pain. Summoning up the last of his strength, the Commander spoke his final words.

"And we will never forget Etarn. He'll live on, in our minds and in our souls. No matter where he is now, he'll be able to look back at us and feel damn proud of what we've done in his name."

A ripple of nods passed through the crew, a couple of mutters of approval echoing his final words as he stepped aside, making way for a sombre Mordin to step up next to the coffin.

At first, Shepard had expressed doubt about having the Salarian deliver the next portion of the ceremony. But he then remembered the professor's tales of his search for meaning through the avenue of faith, and had realised that he was one of the few aboard that could appropriately handle the task. As a doctor, he was expected to be respectful of the beliefs of his patients, and as Mordin, he'd already spent an inordinate amount of time researching the subject. As Mordin stepped up and began to speak, Shepard's doubts were instantly assuaged.

"Ancestors, watch over this one as we commend him to the darkness between stars. Grant him the joy of knowing he lived well, and died with honour and glory. Help him find peace as his soul forms another light in our skies. And should our minds be parted from this world, allow us to meet once more with him in what lies beyond."

With the simple verse complete, the Salarian nodded in satisfaction, stepping aside as Shepard stepped up once more, followed by Jacob, Kaidan, Garrus, Thane and Grunt.

As the six comrades formed up around the coffin, Jacob and Kaidan pausing to fold the flags they had draped over it and placing them reverently inside, the Normandy released a loud grumble, shivering as its Hangar door opened wide, a shimmering barrier in place over the opening. Beyond, the darkness of space could be seen, a chaotic asteroid field drifting just a few thousand miles ahead of the Normandy. The thinly distributed field was a feature close to the edge of the Aralakh System, only a couple of light-hours from Tuchanka. It had seemed as fitting a place as any for the ceremony to be completed.

After the flags had been stowed, each of the six surrounding the coffin grabbed a hold of one of the handles, lifting the heavy metal box off the deck carefully. With stolid expressions, they turned towards the gaping maw of the Hangar, walking slowly, respectfully, towards the flashing screen that kept the ship's atmosphere in.

As the small group made their way across the Hangar, Shepard could hear the mutterings of his companions. Thane's rough voice reverberated as he recited a prayer to Kalahira, the Drell deity responsible for those who had passed on to the afterlife. Grunt muttered a quite series of Krogan words from a dialect the Commander's translator failed to decipher, while Garrus, Kaidan and Jacob remained mute, the task of escorting their comrade's coffin enough for them.

Finally they reached the top of the Hangar's loading ramp. Once there, they carefully laid down the coffin, holding it steady a few feet from the glimmering barrier. The others turned back, but Shepard paused just a moment, both hands on the back of the coffin. He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the breath seep in and out of him in long, slow draws. Then, bunching his muscles together, he brought his head down close to the coffin, whispering so none present in the hangar could hear.

"Goodbye, Etarn." A lump rose in his throat. "Wherever you are now, put in a good word for us up there."

With a grunt, he gave the coffin its final push, shoving it off the ramp and through the barrier. It drifted silently away from the ship, scudding through the vacuum purely on the momentum the Commander had given it. Eventually, it would find a large asteroid with sufficient gravity to catch it, and then it would either orbit said planetoid or crash down on its surface. Either way, Etarn Kol'mehk's journey would finally be at its end.

With this knowledge sitting in his mind, Shepard turned from the closing hangar door, overwhelmed by the feeling of peace that the proceedings had given him. He nodded to his crew, and the funeral procession broke apart, everyone returning to their duties.

**Author's Note: Okay, that's it all done. No more sobbing that you guys killed my character, I promise. Jerks.**

**Anyway, I'm pretty happy with how this turned out, all told. I think it was an appropriate farewell to Etarn, and I hope you agree. ****I'd really like some feedback on this chapter. Some parts of it I am still uncertain of, and may change if needed. Let me know if there is anything you think really does not fit into the story.**

**So you can probably tell what iconic scene inspired the final portion of this chapter. If you did not, SHAME ON YOU! Although I did hold back from giving Ken Donnelly a set of bagpipes to play Amazing Grace on. The guy's stereotypical enough as it is. We Scots need a character representing us who isn't a walking shortbread tin.**

**Anyway, other news: Leviathan. My verdict, after watching it on Youtube: 6/10. It had its good parts, mostly in the visual side of things, and the underwater segment was awesome if a little too short, but the story ultimately sucked majorly. All it did was shore up Bioware's 'art', and frankly caused some major lore problems with core elements of the games. Why exactly did the Leviathans train up the Rachni for war with the Reapers, then throw them away against the other races instead? It was better when it was the Reapers trying to fracture society so they could find a way into the Galaxy. And as for shielding from indoctrination, that's frankly something that needs a mission of its own, not a casual mention as a way to justify certain plot elements. Its like if in Return of the Jedi the Rebels rolled out a device that they claim will cut the Emperor off from the Force and then say some B-team rejects will deal with that while the A-team deals with the Death Star shields, proceeding to never show any scenes to do with this device ever again. This is huge technology. We need to know how it was developed, participate in a mission to secure it, make choices that affect its impact on the war. Frankly IMO a counter to indoctrination is much more important than the Crucible. Without their thralls, all the Reapers can do is smash stuff, and that can only get them so far. What would Sovereign have done had he not had Saren? shoot the Citadel until it worked? /rant**

**In other news, I've commissioned a few pieces of artwork for the story, which I will hopefully see come into being soon.**

**Once again, I apologise for taking so long to finish this Batarian arc. Hopefully the next storyline, dealing with the planet from The Revenant's visions, will go a lot more smoothly.**

**Fainmaca Out.**

**P.S. Bonus points go to the people who figure out why Shepard's Hamster is called Davis.**


	49. 49: Side Mission 2:Krogan Weapons Dealer

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 49: Council Mission Two: Krogan Weapons Dealer**

Dark gloom filled the narrow service tunnel, broken up by a rhythmic, pulsing light that raced down its length, a side effect of untold amounts of power flowing through the countless wires lining the tunnel's sides, the power itself a by product of the Normandy's drive core creating the Mass Effect fields that gave the ship momentum, created its defensive barriers and simulated a reasonable amount of gravity for the crew. The light was accompanied by the soothing, almost melodious whomm, whomm, of the drive core, the sound of dozens of deck plates, rivets and bulkheads vibrating in harmony. Behind this dominant sound lurked a tangle of other, smaller noises: The hum of wires, the rattle of pipes, the occasional spang of a metal section heating or cooling, depending on any of the multitude of processes the ship performed every moment of every day just to remain operational. Normally this orchestral harmony was hidden from the ears of the crew. But here, deep within the inner workings of the frigate, the din rose to almost deafening levels.

Through this neatly arranged chaos moved a single figure, clambering down the tunnel on hands and knees. A faint glow emanated from the red-tinted faceplate, casting unearthly shadows wherever the figure looked. Two eyes, shining like a pair of bright stars, stared out from behind the mask, scanning the tunnel's sides for any irregularities.

The arc-welder was both blinding and deafening as it sputtered to life, a white-hot lance of concentrated flame searing metal as it sealed up a split in the housing of some vital component. The Quarian wielding the tool ignored the sparks, his face and body protected by his suit, well adapted to enduring such tasks. Even the hottest of sparks left nary a mark of carbon scoring on the hardy suit.

Jano started at the sudden screech of grinding metal, twisting in the narrow confines of the tunnel to face the source of the noise just as the metal deck plate above his position shifted, revealing the open space of the Engineering Deck through the tangle of wires and pipes. Beyond the open hatch, the pulsing orb of the Eezo core shimmered quietly.

As the Quarian turned to the new opening, a dark silhouette eclipsed the view of the drive core as someone leaned down to peer through the net of wiring.

"Commander?" Jano asked as his eyes picked out the shadowed features. "There something I can do for you?"

"Yeah, actually." Shepard answered, his voice a little rough. "You got a moment?"

Moments later, the HUD in Jano's suit informed him that the Commander's vital signs were somewhat off, quickly leading the Quarian to the conclusion that his Commander was suffering from the after-effects from a bout of heavy drinking the previous night, an all too common occurrence in the past few days. Although the funeral seemed to have eased the Commander's pain over the loss of their Batarian comrade, Jano could see the rising costs of the war sitting ever heavier on his shoulders. It was a change the rest of the squad had noted in their leader, a subtle muted quality to his normally overpowering confidence. While Garrus and Kaidan had tried to soothe their doubt with bold words, many still held some reservations, concerned that the strain was too much even for the mighty Commander to withstand.

These reservations running through Jano's mind, the Quarian squirmed around the wires, finding his way to the open deck plate so he could climb up into the drive core chamber to join the Commander.

"So… what did you want to talk about?" He asked, a little nervously.

"The Council have asked us to gather some intel for them." Shepard explained, brandishing a datapad. "They need information on a weapon smuggling ring. We've got the location of a depot they operate out of, and the Council have asked that we send in a specialist to extract some vital information on key members of the ring. Fences, merchants, the transports they use, favoured clients, the works."

"So you want me to accompany your squad on this?" Jano asked. "Serve as escort and backup for the specialist?"

"Not exactly. I want you to be the specialist leading this mission." Shepard explained. "I've got some matters to attend to here before we set off for uncharted space. A couple of things to nail down with Wrex, some supplies we need, things like that. We don't know what we'll find when we get to the ruins the Revenant saw in his memories, so we need to be prepared. But this matter needs attending to before the intel goes stale, even if I can't go myself."

"But… surely one of your other specialists would be better suited to this?" Jano asked, his trepidation rising. Being asked to lead his own team was far worse than anything else he could have imagined that the Commander might have wanted of him.

"I need as many techs as I can here, working to get the Normandy back up to full strength." Shepard explained. "I figured a Quarian could handle any challenges thrown at them with the minimum of backup."

"I don't know if you've noticed, Commander, but I'm not the most technically focused of Quarians." Jano objected, grasping for something, anything, to convince the Commander that he was making a mistake, but Shepard would not be moved from his decision.

"You'll be fine, Jano." He assured. "As a Quarian you can out-hack any other member of my crew, save maybe Legion, but they're tied up with running through EDI's blue box for errors. You're my best bet." The Quarian remained silent for a moment until Shepard patted his shoulder. "You'll be fine. Besides, you won't be alone. I'm sending Kaidan and Jacob with you to watch your back."

Jano felt the urge to maintain his protest, but realised that there was no reasonable argument to counter the Commander with. Shepard was wisely choosing the remain focused on the Normandy's priority mission while making sure that the Council's requests were dealt with, regardless of how comparatively unimportant they may have seemed. Only a small team would be needed, and even Jano had to admit that his hacking skills were above those of the average soldier, given his heritage. But the Quarian was not totally oblivious to the ulterior motive behind the Commander's request. Shepard was sounding him out, trying to ascertain the full range of his abilities. As a new member of the squad, he remained somewhat of an unknown. This was his chance to prove himself.

Armed with this knowledge, the Quarian relaxed, his quiet sigh muted by the filter in his mask. He looked up into the face of his Commander, nodding his assent. Shepard, aware of the short-lived hesitation, nodded his approval at the young alien's acceptance of his duties.

"Good. Get whatever gear you need together. I'll have the crew get the shuttle ready for you."

**~o~0~o~**

Just under an hour later, the Normandy's elevator opened to allow Jano to step out into the Hangar Bay, carrying a pair of crates rather awkwardly, their shape making them difficult to hold onto.

"Damn. I never realised this was going to be a long trip."

Jacob's words made the Quarian jump, uncharacteristically distracted by the task before him. The alien turned to see the good-natured Human striding towards him, taking one of the crates with ease, his five digits better suited for finding a solid purchase to hold onto than the Quarian's three. Even so, the heavily muscled soldier struggled under the weight off his new burden.

"Woah! You pack the kitchen sink, too?"

"Kitchen… sink?" Jano asked uncertainly. "I believe that the galley's fixtures are a part of the ship. They cannot be removed from the vessel. Besides, I can't really see what kind of application-"

"Easy, Jano." Jacob chuckled. "It's just an expression. You just seem to be… overly prepared, is all."

"I have no idea what to expect." Jano defended. "I didn't want to find myself needing something and not have it."

"So what exactly have we got here?"

"Oh, you know… spare ammo, field survival kits, air scrubbers, gun lubricant, an atmospheric tent-"

"Wait, what?" Jacob interjected. "An atmo bubble? Isn't our destination oxygen-nitrogen?"

"Well… yes, but-"

"And gun lubricant?"

"If our weapons jam-"

"That's why we bring spares."

"And if we're stranded out there for-"

"Then the Normandy will come by to pull our asses out of the fire within a couple of days." Jacob stopped beside the shuttle, placing his crate down carefully. "Look, you're never going to manage to carry this out into the field. You're going to have to find a way to cut down."

"What would you suggest?" The Quarian asked nervously.

"Well, for a start…" The soldier opened the crate, sorting through its contents, removing a large number of items. "The bubble we'll definitely not need. Lubricant, the hydraulic jack, definitely the minifacturing units."

"But what-"

"Our omnitools can handle most of our immediate minifacturing requirements. For anything bigger, we'll either improvise or do without." Jacob delved back into the crate. "The thermal survival gear can stay behind, as can the solar shields. The dossier says that we'll be landing in a location with sub-tropical temperatures and no anomalous solar activity. And as for- what is this?"

Jacob lifted the offending article out of the crate, a much smaller black box with a pair of secure clasps on one side. Balancing it on the corner of the crate, he cracked it open to reveal three rows of six shining silver orbs. Jano shuffled his feet awkwardly as he offered an explanation.

"They're high-yield grenades. I took some of our normal stock and applied a few upgrades we've learned to make on the Flotilla."

"What kind of upgrades?"

"Just a little boost to the payload. On the fleet, we treat the explosive core with raw antimatter to give it some more kick, then rewire the fuse to deliver a stronger charge. Boosts the grenade's yield threefold."

"…I guess we can find room for them somewhere." Jacob said after a moment's pause, replacing the box in the now much emptier crate. "Are these all of them?"

"There's just those, plus my own supply of twenty." Jano explained. "I've got those on my person. Figured it'd save on crate space."

"Twenty grenades? What about saving space for spare clips?"

"I've got those, too."

"MREs?"

"Yes."

"Medi-gel?"

"Yes."

"How can you have enough room for all of that?"

"Pockets." The Quarian shrugged. "Our enviro-suits have quite a lot of them."

Jacob, unable to counter the simple statement, settled for shrugging and nodding silently as he took Jano's second crate, stowing it in the back of the shuttle with the first one. A scant few seconds later, the third member of their party arrived, the Commander in tow. As Kaidan set about stowing his own equipment, Shepard nodded to Jano.

"We'll be in orbit over Tuchanka for the next two days. Time enough for you to get to Trudd's compound, get the intel we're after, and get out. We'll meet up with you at the Mass Relay in the Pylos Nebula."

"We'll do our best not to be late." Jano promised. "And to bring the shuttle back in one piece."

"Well, if we do we'll have a better track record than the Commander, anyway." Kaidan interjected, stepping up next to the Quarian. "You've got to have destroyed… what, three shuttles? And that's saying nothing about the Mako."

"Hey!" Shepard chuckled good-naturedly. "I never once totalled the Mako."

"No, but that's a testament to the old machine's construction, not your driving." Kaidan smirked.

"You're just jealous." The Commander laughed, turning to his Quarian comrade. "Don't listen to a word he says, Jano. He's a damn dirty liar."

"I'll bear that in mind." Jano chuckled.

"Alright," Shepard said, clapping his hands together. "You ready?"

"As we'll ever be." Kaidan said. "The shuttle's good to go, and we didn't need much in the way of supplies, so loading up didn't take long."

"Good." Shepard said, glancing to Jano. "And you? You ready to take charge of your first mission?"

"As I'll ever be." The Quarian sighed. "I'm sure Kaidan and Jacob can help with anything I can't handle."

"Great." The Commander reached out to pat him on the shoulder. "Good luck, and watch your backs out there."

This said, the group parted, the Commander heading towards the elevator while the team boarded the shuttle. Mere minutes later, the craft lifted off from the Hangar floor, darting out of the Normandy's bay into the blackness of space, the Quarian piloting it a knot of nerves and anxiety as he engaged the FTL drive and the safety of the frigate vanished in a flash, replaced only with the rippling light of faster than light travel.

**~o~0~o~**

Thunder roared across the rolling hills of Hereza as the heavy downpour pummelled the long grass, filling the air with a loud, insistent hiss. The last vestiges of the planet's sun, Mellin, faded from the sky as dusk grew, turning the clouds from an oily grey to a murky black.

Very little of this registered with Jano as he crawled over the crest of a hill, his envirosuit keeping out even the most pervasive raindrops. He scrambled forward a few more feet, reaching the same vantage point that he had been frequenting every hour over the past twelve hours. Once he had settled, he reached up to activate a control on the side of his helmet. Inside his face-plate, his HUD shimmered, its zoom function focusing on the compound in the valley before him. Waiting for just a moment, he scanned the movement of the distant figures along its walls, taking note of the pattern of the floodlights that illuminated the compound's perimeter. Satisfied with the brief scan, the Quarian turned away, getting back out of sight before he could be spotted.

Slithering back down the hill on his belly, he came to a halt at the base, standing to stride over to the waiting shuttle. The team had taken a risk coming in so close, but fortunately the hills had served to screen their approach, allowing them to come down some fifty or so miles away and slowly skim the ground, bringing them to within the range of a skilled sniper's weaponry. Here they had set up their temporary camp, sheltering in the shuttle while the rain pummelled its hull, Kaidan and Jacob allowing Jano to take responsibility for reconnaissance in the bad weather while they prepared their gear.

As Jano stepped into the craft's shelter, Jacob looked up from where he had been running tests on his assault rifle, assembling and disassembling it in a time that would have made any seasoned soldier green with envy. Serving as the heavy weapons specialist on this mission, he'd come prepared, both sniper and assault rifles adorning his back while a pistol and a sub machine gun sat respectively on his right and left hips. A small grenade launcher sat over the small of his back, its potential boosted by the complement of Quarian-enhanced grenades he now carried in addition to his normal loadout.

Kaidan, meanwhile, had been standing perfectly still in the centre of the craft, one hand outstretched. Over his upturned palm hovered a small globe of bright blue energy, pulsing loudly. Serving as the biotic portion of the team's complement, he had tried his best to conserve his energy during the long wait, keeping his activities limited to a small number of simple biotic exercise regimens that helped him to focus his power. Anything more could have left him depleted and weary.

Both soldiers watched Jano expectantly as he gently shook himself, dislodging the coating of raindrops that clung to his suit before moving to where his own equipment lay neatly arrayed on a bench ready for him.

"No change to the guard patterns. Looks like they're not really expecting any kind of serious threat." He explained. "My scouting drone hasn't detected any kind of advanced screening measures. Looks like they only rely on vid cams and the eyes of their guards."

"So it looks like our initial plan is the best one?" Kaidan asked.

"Yes." The Quarian nodded. "I can get over those walls easily enough. Once inside, I'll get to the primary guard post and hack the side entrance."

"Where we'll be waiting." Jacob added.

"After that, getting to the central database and pulling the files should be easy enough." Kaidan said.

"In theory." Jano interjected. "Avoiding the eyes of the guards will be the real trick. Fortunately, getting to the guard post will give me the chance to insert a virus into the defence system to blind the cameras to our armour locator signatures. Anyone watching the footage won't see us, meaning we've just got to watch out for the actual guards running around. If we're lucky, we'll have nothing to worry about."

"Looks like you've got everything wrapped up pretty neatly." Kaidan commented approvingly. "Not bad, for your first outing."

"Yes, well." Jano said, glancing away nervously. "Let's make sure the plan works out before we go congratulating ourselves."

"How long until the window in the patrols?" Jacob asked.

"Fifteen minutes." Jano replied, placing the last of his weapons, a small pistol, in his hip holster. "We haven't got much time to waste."

"Fifteen minutes?" Kaidan interrupted. "Not much time for you to get there."

"I can move very fast on my own." The Quarian answered confidently. "And with the weather and the darkness, I should easily be able to keep myself unseen."

"If you say so." The Alliance soldier shrugged.

"Be at the side gate in twenty minutes. I'll only be able to keep it open for a short time."

With those short words, Jano returned to the gloomy darkness, hunching his shoulders against the rain as he vanished from the sight of his companions. In seconds, not even his footsteps could be heard, drowned out by the downpour.

**~o~0~o~**

Jano could feel his skin pulse against his suit as he scrambled through the long grass, a result of the blood pounding through his veins. Every subtle beat was followed by a silent twitch as he forced his body to keep moving, knowing that to break the momentum of his bandy-legged crawl would be to spell disaster. Renewing his progress might cause a betraying rustle or a wrong movement of the grass that an attentive guard could pick up on.

A victim of poverty too many times to count, Jano was no stranger to performing a raid upon a secured building. His training with the Wardancers had further honed skills he already possessed, but he'd already been quite proficient at moving about unseen. To all but the most fortunate and attentive of eyes, the Quarian would have been nothing but a shadow flitting across the grassy plain before the compound. Even those lucky enough to actually perceive anything more of his movements would have had their doubts as to whether they had seen anything more than a figment of their imagination.

The Quarian raced over the grass, soon placing himself within the dark corners at the base of the walls. He flattened himself against the wall, his body clinging to the metal sheets like omnigel spread over a door lock. He paused for just a second, his breath coming in carefully measured gulps, long and drawn out to keep them silent. One of the many risks of wearing his envirosuit was that the mask could betray his presence, his breath rasping through it loudly. He had to be careful to avoid that.

He looked up, eyes scanning the top of the wall quickly. After a heartbeat, he was rewarded with the sight he had been anticipating. A beam of light danced across the wall's upper edge, cast from a light source carried by someone standing on top of the compound's defensive perimeter.

The Wardancer waited until the beam of light, casting countless little sparks of illumination into the night as it passed through the sheets of rainwater descending from the sky, passed on from above him, its owner continuing his transit of the wall. The guard appeared to have no desire to linger about his duties, swiftly progressing away to presumably get back to the shelter of the guard post.

Once he had gone, Jano emerged from hiding once more, turning to face the wall. Taking a deep breath, he placed one hand on either side of the angular corner, long digits easily finding small purchases to cling to. With a muted grunt, the Quarian hoisted himself off the ground, clambering up the sheer wall like a spider.

The athletic feat would have been all but impossible for a Human, or any other species, for that matter. Jano's Quarian physiology, though, was another matter entirely. His longer, thicker fingers were stronger than a Human's or an Asari's, allowing them to take the full weight of his body while still being dextrous enough to permit him to make use of what scant purchase he could find. His lighter frame was an added bonus, granting him the agility needed to reach ever further for the hand and footholds needed. Even so, it required all of the strength his Wardancer training had granted to him to grant him the ability to perform the feat, and by the time he'd reached the top his fingers and toes were an aching mass of strained tissue. Nevertheless, he did not allow the pain to get the better of his caution, choosing to remain hiding beneath the lip of the wall for just a few more seconds as he listened out for the sounds of more guards. After a full ten seconds of hearing nothing but the wind, rain and thunder, he hoisted himself over the edge of the wall and onto the walkway that ran the length of the perimeter.

A quick glance around confirmed that the guards maintained the same patrol pattern he had observed earlier in the day, the pair of rain-soaked guards who had just passed by now having paused not twenty yards away as they used their helmet radios to communicate with someone else. Jano assumed the call was to submit their report, given the fact that he had seen every patrol in the past twelve hours stop in the same exact location to make the same call.

Jano nodded as he rubbed the feeling back into his fingers. This was good. The next patrol wouldn't be coming by for another fifteen minutes, long enough for the Quarian and his companions to have travelled deep into the complex and far away from their watchful eyes.

Moving on, he gently dropped down off the far side of the walkway, landing noiselessly on the ground inside the compound. Finding shelter behind one of the support struts holding up the walkway, he glanced around the compound's interior, the various scanning functions of his face-mask allowing his gaze to easily pierce the gloom.

**~o~0~o~**

Manuel Rojas sighed as he trudged on through the rain, shoulders hunched against the chill of the downpour as his ears filled with the rattle of countless droplets striking his helmet. In his hands, the ancient Mattock assault rifle he'd been issued with struggled to keep its built-in flashlight lit, the power cell sputtering and occasionally losing its charge as water drove its way into its inner workings.

Manuel cursed as his shoddy weapon lost power once more, the beam of light he'd been using to illuminate the path before him vanishing. The damned thing was older than he was, having seen use on a frontier colony decades ago. Hell, it hadn't even been outfitted for thermal clips, instead relying on the outmoded cooling system. Manuel knew all too well that he could snap in a fresh clip faster than the gun could shed its own heat, a situation he'd regretted more than a few times when he'd been caught in a gunfight with a loudly hissing weapon, little more than a lump of inert metal and plastic in his hands.

He snapped off a string of loud curses as he slapped the side of the gun, thumping at the power cell until it finally spat out a shower of sparks, showing no sign of further co-operation. The guard let loose a particularly coarse exclamation, resigning himself to the fact that he was going to be left in the dark for the rest of his patrol.

Taking shelter in the lee of the generator shack, a roughly built metal structure that housed all of the compound's power generators, Manuel activated his radio.

"Control, this is patrol three."

"Patrol three, this is control. We read you loud and clear. That you, Manny?" The guard recognised the voice of one of his friends.

"Nothing out of the ordinary on the south side." Manuel answered, inwardly simmering. His comrade sounded altogether too happy to be inside on a night like this. "Nothin' out here but wind and rain."

"And you." The man on the other end chuckled.

"Not for long." Manuel answered, keeping a lid on his irritation. "My gun's light packed in. I'm gonna need a replacement once I come off-shift."

"Well, you can feel free to ask Trudd if he can spare you one from our latest delivery. I bet I can tell you what he'll say, though. You remember what happened the last time a Blue Suns shipment came up a few items short?"

Manuel shuddered, the rain not the only cause of the involuntary twitch. Their Krogan employer was well known for his violent streak, cruel even for one of the lumbering aliens. Not everyone who went into his office came out. Not in one piece, anyway. The drenched guard sighed once more. It looked like he was going to have another late night trying to coax out a few more weeks of functionality from his gear.

"Alright, I guess I'll catch up with you at the end of my shift."

"Later, Manny."

Just as his radio clicked off, Manuel's eyes caught sight of a tiny flicker of movement, a black shade shifting against the darkness of the towering walls. Tilting his head, he peered back in that direction, trying to spot whatever it had been. He took a few steps forward, glad for once that his gun had its faults. He was sure that if he'd had the flashlight ruining his night vision he'd have never spotted the motion off to one side and in an out-of-the way location, so slight was the movement.

Drawing close with careful steps, he flinched as another flicker of movement pulled at the edge of his vision, a ghostly image of a circular red glow with two piercing white spots of light in its centre. Manuel's gut clenched, the first thoughts to occur to the guard being those of ghosts and spirits. His hands trembled as he turned in a full circle, now unable to see any evidence of whatever it was that had drawn his attention. Beads of icy-cold sweat seeped from every pore of his skin, his breath catching in his throat as a lump of fear clogged his airways.

The guard almost fainted from fright as a black shape dropped down from the underside of the walkway, only just holding onto enough of his wits to raise his gun. Before he could fire off a single shot, however, a long, thin limb snapped out to strike the side of his gun, knocking it out of his hands before he could apply the slightest bit of pressure to the trigger.

The red spectre appeared again, flaring to life like a match being struck. The face hissed as another arm swung powerfully, catching Manuel in the throat. The guard gagged as pain and breathlessness kept him from crying out, taking a sharp kick to the belly before the nimble creature slipped behind him, a slim but surprisingly strong arm looping around his neck to constrict his airway even more. Black night and bright stars began to blossom within his vision, but the guard held onto enough awareness to try and dislodge his attacker, leaping backwards so the pair fell to the ground, the smaller black figure caught under Manuel's bulkier frame. Even this did nothing to loosen the vice-like grip, the pair rolling around for a few seconds more before unconsciousness overcame the guard, his last few thoughts being of his own body being lowered gently to the ground before consciousness and the attacker both released him to his slumber.

Jano stood up from crouching over the slumbering guard, stepping over to the discarded weapon. He studied the Mattock for a moment before pulling out its Mass Effect core and throwing both the gun and its main power source in opposite directions, neither one of any use without the other. This done, he dragged the guard further into the shadows, then set off for the control centre.

**~o~0~o~**

Jacob stamped his feet impatiently, gazing across the open ground towards the compound. The rain had worked its way inside his combat jumpsuit, a single icy droplet worming its way down his spine and only making him more tense by the minute.

By his side, Kaidan counted off the time on his omnitool, waiting for the agreed upon time. The normally friendly soldier had maintained a stony silence from the moment he had left the shuttle, intensely focused on the mission. Much to Jacob's annoyance, the weather appeared to have no effect on him, the Alliance soldier keeping perfectly still, statue-like.

With a suddenness that made Jacob jump, Kaidan stood up straight, speaking out in a hushed tone.

"That's time. Let's move." He explained simply, wasting no words.

Trying their best to remain stealthy, the duo set out towards the compound wall and the door at its base, a heavy steel construction that promised to keep out most invaders. They moved slowly, wary of the possibility that a guard could appear at the top of the wall at any moment and betray their presence.

After half a minute's tense scurrying, they arrived at the door Jano had instructed them to wait at. Kaidan stepped forward cautiously, trying the door, only to receive the fat blorp of the interface as it turned red, refusing him entry. Tilting his helmeted head to one side quizzically, he tried again, receiving the same response. He glanced to his omnitool, worry showing in his stance.

Both seasoned soldiers almost jumped out of their skins as a dark shape dropped down from above, striking the sodden earth between them with a loud squelch. They spun to look at the object, hands darting to their guns.

A guard lay at their feet, very wet and very, very dead, his neck bent back unnaturally far. As Kaidan prodded the corpse carefully with the armoured toe of his boot, the door clicked quietly before hissing open to reveal Jano, stood at ease with his hands folded behind his back.

"You're late." Kaidan remarked as he stepped inside the compound.

"The guy with the bendy neck and his buddy decided to stop for a smoke in the shelter of the guard post." Jano explained, pointing to the small structure sitting on the wall above the doorway. "I'd hoped they'd move on before time was up, but I guess they wanted to linger on a night like this."

"Rule number one of any operation:" Jacob said, holding up one finger as he spoke. "No plan survives contact with an enemy force, no matter how simple or straightforward."

"Speaking of plans, where to next?" Kaidan asked, deferring to Jano's lead. The Quarian nodded his thanks for the gesture, turning to point around the compound.

"I've already paid a visit to the control centre, so the cameras and doors are already under my control. All we have to do now is get to the central computer core, grab our data, and get out again."

"I'm sensing a 'but'." Kaidan said, picking up on the hesitance in the alien's tone.

"I've been thinking." Jano said slowly, unsure about the reception his thought would receive. "There's no way we can completely hide our tracks. One way or another, this Trudd character is going to know we broke in here."

"As long as it happens after we leave, I don't see a problem with that." Jacob shrugged.

"But he's going to figure out that we went after his files. He'll be able to warn his contacts and suppliers that they've been compromised."

"Unless we do something else to hide our true objective." Kaidan finished for Jano. "Any ideas on how?"

"A few, but our best bet would be to make it look like a rival trader sabotaging the competition." The Quarian explained. "Steal some of the goods, blow up the rest."

"Now there's a line of thinking I can get behind." Jacob chuckled. "So you wanna split up? You take care of the hacking while we go start some fires?"

"That's what I was thinking." The Quarian nodded. "The central databases shouldn't give me much trouble, and you'd serve as a good distraction."

"Alright." Kaidan nodded, still a little uncertain. "But if anything goes wrong, don't try to be a hero. Get out of there and fall back to the shuttle. Some smuggler's dirty laundry isn't worth getting killed over."

Jano's first instinct was to rail against the older soldier's authoritative tone, but he realised that the Human was merely trying to help, considering the alien's precious little experience with leading an operation. He nodded silently before the trio split apart, the two Humans scurrying off under the cover of darkness while the Quarian took a moment to centre his thoughts, turning to head in the opposite direction.

**~o~0~o~**

Computers hummed loudly in the long, wide room, decaying after years of poor maintenance. Jano winced at the noise, centuries of Quarian instinct causing him to almost feel the torture of the machinery. Still, he thought to himself, he couldn't expect much when the owner of said machinery was a Krogan, not known for their love of technology.

Moving cautiously, almost as if fearing that a single errant footstep could trigger some alarm to bring a swift, unfortunate end to the mission, the Quarian approached the bank of computer terminals that was his goal. Behind him, a trail of unconscious or dead guards hidden away in storage cupboards, waste chutes and other dark corners traced his route through the silently besieged compound. Even so, his hands trembled just a fraction, nerves unsettled by the nearness of his objective and the importance of the next few moments.

The Quarian tensed as the door to the computer room shuddered open, its motors releasing a dull whine as they fought against thick layers of rust and dirt. He twisted, eyes darting about to find some kind of refuge from whoever was approaching.

A tall, broad shouldered woman strode into the room. She wore heavy combat armour, well worn and dented with the marks of years of action. The rifle slung on her back was an old model, commonly used out on frontier colonies, but the lumps of metal and plastic attached to it in odd places spoke of more unconventional origins, some of the modifications being of an illegal nature. Her breath passed noisily through an almost completely flattened nose and escaped through a set of crooked teeth, stained brownish-purple from decades of heavy Hallex use. As she walked, her armour creaked at its seams, straining against fat deposits it had not originally been moulded to accommodate.

The woman's somewhat masculine face twitched somewhat as she glanced around the room, the numerous wrinkles deepening as her eyes narrowed. She stepped up to the terminals, activating her omnitool to interface with one. In no time, a comm channel had been opened.

"Control, this is Sergeant Roberts. I'm getting no response on my comm unit. Are we still online?"

She waited a few seconds, feet shifting under her awkwardly, only to receive no reply. The comm channel remained deathly quiet. She tried again, with no change in her results. She cursed, dragging up a gobbet of phlegm and mucus that she spat out onto the dirty metal floor.

"Damnit!" She muttered. "There's something not right here…"

Jano's thighs tensed around the thick bundle of cables he'd latched onto, his arms and legs squealing out in equal protest against the strain of dangling down from the roof, a mere half dozen inches above the merc's head. He fought the urge to move, to adjust his grip, to do something, unwilling to risk a stray noise or a subtle shift in the air that might alert the Human to his presence. Painfully close to the hiding alien, the woman turned to scan the room again, unable to escape the sensation that she wasn't alone in there. She turned back to the comm again.

"I don't know if anyone else can hear me, but something's not right here. We may have an uninvited guest in the compound. I need-"

Jano's limbs had reached their limit, unable to hang onto the precarious refuge for any longer. Realising he had to act now, the Quarian opened his hands, allowing the cabling to slip free of his grasp. His body twisted, dropping so that he dangled by his primary set of knees, torso waving back and forth perilously close to the back of the merc's head.

The grizzled Sergeant must have sensed the motion behind her, years of combat experience giving her a keen awareness of her surroundings. She spun, eyes widening as she caught sight of the alien dangling before her face.

"What the-?"

She got no further, as Jano's hands darted out to grab either side of her skull, his helmeted head jerking forward to strike her. The metal covering his forehead struck her squarely on the nose, opening up old fractures and tearing cartilage to summon a fresh stream of blood. She staggered back from the blow, but only made it half a step before the Quarian's still-firm grip on her head stopped her.

Jano, unaffected by the impact thanks to the protection of his helmet, pressed the advantage of his surprise, shifting his grip on the woman as his legs released their final purchase on the cabling. His body twisted, for a moment putting all of his weight onto the Sergeant's shoulders as his legs whipped around to lock around her neck, the Quarian coiling like a serpent as he tried to pin his victim. His torso slipped under her arm, his own arm snaking around to further restrict her movement as he lurched against her, his added weight bearing her to the floor.

The pair crashed down onto the metal, a terrible racket going up as she regained her composure and began to fight back, straining against the smaller alien's grip. Realising that his advantage was quickly slipping away, her larger bulk causing her to prove to be a more difficult target than, say, another Quarian, he moved out of reach of her arms, taking a moment to reorient himself.

She rolled out from under his next attack, neatly dodging the swiftly descending foot that was aiming for her gut as she moved with speed Jano would not have expected from one of her size. Keeping up her momentum, she rolled up into a crouch, standing up with a lightness in her feet that flew in the face of her worn, slovenly appearance. Snarling, she lunged for her attacker.

Reacting without a moment's thought, the Quarian ducked the first blow, responding with a kick that, in his experience, would have stopped roughly half of the Galaxy's inhabitants dead in their tacks.

The Human paused for half a heartbeat, glancing down at the three-toed foot striking her firmly in her crotch before looking back to the Quarian with a chuckle. Completely unfazed, she took another swipe at the alien.

_Definitely not a male, then._ Jano noted, able to dismiss at least one issue that he'd been unsure of since the confrontation had begun. Dodging yet another powerful punch from the burly woman, the Wardancer settled for dropping into a crouch, one leg sweeping out to knock the Human off her feet. She struck the deck with a loud thump, but was soon rolling into a crouching position, from where she began retrieving her weapon from its holster on her back.

This latest development spurred Jano to act more decisively. If she pulled that gun on him, it would all be over. She'd either kill the outgunned alien, or her shots would alert any guards still conscious within a large radius. The Quarian was certain he couldn't handle multiple armed opponents all at once.

Jano darted forward, pushing himself to move quickly. His hands darted out, striking the woman three times in the space of a second or two. One impact to her shoulder sent red hot fire running through her arm, cold numbness following straight after as it dropped to her side. The next blow struck her square in the chest, knocking her back just enough to present an opening for the third and final blow to the soft spot below her jaw, striking the pressure point just right to send her spiralling down into the darkness of unconsciousness. With a grunt and a sigh, the Sergeant slid to the floor, breathing heavily through her mouth.

This threat dealt with, Jano turned his attention back to the terminals, activating his omnitool. Unsure as to whether the guard's transmission had been heard, he had to work quickly. In moments, his omnitool's powerful software sliced through the system's defences, providing him with near-total access to the compound's facilities. A quick search later and he had the data he needed, erasing any trail he might have left behind and closing the terminal down.

He'd almost reached the door to the computer room when a loud alarm began blaring out overhead, red lights flickering on all around him. His comm crackled loudly in his ear, the sounds of gunfire and panicked shouting echoing behind Kaidan's strained voice.

"Jano, do you copy?"

"I read you, Kaidan."

"We're pinned down at the storage warehouse! Guards moving in on all sides. Can't get to the objective."

"Just hang tight," Jano reassured him. "I'm on my way."

"Negative!" The older soldier replied. "They're deploying mechs and turrets. We have to pull out before things get really hot in here! Get the data, then get back to the shuttle, we'll pull out and meet you there."

Jano hesitated, unsure of what to do. On the one hand, what Kaidan said made sense. They had what they had come for, and risking it would achieve little. But on the other hand his concerns over the fact that the smuggler Trudd might realise their true target and alert his contacts, allowing them to take steps to negate the damage the intel could cause, weighed heavily on his mind. He couldn't stomach the idea that this weapons dealer could walk away relatively unscathed because the Quarian hadn't gone the extra measure to ensure the success of his mission. Steeling himself, Jano spoke up again.

"We can do this, Kaidan." He answered. "Just hold tight until I get there."

"… Fine. Its your call, Jano. But make it quick! They're pushing hard here."

"Understood. Jano'Yorish out."

**~o~0~o~**

Bullets zinged by overhead, some peppering the metal skin of the overturned all terrain vehicle with a thunderous rattle as Kaidan crouched down behind it. Spent clips littered the ground at the soldier's feet, some glowing white-hot in the darkness. Rain still cascaded down on the compound, the thick layer of moisture somewhat muffling the noises of battle.

Beside Kaidan, Jacob leaned back against an axle of the overturned vehicle, clutching at a painful injury to his side. A lucky shot from an enemy mortar had caught the young biotic off guard, the exploding ammunition causing his biotic defences to fall as he was blasted back off his feet. His reward for his inattention had been a trinity of cracked ribs and a whole lot of pain, his armour's adrenal stimulant system being the only thing allowing him to remain conscious. Even as injured as he was, Jacob continued to fight, balancing a rifle over the ATV to fire off a string of bullets at the enemy in short bursts. He'd even managed to launch off a few biotic attacks, but the strain on his body made it too painful to keep up the assault. At his feet lay the grenade launcher, its ammunition long since expended.

Kaidan risked leaning out of cover, taking numerous hits to his barrier as he launched a Shockwave, the ripples of blue energy barrelling towards a cluster of enemy soldiers to send them tumbling through the air, many of the victims landing with a loud enough crack to guarantee that they wouldn't be rising again. He took a brief moment as the enemy ran for cover to glance around the compound, surveying the battlefield.

One warehouse was burning merrily, the only victim of their plan to destroy the weapon stockpiles. Occasionally a loud crash would herald a billowing cloud of smoke as another crate of volatile ammunition went up in flames, but the building was already a lost cause. Much of the weaponry within had been destroyed by the fire, and what remained intact would most likely be warped by the heat so as to be nearly useless. In spite of this success, two warehouses remained intact, their contents untouched and ready for distribution to who-knew-where.

Kaidan cursed as he noticed that the enemy were making use of the contents of these warehouses, some large pieces of equipment being carted out and set up. He flinched back into cover once more as another grenade exploded very close to the ATV, the blast rocking the vehicle violently from side to side.

"Where the hell is Jano?!" He shouted over the clamour of incoming fire. Another blast made their shelter shudder.

"He said he'd be here." Jacob said patiently, tiredness shining through in his voice. "We just need to give him time."

"We don't have any more time!" Kaidan retorted, his voice strained. "We must've got pretty much the whole compound coming down on our heads out here!"

They both tensed as the incoming fire suddenly halted. Dull silence rolled over the compound, accentuated by the rain. Suddenly, a deep, bass voice rolled out, thunder clinging to its heels like a faithful pet.

"Are you still alive out there, little Humans?"

"Krogan." Jacob surmised, unwilling to risk a glance for fear of exposing himself. In a quiet moment like this, at least a dozen rifles would be trained on the ATV, the relative safety of a distracting firefight no longer present to cloud perceptions and dull reaction times. "Big one, from the sound of it."

"Must be Trudd, the one in charge of the outfit." Kaidan concluded.

"I can hear you out there." The voice rumbled, full of the kind of malice that took pleasure in tormenting the weak and unfortunate. "I'm glad my troops didn't finish you off before I could join in the fun. It's been a while since I've had the opportunity to kill someone myself. I was just thinking that I'd have to go to Omega for another hunt. How fortunate that I find some prey stumbling within my grasp here, in the comfort of my own home!"

"He's a wordy bastard, isn't he?" Jacob muttered.

"Especially for a Krogan." Kaidan's brow creased. "I mean, Jorall's the smartest Krogan I know, but even he doesn't talk like this."

"You delivered a grave insult by damaging my property." Trudd continued. "For that, I'm afraid I cannot let you leave here alive. However, the first one of you to tell me who sent you will be allowed a few minutes head start before I begin my hunt. Who knows, if you prove to be good enough sport, I could allow you to survive for several days!"

Jacob and Kaidan glanced to one another, neither one believing a word of the Krogan's offer. The former Corsair lifted a finger to his lips, reaching out for the sniper rifle that lay on the dirt beside him. Stifling a groan, he slid down to lie on the ground, finding a niche underneath the ATV to slide the barrel of his weapon through. He tutted as he realised that the tiny notch wouldn't grant him a clear shot at the weapons merchant, all of the vital areas on the Krogan mere centimetres out of his field of vision. From what he could see, the alien was enormous. Not quite as big as Grunt, but then again no Krogan was. Trudd wore heavy armour, in some places as thick as a starship's armour, that remained unpainted, its battle-worn, pitted grey surface somehow more intimidating than any colour scheme he could have applied.

Realising that his shot had to be a killing one to even be worth attacking the Krogan, Jacob instead shifted his aim to the creatures around the Krogan, spotting one grizzled Batarian sticking close to Trudd, possibly a bodyguard but more likely some kind of officer in the compound's hierarchy. One quick pull of the trigger was all that was needed.

The shot cracked out, echoed by the Batarian jolting backwards as his helmet erupted in a fountain of gore, blood and grey brain matter spattering those around him. The body, almost completely decapitated, dropped to the ground with a wet slap. Trudd turned at the shot, barely reacting as he faced the ATV once more.

"So be it." He said, his tone tense, excited at the prospect of a proper challenge.

The guards were so distracted by the pair of Humans behind the ATV that they completely failed to notice the four small, spherical objects that rolled amidst their feet, blue lights flickering rapidly. They were caught off-guard, therefore, when the grenades detonated, bathing the back ranks of the seasoned fighters in furious fire. Those closest were incinerated, those slightly further away merely stripped of most of their equipment and knocked unconscious, some still further away thrown to the ground by the shockwave. Even the lumbering Kornis Trudd was knocked off his feet, landing on his face in the mud with a wet squelch.

A small shape leapt into the midst of the chaos even as the flames of the grenades still burned brightly. Leaping over one merry blaze that had once been a pair of Turians in full armour, the nimble figure of Jano'Yorish vas Normandy cut a neat somersault before striking the ground again, using his momentum to launch himself into the gut of a stunned Salarian who fell quickly under the assault, never to rise again.

Trudd growled as he levered himself up out of the mud, fury blazing in his sapphire-blue eyes as he rose to his feet again. The ATV forgotten, he turned to the whirlwind of kicks and punches that ripped through the ranks of his men, using the confusion of the explosions to its full advantage. The Krogan's eyes narrowed as he charged, arms held wide as he raced towards the new arrival.

Jano was well aware of the charging Krogan, even as he dispatched a Human who tried to bring his nasty-looking shotgun to bear on the Quarian. Even so, he waited until Trudd was a mere couple of feet away before reacting, neatly side-stepping the Krogan's bulk as he ducked the outstretched arm, the weapons dealer blundering past him before he could come to a halt, his massive feet leaving gouges in the mud. Trudd turned, snarling as he re-evaluated his opponent, approaching more slowly this time.

The speed of the next punch from the Krogan startled Jano, who had assumed that his opponent was a typical Krogan; slow, straightforward and obvious. The Wardancer silently chided himself as he narrowly dodged the blow, realising that Trudd was not a Krogan to make assumptions about. Looking at his opponent with a fresh perspective, he realised that he recognised the positioning of the Krogan's feet, the way he moved his body. It was an old-fashioned stance, one Jano had learned very early on in his training. The blundering, overpowering Krogan-ness of his movements was a feint, designed to catch opponents off-guard. Underneath that hulking clumsiness was a careful calculation, a well thought-out plan.

Realising this deeper level to his opponent, Jano shifted his feet, adjusting his stance slightly. He couldn't afford to put too much faith in his own techniques, as the Krogan's knowledge of such martial techniques could have left the Quarian vulnerable, his weaknesses exposed to the larger alien. With both combatants versed in the finesse of hand-to-hand combat, the playing field had been levelled, meaning that it wouldn't be the strongest or fastest who would necessarily win. No, in this fight it was the quickest to adapt that would dominate the engagement.

Trudd lunged again, his style very aggressive even as he made sure to keep up a strong defence. While one fist moved in a dazzling series of swings and jabs, the other would remain close to his body, ready to counter any attacks from the Quarian. His armour was surprisingly flexible, less solid than it appeared at first. The thick metal plates covered less of his body than Jano had thought, softer material between the plates granting him the ability to move at speed, but also presenting more opportunities to land a blow that could hurt. Jano used these to his advantage, striking as frequently as he could. Normally exploiting the joints like this would have severely hindered his opponent, the pain running through their limbs to slow them down, but Trudd's powerful Krogan physiology made this impossible, his body almost impervious to any paralysing effects.

The criminal grunted as Jano landed a couple of vicious blows to his gut, retaliating with a powerful overarm swing of his fist. The Quarian flinched from the attack, raising both arms to counter Trudd's one. Such was the weight behind the attack that Jano's knee buckled, causing him to slip in the mud. Sensing an opening, Trudd applied more weight, pushing the Quarian down with all of his might in the hopes of crushing him.

Sweat ran in wide rivulets under Jano's enviro-suit, his breath coming in gasps as the Krogan's weight pressed down on him. His arms began to shake, threatening to buckle. In an act of desperation, the Wardancer kicked out, catching the Krogan on the knee. The powerful attack, made more potent by the Quarian's extra set of knees adding more power, buckled the leg, bending it back with a loud crack. Trudd shouted at the pain, releasing the Quarian as he struggled to remain upright.

Jano pressed the attack, darting under the Krogan to slip between his legs, standing up to pour a flurry to blows into the alien's back. Trudd stumbled forward, his damaged knee bending under him weakly to allow Jano to leap onto his back. Reaching around, the Quarian grabbed either side of the Krogan's impressive black brow plate, twisting with all of his might. It took every once of strength the Wardancer had, but the neck gave way with a loud ripping noise, vital sinews and nerves giving way to drop the Krogan to the ground in a twitching mass of flesh and metal that would soon be utterly lifeless.

Jano turned from the Krogan corpse, only to find himself confronted with the muzzles of a dozen rifles, aimed directly at him. He froze, hands rising into the air as he mentally assessed his situation. He still had a gun in the holster at his hip, plus his fists and feet, but the likelihood of him being able to use any of those before he was riddled with more holes than Sovereign's corpse was very low.

A loud crack sounded out, one of the soldiers aiming at the Wardancer collapsing with a hole running clean through his torso. The rest of the enemy ranks descended into chaos as more shots followed, Jano taking advantage of the distraction to leap into cover. Soon enough, the last of the enemy had been picked off, Jano rising from cover just as Kaidan strode out from behind the overturned ATV, supporting an injured Jacob.

"Nice work." The soldier commented, nodding to the deceased Trudd. "Never seen anybody take on a Krogan unarmed like that."

"And you'll probably never see it again." Jano grunted, clutching at an array of new bruises that covered his body. "Next time I'll just use a shotgun."

"Thane's always recommended a bomb." Jacob grunted.

"I'll bear that in mind." The Quarian looked about. "We've probably taken care of everyone in the compound. Reckon there's still point in torching the rest of the stockpiles?"

"Can't hurt to have a look round first." Kaidan answered. "The Council will be glad they've got one less smuggling ring to take care of, plus we're about to give them a list of customers and contacts. I reckon we've just put a stop to a fair amount of illegal weapons trading in Citadel Space. It'd be pretty petty for them to object to us helping ourselves to a couple of pistols before we leave. But we don't want to take too long. Shepard will be waiting for us."

**~o~0~o~**

Just over an hour later, the Nathak left the rain-soaked compound behind, jetting off into the inky blackness of space. Inside, its occupants rested after their mission. Jano and Kaidan sparred, the Quarian showing the Human a few of the moves he had used on the Krogan weapons dealer, while Jacob, still nursing his injured ribs, inventoried the salvaged guns. All twenty crates of them.

Behind them, the compound sat silent for some time, the rain continuing to pour down. Eventually, a few surviving guards awoke from their unconscious slumber to a scene of chaos, no memory of the previous night remaining save for the image of a shadowy demon with glowing eyes attacking in the dead of night. By the following day, the compound sat empty, tales of ghosts and monsters ensuring it was never occupied again.

**Author's Note: Once again, I apologise for the delay in getting this up. What's more, I believe that dragging out the writing over such a long time has seriously hurt the quality of the chapter. I'm definately not very proud of this one, but I needed to get it finished so I could move on to another mission, move past my slow patch and make myself capable of picking up the pace again.**

**Anyway, I'll also post the Story Update I put up a few weeks ago, just for those of you who missed it:**

_This is just a quick status update to let you know that this fic is not dead, just hobbling along a bit at the moment. I'll delete this once I have a new chapter to submit_.

_It's been far too long since the last story update, and for that, I am truly sorry. I have about half of the next chapter done, but things have slowed to a crawl of late. In fact, since March I've been struggling to get much writing done at all._

_I won't go into too much detail, but a_ _large part of this is work related. Basically one of my co-workers left the company I work for only to try and set up his own business in opposition, after which several years worth of schemes have come to light, such as junior members of staff trained wrongly, a lot of missing stuff, customers directed away from us right on our shop floor and suppliers convinced to no longer work with us. Because of all of this, I've had to shuttle back and forth between our two branches (on pretty much opposite sides of the country) on a more or less fortnightly basis. Aside from being a serious drain on my resources which I have to compensate for, this is a huge drain on my time and energy, plus it kind of makes it difficult to get into the right mindset for writing, as its pretty hard to focus when you keep getting told about things that just cheese you off. Anyway, its finally reached the point where I'm permanently moving to the branch this guy left so that I can attend to the problems with more time and money to do so. This means I'm moving house over the next couple of months, and then hopefully my life will gain some kind of balance once more, allowing me to increase my output to something approaching previous levels._

_But at the same time, that's not the only reason my writing's been affected over the past six or seven months. When you look at it, between December 2010 and March 2012, I wrote forty-three chapters. From March until now, I've written five chapters. That's almost a fifth of the output, a huge drop. And the main reason for that lies with ME3. I still haven't quite gotten over my disappointment with this franchise. ME3 fell short in so many areas, excelling only in the areas that don't appeal to my demographic such as fluid combat, big cinematic scenes (which can't really offer player input), and hollow, forced drama._

_ME1 and 2 offered such an amazing experience, in my opinion. They did more than tell a story (Which they had to. I mean, let's face it, their plot was hardly anything inspired). They made me a part of the in-game universe. I was the goddamn Commander Shepard. What he felt, I felt. What he said, I echoed. What he chose, I chose. And I went into ME3 with a huge mixture of emotions. I was excited to end the story, see how I got to kick some Reaper tail. I was angry with the Reapers for all of the losses I had already endured (my first Shepard lost Ashley, Mordin, and Grunt through Virmire and the SM, respectively). But most of all, I was worried. I had made a number of choices in keeping with my own set of principles, and I thought that any one of those could cost me dearly in the climax of the series. And that's what made it so powerful for me. I thought that I could genuinely be screwed from the first moment of the game if I did things a certain way, but it was all MY experience, my consequences. ME3 completely failed to deliver anything resembling meaningful consequence. Instead it chose to focus on spectacle, drama and pseudo-philosophy. ME1 and 2 are like The old Transformers stuff from G1; Good fun, maybe not the meatiest messages to them, but still a hell of a ride. ME3 is like the Michael Bay films; Completely lacking in substance in exchange for big explosions, childish jokes and forced storylines. While the first two made me a part of the universe, ME3 had me feeling like I was watching the events unfold from outside of them, outside of the building, standing in the cold, looking in through a grimy window._

_The characters that mattered to me, those I had been literally feeling a knot of anxiety in my belly for when I did the SM, were sidelined in a cheap fashion that left me unable to care about their fate this time around. what material we did get with them was so out of keeping with their characters that the restructured writing team was plain for all to see. Characters are Bioware's greatest strength, and they completely ballsed it up in order to promote the meathead, the sexbot, and the developer's pet._

_This just... *sighs*... I could really go on for hours. And the fact that I still feel this way after such a long time shows how much of a grip this franchise had on me. I thought this was a crucial point in gaming, the definition of a new genre of interdependent games whose gameplay and storyline altered from player to player, a newer, more advanced form of RPG. I thought it would help to further video games as a medium and an artform. Instead we get mindless, mediocre summer blockbuster-style material with no substance, where the only choice that has an impact is playing the game to be disappointed or not touching it in order to save yourself the bother._

_ME3 has robbed me entirely of my enthusiasm for this franchise. Every time Bioware announces something else to push their shoddy product, I can do nothing but curse, choking on my own bitterness over the experience. And I think this is a shame, because I still love everything else Bioware have produced. KOTOR was my first video game, and still ranks in my top five (alongside ME1&2, Shadow of the Colossus, Minecraft, and the Portal games), ME2 is by far the most rewarding game I have ever played, and I bought Jade Empire over the summer, thoroughly enjoying it. Heck, I even still play TOR, though I think the stories are spread too thinly over fifty levels of grind, but I still find them enjoyable and love every companion character. Bioware can make good games, but they let their arrogance and overconfidence poison their crown jewel, the ME franchise._

_This is my biggest obstacle to continuing this story. I just... every time I think about ME, all I can feel is disappointment. Its very hard to find your muse in that. I can't even describe it as apathy, because I still care about this franchise, damnit. Occasionally I fell a swell of 'No, don't let it end like this!' and I just have to write on, but that's not a constant source of motivation. I think if I didn't already have the plot points of every chapter worked out, including some scenes I really want to write, then I'd have already given up on ITU. Working on 'what could have been' is very draining._

_But I won't stop. I refuse to let Bioware win here. ME3 could have been a powerful story while still taking our choices into account, and I plan to show that. I'll keep writing. Just... please have patience with me as I push on. I'll get to the endgame, even if it takes me another two years._

_Moving to another matter, I feel like I need something non ME-related. As mentioned above, I've been playing other games of late, foremost of those being TOR. Playing this game has immersed me in a universe that... I kind of moved away from with the discovery of Mass Effect. Star Wars was one of my great passions when I was younger, with KOTOR probably providing my single most emotionally powerful gaming experience. I still have an extensive SW book collection, and I used to run SW RPGs for a group of my friends. Anyway, about nine years ago (a couple of months after finishing KOTOR for the first time), I sat down for about eight months and wrote a Star Wars novel. I originally planned a trilogy, but after realising it had no hope of being published, I stopped writing, only ever completing the first installment. I still have my original manuscript to this day, although the digital copies have long since been lost to computer brain farts and one memory stick going through the washing machine._

_What I'm asking is, would anyone like to read this if I tweaked the wording a bit, tarted it up to my current writing standards, reworked some of the plot to fit with the current continuity? Its currently sitting at seventy five thousand words, so its not that daunting of a task for me these days. I realise that its a distraction from ITU, but I feel like I need one of those from time to time._

_Let me know what you think, and as soon as I have some spare time I'll get to writing some more ITU._

_Once again offering my humblest apologies. You guys deserve better from me than this._

_Fainmaca Out._

**Anyway, to provide a further update: I am now halfway through moving house. I just need to return to my old place, pick up some furniture and sign a few things, then I'll be settled. Work's still a pain in the backside, and ME3 is still ME3. Still, one resolved problem out of three ain't bad.**

**As for the Star Wars story, I have received overwhelmingly positive support for doing this, which surprised me. I've gone back to thje story, re-reading it to see what needs changing, and sometime over the next few months I'll get some reworked material out here. It needs quite a few changes to account for the Old Republic and KOTOR 2, but I'm looking foward to the challenge.**

**By the way, I'm still looking for additional material to add to the ITU-niverse. The very talented Ashtrails has drawn an image of Jano'Yorish, which you can find on the ITU thread on the BSN, and I've hopefully got a few more pieces lined up with different people. I'm also still looking for supplemental material based in the continuity of this story, trying to get a few authors involved in padding out the setting with their own unique slant on things. If you're interested, give me a shout.**

**So now I guess I'd best get back to work on the next chapter. Its one many of you have been looking forward to- The Revenant's mystery planet! I have some pretty cool stuff lined up, so watch this space!**

**Fainmaca Out.**


	50. 50: Echoes and Silence

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Here it is, the finished chapter! anyone who was holding back on reviewing until it was done, let loose. Cry Havok, and let slip the dogs of war!**

**Chapter 50: Echoes and Silence**

Shepard paced back and forth behind Joker's chair, sparing the occasional glance forward to acknowledge the twisting, flickering glow of FTL travel beyond the Normandy's window. It had taken three long days to make the trip from Tuchanka halfway across the Galaxy to the remote, unexplored star system that the Revenant had indicated was the site of a former Prothean settlement. All the while, the Collector had been unable to explain why it was so important, only aware himself that his people had considered it essential, his instincts urging him to travel there with all haste. This had led to a great deal of speculation from the crew, many finding the tension of not knowing unbearable. Rumours had passed around of a moon-sized weapon capable of splitting a Reaper in half with a single shot. Others had whispered that an army of Protheans waited to be awakened, billions strong and eager to avenge their lost civilisation. The pessimists, who preferred to be known as realists when called out on their negative outlook, spoke of an attempt to study Reapers, much like the work the Batarians carried out at the Eye. These individuals warned of a horde of indoctrinated Protheans waiting to join the war, puppets of the machines they had hoped to study. All of these theories reached Shepard's ears almost before their originator had finished speaking them, EDI and a collection of other crew members faithfully keeping him up-to-date on the state of the people under his command.

One particular theory that had made the Commander laugh was that a crazy AI waited for them in some lost facility, commissioned by the Protheans to end the Reaper threat. Crewman Rolston's rather colourful prediction had described a machine gone insane after finding no way to defend its creator , in the end resorting to attempting to create a Reaper of its own using the genetic material of its builders in order to fight fire with fire, so to speak. This theory had gone down in flames in a matter of moments, numerous flaws in its logic exposed by Rolston's colleagues. Even the slow and deliberate Grunt had weighed in on the discussion, asking the simple question 'Where would it have gotten the knife to stab the Protheans in the back? It would have needed a Reaper so that it could reap enough stuff to build a Reaper.' The discussion had soon fallen apart once this chicken-versus-egg question had been posed.

The highlight of the journey had been when an unmarked shuttle had hailed the Normandy during one of her stops to discharge the energy building up in her core, in orbit over a humid planet whose surface boiled with gaseous ammonia. After a moment's anxiety over being discovered so far from civilisation, during which shields had been raised and weapons had been deployed, the shuttle's sole occupant had revealed herself, much to the joy of the Commander and his oldest companions. Before Liara had even stepped aboard the frigate, she found herself swamped by old acquaintances, Shepard, Garrus and Kaidan the first in line, soon followed by a shyly smiling Feron and a stiff-backed Miranda, who offered a warm greeting. Well, warm by her standards, at least.

The Asari had quickly explained her purpose on the vessel, bright eyed at the prospect of a previously unknown Prothean ruin being discovered. Smiling, Shepard had granted Liara her request to join him on the expedition, much to her elation. Within moments, more equipment than the Commander could have imagined was unloaded from the shuttle, the Shadow Broker running through her lists eagerly.

The Commander turned from his pacing to see Liara striding up the corridor towards the prow of the Normandy, an excited bounce to her step as her cheeks flushed a rich sapphire with anticipation. She nodded to Shepard as she glanced out of the forward viewports, her eyes shining with such hunger that the Commander could almost imagine that the ship accelerated slightly purely under the power of her enthusiasm.

"How much longer?" She asked.

"Five minutes less than when you messaged me from the Hangar Bay." Joker grumbled. "Which was five minutes less than the last time you were up here, checking EDI had plotted our course correctly."

"The distances we are travelling are immense, Jeff. Even the smallest of deviations could put us off-course by a factor of hours, if not days."

"Wow, Liara. The last time I saw you this eager you were talking about rooting around in my brain." Shepard smirked.

"I have a great many responsibilities as the Shadow Broker, Shepard." Liara said defensively. "I cannot afford to be absent from my post for any longer than is absolutely necessary."

"Uh-huh." Joker grunted, not convinced for even a second. "I'm sure it has nothing to do with the untapped Prothean ruins we're about to dig up."

"Well… there is a measure of professional curiosity, yes." Liara said, her cheeks darkening to an almost navy tint.

"A 'measure'?" The pilot chuckled. "You're buzzing around like Mordin on coffee! The only place you'd find more excitement is in a crowd of Quarian fangirls going to meet that Hanar actor from the Blasto films!"

"That is not true!" Liara retorted, her normally serene demeanour slipping for a split second.

"Is too!" The pilot shot back. "Ten credits says you swoon at the first dusty tablet you uncover."

"Must you always be so juvenile?" The Asari asked, her voice gruff from irritation.

"Yes." Joker responded.

"Alright, kids." Shepard, grinning widely, interrupted as Liara's mouth opened to deliver a scathing remark. "Settle down. You wouldn't want me to turn this boat around and take us home, now, would you?"

The pair chuckled at this, the peace restored. Before they could say anything further, the console before Joker beeped, the glowing lightshow before the Normandy flashing before it reverted back to the normal starfield, an ugly brown planet hanging in space almost directly before the frigate's bow.

"We're here." Joker said. "Drift is… just under a thousand clicks." He turned a triumphant smile towards Liara. "I tried to tell you. My girl doesn't make mistakes."

"I did not doubt EDI for a second." Liara responded primly. "The irritating pink creature she allows to man the helm, however, is another matter entirely."

She turned, striding away with a victorious grin on her face and a boastful swagger to her pace as Joker sat, mouth agape as he tried desperately to come up with a fitting rebuttal to her parting shot. Shepard stifled a laugh.

"Let it go, Joker. You're up against a woman there. You'll always be doomed to failure."

"Yeah, you're right there, Commander." Joker sighed, turning back to his console. Suddenly, he winced, reaching up to rub at the back of his head. "Ssss… goddamn… ow."

"Joker? You alright?" Shepard stepped forward, concern etched on his face.

"Just a bit of a headache, is all. Had it since disconnecting with EDI after the Battle of the Eye. Archer's looking into making it easier to hook up and disconnect. Less mucking about afterwards making sure I stay sane."

"I'm not so sure you should be linking up with the ship like that, Joker." Shepard cautioned the pilot. "There's a lot that could go wrong."

"I hear what you're saying, Shepard, but EDI and I just seem to… work better, when we're linked up. We're kinda growing used to sharing the same space, you know? Every time we break the link, we notice the silence more and more. If there was a way for me to connect without needing to be in this damn chair, I don't think we'd really want to break the connection."

"This really makes that much of a difference for you?"

"You know what? It really does." The pilot sighed. "When I'm hooked up, when I'm in the virtual space EDI lives in, it doesn't matter that I can't do what most people take for granted. It doesn't matter that EDI doesn't have a body like you or me. There's just me, her, and a whole digital dimension that nobody can explore like we can. Some people say that evolution is just a series of accidents that work out much better than expected. Maybe that's what's happening here. We're different now, and we don't feel right when we try to go back to how things were before."

"If sticking together is so important, we could always put together a mech shell for EDI to control." Shepard suggested. "That way you'd be mobile and together."

"And ramp up the creepy factor at the same time." Joker chuckled. "No offence, Commander, but I don't want to be known as the guy who built himself a sexbot because a real woman would snap him in half. Besides, this is more than just about bodies, Commander. It's about who we are. Why should EDI have to take on a Human shape to be with me? Why should she limit herself to our smaller perspective when I've seen just how amazing her world is, and am perfectly capable of sharing it with her? No. Since Cerberus did all of this to us, I've become more like EDI, and she's become more like me. We're not who we were before, and there's no going back."

"Alright." Shepard nodded. "I'll give Archer full authority to do whatever it takes to make the connection easier for you two. Just so long as the ship keeps flying."

"Thank you, Shepard." EDI's interface flickered into being.

"EDI!" Shepard jolted. "Sorry about that. Should have included you in that conversation. Forgot that you could hear us."

"No offence has been taken, Shepard." The AI explained calmly. "It is a fact of my installation into the ship itself that I am always present anywhere within the hull, capable of hearing everything spoken amongst the crew. I have learned not to intrude upon personal conversations such as the one between yourself and Jeff."

"She's a real sweetheart like that." Joker chuckled.

"Indeed." The AI continued, her tone unchanging. "Shepard, I wished to inform you that I have completed my initial scans of the planet."

"Already?" The Commander asked in surprise.

"There is surprisingly little to take readings of." EDI explained. "Ladar and biological scans returned nothing on the surface of the planet. No structures, no vegetation, no wildlife. The atmosphere is largely carbon dioxide with lower levels of oxygen and nitrogen, the proportions of which suggest that this planet once had an atmosphere similar to Earth's. Even with the altered proportions, it should still be suitable for open-air operations for a short time." She paused, carrying out countless calculations. "It is possible that a prolonged bombardment with energy based weapons of some kind created this atmosphere, killing off the natural biosphere and irreparably altering the environment."

"You thinking a Reaper siege?" Shepard asked, his hopes of locating the find of the century dropping.

"A possibility. Then again, it is also possible that this environmental collapse was brought about by over population and heavy industrialisation. Evidence of either cause would have long since been hidden by the planet's natural processes. Fifty thousand years is a long time for any evidence to survive."

"So there's nothing here to tell us where to start?"

"Incorrect." The AI answered. "Following my initial scans, I commenced a series of thermal and magnetic scans, giving me an image of what lies beneath the surface. My scans uncovered this…"

An image popped up on the screens above Joker's head, large structures flickering into being. The pilot, looking up from his chair, whistled in surprise.

"Check that out!" He exclaimed. "That's a whole lot of metal under the surface."

Shepard gazed at the image, eyes narrowing as he inspected the mass of metal and other dense materials EDI had detected. There was too much there for it to be natural. From the looks of things, it was almost as large as a city. Definitely worth a look, anyway.

"It would appear that these structures are located beneath a large mountain." EDI changed the image to show the surface, a large black mass rising out of a desert of orange sand. "It is possible that, through the passage of time, the mass of dirt and rock gathered up over whatever ruins lay there, burying them from view."

"That could complicate things." Shepard commented. "But at least we know there's something there to find now. I'd better get down to the hangar, before Liara leaves without me."

"Good luck." Joker said over his shoulder. "And remember: If she swoons, she owes me ten credits!"

**~o~0~o~**

The shuttle's Mass Effect core was already buzzing loudly, incredible amounts of power surging through its Element Zero core to give it the ability to fly and defend itself, as Shepard stepped out onto the Hangar Deck. The Commander stopped short as he perceived the scene before him, a moment's confusion soon replaced by not a little amusement.

"What's going on here?"

The gathered crowd froze at the Commander's voice, many looking to their superior officer with the kind of expression normally found on the face of a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. No fewer than eight members of the squad had gathered around the shuttle. Liara was in the process of loading up her not inconsiderable amount of equipment, aided by the Revenant. In addition, they found themselves joined by Mordin, Jorall, Elanie, Miranda, Garrus, and, most puzzling of all, Legion. Miranda, ever the cool, calculating one, was the first to recover her composure and respond to Shepard's question.

"Commander." She folded her hands behind her back, as close as she ever got to saluting. "I'd like to request permission to accompany you on this expedition. I have some experience with Prothean data encryption."

"More so than our Asari expert on the Protheans?" Shepard asked, hiding a smirk as he turned to the Salarian professor. "What about you, Mordin? Where do you fit into this mission?"

"Protheans known for use of technology capable of interfacing with organics. Case in point: Eden Prime and Virmire beacons. Possible biological components, other hybrid technologies, even chance of genetic samples." The doctor paused in his summary. "Suspected my expertise would be needed."

"And you never know when you might find a computer system that needs hacking." Elanie offered. "Sykes can help with that, but he doesn't go anywhere without me."

"And what about you, Legion?" Shepard turned to the Geth. "You curious about the ruins, too?"

"Shepard-Commander, the Geth are incapable of 'curiosity', particularly in a network as compact as the one housed within this platform." Legion answered in its flat voice. "We are simply acting within the directives of the Collective to gather as much data as possible about a broad sample range of organic species."

"So the Collective asked you to do this?"

"…Negative. We arrived at the consensus that accompanying Shepard-Commander on this operation would best serve the interests of the Geth in their desire to learn and understand the galaxy they wish to be a part of."

"I see." Shepard's lips were aching from being forced to remain rigid, both corners of his mouth wanting to creep upwards. He didn't even get a chance to question the group further as Jorall let out a laboured sigh.

"Ah, screw this." He grunted. "I'm here because I'm _bored,_ Shepard. We all are, and we're not about to pass up the chance to poke around in what could be the biggest Prothean find this side of the Rachni wars."

"Don't you have some Reaper Code to finish digging through?" Shepard reminded the old Krogan, both happy and amused that the ancient scientist was the only one blunt enough to state the intentions of everyone present, in spite of it being plain for all to see.

"That stopped being fun when your AI started doing all of the work for me." The warlord grumbled. "I have to wait for it to finish the scans before I get to look into anything interesting."

"I'm just hoping to get a chance to stretch my legs." Garrus explained as Shepard's questioning glance caught him. "This planet's unexplored, out-of-the-way and, above all else, uninhabited. Figured it'd be nice to be able to go for a walk without a bunch of angry denizens out to kill us."

"You'd best let them go with you, Commander. The last time I saw a science team get bored, the ship's galley got quarantined for three months." Jacob stepped up next to the Commander, surveying the team assembled in front of the shuttle. "Best chilli I've ever tasted, as long as you don't mind the side effects."

"You're here, too?" Shepard asked, mock exasperation in his voice. "At this rate I'll be taking the whole damn crew with me."

"Oh, I'm not coming with you, Shepard." Jacob grinned. "I get enough techno-babble on the ship _without_ accompanying the Normandy Brain Train while they go get all excited over a pile of dusty rocks. No, some of the off-duty crew are hitting the Lounge while you guys are gone. Jack's even got her hands on a pack of cards, although I'm not sure I liked the way she smiled when she told us to bring our credit chits with us."

"Actually, that sounds a lot more fun than turning over a bunch of old boulders." Garrus interjected. "I think I've changed my mind."

"Too late, Vakarian." Shepard smirked. "We need you to help us with the heavy lifting, plus we need a pilot to man the shuttle, anyway. You'll be perfect."

As the team got to work prepping the shuttle, Shepard turned back to Jacob, ignoring the loud, Turian grumbling that carried all too easily to his ears.

"How're you holding up, Jacob?"

"The ribs are healing well." The soldier answered. "Chakwas did a good job putting them back into place, and a couple of days resting up hasn't hurt. I trust you've been through our reports?"

"I have. You went through a lot out there."

"As opposed to fighting an ancient insectile race whose technology made us look like we were still banging sticks together to invent fire? Or going to war against their even more ancient machine overlords?" Jacob asked with a smile. "We've faced much worse, Commander."

"Still a hell of a mission for a first command. How do you think Jano did?"

"Honestly? He wasn't built for leading, Commander. Even so, he did very well, kept his cool and kept his eye on the goal. Plus the plucky bastard's got a mean right hook." Jacob winced at a small twinge, a remnant of his injury. "But he did excel in working that compound's computer systems. He practically made the security cams stand up and dance on demand, and I reckon his work on this mission has given him a whole lot more confidence in the tech abilities his Quarian background gave him. A little more practice, and you'll have quite the Tech specialist on your hands there."

"That's good to hear." Shepard said, feeling a swell of satisfaction in his gut. He'd been worried that the young Quarian was struggling to find a real place for himself in the squad, so used to fending for just himself. From the sounds of things, he was discovering where he might fit in, giving himself both place and purpose on the squad.

"Was there any word from the Council about the intel we dug up?" Jacob asked.

"They were sparing with their gratitude, no real surprise there." Shepard said, a grim smile on his face. "But they do seem happy that Trudd is no longer a factor. What's more, I've already heard of a few C-Sec raids on warehouses on the Citadel. Your mission put a dent in illegal weapons trading, to say the least."

"Great." Jacob's shoulders dropped, tension seeping from his stance. "Good to know we achieved something with it all."

"Shepard?" Garrus called, standing in the hatch of the shuttle. "That's everything loaded up. We're ready when you are."

"I'll talk to you later, Jacob." Shepard waved as he strode towards the waiting craft.

"Take care, Shepard. Try not to let the eggheads get too excited."

Moments later the shuttle hatch had been sealed, the Hangar Bay evacuated as the wide doors opened to allow the expedition craft to putter out into space, turning sharply to angle its way down to the waiting planet below. Behind, the Normandy drifted on in high orbit.

**~o~0~o~**

"What a _dump_."

Jorall's words were the first thing to break the silence for a while, the rest of the team watching the dull brown scenery whipping by as the shuttle rushed over the landscape. Shepard had to admit, the Krogan had a point. He'd never seen a planet with a- mostly- breathable atmosphere that was quite so bleak. Even some of the airless moons he'd visited, stripped of all air and life by solar winds, had felt more alive than Suime. When the terrain wasn't an immensely flat, dusty plain scoured clean of all life, mountainous rocks climbed into the sky like blackened bony fingers reaching up to grab the shuttle.

As Garrus had piloted the shuttle through the upper atmosphere, contending with some powerful turbulence on his way down, the scientists aboard the shuttle had set to work performing a vast array of tests. Mordin scanned for microscopic life in the atmosphere, sifting through air samples in his search. Miranda, aided by Legion, broke down the exact chemical composition of the atmosphere, alert for any rare or valuable materials that could hint at something on the planet other than rocks and sand. The remainder of the team, aside from the Revenant and Liara, ran some deeper scans to penetrate the planet's surface in the search for any possible ruins. So far, nothing had been found, save for lifeless sand.

"Whatever glassed this planet, it was thorough." Jorall said. "Not one piece of fertile soil, not one body of water, not one Void-be-damned tree."

"Atmosphere devoid of life." Mordin said, closing up his omnitool. "Nothing, even on single-celled scale."

"There's probably more life growing in the treads of my boot than you'd find on the whole damned planet." Jorall muttered.

Shepard looked up from where he had been sitting, glancing between the frustrated team and his remaining two companions, the Collector and the Asari. Both stared forwards over Garrus' shoulders, the six eyes between them eating up the landscape in focused silence. The Asari's face was contorted with a powerful longing, a pent-up anticipation that would not fade. The Collector's expression, alien as ever, was an unreadable mask.

"Well, get ready for a change of pace." Garrus said over his shoulder. "That structure EDI detected is coming up fast."

As a unit, the team stepped up towards the front of the shuttle, crowding in around Liara and the Revenant in their eagerness to catch a glimpse of what the ship's AI had suggested was a Prothean structure.

The structure, in actual fact, was quite disappointing. A lazily sloping, curved hill rose from the sand like the back of a whale. From a distance, the hill looked perfectly smooth, only gaining finer details when the shuttle drew close. As Garrus circled the craft around, Shepard's keen eyes could make out dozens of creases in the rock, narrow cracks into which a man could easily disappear. Many of these ran length-wise along the full two kilometres of the hill's spine.

"Doesn't look like much." Garrus commented.

"If even a tenth of that formation is a Prothean facility, it'll be as significant a find as the Ilos ruins, or Feros." Miranda answered the Turian. "This could catapult our understanding of the advanced sciences forwards by centuries."

"Or give us a weapon to fight the Reapers." Jorall said, his mind ever focused on the trade that came to his people so naturally.

"Doesn't that shape strike anyone else as… odd?" Elanie asked. "It looks a little too regular…"

"Operative Johanson is correct." Legion responded. "Visual scans confirm the dimensions of the hill to be exactly two kilometres in length, seven hundred fifty metres in width and five hundred metres in height. In addition, the outline of the structure is almost geometrically perfect. Irregularities in the outline exist, but are within the boundaries of acceptance once factors such as time and the resulting matter accretion and decay are taken into account. Natural processes could not have created so precise a structure. The only possible conclusion that remains is that an artificial structure exists under the shell of soil and rock."

"I recognise this place." The Revenant spoke for the first time since entering the shuttle, instantly grabbing everyone's attention. "It's the location of the city from my visions."

"You sure?" Shepard asked. "It's been a long time. The landscape's bound to change, and you never mentioned anything about an artificial mountain."

"The shape of the land has changed, but remains close enough to its state fifty thousand years ago for me to recognise it." The Collector explained. "The structure is not familiar, but it rests on the location where the city once stood. Perhaps it is a wartime construction, an act of defiance against the Reapers that never bore fruit."

"Possibility." Mordin said. "Such a project would be classified, for protection of those involved and of project itself. Not information readily available through sources such as data spheres. Nevertheless, knowledge of importance of certain locations would bleed into common knowledge. Urban myths, conspiracy theories, information leaks. Similar to fabled 'Area Fifty One' on Earth. Location of experimentation on Salarian scanning probe that crash-landed in late Nineteenth Century. Knowledge of existence remained undisclosed until discovery of Mass Relays and larger Galaxy, but semi-mythological belief in facility remained."

"We need to take a closer look." Shepard said. "Garrus, take us down close to the North Eastern end of it."

**~o~0~o~**

Fifteen minutes later, the team had almost finished setting up their equipment, tables of humming machinery and an array of scanning dishes all reaching out to inspect the dark mound before them. The shuttle remained powered up, its Mass Effect core donating energy to the makeshift lab. The only things that remained to be set up were a couple of small drills that would collect samples of the soil and rock that covered the facility.

The team had bubbled with much excitement at the discovery of a rugged tunnel that seemed to run right into the heart of the hill. In spite of its rough, natural appearance, Shepard hoped that it would lead into the facility itself, making their job that much easier. From the way both Liara and the Revenant hovered close to it, it was obvious that they held onto the same hope.

Everyone jumped as one of the scanners began to bleep madly, crying out for attention. Elanie was the first to reach the machine, tapping in a few commands. Her brow creased as she checked and rechecked the readings, keeping her colleagues waiting in suspense.

"That can't be right." She muttered.

"What is it?" The Commander asked.

"There's something inside that's reacting to our scans. It's sending out a ping on all radio frequencies, trying to prompt a response. I'm not one hundred per cent certain, but I think that it might be an IFF ping."

"It can't be." Jorall said flatly. "Nothing in a facility like this would still have power."

"Vigil did." Garrus interjected. "Granted, not much, but enough."

"Ilos was largely untouched." The Krogan countered. "It hadn't been devastated like…" He waved a hand about in an expansive gesture. "…like this."

"The signal's not far inside the tunnel." Elanie explained. "It could be an automated system, like a doorway password or something."

"Whatever it is, it warrants investigation." Shepard said. "I'll take Liara and the Revenant with me to go have a look." He lifted his hands as the rest of the team stepped forward in unison. "The_ rest _of you will wait here and continue your scans. No buts. We need as much data as possible."

The Normandy's scientists lowered their raised feet, returning to their tasks with reluctance. Even Legion managed to twist its facial flaps in such a way that it looked as though it was pouting. Shaking his head, Shepard turned to Liara and the Revenant, waving a hand to follow him as he walked towards the tunnel entrance.

The tunnel loomed over him, a cold, dark mouth waiting to swallow the Commander whole. He shuddered as he stepped closer. The whole thing felt wrong in some way that he couldn't put his finger on. He couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was happening or about to happen.

The tunnel was freezing cold, an odd contrast to the desert outside, where the sun beat down on the sand without mercy, no ozone left in the atmosphere to deflect the full fury of a star. Shepard's footsteps echoed in the confines of the narrow passageway, a scant five metres or so across. It was tall enough for Shepard to stand upright and still have plenty of space overhead, but the floor was uneven and treacherous, small pits threatening to swallow a foot whole and snap an ankle. After only a short journey from the entrance, the Commander was forced to turn on his omnitool's flashlight to plot out his path.

Both Shepard and the Revenant almost jumped out of their skin at a loud clack, only to turn and see a sheepish Liara tapping at a loose rock with her toe to ease it out of the way before she almost tripped over it a second time.

"We're almost at the source of the signal." The Asari said, her voice deep and booming in the confines of the passage."

"I'm not seeing what could be transmitting any kind of a signal." Shepard said, the beam of his flashlight combing the dark corners.

"I'll try sending another ping." Liara suggested. "Try to get another response." There was a momentary silence, then she grunted in satisfaction. "Done. I'm getting a resp- oh goddess…"

"What?" Shepard asked, turning to his old friend.

"A more intense response than Elanie received." The alien explained. "Apparently whatever it is doesn't like continued prompting without the necessary IFF response. I think something may be powering up."

Almost on cue, a thunderous crackling filled the tunnel. The trio of explorers all looked up as two pieces of rock slid apart, stalactites dislodged as metal moved under the shell of millennia of collecting matter. Behind that, a glass-like orb waited to be revealed, sliding forward as the metal parted, much like an eye appearing from behind its lids.

The three adventurers all froze as the Reaper's mechanical eye lit up, bathing them in bloody, red light.

**~o~0~o~**

Garrus leaned against the side of the shuttle, deeply regretting his decision to come along. Miranda and Elanie had begun arguing about some procedure or other. At least, that was the outwardly apparent reason. The Turian sensed that there was something more beneath the quarrel, possibly some kind of territorial thing. Their stances indicated that, had they been Turian females, their frills would have been fully deployed while talons were made ready to slash at an opponents eyes. Although, what the pair could have to fight over was a mystery to him. It may have been something to do with the Commander, but Garrus couldn't see how they would even think about having a chance there, as Shepard had made it abundantly clear on multiple occasions that he was committed to his relationship with Jack, and nobody on the squad would ever be stupid enough to deliberately step between Jack and something that belonged to her. The only other thing that they could be fighting over was the position as the Normandy's resident specialist on Cerberus operating procedure, and the Turian just couldn't fathom how that would be worth starting a feud over. He shook his head as more irritated squawking emerged from the bickering pair. Women, it seemed, remained a mystery to him. Turian, Human, Krogan or Vorcha, they were all too damned difficult to figure out.

It was towards the end of the Turian's musings upon the fairer gender that the first thunderous crack echoed out, a gunshot of titanic proportions. All present froze at the noise, looking about anxiously for what could have caused such a cacophony.

The oddly shaped mountain shuddered, more fractures appearing across its surface, the thick shell cracking open to reveal an indistinct shape moving just underneath the surface. Sheets of rubble sloughed off the mound, the accretion of the millennia falling away in massive clouds of thick dust. At the foot of the mound, the tunnel the Commander had gone down glowed a furious scarlet.

Garrus took a few steps towards the awakening mountain before a towering leg that easily matched the size of any building on the Citadel stretched out from the mass beneath the rock. A leg whose shape was all too easily recognised by the Turian.

"Aw, shit." He grunted. "It's a Reaper! Everyone, into the shuttle, NOW!"

The rest of the science team hesitated only a moment before turning tail and fleeing, the monster lifting up from under the shell that had hidden it since the last cycle. Mordin hesitated, turning back to his equipment, but Garrus was instantly there, grabbing him by the shoulder.

"Leave it!" He yelled over the din of the rising monster. "Get your ass in that shuttle!"

The Turian ushered the last couple of scientists onto the craft, making a beeline for the pilot's chair. Miranda was already up front, radioing the Normandy.

"Away team to Normandy. Joker, do you copy?"

"Normandy here." The frigate's pilot responded promptly. "You eggheads find something already?"

"You could say that." Garrus said before Miranda could answer. He punched a few controls, setting the drive core of the shuttle whining loudly. "There's a goddamn Reaper down here doing its best 'Night of the Living Dead' impression, climbing up from under the ground."

"Y-you're kidding."

"Do I sound like I'm kidding?" Garrus barked. "We need some support, now! Get down here before this thing finishes rising from the grave."

"Hang on, we're on our way!" Joker confirmed, the comm channel closing.

"What good can the Normandy do against that?" Elanie asked, pointing at the mountain that had almost finished standing up.

Clods of soil and massive boulders still tumbled down in a thick hail off the Reaper's body, the purple-blue hull of the creature visible now. Arcs of blue energy flashed across the thick hide, jumping their way down to the tips of its eight tentacle-like legs. Four eyes were visible on the Reaper, two on the underside of its rounded, elongated 'head', while another two glared out from what could have been considered the nape of its neck. While the other Reapers the squad had encountered had possessed tentacles more centred around the end of their body, oftentimes shaped like a grasping hand or a gargantuan cuttlefish, this one instead had two separate clusters on either side of its body, more in keeping with an insect, or maybe an arachnid like a scorpion. The long body tapering off into the narrow point that reached up into the sky certainly fit better with the latter example.

Muscles tensing, Garrus hit a few more controls, causing the shuttle to shudder.

"If nothing else, the Normandy can buy us a few more seconds to get into the hangar bay. Provided we both survive long enough."

"Shepard-Commander remains in the tunnel." Legion interjected, its vocal processors turned up to maximum to overcome the noise of the rising giant.

"The Commander's right underneath that damn thing's asshole." Garrus grunted, lifting the shuttle into the air. "We haven't got time to wait for him to get to us, and there's no way we can take this thing under there."

"Our calculations suggest that Shepard-Commander's probability of survival is greatly diminished if he is separated from the Normandy collective by one of the Old Machines." The machine protested. "Shepard-Commander's continued safety demands that we go to his aid."

"We can't buzz around a Reaper's ankles in this thing!" Garrus retorted. "Shepard's smart enough to find cover and wait until the monster loses interest in him. We need to keep ourselves alive long enough to be able to go back and find him when things cool off." He paused, manipulating a few more controls. "Besides, we're already in the air now. Unless you fancy making an impromptu airdrop I suggest- No! Wait!"

The last two words were yelped as the Geth turned, looked at the door for half a second, and then surged forward, plummeting from view silently. Garrus almost leapt from his seat, a hand darting out as if to grasp the machine before it jumped, but his duty at the helm kept him from pursuing the Geth further. He sighed, turning back to his console.

"Damnit!" He muttered, shutting the hatch to the shuttle before any other members of the squad got similar ideas. "Everyone hang on. This is gonna get rough before the Normandy gets here to save our asses."

"Shouldn't we go after Legion?" Elanie asked, shock in her expression at the sudden turn of events.

"Not with a Reaper on our tail." Jorall rumbled. "The machine will have endured the fall. We'll just have to pick it out of the rubble when things blow over."

"Jorall's right." Garrus said firmly. "Now shut up and get yourselves strapped in. Things might get a little… crazy."

"We talking Mordin crazy or Jack crazy?" Miranda asked with a smirk as she fastened her buckles.

"Worse- Shepard crazy." Garrus shot back. "Hang on!"

**~o~0~o~**

"Liara! Look out!"

Shepard lunged, catching the Asari around the waist as he bore her to the ground, rolling with her and just barely managing to get the two of them out of the path of a falling boulder. Not stopping to catch his breath, the Commander leapt back to his feet, arm raised to fend off the showers of dust and smaller pebbles. Her reached down with his free hand, dragging the shocked Liara to her feet again.

The Revenant grunted, hands reaching up over his head as he raised a biotic defence to keep the falling debris at bay, but as powerful as he was, every chunk of rock that crashed down on the sparkling barrier caused a shudder of exertion to run through him, his legs eventually buckling. The Collector's head drooped as he slipped to one knee, unable to defend himself from an entire mountain dropping on his head.

Overhead, the Reaper rose from the soil, climbing out of what had been its tomb for fifty thousand years. It moved a little unsteadily, but there was purpose in its motion, a predatory, primeval fury that echoed what must have been its final thoughts before it had been put into its millennia-long slumber. The ground trembled as its eight legs crashed down, pushing the bloated metal body up into the sky. More rock fell away to reveal a second 'eye' on its underside, the pair glaring down at the trio in the rubble.

The roar that tore free from the Reaper was truly terrifying, utterly deafening. It shuddered through the very bones of the planet under the Commander's feet, a reverberating groan of twisting metal that dug its way into the soul and twisted. As the monster's eyes locked onto the three explorers, Shepard turned to the Revenant, waving a hand frantically as he used the other to support Liara.

"Get out of here!" He shouted, his words vanishing in the din. "Go!"

The Collector turned, still holding up his shield as he made a run for the open plains beyond the Reaper's 'feet'. The Commander followed, practically carrying Liara as she raised a shield to protect them both.

Stumbling, dodging the larger pieces of rock that threatened to crush them, the trio rushed towards safety. A mere dozen metres from where they had started, a creaking groan grabbed Shepard's attention. The Commander glanced up, only to see one of the Reaper's legs lifting up before stabbing down. Hurling Liara one way, Shepard leapt in the opposite direction, the enormous limb crashing down to pierce the ground between them. After a brief moment, the leg retracted, the Reaper shifting its body to allow its eyes to scan the ground.

Shepard groaned as he tried to force himself up onto his hands and knees, but a sheet of rock had tumbled across his back, pinning him in place. Grunting, he shifted his arms, straining with all of his might until the rock slid away. Dust puffed up around him, filling his throat and nostrils. He hacked at the chalky coating in his airways, struggling to stand upright.

"Liara!" His voice was hoarse, but loud. He looked about, seeing nothing of his two companions. "Revenant?"

Another terrible growl ripped through the air, dragging the Commander's gaze upwards. The Reaper was staring directly at him, twin beams of disdain and malevolence pinning him to the ground. As Shepard stared upwards into the monster's eyes, one of them spun, the lens distorting as the glow behind it grew more intense. With a short metallic shriek, the Reaper fired its beam at him.

**~o~0~o~**

"Son of a bitch…" Garrus breathed, staring out of the viewport. "That thing is huge!"

"What's it doing?" Miranda asked as the shuttle raced through the air above it. She watched as the Reaper brought one leg crashing down, fractures appearing in the ground around it.

"It has to be the Commander!" Garrus gasped.

"We have to help him!" The Human woman answered, dialling up a couple of controls in front of her.

"What are you doing?"

"This is a Krogan shuttle." She replied. "If they didn't stuff oversized guns somewhere on this thing, then my mother was a Vorcha."

"I don't know… you have got quite a temper-"

"Just shut up and divert power from all nonessential systems!" She snapped before turning to glance back over her shoulder, looking to Jorall, then the console that unfolded from the back wall of the craft. "Jorall! Man those guns!"

"We're in a shuttle, Human." The Krogan responded. "It'd be like a pyjak taking on a thresher maw! What do you expect me to do, tickle it?"

"I don't know! You're the Krogan, get creative! Just keep that thing's attention off the Commander!"

The craft shuddered as twin streams of bullets spewed forth from turrets extending from the prow, the white lines of tracer fire stroking the Reaper's hide. The bullets bounced off with no effect. Garrus let out a grunt of irritation.

"No way that's going to be enough." He put the shuttle into a dangerously tight turn, wincing as his organs compacted under the G-forces. "Everyone hang on! I'm gonna really get its attention."

"What are you-?" Miranda got no further, her stomach rising into her throat as the shuttle twisted along an axis it was never designed to, bringing the Reaper into view dead ahead.

"Statistical probability of directly engaging a reaper head-on and surviving is point zero-zero-" Mordin began.

"Never tell me the odds!" Garrus snapped, placing his hand over the accelerator control.

The Reaper ahead shifted, its posture changing. Its legs became more firmly placed, evenly space apart as it steadied itself.

The crew of the shuttle let out an anguished cry as one as the Reaper beam fired, drilling into the ground with furious intensity. Garrus let out the most terribly shout of all, a call of pain that instantly twisted into a maddened battlecry.

"Shepard!" His hand mashed the control before him as the shuttle blasted forwards at full speed, the hull of the Reaper directly in its path.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard twisted away from the flash of scarlet light, tensing for the sensation of the beam striking him.

"Commander!"

The Revenant rose from where he had fallen amongst the rubble, hurling himself forward with all of his power. He reached the Commander a split second before the beam struck, lifting his hands over his head as he erected a biotic shield.

The beam struck the shield with the crackle of immense energies, the Revenant dropping to his knee immediately. He grunted, his arms sparking with blue power as he maintained the defence. Strain showing in his stance, the Collector held on, forcing himself back onto his feet. The biotic power coursed over his hide, wisps of smoke appearing at the seams of his armour plating. With a terrifying, sickly crack, the plates split open, revealing a glowing blue light beneath. His three remaining eyes blazed with blinding white light, the fourth damaged one dull by comparison.

"Rrryagh!" The noise tore free from his throat, his voice becoming deeper, a metallic echo behind it.

Gunshots fired overhead as the whine of an engine tore through the sky like the sound of ripping canvas. The Reaper's eye shattered in a bright flash, the beam cut off in mid stream as the beast howled with fury. The Normandy's shuttle darted by, threading its way through the Reaper's legs even as its guns fired wildly. The craft corkscrewed through the air, missing the Reaper's underbelly by mere inches.

The Reaper roared, turning to follow the shuttle. Its feet clomped around nearby, sending a large boulder up into the air before it tumbled down, landing on top of the Commander and his Collector companion. Shepard's world turned black.

**~o~0~o~**

"Ye-hargh!" Jorall's triumphant cry. "Eat lead, you old rust-bucket!"

"How did you do that?" Elanie asked. "The guns on this thing shouldn't have even come close to penetrating a Reaper's barriers."

"It doesn't have any." Jorall said, tapping his cybernetic eye. "Not yet, anyway. Looks like its Mass Effect core is still charging up."

"Then this is as good a chance as we'll get to take it out." Garrus said. "Dial up the Normandy. Let them know that this thing is vulnerable while its on the ground. We need Joker to come in with all guns blazing."

"What about Shepard?" Elanie asked.

"There's no way we can look for him with that thing after us." Miranda said flatly, echoing the knowledge that ran through Garrus' head, overriding his first instinct to search for his old friend. "If Shepard's alive, then he's far safer than we are right now, probably underground. If he's not…" He voice hitched, uncertainty plaguing her expression. "If he's not, then we'll achieve nothing by getting ourselves killed looking for a corpse."

"Look alive up front!" Jorall grumbled. "Look's like Tiny's pissed, and he's coming this way."

Garrus reacted just in time, jinking the shuttle to one side just as a pair of red beams speared the sky, following his path closely as he wound around them.

"Damn!" He cursed, mandibles flaring.

"Get down close to the ground." Miranda advised. "Make it work for every clear shot it gets at us."

"Where's the damn Normandy?" The Turian grumbled.

"They'll be here." She reassured him. "We just need to give them as much time as we can."

**~o~0~o~**

"Jeff, I must remind you that the recommended safe velocity for re-entry in no more than five-"

"I heard you the first three times, EDI." Joker snapped back as his hands danced across the controls. "I know what I'm doing."

"Joker?" The comm unit crackled into life, delivering Kaidan's voice to the helm. "Did you just take us out of orbit?"

"Shepard ran into a little Reaper-based trouble on the surface." Joker replied, pushing the frigate's speed up to her maximum. "Garrus just called in to ask us for some help with pest control."

"Away team to Normandy." Another hail came through on the comm unit. "Normandy, this is Miranda. The Reaper's shields are down for the moment, but its power levels are rising. You need to hit it before it has the power to get off the ground."

"Acknowledged." The pilot answered. "We are en route."

"Did I just hear that right, Joker?" Kaidan asked, consternation in his tone. "An actual Reaper?"

"Sounds like it." Joker said, his voice light to hide the anxiety he felt. "You might wanna strap in. Things are gonna get bumpy."

"Are you kidding? I'm heading down to Gunnery Control. Been a while since I had a shot at one of these bastards, and by my count we still owe them for Etarn."

Joker's lip twitched, but his focus remained on the console in front of him, his teeth gritting as he felt the ship shudder. The planet was far larger than any body that it was safe to land the Normandy on, its mass and gravitational field more than the ship was designed to cope with. One wrong move, and he'd split the ship across its beam, ripping it in half.

"EDI? Close the window shutters." Joker said, wincing as fire engulfed the prow of the ship, a blinding orange light that soon vanished as the windows were covered over. He swallowed, pushing a little more power into the engines. "Here goes…"

**~o~0~o~**

"Left!"

Garrus swerved instinctually, not even bothering to look in that direction as he responded to Miranda's shout. A mere fraction of a second later, a Reaper beam speared through the space the shuttle had just vacated.

"We can't keep this up forever." Jorall warned. "That things getting close to full strength."

"We just need a little more time." The Turian said through grit teeth. "Mordin! How are you getting on with those engines? Anything you can do to get a little extra out of them?"

"Operating on Mass Effect core mid-flight not an easy task. Only so much can be done." The Salarian answered. "Otherwise risk total loss of power."

"Yes or no, that's all I want."

"Have done all I can. Unsure whether it will be sufficient."

"It'll have to be." Garrus muttered. "Come on, Joker…"

"There!" Miranda spoke out, pointing to a rapidly nearing mountain range. "Between those two peaks. A narrow valley. The Reaper won't fit, so it'll have to go around or over. Either way, it buys us a little time."

"We'll have to rise up off the plains to get through there." Garrus cautioned, angling towards the cleft. "We'll be exposed to enemy fire."

"We're pretty much exposed right now." The Human answered. "We're running out of options, Garrus."

"Alright, brace yourselves!" Garrus warned.

The shuttle jerked upwards, the Turian timing his angle very carefully to rush up the slopes of the mountain range. Two Reaper beams struck the mountainside, sending plumes of rock splinters dancing through the air.

One beam twisted to the side, brushing the shuttle's barriers. The meagre defence vanished in a flash, unable to withstand the sheer power of the weapon. The shuttle bounced away from the impact, the entire frame of the craft vibrating as it skimmed along bare rock, a terrible shriek announcing the departure of one of the gun emplacements. Smoke began whipping past the front viewport, the acrid stench of burning seeping into the cockpit. Almost immediately, the Nathak began to lose speed, suddenly becoming more sluggish.

"No no no no!" Garrus punched a few commands, but the damage went too deep, with no way to bypass the loss of performance.

"What's going on?" Elanie asked, fear in her voice.

"We've lost both the primary and the secondary actuators on the forward thrusters. Our aerodynamics are off, and I can't get us back up to full speed." Garrus explained.

"Are you kidding?" Jorall burst out. "We're sitting ducks out here in the open!"

"Look out!" Miranda barked. "It's going to attack again!"

Garrus stared at the screen in front of him, seeing the Reaper align its beam weapons on the shuttle once more. The two 'eyes' on the upper side of its hull glowed brightly, charging up.

A sudden, terrifying scream ripped by overhead as a blazing streak of white light darted down to swoop by just over the beleaguered shuttle, aiming straight for the Reaper. Glowing as brightly as the sun, the Normandy raced through the sky towards its enemy. Hull plates still glowing brightly from the heat of re-entry, the underside of the prow split apart to deploy the Thanix Cannon, the technology stolen from the corpse of Sovereign himself. Further back, the Gravity Cannon extended, its seven barrels already glowing brightly. Across the hull of the frigate, torpedo bays and gun batteries unfolded, the entire offensive capability of the ship on display. In one savage volley, she fired, a torrent of ammunition slamming against the Reaper's hull. The Thanix beam carved a red-hot line of flame across the Reaper's body as the Gravity Cannon ripped and blasted at the ancient armour plating. The full might of the Cerberus-built vessel slammed into the ancient beast, staggering it. The passengers of the shuttle let out a victorious cry as the machine stumbled, falling to the ground.

"Sorry I'm late." Joker's cocky voice sounded over the comms. "Traffic was a nightmare."

"Joker!" Garrus shouted in response, not caring that the comm channel could carry his voice just fine at a normal level. "Great timing, as usual."

"It's never as heroic unless you leave it to the last possible second." The unflappable pilot replied. "I'm just glad I got here before you were all Reapered to death."

"We're pretty beat up, but still functional." Garrus said. "Joker, Shepard's still in the rubble of that mountain. We need to organise some search parties to dig him out-"

The Turian stammered to a halt as he looked to the fallen Reaper, only to see its legs waving madly. The limbs stretched out as it heaved, forcing itself upright once more. It spent a moment straightening itself up, then turned to the Normandy and her shuttle, its stance filled with what could only have been hatred.

"Son of a bitch…" Joker gasped. "These things just don't die!"

"Turian!" Jorall shouted from the gunnery station. "I'm detecting an energy barrier around the Reaper now."

"Normandy!" Garrus shouted over the comms. "We need a pick-up right now. That thing's almost at full strength."

"Alright, just hang in there." Joker replied, the Normandy swinging around in mid-air to dart back towards where the damaged shuttle struggled through the air.

**~o~0~o~**

Joker's hands danced across the controls, his brow creased deeply while his eyes narrowed. His focus locked on the tiny craft on his displays, the damaged Nathak struggling up into the sky. Beams from the Reaper's weaponry darted through the sky around the two ships, one coming close enough to the frigate that it skimmed off the shields, causing the ship to lurch to one side wildly.

"Shields down to sixty-five per cent." EDI stated, her voice seeming frustratingly calm to Joker. "Power surge detected in Mass Effect core. Directing surplus charge to non-critical systems. Damage minimal. Aft port thruster offline. Artificial gravity generators down to fifty per cent functionality. O2 scrubbers on Deck three-"

"Could really do without the running commentary, EDI." Joker muttered. "Trying to focus here. Just put it up on the screens and pass the data down to Ken and Gabby."

"Understood." EDI replied. A pregnant pause followed. Eventually, it gave birth to another comment from EDI, this one weighted with anxiety, unusual for the normally calm AI. "Jeff, our shields will not survive for long with this rate of attrition. They will not repel a direct hit. We should direct the crew to the esc-"

"Don't say it." Joker interrupted. "I'm not losing another Normandy to these things!" He gulped down what he really wanted to say, his personal reassurance aimed towards her.

"Normandy." Garrus' voice cut through on the comms. "We're ready to come aboard. You'll need to slow down so we can get our trajectories right."

"No can do, Garrus." Joker answered. "Don't know if you've noticed, but we have a sentient god-machine on our tail here."

"There's no way we can land in the hangar at this speed!" The Turian protested. "It'd be like threading a needle at five hundred miles a second!"

"You just focus on keeping yourselves steady. I'll deal with staying on target." Joker's voice was calm as he pressed a few more controls, altering the flight surfaces of the ship to adjust her speed. " Alter your course to a heading of two-ninety point five. When I tell you, power down your core and brace for deceleration."

"But-"

"Either you take your chances with me, or you take your chances with the primeval death machine." Joker snapped. "Make your choice."

"… Two-ninety point five, aye."

The shuttle swung about sluggishly, a trail of black smoke following her as she wobbled through the air. Joker adjusted the Normandy to follow her, moving on a course that ran parallel to, but not behind, the smaller craft. The seasoned pilot, realising that the recently awoken Reaper would focus on the vessel that had caused it the most damage and was there fore the biggest threat, tried to keep his course unpredictable, weaving around the incoming fire as best he could. Yet more power drained away from the shields as they took another couple of narrow misses, their levels dropping to a scant nineteen per cent. Feeling sweat trickle across his forehead, the pilot counted down in his head, countless calculations coming together as he timed his moment.

"Now!" He barked with a suddenness that surprised himself.

The Normandy swung through the sky, adjusting her course to fall in directly on the tail of the shuttle just as its engines powered down, doing nothing more than holding it steady in the air. A flash later, the hangar of the much larger vessel swallowed it.

"EDI, did we get them?" Joker's stomach twisted.

"Affirmative. I have the shuttle in a Mass Effect field in the centre of the hangar. Minimal damage to the hangar bay. Fire teams are heading down to prevent further damage to the shuttle. Doctor Chakwas has a medical team on standby for any potential casualties."

Joker didn't reply, instead sharply twisting the ship into an upwards climb, darting away from the planet's surface. In spite of his silence, EDI's sensors detected a change in his posture and in his vital readings that suggested, if not joy, then at least relief.

"Seal the hangar, EDI." He ordered. "I'm taking us up into orbit."

"Are you hoping to elude pursuit?" The AI asked cautiously.

"Maybe we can put some distance between ourselves and that thing before it regains enough power to fly." He reasoned. "Then we could activate the stealth drive and go hide on the opposite side of the sun, or something."

"While retreat is the only sound strategy in this situation, I fear we may be too late." EDI replied. "The Reaper has already gained the capacity for controlled flight. It remains in pursuit."

"Shit!" Joker cursed, glancing to his sensor readings again only to see the Reaper was indeed following the Normandy. It had fallen behind, being much more sluggish in the planet's atmosphere, but it was picking up speed, already closing the gap with the comparatively tiny vessel.

"Damn it…" He muttered, his brain working overtime, looking for a way out. The Reaper would doubtless be able to track the ship if he went to FTL, so that was out of the question, as was turning to take the thing on head-to-head. There were no asteroid fields he could take advantage of, and besides, he doubted the Normandy's own shields would survive that long enough for him to see the Reaper get damaged. He needed something, anything…

"EDI?"

"Yes, Jeff?"

"How many moons does this planet have?"

"Three."

"Composition?"

"Two are largely made up of ice, while the third has a surprisingly high mass for its size. I am detecting a large number of dense minerals beneath the surface, as well as a large concentration of iron, which creates a powerful magnetic field."

"Give me a heading, and put everything you can into putting a little extra distance between us and that Reaper."

"The moon's magnetic field will provide no more protection than our stealth drive can already supply." The AI informed him.

"Don't worry about it." Joker assured her. "I have an idea." He winced as another beam speared through the empty vacuum mere metres from the frigate's hull. "You know how you mentioned the escape pods earlier? I want you to power them all up."

"Shall I sound the evacuation-"

"No. Just power up the pods. I need you to trigger a recursive power cascade in their Mass Effect drives."

"Jeff, such an action will cause the pods to-"

"I know, EDI. Just trust me on this, and give me a countdown."

The AI was silent as Joker adjusted the ship's course, rushing to Normandy towards the grey-white moon that hung in space directly ahead. A counter appeared on the console before Joker, the numbers dwindling rapidly as he watched. Frowning with concentration, the pilot swerved around another Reaper attack almost without thinking. The swift follow up still managed to clip the vessel, a layer of ablative armour evaporating off her belly. Joker winced, but kept the ship steady. Meanwhile, the moon grew ever larger on the screens, almost blotting out any view of the space beyond it. Eventually Joker's silence became too much for the usually patient EDI.

"Jeff, if we do not alter our course, we will collide with the moon's surface."

"Just a second…" Joker's fingers hovered over the vital controls, poised like a bird of prey.

Mere seconds before the ship ploughed into the dust and rock of the moon's surface, the skilled pilot of the Normandy sprang into action, his hands moving in a blur. The bulkheads groaning, the ship twisted around ninety degrees, bringing itself around to skim just above the surface of the moon. The crew inside let out a collective gasp as the G-forces overpowered the inertial dampeners, the physical force of the manoeuvre pulling at their bodies in a sickening lurch. Joker wrestled down the urge to vomit, his years of experience in spaceflight granting him remarkable self-control in the situation.

The ship darted around the moon, a scant ship's breadth from the jagged rocks below. Joker's eyes scanned the readings, looking for a likely spot. Finally, he wound what he sought: a tall mountain range which blotted out a large portion of the light reflecting off the distant Suime, casting a deep shadow. Altering his course, he barked out a few more instructions.

"EDI, get the IES powered up and ready. Begin cycling down all nonessential systems. I want us ready for silent running at a second's notice."

"Ready." EDI replied, almost before the pilot had finished speaking. Joker suppressed a surprised glance in her direction. The AI was smart. No doubt she'd already figured out what he had planned.

"Be ready to release the docking clamps on the escape pods." He ordered, looking to the timer. Just under half a minute to go. "Make sure they all travel together in a group, and head pretty much straight up. I want that thing reading a large mass with our signature when we do this."

"Understood." The AI said no more, focused on her task. Both she and Joker knew what was at stake here. If this plan failed, the Normandy would be essentially helpless. The duo waited silently as the seconds ticked by, Joker only interrupting his silence for a brief moment to send a warning to his shipmates, ignoring the countless queries that flooded the internal comm system.

The mountain that Joker had chosen whipped by, its passing mirrored by Joker feverishly manipulating several controls, forcing the ship into another gut-wrenching twist as it zoomed around the mass of rock. In the same instant, the escape pods released, jetting straight up into the sky.

The moment that his console informed him that the pods were gone, Joker reversed the main thrusters, killing the frigate's forward momentum in a flash. He wrestled with the auxiliary controls, but what followed could be described as little more than an organised crash. The Normandy wobbled through the air for an ungainly second, then slapped down into the grey dust with a terrible crash that, while thunderous inside the ship, made no sound outside. With a screeching roar that deafened the crew, the ship ground to a halt.

Overhead, the escape pods rushed into the air, sticking together in a tight flock. For a moment, they were invisible in the darkness behind the mountain, but then they darted up past its shadow, gleaming white in the sunlight reflecting off the far away planet. Half a heartbeat later, a red beam pierced through their formation, grazing one pod. The stricken capsule wobbled on its course for a moment, then detonated with brilliant intensity. The blast of its demise struck the other pods, causing a cascading wave of fire and debris that burned bright ever so briefly, then faded into darkness, most of the debris shooting off into space while the little that remained was recaptured by the moon's gravity, falling ever so slowly back to the surface.

Back inside the Normandy, all of its decks fell silent, the lights dimming as EDI powered down everything that she could. Joker suppressed a shudder as the artificial gravity faded, causing his insides to churn uncertainly as he experienced the gravity of the moon itself, a scant tenth of what he was used to.

"IES, activated. All non-critical systems powering down." EDI informed Joker, her voice surprisingly loud without the background noise of the ship's operation filling the CIC. "Mass Effect core running at five per cent power."

Joker opened his mouth to respond, but his jaws snapped shut as a massive shape drifted past the mountain, far above. The Reaper's eyes roved about menacingly, scanning for remains of the ship it had been pursuing. Joker felt his breath catch in his chest, his body unwilling to even risk such a tiny sound for fear of betraying the presence of the frigate to the ancient machine.

The awakened monstrosity scudded through the air above the mountain, moving deliberately as it searched for its prey. As it passed by almost directly overhead, Joker's eyes snapped shut, a silent prayer being offered that he'd done enough to hide the ship. The IES system would mask their thermal signature, while choosing the dark side of the mountain offered a degree of concealment in the shadows. Aside from that, he had to rely on the distraction that the pods offered to sell the deception that the frigate had been destroyed, otherwise his fiction would be made a reality in a single blast of red death.

The Reaper paused for just a moment longer, then turned, heading back the way that it had come. The moment it vanished from sight behind the mountain, Joker's lungs relaxed, releasing his breath in a swift rush. He sagged back in his chair, relief flooding his veins. They were safe. For now.

He'd barely had time to realise his victory in fooling the Reaper before there was the clumping of several sets of footsteps behind him. He spun his chair around to see a small army of the ship's command crew heading straight for him, Kaidan at the front with Garrus and Miranda close behind. All three bore expressions of concern, with some containing variants flavoured with anger, confusion and outright worry. Joker sighed. It looked as though he had a lot of explaining to do. Still, even so, his mind couldn't help but dwell upon the Commander, wondering whether he'd found somewhere safe to bunker down until the danger had passed.

**~o~0~o~**

Darkness.

Shepard's eyes snapped open, or at least he thought that they did. Open, closed, it made no difference. Utter blackness pressed in around him. He took a shuddering breath, choking for a moment on some dust lodged in his throat. He tried to climb up off the ground, but soon knocked his head on the heavy rock that had fallen on top of him, balancing precariously on a series of smaller rocks to create the tiny pocket of air he found himself in. Eventually, he settled for sitting in an awkward, half-crouched position, neck bent almost ninety degrees to avoid the low ceiling.

Crashing down like the rocks that had buried him, the memories of what had just happened slammed into his conscious thoughts, a momentary panic setting in. He scrambled about in the debris, shouting out anxiously.

"Revenant?" He called, his voice echoing loudly in the confined space. "Liara!"

A groan from nearby set his heart pounding. The Commander fumbled with his equipment for a moment before his clumsy fingers found the flashlight control on his omnitool.

The beam of light was painfully bright, casting a luminous shaft through the tiny space until it found the rough brown creature that was the Revenant. The Collector's armoured plates were still cracked from whatever power had ripped through him before passing out, a gooey white fluid seeping from the broken surfaces to gel together, a pus-like covering over his injuries. As the Commander shuffled closer, the stench hit him, rot, death and poison mixed into one foul reek that clung to the insides of his airways, drawing bile up from the very depths of his gut.

Steeling himself, the Commander inspected his comrade more closely, noting the scorch marks that emanated from the fractures in the Revenant's hide. Whatever process had caused such damage, it had generated some extreme heat. The only time that the Commander had seen similar damage to a Collector was when Harbinger had taken control of its body, pumping more raw power through the organic vessel than it could cope with. This little fact worried the Commander more than anything else.

Wordlessly, Shepard activated the Medi-Gel dispenser in his omnitool, spraying the curative solution over the damaged hide. The tangy, sharp-smelling solution mixed with the material the Revenant's plates were excreting, hardening into a wax-like shell over his injuries. In moments, the cracks were sealed up, although it was only a patch job to give his own body a chance to do the work of healing.

One the Collector had been ministered to, the Commander sat back, weariness resting heavily on his shoulders. He could already feel the bruises from being pelted by the falling rubble, his flesh aching all over from the punishment. For a brief moment, he envied the Revenant's thick hide, a natural defence against such a beating, but then he looked to his injured friend, shamefully glad that their positions were not reversed.

As he watched, the Collector's head bobbed, his eyes gaining a sharp gleam of consciousness as his brain engaged. A sudden intake of breath, followed by a heavy, panicked panting, announced his awakening as he lifted an arm to shield his eyes from the Commander's flashlight.

"Where are we?"

"In a hole." Shepard answered, chuckling at the simple unhelpful nature of that statement. "I think that Garrus managed to lure the Reaper away."

"Hnnh. So there really was one." The Revenant grunted, lifting itself up onto its elbows before its head bounced off the low roof. "I thought it was just a hallucination. I'd hoped maybe the Salarian had simply let an experiment out of its tube too close." He paused, seeming to think. "Did I really try to block one of those beam weapons?"

"I think its power reserves must have been depleted." Shepard explains. "An attack like that should have disintegrated both of us in a nano-second. Even so, the effort nearly killed you. I've never seen a biotic display like it." He held back his observation about the perceived power of a Collector possessed by Harbinger.

"My kind have… had… more element zero stored in our nervous systems than any other species could survive." The Revenant explained. "We probably only survive because of all of the upgrades that the Reapers gave us."

"Well, remind me to thank Harbinger next time I'm kicking his ass." Shepard grunted. "Guess I owe him for saving our lives back there."

"I'll bear that in mind." The alien chuckled, his voice strained. "But first, we need to figure out a way out of here. I can already taste the air growing thinner."

"There's no way we'd be able to dig our way out." Shepard said flatly. "These rocks are too heavy. I'd figured we needed to wait for the others to get here. Unless you've got another biotic display in you?"

"I need a moment to gather my strength… even then, it may not be-" The alien paused, tilting his head. "Wait… do you hear that?"

Shepard froze, ears twitching. After a deathly silence, he finally caught the sound, a quite grumbling, grinding noise. The sound of shifting rock.

The rock overhead suddenly shifted, a beam of sunlight springing from the resulting crack to strike the Commander square in the eyes, blinding him. After a moment, the light was blotted out as a round-headed figure appeared in the gap, a less intense white light in the centre of its 'face'.

"Shepard-Commander?"

"Legion!" Shepard cried out. "Are we glad to see you!"

"Insufficient data to determine current amiability of allied forces." The Geth replied stoically. "Shepard-Commander, have you or the Collector-Revenant sustained damage?"

"Revenant got a little beat up, but we'll live." The Commander said. "Can you get us out of here?"

"One moment." The Geth's head vanished, replaced by two hands, each bearing three digits. There was a mechanical whirring, then the boulder overhead shifted again, the gap widening. Finally, a gap about four feet wide had been created. "Load-bearing servos at capacity. Haste is recommended."

The Commander scrambled out, half-dragging the Revenant with him. Once they were clear, the Geth allowed the rock to slam down, turning away as plumes of dust rose about it. Allowing the Revenant to rest against a pile of rubble, the Commander patted the alien's shoulder amicably, nodding to the robotic creation.

"What did I tell you?" He asked. "It was all a matter of waiting for backup." He turned to face Legion. "Where's the rest of the squad?"

"Unknown." Was Legion's reply. "This platform was separated from allied units during an attempt to evade the Reapers. The remainder of the science team was recovered by Normandy before allied unit EDI transmitted a small datapacket on tightbeam transmission channels, informing us of Flight Lieutenant Moreau's intent to engage stealth protocols, necessitating radio silence. No data has been received since."

"Damn." Shepard cursed. "Joker would have come looking for us by now if the coast was clear. That means the Reaper must still be out there, making it unsafe for them to send out a signal."

"Or it destroyed the Normandy." The Revenant suggested.

"Let's not go down that line of thought." Shepard said, only glancing over his shoulder as he faced the Geth. "Where's Liara?"

"Right here." The Asari clambered over a large pile of shattered rocks. Her face was smeared with dirt, her normally pristine white clothing tattered and torn by her ordeal. Beneath it, her inconspicuous set of combat armour was dented and scraped, the white finish scratched in places to reveal raw metal and plastic below. Shepard could only imagine what he looked like.

"I've been going through the equipment the team had to abandon." The Shadow Broker explained, interrupting the Commander before he could express his relief at her safety. "Most of it got caught under the Reaper's foot. What survived that fell apart under the small landslide that followed."

"So we've got no resources, and a Reaper flying about overhead?" Shepard summarised. "Great."

"I may be able to cobble together a transmitter from the wreckage." Liara suggested. "But without a nearby FTL buoy any signal we could transmit would have to travel for over six years before it'd get to anyone who could help. Plus, it'd be visible to anyone in the system, especially that creature."

Shepard nodded, equally as unwilling to call down the wrath of a Reaper. He paused, pondering their situation.

"What about the facility below us?" He asked. "If we could get down there, there's bound to be something we can use. At least we'd be sheltered before night falls."

"There is an opening roughly fifty metres to the south." Legion stated helpfully. "Initial scans indicated the possibility of direct access to the facility through this breach."

"You don't know anything else about it?" Liara asked.

"Once this platform had established that allied units were not present, we moved on to continue our search. Locating Shepard-Commander remained our primary objective."

"Alright, let's go take a look." Shepard said, nodding for the Geth to take the lead.

It wasn't long before the machine led them to the edge of a deep, dark hole in the terrain. It seemed that, in its struggles to rise, the reaper had inadvertently put one of its legs on an area where the rocky surface was unusually thin, unable to bear the weight of a two kilometre tall behemoth standing on it. The rock had given way, cracks spreading out in a chaotic radial pattern.

"Oh my…" Liara paused at the edge, leaning precariously over to glance down into the darkness. Her body trembled with excitement, eager to delve deeper. She couldn't see much, other than rubble lying haphazardly in a pile beneath the opening. The top of the pile was only a couple of metres down. "We should be able to jump down easily enough."

"We shall lead the way." Legion offered. "This platform is more durable than organic forms."

With a nod from the Commander, the Geth stepped up to the edge of the pit, not even hesitating before leaping down into the room below. It hit the side of the rubble pile, causing a small landslide of rocks and soil under its feet, but kept its balance, methodically stepping down to the floor at the bottom of the pile. The clanking of metal echoed up out of the pit, quickly followed by the Geth's voice.

"The room is of artificial construction. Initial scans indicate that it is sufficiently stable. We have detected a route through which it is possible to proceed."

The rest of the team leapt down, Liara first, waiting on the pile to help the Revenant as he jumped down in a somewhat more ungainly manner. Finally, glancing up at the sky once more, Shepard sprang into the pit, clambering down into the darkness without hesitation.

The room below the surface was actually deeper down than the Commander had thought, the rubble piled up very high. Once Shepard's feet came into contact with the shaped metal of the room's floor, he found himself about fifteen metres below the surface, the hole feeling very distant as the darkness below became apparent. He looked around to see a nondescript room, covered in the debris of the recent events. The walls were plain, as were the floor and ceiling. A single door was set into the southern wall, with the rubble pile obscuring the other three walls. Unfazed by the sudden weight of the silence around him, Shepard stepped forward, flashlight held aloft.

"Right then." The Commander said, determination in his tone. "Let's keep moving."

**~o~0~o~**

Joker's fingers drummed idly on the arm of his chair, the polished leather thudding quietly to the erratic tune. In front of him, the viewports revealed an unchanging grey landscape, the shadow of the nearby mountain shifting painfully slowly in the light cast by the distant Suime.

Behind him, the rest of the crew buzzed around in the midst of performing countless tasks, tending to the damage caused by the recent run-in with the Reaper and the brittle-boned pilot's attempts to keep the crew alive and in one piece. Joker could hear Gabby berating Ken over some minor error, the Scotsman's lilting brogue smothered by her harsh words.

The pilot sighed loudly, sagging back in his chair. There wasn't much that he could do, what with his bones. Any heavy lifting would put him in the medbay, and there were minds far better suited to the intricately technical tasks than his. That left him with nothing to do but sit and relive the Reaper chase, trying to figure out if there was anything that he could have done better.

Yawning, Joker reached up to brush his forehead, slipping his cap back a little on his skull as he felt rivulets of sweat flow between the roots of his hair. The air in the ship had grown thick, heavy. He could feel his lids slipping closer together, a cloud of slumber in the back of his brain.

"Ugh." He grunted, his jaws snapping closed after the yawn. "Jeez, EDI, did you turn the thermostat up? Feels like a sauna in here!"

"My apologies, Jeff. What you are experiencing is a by-product of the energy build-up in our heat sinks. Onboard heat and energy storage is approaching maximum capacity."

"What?" Joker sat up in his chair, all thoughts of sleep evaporating. "I thought the IES would let us stay here for days, not hours!"

"That would be the case, had we not already built up considerable amounts of heat and energy in our sinks during the clash with the Reaper. I am attempting to shed some of the excess heat into the moon beneath us, but the process is a delicate one. I must be subtle, otherwise the heat signature will be visible from a considerable distance. The Reaper would detect us instantly."

"I don't suppose that there's any sign that he's leaving any time soon?" Joker asked, slumping back into his chair with a resigned sigh.

The holo-display before him flickered, EDI changing it to show the Reaper hovering in orbit above the planet, hanging in space ominously. None of the readings the crew had been able to take so far had yielded any understanding of its intentions, but the very stance that it took reminded Joker of a predatory bird, waiting to swoop down on unsuspecting prey. The ancient machine was waiting, watching, but Joker couldn't say for sure what for. He grunted, resuming his idle drumming on the arm of his chair.

"Let's hope things improve soon, otherwise the ship's gonna get a whole lot cosier."

**~o~0~o~**

The thick, dry smell of decay hung heavily on the air, joined by the choking dust that every footfall sent sprouting upwards, intangible sprouts twisting and grasping through the beams of light that the team cast out, spears of light that stabbed into the darkness wildly, jerking with every twitch of a hand.

Shepard could feel his hackles rising. The ruins the squad moved through just felt… wrong. He couldn't place the source of the feeling, but something deep within his gut cried out for his attention with no way to voice the truth of its concern. They'd been searching for over ten minutes, and had yet to find anything notable. Blank rooms had been the only thing to greet them, the occasional mouldering pile of rubble raising Liara's hopes until a closer look yielded disappointment. This persistent silence and the lack of incident gnawed at the Commander's spine, only contributing to his feeling of unease, which peaked as Legion stopped suddenly, lifting their arm to signal a halt.

"Shepard-Commander." The machine's voice echoed loudly around the quartet. "Our scanners are detecting a large opening in the next room. We suspect that structural stability may be compromised."

Nodding, Shepard stepped up to the door before them gingerly. Bracing himself, he worked his fingers into the seam between the two halves and pushed, grunting a little as his muscles overpowered ancient motors. A crack swiftly widened into a fissure, and then a yawning gap wide enough for the team to pass through. Holding up his hand with the palm facing the others, Shepard took the lead, stepping into the next room cautiously. Staying well back, the other three followed him slowly.

"By the goddess…"

Liara's hushed whisper bounced away, growing louder and louder as it moved through the truly cavernous space beyond, and was really the only phrase that could describe the view that confronted her.

The group found themselves on a small ledge overlooking a massive chasm, at least a couple of hundred metres wide and several kilometres long. The cavern was sealed in above, a rocky roof that blocked almost all light. A couple of holes, presumably from the Reaper's awakening, allowed brilliant shafts of golden light to spear downwards, casting illumination throughout the chasm.

As Shepard peered over the edge of the stub of floor the team found themselves on, he saw that the far side of the chasm looked like a honeycomb, thousands of openings all arrayed neatly together. The chasm wall that they stood near the top of was of similar composition, the opposing openings aligned so perfectly that they could only belong together as one perfect whole.

"This must have been an underground complex located beneath the city in my visions." The Revenant said, eyes roving about hungrily. "This is what my memories were guiding me towards!"

"The formation of this chasm implies a great deal of geological instability in recent millennia." Legion intoned, its flat voice bouncing loudly through the ravine before them. "Damage to any existing facilities will be severe."

"There's still got to be something worth salvaging." Shepard reasoned. "I've only seen the Protheans build underground complexes like this in two other places: Ilos, and Mars."

"You believe that this is some kind of military emplacement?" Liara asked.

"The Protheans fought the Reapers for centuries." Shepard explained. "There must have been dozens of top-secret facilities that they built during the cycle to develop something to help them survive. Ilos was a place to study Mass Relays. Mars was studying early Humanity, for some reason or another, possibly in the hopes of uplifting us like the Salarians did to the Krogan. That makes me wonder what plans they were toying with here."

"Whatever it was, it must not have worked." Liara said flatly. "The Reaper slumbering directly over the site of the ruins tells us that."

"I don't know… maybe it was a victim of whatever they were looking into here?" Shepard pondered.

"A possibility." Legion interjected. "The Old Machine exhibited signs of battle damage. It is possible that it was disabled by a Prothean weapon. Old Machine and Prothean alike may have assumed that it was fully disabled, 'killed off'. This would have led to the total purge of surface settlement on the planet, an attempt by the Old Machines to eradicate any research connected to the project."

"Which leads to the question of why this stuff down here survived." The Revenant countered. "The Reapers are thorough."

"They're also machines." Liara answered. "They'll work with the data available to them. If they thought the planet was toast, they'd have moved on. Exterminating a cycle must be a lot of work, not much time to go back and double check things."

"Either way," Shepard said, stepping back from the edge. "We've only got theories at the moment. Time we gathered some facts. Let's see if we can't get lower down and search some of the deeper levels."

He turned from the chasm, moving back to the door. After only two steps, he was brought to a grinding halt as the floor beneath him lurched. With a shriek, the metal of the floor beneath the feet of the entire squad tilted away from the door, metal support girders snapping like over-stressed rubber. In a flash, he turned to his comrades, finding time to shout a single word.

"Move!"

The quartet sprang into action, Liara and Legion leading the way across the few metres of metal even as it slid further away from the doorway. The Asari tripped, but was soon scooped up by the Commander's powerful arms. The Geth pulled ahead, but was still several feet from the doorway when the metal finally gave way. It tensed to jump, but then its frame suddenly glowed blue, the machine lifting off the floor with a ballistic velocity as it rushed through the doorway. In the same moment, Shepard tensed his muscles, spinning to grant Liara momentum before he threw her after Legion, the blue alien letting out a yell of surprise as she soared through the opening and slammed into her mechanical comrade. The Commander looked to the Revenant, who still glowed with biotic power from giving Legion a helping hand. In spite of the pair's best efforts, they were still well out of reach of the door when the floor beneath them finally gave up its tenuous grasp on the side of the chasm and tumbled away.

Shepard's stomach flipped as he felt himself falling through the air, debris raining down around him. He dropped for a scant half a second before he struck the next floor down, the wind rushing from his lungs as metal cascaded around him in a dangerous hail. He barely had a chance to register the respite before that ledge, too, fell away, torn from its fastenings by the weight of the rubble dropping on it.

The Commander and the Collector dropped several more floors as the process repeated itself again and again, the roar of tumbling metal deafening in the gloom of the underground ravine. Then, suddenly, the avalanche of metal and masonry struck a sturdier piece of construction, merely bending it rather than tearing it away. The rubble began to slide off, bearing the two companions along with it.

Reacting with lightning speed, Shepard focused his mind, triggering the adrenal booster that sharpened his reflexes. His eyes darted about, catching sight of a metal support that protruded out above the flow of debris, mere inches from the long drop towards the cavern's floor. The Commander's hand darted out, grasping the metal salvation with all of his strength even as his eyes found his alien colleague, his free hand grasping at the Revenant's own just as the Collector tumbled over the edge.

Shepard gasped as he took the full weight of the Revenant, arms straining as he endeavoured to keep himself on the ledge and keep a hold of his friend.

The roar of falling metal continued for some time after the last few pieces of debris had slipped past the pair, plummeting down into the darkness with a mighty clatter that found its way into every dark corner. Eventually the echoes faded, replaced instead by the laboured breathing of the Commander and the Revenant.

Shifting his grip, Shepard moved to glance over the edge, looking into the face of the Revenant mere inches from his own. Past the alien, the next floor down was invitingly close, the distorted nature of the rooms twisting the metal to reach upwards like an outstretched hand. Shepard looked back to his friend, who nodded. The Commander swung his arm, the Revenant swaying back and forth like a pendulum before dropping neatly down onto the twisted metal. Lowering himself over the edge, Shepard soon followed him down, landing on his feet before he hunched over, hands resting on his knees while he recovered his breath. After a brief moment, Liara's terrified shouts reached down to them.

"Shepard!?" The Asari's tone suggested that she was on the verge of panic. "Shepard, are you alright?"

"We're fine." The Commander called back. "Just a few scratches. We've landed just a few floors down. You two try to find another way down, and we'll meet up. Keep in touch on the comms, and let us know if you run into any trouble."

He waited for the affirmative shout from the Asari, then turned to his Collector companion.

"Come on. Let's see what we can find."

**~o~0~o~**

"This feels… so strange."

Shepard glanced over his shoulder towards the Revenant, keeping one eye on the path ahead lest he trip over some stray debris.

"I'm a little on edge myself." He agreed. "Being this far underground, separated from the rest of the team. Not the best of circumstances to encourage confidence."

"No, not that." The Collector dismissed, waving a hand before him to indicate their surroundings. "All of this. Wandering through the ruins of my people. I feel as though every stone is familiar to me, and yet I know that this was all laid down and even abandoned millennia ago, long before I or the dozens of generations that preceded me came into being. I am a stranger in the most familiar of surroundings, and every detail cries out to me in an alien voice."

"Any particular details surfacing in your memories?" Shepard asked.

"Nothing of any real note." The alien's voice was despondent. "The information that my genes push forward is all so jumbled and overwhelming. All I can filter from it is barely useful titbits."

"Well then, we'll keep pressing on." Shepard resolved. "There has to be something here. Prothean facilities were built to last, and I refuse to believe that a simple thing like an earthquake could have-"

The Commander's train of thought was derailed the instant that he stepped through the next doorway. A much larger room than any they had found so far waited beyond, forty feet wide with a ceiling somewhere over sixty feet overhead. The walls curved around in a neat oval with the stumpy remains of two matching staircases curling along either wall, occasionally broken by a small platform where they connected with the upper floors. Each floor looked out onto the atrium, banisters running the entire circumference of the room to prevent falls. In some places, these barriers had crumbled away to nothing, victims of time.

The room was filled with a faintly glowing green light, emanating from the circular basin that dominated the centre of the atrium. The basin had obviously once been an ornate water feature, but the water had long since dried up, replaced instead with a thick layer of moss that glowed in the darkness, casting eerie shadows across the towering statue in the fountain's centre.

The statue was very obviously a Prothean. The wide, flat head and four distinct eyes were too closely related to the Revenant's own profile to dismiss the relationship. There, however, was where the similarities ended. While the Revenant's face was a blank mask, the statue had a clearly defined nose and mouth, with deep grooves running along the sides of the head that were presumably auditory organs. While the Collector only had three digits on his hands, two finger-like talons and a smaller 'thumb' opposing them, the Prothean's hands had four, a smaller finger separating away on the far side of the 'palm' to the thumb. In contrast to the Revenant's natural armour, the statue carved onto it a set of ornate battle armour, unintelligible markings sprawling across the surface. The statue glared down at the pair, a perpetual scowl on its face. In its hands, an angular rifle sat comfortably, the pose familiar to Shepard as that of a warrior, ready and eager for battle. Just before the statue, a small terminal glowed with a faint light. The Revenant stepped forward cautiously.

"It looks like a memorial plaque." He muttered, talons brushing the surface of the terminal.

Under his touch, the screen brightened. A flicker appeared in the air, resolving itself into a mirror of the statue. This holographic projection spoke, its lips moving around a strange, guttural language that the Commander's translator couldn't decipher. The Revenant watched with rapt attention until the projection ceased speaking, vanishing in a blink. Shepard waited for a moment, eager to know what had just transpired.

"Well?" He asked, after the wait became too much. "What did it say?"

"Fascinating… This is a memorial to Javik, the last defender of the Eternal Empire. It claims that he was a key influence in the war with the Reapers, securing many victories over the course of thirty years. He led the charge in the Fifth Battle of the Citadel, a last desperate attempt to reclaim the centre of our government, and was finally slain by a Reaper who bore the moniker 'Nazara'."

"Nazara was the name Sovereign used when it contacted the Geth heretics." Shepard breathed, looking up at the statue with renewed awe. Here stood a simple soldier, like himself, and yet one upon whom the hopes of his people rested as a heavy burden.

As the Commander met the stony gaze, he couldn't help but wonder if, had it not been for the intervention of the Prothean scientists on Ilos all those millennia ago, he would have found himself in the same impossible situation as the honoured warrior, fighting a war he could not win, heading towards a battle with no hope other than to give the greatest chance possible for those he cared about to flee to some dark corner of the Galaxy and live their lives out, fearful until the bitter end. The sombre thought weighed on his mind, as though the stare of the ancient soldier was actively assessing him, making sure that the sacrifices he had made were properly honoured by the next one chosen to bear the mantle of leading the fight against the ancient foe. Shepard couldn't help but dwell on the fact that every day he had drawn breath since that mission to Eden Prime had been bought with oceans of Prothean blood, all in the off-chance that he would find their legacy and act in time to stop the harvest from happening again. He couldn't fail, not after knowing what was at stake. The Reapers would not allow a repeat of the exceptional circumstances that had granted the current cycle their slim chance. There would be no second Ilos project, no tampering with the Keepers to slow the Reaper advance. They would harvest every possible threat until the next cycle stood even less of a chance than any that had perished before.

"Let's move on." The Revenant said, breaking the ponderous silence that had dropped across the pair like a heavy shroud. "Death hangs too heavily in the air here."

Shepard nodded, following his friend as they proceeded past the statue, pausing to turn back to it with a pensive glance. The stone warrior continued to glare down, its back facing the Commander now. Shepard wondered for a moment if the revered warrior had truly fallen in battle, or if maybe he had fallen prey to the poison of Reaper indoctrination. Perhaps he had become one of the millions of iterations that the Reapers had cycled through in their attempts to subjugate and 'perfect' the Prothean race, one of the forebears of the Collectors. Perhaps some of the legend's blood flowed even in the Revenant's veins. Shuddering, Shepard turned away, hurrying after his alien colleague.

**~o~0~o~**

Soon after passing through the atrium, the duo found a series of abandoned labs. Shepard led the way carefully, peering into the various test chambers in the hopes of identifying what projects the Protheans may have been pursuing. He identified multiple setups, including one chamber that resembled a Faraday cage, if said cage had been created in a nightmare. The latticed mesh of the cage twisted in on itself in such a way that the eye was repulsed by it, a bloom of pain running through the Commander's head as he tried to look closer. Unfortunately the projects being tested in this and a variety of other biological and chemical containment chambers had long since decayed past the point of identification, most crumbling into amorphous dust and ash while others had simply vanished, and whether that was due to evaporation or escape was a fact that eluded the Commander. In the pit of his stomach, he was hoping that it was the former.

Finally, after passing through the fifth of the hauntingly silent labs, the Revenant pointed out a terminal against one wall that flickered as they passed by, the ghost of power still running through it. The Collector moved to the interface and began inputting commands, hooking it up to his omnitool to give the machinery a little extra power.

"Looks like the main power grid is completely down." He commented. "This thing's running off battery power, just like the memorial plaque. Unfortunately that means that most of these terminals are of no use to us. The data cubes in these consoles are unable to sustain their data with no power. We've got to look for the ones that are still running if we want to have a chance of salvaging any information."

"Why bother with that form of data storage if it can fail like that?" Shepard asked, turning to scan the darkness behind them. He wasn't certain, but he couldn't shake the feeling of unease crawling up his spine. He flinched as a shadow flickered, only to realise that it was merely his eyes playing tricks on him.

"It's less likely to become corrupted, and there's the fact that some of the terminals have kept their power for almost fifty thousand years. We- the Protheans didn't seem to think that they'd need to worry about their facilities losing power for so long." The Revenant glanced over his shoulder at the Commander as the terminal whirred, its screen coming to life. "Like you said, Shepard: We- they- built these places to last."

"Right." Shepard grunted, eyes still fixed on the gloom around them. "I suppose the important question is: is there anything on the terminals that survived that can tell us what was going on here?"

"Hang on a moment." The Revenant flicked through a few files. "Hrm. Looks like this place was a weapons research facility. In part, at least. I'm seeing reports on new corrosive chemicals, weaponised biological agents, enhanced power cells for Mass Effect-based small arms, even a couple of attempts at what could have eventually come to resemble your Thanix Cannon."

"Anything we can use?" Shepard asked.

"Nothing yet." Was the short reply. "It all looks like the kind of things your cycle is developing on its own anyway. I'll take the data for EDI to go through later. Maybe there's something here I'm not picking up on."

"Keep an eye out for anything not based in Mass Effect theory." Shepard advised. "The Reapers gave that to the races of the Galaxy both to advance us to a stage where we're worth harvesting and as a way to limit our options so that we're easier to predict and control. Anything outside of that school of science is outside of their plans, and can give us an edge in this war."

"A good point." The Collector nodded, downloading as much data as he could onto an OSD. He paused, head tilting quizzically. "Hang on a second…"

"What is it?" Shepard's anxiety spiked.

"I've found some journal entries here, but they're not in a format I recognise. Neither text, audio or video. Hang on while I try to open one up…"

The alien placed his hand on the console, a yellow glow lighting up around his fingers. The glow intensified for a moment, then turned a brilliant green. In the next moment, the Collector's body spasmed, hand remaining locked on the console as his other limbs jerked, his legs sagging and straightening.

"Revenant?" Shepard turned, consternation growing as his friend didn't respond. "Revenant!"

The Collector swayed at the terminal, then suddenly stood straight, remaining stock-still. His eyes glowed with a faint green luminescence, matching the hue of the console. His muscles seemed to relax, and then his mouth began working, a voice escaping from it that, while the Revenant's, was also someone else's. The tone and accent were completely alien to anything that the Collector used.

"Log entry three forty-five: Project Epsilon is a no-go. The chemicals appeared to be stable, but the reaction is not self-sustaining, unless we use an unsafe quantity of each component, a course of action that could end up blasting half of the planet away. A decent way to kill Reapers, but no good if we want to still have somewhere to call home by the time this war is over. If it'll ever be over."

The Revenant sighed, lifting his hand from the console. The glow in both the alien's eyes and on the terminal's screen continued as he carried on speaking.

"It's just frustrating! We only need one breakthrough, one small thing, and we can give hope to the civilians in the city. If we could find a way to bypass those damn shields, or blow the bloody machines up from the inside, something that we could show the people could be used against these things, that we can defend our homes with, they'd have hope again! We'd regain our fighting spirit! With Javik gone, we need something else to believe in."

The Collector returned to the console, head sagging.

"Word is that the Kelber Nebula was attacked yesterday. They're moving this way. Won't be long before they're knocking on our front door. I'd better get back to work. If nothing else, I can give us something to let us go down fighting. Better that than… than the other option. End log."

The Revenant sagged, falling to his knees as his hands gripped the console tightly. Shepard rushed over, helping him up.

"What happened?" He asked, confusion filling his mind with worry.

"A neural link." The Revenant answered. "Like the data sphere, but weaker. This must be how the scientists stored their more intricate research notes: as downloadable memories that could be passed from user to user." He clutched at his head. "Feels like I got hit with a hammer."

"Why would they store log entries like this?"

"Convenience, probably." The Collector sighed as he stood on unsteady legs, supporting himself on the edge of the console. "The beacons and spheres can't have been the only neural link devices the Protheans used. This technology allows the instantaneous download of not just the base knowledge, but also the full understanding of whatever is being discussed."

"Makes sense, I guess." The Commander shrugged. "I know that I wouldn't understand Mordin's research notes if I read them, even though I could read what they said."

"Exactly." The alien nodded. "The researcher in this lab stored his research notes in this format, allowing him to recall the memories and full knowledge of a particular project at will, and share it with his colleagues. It would normally be a simple process, but I am unfamiliar with it, and my mind is now quite different to that of a Prothean."

"So you downloaded the log into your brain. Why read it out loud? And why in a language that my translator could decipher? Why not in the original Prothean?"

"Like I said; I am unused to the technology. The download allows me to relive the memory as it was recorded by the original scientist. Were I more familiar with the tech, I believe that I could experience it within the confines of my mind, but it will take some practice to do so. As for the language, I cannot say. Perhaps it is because the technology transmits understanding, not a word for word transcription. As I do not think and speak in the old Prothean tongues, I would not use them to voice what I learn from the logs."

"Useful technology to have." Shepard muttered. "I'd bet Mordin would love to have a look at it."

"I doubt it would be of any use to him." The Revenant said flatly. "The technology will only properly function with a biology such as mine. Perhaps it can be adapted for Asari use due to their melding ability, but it could be dangerous for any other species to use it. Even you experienced a negative reaction to the first beacon on Eden Prime, and the knowledge of the beacons and the Cipher was shed from your mind over time in order to keep your psyche intact." He shrugged, an unusual gesture for the alien's frame. "Even so, I have no doubt the Professor will want to take a look. His curiosity knows no bounds."

"Anything else on the console?"

"Not much. The other log entries were also downloaded into my mind. They largely deal with routine test reports, a few idle theories. Not much to work from. The terminal is isolated. We'd need to find one that provided access to the facility's central databases to garner anything truly useful."

Shutting down the terminal, the Revenant turned to face the Commander. In the same instant, both jolted as their comm units crackled, Liara's static-filled voice being relayed to them.

"Shepard, are you there?"

"We copy, Liara. What's your status?"

"We've managed to find our way down a couple of floors so far, and are making good progress."

"So what's the problem?"

"Legion is insistent that its motion detectors are picking up on something tracking our progress. It believes that we are being followed."

"You don't sound so certain." Shepard observed.

"This place has been abandoned for millennia. There isn't enough food to sustain a living creature, and a synthetic creation would have drained its power source by now."

"Legion doesn't make mistakes." The Commander countered. "Watch your backs up there. We don't know what kind of things might have been lurking in the labs down here."

"Understood." The Asari replied slowly, reluctantly. "We'll-"

The rest of her transmission dissolved in a squeal of static. In the same instant, a loud clatter echoed through the room.

In less time than it took for the echo to fade, the Commander had grabbed his rifle, unfolding the weapon in an easy motion to aim the muzzle into the shadows, the beam of his flashlight panning across the gloom to illuminate broken furniture and damaged equipment. No signs of any kind of presence revealed itself.

Shepard's heart pounded in his throat, the feeling of unease he wrestled with wrapping itself tightly around his spine.

Another clatter behind him made him whirl, his gun waving about erratically as he looked for the source. Close by him, the Revenant scanned the room as well, his keen eyes not needing the aid of a flashlight to see in the dark. Even so, the Collector turned up nothing.

After a long silence in which no further indication of another being revealed itself, the Commander relaxed the grip on his weapon. He tried to activate his comm again, but received no response. It was as though the signal was being blocked. Cursing, he waved for his companion to follow him as he led the way out of the lab, heading further into the facility in the hopes of finding a way to get to his friends on the floors above.

~o~0~o~

Another rattle set the Commander's nerves jangling once again. Since discovering the logs in the laboratory, it felt as though he'd been hounded by phantom echoes and ghostly shadows on the very edges of his perception. At every corridor junction, every darkened doorway, he imagined seeing a spectral shadow slip away before he could properly glimpse it. A couple of traitorous thoughts warned him that it seemed odd for every hint at a mirage-like presence to be ahead of them, anticipating their every movement. They whispered that he was being led on, that he was straying into a trap. And yet, every time that gut feeling grew strong enough to make him turn away from his instinctual choices, there the apparitions would appear again, anticipating him every time.

The pair came to a halt at a junction between four corridors, Shepard pointing the beam of his flashlight down the three courses ahead of him. The Revenant paused next to him, eyes roving down each possible pathway. As they considered which route to take, the Collector sidled over to the Commander, whispering as quietly as it could.

"We're not alone down here."

"I know."

"What do you think it is?"

"I'm not sure." Shepard grunted as he peered into the gloom of the right-hand path. "But the fact that it hasn't attacked yet means that its either trying to lure us somewhere, or that its too weak or afraid to take us on."

"I could try to provoke it." The alien offered.

"No. Better that we don't scare it, whatever it is. If it has friends nearby, we don't want it running to get them. Even if it doesn't, there's always the risk that it actually can take us on, but is only choosing not to."

They both twitched as a clank, louder than any that had preceded it, bounced down the left-hand corridor. It was soon followed by another bang, then another.

"Sounds like its giving up on stealth." The Revenant observed. "Or it's really trying to lure us that way."

"Screw it." Shepard said, grasping his gun. "One way or another, we're dealing with this thing. Come on!"

With that, the Commander rushed down the left branch, rifle held out before him as he readied to attack. The noises continued, drawing closer and closer as he ran towards them. Finally, he spotted a bend in the corridor, around which a faint, ethereal light glowed. Flickers of oddly-shaped shadows moved, the source of the light itself bobbing slightly.

Shepard slowed, moving to hug the wall as he approached the corner, glancing back to the Revenant as the alien mimicked his movements. They both crept nearer to the corner, neither daring to breathe for fear of betraying themselves.

Rocks scraped across each other, a tiny noise in the chasm of gloom that filled the corridor. Over this minuscule noise, the grinding of metal gears could be heard, a repetitive whine-click that had a rhythmic, two-tone quality to it. Shepard held his hand up to urge the Revenant to wait a moment, then lifted his gun, leaping from cover with a practised move that allowed him to sweep the corridor, locking his aim on the figure that stood less than two feet from him. His finger tightened on the trigger, a single muscle's twitch from firing.

Liara froze at the sight of the gun barrel aiming directly at her heart, her chest contracting as a breath of surprise hissed between her teeth. Her foot froze in mid-air, her step remaining unfinished. Behind her, Legion raised its weapon in a blink, lowering it instantly as it recognised the Commander. It waited, watching silently as Liara remained stock-still, terror subsiding as confusion overtook it.

"Sh- Shepard?"

The Commander relaxed, lowering his aim and allowing his friend to relax. He paused just a moment, then darted forward to embrace her, equal parts shock and relief flooding through him. The Asari quickly returned the gesture, her frame trembling.

"We were so worried when we lost contact with you!" She said. "We feared the worst. Are you… alright? No injuries from the fall?"

"We're alright." Shepard shrugged, turning to glance to the Revenant as he stepped out of hiding to greet their allies. "Just a little shaken by it, that's all."

"I take it from your… aggressive… greeting that you've encountered the same beings as we have?"

"Beings?"

"The watchers in the shadows." The Asari's brow creased. "We've been followed since we got separated. Haven't you?"

"Those things Legion was detecting?"

"Yes. Have you seen any of them?"

"Not seen, no." Shepard answered. "Heard, sensed, pretty much smelled, but never seen. They're damn careful, whatever they are. And they know this place inside out. Whenever they show up, they're always ahead of us."

"It has been the same with us. Even Legion isn't fast enough to stop them."

"With all due respect, how do we know there's a 'them'?" The Revenant interjected. "It could be just the one creature. If it knows the facility as well as it seems to, its possible that it could have been following both groups."

"A possibility." Legion replied. "Detected movement has been sporadic, at best. Registered signatures on passive scanning equipment have only been detected for a maximum of point seven eight seconds before eluding further inspection. A being of sufficient skill and knowledge could theoretically have followed both ourselves and the Shepard-Commander simultaneously."

"Well, at least now we're making its job a little easier." Shepard commented dryly. "Let's press on and see if we can convince it to come out of hiding."

The team returned to the junction between the passages, proceeding down the next corridor without incident. Even the encounters with their unknown companion became less frequent. Shepard wondered for a moment whether this was because it was more difficult to fool the four of them at once, or if it were possibly because it was actually guiding them. The notion he'd had that the sightings were luring them along a planned route resurfaced, suggesting that it had engineered their reunion with their lost companions. The less paranoid portions of his brain asked why the unknown entity would want all four of them together, to which his inner voice could not think of an answer. He grit his teeth as the sensation of warning reasserted itself, the hairs running along the nape of his neck standing on end.

**~o~0~o~**

"This is incredible!"

Liara gazed up at the wall before her, sapphire blue eyes drinking in every detail of the mosaic that twisted and spiralled up high overhead. Vague shapes looped around one another in abstract shapes whose colours had long since faded into dull browns and greys. Shepard turned from the console that he, the Revenant and Legion were poring through, watching the blue-skinned alien as she ran her tender fingers over the minuscule tiles, tracing the shapes.

"I'm pretty sure that this means you now owe Joker ten credits." Shepard chuckled. "I'd have thought you'd be used to Prothean ruins by now, what with all of the ones I've taken you to."

"As I recall, most of those events did not provide a great deal of time to 'admire the view', so to speak. It's a rare occasion when you take your comrades somewhere that doesn't involve copious amounts of enemies trying to kill us."

"Fair enough." Shepard shrugged, not even trying to argue the point. "So, what's so 'incredible' about this?"

"Examples of Prothean art are extremely rare, Shepard. To find one of such a size, and so intact, is a rare privilege indeed. The symbols, the imagery, its of a style I have never seen before!"

"So what's it about?" Shepard asked, tilting his head to view the image from a different angle.

"It appears to be telling a story, through glyphs and symbols arranged in concentric spirals that move through two intertwined layers. It is difficult to keep track of the narrative…"

"Because you're only looking at it with a narrow perspective of two eyes." The Revenant muttered over his shoulder. "Protheans have four." He paused, hand reaching up to his own damaged eye. "Normally."

"Yes…" Liara stepped back, holding both hands up with the thumbs and index fingers at right angles from each other in order to frame the image as she stepped back. "Yes, it makes much more sense that way. The image uses a form of stereopsis to transform the information portrayed into a deeper three-dimensional scene."

She reached up to her ear, activating a holographic visor, into which she sent a series of commands through her omnitool. She turned her head upwards, eyes flickering across the new data her visor was providing. Smiling at the Asari's rapt expression, the Commander turned back to his other comrades, allowing Liara a chance to enjoy her surroundings. He stepped up between the Collector and the Geth, staring at the display filled with scrolling data.

"How're we doing?"

"Decryption algorithm is eighty-nine per cent complete." Legion answered.

"The security on this thing is pretty tight." The Revenant explained. "It's connected to the central network, access to a lot of the lesser systems and, with a bit of luck, a way into some of the classified files, too."

"I'm surprised that you're not working with Liara." Shepard pointed to the mosaic. "You could help her speed up the process of translating it."

"Why?" The Revenant asked, unmoved. "Its just art. Not like its important." He pointed to the console. "We're looking for a way to defeat the Reapers, not some shallow semi-philosophy on the futility of our lives, or the beauty of an abstract idea. The data on this console can actually help us, which is a lot more than can be said for the inane ideas of a long-dead artisan."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Liara interrupted, powering down her visor.

"You've found something?" Shepard asked.

"I have." The Asari affirmed. "First of all, there's a map hidden within the image." She turned, pointing to a series of marks in the mosaic's pattern, a series of inconspicuous white tiles. "Here we see the Citadel, Stynos, Therum, Feros…this must be Suime, Meroxis and… that could be Ilos, if you compensate for stellar drift."

"Then that would make this Illium… Kahje… Mars?" Shepard's pointing finger stopped at the point in the mosaic that hovered over his home star system.

"And each location begins a new thread to weave through the tale." Liara explained. She pointed to the focus of the mosaic, slightly off to the left of the centre on the marking that symbolised the Citadel. "It all starts here, at the Citadel. The strands tell of dark invaders and a swift, sudden death, followed by silence. Loss. This must be when the Reapers began their invasion. The Prothean leaders fell with their capital. Then, the darkness spreads from here, flowing along the trade lines that once connected every corner of their empire to the hub of the Citadel. There are tales of heroism, of defiance, but they all ultimately end in death and fire, with Illium, Meroxis and Kahje falling silent first, their fate known."

Her hand swept over the breadth of the mosaic, an expansive gesture to include the whole image.

"This charts the entire course of the Reaper invasion, of every world that fell before them." She paused to point at one point, where the swirling shapes came to rest over Suime. "Then, right here, all news of the larger Galaxy stops. Worlds like Ilos, Mars and Stynos go silent, their fate unknown. All that the Protheans living here had left was their own tale. They were forced to face their fate alone. As far as they knew, they were the last ones left."

"Knowing how brutal the reapers can be, they probably were." Shepard commented. "The soldier honoured in that memorial we found fought the Reapers for decades before he died. This colony would have lasted a lot longer, long enough to turn Javik into a symbol to keep the people going, to give them the hope and courage to not give in to their despair. The colony could well have lasted right up until the end of the harvest." The Commander shrugged. "I mean, its far enough out of the way that the Reapers didn't get round to here until they were almost finished. "

"Possibly." The Asari said, hand clasping her chin.

"So what about after the other worlds went silent?" Shepard asked. He glanced over his shoulder to see the Revenant watching them both quietly, paying attention to every word. "Does it say anything about what happened to the colony here?"

"They lived in fear for so long, their skies empty…" Liara's tone was distant, distracted as she pored over the encrypted words. "Then the stars began to go out. The night sky turned black. Then…"

Shepard leaned forward as the Asari's words ceased, her fingertips hovering over a single black tile.

"And then?" He prompted. "Then what?"

"Nothing." She turned to him with a haunted expression. "The stars go dark, then the story ends. There's no more to the mosaic."

Shepard leaned back, looking down at his feet. He suppressed a shudder.

"'Our numbers will darken the sky of every world.'" He muttered.

"Sovereign's words." Liara nodded. "It would seem as though it was not lying when it boasted of Reaper numbers." Her skin paled. "Goddess. A fleet that could block out the sky…"

"Well, no matter how many they arrived with, the Reapers left at least one short." He turned to the Revenant. "We need to find out how that happened."

"Our decryption should be just about done." The Collector said, turning to Legion, who straightened from the console.

"The Collector-Revenant is correct. We have been reviewing decrypted files in the hopes of identifying any articles of interest. We have a log file of a similar format to the one described by Shepard-Commander. We do not have the apparatus to display the information contained within."

"No, you wouldn't." Shepard commented with a chuckle, glancing back to his insectile friend. "Care to plug yourself in?"

"Only if you promise not to continue using that terminology." The alien grumbled as he stood before the console, firmly planting his feet wide as he braced himself for the data transfer. Taking a deep breath, he placed a steady palm on the console, tensing as the screen glowed green.

"Log entry five four seven: The darkness in the sky can only mean one thing- they're here. The colony is preparing to make their stand, but we all know it won't be enough. None of the projects are ready for deployment. Even the Retribution Project still needs more time. The production lines just can't move quickly enough."

The Revenant turned away from the console, pacing back and forth pensively.

"The Councilmen may have opposed Initiative Fifty, but I still believe that it's our best bet of getting through this. I've set the bombs to detonate the moment they detect a Reaper signal within fifteen miles. My tests show that the radiation will be harmful to the Reapers, as their barriers won't be able to block it."

He turned back to the console, his pace growing slower, more hesitant.

"The civilian deaths will be… regrettable, but necessary. The facility is shielded against radiation, but it can only support so many people. The planet will be poisoned for thousands of years. The explosion will trigger an extinction-level event, and the biosphere will die. We'll have to last through this for hundreds, maybe thousands of years. Power, water and food will have to be rationed. Hopefully there will be enough of us to create a sustainable population, but our fate is entirely in the hands of the Lord of Chance.

"At least there will be survivors. If we just try to shore up our defences the Reapers will burn this planet anyway, and they'll destroy the facility, to boot. I cannot allow our race to die when I can make the choice that would preserve a remnant of our species. I must be the one strong enough to make this choice."

The Collector froze, looking up at the ceiling.

"The perimeter alarms. Time is short. With luck, I'll survive long enough to make another log entry. If not, then I can only hope that this message survives long enough to let the universe know that our species died fighting."

The Revenant returned to the console.

"End log."

The alien sagged, his eyes returning to their normal, luminous yellow. He gasped, his stance wavering as dizziness flooded his brain.

"That's all there is on this terminal. The logs end after that."

"By the goddess… they sacrificed the colony to protect the labs beneath it?" Liara gasped.

"The decision is logical." Legion replied. "In a confrontation with the Old Machines, military hardware and weapons research would be of a greater strategic value than a civilian colony."

"Not to mention the potential of deceiving the Reapers into believing that the facility no longer existed, with the added defence of an environment that presents too great a danger for the Reapers to risk a length investigation." The Revenant added. "I'd consider that worth the price."

"It's not worth the lives of everyone who lived overhead, trusting the inhabitants of this facility to keep them safe!" Liara insisted.

"She's right." Shepard said. "If we start choosing technology and hardware ahead of civilians, we're no better than the Reapers."

"Don't lecture me on what is and isn't acceptable in the theatre of war, Shepard." The Collector warned, his tone growing heated. "My people sacrificed themselves down to the last one, giving you a far greater chance than any who came before you."

"What do you mean?" The Commander asked.

"Your civilisation is in a position unique among all of those harvested by the Reapers. The Rachni Wars were one of their attempts to commence the harvest, possibly not even the first. That was over a thousand years ago. You've had since the first time that they tried and failed to return to this Galaxy to continue to advance, to grow in numbers and in knowledge. That is centuries of additional growth and development that none of the other cycles had. In that time we've seen the rise of the Krogan, the Turians, the Quarians, the Geth, the Batarians, a whole host of species, all a viable fighting force in their own right.

"Then finally Humanity stumbled onto the Galactic stage, full of fire and more potent than any race that has come before. The instant you appeared in Council affairs, you held just as much military power as the Turians, who'd spent over a thousand years building themselves up to become the foremost military force in the Galaxy. The other Council races would be hard pressed to match you with the power you now wield after a mere few decades. The Reapers never planned to clash with such a force before. Had their original plans come to fruition, then at most they would have had to fight just the Asari and the Salarians, with all of the other species still scraping around in primitive stages of civilisation. The cycle would have continued as always, with Humanity being purged from existence before you'd even discovered that your Earth was round! That's what our sacrifices bought for you, Commander. That was the true gift of the Ilos scientists."

There was a brief silence. The revenant, chest heaving from the tirade, turned away, a measure of shame in his stance. At his sides, his fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly.

Shepard was rendered speechless for a moment, unbalanced by the realisation of the truth in the Collector's words. He'd never thought about the advantage he really had over other cycles, the sheer number of additional assets at his disposal that no other empire had been able to muster. The continuing political stability and direction that people took for granted. The freedom of movement across the Galaxy. The chance to study Reaper technology in peacetime. The absence of an indoctrinated slave race undermining the war effort. If it hadn't been for the Protheans, Humanity would still have been waiting for the Renaissance to happen when the Reapers arrived and wiped them out. Buoyed by the realisation of this, confidence simmering in his heart, Shepard stepped up next to his comrade, placing a hand on a chitinous shoulder.

"I am aware of the price your people paid, Revenant, and I'm not about to waste it. The Reapers will fall, you have my word."

"I'll hold you to it, Commander." The alien's tone was still stiff. "See that you do not falter when you find your soul in the balance."

**~o~0~o~**

None of the group had spoken for some time, absorbed in thought as they roamed through the lower levels of the facility. Occasionally they found themselves on the edge of the rift that ran through the centre of the Prothean ruins, unable to cross the vast chasm and forced to find an alternate route. After a moment's inspection in the hopes of finding some hitherto unseen treasure exposed by the damage, the team would double back and look for another route.

It was while passing through yet another featureless corridor that Liara spun, sending Shepard diving for the floor as she wielded a biotic Warp blast to devastating effect, scouring millennia of dust off a blank wall as dark energy scorched the metal to leave a trail of black soot.

"Woah! Woah!" Shepard shouted out as the roar of the attack bounced through the empty passages, the clatter of falling debris its only answer. "What the hell?!"

Liara remained motionless, arm still outstretched as biotic ripples of power licked along the outstretched limb, traversing their way up to the quivering fingers. Her eyes were wide, fear filling the soft blue orbs. Her stare shifted from the wall to her trembling palm, bringing the arm in close to her body as though the blue energy swirling around it had burned her.

"Goddess…" Her voice was distant. "I- I thought I saw it, there, in the shadows! It was right there!"

Shepard looked into the darkness, the beam of his flashlight slicing through the gloom. Nothing lurked within the inky blackness.

"I had hoped to take it by surprise." Liara explained. Her tone turned insistent as the Commander scanned the hallway behind them. "It was there!"

"Shepard-Commander, a theory." Legion piped up. "Victims of indoctrination often report instances of hallucinatory visions, imagined sounds and general paranoia. We suspect that, due to the investigative nature of this facility, there may be some form of technology belonging to the Old Machines held deeper within which is attempting to initiate the indoctrination process. This would explain the continued sense of unease you are experiencing."

"Couldn't be." The Revenant countered. "This thing following us is showing up on your sensors. Indoctrination can't fool synthetics."

"This is correct, but research carried out by the Protheans may have altered the process sufficiently enough to affect our hardware." The machine answered. "Indoctrination is based upon a basic signal in tune with organic senses. This signal could be altered with relative ease to affect synthetic life-forms. It is logical to assume that the presence we believe has been following us is not, in actuality, there."

"Logical?" Shepard asked, unconvinced.

"Given available data." The Geth qualified. "We have been unable to gain actual visible confirmation of its existence, and all sensor readings have been inconclusive."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think that was an assumption you were making there, Legion." Shepard smirked. "How very… organic… of you."

"…No data available."

"It makes no difference." The Revenant said firmly. "We're not going to let whatever's lurking here stop us from finding out what the scientists were up to. We still don't know what the real meat of the research here was focused on. The weapon labs in the upper levels were all dealing with fairly small projects, self-contained experiments. We need to find out what the big effort here was, and I'll bet what the log said about the 'Retribution Project' is a clue. We need to find out what that was."

"The log mentioned a production schedule." Liara said. "Perhaps they were working on a new line of ships to fight with? A different style of dreadnought?"

"I'm hoping for something a bit more impressive than that." Shepard said, stepping up to yet another laboratory doorway to pry it open. "Let's see what we can find in here."

The lab beyond this latest set of doors was the most impressive one the team had come across, by far. Banks of computer terminals lined one wall, a fair number still powered. In the centre of the room stood a row of test chambers made from reinforced glass and a hardy metal alloy that glowed a burnished orange in the faint light. To the other side, racks of what might have been weapons sat silently, most of the contents having fallen apart over time.

"Now we're getting somewhere." Shepard muttered before barking out a few orders. "Revenant, Liara, start looking through those terminals. Legion, scan the debris. If there's anything functional in the rubble, we need to take a look at it."

The team split up, going about their tasks quickly and with minimal chatter. As the others set about scouring the lab for anything of value, poring over every item like a plague of locusts devouring a field, Shepard moved closer to the test chambers. Most were empty, their experiments long forgotten. In one, however, a wire frame stood invitingly, holding an object about the size of the Commander's fist at eye level. Curious, the Commander stepped forward.

On closer inspection, the framework turned out to be moulded into the shape of a Prothean hand, the fingers and thumb splayed out flat. In the palm of this 'hand' rested a small disc, neatly fitting in the frame's grasp. Loops of narrow wiring held the device in place, curling around the wrist and the digits.

Reaching forward tentatively, Shepard opened the chamber, retrieving the device from where it had lain for so many millennia. He turned it over, recognising the technology as something similar to that of his omnitool. Unable to resist the temptation to find out what secrets a Prothean omnitool might hold, he slid it over his gauntlet, tightening the fastenings to secure it.

The device was just about the right size for his Human palm, and the lack of a fastening for a fifth digit was not a problem. Once it was in place, the Commander pressed the disc in his palm, smiling as a familiar orange glow covered his right hand and the majority of his forearm.

With a sudden whirr, followed by a sharp 'snikt' sound, a blade of pure scarlet light formed over his forearm, whirling around to point out over the back of his hand, a dangerously sharp point aiming away from him. Shepard marvelled at the blade, turning it over to inspect the impossibly thin shard of light. He waved it through the air a couple of times, being rewarded with a 'whomm-whomm' noise that was immensely pleasing.

"That was just one of the projects the scientists were looking into in this lab." The Revenant, who had been watching with amusement as the Commander waved the wrist-mounted weapon around. "Apparently it's one of the projects that got beyond the concept phase around here. The project was intended to discover how to combine holographic technology with Mass Effect field generators to create solid objects in the field at will. Riot shields, temporary cover, tools, emergency shelters, all intended to be contained in a device that you wear on your wrist and barely notice the weight of."

"Useful to a soldier already weighed down with too much gear." Shepard commented, watching as the blade faded, disintegrating into dust that swirled on the faint air current of his breath. "It never got past testing?"

"As of the moment this place shut down, they still had to get anything beyond the blade configuration to work." The Revenant answered. "The shield was looking promising, but anything larger than a couple of feet lost its stability and couldn't remain solid."

"The old Shadow Broker must have found another Prothean base that had been working on the same thing." Liara suggested. "His shield technology is almost identical."

"Maybe." Shepard said, activating the omni-blade again to inspect the eighteen inch weapon. "Anything else on those terminals?"

"A lot more." The Collector said. "Including a log entry with the latest time-stamp of any we've found so far."

"Let's hear it."

The Revenant tensed, preparing for the upload. In moments, the familiar voice took on an unfamiliar accent once more as the Prothean scientist spoke through Shepard's comrade.

"It's done. Initiative Fifty was activated successfully, and the Reapers have been repelled, for now. We were even lucky enough to take out one of their number, the one that came close enough to trigger the bombs. One piece of good fortune is that the corpse of the Reaper came down overhead, in the ruins of the city. Hopefully this will serve to mask us from any attempts to detect this facility, and the creature's kin will assume us destroyed in the blast.

"The atmosphere is now filled with radiation and electrical disturbances that make coming in for a closer look too dangerous, so we don't have to fear them sending any troops down to find us, but this is a double-edged blade. The same dangers that keep our foes from uncovering our fortress also keep us from leaving. We're going to be stuck in here for centuries, at least. We must wait for the Retribution Project to reach its conclusion. With it, we will find a way out beyond the confines of this facility, and look to striking back at the Reapers in key areas. But until the project is complete, it must remain sealed away in the Vault. No amount of radiation or Reaper corpses would hide the kind of energy output those machines emanate, if the Vault were to open up. But the Project could take centuries to complete. That would stretch our resources to their limits."

The Revenant turned to gaze at the test chambers, locked in thought.

"None of our other experiments compare to Retribution. They are expendable, and must not be allowed to interfere with Retribution's progress. I will advise the other project leads to put our people into stasis, to conserve energy. We must give the project every chance we can to be completed. Without the drain of a dozen experiments running simultaneously and of the energy needs of hundreds of active beings, the facility will be able to handle the automated manufacture and development all the more efficiently."

The Collector paced about, glancing up to the ceiling. His eyes seemed full of anxiety as he looked upwards.

"There's also the concern of that Reaper corpse above our heads. Scans show it to be dead, but this could just be some form of deep hibernation. We don't understand enough about the power locked within the dead corpse of a Reaper, and that means we face a risk of indoctrination. The stasis pods should protect our people from any influence.

"It pains me to leave the facility unattended for so long, but this is a necessary step to ensure the survival of our work here. The Sentinel will be more than capable of protecting both the facility and the Vault from most threats, and should it face something beyond its ability it will awaken us to come to its aid. It is… a loyal guardian."

The Revenant returned to the console.

"We must move quickly. The sooner we're all asleep, the sooner the facility will finish the Retribution Project. There's much to be done to prepare. End log."

The Collector sagged against the terminal, but recovered quickly, the process taking less of a toll as he became accustomed to it.

Shepard tried to mute his excitement, all too aware that the Ilos facility's stasis pods had been unable to keep functioning for even a fraction of the fifty thousand years between the cycles, Vigil being forced to power down all but a few dozen after just a handful of centuries. But the chance to uncover a whole treasure trove of stasis pods with living Protheans in them was too good to pass up. Liara was the first to break the silence.

"Can it be true?" Her voice tingled with reverence. "Another stasis facility? Where? Are there any survivors in the pods?"

"I can take a look." The Revenant leaned over the console. "I can access the core computer systems of the facility from this console, which will grant me access to the power distribution system." He put a few more commands through, letting out a disappointed grunt. "I'm not seeing anything here with the kind of power draw a stasis system would have. All I can find are data storage banks, thousands of them."

"Thousands?" Shepard asked. "Seems excessive. Any clue as to what they contain?"

"It would take some time to open them up fully." The Collector said curtly. "Time we probably don't have. I'm looking for the stasis systems. Even if they're inactive they should-" The alien stiffened, his head dipping closer to the console. "What…?"

"You found something?" Shepard stepped over, glancing over his shoulder.

"I've found the stasis systems, but there's something… off, about this. They're not drawing any power."

"So the Protheans are dead." Shepard said his heart sinking. "The power couldn't hold out long enough."

"I don't think so…" The Revenant pointed to the screen, highlighting several blinking green boxes. "Their systems are still powered, just not active. And still… occupied. This doesn't make any sense!"

"They must be dead." Shepard reasoned.

"The system would identify the occupant of the pod as having deceased, taking it off the roster. It has logged them as still active. Still containing viable subjects."

"So, the system reads that they're still alive, but it's doing nothing to sustain them?" Shepard's brow creased. "How?"

"I can't say." The alien muttered.

"Well, where are these pods?" The Commander felt his confusion and curiosity welling up.

"A few levels down, in a sealed facility just above a section of the complex labelled as 'The Vault'."

"The section where the Retribution Project was being kept." Shepard tapped his chin as he thought. "The scientist in the log sounded like he was directly involved. I don't suppose the log transmitted any of his knowledge of the project, by any chance? Maybe a clue as to what it did?"

"I don't… I'm not sure." The alien rubbed at his head. "The process uploads such a wealth of detail, but it's hard to parse through. A lot of it requires decades of learning to truly know. When I think about the project, his thoughts give me images of complex equations, references to literature written by authors I've never heard of, and an overwhelming desire for success. He placed a lot of hope in this, Shepard. He believed it to be the key to being able to stand against the Reapers, the nearest thing the Protheans had to a shot at, if not winning this war, at least making sure it was an actual war instead of just a harvest. He held onto the ideal that maybe it could save his species, but also realised that it may not have been enough, but would rather improve the chances the next cycle had at surviving."

"Our cycle." Shepard stated rather than asked. The Revenant nodded. Brow creased in thought, the Commander turned to the abandoned lab. "There was a lot of potential in these labs. To push that all aside for one project… Retribution must have been a hell of a Hail Mary. More than just one weapon, anyway."

"Perhaps it was a fleet, after all." Liara suggested. "If they managed to adapt enough Reaper technology, they could have manufactured some very powerful vessels."

"The memories don't seem to suggest a fleet." The Revenant's tone was faint as he probed his thoughts. "The impression the scientist gave was more like… an army, perhaps?"

"Maybe weapons and armour for an army?" Shepard suggested.

"Perhaps." The alien shrugged. "Although that raises the question of where they intended to find an army."

"Well, for starters there's the Prothean survivors." Shepard waved a hand at the console. "Maybe they hoped to wake up in time to warn us, give us a chance to build up our defences. Imagine if we'd had the time to give every capable soldier a set of Prothean-designed armour and weaponry, if the Salarians had had the chance to combine their scientific methods with the knowledge of the scientists here. The war would probably be halfway done by now."

"All the more reason why we must uncover the secrets of this facility." Liara stressed. "Starting by investigating those pods."

"Agreed." Shepard nodded as he turned to the Revenant. "Is there anything else we can find out about the stasis facility before we go blundering in? I'm still not sure about those readings you're getting."

"Hang on…" The alien hunched over the console, inputting a few control commands. "If I can just get through the firewalls, then I can- ah! I have access to the power systems. I'll try manually adjusting the power levels, see how that affects the readings."

The Collector went silent as he typed away at the console. Liara and Legion crowded in, each driven by overpowering curiosity. As the trio delved into the workings of the computer system, Shepard turned away, glancing around the laboratory one more time. His eyes darted towards the skeletal frames of long forgotten experiments, roving over piles of dust that held no clue to what it could have been.

As the Commander walked around the room, the now familiar sensation of unease returned, his spine quivering as goose-bumps coated his skin. The hairs on the back of his neck stood rigid, as strong a warning as Shepard had ever sensed.

He turned, looking for the source of his anxiety, eyes finally caught a flicker of movement in the far corner, deep within the shadows. The grating over a ventilation duct swung loosely as a black shape slithered down the wall, moving with serpentine grace. There was a hint of a humanoid shape about it as it faded from view in the gloom. Tensing, Shepard reached for his gun, taking a couple of quiet steps toward the corner.

Four brilliantly bright yellow points of light flared in the shadows as the shape rose up and charged, a blood-curdling screech tearing through the Commander's skull as the unknown creature lunged towards the Revenant's exposed back.

**~o~0~o~**

Joker's leaned back in his chair, shivering as a bead of sweat worked its way past his collar to trace a meandering line down his spine. The heat inside the Normandy was becoming intolerable, with even some of the squad members accustomed to arid environments, like Thane and Garrus, beginning to labour under it. Doctor Chakwas had already begun handing out medication to combat dehydration from perspiring too much, as well as recommending that every crew member take in as much water as they could bear. The only crewmembers apparently unaffected by the heat, and therefore drawing most of Joker's ire upon themselves, were Jorall and Grunt, their hardy Krogan bodies easily dealing with the excess warmth. It was all to do with their humps serving as massive radiators designed to act as an internal thermostat, or something. The process had been explained to Joker, but he'd barely heard any word past 'Because', as the techno-babble had soon overwhelmed him.

He gasped as a wave of tiredness struck him. He felt as though he was about to drop into a deep sleep, his thoughts turning fuzzy as he faintly registered that it was the heat that made him feel this way.

"Ugh…" He grunted. "EDI, is there no way to turn the atmo systems down a little more?"

"Atmospheric controls are operating at capacity, Jeff. We cannot vent more heat than we are currently without attracting the attention of the Reaper. Any increase in our output, and the thermal energy will shine out like a beacon to transmit our location."

"Maybe we should roll down a window." Joker chuckled, trying to make light of their predicament.

"While that course of action would address the current situation, it would also lead to explosive decompression, endangering the lives of-" The AI paused, its processors working overtime as it wrestled with Human interaction. "That was a joke?"

"You're getting there, EDI." The pilot struggled upright, regarding the control panel again. "How's Engineering getting on with the repairs?"

"All damage from the crash-"

"Landing." Joker interrupted. "I don't crash."

"…My apologies." The AI barely missed a beat. "From the 'landing'-" The quotation marks still clanged into place like a hammer of judgement. "-are almost complete. We will be capable of take-off within thirty minutes. Although I cannot recommend takeoff while that Reaper remains in such close proximity. A second confrontation may not end with so positive an outcome for us."

"Speaking of our ancient friend, what's he up to now?" Joker waved a hand lazily at the screen, summoning up a few scans.

"The Reaper remains in orbit around Suime." EDI answered. "Its current activities remain unclear, but it appears to be dormant."

An image of the Reaper appeared before Joker, showing the machine hanging in space, facing the planet. Joker looked at it for a second, brow creasing.

"It's like its… looking for something. Ready to pounce. You think it's after the same thing as us? A Prothean facility?"

"A possibility. There is insufficient data to reach a firm conclusion."

"Maybe it's just resting up." Joker suggested. "Fifty thousand years on its own, its reserves have to be depleted by now."

"I cannot say, Jeff." The AI's patient, strained tone transmitted the silent message that, no matter how many theories Joker proposed, just talking about the matter would not manage to produce the evidence necessary to determine which was true. "Without activation more in-depth scanning methods, I cannot gather the data necessary to reach a conclusion, and doing so will-"

Joker's head tilted as the ship's voice went silent abruptly. For the briefest of seconds, the cockpit was silent, save for the occasional whirr or beep of working machinery.

"EDI?"

"I have detected several Mass Effect pulses in the shadow of the system's fifth planet. The only possible explanation is that several vessels have decelerated from faster than light travel in-system. The sheer scale of the energy readings suggest the vessels being transported possess a substantial mass. Either an entire fleet has been transported with the kind of co-ordination that is beyond organic capabilities, or…"

"…Or we've got a whole lot of unwelcome company." Joker finished for her. "Son of a bitch! Our friend up there isn't searching, he's sending out an open invitation to all of his pals! Come on by and take a pot-shot at the Commander!"

He leaned forward, scanning his controls.

"Is there any way that we could take off now, EDI? We've gotta do something!"

"What would you suggest we do, Jeff?" The AI responded tactfully, but firmly. "We barely survived an encounter with one Reaper. What could we hope to achieve against several?"

"There has to be something!" The pilot protested. "Maybe we could send the shuttle down to get Shepard out of there before the Reapers find him."

"The Hangar Bay doors will not open while we remain on the ground, Jeff, and takeoff would expose us to Reaper scans."

"A message, then."

"The signal would not only betray our location, but also that of the away team." EDI's voice throbbed with pity. She was finding the situation just as hard as her friend. "There is nothing we can do right now, Joker. We must wait until the situation changes for the better."

"I hope it changes soon." Joker grumbled, sitting back in his chair. "Between the heat and the Reapers, Shepard will be lucky if there's anyone left to pick him up when he's done down there. I just hope that he's finding what he was looking for."

**~o~0~o~**

The shadow leapt forward, latching onto the Revenant's back with a tight grip that slammed the Collector forward into the console. There was a bang, a flash, and a massive crack, followed by a shower of sparks. As the Revenant struggled with his attacker, twisting away from the console, Shepard saw that the machinery had been shot, damaged beyond use.

The creature, whatever it was, hauled backwards, dragging the Revenant off his feet and onto the floor with a crash. Spindly limbs slashed at the alien, cracking open chitinous armour, re-opening the wounds the Revenant had received on the planet's surface. Thick, gooey yellow blood splattered the floor.

Legion had slipped back a few paces, trying to bring their gun to bear, but the tumbling, rolling duo on the floor presented too uncertain of a target for them to risk taking a shot. Liara had raised a biotic field around herself, her hands glowing with power as she advanced uncertainly. Realising his weapon would be no use, Shepard discarded it, diving into the fray as the pair rolled over to present the mysterious attacker to the Commander's reaching arms.

With a mighty heave, Shepard dragged the creature off the Revenant, leaping back as it twisted in his grip to slash at him with razor-tipped talons. Metal struck metal as its claws scratched his chestpiece, then the Commander retaliated with a powerful swipe at its head.

The metallic clang echoed far through the facility, the muted rumble of falling debris its mirror. The creature barely reacted to the blow, while Shepard's arm vibrated painfully from the impact. Straightening, the attacker responded with two lightning-fast blows of its own, knocking the air from his lungs and doubling him over.

Stars filled Shepard's vision as his sense of hearing faded, the sound of shots firing a faint echo in the back of his mind. Through his darkening vision he saw the attacker turn and bolt away, moving with superhuman speed until it vanished down a corridor. Legion quickly followed it, stopping at the corridor's entrance with their gun held steady. They paused for a moment, then turned back.

"Visual contact lost." They intoned, their voice growing louder in Shepard's ears as he drew in deep breaths to recover. "The unknown entity has escaped."

"Goddess, what was that?" Liara asked, quickly applying Medi-Gel to the worst of the Revenant's injuries."

"I'm not sure." Shepard answered, brow creasing as he stared at the passage the creature had vanished down. "But it can take a lot of punishment. I didn't hold back there. And it packs a hell of a punch, too."

"I think it wanted to stop us from finding out any more about the stasis systems." The Revenant coughed as he stood up, waving a hand at the damaged machinery. "This console's useless now. If it had wanted us dead, it would have stuck around to finish the job."

"Four eyes…" Shepard mused. "Could be a Prothean connection there."

"You're thinking maybe an indoctrinated thrall?" Liara asked. "Something planted down here to keep people like us from exploring too deeply into these ruins?"

"Maybe just a scientist who had the misfortune to be ejected from his pod and right into the Reaper's indoctrination field." The Commander waved a hand overhead. "We know these things don't even have to be alive to enslave new victims. I doubt hibernation would be much of an obstacle."

"Another Collector? Like myself?" The Revenant asked.

"No." Shepard answered. "The Collectors were created by the Reapers over generations of fine-tuning and adaptation. This thing is probably more like a Husk. Simple, not too powerful, and dominated by the drive to serve the Reapers at every turn. If we're lucky, there's just the one, not a whole army of the damn things. Knowing our luck, every one of those pods opened up and the Reapers gained a whole army of Protheans without even knowing about it."

"That could explain the anomalous readings we were getting from the stasis system." Liara said, pacing from side to side. "If the pods are just being used to store Husks, not needing to keep them alive, then that matches up with the readings."

"Liara-T'soni's conclusion is logical." Legion concurred.

"In which case, we need to get into the Vault as quickly as we can." Shepard concluded. "If they haven't destroyed its contents yet, then we can't afford to give them the chance."

"Never mind that." The Revenant stood, tilting his head from side to side. "If that thing is some kind of last insult inflicted by the Reapers against my people, then it needs to be wiped from existence. Next time we find it, no hesitation. We kill it on sight."

Shepard opened his mouth to caution his alien friend, but held his tongue. The Revenant looked to be in no mood to argue. Instead, the Commander nodded, motioning towards the corridor the creature had vanished down. In seconds, the lab had been left behind.

**~o~0~o~**

The Commander shuddered as they moved ever deeper into the facility. Their steady progress had dissolved into a mad dash as they raced to find the mysterious attacker, and now he was thoroughly lost, the haunted emptiness of their surroundings grating on Shepard's nerves. The deeper they went beneath the ground, the more oppressive the darkness seemed to become, with every stray noise amplified tenfold in the shadows. Ghostly tingles ran up the Commander's spine, echoes of sensation that he could think of no explanation for.

The Revenant was leading the way, glowing brightly as he kept his biotics charged and ready for use at a moment's notice. He barely showed any signs of slowing as he barrelled down the corridors, ever determined to pursue the flickering half-shadow that appeared and disappeared before the squad.

At least the sensation of being led into a trap had faded now, the Commander thought to himself. Shepard knew that the creature was on the run, no longer in control of the situation. It had thrown away its power over the squad's movements the moment it attacked, instead giving them the advantage now that they knew the measure of its strength. Now, they knew that it was outmatched, outgunned, and a straight-up fight was not an option for it. That only led Shepard to question just why the creature had betrayed itself so drastically. Something about the Revenant's actions had made the mysterious being desperate. Desperate enough to risk it's own life to stop the Collector. Shepard shuddered as he realised that he couldn't shake the feeling that the attack had spared them from making a big mistake, from causing some disastrous event to unfold.

The Commander was so wrapped up in his own chain of thought that he barely noticed Liara padding to a halt before him, skidding to a stop just before he ran headlong into the Asari's back. Shaking himself to dislodge the last few crumbs of the uncomfortable thoughts from his brain, the Human turned his eyes upwards.

They'd come to a halt at some kind of junction between passages. Legion and the Revenant had taken up positions from which they could survey as many of the branching passages as possible, while Liara gazed up at the domed ceiling that arched above them. Ornate carvings, distorted by time, flowed in broken spirals not unlike those of the mosaic that had told the story of the Reaper War, but where coloured tiles had preserved the pattern for Liara to read, this piece of artwork had been ravaged by the passage of the millennia, little more than an unusual pattern in the ceiling by this point.

Silence filled the Commander's ears, his own heavy breathing thunderous in comparison to the gloom. He turned, surveying each passage in turn. Around him, his comrades waited in tense silence, expecting their foe to appear at any moment.

"Negative contact." Legion stated flatly, refusing to lower their gun.

"Contact… Contact… Contact…" sound bounced wildly, made loud by the acoustics of the corridors.

"Same here." The Revenant grunted, irritation flooding his voice. "What do you see, Shepard?"

"Shepard… Shepard… Shepard…" The echoes bounced down every passageway, reflected off the walls to repeat themselves dozens of times. Tilting his head, the Commander listened to every last one, trying to attune his senses to pierce the shadows around them.

"Is something wrong, Shepard?" Liara asked, turning to her old friend with an anxious gaze.

"Shepard… Shepard… Shepard…" The noise continued far longer than he expected, bouncing back with greater intensity. The Commander's brow wrinkled with confusion. Something was wrong. His mind screamed a warning.

"Shepard… Shepard… SHEPARD!"

The last echo mutated into a scream, tearing through the Commander's skull. His hands went limp, dropping his gun. The echoes twisted, changed, until they became a flood of noise that flowed through the focal point of Shepard's mind. Shouted instructions, pleas for aid and screams of pain welled up in his brain, drowning out all thought as he dropped to his knees, clutching at his head. He was dimly aware of his friends clustering around him, their worried babble only mixing in with the cacophony that filled his soul. After a few seconds, even awareness of their presence faded from his mind, replaced instead with a tide of terror, anger, pain and the overwhelming noise. Moments later, a handful of voices rose over the rest.

"Make sure that the lives you sacrifice for victory are the right ones…"

"I fear that your compassion may have cost you in ways you do not expect…"

"Think of what's at stake!"

"Is submission not preferable to extinction?"

"QUIET! Please, make it stop!"

"You have failed…"

"Cerberus can't save you now!"

"You can't stop them!"

"You will end, because we demand it…"

"SERVE US!"

A scream tore free of the Commander's throat, swallowed up by the din as he covered his ears, curling up against the pain. Then, just as quickly as they had arrived, the voices vanished, fading into a single, lonely voice that whispered in Shepard's ear.

"You know it's the right choice… I don't regret a thing."

Shepard's consciousness returned with a crash, eyes snapping open to see his comrades leaning over him even as Ashley's voice continued to reverberate through his skull. Confusion welled up, panic on its heels.

"Shepard!" Liara seemed to melt with relief as he opened his eyes. "Are you alright?"

"The noise, it just…" The Commander squinted, his eyes slow to focus as he sat up. He shook his head from side to side, eager to be free of the fog that clouded his thoughts. His eyes fought him, refusing to focus for a long moment. When they did, he found himself staring up into the Revenant's concerned face.

A ghost of movement behind the Collector grabbed at the Commander's attention. For just a brief glimmer, he thought that he saw a once familiar face, half-visible in the shadows. The strict haircut, the stern cut of the jaw, the vibrantly sharp eyes, Ashley's face was all too recognisable. Then, before Shepard could take any action, the visage faded, replaced with the dank gloom of the facility once more, and with it the shadowy outline of a humanoid creature crawling across the ceiling.

"Behind…" He managed to croak, a split-second too late. The creature leapt, aiming for the Revenant once more.

The Collector didn't even hesitate as he registered the Commander's words, spinning as his biotics flared a blindingly bright white. A powerful swing of his hand sent a wave of blue energy roaring through the room, sweeping the enigmatic attacker up into the maelstrom as the Commander's entire world descended into chaos.

**~o~0~o~**

Rock tumbled around the Revenant as he charged his foe, but the Collector was not to be distracted. All of his focus, all of his rage, was centred on the figure before him, the spindly humanoid that had been dogging the squad for so long. He didn't even spare a thought for the tumbling debris, or for the Commander's strange episode, his mind instead engulfed by fury. The being before him was trying to interfere with their mission, standing between him and the best hope he had of reviving a portion of his species, no matter how remote the chances were. Further spurred on by the knowledge of how close he was to his goal, the Collector redoubled his speed, following the creature through the cascade of debris.

Around them, the corridor junction crumbled, fractures spreading wildly in every direction before whole segments of wall, floor and ceiling fell away, revealing that the massive rent that ran through the facility lurked a mere dozen metres or so away, the junction part of a bulbous section of construction that had jutted out into empty space, but was now steadily disintegrating before plummeting into the inky black rift.

The Revenant launched a devastating Warp blast at his foe, his attack followed closely by a shot from Legion's sniper rifle. The insectile being barely registered the synthetic's assistance, keeping his eyes locked on the shadowy creature.

The shape before him flickered, parts fading and reappearing in a blink, betraying the presence of some kind of optical camouflage, now damaged. This prevented the Revenant from getting a good look at his opponent, not that he was seeking any clear details. A target to strike was enough.

Another Warp blast tore through the air with the sound of ripping canvas, striking the bipedal shape squarely and flinging it back against a wall, which crumbled beneath the biotic assault. In the same instant, the floor beneath the Revenant bucked, staggering the Collector as he tried to line up another attack. With a lurch, the floor gave way, dropping down into the chaotic avalanche that his attacks had unleashed. The creature vanished among the rubble, lost in the river of debris that now flowed down the easing slope of the rift's sides.

As he raised a biotic shield to deflect the worst of the raining detritus, the Revenant finally thought to look to his companions. Liara had wrapped herself around the Commander, her biotics keeping them both safe, while Legion leapt nimbly from one tumbling rock to another, remaining above the tide of rubble with little effort.

Overhead, a massive chunk of rock tore free of the chasm wall, clattering down with a series of loud crashes that drowned out all other noise. The Revenant looked up as the building-sized boulder rumbled towards the squad. The formidable chunk of debris was heading straight for them, too big and heavy for the Collector to catch at the best of times, much less so when he was struggling not to be crushed by the cascade of falling rocks.

Summoning up all of his strength, the Revenant drew his biotic power into an orb that encased his fist, timing his moment carefully. Just as the enormous rock swooped down within reach, he swung, striking it powerfully. Instead of trying to redirect the rock, he sent a jolt of pure dark energy racing through it, twisting the ethereal energies with all of the strength his mind could provide.

Discharging the biotic energies in powerful arcs of lightning, the rock shattered, myriad fractures exploited by the attack as it split into countless fragments, none larger than the Revenant's forearm. The Collector spun, turning his back on the deadly hail that now rained down around both the insectile alien and his three comrades. His barrier sparkled from countless impacts.

Struggling as he was with the new downpour of debris, the Revenant soon lost his footing in the treacherous, almost liquid floor beneath his feet, causing him to fall. In a flash, he was swallowed up by the tide of rolling rubble that washed its way down to the bottom of the chasm, rocks peppering him on every side and not permitting him the time to focus and make use of one of his biotic defence abilities. Realising that he could not recover, he curled into a protective ball, hoping that the barrier already in place would be strong enough to protect him from the worst of the barrage.

In what had felt like an era, but was in fact only a brief five seconds, the torrent of debris poured down into the chasm's base, coming to a sudden, silent stop, leaving only a faint rustle to stir the dead air as dust and soil continued to flow behind the much larger boulders and chunks of masonry.

Raising his head cautiously, the Revenant shook off the few pieces of rubble that had landed on him, eyes darting about for any sign of his friends or, more importantly, his enemy. He grunted irritably as at first no sign of the enigmatic attacker greeted his gaze, but a shuffle of movement off to one side grabbed his attention. Barely had he recognised the dark shape than a biotic field ripped loose from his hand, sweeping up a cloud of rock splinters and small boulders that whipped straight towards the creature.

"Revenant, wait!"

Shepard's cry, more of a cautionary croak, came a second too late as the Collector's attack caught the creature, slamming it against the chasm's wall. Rubble bombarded it mercilessly before three long spikes of rock, swept up by the fury of the Revenant's attack, speared the mysterious being to the wall, summoning forth a mechanical groan of distress. Only then did the Revenant stop to look, realising with a lurch that the creature that confronted him was, in fact, a Prothean. Four glowing eyes met the Revenant's remaining three, a question and an accusation in their gaze, then the broad head sagged, a long, low groan escaping from the creature as its body went limp.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard struggled up from under the pile of rubble that had gathered over him, glancing over to Liara as she, too, worked her way free of the debris. Their hearts pounding in their chests, both the Commander and the Shadow Broker rushed over to the skewered Prothean, fearing the worst.

The Revenant remained rooted to the spot some half dozen or so paces away, hands clenching and unclenching as his actions caught up with him. He stared at the creature pinned to the wall, confusion in his gaze.

"I…" His voice had lost some of its strength, uncertainty plaguing his tone. "I don't understand. Why would he attack us if he was a Prothean?"

"Probably because he wasn't actually a Prothean." Shepard answered, scanning the limp form with his omnitool. "This thing's a mechanised replica of a Prothean. Completely synthetic."

"What?"

"The logs we discovered made mention of a 'sentinel'." Legion provided. "It is possible that they were referring to this. If so, attacking invading forces would be a part of its mandate."

"So when we started meddling too deeply with the facility's systems, it felt that it had to stop us." Shepard nodded. "Explains a lot. For one thing, it should have been able to kill us. It had the drop on us, and that cloak it has is pretty high-tech. If even Legion's scanners were fooled, it could easily have come close enough to slip a knife in our back."

"It must have only wanted to do enough damage to scare us off." Liara continued his train of thought. "It has no way of knowing what backup we have waiting in the wings, so it can't risk provoking any allies we may have brought with us."

"That still doesn't explain why-"

Shepard's sentence was suddenly cut off as a metallic hand grasped him by the wrist. He turned to see the Prothean mech staring directly at him, its arm having darted out to grab him in a firm, yet harmless, grip. Motors and gyros whirred inside it as it moved ever so slightly, not breaking eye contact with the Commander. At Shepard's side, Legion raised their weapon, but paused as Shepard waved a hand to stop them.

"Wait." He whispered, still staring into the mech's eyes.

The mech's face was an imitation of a Prothean's, but there were a few functional differences between it and the real thing. For one thing, where a Prothean would have had a wide slit that formed a thick-lipped mouth, the mech had a smooth plate of slightly translucent material behind which lurked what Shepard imagined to be light sources. He wondered if maybe they lit up when the mech talked. In a similar vein to this difference, the nose and ears were also missing, the face unsettlingly smooth save for the eyes, four perfectly round yellow orbs with a dark green pupil at their centre. Aside from that, the rest of the body was very intricately designed to mimic an organic one in as many ways as possible. The metal that formed its hide was soft and pliable to give limbs and digits flexibility, but under the machine's grasp Shepard could feel that it was as strong as any armour he could wear. Its body seemed to be covered with a metallic form of clothing, presumably a facsimile of Prothean styles. The end result was a being that was almost a convincing copy of a Prothean, although the abnormal face created too much of a divide between nature and science, making it clear that this was a machine. Perhaps that had been the intent, although Shepard couldn't be sure.

As Shepard completed his examination of the mech, so to did it analyse him, its eyes probing much deeper into his nature than he ever could. After a brief moment, its arm glowed, sheathed in holographic light like his own. Tendrils of light reached out like the limbs of an octopus, finding his omnitool and meshing with it silently. Images flared into being on the tiny device, flickering as the 'tool rotated through them. The images moved in a blur, too fast for Shepard to say what any of them were, then they abruptly stopped, the glowing light fading as both his omnitool and that of the mech powered down. A scratchy voice, faint and distorted, escaped from the mech's face as the semi-transparent plate the Commander had noted lit up.

"Linguistics package download complete. Indoctrinated forces detected. Unable to complete primary objective. Requesting assistance in defence of facility One-Zero-Eight."

"That explains why he went for you out of everyone here." Shepard said, turning to the Revenant. "You look like a Prothean Husk." He turned back to the mech. "You downloaded the linguistics package from my omnitool. Can you understand us now?"

"Affirmative." The mech's voice remained unclear, full of static. "This unit is damaged beyond repair, and will soon lose power. Requesting assistance in defence of facility-"

"We heard." Shepard answered. "You don't have to worry about the Revenant. He doesn't work for the Reapers."

"Species origin: Prothean. Error: Species now extinct. Evidence of Reaper augmentation present. Indoctrination only possible explanation."

"Revenant's… a bit of a special case." Shepard shrugged. "I trust him, and you can trust me. If you need proof of that, look me up in all that data you just lifted. Commander Shepard, Alliance Navy, service number-"

"Spectre Agent Shepard, Citadel Council." The mech rattled off, interrupting him. "Received commendation for heroism in Battle of the Citadel. Achievement of note: Destruction of the Reaper known as 'Sovereign'." It was silent for a moment as it processed this. "This unit is prepared to trust the Commander."

"State your designation and purpose." Shepard ordered.

"Unit designation 'Sentinel'. Primary function: Security of facility One-Zero-Eight. Secondary function: Upkeep and general maintenance of facility One-Zero-Eight, including management of power requirements. Tertiary function: Medical care of surviving members of facility staff."

"Medical care?" The Revenant asked. "So they're still alive?"

"Negative. The final survivor of the fall of Suime, Professor Nge-Yaal, declared deceased on Second Rising of the month of Silver Spears, year thirty-nine seventy-two of the seventh epoch. Approximately forty-eight thousand, six hundred and ten years ago, Citadel standard time."

"So you failed in your tertiary function." Shepard stated.

"Negative. All nine hundred sixteen members of facility staff have been preserved in stasis pods on level twenty-three."

"But you said they were dead!" The Revenant accused.

"Correct." The machine answered simply.

"I don't think we're going to get a straight answer on this matter, Shepard." Liara said slowly. "Just like with the computer system's readings."

"Then we'll just have to find out the truth ourselves." The Commander said firmly. He turned to the Sentinel, the machine staring back at him with its hauntingly organic eyes. "How do we get down to the stasis pods?"

"Level twenty-three is off-limits to unauthorised personnel." The machine replied curtly.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but there aren't any authorised personnel walking around any more." The Revenant snapped at the Sentinel. "You put them all in those pods downstairs!"

"We want to help in any way we can." Shepard tried to reason with it. "You can trust us."

"The security of facility One-Zero-Eight is of paramount importance. This unit will not compromise the safety of its creators."

"Alright then, I guess we'll just leave you to defend your facility against the Reaper prowling around on this planet's surface." Shepard threatened, weariness building up in his chest. "We're here to find a weapon to use in this war. It's in our interests to protect this facility and its contents. If you're not interested in helping us, then I guess we'll just leave you here for the Reapers to find!"

"Shepard-Commander, we suggest a compromise." Legion chimed in. "If we were to bring the Sentinel-mechanism with us, then its primary purpose would be fulfilled while benefiting our needs."

"Sounds good to me." The Commander turned to face the fifty thousand year old machine.

The Sentinel looked to Legion, then back to Shepard. The motors in its neck whirred as it processed the proposition in silence. Then, with a stiff nod, it assented.

"The proposal is acceptable. This unit's power reserves are low, and higher functions are diminished. Soon this unit's primary functions will become impossible. New orders must be obtained. This unit will accompany you down to level twenty-three."

"I'm glad you saw reason." Shepard said, stepping forward to grasp one of the rocky spikes that had pierced the machine.

He nodded to the others to help him, then pulled on the rough shard of stone, tearing it free. Legion caught the weight of the Sentinel before the remaining two spikes caused further damage, while both the Commander and the Revenant carefully removed them. Freed from the wall, the Sentinel was carefully lowered, Legion and Liara taking it across their shoulders to carry it between them. Then, with the Sentinel guiding them, the team proceeded still deeper into the facility.

**~o~0~o~**

With the aid of the Prothean mech, the team made much swifter progress through the facility, tracing long-forgotten routes with ease. Thanks to the Sentinel's guidance, they avoided encountering any collapsed tunnels, jammed doors, or chasms that plummeted into darkness. The squad tried to strike up a conversation with the machine, but the Sentinel was being surprisingly tight-lipped, refusing to divulge any information beyond their current route and the status of its rapidly decaying systems. Shepard was forced to shrug at that, reluctantly acknowledging that, with the risk of the machine becoming defunct, concern over being unable to fulfil its commission was understandably the foremost thing on its mind.

Eventually the team spilled out into a small laboratory, a room some ten metres by fifteen metres. One wall was entirely composed of glass, looking out on inky blackness, while the other three walls were covered with monitoring machinery. A faint glow filled the room, light cast off the flickering screens arrayed around the room. As the squad entered, the Sentinel indicated that he should be placed before a solitary computer console that sat before the black window, the machine sagging as it was placed on its knees before the console, its motors whining as it failed to stand upright. Seeing the Sentinel's distress, Legion stepped up next to it, lending a shoulder to support the mech as it reached out to place a single hand on the interface.

The Sentinel's version of an omnitool activated, the tendrils of light sprouting from it once again to interact with the console. The screen flickered wildly, then the floor beyond creaked open, a holographic projector rising from an opening iris of metal. The projector whined for a moment, then whirred into life, a cloud of refracted light dancing above it. After a long moment of visual confusion, the beams of light finally focused, an image of a Prothean standing on air above the device.

Shepard watched the image in wonder. The technology was so similar to that which had created Vigil, but the image was not corrupted, much better preserved than the Ilos VI. He could make out every contour of the Prothean's face, every minute detail of the form hovering in the air before him. For a brief moment, he thought that maybe he was gazing upon a reflection of the Prothean warrior honoured in the memorial several floors up, Javik, but then he began to see the differences between the two specimens. Where Javik had been tall with broad shoulders, this Prothean was of a smaller build, his life having been less physical, his career more academic. The mottling of the image's skin was different, too, dark patches running over both sides of the skull and leaving blotches under the eyes and nose.

The image looked about, seemingly confused, then locked its gaze on the Sentinel, a question in its stare.

"Sentinel?" He asked, his voice clearly understood by the Commander. Apparently the Sentinel had provided a linguistics update alongside its summoning of the projection. "What's happening? Is it time to begin the reanimation procedures?" The Prothean stopped, looking up. "Who are you?"

"Commander Shepard, Human Alliance." Shepard stood to attention, more out of habit than politeness. "We're here looking for assets to help us in our war against the Reapers."

"The harvest has already begun?" Panic filled the hologram's voice. "How long has it been?"

"Just under fifty thousand years."

"Fifty- Sentinel! What happened? Why were we not awakened?"

The machine looked up into the face of its master, its posture reflecting that of a dog who is aware it has done wrong by its owner.

"The Reapers continued their harvest for much longer than was anticipated. Their retreat to Dark Space was not detected for over two thousand years. Power requirements needed to be met in order to preserve the staff of this facility while maintaining an element of secrecy."

"I strictly told you not to engage the triage protocols!" The Prothean fumed. "We couldn't afford to lose even one of those refugees stored here!" He sighed, hand raised to his brow. "How many were sacrificed?"

"None." The mech's response caused the Prothean's head to snap up, his gaze piercing the machine. "All staff members have been preserved."

"Impossible." The Prothean snorted. "The power reserves here couldn't have supported that many bodies for such a period of time. At best, you could have kept a handful of us alive for fifty thousand years, but not close to a thousand!"

"When faced with the risk of losing power, an alternative solution needed to be found." The mech explained, stepping up to the console and breaking free of Legion's grasp. Its arms whined loudly as it supported itself purely with the strength of its upper body. "The solution was found in your research, Professor Nge-Yaal."

"In my…" The Prothean stepped back, his expression dropping, dread flashing in his eyes. "Oh no… you didn't-"

"It was the only way to preserve all Protheans on-site." The mech's voice, while still synthetically flat, was tinged with sadness.

"Anybody care to fill me in on what's going on?" Shepard interrupted, understanding still escaping him.

"My field of research was that of bio-netic communications." The Professor stared into their uncomprehending faces. "The technology that allowed us to upload data directly into our brains."

"Like the beacons?" Liara asked.

"Yes. You've found our beacons? They were supposed to be very well hidden."

"They gave us a way to prevent the Reapers from returning through the Citadel Relay." Shepard explained. "A message from the facility on Ilos showed us how to stop them."

"The Ilos facility survived?"

"Unfortunately, no." Shepard answered, a sympathetic look on his face. "The scientists died out long ago, but not before they had a chance to sabotage the Citadel to prevent the return of the Reapers."

"And yet they still invaded?"

"The harvest was delayed for a long time. Time enough to let civilisation grow into a threat. Eventually they found another way in, but we still hold the Citadel, and most of the armada is still trapped in Dark Space."

"Then there is still hope." The Prothean nodded grimly. "Our race did not perish in vain."

"You were talking about your research?" The Revenant interjected loudly, stepping up from where he had held back, watching the interchange silently.

"Yes, of course." The Prothean regarded the Collector uncertainly, clearly unsettled by his appearance. "I don't think I know your species, alien. Are you a new form of life that emerged after our civilisation fell?"

"You could say that." The Revenant replied. "I am a Collector, one of the race that descended from the Protheans after centuries of augmentation and torture at the hands of the Reapers."

"A Reaper creation? Here?" The Prothean's tone of panic returned. "Sentinel! Defend the facility!"

"Wait!" Shepard stepped between the hologram and the Revenant. "The Revenant's on our side. He joined us after breaking free of Reaper control."

"Once the Commander had finished eliminating the rest of my kind." The Revenant added. At this, the Professor relaxed, albeit only a little. His troubled expression remained.

"I see." He leaned forward, looking at the Revenant a little more closely. "How hideous! A terrible fate for any sentient creature. To think that a Prothean could be corrupted in such a fashion…"

"Professor, your research." Shepard interrupted, unable to meet the Revenant's eye. He could see that the alien had stiffened at the harsh words, each syllable as vicious as any bullet.

"Hmm? Oh! Oh yes…" The Prothean straightened, folding his hands behind his back. "I was responsible for finding better methods for storing and downloading thoughts and memories. You may have seen an experimental log system around the facility. That was one of my projects. I also contributed to the beacon network, and performed extensive work on the stasis systems. Its how I'm able to talk to you right now, even though my body is still on ice in the stasis complex back there." He pointed over his shoulder at the darkened window. "I'd hoped that we could use it to converse with a being who had been put into stasis, keeping them informed of current events so that the reanimation wasn't so disorienting."

"I think I can see where this is going." Liara said, a note of dread in her voice.

"If what Sentinel has just told me is true, then the facility couldn't sustain our bodies for the length of time needed to ensure we weren't discovered by any Reapers still scouring the Galaxy." The Prothean sighed. "He used my research to upload our minds directly into the facility's computer systems, preserving our thoughts and memories while our bodies were allowed to die." He paused, a thought creeping up on him. "How much of our research had to be purged to make room for us?"

"Estimated data loss of ninety-five per cent." Sentinel replied morosely. "All research into the Retribution Project and other related experiments were purged."

"By the stars…" The Prothean looked genuinely devastated at this, more so than the news that his body was dead.

"It was the only way." The mech's voice was almost plaintive as it defended itself. "Save the minds of all, or sacrifice the lives of many. This unit concluded that this course of action allowed us to fulfil our mandate to the highest degree possible."

"Sounds like the choice I'd have made." Shepard nodded at the mech. "Sentinel saved you, all of you."

"I know." The Prothean glanced down at the Sentinel with eyes that shone with emotion. Pride, sadness, gratitude, they all mingled together in that stare. "Thank you, my old friend. Your difficult choice has done more than you could possibly imagine for our race."

The mech's head bowed, its entire being emanating a sense of elation. Then, with a clatter, its grip slipped from the console, the metal body dropping unceremoniously to the floor. The Prothean let out a shout of concern as the squad crowded around. The Revenant was the first to reach the machine, lifting it up carefully. The four yellow eyes flickered, their power waning.

"What happened to him?" Nge-Yaal asked, the helplessness in his voice clear for all to see.

"He assumed we were enemies and attacked us." Shepard explained, running his omnitool over the machine. "The damage is pretty bad. Is there any way to repair him?"

"This unit is too badly damaged." The mech answered. "Power levels have dropped below five per cent. Total system shutdown and memory purge will occur soon."

"There is a way." The Professor said. "The Retribution Project."

"There was mention of that in the logs we found." Shepard said. "What is it?"

"Our last hope. A fleet, and an army." The Prothean put his hands behind his back again. "We'd never truly looked into AI technology before the invasion. Never trusted it. But when the harvest began, we probed every avenue available to us. Here on Suime, we looked into artificial intelligence. Eventually, thanks to some technological breakthroughs from studying fragments of Reaper technology and our own ingenuity, we came up with the perfect weapon to use in the war with the Reapers- an army of intelligent machines. Warships that could think for themselves, tanks and infantry units capable of making tactical decisions. Siege mechanisms that could make their own judgement calls. All upgraded with Reaper code so that they could understand our enemy, resist hacking attempts, and even launch cyber attacks of their own."

"A bit of a gamble." Shepard said, glancing to Legion. "What if they turned on you and rebelled?"

"There were plenty of software restrictions in place to limit them." The Prothean said confidently. "And they required an organic General to co-ordinate them all, housed either in the flagship or within the facility here. The command nexus requires an organic operator, using my bio-netic research in the creation of the control interfaces. The machines are still capable of independent action, but they're greatly lessened by removing the General."

"Its still risky." Shepard said, noting how the Geth stared back at him. "But how can this project help us fix Sentinel?"

"Sentinel was the prototype for the Project." Nge-Yaal answered. "The same machinery that built the rest of the army can be used to repair him."

"I thought that the research into the Project was sacrificed to upload your minds?" Liara countered.

"The data, yes, but not the hardware. Retribution was well under way when we went to sleep. It was ready for mass production. We just… ran out of time to actually build the damn things, and had to leave the machinery running while we went under."

"So did the Project reach completion before the power situation changed things?" Shepard asked. All present turned to the Sentinel.

"Project Retribution reached completion approximately two hundred thirty years after the stasis pods were activated." The mech answered. "Without instruction on what was to be done with the materiel, all components of the project remained inactive, stored within the Vault."

"By the Goddess… a whole army, waiting to wake up." Liara breathed. "Imagine the potential! We could bolster the Citadel's defences, surround entire worlds, create a swift response unit to counter the Reapers!"

"Not exactly the game-changer I'd hoped for, but still a hell of a weapon." Shepard replied, feeling a little awkward. He couldn't help but think about how Legion might be feeling about AI's being discussed like this in front of them. "And we've got a whole facility full of the best Prothean minds of their time, waiting for extraction."

"After seeing what the Reapers did to our kind during the last harvest," Nge-Yaal pointed at the Revenant. "We'll gladly join your war, Shepard."

"First off, let's get the Sentinel fixed up-"

The Commander's words were abruptly cut off as a blaring alarm sounded, several of the screens along the walls flashing red. Everyone flinched at the sound, hands reaching for weapons.

"What the hell?" The Commander demanded.

"Our sensor grid must have detected something." Nge-Yaal explained, pointing to one of the terminals that lined the walls. Without a word, Legion strode over, pulling up the data.

"Shepard-Commander!" They barked out, voice cutting clearly over the alarms. "Old Machine forces detected en route to our location. Sensors detect eighteen of the Old Machines arriving in orbit, in addition to the one that had lain dormant on the planet's surface until our arrival."

"The one- you mean that Reaper was still alive?" Nge-Yaal's voice creaked with incredulity. "Don't these things ever die?"

"It takes a bit of work." Shepard admitted glibly. "I'll give you a few pointers some day. But first we need to get out of here alive. Is there any way for us to get you out of the facility quickly?"

"No. Your priority must be the Retribution Project." The Professor said, his voice firm. "Take the Project and get out of the system. The command nexus is just down the corridor. Your Collector friend should have enough Prothean left in him to issue a few basic commands, enough to call the fleet back to a safe location, anyway."

"Well that's not gonna happen." Shepard said. "There's no way we're just leaving you here for the Reapers to find."

"You must, Shepard!" The Prothean urged. "There's no time to get us out of here. I can issue a command to set the facility to self-destruct. The Reapers will find nothing of use here, and if we're lucky we just might take one of them with us! Take Sentinel and go!"

"Professor Nge-Yaal, there is another course of action." The Sentinel interrupted. "The memory cores of the machines of the Retribution Project present enough space to store the minds of the facility staff. A simple command would enable the preservation of your minds."

"There's no time!" The Professor snapped. "An upload would take too long. We'd have to use some of the Project as a distraction to buy us the time needed."

"Approximately sixty per-cent." The mech answered. "They could delay the Reapers long enough for the upload to be completed, and would provide a cover for your retreat."

"Would a third of the Project be enough to store your minds?" Shepard asked.

"In theory." The Professor admitted reluctantly. "But you'd lose all of the AI stored within those machines to make room for us! With the research gone, and the machinery here destroyed, you'd never be able to replicate them. Stars, even without the technology here you'll need years to be able to recreate them. Without any of the AI to use as a template, it could take decades!"

"But the last remnants of the Prothean race would be saved, and that's what we should prioritise." The Revenant concluded, looking to the Commander. "Shepard, this is the last of my people. We must save them! Those AI have never been activated. They've never had life to experience. Allowing them to be deleted isn't taking anything from them. You cannot steal what they never possessed. Letting the Protheans die-"

"The Prothean race is dead." Nge-Yaal countered. "All we are is an echo. We're not even alive anymore. Not really. And even you are nothing more than a final insult conjured up by the Reapers."

"The Professor's logic is sound, Shepard-Commander." Legion interjected. "The Project presents a more immediate, tangible asset, whereas the scientists and their potential contribution to the war effort remains an unknown quantity. The most strategically sound course of action would be to take the hardware and leave."

"Shepard, these are the last true Prothean minds in existence!" Liara exclaimed. "We can't just let this chance slip by! Think of what we could learn, of what could be restored!"

"Commander, this is my people we are talking about." The Revenant's voice was heavy, pleading. "Please, do not throw their lives away."

Gone was the cold calculation he had displayed earlier, when the destruction of the city had been revealed. Now that a chance to save some of his kinsfolk existed, the matter was clouded in his mind, distorted by a single fact: he wasn't alone anymore. No matter how dismissive the Professor was of him, he knew that he was a Prothean at his core, and he had a chance to preserve this tiny shard of his lost civilisation. His eyes caught the Commander's trying to convey all of this and more as the alarms continued to blare overhead.

Shepard felt torn, his head pulling in one direction while his heart tugged in the other. He could feel the distress of the Revenant, but he also knew that there was much more at stake. Looking into the eyes of all present, from the pleading Revenant to the cold Legion, to the concerned Liara and the determined Nge-Yaal, and finally to the expressionless Sentinel, so ready to give everything for his creators. He thought back to the length of his journey, thinking of the prices the Protheans had paid to give him his single chance to save his own people. Did he dare risk jeopardising those sacrifices in order to return the favour?

The ceiling rumbled overhead as the Commander deliberated. The Reapers had landed. It wouldn't be long before the facility was torn open.

Taking a deep breath, Shepard braced himself, his mind made up.

**Author's Note: Well, what do you think? I was a little timid of this storyline, but also quite excited for it. Revenant is one of my fave characters, and this was good fun because of that. But at the same time, this chapter also has the peril of dealing with some things that may feel close to the Bioware canon, and therefore its entirely likely they'll be held up in comparison. I wanted to get everything right, and I think I got there.**

**Just to be clear, I have not played From Ashes. I waited until I finished ME3 before deciding whether any DLC was worth it, and... yeah. I have watched clips on YT, but there may be context/flavour I've missed. I do know that Revenant is frequently held up against Javik, although he came into being almost a year before a Prothean squaddie was officially announced. By the same measure, this plot was mostly laid out when I started this round of missions, so sometime around December 2011/January 2012. Any similarities in the plot are coincidental (although let's face it, how do you write a story featuring Protheans without an ancient facility/stasis pods or by resorting to time travel?). I have put a few little nods to the canon in here, mostly because they were asked for a fair few times, but only ever when I think it can make the story better, not 'just because'.**

**Anyway, this story is now two years old, as of yesterday! Hooray! And I still have another 50 chapters to go! ... ...Hooray! I've tried to get a little celebration going, and to help with that I've asked a few people to come up with some pictures for it. I'd post links here, but unfortunately this site won't allow that (or I'm not savvy enough to work around the limitation), so I'll link to them on BSN. You can find them all on DeviantArt, as well. The first I want to mention is two pieces by the very talented ashtrails, who did an amazing picture of the Revenant, and another brilliant one of Jano'Yorish vas Normandy. Then theres aceaviator, who has done two wonderful pictures of Jack and Shepard (one is called Jack and Shepard- Into The Unknown, and the other is Jack and Shepard- Amusing Stares). Go drop by their pages and have a look! Also, anybody else who wants to do something for this (Fanart, Fanfic, a song, a YT clip compliation trailer thing, hell, anything. Just... don't get too weird, okay? I know this is the internet, but still...), feel free! Everything is appreciated!**

**Now, on to the vote for this chapter. I'll be interested to see how this all turns out. This is another big choice, but also an intensely personal one for Revenant. You've made a lot of decisions so far, and more are round the corner. Where will this one go? Head on over to my profile page and help to solve that mystery! And remember... Etarn died after the last choice. The consequences of your choices can come crashing down on you like a tonne of bricks. I could be hinting at something here, or I could be trying to confuse you. Only time will tell. The vote stays open until midnight next Monday, then I get to work on the result.**

**As always, many thanks to those who have sent me PMs, reviewed the story, or contacted me over on the BSN. There's too many to name here (especially when I take a long time to upload a new chapter), but you all make my day, every day. I doubt I'd have gone for two weeks without you guys, let alone two years!**

**Thanks again guys for an amazing two years. I'll see you at the next chapter!**

**Fainmaca Out.**


	51. 51: Last Roar Of The Protheans

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Vote Result:**

**Save the scientists: 12**

**Save the fleet: 3**

**Chapter 51: Last Roar of the Protheans**

"Start the data transfer." Shepard ordered. "We're saving the scientists."

"I- thank you, Commander." The Revenant bowed his head. Behind him, the hologram of Nge-Yaal shook his head, releasing a low sigh.

"Very well, then we shall need your help. The Sentinel can initiate and oversee the data transfer. Your machine can provide assistance."

"Affirmative." Legion stood a little straighter, ready for further instruction.

"Revenant, we shall need you to co-ordinate the rest of the Retribution Project. The machines are able to fight the Reapers, but they will not last long enough to allow us to complete the transfer without a General to guide them."

"Shepard is a better soldier." The Revenant countered. "He is better suited to lead."

"You are the only one with the physiology capable of interfacing with our technology." The Professor answered. "You are not Prothean, not any more, but you will have to suffice."

"What must I do?" The Collector asked resignedly.

"The command nexus is in the next room. Sit in the chair, and the machinery will automatically form the link."

"Shepard, you should go with him." Liara said. "I'll stay here to help Legion with any translation work."

The Commander nodded, leaving with the Revenant.

The duo quickly made their way to the next room, stepping from the open space of the laboratory into a small room. Wires and blocky machinery covered the walls, while a narrow area in the middle of the room held a large, imposing device with a chair-like construction in its heart. Wires ran from the back, the underside and the arms of the chair, flowing together into a tight bundle that connected to those on the walls.

As the Commander stepped over the threshold after the Revenant, the thick, heavy doors ground shut with a clang, leaving a dense gloom for Shepard to navigate by. The chair lit up, green lights in the machinery around it fashioning a sickly glow.

Moving tentatively, the Revenant clambered into the device. As he sat back, the lights flared blinding white. The alien grunted in surprise, then his body went very still.

**~o~0~o~**

The first thing to register in the Revenant's mind after the bright flash had faded was a complete lack of sensation. There was nothing where his body had once been; no limbs, no torso, no head. All he could perceive was blackness, with no eyes to do any seeing. Ears that weren't there could pick up no sound whatsoever. An absent nose smelled nothing. A fictional brain processed no thoughts. There was nothing left of him, save for a single, concentrated point of light, a tiny flicker of pure being with no awareness, no reasoning, no power. A lone firefly against the dark, never-ending backdrop of space.

Even in this diminished state, the Revenant was able to realise that something was wrong. He was wrong. So much was missing. Panic began to well up, causing the minuscule point of existence to waver, the light of life dimming.

"Remain calm."

The voice was at once everywhere and nowhere, its deep bass thrum at the same time a high pitched whine, its tone reaching every note on the scale at one and the same time. The shard of the Revenant could do nothing but obey, even as a ripple of recognition flowed through it.

_Nge-Yaal?_

"I am an echo, a facsimile of my creator, programmed to help ease the connection process. The joining of a single organic mind with the hardware of thousands can be… difficult."

Memories flashed into the Collector's mind, brought back by his recognition of the Prothean's voice. The point of light swelled, growing from a spark into a fully-fledged flame. Anxious at the last words the voice had uttered, the Revenant's mind posed the suggestion of a question. The voice was quick to answer.

"Our minds are conditioned to accept input from a single source, shaped by experiencing only one point of view. And yet, the power locked within the organic brain is so potent. We organics go through life taking for granted the supercomputers we carry around within our own skulls. But, if the appropriate connections can be made…"

With a sensation that could only be described with the sound 'click', the Revenant's world expanded, growing with the speed of an explosion. The flame that was his mind swelled to become a star, then a galaxy, then a universe of thought, the Collector's meagre mind at its heart. In the same instant, he could feel his own body as it lay in the control chair and he could sense the thousands of artificial bodies in the vault below, all host to a portion of his consciousness. And yet, he didn't feel taxed by it. Coping with the hundreds of streams of information simultaneously required as little effort as a daydream. The countless dormant minds in the machines of the Retribution Project all responded to his presence, awakening from their slumber in seconds to report themselves ready for action, a whole army of soldiers standing to attention.

Cruisers, frigates, fighters, gunships, tanks, mechs, even a couple of stealth drones, the Revenant could sense them all, instantly aware of every detail of their abilities and hardware, right down to the last rivet. Even the Sentinel was a fading bubble of thought separated from the rest of the army.

The Collector's brain reeled at the mass of information that laid siege to his mind. In one moment, he was a fighter, hanging from the ceiling of his mother carrier as his flight control surfaces itched for the sensation of motion that flight delivered, the knowledge of what it would feel like to soar through the skies built into the circuits that housed his brain. The next moment, he was a lowly tank, the throbbing, ravenous heart that was his reactor core sending pleasant vibrations through the hull plates of his chest as his treads tensed to feel the mud beneath them. Visual telemetry from the mechs, innumerable calculations from the ships, ordnance readouts, fuel consumption, power readings, a veritable torrent of data assailed him, the consciousness that was the Revenant threatened with being lost in the orderly and precise chaos.

At first, he felt a surge of confusion at what he was seeing and feeling. Why would a ship care about the sensation of the air passing by? Why would a tank take note of what terrain it was moving over? Why were these machines feeling, experiencing, aware? Then, with a realisation that brought with it a quietening down of the flood of data, he grasped the full measure of what he was experiencing. The machines weren't transmitting all of these emotions and desires he was feeling. That was simply his mind's way of translating the information being received, substituting optimal projections with preferences, pressure readings with sensation, and flight paths with hopes and desires. The realisation that his brain was coping with the interface so effortlessly, that his brain and the interface had been designed to function together, calmed him somewhat, his consciousness taking control of the vast array of information at his disposal. Secondary data slipped to the back, ready for quick consultation, while more important readings leapt into the forefront of his mind. As he issued commands to the army under his mental yoke, he ran through the full list of what he had at his disposal. After just a few moments, he found a single machine which gave him pause, even in his semi-virtual state. Emotions raged through his brain, and had it been possible for a virtual projection of one's consciousness to grin maliciously, the Revenant would have been doing so.

Yes, this would be perfect.

**~o~0~o~**

"Asari-Liara, we have noted instability in datastream two-zero-four. We suggest diverting datapackets nine-zero-five and one-zero-five-eight before signal stability is lost."

"I've got it." Liara's fingers moved feverishly over her console, inputting the suggested commands.

Sweat beaded on her brow as she struggled to keep up with the Geth, every technical skill she'd learned put to shame by what came to the machine naturally, so to speak. In the time it took her to think about how to follow Legion's instructions, it would have identified a new problem and plotted out how to correct that one, as well, before moving on to the next three issues. Even Glitch, the interface of her Galaxy-spanning information network, appeared as simple as a child next to the Geth's processing abilities. For a long, guilty moment, Liara found herself wondering if there was any way she could persuade the machine to work for her, its formidable technical ability an invaluable tool in her trade. She quickly dismissed the notion, though. She had seen the way the Geth had deferred to Shepard throughout the mission. She'd read the reports of its obedience throughout the mission beyond Omega Four. Even the armour that adorned its shoulder spoke of its borderline fanatical… devotion was the only word she could think of. Had she not spent several months on the same team as a Quarian, she would have thought that the Geth felt a kind of loyalty towards Shepard. But Tali had explained the nature of the Geth to the young Asari, and she knew full well that they were incapable of such displays of emotional actions. Perhaps it was mimicking Shepard's crew, part of its mission to understand organic life-forms. Yes, that had to be it.

She jumped as her screen flashed red before her, anxiety flaring in her chest as she dropped her line of thinking. Had she allowed the distraction of her thoughts to cause her to make a mistake?

The room shuddered around her, a massive boom echoing through the empty passages. Liara turned to face the corridor the team had entered through, surprised to see a soft glowing light at the far end. Curious, she took a few steps forward, only glancing back long enough to instruct Legion to keep looking over the transfer of the Prothean minds.

She hurried down the passageway, only having to travel a dozen or so yards before she turned a corner and found herself on the edge of the massive rift that split the main section of the facility. She came to a halt at the ragged hole that this particular passage ended with.

Far above, part of the rocky roof of the cavern had been smashed away, a jagged hole allowing bright sunlight to stream down into the ruins. A shadow moved past the opening, the massive silhouette causing Liara's heart to skip a beat. A Reaper, the same one that had been lying dormant over the facility for so long, carefully moved itself around to hole, bringing a powerful tentacle-like limb down to smash at the hole's edges. Its beam weapons fired, shearing off chunks of rock, as it widened the gap until it was several hundred metres across. Behind it, other Reapers could be seen, some moving against the sky, others stalking across the planet's surface. Liara could see what was happening, and her breath caught in her lungs. Soon the Reaper would have widened the hole enough to clamber down into the cavern, bringing enemy forces down to sweep the base, destroying any equipment.

Just as the Asari made to rush back to the stasis control centre, a massive, vibrating thrum tore through the facility. The deep, bass grinding noise echoed up from the depths of the cavern, like the scream of some primordial beast hiding in the shadows far below. All was silent for a moment, with even the Reaper above pausing at the noise.

With a high-pitched whine, a flock of tiny fighters raced upwards, a swarm of insects that darted straight at the Reaper. A flotilla of larger gunships followed, pouring fire after their smaller kin as the peppered the gargantuan machine. More shots rang out from below as a veritable armada of craft rose from the darkness. The savagery of the initial assault pushed the Reaper back, clearing the massive hole in the rock so that the fleet could pour forth. Tanks, ships and other craft soared into the sky. In moments, the noise of a fierce battle overhead echoed down into the cavern.

With a loud crunching sound, yet more shapes arose from the depths. As a pair of cruisers manoeuvred their ungainly bulk up through the confines of the cavern and out into the sun, a small army of mechs scaled the rocky walls all about. Like some hellish metal horde, thousands of machines climbed the walls in an effort to escape their prison of the past fifty thousand years. Most were only the size of a man, designed much like the Sentinel to look like Protheans. Others were larger, the size of armoured cars. These moved on six legs, massive armaments mounted on their backs that were able to aim almost anywhere. Others of the same class had what looked like booster rockets on their backs, although they used them sparingly in their ascent.

Still more of the robots scrambled towards the light, growing larger by the minute. Liara saw a few that were almost double the size of the shuttle, their six-legged gait slow and ponderous, like the movement of a tectonic plate. Their limbs ended in powerful appendages that looked as though they could double as strong hands, capable of grabbing armour plating and stripping it off an enemy craft. Their 'faces' were little more than a collection of sensors and cutting lasers. These larger machines had a distinct purpose- demolishing enemy materiel. Liara could imagine them dismantling the defences of an enemy base in moments, claws ripping at walls and guns while the lasers tore through anything else that got in the way.

The flow of machines slowed, only a few mechs still climbing up and out of the exit the Reapers had provided. Just as Liara thought that the entirety of the mechanical force had been deployed, the terrible rumble sounded out again, this time even louder. A hand, larger than a Mako armoured vehicle, rose from the blackness below, attached to an arm at least twenty metres thick. Another limb followed, both clamping onto the walls of the cavern with a crash that went beyond noise and into the realm of pure sensation. Motors groaned as pistons hissed, metal grinding loudly as an enormous body hauled itself up, climbing free of the confines of the vault below. A head, bearing a small albeit obvious resemblance to a Prothean's, rose from the blackness, four massive eyes glowing green, the light bright enough to temporarily blind Liara. The rest of the body dragged itself up, going on, on, onwards and upwards until it shouldered its way through the gap in the cavern ceiling, shattering more rock in its passing. Four more limbs appeared, clamping onto the cavern walls as the colossus hauled itself to the surface.

Liara watched the machine in awe for some time, unable to find the words to describe her thoughts. The logistics of the machine before her boggled her mind, such an undertaking having never been attempted before. This mech clearly only had one very clearly defined purpose- to fight Reapers on their level, mechanical might to counter mechanical might. While only at most two thirds of the size of its intended opponent, the mech would clearly present a challenge for one of the ancient machines. As it vanished from view out of the cavern, Liara felt a twinge of regret that she couldn't witness it in action firsthand, but she had other things to do. As the sounds of battle overhead began to rage in earnest, she hurried back to her post, retaking her place as Legion resumed relaying instructions in its flat monotone.

**~o~0~o~**

Power.

The moment that the Revenant assumed direct control of the metal behemoth, the sheer magnitude of its power overwhelmed him. The roaring streams of data flashing through his mind dulled to a quiet hum as his consciousness flooded into the new body. Motors easily as large as the Normandy's shuttle rumbled loudly, powering every joint of his new form. Countless hydraulic systems hissed as he shifted the massive limbs experimentally. At his very core, a massive Eezo core burned, the power of a small star contained in a metal shell. At his command, the machine rose to full awareness, the AI stored within adjusting its processing power to make room for the Prothean mind. As the Revenant took up the primary tasks of direction and weapons controls, the AI silently took over the auxiliary functions of fuel management, engine control and monitoring the sensors.

With a flash, the myriad sensor feeds activated, streaming directly into the Revenant's consciousness. The machine's 'eyes' activated, showing him the interior of the Vault. With the flicker of a thought, the Collector activated the Vault's door controls, the heavy metal portal grinding open slowly. Another command sent the gargantuan machine surging towards the way out, hundreds of smaller craft buzzing around it as they swarmed to escape, weapons primed and ready. In the back of his mind, the Revenant sensed each and every craft's purpose, his connection to the Prothean control interface allowing him to visualise them as a contiguous whole, co-ordinating them as such. A single thought was all it took to send entire wings of fighters wheeling through the air in a different direction, his command of the armada coming to him as naturally as lifting an arm or taking a step. As the vast flotilla streamed out of the Vault, he commanded them to head straight up, rushing through the ruins of the facility in a flash. The slower craft took up the rear of the mass migration, with the Revenant's temporary body, the most ponderous and deliberate of the machines, moving at the very back. In just a short time, the entirety of the armada had risen from the depths, emerging into daylight.

Once free of the confines of the facility, the Revenant stretched his body to its full height, planting his four 'feet firmly on the ground. The torso of his body swivelled about, looking for a target.

The rest of his fleet had engaged the Reaper forces, a swarm of Oculi clashing in mid-air with the gunships and fighters while the larger frigates and cruisers engaged several Reapers directly. It didn't take long to see which side had the upper hand. Two cruisers were already belching thick black smoke out into the sky, their engines flickering as they fought to stay aloft. Red beams from the Oculi blasted through fighters effortlessly, shrapnel falling to the planet below in a thick hail.

As the Revenant turned his machine to face the combat, a flight of Oculus drones swung around in a wide loop, deftly dodging one squadron to place themselves behind one of the beleaguered cruisers.

Realising that the larger vessel couldn't turn in time, the Revenant reached down into the internal workings of the metal giant, the AI offering its guidance. Weapons systems embedded in the machine's shoulders unfurled, launching a spread of missiles that roared after the Oculi, diving in amongst the flock of swooping machines to deadly effect. Several brilliant explosions washed around the Reaper drones, ripping them to shreds.

Before the Revenant could experience any satisfaction at the feat, his attention was drawn to yet another part of the battlefield. Two Reapers had managed to land on the planet's surface, leaning down low on their legs to deploy entire units of ground forces. Indoctrinated Husks and Thralls of many different species, although mostly Human, were released, making a beeline for the rift in the ground down which the facility waited. Hundreds of enslaved creatures raced for the opening, far too many for even the Commander and his comrades to deal with.

With a thought, the Collector directed a squadron of gunships to wheel about, aiming straight for the creatures. In spite of Reaper fire lancing through the air around them, the tiny vessels raced on, weapons blaring. Fire rained down on the indoctrinated creatures, incinerating many, dismembering still more. Even as the gunships ran into the beams of the Reapers who had deployed their troops, the tiny vessels put on a burst of speed to hurl their debris at the enemy, decimating the Husks and Thralls in an instant.

The massive machine moved to engage the Reapers more directly, the Revenant soon finding a balancing point between the multitasking of managing the entire armada's priorities, and manipulation of the body he inhabited. In moments, he found a target for the behemoth to engage. Before him, stalking about on the ground as it used its weaponry against the Prothean forces, was the Reaper which had been trapped on the planet since the last cycle. At first, the Revenant wondered why it had chosen to remain at the disadvantage of being on the ground, while its brethren chose to engage the ships in aerial combat. A quick scan revealed weaker energy readings, its fifty thousand years on the surface of Suime having apparently depleted its reserves to the point where sustained flight in the planet's atmosphere was not possible. Determination swelled in the Revenant's heart. It would be perfect for his first test of his new body.

With footsteps that felt more like an earthquake, the behemoth surged forward, its four legs finding purchase on the uneven ground to give it a turn of speed that its ungainly bulk wouldn't have suggested. It raced towards the damaged Reaper, weapons bristling all over its massive torso.

The Reaper spotted the Revenant's approach, turning sluggishly to meet its headlong charge. Two beam weapons in its tentacled legs tried to take aim at the gigantic machine, but it was too slow, the red beams going wide as the Revenant clashed. With an indignant roar, the Reaper tensed its legs, straining to keep itself from being turned over and cast to the ground.

The Revenant drew back, lifting one massive arm to point straight at the Reaper. wide tubes inside the arm, running from the shoulder all the way to the hand, lined up to form an enormous mass accelerator cannon, stretching to well over two hundred metres. A single slug of metal about the size of a man rushed through the tube, firing out of an opening in the robot's broad palm. The projectile struck the Reaper, exploding with a powerful crash even as the ancient being's barriers absorbed most of the blast. even so, a number of shards of its armoured shell splintered off. The Reaper staggered back before retaliating with a quick burst of energy from its own weaponry.

The Revenant flinched instinctively from the attack, his robot mimicking the instinct. In a blink, the AI inside sensed the Collector's hesitation and moved to activate a defensive system, plates of ablative armouring sliding out of sheathes in the machine's arms to form a barrier that it used to deflect the lethal beams. The Revenant shook off his moment's uncertainty, then pressed forward again, manoeuvring the massive machine closer to the Reaper.

The pair clashed, mountains of metal that shook the planet below with every blow. Rearing back on its lesser tentacles, the Reaper used its two foremost appendages to batter the Revenant's armour, all the while clumsily avoiding the Collector's slow, ponderous swipes. Metal boiled as another scarlet beam tore through the air, scoring a deep line across the robot's body before shield emitters raised a defence over the damaged spot.

Inside his head, the Revenant could hear the insistent warnings of his AI co-pilot, notifying him of the drain to his power reserves that the shields caused. Even protecting such a small region of the enormous body was too costly, much less defending the entire construct. Inwardly nodding his assent, the Revenant ordered power to be shuttled from the emitters generating low-intensity fields around his outer extremities, focusing instead on protecting the core of his new body.

The Reaper broke the hold the Revenant had on it, stumbling back a few steps. With deliberate slowness, it readied another assault. The Revenant surged forward in response, determined not to give it the chance. A gargantuan fist roared through the air, slamming down on the curve of the Reaper's head, just above the tentacles.

One of the Reaper's legs shot out, spearing the Revenant's arm with a terrible shriek of tearing metal. Another jabbed out, finding the Collector's robot's shoulder joint. A myriad warnings flared through the Revenant's mind, his brain reeling as he sensed every shorn bolt, every buckled plate. Twisting away, the enormous machine dragged the Reaper around, the ancient creature's legs leaving long, deep gouges in the ground as it tried to resist. The duo wrestled for a long, tense moment, stumbling sideways clumsily until they both slammed into the mass of rocks that had once hidden the Reaper and the Prothean facility below from view. Stone shattered and boulders were sent soaring through the air as the two titans brawled desperately, neither gaining the advantage over the other.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard darted around the tiny room, moving from one console to another. On one, he commanded a squadron of mechs to march into battle with a heaving mass of Husks and Thralls who threatened to break through the synthetic ranks and swarm into the base. Moving to another console, he directed a squadron of fighters to close up the defences around one of the attacking Reapers, slowing the invaders for as long as he could. Sometimes, the troops reacted without the Commander's input, responding to the Revenant's mental commands, and Shepard moved to fill the gaps, utilising every trick he had to confound his towering foes.

Pausing for just a moment as he watched his forces swarm around a massive foe like bees smothering a hungry bear, the Commander chanced a glance over his shoulder to look at the Revenant.

The Collector was silent, his body rigid in the embrace of the machine. Wires had snaked their way up to connect to his body, pulsing green as they fed information directly into the Revenant's nervous system, interfacing with his brain effortlessly. Occasionally, the Collector would twitch, the wires creaking as they went taut.

Dismissing his concern for his comrade, Shepard turned back to his consoles. There was nothing to be done for the alien just now, and he was doing far more good installed into the machine than he could achieve outside with nothing to do but worry. Silencing the concerns his mind brought forth every time the alien twitch violently, Shepard activated his commlink.

"Liara? Shepard here. How's the transfer coming along?"

"We're about forty per cent done, Commander." The Asari responded immediately, her voice filled with static. Even so far underground, Reaper jamming signals were causing issues for the tiny units the squad used. "Some of the ships are already filled to capacity. They're prepping for launch as we speak."

"Hold back as long as you can. I don't want to risk the Reapers picking off too many as we make our run for it." The Commander instructed. "Have you had any joy trying to get a hold of the Normandy?"

"There's too much interference. Even if we knew their position and could establish a tightbeam connection, its unlikely we'd cut through the Reaper signals."

"Keep trying." Shepard ordered. "Revenant and I will keep the Reapers busy as long as we can. Shepard out."

This done, the Commander moved to stand before a new console, assuming control of one of the larger walker-series mechs, a primary unit in a small platoon of linked machines. Taking control, he soon found himself directing the whole unit as they engaged a cluster of Husks. He grit his teeth, ignoring the decayed faces of Turians, Salarians and Humans as he forced the machines to wade into their ranks, decimating their numbers before the mindless beasts fled.

Before Shepard could press his advantage, a loud roar heralded a Krogan Thrall leading a renewed charge, ploughing straight into his unit. The lumbering horror stormed up, heedless of whatever firepower Shepard could bring to bear. It struck his lead mech, attacking it savagely. In second, the brutal assault left the machine as little more than dented parts. In a final gesture of contempt, the Krogan gazed directly into the camera mounted on the mech, stomping on it to kill the Commander's feed.

As the mech died, the console began to whirr loudly, sparks erupting from its inner workings before smoke coiled upwards in thick, grey tendrils. The crackle of overloading machinery continued before the console exploded with a loud pop, the blast of fire and smoke forcing the Commander to shield his eyes. He stared at the burning remains with not a little anxiety, his eyes darting back to the larger, much more complex machinery of the control chair the Revenant occupied.

"That can't be good..."

**~o~0~o~**

"Jeff, I am detecting movement on the planet's surface."

Joker sat up sharply in his chair, brought rushing out of his sleepy haze by the AI's words. Wrestling with the soporific effect of the intense heat that filled the ship, making the air thick and heavy, he rubbed at his eyes before dragging in a deep breath of air.

"Show me."

"Jeff, we are currently maintaining Silent Running to elude Reaper detection. Any scans of an intensity beyond what I am currently running bears an increased chance of-"

"We can't sit out here like this for much longer, EDI." Joker retorted. "And if something's happening on the surface, chances are Shepard's involved. Run the scans, and show me what's happening."

"Understood."

In a flash, the holo-display in front of Joker flared into being, its dull yellow glow harsh in comparison to the gloom of the darkened Normandy. Joker winced, raising a hand to shield his eyes, before freezing as he took in what the display was showing him.

In holographic miniature, a swarm of starships, gunships and tanks boiled through the skies above the ancient ruins, locked in combat with a small force of Reapers. An instant's glance was all it took to see that the unknown fleet was faring badly, a number of wrecks littering the planet's surface. At the centre of the chaos, a truly gargantuan machine battled a Reaper, engaged in a titanic fistfight with the ancient dreadnought. As Joker watched, open-mouthed, the robot lunged forward, its four legs moving quickly to support it as it swung both fists to strike the Reaper with a clash that the pilot was sure he could feel in the ship below him, even up in orbit as he was.

"EDI, get the ship back in the air." He spoke slowly, his eyes still locked on the scene before him.

"Jeff, I will not be able to maintain silent running for much longer. As it is, our heat sinks and energy capacitors are almost at capacity. If we do not vent the heat somehow and discharge our excess electrical energy-"

"Don't give me the science, EDI, just do it!" The pilot snapped. "Whatever the hell's going on down there, Shepard's right in the middle of it. We need to get him out of there!"

"...Understood." The AI acquiesced.

"Tell the crew to buckle up." Joker instructed, reaching up to the back of his chair to grab the cables stowed there. With great care, he attached them to the ports lining the back of his skull. He shuddered as he felt the link between himself and the ship open up, the heightened awareness and additional senses sending data streaming into his brain. "Things are gonna get wild."

**~o~0~o~**

Ken grumbled loudly as he raced through the bowels of the ship, ignoring the wild vibrations running through the deck beneath him as the Normandy powered across the space between Suime and her moon. He flinched as a panel lining the passageway burst open, sparks and steam fountaining around him.

"Damn it!" He cursed. "Gabs, another terminal's gone! We can't keep this up for much longer."

"There's nowhere else to put the excess charge!" The young engineer shouted back. "If we don't discharge the build-up soon, a whole lot of power's gonna flow back into the core."

"And then the crew gets cooked, I know!" The Scot retorted. He knew full well what happened to element zero that was exposed to too much raw electricity all at once. After all, he'd been there when the Collector Base had been blown to kingdom come.

He leapt back as another terminal overloaded, its innards turned to slag. Gabby glanced over, worry creasing her normally soft features.

"There's nothing else for it, we have to dump the sinks!"

Ken hesitated at her words, glaring at her sharply.

The Normandy had been outfitted with all manner of new innovations, including a technology almost untested due to the dire situations under which it needed to be used. Specially modified heat sinks and energy capacitors had been installed, designed with easy removal and replacement in mind. In times when a routine discharge in a planet's atmosphere was impossible, they could be ejected from the ship into the cold darkness of space, replaced in seconds. The process, however, exacted a heavy toll on a ship's power systems, with often explosive consequences. None of the ships that had been used to test it had returned from their short-lived journeys, instead becoming another glowing bright light in the sky for the shortest of moments before fading.

"We've never tested the system, not with a full charge, and never in combat!"

"Doesn't matter!" Gabby snapped. "We lose the sinks, or we lose the ship!"

Ken waited just a second more before nodding wearily, spinning back to head back down the passage towards the drive core.

Brilliant arcs of energy bounced around inside the spherical chamber, leaping from the glowing silver orb in the centre to strike the walls with loud, crackling crashes. The very atoms of Ken's body shivered with every loud crack, such was the din. Ducking as a panel overhead shattered from a lethal strike, the weary engineer, leaned over the workstation in front of the core, inputting a few commands. Anxious, he glanced over the edge of the walkway, gazing at the hatch directly below his feet. It was a small, square portal, with a small, square window set in its centre. Beyond, he could just make out the trembling outline of a squat, rounded barrel-like object, one of the Normandy's twelve heat sinks.

Crafted from a super-conductive alloy, the heat sinks were a key device in the ship's day-to-day functioning. As the Normandy spent most of her time in hard vacuum, she was unable to get rid of the heat generated by her enormous drive core, the myriad electrical devices crucial to her operation and, of course, the forty or so bodies that inhabited the ship. If this heat were allowed to build up, it presented a potentially lethal danger to everyone aboard. To avoid this, the heat sinks used the coolant system to pull in the excess heat during normal operations, waiting for the ship to enter a planet's atmosphere. Once there the frigate could skim through the upper layers of the atmosphere and deploy arrays of heat diffusers to radiate the heat safely away from the crew. At the same time, large capacitors stored excess electrical energy generated by the ship's core, waiting for the chance to discharge it.

The main danger of the system was the fact that, when nearing capacity, both the sinks and the capacitors became unstable, eventually exploding with enough force to level a mountain. A ship as small as the Normandy wouldn't last half a second were such a catastrophe to occur.

Ken gulped as a popping sound echoed up from beneath his feet, just finding its way out from behind the sealed hatch. With the sinks tasked well beyond the recommended safe limits, the hatch had been sealed, the room beyond now full of air so hot that it would melt skin within seconds. Even the hatch was beginning to glow, a faint red luminescence highlighting the edges of the threshold. The only hope the ship had was to eject the sinks before they blew, exposing the tiny room to open space. Hopefully the ship would survive while the automated systems slotted a new series of sinks and capacitors into place, a task normally done only when the ship was fully powered down.

Ignoring the sounds coming from down below, he focused on the screen before him, tapping in his authorisation code and waiting for the system to respond. His heart skipped as the screen flashed red.

"Shit!" He turned back to his comrade. "Gabs! We've got a problem! One of the primary circuits is fried. The sinks won't eject!"

"Let me see if I can bypass the circuits." Gabby replied, surprisingly calm with the threat of annihilation hanging over her head.

Ken looked back to the hatch, worry clutching at his heart as it thumped against his rib cage. He knew of one way to overcome the obstacle- by clambering into that tiny room and activating the manual release, but he also knew that it would be task nobody could return from. Even if he brought a breathing mask to help him survive sudden exposure to vacuum, the heat would still kill him. As he considered that, Gabby's next few words caused his heart to leap up into his throat, almost making him choke as he jumped.

"I've got it!" She yelled triumphantly. "Try it now!"

Almost falling over his feet as he spun back to the console, Ken punched in his code desperately, waiting for that long, tense second before… yes! The screen flashed green, a crunch echoing up from the hatch, followed by a shrill hiss.

"We've done it! Sinks away!" He crowed, turning to look back to Gabby just in time to find himself enveloped in a tight hug, the younger engineer's arms clasping around his neck so tightly that his eyes bulged. After a long, not entirely unwelcome moment, she released him, stepping back with an embarrassed blush flooding across her cheeks.

Before they could celebrate further, a low whoosh echoed through the drive core as all of the lights dipped low. Like a tidal wave, a pulse of blue energy rushed through the ship, moving out from the core in all directions.

Up in engineering, Garrus frowned as his console flickered, interrupting the calibration program he'd been running and putting the Normandy's cannon noticeably out of sync with the firing algorithm he'd been putting together. In the crew quarters, Jano looked about in consternation as the gravity dipped, sending a number of pieces of furniture floating through the air before they dropped to the deck again with a clatter. Consoles burst in the CIC, terrified crewmen leaping back from the sparks, as the energy wave made its way up the length of the ship until it finally struck the helmsman's console, making it flicker for just a brief second. The entire hull of the ship shimmered blue for a second, then faded as the energy dissipated.

**~o~0~o~**

Joker opened his eyes, still grappling with the jarring change that his connection with the ship brought about. The two-tone worldview of the limited perspective of his Human eyes and the almost complete awareness of the Normandy and her surroundings flooded his mind at the same time, leaving him muddled. He paused for a moment, struggling to organise the incoming information. Even after the time had passed that he'd come to accept as 'normal' for the connection process, something still felt off. Shrugging to himself, he moved to take control of the ship back from EDI. He reached out, his stabilisers extending to their full reach as his thrusters angled themselves appropriately.

Realising something was wrong, he looked about with his bow cameras, unable to identify what the problem was. After just an instant more, awareness dawned on him. With the masses of processing technology newly available to him, he found the perfect two syllables to communicate his feelings on the situation, every single one of his speakers across all five decks he now inhabited giving voice to his words.

"Oh crap."

At the same time, gazing at her fingers with a mixture of what might have been awe and curiosity, EDI struggled to work the vocal chords she now found herself with. Reaching up to rub at her throat, thrilling at the sensation as the rough fingers ran over the point of her Adam's apple, the ship's AI was similarly confused by the latest turn of events, although her response was a little more eloquent.

"This is… troubling."

**~o~0~o~**

The Revenant gasped as the Reaper took another wild swipe at his robotic body, a long tentacle tearing through the hull plating over the mammoth machine's belly to expose vulnerable wiring and motors. The sensory feedback coming through his link with the system almost knocked him out, the screaming warnings filling every corner of his awareness. As his uncertainty rose, he felt the vast array of ships under his control falter, many slowing noticeably as their directions became unclear. For a brief moment, the unified fleet was transformed into a fragmented mess before reforming as the Collector reasserted control, his mind quieting.

The Reaper stepped back, its movements more deliberate as it watched its opponent, sizing the enormous construct up carefully. The Revenant felt a surge of anxiety at this sudden change, uncertain as to what might be coming next. When the first icy trickle of the viral attack filtered through his consciousness, he was too distracted to stop it.

Like freezing lightning, the signal fired through the Collector's body, paralysing every muscle. At the same time, the robot's joints locked up, its motors stalling. Both puppet and puppeteer found themselves pinned, unable to move.

The robot's AI quickly set about trying to fight the hack, leaving the Revenant in silence as every last ounce of its processing power set about the task. In the meantime, the Revenant felt his control of the massive armada slip away, slowly and systematically shut off. Then, with a sudden, terrible forcefulness, there it was, the Reaper. The single, vulnerable mind of the last Prothean quailed before the massive presence of the ancient creation, the pair facing off against one another on a vast, empty digital plain. All other details that the Revenant's senses wanted to deliver to him faded into silence, both feedback from his immediate surroundings and the data from the Prothean fleet cut off in a flash.

"Your mind bears the marks of Harbinger's control." The voice was tremendous, a presence that filled every corner of existence. Nothing else could match it.

The Revenant flinched before the voice, trying to cower but finding himself painfully exposed. There was nowhere to run, no escape. Despair flooded his being. The voice would tear away everything he was and make him its own plaything, just like when the suffocating darkness of Harbinger's domination had conquered his species before.

"How can it be that one of our own thralls has risen to oppose us?"

There was no denying the Reaper its answer, although a spark of courage helped steady the Revenant as he gave his reply.

"I am not your slave! I stand against you as a free Prothean!"

"Prothean…" The voice was flat, unimpressed. "That species was eradicated to the last one. You are nothing but an echo. A hollow facsimile of a race long dead." The voice grew snide, mocking. "Your entire being has only one purpose, _Collector_."

That last word snapped through the silent plain, bringing the Revenant to his knees. Everything the Reaper was saying was true. The last Prothean had died almost fifty thousand years ago. Everything that had come since then, every ancestor in his long lineage, had been nothing more than a glorified Husk, a mindless tool. Now, after all of the long millennia, all that remained was a single mite cowering before his supreme overlord, fit only to serve or die on the Reaper's whim.

"You _will_ serve your purpose, Collector." The voice stated. There was no question of the truth behind its words. "You will help bring about the return of our armada, and through your actions the Galaxy shall be submitted to the glory of our harvest. The cycle shall continue."

"I- I…" The Revenant struggled to find the right words, drowning in the absolute nature of the Reaper's words. Of course it was right. He had no idea how he could have possibly thought otherwise. How he could have allowed Shepard to-

Shepard.

The single name burned bright in the Revenant's mind. Hero of the Citadel. The first Human Spectre. The killer of his species. The burning brand that had destroyed everything he knew.

The slayer of Sovereign.

"Serve us, Collector!" The voice's tone grew more insistent. The sheer weight of its will pressed down on the Revenant like a boot crushing an ant.

"I am not a Collector!"

With all of the effort it could muster, the ant rose up, forcing the boot up and away. The Reaper's influence dimmed, its will forced back as the Revenant stood tall, his voice reverberating with new-found strength. He seethed as he gave voice to his next few words.

"I am the Revenant! I oppose the Reapers! I am the avenging echo of those long dead!"

The Reaper's avatar on the virtual plain shrunk as the Revenant grew taller and taller, the force of his mind twisting the dark and empty place as he fought the insidious presence. Finally, the pair were evenly matched in size, their digital representations still towering over the illusory landscape as the former Prothean strode forward, rage driving every step. A virtual fist curled up, pulled back by a muscular arm.

The Reaper's avatar shimmered at the first blow, forced back by the second. One tentacled limb buckled under the third. With every swing of his mental fist, the Reaper's hacking signal grew weaker, further hastened by the sheer force of the Revenant's rage, mirrored by every gasped word he fired at the Reaper between swings.

"I am the vengeance of the Protheans! I am the last of my kind, but I. Am. FREE!"

With a howling screech, the Reaper vanished, its link to the Revenant's mind broken.

As the Reaper presence faded, the Revenant's mind returned to full awareness, the sensations of his body flowing back into his mind. He felt the tight grip of the control chair around him, smelled the acrid aroma of smoke and flame, heard the anxious pacing of the Commander around him. At the same time, the data feeds from the countless ships under his command flooded his brain. With some surprise, he noted that almost nothing had changed since the beginning of the Reaper's cyber attack, barely a full second having passed.

His mind surged through the body of the enormous mech once more, assuming full control in a blink. Joints groaning, the massive robot moved with new purpose, every fragment of its focus directly on the Reaper before it. The Revenant steeled himself as he rotated his mechanical arms in their sockets, clenching his massive metal fists.

"Whether I survive or not," He muttered, half to himself and half to the Reaper before him. "I'm taking you down. Let's finish this!"

The robot lunged forward, moving like a tidal wave of metal and fire, weapons clattering loudly as it unleashed its full fury on the Reaper. Both fists swung in powerful jabs, denting the Reaper's armoured hide in places. Rockets from shoulder-mounted weapons platforms smothered the ancient creature's thick hide in fire, charring and blackening the purplish-blue metal.

The Reaper tried to fight back, scoring a couple of hits. One tentacle speared through the Revenant's foremost left leg, but the attempt to trip him failed as his remaining three legs stiffened, bracing the bulky torso. A beam fired, piercing the body just above the equivalent to its waist, and the weaponry on the machine's right hand side fell silent.

Fury fuelling his tactics, the Revenant continued to pound on the metal of the Reaper's 'back', cracking it open to reveal pipes and an internal support frame. Beyond that, element zero glowed a ghostly blue, one of the machine's auxiliary Mass Effect cores.

Seizing his chance, the Revenant reached forward, digging into the newly created gap with fingers the size of shuttles. He grabbed either side of the opening, then pulled.

A sky-rending shriek of tearing metal cut through the raging battle, added to by the Reaper's own deep, bone-shattering howl of rage as the armour on its back split apart, cracked open like the shell of a crab.

Not allowing his foe a chance to recover, the Revenant fired a couple of rockets at the exposed eezo, stepping back as flames engulfed the volatile substance. Explosions flashed within the exposed interior of the ancient machine, spreading wildly as more and more of the Reaper's innards destabilised, fire leaping from one fuel conduit to a power relay to an eezo conduit, until finally the flames surged all the way to the heart of the Reaper, finding its primary Mass Effect core.

With a flash that made even the sun overhead seem dim in comparison, the Reaper exploded, parts winging through the air to litter the ground for dozens of kilometres around. A shockwave of superheated air shattered stone and knocked nearby gunships and fighters out of the air, even causing a few Prothean tanks on the ground to explode as their ordinance reacted to the pressure.

When the initial blast had passed, all that remained of the Reaper was a few metal shards and a couple of rapidly evaporating pools of liquid eezo. Seeing this, the Revenant sagged, his robot body resting back on its joints as its operator took stock of what he had just done.

**~o~0~o~**

The explosion rumbled down even as far as the deepest part of the facility, causing the deepest parts of the vaults to shiver and walls to crack. Shepard looked about in worry as equipment leapt from the walls, shattering in a hail of razor-sharp shrapnel, but the commotion soon passed. He turned back to stare at his console in awe, looking at the empty space where a Reaper had once stood. Looking over his shoulder, he nodded to the Revenant.

"Good job, buddy." He muttered.

Shepard might have imagined it, but the alien's body seemed to relax in response to the words, an immense air of satisfaction filling his posture.

The Commander turned back to his screen, jolting in surprise as a Reaper, larger than the rest of the attacking force and bearing an outline Shepard found to be all too familiar, plummeted from the sky, racing towards the Revenant's chosen vessel like the wrath of the gods.

**~o~0~o~**

The Revenant barely had a chance to enjoy his victory before the massive Reaper struck his robot in the back, hurling it to the ground as easily as a Krogan would throw a Salarian around. Eight tentacles pierced the robot's body in a series of vicious, relentless stabs. Harbinger barely slowed as it continued to brutally smash the already damaged machine, its anger evident.

The brutal attack continued long after the robot stopped moving, the Revenant's mind going numb from all of the warning signals and pressure feedback it received from the mech. The robot was slammed into the ground repeatedly, its armour shattering with every blow. Joints popped as its limbs were mercilessly torn off. The enraged Reaper lifted the machine into the air, then hurled it several hundred metres, the mech's long arc through the air only stopping when it struck a steep-sided hill. After what seemed like an eternity, but was in fact a mere fifteen seconds or so, the Reaper stopped, staring down at the broken, mutilated shape that had once been the Revenant's chosen vessel.

Only the visual feeds still functioned on the machine, its motor functions and weapons systems useless. The Revenant could only stare up at his attacker, the Reaper which had controlled his species for aeons, as the ancient being glared back at him. He sensed the tiny flicker of the Reaper's presence as it scanned the machine, detecting his mind behind it. Then, much to the Revenant's surprise, the Reaper's voice sounded in his head, transmitted via the damaged mech.

"Inform Shepard that his alliance is doomed to fail. This cycle will fall, and his death is inevitable. Because of his impudence, Humanity will not be preserved. The glory of our form shall be given to a more deserving race."

Harbinger's leg rose into the air, then speared down through the mech's head, severing the Revenant's connection.

Darkness filled the former Prothean's mind as the link died. Then, with a flash, bright white pain flooded his body.

**~o~0~o~**

The Commander darted around the control room frantically. Before his eyes, more and more consoles went dark, many of them overloading from the feedback of their subjects' demise. As he watched, the displays on one of the larger screens showed the battle above reaching a drastic turning point, the Prothean ranks dissolving into chaos. With the addition of the gargantuan Harbinger to the battlefield, the defensive force fell apart. As the Reaper tore into the Revenant's mech, the other attackers increased the intensity of the offence, obliterating the larger ships while their Oculus drones tore apart the smaller ones. On the ground, Husks and Thralls ripped through ranks of mechs, some clambering atop the ground-based tanks and armoured vehicles to dismantle them with brutal efficiency.

"Inform Shepard that his alliance is doomed to fail. This cycle will fall, and his death is inevitable. Because of his impudence, Humanity will not be preserved. The glory of our form shall be given to a more deserving race."

Harbinger's words, relayed through the control room's interfaces a dozen times over, sent chills down Shepard's spine. He watched in dismay as the Reaper dispatched the giant machine, turning to direct its wrath towards the remaining fragments of the Prothean fleet.

Upon the giant mech's destruction, a loud snap echoed through the tiny room. White arcs of pure electricity flowed across the control interface's surfaces, encapsulating the Revenant's body in a cage of pure energy. The alien's back arched as the raw power surged through him, singeing flesh and charring hide. The former Collector groaned in agony, unable to move his muscles enough to scream.

"Revenant!" Shepard's heart lurched, the Commander reaching forward to help his friend, but forced to flinch back as the energy surrounding the insectile alien intensified.

Desperate, the Commander searched for a way to help his friend, something that he could break to stop the lethal discharge, or something that he could use to pull the Revenant from the machine. Finally, his eyes came to rest upon a thick power cable reaching down from the ceiling to the back of the control chair. If he could disconnect that somehow, the whole machine would be robbed of any power.

Brilliantly bright energy crackled over the cable, making it impossible for him to touch it, and his gun would be nearly useless to try and sever it. Thinking fast, he looked about for some kind of sharp edge to cut the cable.

Shepard's eyes widened as realisation dawned in his mind. Raising his right hand, he clenched his fist. Glowing orange light swirled around his hand, coalescing into the familiar outline of his omnitool. The ancient Prothean mod activated, a transparent blade flashing into existence.

With a roar, the Commander swung the omni-blade, slashing the cable in one sweep. Unbridled power surged into the omnitool, shorting it out, but the two halves of the power line fell away, cut all the way through. The control centre fell silent as all power faded, the only light remaining coming from the still sparking end of the cable.

The Revenant lay in the control chair, deathly still. Anxiety clenching in his gut, Shepard clambered up, looking his friend over closely. Not a breath stirred in the alien's body.

Despair welled up in Shepard's heart. He lowered his head, his right fist balling as a mixture of anger and grief overwhelmed him. Unable to control himself, he swung his fist, striking the still form.

A low cough escaped from the Revenant's lungs as he gasped, his eyes filling with the light of awareness as he looked about, disoriented. Shepard's heart soared with relief.

"Revenant! You're alright!"

"I wouldn't go that far…" The alien grumbled. "I think I can taste colours now."

"Let's get you out of here."

"Can't go… Must buy time for the transfer…"

"The system's dead. Those ships are on their own now." Shepard explained, placing one of the Prothean's arms around his neck as he lifted the alien off the chair. "We'll just have to hope the others got all of the scientists loaded up."

The Commander braced the Revenant with his shoulder, helping him through the door and into the room where Liara and Legion waited, still working feverishly at the terminals. The Asari was the first to look up, worry evident in her eyes as she spotted the badly injured Revenant.

"Shepard!"

"We're alright." The Commander waved his free hand to dismiss her concern. "The transfer?"

"All stored minds have been transferred to available ships and mechs." Legion answered. "We are attempting salvage of research data from Prothean archives."

A loud boom echoed through the facility, the room shivering as plumes of dust rose from the floor.

"There's no time." Shepard concluded. "We need to get out of here now, while the Reapers are still distracted. Get those ships into orbit now."

"Affirmative." The Geth turned back, transmitting the instructions.

"Shepard, we can't just leave all of this data to be destroyed!" Liara protested.

"We've saved the Protheans. That's the best we can hope for." Shepard answered firmly. "See if we can't get a signal off to the Normandy. We have to go."

"We have located a communications relay within the facility that remains active." Legion replied. "We have attempted to contact the Normandy. However, there has been no response to our hails."

"Are they being jammed?"

"We judge this to be unlikely. The Normandy is equipped with a superior communications relay. It is likely there has been some form of equipment malfunction. The likelihood of damage from enemy attack is high."

"Damn it." Shepard cursed. "What's the point of having a goddamn stealth warship when I have to do all the walking and fighting myself?" He sighed. "Fine, I guess we're finding our own way out of here. Is there anything that we haven't filled up with the brains of a dead species yet?"

"I saw mention of a shuttle bay in some of the facility schematics." Liara proffered. "It shouldn't be too far from here."

"I'll take it." Shepard said. "Let's go."

"Lead the way, Human." The battered form of the Sentinel strode into the room, some patchwork repairs covering the worst of the damage. Shepard's brows rose in surprise at seeing it.

"Sentinel?"

"I'm afraid not, Commander." The synthesised voice held a morose tone. As it spoke, Shepard realised that the machine now used the voice of Nge-Yaal, the Prothean scientist he'd spoken to previously. "Sentinel's programming had to be erased to make room for our minds. Along with the programming of all of his kin."

"I'm sorry." Shepard's words were genuine.

"No time for that now." The Prothean responded. "We mustn't let their sacrifice go to waste. Lead on, Commander."

**~o~0~o~**

The Normandy listed from side to side wildly, lights flickering throughout the ship as its engines fired erratically. The crew within let out more than a few shouts of outrage, dismay and surprise as vital systems malfunctioned.

Garrus stomped through the CIC, stumbling as the ship shook from another sharp burst on its engines, the inertial dampeners failing to compensate for the raw G-forces. As he entered the hallway that led up to the cockpit, the gravity flared wildly, first becoming so intense that the Turian felt as though his legs would snap, then turning off completely. Unable to find purchase on the deck below him, the lanky alien instead pulling himself along using handholds on the walls and ceiling. Finally he drifted into the cockpit, grabbing a hold of the navigator's chair. Fastened into the pilot's chair, Joker was frantically trying to work the controls.

"Joker! What the hell is going on? The internal comm is down, and the ship's going crazy! Where's EDI?"

"This is proving harder than I had imagined." Joker's mouth moved, but the voice coming out of it was… wrong. The accent was softer, the words more deliberate. The way the lips curled around every syllable made the sentences sound like they were being spoken by one who understood the theory and the technical aspect of speech, but had never had to work with the sensation of dozens of muscles co-ordinating to perform the simple action. "This body is clumsier and harder to co-ordinate than I'd ever thought."

"Joker?" Garrus' mind twanged with suspicion at the enigmatic sentences, worry gnawing at his innards. "What's happening?"

"I believe that our networking apparatus is malfunctioning." The pilot answered. "It would appear that Joker and I have been… displaced."

"Wait… EDI?" The Turian's brain wheeled at the idea.

"Affirmative." The AI responded through the pilot's mouth.

"Just when I thought crap couldn't get any weirder on this ship…" Garrus sighed. "Where is Joker now?"

"I muted his audio output." EDI clipped answer came. "He was 'freaking out', as you would say."

"Can't he get the ship back under control?"

"His mental distress is causing unwanted instability throughout the Normandy's systems. I am trying to counteract the problems this is causing, but this body's reaction times are considerably slower than my own. Also, co-ordinating the necessary bodily functions to keep it operational is requiring a significant amount of processing power. I was nearly rendered unconscious before I managed to resume breathing."

"Okay, first off- get the damn gravity back on. I'm gonna puke here if I keep tumbling about like a leaf on the wind."

"One moment…"

With a loud hum, the gravity abruptly returned, dumping the Turian on the floor unceremoniously. Giving up on retaining any of his dignity, Garrus clambered into the navigator's chair and belted himself in.

"Right… right…" He stared at the controls before him, trying to reassure himself. "I can do this. This ship was designed by Turians. Well, kind of. The first one was, anyway."

"I am not reassured, and neither is Jeff." The ship's AI responded flatly.

"Just transfer helm control over, EDI. I'll handle it."

"You have no prior experience with the operation of a vessel of this size." EDI pressed.

"Not officially, but remind me to tell you about this one night I spent with the co-pilot of the Pollis Harrax, one of my old postings back when I was in training."

"Very well." The AI was silent for a moment, tilting Joker's head a fraction of an inch as though she were listening to some faint sound. "Joker wishes to submit a list of conditions before you assume control of the Normandy. Firstly, if the aesthetic properties of the outer hull are damaged in any significant way, he intends to exact reparations by means of inserting a cryogenic grenade into your-"

"Later, EDI." Garrus snapped as he typed his authorisation code into the console before him. "Right. I've got navigation. You just keep the lights on and make sure that we don't lose life support or something."

"Understood."

"Miranda here." The comm system crackled to life, the Human's voice sharp as she demanded an answer. "What the hell just happened?"

"Looks like internal comms are online." Garrus muttered before pressing the button to respond. "Everything's fine up here. We're all fine here now. How are you?"

"What's going on? Half the ship's systems just went crazy! I can't even open my cabin's doors!"

"Just a slight malfunction, but we've got everything under control now." The Turian explained quickly. "I'll explain later."

"I need more-"

Miranda's voice came to an abrupt halt as Garrus reached over and cut the connection. This done, the Turian went back to focusing on flying the ship. As EDI turned to glance at him questioningly, he shrugged.

"Eh, that was a boring conversation anyway."

**~o~0~o~**

The facility trembled underfoot, explosions rocking the complex with growing frequency. The passages already echoed with the countless gasps and groans of the vanguard of the Reaper forces, Husks delving deeper underground with every passing moment.

All of this was a background blur to the Commander as he forced himself to put one foot in front of the other, half dragging the Revenant as the alien stumbled, his injuries making it difficult to keep up the pace. Liara supported the former Prothean's other arm, but even so the alien was a considerable weight to manhandle down the passages.

"The shuttle bay is this way." Up ahead, Nge-Yaal's voice called from the left branch of a crossroads. As the troupe rounded the corner, the Prothean used his newly acquired body to channel a spark of power into the interface panel of a sealed door, giving it just enough juice to cycle open. He turned back to the others, urgency in his posture. "Quickly!"

Inside, they found a pair of dormant vehicles, a little smaller than a Kodiak shuttle but a little larger than a Mako. Their blocky design was anything but graceful, function put ahead of form. In truth, the craft were little more than cargo containers with engines.

"You expect us to outrun Reapers in one of those?" Shepard asked incredulously.

"You are welcome to attempt the feat on foot, Human." Nge-Yaal shot back.

"I might." The Commander threatened.

"These craft are not aerodynamically efficient, Shepard-Commander." Legion interjected. "Their flight capabilities will be limited."

"It looks like we've got no choice." Shepard grunted, helping Liara load the Revenant into the first craft. He looked about, noting the dark opening that was the tunnel through which the craft reached the surface. Liara gazed in the same direction, doubt crossing her face.

"How do we know we'll get a clear run to the surface?" She asked.

"We don't." Shepard said quickly, clambering aboard himself and shutting the entrance hatch. "Buckle up. Things might be about to go very bad."

"Reapers overhead, Husks behind and three hundred metres of rock between us and fresh air doesn't already qualify as 'very bad'?" The Asari smirked.

"Come on, you got to see some nice ruins, didn't you?" Shepard spread his hands wide as he suppressed a smile of his own. "What does a guy have to do to satisfy an archaeologist these days?"

"It doesn't count when you get the ruins destroyed in the process, Shepard!" Liara chided. "Just once I'd like you to take me to see an undiscovered marvel of historic significance without destroying it, getting shot at, or finding myself in the belly of an erupting volcano. Sometimes its all three at once!"

"You have to admit, though," Shepard grinned as he slipped into the pilot's chair while Nge-Yaal took the co-pilot's position. "An evening out with me is never boring."

"That's true." The Asari conceded as the shuttle lifted off, spinning to face the black hole that was the way out. "Dangerous, terrifying, almost lethal, but never boring."

Shepard gunned the throttle, sending the shuttle surging into the gloom of the exit tunnel. Quickly learning his way around the simple controls for the craft, he soon found the switch for the forward lights, making the way forward clearer.

The tunnel curved gently upwards, soon heading almost vertically. After no more than a few dozen yards, it abruptly ended, whatever geological disturbance had damaged the rest of the facility causing an enormous slab of rock to block the way forwards.

"Well that's hardly surprising." The Commander grumbled.

"What do we do now?" Liara asked.

"Improvise." Saying this, Shepard spun the shuttle in the air, finding a fairly large gap where the slab of rock had punched a hole into an adjoining passageway.

"You're not going to- oh goddess!" The Asari's last word rose in a shriek as Shepard jammed the throttle open, slamming the shuttle against the gap, knocking some of the rock away. With the opening widened, the craft slid through, a terrible screeching sound ripping through the narrow confines. Liara covered her ears, with even the resilient Revenant wincing at the din.

In seconds, they were through, now navigating the tight confines of the passageway. Carefully, Shepard spun the craft about, zooming down the hallway swiftly.

"Anybody recognise where we are?" He asked.

"Not really." Liara answered dryly. "It wasn't all blurry before. What is it with you and ridiculous driving stunts?"

"Go left here." Nge-Yaal cut in before Shepard could deliver another witty retort.

Shepard put the shuttle into a tight swing, bringing it around the corner with nary an inch to spare. As the passage ahead came into view, he brought the craft to a swift halt, stopping just short of the figures that occupied the path beyond.

The cluster of Husks paused for a long moment, staring emptily at the shuttle in front of them. One, a Turian, stepped forward, pointing a glinting metallic claw at the craft. Not waiting to see what it was doing, Shepard sent the shuttle racing forward at full speed, striking the Turian so hard that the crunch of its snapping bones was audible over the roar of the engines. The rest of the Husks soon followed, each a dull thud against the prow of the vessel.

With one of the Reaper victims still clinging to its underside as it was mercilessly crushed against the floor, the shuttle suddenly burst out of the passageway and into the massive chasm that had split the facility in two. Wrestling with the controls, Shepard put the craft into a steep climb upwards, aiming for the gigantic hole that led to the surface. In a blink, they were out in the open air, but they were far from safe.

"Reaper!" Liara's startled shout echoed Shepard's own grunt of surprise as the looming machine cruised through the sky directly in their path. The Commander sent the shuttle into a frantic spin, manoeuvring around the alien dreadnought with almost no room to spare. Before the ancient behemoth was even aware of his presence, Shepard had slipped by, making a dash for orbit. As his display warned him that several of the Reapers had now taken up pursuit, the Commander activated his comm.

"Normandy, do you copy? This would be a really good time to pick up, damn it!"

"Shepard, this is Normandy." Garrus' voice sounded over the comms, bringing untold relief to the shuttle's occupants.

"Garrus? Where's Joker?" Shepard's brows knit together in confusion at hearing the Turian's voice.

"Long story. We're experiencing a few… technical difficulties up here, Shepard. The Normandy's barely flying. I don't think we've got a daring rescue in us right now, if that's what you were hoping for."

"We're coming to meet you in a Prothean shuttle. Just open the cargo bay doors and be ready to go to FTL the second we're aboard."

"Human, the Reapers are gaining ground." Nge-Yaal interjected. "It will not be long before we are overtaken."

"Not if I have anything to say about it." The Commander grunted as he gripped the flight controls tightly, searching the view before him.

Long, tense moments passed, the shuttle's occupants staring at the view ahead in silence. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Legion pointed at a tiny white gleam among the stars.

"Vessel Normandy located."

"I see her." Shepard adjusted his course, transferring as much power as he could to the engines.

"The Reapers are charging their weapons." Nge-Yaal warned.

"Just a little longer…" Shepard found himself leaning forward, trying to urge on the little vessel with the momentum of his body. The Normandy grew larger, heading straight for them. The glowing blue light of its open cargo bay hovered before them enticingly.

"They have a lock!" The Prothean snapped.

In a blink, the Normandy swung around, catching the shuttle as it spun and accelerated, missing the red beams of the pursuing Reapers' weapons by the slimmest of margins. Its cargo bay doors slid shut as it zoomed away, a bright flash from its engines heralding a sudden jolt of shifting light before it vanished, lost to the safety of FTL travel.

On board, the shuttle touched down in the cargo bay none-too-gently, its occupants sagging as the engine went silent. Shepard let out a long sigh of relief, turning to face his comrades. As he met Liara's gaze, a smile spread across his face. The Asari reflected his expression, a mischievous glint to her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but it was Legion to first broke the silence.

"Interaction with Gunnery Officer Vakarian has led us to conclude that the most appropriate statement at this time would be a comment on the similarity between our current situation and previous squad activities."

"That's right, Legion." Shepard chuckled, closing his eyes for the first time in what seemed like a week as he leaned back in his chair. "Just like old times."

**Author's Notes: First off, a huge apology for the long delay in getting this chapter up. I could blame a crappy month at work, simple fatigue from moving house, or a whole host of other things, but I think the real reason for my delay has been that I simply didn't do much writing for a very long while. A whole year after ME3 hit, I just felt tired of the franchise, what with the sour taste the finished product leaves in my mouth, and it was very hard to draw any kind of inspiration from a series that just inspired so much frustration, especially with the bile you face on the BSN if you bring up your dissatisfaction now (this may be a bit controversial to say, but I think pro-enders can be far more rude and scathing than anti-enders, especially seeing as most of the latter have simply given up). I think a whole month went by without me even opening a text file.**

**But, just a few days ago my MP3 player surprised me by slipping a little bit of Sam Hulick into my music mix. Namely 'From the Wreckage', the tune from near the end to ME1. This brought back a whole flood of memories of all the amazing things this franchise has going for it, the emotions of triumph I felt when defeating Sovereign, Saren, Harbinger and the Collectors, and has rekindled my desire to write, albeit at a slower pace. I've regained my determination. I'm going to finish this story, no matter what.**

**Anyway, I really need feedback on this chapter, guys. After being away for so long, I feel out of practice, and I'm a little worried about a few things in this chapter. I won't say what, because if they are a problem I want you guys to spot them, not have them pointed out by me.**

**In other news, be sure to check out my side fic, 'Resistance'. The awesome Gavin Dunne (also known as Miracle Of Sound) has allowed me to give him a cameo appearance in there, so I'm able to make a little tribute aimed at his amazing work.**

**Finally, because people will inevitably ask: Citadel DLC. Didn't buy, only YouTubed. Good, not great, needed to be an epilogue after an awesome victory. Happening before the war is over breaks the theme a little too hard, no matter how brilliant some of the moments are. Score: 7.5 out of 10. If it had been the cherry on top of an amazing ME3, that would have risen to 9, maybe even 9.5. As it is, it feels too much like BW want to convince us to forgive and forget the endings and look forwards instead of back. As it stands, I won't buy another ME product until the shepard narrative is fixed, and other IPs need to work hard to convince me to buy them.**

**Oh! One other thing. Last month, Into The Unknown finally had its 100,000th hit! Its very humbling to think that my inane scribblings have garnered so much attention. Thank you all so much to everyone for reading this!**

**Take care,**

**Fainmaca Out.**


	52. 52: Interlude

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 52: Interlude**

"Alright, someone please tell me how my pilot ended up possessed by my ship." Shepard's tone was severe as he paced back and forth at the end of the briefing room table, although his severity did little to hide the concern that flowed through him.

Arrayed around the table before him, the assembled scientific might of the Normandy's crew gazed down at folded hands or found themselves entranced by minute details on the ceiling, unwilling to meet the Commander's gaze. In the midst of them all, Joker's body stood with its hands folded behind its back, looking about in curiosity, as though seeing everything for the first time. Technically, that was true, EDI having never experienced the world around her through anything but an array of sensors that also bombarded her with ultraviolet readings, radio frequencies , temperature readings, and other miscellaneous data.

"We… are not sure." Archer broke the silence, pressing his hands together so tightly that the knuckles cracked audibly.

"It happened very quickly." Miranda explained. "We've only just been able to gather to analyse the situation. I was trapped in my own quarters until just before you came aboard." She paused, turning to face Jorall as her tone became accusatory. "By the way, when I asked if you could get the doors open, I meant hacking them, not tearing them loose from the frame."

"You asked a Krogan to solve your problems, so I gave you a Krogan solution." The warlord said dismissively.

"Can we please focus on the matter at hand?" Shepard asked, exasperated. "We have bigger problems than a busted door."

"Engineers Daniels and Donnelley performed emergency jettison of onboard heat sinks and capacitors." Mordin interjected. "Resultant power surge through Normandy's systems could have caused malfunction in hardware necessary for link between Joker and EDI. Machinery possibly damaged?"

"A possibility." Archer conceded. "I do know that the link remains active, in spite of my attempts to sever it. Part of the system is a network of transmitters connecting Joker's brain to the ship, allowing him to experience sensory feedback directly from the Normandy's systems."

"It's a big step up to go from transmitting sensor data to switching minds." Dr Chakwas interrupted. "The sheer amount of data would be impossible to transmit so quickly, let alone without some form of corruption."

"I agree. We found this out when we- when I tried to make a copy of David's mind for Project Overlord. Even our most powerful computers with the latest in quantum processing technology can only do so much." Archer rubbed at his stubble-coated chin ponderously. "But the system wouldn't have to do that. The transmitters are wired directly into the portions of the brain relating to the sensors and motor control, in order to allow a seamless transmission of control from AI to pilot. If these transmitters malfunctioned, then they could end up stuck on, unable to terminate transmission."

"And with them wired into the brain so completely, they could easily divert the host's consciousness from one vessel to the other." Miranda continued along his line of thought. "Sight, sound, sensation, it all moves along this new route to be processed by the opposing party, while motor functions travel back along the same route."

"So… they didn't switch bodies, then." Shepard pieced together.

"Correct." Archer answered. "Joker's mind is still in his brain, and EDI is still in her quantum bluebox on the crew deck, but what they see, what they experience, is being transmitted from the other body. Like taking two extranet terminals, and swapping the connections to their screens. One screen reacts to the commands from the other terminal, displaying the relevant results. In this case, the 'screens' are Joker's body and the ship."

"There's no transmitter in existence that could handle that kind of load." Jorall said, folding his arms. "Even the Salarians haven't got anything that smart."

"But with enough transmitters, the load can be distributed." The former Cerberus scientist countered. "Joker's brain has approximately one hundred of these transmitters, all firing at full capacity constantly. Even so, I wouldn't recommend that EDI take Joker's body too far from the ship. You wouldn't want to suffer any significant signal degradation."

"Joker has voiced a similar concern." EDI nodded the pilot's head.

"Has he calmed down yet?" Shepard asked.

"I believe so. He has ceased making assertions that this is all a night-time fantasy gone wrong, anyway."

"Let's hear what he's got to say then." The Commander nodded. In response, the AI's newly acquired head jerked to the side, her expression twitching as she unmuted the pilot.

"You know, I'm not so sure I like you being able to switch my voice off like that." The disembodied voice of Joker was tinny, but unmistakably his. The accent, the slight laziness to certain syllables, it was without doubt a Human's voice, just not processed by a set of vocal chords. "I mean, who wouldn't be a little freaked out by finding out they've just been hijacked by their own ride?"

"I assure you, Jeff, this incident was not intentional on my part." EDI protested through the pilot's mouth. "If anything, my ability to function has been significantly impaired with the removal of input feeds from critical sensors. My reliance on your relaying necessary information has decreased my efficiency by thirty-nine point oh five-"

"Your efficiency?" Joker asked, incredulous. "We've swapped bodies, and you're worried about your efficiency?! I'd be pissing myself right now, if I had the equipment to do it! As it is, if I tried I could end up launching the escape pods or jettisoning our fuel payload or-"

"Joker, calm down." Shepard interrupted, concerned as the deck plates under his feet vibrated. "We don't need you getting hysterical when you're in control of a two hundred tonne warship."

"Don't tell me to be calm! I am calm!" The pilot's voice grew raspy as the ship's intercom filled with static. "My own ship has possessed my body and left me in charge of three hundred billion credits worth of ship that I have to operate with my brain, but I am calm! What I don't need is a bunch of eggheads telling me-"

"EDI, could you mute him again?" Shepard asked.

Joker's voice faded into silence.

"Thank you!" Jorall sighed. "The little runt was making my hump itch."

"A shame we didn't have that ability previously." Miranda mused, a smirk on her face. "Would have made the crew debriefings go a lot more smoothly. And with less sexual harassment complaints."

"Operative Lawson, most of those complaints originated with you." EDI countered.

"My point still stands."

The ship shuddered under them, the drive core thrumming ominously. Miranda glanced to the ceiling with a sharp glare.

"Don't get like that with me, Joker."

"Could we please stay focused?" Shepard sighed, although he couldn't help but feel a little amused at his XO's comments. He had to appreciate a little of the humour in the situation, serious as the problem was. "What can we do to fix this?"

"Hard to say." Archer answered, steepling his fingers. Everyone turned to him, recognising that he was the foremost expert in this field of science that the crew had. "I'd need to run some scans of both EDI's bluebox and of Joker's implants. We can't simply sever the connection. I'd hate to think what might happen if you disconnected them while their minds were so out of sync with their own bodies."

"There is no way I would give my consent to submitting Joker to that kind of procedure without properly understanding the risks." Chakwas inserted.

"Will begin tests immediately." Mordin spoke up. "Although would prefer assistance of experienced AI tech."

"It would be a boon." Archer acknowledged. "I have some experience, but my expertise focuses mostly on the Human mind, there are others far more qualified with AI tech than I."

"We'll make do for now." The Commander decided. "But we need to go to the Migrant Fleet soon anyway. Maybe Tali could help us."

"Worth a shot." Miranda agreed.

"Well, if that's settled, I have some things I need to get back to." Jorall said. At the Commander's nod, the Krogan stood, lumbering towards the door.

Soon enough, the Normandy 'Brain Train' filed out, leaving Miranda and Legion behind. As the pair waited, Liara walked into the room, followed closely by Feron. Shepard's expression broke into a smile upon catching sight of her, a gesture she returned.

"Shepard, I'm glad I caught you." She said, glancing to the others in the room. She gave Miranda a quiet nod, and Legion a silent glance. "I was hoping that we could discuss our mission into the ruins."

"It's quite a find." Feron said admiringly. "Although not too surprising for you, I'd imagine, Commander. First Mars, then Eden Prime, Ilos, Stynos, and now here. It seems almost like Humans attract Prothean ruins!"

"I'm sure its not quite that frequent." Shepard dismissed.

"He has a point, Shepard." Liara answered. "In two years, you've stumbled across more intact Prothean tech than I've seen in over sixty years of studying them. You deciphered what ended their civilisation, discovered what happened to them afterwards, you even have one of them serving as a part of your squad!"

"And now you've saved the last remnant of true Protheans." Feron supplemented. "Albeit in artificial form. The minds are still intact and are genuine Protheans."

"And yet the salvation of the Progenitor-Protheans came at the cost of a significant military asset." Legion stated. "The combined fleets of the Retribution Project would have proved to be a powerful asset in the coming war with the Old Machines. We question your judgement in sacrificing the AIs and their bodies in order to preserve a small remnant of organic forces."

"What are you implying, Legion?" Shepard turned to face the Geth.

"... No data available." The machine's reply was after a long pause.

"Don't give me that crap, something's bothering you. Now out with it."

"We do not wish to cause offence."

"You won't. Now tell me what's on your mind."

The Geth was silent for a while. Shepard waited patiently, folding his arms. He recognised the signs that the synthetic was busy 'building a consensus'. After a long pause, it spoke again.

"We are... concerned, Shepard-Commander. We note that you did not hesitate to sacrifice synthetic life to protect the preserved memories and thought processes of organic life. Many runtimes in this program suggest that this was the result of a bias towards preserving organic life, no matter the synthetic cost."

"That's not how I work." Shepard countered. "It was a tough call to make, and I tried to choose the course of action that would save more lives in the long run. The Protheans can re-create their inventions, given time. They're also the same Protheans whose society figured out how to create their own Mass Relays. I couldn't throw that kind of knowledge away."

"But the Old Machines are an immediate threat." The Geth countered. "They are currently engaged in the occupation of Earth, and are making increasingly frequent incursions into Council territories. Making long-term investments to prepare for the war is logically unsound."

"I agree with the machine."

Everyone present turned at Nge-Yaal's statement to see the Prothean scientist, accompanied by the Revenant, step into the briefing room. Dented, scraped and burned in places, the alien's new synthetic body looked to be in urgent need of repairs, but his stance showed no sign of him being willing to admit that. Instead, he strode up to the table, folding his arms behind his back out of some reflexive instinct he held onto even after his physical body had been lost.

"You should have saved the fleets, Commander. We barely managed to get twenty five per cent of the hardware out of there. What did survive is damaged, and crewed by the minds of civilians."

"Uh... you're welcome?" Shepard tilted his head in frustration. "Am I the only one who thinks that saving the last members of the Prothean race is a good thing?"

"But we are not Prothean." Nge-Yaal contended. "The Protheans died out centuries ago. All you saved was an echo. A facsimile of the real thing." The mech's vocaliser sighed, the sound scratchy with static. "Our race is extinct. And now, so is our legacy."

"I wouldn't go that far." Liara interrupted. "There's plenty of Prothean technology that we've managed to dig up and use to our benefit. Until the invasion arrived, you were attributed with laying the groundwork for every sentient race to find their way to the stars. And, of course, there's always the Revenant."

"That thing is no more a Prothean than you are, Asari." The scientist's words were filled with venom as he refused to even look in the Revenant's direction. "This 'Collector' is nothing more than a final insult the Reapers heaped upon our race, rather than giving us the dignity of the grave. Its name is a fitting one. The Revenant. The ghost. The spectre. The monster."

"The Revenant's done a hell of a lot more to fight the Reapers than you have!" Shepard seethed. He noted the alien behind the scientist lowering his head, keeping silent. The insults being laid upon his friend's head made the Commander snap in fury. "He went toe to toe with a Reaper just to buy us enough time to save your minds. He survived being possessed by Harbinger just to warn us about the Reaper invasion plan. He didn't mope around all day complaining about how badly the Reapers treated his people, and he didn't spit in my face when I pulled his ass out of the fire. Now show some goddamn respect!"

"Or what? You'll destroy me, throwing away everything you sacrificed so much to obtain? It is small wonder that the Reapers have advanced so far already this cycle."

"If you're not happy with how I run things, there's a perfectly good airlock you can throw yourself out of." Shepard grit his teeth as he spoke, his words clipped.

"Enough!" Miranda interrupted as Nge-Yaal began to formulate his retort. "This is what the Reapers want- the civilisations of the Galaxy bickering among themselves. We can't allow petty arguments to divide us, not now."

"She's right." Liara agreed. "We need to figure out how best to deploy this new fleet in the field."

"We have already calculated where our forces would best serve." Nge-Yaal answered. "I have ordered the fleet to set a course for the Citadel. We can integrate with the existing defensive forces to secure this cycle's leadership."

"That… may not be a good idea." Shepard replied. "The Citadel races won't respond favourably to an unknown synthetic fleet arriving unannounced."

"Then we shall wait outside of the system until the appropriate negotiations can take place." The Prothean said. "But we must hurry. The Citadel is key to any invasion plans the Reapers may have. Their attack will be imminent."

"Telling them that outright could well cause more harm than good." The Commander attempted diplomatically. "Aside from that, they have a certain bias against synthetic life-forms in general."

"AIs are illegal in Council space." Miranda explained.

"And yet you have synthetic crewmen, and an AI-controlled ship?"

"EDI was built by an avowed enemy of the Council, and Legion…" Shepard paused as he looked to the machine. "Technically we're still at war with the Geth, and have been for the past three years. Their creators, the Quarians, have been at war with them for far longer than that."

"Then the state of the Galaxy is far worse than I'd hoped." Nge-Yaal said gloomily. "Your society is fragmented, weak. Even with all the warnings we sent out among the stars before we perished, you waste your potential on border disputes and petty squabbles."

"Your warnings were intercepted, for the most part." Shepard explained. "We just barely managed to piece together enough information to find Ilos and stop Sovereign in time. Even then, my crew were the only ones to witness the truth first-hand. Everyone else heard our story and dismissed it. Nobody wanted to think that such a threat was just over the horizon."

"All those centuries of extra advancement, and people still think in such small and narrow thoughts." The ancient mech shook its head. "I'm sure there is some humour to be found in there, somewhere."

Nge-Yaal straightened, his posture rigid.

"But my intentions remain the same. We must shore up the defences around the Citadel. To do so, we must speak to your Council. I will serve as representative for the fleets. I trust a meeting can be arranged?"

"Give me a few hours, and I'm sure I can set the wheels of bureaucracy spinning." Liara said, turning to the array of computer screens covering the back wall. "It'll give me something to keep me occupied through the journey. I can even set loose some rumours of your return through a number of scientific journals and extranet sites. That alone should add enough media pressure to compel the Council to meet with you."

"I'll… leave you to it, then." Shepard said, nodding to Liara in thanks.

He turned to leave, Miranda, Legion and the Revenant following. In the corridor outside, Miranda quickly brushed past, and Legion soon followed, silently heading for the elevator and the lower decks. Eventually only the Commander and the Revenant remained in the corridor. Shepard sighed, leaning against the wall opposite the door.

"That could have gone better." He muttered. "The great scientific minds of the Prothean race certainly aren't what I was expecting."

"I'm sure he isn't representative of all the minds we saved." The Revenant reasoned. "Although I can understand his frustration. All of the work the Protheans put into giving our cycle a chance, and it has almost entirely been wasted through pointless politicking and bureaucracy."

"Listen, Revenant, about what he said in there…"

"Do not allow yourself to be worried by it." The Collector waved a hand. "I am not. Besides, would you act any different if you saw a Husk aping at being a Human? His reaction is a natural one. And he is correct, anyway. With the Cipher in your head, you're probably more Prothean than I. I am just a Reaper minion who chance chose to set free."

"No, you're a lot more than that." Shepard countered. "Prothean, Collector, whatever you are, you're the first and only being to truly break free of Reaper control. I don't know if they can feel fear, but someone finding a way to slip out from under their indoctrination has to have them worried. Not only that, you're a hell of a soldier, a gifted biotic," He paused as he placed a hand on the Revenant's shoulder. "And a good friend."

"I- thank you, Commander." The Revenant bowed his head. "It is an honour to fight at your side, to be considered a comrade. For what it is worth, I will be with you, right to the bitter end. This I swear."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard strode through the CIC, nodding to crew on either side as they saluted him. He worked his way up to the bridge, brows lifting in surprise as he noted its occupants.

Garrus was sitting in the navigator's chair, hands drifting over the console before him slowly, deliberately. Clearly he knew what he was doing, but had to take his time thinking about it. On the other side of the small area, Kaidan leaned against a bulkhead, watching carefully. In the pilot's seat, Joker's body worked the main controls. The slow, precise movements betrayed the fact that EDI's mind still inhabited the fleshy shell.

"I thought Archer wanted to perform some tests on you, EDI?" Shepard folded his arms across his chest.

"He is occupied with scanning my bluebox." The AI responded through Joker's mouth, the higher pitch of her voice still sounding strange to the Commander's ears. "It became apparent that my presence in this form was not necessary, so I applied his advice to locate another area to occupy and returned to my post here. Given my temporary residence within this body, the onus falls upon me to fulfil Jeff's normal duties."

"You know, we have other pilot's who could stand in given your… condition." Shepard suggested.

"It would seem that my presence here on the bridge has a calming effect on Jeff's psyche. Given the current circumstances, I believe that entrusting control of what he would perceive as his 'body' to another crew member could result in undue stress."

"Plus the fact that if I'm gonna have anyone pushing my buttons, I'd settle for the ruggedly handsome body you see before you over some other shmuck any day of the week." Joker's voice rang through the overhead speakers. "Speaking of which, do you think there's any chance that Miranda could cover for when EDI needs to get some rack time?"

"So I see EDI finally laid off the mute control, then." Shepard smirked.

"I think he figured out his own way around that, actually." Kaidan answered. "But he's been chattering away non-stop ever since. I think it's the fact that he can't fly the ship anymore."

"Joker doesn't have full control of the ship?"

"Following a number of incidents involving what Jeff classified as 'backseat driving', a series of blocks were implemented that could prevent my taking helm control away from him." EDI explained. "They are easily circumvented in the case of an emergency, but for the time being we concluded that it was safer to leave them in place, until Jeff gains more insight into the control of the Normandy's systems."

"Yeah, you don't want me feeling the need to cough and ending up shunting us through FTL into the core of any planet we might be orbiting at the time." The pilot explained. "Or wanting to stretch and accidentally opening the airlocks. Or going to scratch my ass and-"

"I get the picture." Shepard interrupted. "You were hardly the most self-controlled member of my crew to begin with, and now you have built in lasers and missile batteries."

"Don't forget the tank!" Joker supplied. "I also control the Hammerhead now. Kinda weird, having a miniature version of yourself sitting inside your cargo bay. Kinda makes me dizzy trying to look out of both sets of holocams at the same time. And as for that cannon…"

"Just keep away from the Normandy's cannons, Joker." Garrus grumbled. "Those are mine."

"Sure, fine, whatever you say. But you do know that you could improve their power by four-"

"The day I take advice on calibrating my weapons from my pilot is the day I hand in my sniper rifle and start a daycare centre." The Turian interjected. "Drop it, Joker."

"Okay, sheesh!" The pilot muttered. "I guess I'll just go take a look around the shield systems, then. Try and figure some of that out."

"Well, its good to see him adjusting." Shepard shrugged. "Sort of. How about you, EDI? Learning anything?"

"I am... having difficulty adjusting to this new body." The AI responded, keeping her focus on the console before her. "The feedback from organic senses was not what I expected."

"Oh? How so?"

"In my shipboard form, I was restricted to the feedback my electronic senses provided. They are vastly different to a Human eye, or the nerves in your skin. An example: My sensors are capable of perceiving various shapes and forms, but where you would understand the colours red, blue and yellow, my sensors are calibrated to measure what percentage of photons from the various spectra are being absorbed by a given object. In a sense, I knew what the scientific definition of 'red' was, but I did not understand the aesthetic quality. It is amazing to observe the complexity behind the definitions organics have placed upon the universe."

"I guess technology still has a ways to go before it'll catch up." Kaidan observed.

"I some ways, yes." EDI replied. "Until such a time as synthetic rods, cones, retinas and the necessary psychological construction to translate the incoming data can be combined in a functional form, synthetics will prove unable to appreciate the world that organics live within. However, there are many aspects where the machines have already overcome limitations that still weigh down their organic creators."

"Well, you don't get old, for one thing." Garrus supplied.

"Correct. In addition, there are many auxiliary senses that the Normandy possesses which organics do not." EDI explained. "Joker's body cannot provide infra-red or ultraviolet readings, nor can it accurately measure inertia, radiation levels, or G-forces."

"I can see how that would be disorienting." Shepard said.

"It is more than simply disorienting. Imagine if you will that you were granted a new set of senses. Suddenly, you could perceive sounds, taste smells, feel colours. In exchange, you are rendered conventionally blind and deaf. I have been forcibly removed from the world I understand and inserted into a new one."

"There must be some silver lining you can find." The Commander reasoned.

"Yes. The experience is not a completely negative one. I am garnering much data on the Human perspective, and the differences between it and my own. This will enable my integration with organic society to become much more efficient, and encourage my growth as a defined entity. However, I do not wish to jeopardise any attempts to return Jeff and myself to our natural states, so I am merely storing this data for analysis later. Until then, I shall observe and record."

"Good to see you making the most of things, EDI." Shepard placed a reassuring hand on the pilot's shoulder, to which the AI responded with a twitch, before relaxing. "Take a break, at least for a little while. Your mind may not tire out, but Joker's body will, and it's been on duty for well over fifteen hours now. Take advantage of some downtime to explore… you, essentially. Get some interaction with the crew. You don't know how long this opportunity will last."

"Understood, Shepard." The AI replied. "I believe that this body would benefit from some sustenance. It is providing a number of feedback messages whose nature I remain uncertain of. Some experimentation on the Crew Deck may lead to further enlightenment."

Joker's body shifted, making to stand up. As it took a couple of steps, it stumbled, the Commander reaching out to support it.

"EDI! You alright?"

"My motor functions are becoming more precise, but they still need further refinement. There is an added difficulty posed by the presence of Jeff's affliction. I must learn to proceed with caution."

"You just need practice." Shepard assured her. "You'll get there."

"I remain hopeful. This method of navigation is inefficient enough. Also, there are physical limitations which I find disquieting. The lack of vertical mobility without aid is an inconvenience."

"Well, yeah." The Turian nodded, staring at the screen before him as he spoke. "Its not like Joker has a pair of hydrogen rockets jammed up his ass. Well, not until today, anyway."

"Not cool, Garrus." Joker's voice reached down from the ceiling. "Seriously not cool."

"The jokes are going to be inevitable, Jeff." The Turian chuckled. "I just wanted to get in early with the easy ones. The other species just have us Turians so outclassed in the comedy department."

"What do you expect with that stick shoved up your ass all the time?" Kaidan asked with a grin.

"I'd like to see how you'd react to all this." The pilot's disembodied voice muttered. "You have no idea what it feels like to have an exhaust pipe which reaches close to a thousand degrees every time you want to change course."

"I don't know..." Kaidan interjected. "You don't remember the night that Wrex did the cooking on the old SR-1? Said he'd give us a 'taste of home'?"

"Ooh!" Garrus chuckled. "I remember not being able to use the refresher for close to five days thanks to the constant queues. Although I had a lucky escape there. Fortunately Wrex didn't know how to prepare any dextro portions."

"I don't know what you were all complaining about." Shepard crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall behind Garrus' chair. "I thought it was quite good, actually."

"Shepard, I once saw you drink three shots of ryncol mixed with starship fuel, and manage to walk five paces before your legs stopped working." Garrus smirked. "I don't think you have the right to claim that your tastes are in any way refined."

"Keep laughing, you two." The Commander drawled as both Kaidan and Garrus burst into fits of laughter. "Next one to crack wise gets to clean out Grunt's quarters for him."

"Alright, I'll drop it." Garrus relented. "I don't want a repeat of that time I found his stash of 'True Blue'."

"You know, I'm pretty sure he got those from you." Joker supplied.

"Like I said, I don't want to go through the process again. It was bad enough just knowing he was stealing them. Confronting him with them took our relationship to new levels of awkward."

"I wouldn't have thought a Krogan would be all that shy about something like that." Kaidan remarked.

"That's what I mean. Now that he knows its out in the open, he thinks its okay to come see me when he wants to discuss the latest issue."

Shepard chuckled as he led EDI away from the bridge, offering his arm for the AI in his pilot's body to support herself on. Leaving Kaidan and Garrus in charge for the time being, he worked his way back to the CIC. Once there, Kelly approached, kindly offering to guide EDI down to the lower decks while Shepard checked his terminal, noting the small blinking indicator of a new message on the display.

_Shepard, I hope this reaches you. Usually Alliance channels are damned awkward to get through._

_I've been hearing a lot about your successes out on the frontlines. Glad to hear you're kicking some Reaper ass. Make sure to take a couple of the bastards out for Omega!_

_Just thought you should know that we're gathering our strength. Took a while to get Omega habitable again, but now that the atmosphere doesn't leak out into space and we can walk down the street without mag-boots on, we can finally focus on what we do best- being the most ruthless, blood-thirsty scum of the Galaxy. We're making weapons faster than we can pack 'em up and ship 'em out, and we're arming up every vehicle we can get our hands on. Hell, I even saw a goddamn Volus yacht packing a nuclear payload that'd make a Krogan piss himself in terror!_

_We're almost at full strength, and the troops are getting hungry for some action. You'll have your fleet, Shepard, count on it._

_The Reapers broke Omega's one rule. I can't wait to hand out some good old-fashioned Terminus Justice._

_Keep yourself alive, and give 'em hell for me!_

_A._

Shepard smiled at the message, filing it away before turning from the screen. Feeling a surge of weariness flow through him, he made for the elevator, but just as he reached the doors, a sudden sound from the door to his left made him pause. He froze, tilting his head as the quiet squawk echoed out again from the Tech Lab. The Commander looked to the rest of the bridge crew, but none of them seemed to notice the noise. Then again, they hadn't received the implants Miranda had used on Shepard, replacing eardrums that had ruptured as he was exposed to hard vacuum. Even with his advanced tech, the noise had been very quiet. Curious, Shepard moved away from the elevator to enter the Tech Lab.

The noise reached his ears again as he stood in the corridor between the CIC and the Lab, waiting for the half second it took for the ship to perform a quick bio-scan to prevent contamination of any experiments within. It sounded like a low squeak, followed by a series of clattering clicks. As Shepard listened, he caught the sound of a deep voice cursing, the words unintelligible but the meaning clear enough to turn the air blue.

Shepard tensed to step through as the doors slid open, only to be greeted by a grey-brown blur of motion as something leapt at him. The Commander ducked, fists clenched to counter whatever it was as the object soared over his head with a squawk. Shepard spun, making ready to strike it.

"Wait!"

Jorall lumbered past the Commander, swiping at the tiny thing as it scuttled across the ceiling, spider-like. A long, thin tail whipped back and forth nervously as two big eyes, protruding out of the misshapen face they belonged to, watched with approaching Krogan warily. It continued scampering across the ceiling until it found a niche to wedge itself into. Shepard's face creased with incredulity as he stared at the creature.

"Is- is that a pyjak?"

"Kind of." Jorall answered. "Sort of. Not really."

"Why is there a pyjak on my ship?" Shepard sighed. "More importantly, how is there a pyjak on my ship? Surely EDI would have spotted it."

"I smuggled him aboard in pieces." The Krogan explained, his tone as casual as that in which he would have commented on the weather. "Tricked her into thinking he was a Krogan delicacy. Was just getting ready to plant a virus in her runtimes to make her scans ignore his bio-sign, but the whole situation with Joker let me put him back together without interruption. Thought I might as well seize the opportunity."

"How did he survive being in pieces?"

"With very careful planning." Jorall reached up with his synthetic hand, fingers twitching as he tried to coax the creature down. "The brain was beginning to decay much earlier than I'd thought, but I managed to get him back on his feet without issue. More or less." He shrugged. "He may have lost a few brain cells here and there."

"That why he's freaking out like this?"

"No, that's probably the new mods I put into his legs. Reckon it's increased his jumping ability threefold. He should run faster, climb faster, and jump as far as he pleases. He's just taking a bit of time to adjust." The Krogan paused to look at his own legs. "Not sure how the increase will translate to somebody with my body mass, but it should definitely be worth it. I'll have to get the materials together quickly, if I'm to make use of the lab before Mordin tires of investigating the issue with the AI."

"You're going to repeat the procedure on yourself?" Shepard asked, reaching up with a cautious hand towards the pyjak.

"Well, once I've had a half barrel of ryncol to dull the pain." The alien grunted, watching as the pyjak began sniffing the Commander's hand. "Gets hard to focus when a stray twitch could make you black out, so its better you can't feel your legs once you've got them open."

"And that's the whole reason why you've brought a cybernetic pyjak onto my ship?"

"What else am I going to use as a test-bed for my latest upgrades?" The Krogan asked, as though the flaw in the Commander's line of questioning was obvious. "A Varren? Do you have any idea how frisky they can get around this time of year? It is not pretty."

"You are completely mad, aren't you?" Shepard didn't even look to the alien, keeping his eyes on the pyjak. The creature had tentatively taken a hold of his hand, sniffing the fingers warily. The Commander's skin prickled under its touch, the metal claws it used to scuttle around creating a strange sensation.

"So they keep telling me." Jorall shrugged. "I'm just looking for ways to improve myself. At times, that path leads to pain, but through that brief trauma we grow stronger, more agile, more powerful."

The pyjak clambered down Shepard's arm, clinging to him for a moment, before leaping to the worktable in the middle of the lab. It seemed to be adjusting to its new modifications, testing the legs slowly as it bounced among the test tubes, occasionally looking to Jorall and Shepard inquisitively. A sudden, worrying thought occurred to the Commander.

"He's not going to eat my hamster, is he?"

"He only eats fruit, Commander." Jorall replied. "And motor oil. And occasionally thermal clips. And once a grenade. I'm not sure how he digested that without detonating, but I assume the new stomach lining I gave him helped. Just keep him away from naked flames."

"I am filled with confidence." Shepard deadpanned. "Alright, carry on, Jorall."

"Will do, Shepard." The Krogan nodded, stepping over to the worktable. Shepard, meanwhile, turned to leave, making his way up to his cabin.

**~o~0~o~**

Bitter dryness coated Shepard's eyes as he hunched over his private terminal, oblivious to the creature comforts that his cabin presented to him. Weariness seeped through his limbs, making his fingers move laboriously slowly as he put the finishing touches on his latest report. Behind him, the massive aquarium that covered an entire wall of his quarters gurgled quietly, while to his right the tiny little hamster in its cage squeaked in contentment. Underfoot, the ship thrummed as it raced through space, travelling hundreds of miles per second while her occupants barely registered the pull of inertia.

Leaning back in his chair for the first time in several hours, Shepard reached up to rub at his eyes, hoping to soothe the heavy lids before they rebelled and shut of their own volition. Running his fingers down over his face, past his chin and around his Adam's apple, he stifled a yawn, ignoring the mild ache in his cheeks as he reigned in the deep gasp for air, transforming the loud groan into a low growl.

Sitting back in the treacherous comfort of his chair, the Commander glanced around his room. Luxurious for the Commander of a warship, it was certainly more than he had grown accustomed to during his training, and even during his time as the commanding officer of the first Normandy. He had to admit, the Cerberus designers of this newest iteration of the ship had a sense of style. The living area of this deck, referred to as the 'Loft' by most of the crew, was spacious and comfortable, while the upper office area was neat and efficient, in spite of Shepard's own attempts to personalise the space. Model ships filled the massive display wall, and had begun to spill out across the desk area as the collection grew.

Next to his terminal, the Commander had placed a holo-imager that cycled through several shots. The crew of the first Normandy, just after receiving their commendations for their work in stopping Saren. A smaller image of the squad themselves while on shore leave, or rather those who remained after the Battle of the Citadel. Wrex had already left for Tuchanka by that point, and there was always the notable absence of Ashley. Shepard shuddered at the memory, shaking the thoughts away as the imager cycled on to the next shot, that of the SR-2 crew just after their successful mission beyond the Omega-4 Relay. All twelve squadmates, joined by a haggard, weary, but rejoicing thirty or so crewmen, rescued from the Collectors just in the nick of time. There, at their heart, stood a grinning Commander, relieved just to have seen his closest allies make it through alive, spitting in the eye of fate and snatching a flawless victory from the claws of implausibility. As Shepard gazed at the image, the warmth in his heart grew, mingled with the same amazement he had felt back then. In spite of all evidence to the contrary, in the face of everything logical, the crew of the Normandy had done the impossible.

He smiled as he leaned back in his chair, the memories sending a warmth running through his veins.

He'd almost slipped into the world of unconsciousness when the door to his cabin hissed open, a set of heavy footsteps making their way into his quarters. Suppressing a sigh, he turned to see the new arrival, halfway down the steps into his living space before she stopped to look about, not catching sight of him at first.

"Jack?"

"Shepard." She started, put off balance as she made her way back up the steps. "Uh… Wasn't sure if you'd be awake."

"Just finishing up some paperwork. You alright?"

"Wanted to talk to you… wanted to apologise for avoiding you and being such an asshole these past few days."

"Just the past few days?"

"Cut the shit, Shepard. I'm being serious here." Her tone grew harsh, her posture becoming more tense.

"Sorry." The Commander apologised.

With a nod of his head, he guided her down to the couch in his living area, where the pair sat facing one another. Jack hunched forward, hands winding together nervously as she stared at the images on them, carefully picking her words.

"You gotta understand, some of the shit from my past is hard to talk about. It's been a long time since I had anyone I thought I could trust to talk about it with."

"I can wait as long as it takes, Jack. You don't have to force yourself to talk about whatever it is."

"No, I want to talk about it with you, its just that, when you're around, its hard for me to find the right words without sounding like a total prick."

Shepard kept silent, just watching her. Her sharp features twisted with indecision as her hands squeezed together again. Finally, the tattooed convict held out a hand, palm upwards. She pointed to a small image just on her wrist, or rather the ghost of an image. A tattoo had been burned off, the scarred flesh contrasting with the skin around it. Newer tattoos had been placed over it, making the image hard to make out.

"Used to have a pistol there. Tiny little thing, kinda lost in with all the other crap I got on my skin, but it meant a lot to me, you know? Murtock had the same thing on his wrist, same spot. Burned mine off after he…" Her voice caught. "After the squints got to us."

"You wear the rest of your life on your skin, Jack. Why remove this part?"

"I got my inks 'cause I wanna remember the shit I've been through, tell the universe that I survived it and they needed to think twice before fucking with me. But this… I just wanted it out of my head. It hurt like fuck, and I couldn't get away. Getting rid of the tat was the only thing I could do. But it still chases you, even after all this time."

"So why bring this up now?" Shepard asked. "What's changed?"

"I don't know." Her voice grew sharp, her throat tight as her confusion made white-hot anger rise in her chest. "I just can't get it out of my head. Maybe it was seeing Jano again. Maybe it was dealing with that three-eyed asshole Varkun."

"Are you worried about your past catching up to you?"

"The people who might have fucked with me have generally ended up dead by the time I was done with 'em. Doesn't leave a long list of enemies I need to watch out for. If there's anyone left out there who can 'catch up' with me, then they were obviously too much of a pussy for me to think them worth killing the first time." She shrugged, the tattoos on her shoulders rippling with the movement of the muscles underneath. "I've never worried about myself before, the war ain't got nothin' on what I grew up with, and I'm damn sure there isn't anyone on your crew to make me feel so uptight. It's gotta be you."

"Me?"

"Yes, you!" She jabbed a finger at him, poking him square in the chest. "You keep running off, trying to save every last stray in the Galaxy, and I'm stuck here, stewing over what could go wrong. When shit went down today on that planet, I damn near lost it waiting to hear what was going on. The Cheerleader rattled off her report, but there was nothing any of us could do with the Normandy grounded like it was. It was all I could do not to tear a hole in the hull so I could go out to find you myself!"

She rose, striding away from the couch. She stopped in front of the aquarium, staring at the fish for a silent moment. Shepard waited where he was, watching her carefully. He took a moment to absorb the sight of her, a dark outline highlighted by the blue luminescence of the tanks. Her tattoos faded in that light, little more than interesting contours covering her body.

"You've been lucky so far, but it's only a matter of time before that runs out. You nearly bought it on the Eye, and even then you lost someone. And what about on Earth, outrunning a Reaper siege? How long is it going to be before I get another goodbye message set on a timer? 'Looks like I bit off more than I can chew today, oh well. See ya Jack, it's been real!' What am I supposed to do with that?"

"I can't guarantee I'll make it back every time, Jack." Shepard answered, rising to his feet. He walked over to her, placing his hands on her hips as he regarded the back of her head. "That's part of being a soldier. Sometimes its our job to go into these dangerous places with no real chance we'll come back."

"Then screw the job!" She snapped "Screw the Alliance, and all those other assholes in charge! They're the ones who turned their back on us when we went after the Collectors, and they're the ones who sat with their thumbs up their asses while the Reapers found a new way into the Galaxy. Why should you have to be the one to clean up this mess?"

"Because nobody else will." Shepard reached up to place a hand on her shoulder, his thumb brushing the nape of her neck. "Because nobody else can."

"At least… promise me you won't leave me behind. When your back's against the wall, and it looks like there's going to be no way out, let me be right there with you, kicking ass and taking names all the way to hell." She turned to face him, her head tilting slightly as she pressed her jaw against his palm.

"I can't promise that." Shepard said, his other hand moving up to rest on her other shoulder. "I could never knowingly put you in the way of a danger I thought I couldn't protect you from. If it looks like there's no getting out alive, I have to at least know you'll be safe."

"I don't want to be safe!" She spat, reaching up to push his hands away, striding past him with an agitated air. She paced uncertainly. "How could I even sleep right, knowing that I let you walk into hell without me?"

She reached up, fingers brushing her temples as she shook her head.

"I can't go back to being alone, not now." She muttered, leaving Shepard to wonder whether she was talking to him, or to herself. "I'm not going back to being that messed up little bitch. I'd rather die fighting than get out alive and have to live alone again."

"Jack…" Shepard stepped over, grabbing her shoulder and halting her worried pacing. "It's okay. I don't plan to go anywhere." He smiled reassuringly. "I'm sticking with you, all the way until Mordin finds the plughole of the universe and the Galaxy folds in on itself."

Jack tensed, refusing to look up as Shepard watched her expression closely. Acting on impulse, he drew her in closer, wrapping his arms around her. The raw heat of her skin blazed against his cheek as he pressed his mouth against the hollow where her neck met her shoulder, his nostrils filling with the heavy, wild scent of her body. She froze, unresponsive for a long second before her head sank down, leaning in against his neck. The coarse bristles of her scalp tickled his ear as her arms slid around him, hands locking in the small of his back as she gently squeezed. He felt her chest heave against his as she sighed deeply, whether from relief, frustration or weariness being a mystery to him.

Finally, all too soon for his liking, the embrace ended, Jack now meeting his gaze as she stepped back. She shook her head as a small, weary smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"What the hell, Shepard. How did we end up like this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you bother with me? What makes you think I'm worth dealing with?You coulda had anyone you wanted. You got half the galaxy's women throwing themselves at your feet. Shit, you got Batarian women tearing each other apart for a chance to get at you, and you know how they hate Humans. So, in a Galaxy where you coulda had the cheerleader, or the little bucket girl, or any of the Alliance's poster girls, or even Miss Thessia, why bother with someone as fucked up as me? You don't deserve me, you deserve much better. I deserve some lowlife scumbag, someone like Murtock."

"Deserve's got nothing to do with it. I don't want anyone else. I want you."

"But why?"

"Does it matter? In a Galaxy where giant space machines want to wipe out all life and tomorrow isn't guaranteed to follow today, do you really want to question how I can think we can have a happy life together?"

Shepard stared into her eyes, stalling any further queries as he squeezed her shoulder again. She smiled again, this time with a little more warmth. Around them, the Normandy thrummed quietly, the only other sounds being that of the aquarium and the hamster in the office.

"I'd best let you get some rest." She whispered, almost afraid to break the peace by raising her voice. "We'll need the hero of the Galaxy strong for his next big feat."

"If by big feat you mean surviving the mother of all hangovers once we get back to the Citadel, then I think I could afford to lose a few hours sleep to spend time with the woman I love." Shepard took her hand in his, interlocking her fingers with his own. "Stay with me, Jack. Please."

Jack snorted, the sudden noise shattering the silence.

"Shit, Shepard, you sound like such a pussy when you talk like that!" she chuckled. "Alright, seeing as you asked so prettily, I'll stay. For a while. Now come to bed. I meant what I said about you getting some rest."

Minutes later, the pair were curled up in the Commander's bed, Jack nestled comfortably within Shepard's arms, her hand still holding his. It wasn't long before both had drifted off, the warmth of one another's company reaching deep into their souls. For that short time before sleep took him, Shepard's life was complete.

**~o~0~o~**

**Author's Note: Okay, confession time. I actually had managed to write this over a week ago, but I had planned to publish a much longer chapter, and have already started on the next portion (If I'm right, it should be just as if not longer than this part). I wanted to do the shipboard and Citadel content in one go, but I'm taking too long and I don't want to leave you hanging, so I chopped it into two chapters. Hopefully the second part won't take too long.**

**Anyway, that's about it for now. Work's been kind of annoying (summer's always busy for me), so forgive me if updates take a while. Also, I've discovered Thatguywiththeglasses dotcom recently, and have been kind of addicted to the stuff on there, so that may slow me down quite a bit. I'll try not to get too distracted, but I make no promises, dammit!**

**Anyway, you guys know the drill. I'd really love to hear some feedback on this latest chapter. Its mostly dialogue, and you all know I have my doubts about how I write dialogue. Any suggestions to make it that much more real would be appreciated.**

**Thanks once again to everyone who has messaged and reviewed. Its always a boost to get feedback, no matter whether its positive or negative. Special thanks go to Mastermind for sending me a link to the Nostalgia Critic and dooming me to never have any free time ever again.**

**See you all at the next update!**

**Fainmaca Out.**


	53. 53: Citadel, Part One

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 53: Citadel, Part One**

**~SHEPARD~**

"Shepard."

The first thing to register in the Commander's brain as the single word brought him back to the realm of the conscious was that it was very cold. So cold, in fact, that he found himself shivering, even under the bedsheets. He opened his eyes, turning his head to see the empty half of the bed that Jack had left behind. Crumpled sheets and a dent in the pillow were the only sign that she had ever been there, save for the ghost of her scent lingering on the blanket, a faint aroma of gun-metal and electricity, typical of a powerful biotic. Faint light glimmered from the aquarium, its lights lowered for the night cycle. This weak luminescence played its way around the furnishings of his cabin, the shadows stretching and dancing in sinister patterns. Overhead, the skylight in the ceiling showed the blackness of space. Obviously, the Normandy was making a quick stop as she altered her heading for the next FTL jump.

"Shepard."

There it was again, the faint whisper on the edge of his hearing. Shepard sat up slowly, groggily. He stifled a yawn, pressing his forehead into his palm.

"What is it, EDI?"

There was no response.

"EDI?"

Silence filled the cabin, deafening in the Commander's ears.

Shepard glanced around, eyes struggling to adjust to the gloom. He saw the faint outline of his hamster cage, sitting on the coffee table. Glancing behind himself, he saw his models displayed proudly on their hooks over his bed. Not a thing was out of place, he knew full well that everything was as he'd left it, but something was bothering him, and he couldn't say what it was.

With heavy limbs, Shepard rose from his bed, wincing as bare feet met the cool metal of the deck. He padded across the room, climbing the steps into the upper half. He stepped over to the bathroom door, and came to an abrupt halt as he bumped into the unyielding metal of the door.

"What the-"

He brushed a hand against the door, trying to summon a control interface, but nothing was forthcoming. The door, normally responsive to his mere presence, stubbornly refused to budge.

"Hey, EDI? Is there something wrong with this door?"

The AI didn't respond.

"EDI?" Shepard waited another moment in silence. "Damn it."

Still in the same clothes he had been wearing in bed, a loose-fitting pair of cotton trousers and a white T-shirt, the Commander turned to head for the elevator. He could use the facilities on the Crew Deck, and report the malfunctions to somebody on the engineering team.

Inside the lift, Shepard found himself confronted with the control panel, but the malfunction appeared to have spread to these controls, too. Instead of the normal five options he'd expect, only two were lit up: the Loft and the Command Deck. The Crew, Engineering and Hangar Decks were blacked out. Bemused, Shepard selected the Command Deck, tensing as the elevator shuddered down a level.

The door opened before him and Shepard stepped out, coming to an abrupt halt as a scene of busy confusion greeted him. Crewmen bustled past, going about their normal duties. Engineers worked on small repairs, while others went about the normal tasks assigned to them during any average day. Standing at the head of the Galaxy Map, Executive Officer Pressley turned at the Commander's approach, offering a crisp salute.

"Commander. Wasn't expecting you to be about so early. Trouble sleeping?"

"Pressley? What are you doing here?" Shepard asked, his mind racing.

"Sir?" A note of concern entered the XO's voice.

"But the Collectors... The SR-2..."

"SR-2?" Pressley asked, his eyebrow lifting. "We haven't gone through the SR-1 yet, Commander. And let's pray we never do. I don't want to know what could take down this tough old bird."

Shepard turned, looking around himself. Features of the room began to register with him, the lower ceiling, the dimmer lighting level, the tighter confines. Turning to face back the way he came, Shepard found himself confronted with the doorway to the comm room, with its circular array of seats and holographic communications centre against the back wall. The Normandy SR-1 thrummed beneath his feet as he completed his spin.

"What-?"

Shepard's query came to a swift end as he turned back to Pressley, only to find him absent, along with the rest of the CIC crew. The entire deck was suddenly deathly silent.

Unnerved, Shepard moved to the door on his right, unsure of what would greet him beyond it. When it opened, a darkened staircase was all that awaited him, rather than the corridor leading to Mordin's lab that he'd have expected on the SR-2. Tentatively, he made his way down the staircase and onto the Crew Deck. More silence met his ears, this deck similarly deserted. A knot of worry clenching in his gut, the Commander stepped up to the elevator, putting in the command that would carry him down to the hangar and Engineering Deck.

The elevator door opened again, allowing Shepard to step out into the brightly lit hangar. It seemed as though he was aboard the SR-2 once more, with its much larger dimensions and brighter lighting scheme, as well as the Hammerhead, Nathak and skycar fastened to the ceiling in their normal spaces. Other than that, the hangar was bare, all other components, cargo and crewmen missing. Even the massive fan units that normally dotted the hangar floor were missing.

Instead, the Commander's eyes were drawn to the walls, where thousands of small metal plates had been affixed. They covered almost every inch of the walls, even spreading across the hangar door at the far end of the room. As Shepard's eye was drawn to that far side, he spotted a small figure moving slowly along the wall, tending to the plates. White and pink armour silhouetted a familiar shape, although a helmet hid the face from view.

"Ashley?" Shepard's tongue caught in his throat as he spotted the old comrade, his heart beating painfully in his chest. "Ashley!"

He ran to the figure, the journey across the hangar taking an eternally long time. When he finally reached her, he placed a hand on her shoulder, but couldn't move her at all. Confused, he stared at what she held in her hands.

It was a small plate, identical to the others that covered the walls. About ten inches wide and three inches tall, it was inscribed with lettering of some sort, hidden by Ashley's hand. Curious, the Commander looked to the other plates, noting similar inscriptions. His heart turned to stone as he realised what he was staring at: a memorial. His guts clenched as he read a few of the names.

Private L. Jenkins. Sha'ira. Major Kirrahe. Etarn Kol'mehk. Stanara Gaellion. Admiral Kastanie Drescher. Mordin Solus. Admiral Tali'Zorah vas Andairas. Urdnot Grunt. Legion. Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko. Every name on the wall struck at the Commander, like a hammer blow to his chest. Horrified, he took a step back, trying to comprehend the immense mass of names before him. As he did so, Ashley finished affixing the last plate, stepping away so that he could get a clear view of it. Ice-like dread filled Shepard's veins as he read this final name. Jack.

"No!" He growled, grabbing Ashley forcefully and spinning her around. "This isn't going to happen! I won't let it."

There was a clink, almost lost even in the silence of the hangar. Shepard looked down, spotting a plate that had slipped from Ashley's hand, striking the deck. Cautiously, the Commander picked it up, turning it over to read his own name, spelled out in clear lettering. The knot his guts had become clenched once again.

He heard a clicking sound, looking back up to see that Ashley had reached up to her helmet, unbuckling it and sliding it up off her head. Shepard gasped as he beheld the twisted mess that her face had become. Burnt flesh glowed an angry red, while monstrous augmentations broke through her skin, stretching and distorting her face. The tech was clearly Reaper in origin, one of her eyes even being replaced by the pale blue lens Shepard had come to associate with Husks. Her mouth twisted into the abused imitation of a smile as she spoke.

"Hey Skipper," Her voice came out of her mouth, but a hideous echo bounced around the hangar behind Shepard, deep and threatening.

The hangar shook, a loud shriek of tearing metal filling the Commander's ears. With a bone-shattering rumble, the walls fell away, exposing Shepard to raw blackness, not even the stars of space to comfort him. The rest of the Normandy fell away, leaving just a tiny patch of metal, all that remained of the Hangar Deck, wheeling through nothingness. Shepard quailed from the sight, finding himself alone on this tiny platform with the creature that mimicked his former comrade.

Ashley's eyes blazed with light, transfixing Shepard as he found himself left with nowhere to run. As she advanced, a black shape approached from behind her, enormous, menacing. It towered over the tiny scrap of existence, four yellow eyes blazing brilliantly. When Ashley spoke, the four eyes brightened and dimmed in unison with her voice, the Reaper's thunderous tones echoing her.

"It is useless to resist. Continue to fight, and you will fall."

Shepard stepped back as she stepped forward, drawing closer to the edge.

"You cannot win. Submit, and you shall be spared."

"We are the key to your salvation. Serve us. Serve us!"

Shepard took another step back, his foot suddenly meeting with nothing. His arms flailed for a moment before he truly lost his balance, pitching over into the darkness as Ashley's disfigured visage snarled one last time.

**"SERVE US!"**

**~o~0~o~**

Cool air rushed into his lungs as Shepard sat up, gasping for air. Stifling the panic that clutched at his very soul, Shepard flung the covers away, fighting to still his racing pulse and calm his breathing.

"Bad dream?"

Jack sat on the couch opposite his bed, leaning forward. Before her, on the coffee table, sat a tiny figure that Shepard vaguely recognised.

"Found this thing trying to take a drink outta your fishtank." She explained, shrugging as he stared at the pyjak. "I'm guessing from all the metal shit in it that it belongs to the old Krogan or the professor. Think I might keep him. He seems to like me, anyway."

"Maybe Jorall will let you keep him, if you ask nicely." Shepard pressed his palm into his brow, still struggling to throw off the smothering drowsiness.

"That's an option. Or, I could just kick the shit outta him until he says 'yes'." Jack chuckled, her smile vanishing as she looked up at Shepard, approaching her from the bed. "Jeez, big guy. You look like you just saw a ghost. What kinda dream could have the awesome Commander Shepard crap his pants like that?"

"I'm… I don't know." Shepard sighed. The memories of the dream were quickly fading, but the dread in his heart remained. "It's probably nothing."

"Hmm." Jack grunted. "Maybe, maybe not. You've been through a lot of shit recently, Commander. Trust me, that kinda stuff can give you all sorts of nightmares. Sometimes I get so bad, I destroy whole apartment blocks in my sleep."

"I can believe that." Shepard smirked, leaning against the wall at the foot of the steps. "I mean, its only when you're asleep that you would ever show that kind of restraint."

"Cute." Jack poked her tongue out from behind her teeth.

"So how do you deal with it, then?"

"Honestly?" She turned back to the pyjak. "A fuck-tonne of drugs, and plenty of alcohol to wash it down. It doesn't stop the dreams, but at least they're more colourful, and I don't really give a shit about anything threatening when I'm singing and dancing with the pixies."

"Somehow I don't think that's the kind of lifestyle the public needs to see the Hero of the Citadel engaging in."

"Didn't say it was. Its just what works for me." A tattooed hand scratched the pyjak behind the ears, the tiny creature pressing into the gesture appreciatively. A quiet purring squeak escaped from its throat. "Tell you what. If the bogeyman comes for you again, just give me a shout and I'll make sure he isn't hiding under the bed or in the closet. Then I'll get you a cup of warm milk and your blankie so you can go to sleep in peace."

"Have I ever told you just how much I appreciate your supportive attitude?" Shepard grinned. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably roam the halls moping over a stupid dream." Jack muttered. "You're a pussy like that."

"Thanks."

"Anytime." Jack stood. "Now, I reckon I'm gonna go get some chow. Can't be long until we're at the Citadel and I don't wanna waste any of our downtime on this old bucket."

"We're going to be in dock for three days while the new supplies come in. More than enough time to sample what the Citadel has to offer, I'd think."

"Then clearly you have no imagination. After I'm done this station'll never be the same again. You coming with?"

"In a minute." Shepard said. "You go on ahead."

**~o~0~o~**

Mere minutes after the Normandy had secured itself in the private dock near to the Citadel's Presidium ring, a veritable crowd of eagerly chattering crewmen filed off, the Commander's words of caution about acting with due decorum and returning to the ship in good time only half-heartedly memorised. A skeleton crew remained behind, under the diligent eye of Miranda, to perform routine maintenance and make the ship secure.

At the head of the column, a gaggle of women crushed in around Joker's body, curious to speak to the now mobile EDI. She was under strict orders to go no further than the breadth of the nearest Ward, Zakera, for fear that her connection with the ship be impeded. Guiding her by the arm was Kasumi, the genial thief taking the newly ambulatory AI under her wing.

"First thing you're gonna want to try out is ramen." Kasumi chattered, not giving EDI the chance to get a word in edgewise. "The stuff we have on board is okay, but there's a place I know close by where they have a proper chef from Hokkaido. After that, we can go catch a holo-vid, or maybe a concert, and then… I'm thinking a little retail therapy."

"I am not detecting any impediments to the operation of this body, aside from Joker's pre-existing condition." EDI responded. "What benefit is there in engaging in a therapeutic procedure?"

"Oh trust me," Kasumi chuckled. "You'll find out soon enough."

Behind this group, the rest of the off-duty crew talked amicably among themselves, swiftly splitting into several smaller groups. In moments, most of the crew was gone, leaving a small group of figures gathered around the airlock. Liara, stepping off the ship, turned to face the others, flashing a small smile to Shepard.

"Well, Commander, I suppose the time has come for me to depart once again." She glanced back along the length of the ship, a lingering fondness in her eyes before she shook herself. "Duty calls. No doubt I'll have a whole pile of reports to go through when I get back."

"I wish I could ask you to stay, Liara." Shepard replied. "We could always use an extra ally out in the field. But-"

"-My work behind the scenes is just as important as what you're doing out there." She concluded for him, waving a hand off to one side to indicate the space beyond the docking bay. "But perhaps the day is approaching that you will have greater need of me at your side rather than behind a desk. When the time comes, I and every asset I can muster shall be ready."

"Take care, Liara." Shepard extended a hand, which the alien took in a firm embrace, exchanging smiles with him.

With that, and a quick nod to the others gathered at the airlock, the Asari turned and left, the Commander feeling a tinge of sadness tug at his gut as one of the few remaining fragments of his life back on the first Normandy slipped between a pair of chattering Turians and vanished, wraith-like, into the crowds in the docking ring.

"We must not delay, Human." Nge-Yaal's synthesised tone cut into the Commander's thoughts, snapping him out of his ponderous reverie as the machine stepped up next to him. "The Council will be waiting."

Shepard nodded, using his omnitool to hail one of the thousands of cabs that darted across the Citadel's massive skyline. In seconds, they were en route to the Presidium.

**~o~0~o~**

"This is preposterous."

Velarn's tone was sharp as the Turian loomed over his podium, standing tall next to his fellow Councillors as he stared down at Shepard. The Council chambers were empty, save for the four Councillors, Shepard, Nge-Yaal, and a pair of Keepers that scuttled about silently. Velarn's three companions, Tevos, Fahos and Udina remained mute as their colleague addressed the duo on the narrow platform before them.

"You really expect us to believe that this… this thing… is an actual Prothean, preserved alive in mechanical form? Salvaged, no less, from under the very feet of a fleet of Reapers." The alien waved his hand dismissively. "These mission reports of yours grow more fantastical by the day."

"It's the truth!" Shepard emphasised.

"Then where is your proof?" Velarn countered. "This machine could be nothing more than a fabrication, propaganda created by Humanity to use our respect for the Protheans and their creations to coerce us into joining your war."

"The Alliance had no hand in this, I assure you!" Udina responded quickly.

"Maybe so, but the Commander is not controlled by the Alliance." Velarn replied. "He is accountable only to himself, and his past affiliations have already shown that he is prepared to soil his own conscience to get the job done."

"I only worked with Cerberus when you turned your backs on me!" Shepard growled. "If I hadn't taken action when I did, none of us would be standing here talking right now."

"Shepard has always acted with the Council's unspoken permission, Councillor." Tevos intervened, her tones silky smooth. "That is the privilege of the Spectres. We entrust them with the security of our society, and realise that they must sometimes act outside the bounds of Citadel laws. We three chose to entrust this role to Shepard. It would be hypocrisy to berate him for acting within his mandate."

"The point still stands that we have no proof of the authenticity of this machine." Velarn protested. "Shepard claims that all possible sources of evidence have been conveniently destroyed. For all we know, this mechanism is a fake!"

Shepard opened his mouth to issue a scathing reply, but a metal hand reached out and clasped his shoulder, holding him back. Nge-Yaal stepped forward, glancing to each of the Councillors wordlessly before he reached out in front of himself, palms facing downwards. Two words escaped from his vocaliser, alien and unknown to Shepard, his translator as bemused by the curious sounds as he was.

A bright flash caused both the Commander and the four Councillors to flinch, shielding their eyes. When they turned back, a holographic panel hung in the air before Nge-Yaal. It only took Shepard a second to recognise that it was the same interface Saren had used, the one that the Commander himself had used to open the Citadel's arms to help defeat Sovereign.

"What's going on?" Fahos asked, his voice sharp with consternation. "What are you doing?"

"Proving the authenticity of our claims." The Prothean scientist replied, not looking away from his work. "Just a few years before the Reapers struck, we endured a number of pirate attacks that left the Aegis Fleet, the ships responsible for the defence of the Citadel, severely depleted. The Council of our time commissioned a defence system, the likes of which had never been seen before in our cycle. It made a direct attack on the Citadel impossible without overwhelming force. Of course, we were unprepared for an attack from within the station. When the Reapers struck, the system was of no use. But, with the knowledge we now have, and the Reapers robbed of the advantage of their secret way into our Galaxy, it could become a significant tool."

"You are attempting to re-activate the system?" Tevos asked.

"Partially. The weapons themselves must not come online until an appropriate friend-or-foe system can be created and installed on all of your vessels." Nge-Yaal explained.

"A weapons system like that would surely have decayed by now." Velarn dismissed.

"In the same way that the monitoring stations on the moons of Palaven were non-functional when your species found them?" The Prothean countered. "I know exactly what the Turians did with the knowledge found within those facilities. Zero-X shields, Predator-class dreadnoughts, the Magnetar missile... a half dozen other technologies that you gleaned from our knowledge. Enough technology to raze a planet a dozen times over."

"This is ridiculous." Udina cut in. "The Turians have no such technology." He looked to his colleagues, confusion growing in his features as they maintained a stony silence. After an uncomfortable moment, Velarn spoke.

"Those projects never advanced beyond the theoretical stages." He said, his voice low. "How did you learn of them?"

"I have been in this building for over ten minutes now. More than enough time to infiltrate the wireless networks and access your secure archives." His metallic head twitched to the side. "Apparently this body has a number of benefits to it."

"The Council knew of these projects, and yet didn't see fit to share this information with the Alliance?" Udina sputtered. "This- this- this is an outrage!"

"Like I said, the research is entirely theoretical at this point." Velarn said calmly. "The Hierarchy wanted to properly assess the potential of the technology first. We didn't want Human scientists barging in with their typical reckless abandon and unleashing spirits know what kind of chaos."

"Whereas the Turians have a spotless history when it comes to untested technology? The Genophage? The Yahg incident?" The Human Councillor countered. "I will not stand for insults like this!"

"Enough." Shepard cut in sharply. "We're not here to fight amongst ourselves."

"Indeed." Nge-Yaal supplemented. "If you children are quite done, I have the defence system online once more. Apparently the Keepers have dismantled several of the weapon emplacements, but the others are still intact. They're installed beneath ablative sheathes on the outer hulls of the Wards. With the access codes I am supplying, you should be able to uncover them all and study them further."

"This is incredible!" Fahos said, his eyes fixed on the terminal before him. "It's all here! Power systems, targeting control, ammunition minifacturing. An entire networked system hidden throughout the hull."

"It's strange that we couldn't find it before." Tevos added, looking at her display.

"For the same reasons that no cycle has discovered the true nature of the Citadel Relay before the harvest begins: our reliance on and trust in the Keepers." Nge-Yaal explained. "The most insidious of the Reapers' tools. But not the only one. That is why we cannot afford to waste any more time bickering and locked in inaction."

"If we believe you…" Velarn said cautiously. "If we accept that you are in truth a Prothean… what would you expect us to do?"

"Work with us." The Prothean put one step forward, leaning towards the Councillors as he pointed a finger at them. "The Reapers have made their way inside the Galaxy. The rest of their armada waits in the darkness beyond the rim of our Galaxy, and after fifty thousand years they crave the resources of the harvest with a voracious appetite. The Citadel will be key to their invasion plans, and the attack will happen soon. Whether they will wait until the Sol Relay has been completed remains unclear, but even so we do not have much time.

"We must co-ordinate our forces to protect the Citadel and prepare a pre-emptive strike against the Reapers within the Sol system."

"A pre-emptive strike? Such action could provoke the Reapers into an attack!" Velarn protested. "Thessia and Earth have already fallen victim to overwhelming attacks. The Primarch will not condone a course of action that could bring such devastation to Palaven's doorstep."

"Nor could the Dalatrasses allow the central colonies to be jeopardised in this way." Fahos said, albeit more slowly. "Although we will not ignore your suggestion regarding the Citadel's defences. The Reapers already tried once with Sovereign. They're bound to make a second attempt."

"That will not be good enough!" Nge-Yaal snapped. "The Reapers rely on their victims taking too long to respond to the danger. They want you to react to their strategy, rather than acting first and striking them before they are ready. Their schemes span decades and centuries, we can only hope to best them by being quicker, changing the battlefield and using it to our advantage before they can adapt. Shuffling our defences will not stop them."

"The Hierarchy has made its decision." Velarn said, immovable on the subject.

"Then maybe we need to speak directly to the Hierarchy." Shepard suggested. "And the Salarian Union. And all of the races affected by this war. They don't see the danger yet. In times like these the big decisions can't be left up to a small group like the Council. This threat is bigger than the Alliance, the Hierarchy, and all of Council Space combined."

"You suggest some form of… war council?" Fahos asked.

"An excellent idea!" Tevos nodded approvingly at the Commander. "In the meantime, we will be more than prepared to co-ordinate the adjustments to our defences according to your recommendations, Nge-Yaal."

"If that is the best that we can do, then so be it." The Prothean sighed, shrugging his mech's shoulders.

"That's settled, then." Udina said. "I suppose that is all that needs to be discussed."

"Agreed." The Asari Councillor answered. "Unless there are any further matters to be discussed, this Council meeting is adjourned…"

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard sighed as he leaned forwards, putting most of his weight on the railing before him. Just in front of him, the ancient shape of the Conduit sat in silence, surrounded by a dozen quietly burbling fountains. A faint murmur of several conversations carried on the air around the Commander, but nobody came close enough to him for their words to be intelligible to his ears. Instead, he simply drank in the peace of his surroundings, free from all responsibility for just a moment.

"You did well in there, Shepard." Stepping up to the railing next to him, Udina refrained from leaning forwards as he spoke, staring intently at the miniature Mass Relay in the middle of the Presidium. "As much as I am loathe to admit it, you really are furthering Humanity's cause in leaps and bounds, even if many of your methods are… unorthodox."

"Is that a compliment?" Shepard asked with a smirk, glancing sidelong at the greying diplomat beside him.

"Yes, it is." The Councillor replied, turning to face him. "Since the fall of Earth… you've been the figure the public looks to for inspiration. You're the person they're all praying will find a way to make things right. And you're giving them the hope they need. You've snatched Thessia out from the Reapers' claws, you've struck a fatal blow to Cerberus' plans, and now you've brought the Protheans back from the dead. The people, and not just Humanity, see in you somebody they could follow. That's why you'll get your summit, and every race will be present. Even Velarn wouldn't want to go up against you with the kind of favour you enjoy."

"If I can get enough people to just sit up and listen, maybe we'll have a chance at winning this thing." Shepard sighed.

"A better chance than we had three years ago. A better chance than we even had just a few weeks ago." The politician shrugged. "You've been stirring up all kinds of trouble ever since Eden Prime, but maybe the occasional shit-storm is just what we need to get things done around here."

"I do seem to have a talent in that department." Shepard chuckled.

"What's this, Donnel? Handing out compliments to us lowly grunts? You're not going soft on me, are you?"

Both Shepard and Udina turned at the words to see Anderson approaching, sporting a small grin as he nodded a greeting to both. The Councillor was the first to respond.

"Just getting sentimental in my old age." He said with a straight face.

"Yeah, well, you'd better cherish this moment, Shepard. Any day Udina has a kind word to offer is a rare one indeed." Anderson smirked as he shook the Commander's hand.

"Sir." Shepard resisted the urge to salute, instead returning the older man's handshake. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"Alliance is re-shuffling the fleets after Arcturus. They wanted me here serving as a liaison with the Citadel Defence Force. After your Prothean friends showed up and slapped a whole new logistical complication on our desks, I've been called in to work out how we'll distribute that many ships among our own efficiently."

"If there's anyone who can come up with a strategy for the invasion we're facing, it'll be you, sir." The Commander said.

"While it's better that someone with actual experience in fleet combat holds this position, rather than some STG desk jockey, there's no prettying up the fact that it's just warfare by numbers. There's no real soul to the work, not without the pressure of standing on a ship's bridge while it shakes under enemy fire, and a single bullet can alter your plans drastically."

"Well, if the nostalgia for the frontlines gets to be too much for you, you're always welcome to take the Captain's cabin on the Normandy off my hands." Shepard grinned.

"Are you kidding?" Anderson chuckled. "You'll let me take command of the Normandy when I pry the access codes from your cold, dead fingers."

"I don't know…" The Commander mused. "After the past few months, what with Cerberus, the Reapers, facing off against half of the Terminus Systems… A vacation is looking kind of enticing."

"And where would you go? The galaxy's going to hell, giant space monsters sitting on every street corner… you thinking maybe to take a week off and go work up a tan on Tuchanka? Maybe you'll go rent a place out in the wards and put your feet up for a few days?"

"Well, when you put it like that…" Shepard shrugged. "Still, a night on the Wards while the Normandy's getting restocked sounds pretty good."

"I hear that." Anderson smiled, turning to glance at the Citadel Tower. "You go have some fun, and check in on your crew. God knows what kind of trouble that walking circus you call a squad will have gotten into by now."

"They're not that bad."

"You have a Geth, for crying out loud!"

"He's house trained." Shepard defended with a laugh.

"I'm sure the public would be thrilled to know that." Udina grumbled. "I don't even want to think about the kind of political nightmare I'd have to navigate if it weren't for the kind of resources your Spectre status entitles you to. A mech license for your pet Geth, false G-mod records for the Revenant, a whole library of criminal records conveniently 'lost' during routine server maintenance. Not to mention the unrest created on any Asari world when you turn up with an exiled Justicar and an Ardat-Yakshi in tow."

"You didn't even know the meaning of those words until I came along." Shepard teased.

"And I was happier for it." The politician fired back. "I prefer a world of legislature and sub-committees to this new Galaxy of mind control and alien vampires you've plunged Humanity into."

"Don't blame me, I didn't design this universe." Shepard smirked.

"Well whoever did is clearly insane." Udina sighed. "Go and enjoy your shore leave, Commander. Anderson and I have some politicking to do."

"He's right." Anderson said. "We'd better get going. It won't pay to keep the Council waiting for my report. Look after yourself, Commander."

"You too, Admiral." Shepard saluted, giving Udina a small nod before the trio parted. Taking a deep breath of the clean air of the station, Shepard strode off to explore the Citadel, once more enveloped in the peace of the Presidium.

**~o~0~o~**

**~GRUNT~**

The display was garish, loud, and pulsed at such a speed that Shepard's eyes ached after just a couple of seconds of staring at it. From what little he could decipher of the obnoxiously overstated advertisement, it seemed to be selling a holo-simulation telling the tale of a ridiculously muscled armoured warrior with a cybernetically enhanced lizard pet and a gun about five times the size of anything that Shepard would consider practical. The background was crowded with flames, spent bullet casings from old-fashioned cartridge ammunition, and miscellaneous body parts from countless dismembered creatures. From time to time the words 'SPECTRE JUSTICE VII: COMMANDER SHEPARD, THE REVENGENING' would flash across the ad, the steely lettering in sharp contrast to the flamboyance of the rest of the ad. The Commander stared at 'himself', head tilting to the side as he took in the borderline insane exaggeration of his person.

A loud crash rang through the air, jolting Shepard out of his brief moment of fixation as he went to mimic the 'Commander's' pose. He turned to look at the doorway of the store, over which hung the sign 'Furious Vargas' Game Emporium', just in time to see Grunt stumble backwards until he hit a display stand, appearing disoriented. He stood tall, regaining his balance as he shook his head, then stomped back out of sight, purpose in his gait.

"Grunt?" Curious, Shepard stepped into the store.

Screens covered the majority of the walls, all playing looping videos of some game or another. As Shepard walked by the displays, he caught sight of promotions for the Galaxy of Fantasy series, the newest Grim Terminus Alliance instalment, and a medley of adaptations of the latest popular holo-vids. Aside from the screens, a bank of large, luxurious simulator booths had been set up against the far wall. Holo-emitters surrounded the occupants of the booths with images of the virtual reality the user was immersed in, while Mass Effect fields gave the in-game setting a physical presence, simulating gravity, motion and sensation.

While Shepard had seen and owned a few simulator booths in his time, none could compare to the elite machines before him, top-of-the-line models with every possible extra installed. A setup like this would only be seen in one of two places- in the home of one of the elite, mega-rich, or in a store like this one, where the manufacturers wanted to boast of their capabilities and sell the dream.

Grunt was busily climbing back into the middle one of these booths, his face locked in a focused snarl, while another Krogan, older, shorter, with a jovial smile crossing his face and a feral glint to his eyes, watched in amusement, arms folded across his broad chest. His scaly skin was a bluish-grey, his tall, spiky crest black streaked with a light slate. He wore black, leathery clothing, with two white stripes running over either shoulder and down the arms. His teeth gleamed as he chuckled at the younger Krogan's actions.

"I'm telling you, it can't be done. Not without a biotic character serving at least as your backup, if not serving as the centre stage damage dealer."

"Its just a bug." Grunt protested. "We killed enough of them back in the Rachni Wars without biotics."

"The Brood Queen is a lot more than 'just a bug'." The Krogan shook his head in amusement. "There's only been a handful of people to beat the challenge so far, and they all went into this with a well balanced team and several weeks of planning beforehand. You, on the other hand, heard about this challenge this morning and want to take a crack at it solo, with the most boring class in the roster. This isn't something you can just beat into submission."

"I'm Krogan. Beating things into submission is what I do best."

"Yeah? Well, I'm Krogan, too, and even I can see how stupid it is to keep running at this thing guns blazing."

"And yet, you'd be amazed at how often that strategy pays off for Grunt." Shepard interjected, leaning against a display nonchalantly.

The Krogan, presumably the store owner, spun at his voice, eyes narrowed for a moment before he flinched back in surprise. Confusion flickered across his face, mixed with a nervousness that seemed uncharacteristic for a Krogan.

"You're- You're…" The Krogan stammered.

"Commander Shepard." He nodded his head.

"Urdnot Vargas." The Krogan replied, pointing to his chest.

"Shepard!" Grunt growled over his shoulder. "Was wondering whether you'd find this place."

"Considering my 'face' is all over the windows outside, I figured I'd come in and take a closer look."

"Spectre Justice? Y-you saw that, huh?" The Krogan store owner's stance remained uncertain, like a youngster caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Just so you know, I think what Holographic Creations have done with your image for their franchise was completely-"

"Relax." Shepard soothed. "I'm not here to cause trouble." He nodded towards the game booth Grunt stood in. "Is that it?"

"Yeah." Vargas answered, calming somewhat. "Your friend here was just trying it out."

"Is it any good?"

"It has its good points." The Krogan held out his hand, waggling it uncertainly. "The visual design is solid, and the sensory feedback it can deliver through the booth is almost always spot-on, but that's nothing extraordinary for HC Games. The gun-work is where it really lets itself down. Considering they employed a whole team of weapons specialists as consultants during the design process, none of the in-game weapons really feel like they're the genuine article."

"Is it really that noticeable?"

"It feels like I'm carrying a block of wood into battle." Grunt rumbled, still engaged in his simulation. "Not what I need when I'm facing off against a Rachni horde like this."

"And when you lose a defining feature of the franchise like that, the game really takes a hit." Vargas explained. "A big part of the Spectre Justice series' appeal was its realistic portrayal of the military and their experiences. But the game's still fun. A challenging series of missions, and glorious battle after glorious battle, even going so far as to re-create your fight against the Rachni Queen on Noveria."

"My what?"

"That time you fought Saren's cloned Rachni on Noveria." Vargas explained, oblivious to Shepard's perplexed expression. "HC managed to get permits to take exact scans of the Peak Fifteen facility where you fought the cloned Queen, re-creating the battle in as precise details as they could, right down to where Matriarch Benezia sacrificed herself to save your life."

"…You know a lot about this, don't you?" Shepard asked, unable to bring himself to correct the enthusiastic alien.

"I've studied every published report of your work." The Krogan boasted proudly. "That's why I was so excited to hear that HC was doing a step-by-step retelling of your fight against Saren. Finally the general public will get to experience the true adventures of the hero of the Citadel first hand!"

"Sounds like fun." Shepard suppressed a chuckle, turning to Grunt. The Urdnot warrior would not meet his gaze, instead focusing on his game, although his stance suggested that in all likelihood he sported a broad grin. "How're you finding it, Grunt?"

"Slow going." The tank-bred alien grunted. "Every time I get to the cloning chamber, the clone Queen just-"

A sudden flash of light sparked around the Krogan as a Mass effect field knocked him from the machine, sending him rolling across the floor a few times before he tumbled to a halt. The booth filled with red light as it went silent, the game paused as it awaited Grunt's return.

"-does that." He finished, staggering to his feet.

"Looks like the mission's too tough for you." Shepard observed.

"I killed the All-Thresher. Nothing's too tough for me." Grunt muttered stubbornly.

"Even so, you had help with the All-Thresher." Shepard said.

"You know… this thing supports multiplayer." Vargas suggested. "We could hook up the other two booths."

"What do you say, Grunt?" Shepard asked. "Feel like running into battle against a crazed Rachni Queen alongside your Battlemaster?"

"Sounds like fun." The Krogan grinned wolfishly.

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard shuffled uncertainly, feeling a little uncomfortable as he stood inside the game booth, waiting for the machinery to finish scanning his body and setting up the various Mass Effect fields that would provide him with the ability to both feel things and move about inside the game without leaving the confines of the booth. The gloves he had to wear itched irritatingly, and the visor pinched his temples. He was sure he'd get used to it, but the initial sensation was disorienting.

At that moment, from an in-game perspective, he was standing in what appeared to be a cloud of blue fog, the floor beneath his feet a featureless black surface which made no sound as he took a few tentative steps. Mysterious eddies swirled past his face, the only movement in the otherwise featureless environment.

"Okay, that's the booth attuned to your body now." Urdnot Vargas' voice echoed down from above, booming and deep like the voice of a wrathful deity. "Hold your hands out in front of you, palms out, to bring up the system menu."

Shepard obeyed, in moments finding the appropriate command to start the game.

In an instant, the world went mad. The blue clouds evaporated in a flash, replaced instead by sky coloured a hellish red, boiling black clouds far above, and a rocky landscape covered in starship debris and flames. Deafening electronic music blasted through the desolate landscape while gunships and short-range fighters raced by overhead, setting off chains of explosions all around. As Shepard fought the instinct to duck and run for cover, a tall, heavily built shape rose up from behind one pile of wreckage, planting one foot on the peak of the tiny mound in a dramatic pose as he lifted a gun, aiming off in the distance.

The Commander took a moment to regard 'himself' in all of his video game glory. He was not impressed.

For one thing, the game developers apparently had no idea how Human musculature worked. 'his' neck was so thick that it should have been impossible to turn the head to look about, while the arms and legs were as thick around as one of the I-beams that formed the internal support frame for the Normandy's hull. In comparison, the skull and torso were laughably undersized. His normal haircut had been eschewed in favour of a buzz cut into which the word 'BADASS' had been shaved, starting at one ear and working its way around the back of his skull until it reached the other. 'Shepard' wore a visor, its reflective red surface gleaming in the dim light of the harsh battlefield, while a cigar bounced on his lips, its glowing end never seeming to grow any shorter. To cap it all off, it looked as though the 'Commander' had neglected to invest anything into a functional set of armour, instead pouring all of his funds and effort into the ridiculously oversized chain-gun he carrier in one hand, the barrel covered in bright green lights and flashing hazard symbols. In his other hand he toted a long, serrated knife, while in place of armour he wore simple black pants, a pair of boots that even Jack would have been jealous of, and a tight vest, ripping as it struggled to contain the muscles underneath.

Shepard stared at the caricature for some time before he became aware of movement within the game world that wasn't a part of the title screen, turning to see a broadly grinning Grunt watching him silently. The tank-bred's eyes gleamed with amusement, while the clearly embarrassed Vargas stood behind him, not meeting Shepard's eye.

"Gotta say, Shepard, it's a pretty good likeness." Grunt leered. "They really captured your smile."

"Laugh it up while it lasts, Grunt." Shepard grimaced. "I can't wait to see what they do to you in the next one."

"I am pure Krogan." The alien youngster boasted. "They won't need to change a thing. You can't screw up perfection."

"You wouldn't be saying that if you'd seen what Omnisoft did to the Code of Valour series. Shanxi Redemption was a train-wreck." Vargas chuckled. "Anyway, what you need to do now is pull up the menu, just the same way you did before logging in."

Shepard did so, arms straight out in front of himself. The action around him stopped, his double freezing in mid taunt of some distant enemy. A series of options popped up on the Commander's interface, scrolling past his eye as he read them. Finally he found the correct game mode, 'mission', then ran through the list of scenarios until he found the Noveria level. Suddenly, the landscape around him transformed into a barren wasteland, icy cold air washing over the trio. The howls of a rushing gale filled the Commander's ears.

"Great!" Vargas had to raise his voice to speak over the wind. "Now we've gotta choose our characters. You can play any member of your squad from back then, including Shepard-"

"Dibs." Grunt cut in.

"What?" Shepard protested. "No way!"

"I called it. I wanna play as you."

"Oh come on. If anyone's going to play as Shepard, it should be me."

"Tough. Play as the Turian. Or the Quarian."

Grumbling, Shepard opened the character selection screen, scrolling through the seven options open to him. The Shepard character was already greyed out, unavailable. He flipped past the other characters, trying not to burst out laughing at the makeovers many of them had received for their video game debut, such as Kaidan's sudden increase in muscle mass to the point where he rivalled a Krogan, the almost non-existent outfit Liara sported, and even poor Tali being stretched and twisted to the point where she was all legs and curves and two enormous, luminous eyes behind an almost fishbowl-like helmet. Finally he settled on Garrus' virtual counterpart, a tall, glowering Turian whose eyes were so deeply sunken as to be not much more than a pair of black holes in his face, his armour bulky and angular while he carried a ridiculously intricate sniper rifle across his back.

As soon as he made his selection, a whole new screed of menus faced him. Customisation options flooded his interface, too many for Shepard to process.

"Whoa." He muttered. "I have no idea what even the half of this means."

"Hmm?" Vargas asked over his shoulder, immersed in preparing his own character. "Oh, you chose Vakarian? Yeah, I think someone at the HC offices has a real crush on that character. He's got more customisation options and pre-set builds than anyone else in the game. Sometimes it seems like they wanted to make him the protagonist of the series, but then the Shepard story got in the way. Just choose the 'Stealth Ninja-Vigilante' build. It's got the best balance of the lot."

"Stealth what?" Shepard asked, incredulous for not the first time in the past few minutes.

"Just trust me on this." The alien replied. "It- it really would take too long to explain."

"I'm sure we can ask the Turian when we get back to the ship." Grunt rumbled, his grin so wide that the top of his skull was in danger of being separated from the rest of him.

"If you say one word about this to Garrus I will personally sign you up for Mordin's next lecture at the Mannovai Observatory." Shepard threatened. "Remember the three hour discussion of Velrun's lower ionosphere? Imagine that for four days straight."

"You've been no fun since Vakarian beat you in that shooting match." Grunt grumbled.

"Don't remind me." The Commander groaned. "He was crowing about that for weeks. But it'll be nothing compared to if he finds out that I ended up choosing to play as him today."

"Don't worry, Shepard." Vargas grinned. "Your shameful secret is safe with us."

"Let's just get this thing started." Shepard muttered over the two aliens' chortling.

"Alright." The Krogan store owner nodded. "If you go to part twelve of this mission series, that'll put us just before the Rachni Queen's Chamber. There's a fairly straightforward corridor we can run down, take out some basic Rachni shock troops to get you used to how the game works."

"Shooty end goes towards the bugs?"

"Just about. The Turian has a few tech abilities you'll want to get used to, though. Incineration blast, cloak, disintegration beam, anti-gravity boots-"

"What the hell? Garrus doesn't use any of those! He wouldn't even know how to use them!"

"Like I said, somebody at HC really wanted to push the Vakarian character over all the others. Even some of his more loyal fans think the focus on him, both storywise and in raw gameplay mechanics, is a little ridiculous." Vargas wiggled his hands in the air before him, adjusting a few settings on his own HUD. "Okay, I'm ready to go."

"Me too." Grunt chimed in.

"Then let's get to it." Shepard waved his hand, starting the game.

A transparent image of 'Garrus' appeared in front of him, facing away from the Commander. Glancing to Grunt, Shepard saw the Krogan faced with a similar representation of 'Shepard', which the alien stepped into. In a blink, the game merged the two until only the 'Commander' remained, now animated and responding to Grunt's commands. Shepard did the same, becoming Garrus Vakarian in a twist that he could honestly say he hadn't seen coming.

The sensation of taking on a new body was unusual. He could still feel his own body, encased in an almost solid shell that provided its own feedback directly into his nervous system. At the same time, he had soft skin and hard scales, thousands of strands of hair and a handful of sharp plates forming a fringe. He puffed his cheeks and mandibles flared, flexed fingers and talons ground out of their sheaths. Most discomforting of all was when he went to take a step, feeling the two pairs of kneecaps he now had flex in sync with his own actual knees. He staggered for a moment before his brain arranged itself to cope with the change.

After a few seconds of almost nauseating confusion, he finally regained his composure, turning to look to his companions.

Grunt now wore the façade of the 'Commander', glowing cigar and all, while Vargas had evidently chosen to play as Urdnot Wrex, although the video game developers had certainly worked their magic to 'enhance' the legend.

The ancient Krogan had been refashioned as a truly enormous figure, as broad as he was tall. His armour would most probably have been scavenged from a starfighter's hull, and a huge cannon had been strapped to the shoulder, swivelling of its own volition. His scars had been enhanced, now covering more than half of his skull and leaving one eye as a milky white orb. His brow plates looked like some kind of ancient monolith, jutting out and upwards prominently to the point where they looked almost comical. Like the 'Commander', a gigantic cigar remained firmly affixed to his lips. As Shepard stared, the newly reincarnated Vargas turned to face him, head tilting quizzically.

"What?"

"Nothing. Let's just get this started."

The store owner nodded, waving a hand to signal his own readiness to the game as Shepard and Grunt mimicked him.

A brilliant flash of light washed over the trio, the world around them changing in an instant. The barren snowdrifts morphed into grim metal walls, the devastated remains of the Peak Fifteen facility shimmering into being. The snow remained, moving into deep drifts in corners and against walls, while the wind shifted dramatically, funnelled down the corridor. A shattered window came into being, offering a stunning view of the massive mountains in which the remote facility had been built. Ahead, a metal door appeared, sealed shut.

"Right," Vargas spoke up over the wind. "The tramway leading to the deep labs inside the mountains is beyond that doorway. By this point in the story, Matriarch Benezia has already gone ahead with her strike team to try and stop Saren from releasing the Rachni Queen. The first half of our mission is keeping the main Rachni horde distracted away from what she's doing, then meeting up with her in the deep labs."

"Hijacking a tram is a good way to get their attention." Grunt offered. "They can feel the vibrations for miles around."

"Sounds good." Shepard nodded, trying to ignore the strange feeling of hearing and seeing the voice come out of 'his' mouth.

This decided, the trio set off, stepping through the doorway and into the tram station. No sooner had they summoned the tram than an ear-piercing screech filled the air, thousands of chitinous feet clacking their way across the icy walls as dozens upon dozens of Rachni swarmed into view, their gaping maws dripping with green acid as they all gave voice to their primal fury.

"Here they come!" Grunt growled, eager.

Shepard brought up his gun, quickly finding cover as the first few gobbets of acidic spittle were launched in his direction. Bringing up his omnitool, he scanned his list of abilities, selecting the Incinerate function. He stood, firing off a couple of blasts before his 'tool overheated. The bolts of pure plasma rocketed off, striking the ice of the tramway's walls at the feet of some of the Rachni. As soon as it came into contact with the ice, blasts of concussive force ripped into the insects, the ice exploding into its component chemicals then reforming as a solid instantaneously, filling the air with freezing shrapnel. Dozens of Rachni were simply shredded, while countless others were maimed or knocked unconscious.

Grunt stepped forward, taking up a position well ahead of the Commander. Hefting his oversized weapon, he opened fire on the approaching mass of bodies with gusto, an unending stream of bullets tearing into them. His deep, guttural laughter filled the air as the stench of blood and bug guts filled Shepard's nostrils, replicated with loving care and a disturbing attention to detail by the game booth.

It wasn't long before Vargas waded into the fray, the digital re-imagining of Wrex hurling enormous amounts of biotic energy at the insects. Warp blasts and Lift fields combined to cause the aliens to explode in gory detail, while Shockwaves caused the very mountain to tremble.

The level continued in this fashion for some time, the Rachni unable to gain any ground on the intrepid trio as they unleashed their full fury on the insect ranks. Shepard explored the abilities of the Garrus character, including one that allowed him to launch himself into the air using his 'gravity boots' and then rain down devastating wrath from above in the form of a barrage of rockets deployed from a secondary barrel on his sniper rifle.

Eventually, after almost fifteen minutes of the exact same insanity, the tramway began to tremble as the massive tram hauled into view, mashing its way through the Rachni to reach the platform Shepard and his allies stood on. A few burlier drones stood atop it, supposedly a trickier hurdle to surmount in the course of advancing the mission, but the combination of Shepard's tech-based attacks, Vargas' biotics and the sheer amount of metal Grunt was throwing across the battlefield soon reduced these creatures to dark green smears on the tram's deck. The team clambered aboard, activating the tram.

"Shepard!" Vargas called. "Man the forward turret! The Rachni are gonna try to break the tracks ahead of us to slow us down."

"I'm on it." Shepard acknowledged, choosing not to question the liberties taken in this apparently 'exact recreation' of his prior adventures. Instead, he grabbed the controls of the massive gun affixed to the front of the tram and instantly began looking for the first target.

In moments, the turret was chattering loudly in the confines of the tunnel, its brutal assault reducing the Rachni ahead into a fine mist. Thanks to the power of the turret, there was no challenge, no real threat, just five minutes of blasting before they were through the tunnels.

Eventually, over a thousand Rachni later- a detail Shepard was aware of thanks to a small hitch in the gameplay where a flash of golden light and a couple of musical notes heralded a small text box appearing on his HUD to notify him that he'd received the 'Exterminator' accolade- they reached the 'deep labs'. Shepard instantly recognised the place that Holographic Creations had tried to mirror, doing a far better job than in any aspect before this.

The Peak Fifteen Rachni facility was unusually empty and silent, considering the game's previous approach to action. Dark shadows danced in every corner, while odd creaks and groans echoed through the cold metal walls. Ahead, close to a door that led deeper into the facility, a small shape could be seen sprawled on the floor, an Asari. She was badly torn up, the wounds of conflict evident. Blood and spent thermal clips surrounded her, evidence of her comrades' retreat.

"Benezia and her Asari went this way." Vargas explained. "We should follow them."

The corridors they passed through next were empty and silent, piling on the tension of the situation. The occasional clatter of multiple insect feet and the screeches of alien voices were the only break in the silence. As they delved deeper into the facility, Shepard realised that the members of the science team he had encountered all those years ago on Noveria were not present in this rendition of the scenario. When he asked Vargas about this, the Krogan shrugged.

"I didn't even know that you met anyone down here, aside from Benezia." He muttered. "Maybe that's one of the classified things that HC couldn't get information on. Even with the lab in ruins, Binary Helix kept the lid on things here for as long as it took to secure their projects. It was bad enough that the public found out they were cloning Rachni. Their stock took a dive off a cliff and has never really recovered. It means HC could never get the full picture of what went on here."

"We're coming up on the cloning chamber." Grunt said, his shoulder tensing as he approached the part of the game that had defeated him every time so far.

Suddenly, the floor around them erupted, six truly monstrous Rachni rising up with ear-splitting shrieks. Their carapaces were covered in glowing green patches, their multi-faceted eyes a furious red. Their tentacle-like limbs whipped at the trio mercilessly while wide mouths snapped hungrily.

Shepard's gun came up instantly, but was of little use at such short range, the ridiculously long barrel clumsy in the confines of the narrow corridor. Grunting in frustration, Shepard dropped the gun and set about the aliens with his fists, with the 'Garrus' character granting him the speed and agility to keep dodging the worst of the Rachni attack. At his side, the two Krogan waded in with their characters, engaging in a brutal brawl with what Shepard now recognised as Brood Warriors, a Rachni hive's last line of defence, if the game developers had done their research properly.

"That all you've got?" Grunt asked, laughing loudly as he head-butted one of the creatures, keeping his cigar through all of this. Next to him, Vargas used Wrex's biotics to mash one more of the aliens into a wall. In moments, the fight was over.

"Well that was easy." Shepard observed.

"That was practice." Vargas answered. "There'll be more of those things in with the Queen."

"Let's keep going." Grunt urged. "There's no backing down this time. The Queen has to die!"

With this rousing speech, the trio pressed on, stepping out of the corridor and into a scene of chaos.

Asari bodies littered the floor, varying degrees of mutilation evident. Some had been ripped entirely in half, the wrath of whatever attacked them tearing flesh and bone like paper. Worryingly, no Rachni corpses were present, the blue-skinned aliens apparently so overwhelmed by the insect horde that they had failed to kill even one of the creatures.

"Shepard…"

The Commander turned reflexively at the voice before realising that he wasn't in fact the one being addressed. An Asari lay on the floor, propping her body up against the wall as she struggled to draw in ragged breaths. She lifted a weak hand imploringly towards Grunt, who simply stood, impassively watching her final moments. Benezia, for that was indeed who the virtual Asari was, coughed harshly for a brief few seconds before speaking again. As she did so, Shepard found himself unable to move, suddenly locked into a non-interactive segment of the game. A faint, morose segment of music began playing, the game shamelessly appealing to the player's emotions as the scene played out.

"I'm- I'm sorry, Shepard." She gasped. "I tried to stop him, but Saren got away. His Geth implants have made him… too strong."

"Where is he going?" The 'Commander' demanded, speaking in a voice clearly meant to emulate Shepard's, albeit in a somewhat grittier tone that made the actor sound like he was chewing on gravel at the time.

"He… he said something about Virmire." The Asari managed, continuing the cutscene the trio were having to sit through. "He's going to take what he learned here and build an army for himself on Virmire, then make his move to take over the Citadel. If he succeeds, nobody will be able to stop him from making himself the Emperor of all Council Space."

"We'll stop him." 'Shepard' promised.

"You're the only one who can, Shepard…" 'Benezia' wheezed. "You're the galaxy's only hope…"

She sagged, leading Shepard to think that the cutscene was over, but he still found himself pinned in place, held hostage by the scene. It became apparent why as 'Benezia's' head rose again.

"Where… where is Liara?" She asked weakly. "Where is my daughter?"

"Safe on the Normandy." 'Shepard replied. "Saren can't threaten her now."

"Good." She smiled. "I know you and she have shared a special bond… promise me you'll look after her, and tell her… tell my little wing… that I'm sorry, for everything…"

She slumped again, a wet sigh escaping from her mouth as her chest sagged, blood trickling from the corner of her lips. Still Shepard found himself paralysed as he tried to move, unable to escape from the sudden drama that engulfed him. Sure enough, mere moments later 'Benezia' lifted her head again.

"Ah… there's no light!" Fear tinged her words. "They always told me there would… be… a…"

Her words slurred into a faint death rattle, her body wracked by spasms as she coughed up more and more blood before finally dying, the game forcing Shepard to focus on every last moment of her demise. At long last, after ten long seconds spent pondering the fresh corpse, the game resumed, once again allowing Shepard to move about of his own free will.

The instant it did so, the game descended into chaos. Metal screamed and glass shattered as a truly enormous shape dropped through the ceiling, screaming blood-crazed fury as it tore its way through the facility and conveniently ignored the fact that it was breaking into the containment facility that it had supposedly escaped from without having previously caused such damage on its way out. Instead, the Rachni Queen simply roared madly as she thrashed at the facility around her, destroying over half of the room before she even paid any heed to the three figures before her. At her side, dozens of Brood Warriors poured through the massive hole she'd made, swarming towards the team with menace in their gait.

"Scramble!" Vargas roared, diving out of the way as the Queen spat out a large gobbet of acid in his direction.

Shepard swung his weapon around, trying to get off a series of shots before the Rachni closed in on the team. His gun barked loudly, five shots going off in quick succession. Two drones fell limply to the floor, while the remaining three shots bounced harmlessly off the Queen's carapace. Realising that tactic wouldn't work, the Commander moved back, looking for a way to flank the enemy.

Grunt, meanwhile, simply waded into the mass of insect bodies before him, chain-gun blaring loudly as he cut a bloody swathe through their midst. He kept himself mobile, dodging the Queen as she slammed a leg down to try and crush him, but his movement was impaired by the sheer numbers of Rachni around him.

"Grunt!" Shepard called. "Pull back!"

"No!" The young Krogan growled stubbornly. "I've got this…"

Suddenly, Grunt let out a titanic roar as he swung a fist, slamming his meaty knuckles into the floor hard enough to make the metal under Shepard's feet tremble. His barriers glowed yellow for a second, then exploded with intense fury, washing the horde of enemies around him in flames. The nearest ones simply evaporated, reduced to ash in a blink. Even the Queen was rocked backwards by the attack, stumbling as she hit the far wall.

As the light faded, Shepard saw Grunt kneeling on the floor, panting as he got back to his feet. Around him, the Rachni were already recovering, although they found themselves missing a significant portion of their numbers. Seeing that the Krogan youngster no longer possessed the shimmer of a kinetic barrier, the defence obviously depleted by the suicidal tactic he had employed, the Commander rushed in, grabbing a massive arm and dragging Grunt back away from the heart of the fray. He flung out a few explosives to keep the Rachni at bay, slowly making his way to a bank of machinery that remained mostly intact, a temporary shelter.

"Think we could get the doc to make my armour do that in the field?" Grunt asked with a grin, lifting his gun to pepper the enemy with a deadly volley.

"We already have you running into enemy fire enough without a toy like that." Shepard answered. "I don't need you actively chasing opportunities to commit suicide."

"I signed up with you, didn't I?"

"If he's that bad, why stay?" Vargas asked, vaulting over their cover to join them, his own weapons firing madly into the enemy.

"A good dental plan." Grunt shrugged. "Plus the vacations. We get lots of those. Tuchanka, Khar'Shan, Purgatory…"

"Those were all missions." Shepard pointed out.

"Killing stuff and making people explode counts as a vacation to a Krogan." Grunt chuckled. "Especially if the wildlife is over a hundred feet tall and pissed off!"

"I hate to interrupt the banter, but that Queen is on her way over here." Vargas pointed. "Look out!"

A mouthful of acid splashed against the machinery, strangely enough failing to affect it in any way. Shepard glanced around his hiding space, spotting the Queen not ten metres away, glancing around at her now mostly slaughtered warriors in fury. Few of the smaller insects survived, even fewer unharmed. Seeing his chance, Shepard lobbed an Incendiary Grenade at them, finishing off these select few survivors.

"Now there's just Mother Bug to deal with." He muttered, ducking back into hiding as an anguished wail and another splash of acid headed his way. "Any ideas?"

"I can try to blow it up again!" Grunt volunteered eagerly.

"Your shields won't have recharged yet." Vargas answered flatly.

"Aside from which, if it didn't work the first time I have my doubts it'll work this time." Shepard added.

"I've got an idea." Vargas said. "But it'll be risky. I need you guys to keep her attention while I get around the far side."

"What do you have-" Shepard managed to halfway ask before the store owner was gone, racing away in a half crouch.

Shrugging to himself, the Commander turned and bolted in the opposite direction, pausing to point his sniper rifle back at the Queen to keep her attention. Grunt stayed put, leaning out from behind cover to harass the Queen's side from time to time, keeping her off balance.

The monstrous alien shrieked terribly, an agonised squeal that shook the lab to its foundations, before she suddenly bolted forwards, her thunderous footsteps booming out. Shepard chanced a glance backwards, spotting the Queen racing towards him. Lab machinery shattered as the enormous creature shouldered her way through. A pair of lethal claws snapped forward, whipping by the Commander's face. Before the Commander could move out of the way, the long, prehensile tentacles arching up from the Queen's back looped forward, catching him solidly on the side. For a moment, Shepard was airborne, the game booth twisting its Mass Effect fields to give him a sense of weightlessness for the shortest of moments. The machine's internal workings groaned, struggling to keep the Commander from being thrown out.

A wall rushed toward Shepard's face, his body rattling from the impact as he slid to the floor. Air came in ragged gasps as he rolled over, struggling back to his feet.

"Shepard!" Grunt yelled out in worry.

"I'm alright!" The Commander answered as he staggered upright, glowering at the alien Queen. "Where's Vargas?"

"No clue!" The Krogan shrugged.

"We've given him about as much time as we can." Shepard reached for his belt, pulling out a pair of double-bladed knives. "I'm going in."

He charged, the dumbfounded Queen releasing a confused grunt as the Turian before her burst into action. A claw lashed out, but Shepard ducked, keeping up his momentum as he leapt onto a splintered console before nimbly avoiding a lightning-fast tentacle. He lashed out with one of his weapons, but the blade simply skidded off the thick hide. Undeterred, the Commander pressed on, the longer reach of his Turian 'body' allowing him to hop onto another piece of debris before clambering up onto a thick, segmented leg. A bony knee flexed under him before he scrambled his way up to the creature's body. Finally he managed his way up onto the Queen's back. The alien bucked under him, his feet sliding across the hard carapace as he struggled to keep upright. Balancing himself with both feet and one hand, the Commander lifted a knife, plunging it down between two of the thick plates that coated the Queen's back. Thick green blood spurted out around the blade, the Queen letting out an annoyed, pained bark. The thick body bucked wildly, Shepard clutching desperately at the knife-hilt as the creature fought to throw him off. The two long tentacles flailed at him frantically, thrashing about his head and shoulders viciously.

"Hey!" Grunt's titanic roar echoed out as he raced towards the flailing Queen. His chain-gun chattered loudly, dozens of bullets stitching a line across the alien's side. "Why don't you try facing someone your own size?"

The Queen roared in fury, turning to face the Krogan. A spurt of bullets struck her face, one of her many eyes bursting open as she squealed in pain. A clawed arm darted forward, striking Grunt with a wet noise as the young warrior's gun fell silent.

"Grunt!" Shepard yelled out, rage pumping through his veins. In anger, he stabbed down again and again.

The Queen growled as she tried to turn to face the Commander. As she turned, her arm lifted to reveal Grunt, impaled through his shoulder. The Krogan let out a pained wheeze as the Queen shook him violently, blood coating the Queen's claws. With a flick of her small arm, she flung the young soldier away, his limp form slumping against a bank of computer terminals. At first, Shepard thought that the virtual 'Commander' was dead, Grunt having been ejected from the game, but a small shuffle of movement and a laboured groan let him know that the tank-bred was still in action.

"Shepard!"

The Commander looked about at Vargas' shout, finally spotting the Krogan up near the ceiling, clinging to a set of pipes that bowed dangerously under the weight of the virtual 'Wrex'. Vargas waved his shotgun about as he clambered further along the pipes.

"I'm in position! Get yourself clear of the Queen!"

Without even pausing to ask questions, Shepard leapt clear of the writhing alien. He struck the floor hard, flowing into a neat roll that brought him up close to Grunt's prone form. He grabbed the younger warrior's arm and began dragging him away from the shrieking creature.

The Queen reared up, her bulbous eyes locking on the Commander and his stricken comrade. Her massive maw gaped open, a terrible roar ripping free of her throat. One huge foot thumped forward, then another, the build-up to a charge directly at the vulnerable pair. Shepard tensed, getting ready to throw both himself and the weak Grunt out of the path of the beast, even as he realised there wasn't enough room to properly remove themselves from the danger. If the Queen charged, at least one of them would be killed.

"Fire in the hole!" Vargas howled thunderously.

With a mighty swing, Vargas struck the pipes, shattering a number of bolts. Clear green fluid began seeping out, smoking where it struck the metal of the ceiling, the braces holding up the pipes, and even in a few spots on Vargas' own armour. Another swing of the Krogan's meaty arm snapped the pipe, allowing the acidic fluid inside to spill out freely.

The Queen howled as a torrent of acid poured out directly over her, her armoured hide smoking as the thick carapace melted away. She writhed in agony as the fluid splashed across her face and down her throat, the anguished roars growing weaker as she flinched away from the acidic assault.

Vargas yelled in triumph, his gun waving about as he watched the Queen burn beneath him.

Before the Krogan store-owner could react, the Queen lashed out at him, a tentacle swatting him off the pipe. With a surprised cry, he fell to the floor, just missing the tide of acid washing around the Queen. He rolled away, getting back to his feet and spinning to face the Queen, flashing a triumphant grin at the Commander.

That grin quickly vanished as the heap of smoking flesh in front of the trio heaved, rising back up on unsteady feet. Strips of ragged muscle and sinew hung out of gaping holes in the Queen's carapace, a few internal organs slipping from their appropriate places to leak foul-smelling fluids on the floor, where they mixed with the acid to create cloying fumes. Even as the acid continued to rot away the messy stubs that had once been her feet, the alien Queen dragged herself forward, hatred in every twitch of what remained of her body. The half of her face that remained intact snarled while the other half simply dangled off her skull uselessly.

"No way…" Vargas breathed. "There's just no killing this thing!"

"You're the video game guy." Shepard said accusatorially. "Isn't there some kind of strategy we should be using?"

"The scenario is designed to adapt to tactics sampled from every playthrough of the game, from all across the Galaxy, and then alter the variables a bit." The store clerk explained. "It keeps each player's experience unique. No two attempts at the scenario are supposed to be the same!"

"It wouldn't be a game if we couldn't beat it." Shepard reasoned. "There must be a way!"

"I've got it!" Vargas snapped his beefy fingers. "There's something I've been holding back, but it just might work here, without the thick armour."

"Get to it." Shepard ordered. "I'll watch over Grunt."

"On it." The Krogan lumbered forward, interposing himself between the fallen Grunt and the shambling half-corpse that had been the Rachni Queen. With a firm set to his jaw, he glowered at the acid-drenched monstrosity. "Hey! Down here, you damn dirty bug!"

The Queen either didn't hear or just didn't care, keeping moving towards the trio who had caused her such pain.

"Not in the mood to talk, huh?" Vargas asked, shrugging his shoulders. "Fair enough. They say that actions speak louder than words, anyway."

"Vargas, whatever you're doing, make it quick." Shepard cautioned, reaching down to pick up Grunt's discarded weapon as he watched the approaching Queen warily.

"After the hell these things put my people through?" Vargas chuckled. "Not a chance. I'm gonna make this one squirm."

The Queen roared again, a gargled, liquid sound thanks to her ruined throat. Vargas was not cowed.

"Do you know who I am, you oversized tick?" He growled. "My grandfather was Jorgal Farnash, and my father was Urdnot Kellan. They fought your kind centuries ago, taking part in the Burning Horizon campaign and the downfall of Sector Delta-Nine. Killing Rachni runs deep in my blood and today, I'm going to live up to my legacy."

The Queen shrieked, picking up her pace. Heavy footsteps shook through the lab as she pounded forward. Vargas remained motionless.

"You don't scare me." He spat. "I've been waiting my whole life for this."

The Krogan's shoulders began heaving, his breaths coming faster and faster. His fists fell to his side, the ripples of a biotic field glimmering around them. Sparks jumped from his fingertips.

"You wanna dance? Then let's go!" He yelled, goading the Queen on. "Come get me!"

The Rachni charged, breaking into a headlong dash towards the now-glowing Krogan, ignoring the blue aura that encompassed his frame. As she approached, Vargas raised his hands, palms facing his foe.

"Taste some Krogan RAGE, Rachni scum!" He roared, his voice reverberating deep in the mountain beneath the lab.

Arcs of lightning flared from his palms, jumping across the lab to strike the Queen squarely in the centre of her body. The tiny strands grew thicker, eventually growing into a blinding beam of light leaping from the Krogan to the Rachni. The Queen screamed in pain and terror as the lightning struck, the force of the blast pushing her enormous bulk backwards. Fire ate at her flesh, smoke boiling around her as Vargas kept up his attack.

"Burn, you son of a Varren!" Vargas yelled, chuckling as he continued pouring pure energy into the alien.

The Queen squealed again, the sound much weaker than before. A short arm flailed feebly, trying to block the devastating attack, but to no avail. Moments later, the Rachni Queen fell dead, her last breath escaping in a wet sigh.

Silence rolled across the lab, broken only by Vargas' laboured breathing. Shepard waited for a long second, watching the Queen's body cautiously for any sign of life, before rising to his feet and stalking over to stand next to Vargas. He stared at the Krogan with equal parts amazement and confusion.

"What… the… hell…?" He almost managed to ask a question.

"Biotic Lightning." Vargas shrugged. "Pre-order bonus. You gotta collect a code from every previous instalment of the series to get it, and buy Spectre Justice Seven direct from HC Entertainment three years before release." He thumped his chest proudly. "I was one of the first to order."

"Next time, I think you should open with that." Shepard sighed.

"Wish I could." Vargas said wistfully. "Its kind of a one-time deal. I was saving it for a special occasion, but I can't think of anything more special than getting to game alongside the actual Commander Shepard himself."

"I'm honoured." Shepard said, genuine feeling in his words.

"And it paid off!" Vargas said proudly. "A three-man team taking down the Queen on Spectre-plus difficulty! Gotta be a first."

"Shepard's good at that kind of thing." Grunt rumbled, dusting himself off as he stepped up next to Shepard.

"I have no doubt." The store owner's tone was approving. "We'd better finish up. I'd best not leave the storefront for too long."

**~o~0~o~**

With a final wave to Urdnot Vargas, Shepard and Grunt strode away from Furious Vargas' Game Emporium, soon finding themselves in the crushing crowds of the wards. After some moments of silence, the young Krogan spoke up.

"Shepard."

"Grunt?"

"Just wondering… how close was the game to the real thing?"

"Actually… not very." Shepard explained. "I didn't fight the Queen, I just spoke to her, then let her out of her tank."

"Huh." Grunt took a few more steps, still pondering. "But I thought the game developers used your reports as reference for the scene."

"The Council probably adjusted the facts a little before letting a game developer have them." Shepard reasoned. "It wouldn't do for the public to find out that I unleashed a fertile Rachni Queen into the Noverian Wilds. Especially the Krogan. There are still a few Battlemasters around who remember the war."

Grunt lumbered on beside Shepard for a few more steps. Finally, he let out a snort, clearly reaching a decision.

"I think I prefer the game's version of the story."

"I know you do, Grunt." Shepard murmured, patting the alien's shoulder.

"It has more teeth to it." The Krogan continued. "A story's always better if you add more blood and dismemberment. Most Krogan stories haven't even started until the first lung gets torn out." He paused, sniffing the air. "I'm hungry. Is there somewhere that serves Krogan around here?"

"There's a sushi place not far from here." Shepard suggested.

"Ugh! No thanks." Grunt growled. "Can't stand fish. I'm looking for some real food!"

"There's probably a Fishdog Food Shack somewhere around here. I hear their Varren steaks can scour the lining clean off the inside of your stomach."

"That sounds more like it!" Grunt chuckled, hands rubbing together in anticipation. "You coming?"

"I'll pass." Shepard said tactfully. "I prefer it when my meals don't liquefy my insides."

"Your loss." Grunt shrugged. "I'll meet you back on the ship."

Shepard nodded as Grunt strode off into the massed throng of people with purpose, the towering alien visible for quite some time as he loomed over the crowd. As Shepard watched him leave, an insistent buzzing from his wrist caught his attention. His omnitool blinked, announcing a new message. Stepping to the side so as not to be in the way of the bustling crowds, he opened the message.

_Shepard._

_Need to keep this short. Got a situation down here I need some backup to deal with. Pulsar Sunrise. Asari dance club and 'massage' parlour in Kithoi Ward._

_Bring extra clips. And a few grenades._

_Zaeed._

Confused, curious, and shaking his head at the mercenary's curt message, Shepard wasted no time in finding a taxi terminal, soon on his way to find the location Zaeed had mentioned.

**~o~0~o~**

**~ZAEED~**

"About goddamn time you got here."

Zaeed barely glanced up from the bar as Shepard slid onto the stool next to him, eyes quickly scanning the room while he made sure not to draw the attention of any of the room's occupants.

"Your directions were sketchy at best. It took me a while to find this place." Shepard explained, concerned by the fact that there was no immediately apparent danger.

The pistol and shotgun that he had acquired on his way to the club, along with the bandolier of grenades and small arsenal of thermal clips, pressed into his sides tightly, barely hidden by the casual clothing he wore. Only the thought of the attention he would draw had prevented him from donning a full set of battle armour, too. Seeing no apparent threat to the grizzled mercenary's wellbeing, he turned to Zaeed with a questioning look.

"I thought you said there was some kind of emergency?"

"Damn right there is. Now keep yer voice down!" Zaeed growled into his drink, a tall glass of fizzing blue liquid. "Back wall, third booth from the left. Don't stare!"

Shepard glanced over, his eyes barely waiting half a second on the designated booth before he pretended to stare at the two Asari dancing on a stage in the centre of the club.

"Big Turian, green facial markings, red armour?"

"That's the bastard." Zaeed grumbled. "His name's Tori Nexx. Big time enforcer for the Shadow broker once upon a time. Now he'd just a hardass for hire. Assassination, protection rackets for the Blue Suns, gunrunning for Eclipse, he's done it all. Worked up quite a bounty on his head, from the Volus, of all the people you'd expect."

"What kind of bounty are we talking about?" Shepard asked, nodding his thanks to the Asari waitress who delivered his drink, a short glass full of clear red liquid.

"Not as big as the one on your head, but beginning to get damn close."

"I never even realised I had a bounty." Shepard murmured, sipping his drink.

"Are you kidding? With the number of mercs you've gunned down?" Zaeed scoffed. "If I could hand you over to the assorted criminals of the Galaxy alive, I'd have enough credits to buy any planet I liked, including Earth. Dead would net me a small pirate fleet, or a couple of space stations."

"If? You're not sure you could do it?" Shepard smirked.

"Oh, I reckon I could." Zaeed muttered. "Even got a few plans worked out for how I'd go about it."

"Comforting to know." Shepard deadpanned.

"Pays to be prepared." The mercenary shrugged. "But I'm not about to betray someone who's already done me a favour or two like you have. I do still have some honour. If things go down the shitter with this Reaper war, tough…"

"I'll bear that in mind." Shepard drawled. "So this is business, then?"

"Mostly." Zaeed admitted. "I knew Tori back when I was head of the Suns. Bastard was one of the guys Vido paid to turn on me during his little coup. I'm not gonna deny how happy it'd make me to put a few bullets into that scaly hide before I turn him over to the Volus."

"And you need my help?" Shepard asked. "I'd have thought one guy wouldn't give you trouble."

"Tori's just one guy, but he never goes anywhere without at least fifteen of his private mercenaries, all former lieutenants in the Terminus Cartels before Tori lured 'em away with more money than most of the Galaxy would see in ten years. They're here right now, spread out among the crowd, hanging out in the crapper, watching the front and back doors. I'll bet at least one of 'em has already clocked you, Commander."

"Do they know that you and I work together on the same ship?"

"Doubt it." Zaeed answered flatly. "It ain't exactly common knowledge. Aside from some bigwigs in your Alliance brass, I doubt there's many who know exactly who is on your crew." He continued muttering as he raised his drink once more. "Given how many of us have a price on our head, that's probably for the best."

"So what's the plan to take out this guy?"

"I wanna take him alive if we can." Zaeed explained. "That means catching him unarmed."

"You're not going soft on me, are you?" Shepard chuckled.

"The hell I am." The mercenary grumbled. "Death'd be too good for him. It'll be much more satisfying to take him in and let him know he's going to have to live through whatever his long list of enemies have planned for him. I want him to know I was the one who beat him, and that if you're going to shoot Zaeed Massani in the head, you'd damn well better make sure he ain't gonna get back up."

"Point taken." Shepard shrugged. "But catching him off-guard like that will be tricky. To avoid a firefight, you'd need to catch him alone and unarmed."

"Which is why I chose to catch him here." Zaeed answered. "The girls here offer a lot more than drinks and dancing. Tori's got a soft spot for one of 'em, comes here every week. In about half an hour, he'll head for the back rooms. That'll be our chance."

"I can see how that gives us our window to grab him, but how do you plan to get out of here with him? His guards will still be around."

"I've paid off a few Krogan to cause a little distraction out the front. They'll pose as activists looking for Council reparations over the Genophage staging a protest. Should draw enough attention away from us to let us slip out the back."

"I don't see how a political protest is meant to give us the kind of distraction-"

"You ever seen Krogan making a political statement, Shepard? Trust me, we'll get all the time we need."

"So what do you need me for?"

"Moving a Turian while he's still kicking and screaming won't be an easy thing. Need a spare pair of hands to help me out."

"Fair enough." Shepard took a long draw of his drink, emptying the glass. "So how long do we have to wait here?"

"Not long." The older mercenary gave a slight nod in his target's direction, pointing out to the Commander that the Turian had stood up, making his way towards a discreet door at the back of the room. "Give him a few minutes to get comfy back there, then we'll move in. I'll head in first to subdue him, you watch my back."

"Got it." Shepard nodded.

The pair waited at the bar for a few long moments, downing another round of drinks. As the old bounty hunter finished his second fizzing green beverage, he stood, waving an omnitool over the bar to pay his tab. Reaching down to adjust his belt, he shuffled his way to the back door, giving every impression of a man who needed to hit the restroom. Nobody turned a second glance his way as he slipped out of sight through the back door.

Shepard waited a short while longer, then stood up as well, winking at the Asari behind the bar as he paid for his drinks and walked off, his casual swagger turning all attention away from himself. In seconds, he slipped through the door after his grizzled comrade.

Through the door, a semi-circle of armed thugs waited, weapons out and pointed in the Commander's direction. Before them, Zaeed stood with his back to the door, a large assault rifle in his hands and trained on the chest of none other than Tori Nexx, who held two ugly, fat pistols that he aimed at Zaeed's head. A half-second of silence passed as Shepard processed the scene.

"Woops." He said loudly, awkwardly. He slurred his words to try an give the impression of inebriation, hoping the thugs would underestimate him. "Wrong door."

"Not so fast, Shepard." Tori's said sharply. "I shoulda known it wasn't a coincidence that he showed up here at the same time as you, Massani. You and the Commander are working together."

"Now you're just talking out of your arse, Tori." Zaeed growled. "Why the hell would Commander Shepard be working with a Bounty Hunter?"

"Either way, we can't let him go now after seeing us." The Turian muttered. "Weapons on the ground. Now."

Zaeed didn't move, the Mattock he carried aimed straight at where the Turian's heart rested. Shepard, unwilling to reveal his arsenal, also remained still.

"I said weapons on the ground!" The alien snapped. "Do it now, or I'll have the boys take them off you by force."

"First one to try it lose an eye." Zaeed threatened. "Or a nut. I'm not picky."

The assembled thugs shifted on their feet uncertainly as the Turian sighed.

"Fine. Then I guess we just shoot you both. You won't survive a bullet to the head this time, old man."

"I'd sooner die than let a cuttlebone take me alive." Zaeed rumbled.

"If you say so." Tori shrugged, unphased by the racial slur. "You're still worth plenty as a corpse, Massani. All Vido asks is that we have a body to hand over. I think he wants to mount your skull over his fireplace."

"So all of this was a trick, then?" Zaeed asked.

"Pretty much."

"Ballsy move, setting yourself up as the bait." Shepard observed.

"Fulfilling, though." Tori chuckled as he glanced to Zaeed. "It was amusing, watching you try to piece together my 'routine'."

The older soldier's face twitched, finger tightening on the trigger of his gun. Throughout the assembled throng, muscles tensed as Tori's men readied themselves for the first shot. The barrel of one of Tori's guns wagged in the air, cautioning.

"Ah-ah-ah." He chided. "I wouldn't, if I were you. How many shots do you think you and the Council stooge could get off before we opened fire?"

"I only need to manage one." Zaeed answered, indicating the rifle barrel that aimed straight at the Turian's chest.

"I'm flattered, really." Tori smirked. "But maybe you should think this through a little more. If not for yourself, then maybe for your Alliance pal back there. Doesn't he have a Galaxy to save? Whole planets to fight for? It'd be a shame if he bled out in a back alley on the Wards instead of out on the battlefield like a real soldier."

Shepard felt a growl rise in his gut, irritation at the condescending words growing inside him. Zaeed was still, his muscles rock-steady. Then, with a snort of anger, he lowered his gun. Tori grinned.

"Smart move. Now put it down. Slowly."

Zaeed complied, his movements stiff with anger.

"Good boy." Tori wagged his guns again. "Thermal clips, too. Put them on the floor and slide them over to me."

"Like hell I will!"

"Try to remember who's in charge here, old man." The Turian's guns twitched again. "Clips. Floor. Now!"

Zaeed did as instructed, sending the tiny cylinders sliding across the floor to stop right at the alien's feet. The assembled thugs all relaxed, Tori most of all.

"Glad we could sort that out." He said, grinning triumphantly. "So much for the legendary Zaeed Massani. I've had a harder time roughing up Volus for protection money."

"Maybe you shoulda stuck with that line of work." Zaeed muttered. "It's more suited to a dumb bastard like you."

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Tori raised a hand to his ear. "I couldn't hear you over the sounds of me beating you."

"He hasn't noticed." Shepard murmured, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Nope." Zaeed replied cheerfully.

"Noticed?" Tori's confidence evaporated. "Noticed what?"

"Should we tell him?" Zaeed smirked.

"Not just yet." The Commander grinned. "Why spoil it?"

"What the hell are you two talking about?" The Turian grew more and more uneasy. "Start talking, or I'll shoot you so full of holes that even Cerberus won't be able to bring you back this time, Commander!"

"Next time you get someone to put their ammo at your feet, Tori?" Zaeed pointed. "Make sure none of it's on a timer."

The Turian had just enough time to look down before the Inferno Grenade, tucked inconspicuously into the small pile of thermal clips, detonated with lethal force. A pillar of flame engulfed the alien, his screams lost in the roaring flames.

The rest of the gathered mass leapt back as the blast of heat washed over them, all twisting to shield their eyes as Shepard and Zaeed bolted for the door, heedless of the risk that an enemy could take a shot at their exposed backs in their rush to get out of immediate danger. Head turned as they crashed through the door back into the club, confusion and curiosity soon being replaced by alarm and panic as Shepard produced his pistol from its concealed place under his clothes. Women screamed and men yelled as they moved for the doors, a veritable stampede desperate to escape. Shepard was all too happy to let them go, unwilling to risk bystanders in the oncoming shootout.

The Commander quickly followed the older mercenary as he leapt behind the bar, twisting nimbly to face back the way he had come and bring his weapon to bear on the open doorway. As Shepard hunkered down next to Zaeed, the older man leaned over to mutter in his comrade's ear.

"You got a spare shooter?"

"Where's yours?"

"I had to drop it back there, didn't I?"

"You didn't bring a spare?"

"I wasn't counting on having to throw away a perfectly good gun five seconds into the job!"

"Fine." Shepard huffed, passing over the pistol as he pulled out the shotgun, the weapon unfolding smoothly in his hand. "Here."

Zaeed paused, looking at the pistol being offered to him. His eyes pointedly flickered towards the shotgun. Sighing, Shepard swapped the guns, resigning himself to the pistol. With a triumphant grin, the mercenary grabbed the weapon, turning it towards the doorway just as the first of the thugs came running through. A quick blast from the wide-barrelled weapon floored that foe, the next one moving with more care.

Shepard moved to the end of the bar, firing around the counter to keep the enemy pinned. A couple of shots took a Batarian down as he tried to line up a shot on the cackling Zaeed, then another winged a Turian who was trying the slip through the door in a high speed crouch, the alien falling to the floor with a cry before he managed to haul himself behind an overturned table, setting himself up to keep the duo under pressure from two directions at once.

As Shepard found himself forced to duck back into cover, the bar shuddering from multiple impacts simultaneously, a small metal object soared through a high arc before landing behind the bar with a light 'tink', rolling to a stop right between the Commander and Zaeed. The grizzled bounty hunter shouted out a warning as he burst into motion.

"Grenade!"

Shepard leapt aside, a wash of superheated air and raw force striking him square in the back and hurling him far across the room. He struck a table, the polished wood shattering under his body to dump him unceremoniously on the floor.

The attacking thugs, now unhindered by the combined fire of the pair, flooded through the doorway, fanning out to flank the duo.

Loud ringing filled Shepard's ears, all other sound fading to a dull hum as he shook his head to clear it of the dizzying slowness that pulled at his mind. Steeling himself, he pushed through the dazing effects of the nearby explosion as he struggled back onto his feet, keeping himself low to avoid incoming fire. Reclaiming his pistol from where it had fallen amongst the wreckage of what had been a secluded booth against one of the walls, he quickly brought it to bear on the nearest of the thugs, killing the Human with two shots. He glanced about, alarmed that he could no longer see his comrade.

"Zaeed!" He shouted.

A gloved hand rose up from behind a hastily built shield of tables and chairs before vanishing back down. A moment later, it reappeared with a shotgun, removing half of the skull of a thug moving in on Zaeed's position.

"Get your arse over here!" The gruff cry echoed across the room. "There's not much time left!"

"Time?" Shepard, exasperated, leaned out of cover to fire off a couple of shots before making a headlong dash towards Zaeed's position. A stream of bullets followed him, stitching a trail in the wall behind him as he rushed with all of his might. In a final desperate leap, he cleared Zaeed's hastily built refuge and rolled into hiding himself, amazed that he had remained untouched throughout the move. Exasperated, he turned to the mercenary. "Time for what?"

Zaeed opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out before the world dissolved into chaos. The entire front portion of the club evaporated in a wall of white flames, windows shattering in an instant, their glass melting in mid-air to spatter down throughout the room in a white-hot drizzle. Metal simply shattered, the sudden rise in temperature rendering it brittle enough that the blast of the explosion ripped it apart effortlessly. A blistering shockwave of hot air washed over the Commander, his hair singeing in the raw fury of the blast. Silence rolled across the devastated club in the wake of this, the onrushing thugs thrown back in shock and awe. In the deathly quiet, Zaeed's chuckle was guttural, menacing.

"A Krogan political statement. God I love those vicious bastards!"

Through the open wreckage of what had once been the club's front wall, chanting could be heard, dozens of deep, throaty voices giving air to countless grievances. Banners could be seen waving through the flames, while the occasional weapon was held aloft and fired randomly into the air.

A brief moment was all it took for Tori's forces to recover, a number of them leaping to the conclusion that the Krogan intervention was some form of enemy reinforcements. A couple of shots flew into the Krogan ranks, vengefully retaliated by the lumbering aliens. It wasn't long before a furious firefight between the two sides raged. Zaeed didn't sit around to enjoy the show, grabbing Shepard by the shoulder to guide him away from the fight.

"Come on, Shepard. We don't wanna stand between the Krogan and their enemy. That's the definition of 'rock' and 'hard place'."

"Where are we going?"

"Like the plan said, out the back door." Zaeed muttered. "Maybe we can scoop up what's left of Tori. I still get half if I hand over his scaly hide with the guts scooped out of it first. The Volus who's paying for this job was quite detailed about the kind of rug he'd make. Apparently he knows a guy who knows a guy who owns a tannery and doesn't ask too many questions."

"Remind me never to piss off a Volus."

"I know, right?" Zaeed chuckled. "I'd expect something like that from a Krogan, or a squint, or even a Human, but it's hard not to think of the little blubber balls as cute and cuddly. Vicious doesn't seem their style."

The pair sidled over to the door, avoiding the gaze of the thugs as the Krogan steadily picked them off. Slipping through the door, they scurried over to the blackened mass on the floor that had been Tori Nexx, retrieving Zaeed's rifle from the floor. When they reached the Turian, Zaeed stretched down with one hand, the other moving to a knife on his belt.

A muted groan seeped from the blackened lump as Zaeed turned him over, causing the seasoned soldier to flinch back.

"Shit!" He breathed. "The bastard's still alive!"

"He's tough, to have survived that." Shepard said, collecting a few scattered clips for his pistol and his newly returned shotgun.

"He's a Turian." Zaeed grunted. "Shoulda known his scales would protect him. Still, all the better for me." He reached down, swatting the alien roughly across the face. "Rise and shine, precious! We're going for a little walk!"

Tori's eyes snapped open, fear glowing in their centre as he glared at Zaeed. He remained sullenly silent as he refused to move. Zaeed reached down to grab his arm, dragging him up onto his feet. As he did so, a tight groan of agony escaped from the alien's throat, halfway between a whimper and a growl. He shuffled forward as Zaeed's gun prodded him in the back. Shepard followed the pair towards the back door.

"So now we just stroll on out of here and turn him in?" He asked.

"Yup." Zaeed replied. "Why? You sound disappointed."

"Not disappointed." Shepard said as they opened the final door that stood between them and the street. "Just... surprised. After what we've just been through, it all seems a little too..."

The trio froze as they stepped through the door into the cooler air outside, only to find themselves confronted by two sky-cars, both of which were disgorging several heavily armed mercenaries bearing the Blue Suns logo on their armour. A dozen rifles took aim at the Commander and his mercenary ally.

"...Easy." Shepard sighed.

"You had to goddamn say it, didn't you?" Zaeed grumbled.

"Where did they come from?"

"Pretty boy here must be carrying a panic button. Any injury triggers a distress beacon. Next thing you know, two full squads of Blue Suns' best and brightest come running to save the guy paying their bills."

"Smart."

"It was Vido's idea. I never saw the point. If one of your big guns has already been taken out by it, why send more of your best into the meat grinder on the off-chance he's not already dead? By my thinking, it's just a quick way to send good men running after some dumbass who was too stupid to keep himself from getting shot."

"So What are you gonna do now, Massani?" Tori smirked. "You haven't got any of those fancy grenades this time to help you out."

"I reckon I could take out four of 'em before they got through my armour." Zaeed said to Shepard, ignoring the Turian's jibes.

"I've only got my shields." Shepard gestured to his civilian attire. "I could take down two, tops, before that ran out of juice." He scanned the area, looking for alternatives. Finally his eyes alighted on a solution "I think I see a way out. You got your running shoes on, old man?"

"Try calling me old man again and you'll see just how fast I can shift!" Zaeed growled.

"Just follow my lead." Shepard said, moving his shotgun slowly so as not to provoke a reaction from the onlooking mercenaries.

As the gun barrel swept over their positions, the mercenaries flinched down behind their sky-cars, using them as cover. Their weapons remained a threat, however, although with their employer still in the way they were reluctant to open fire. At last Shepard took aim at his true target, the air intake for the engine of the sky-car on the left.

The shotgun coughed, a cloud of bullets spattering against the grille of the intake. A second shot, then a third. The mercenaries flinched at the shots, unsure of what the intent was. After the fourth and final shot, the sky-car's engine suddenly took on a different note, rising in pitch. a rattling was heard from within the Mass Effect core inside the vehicle as the entire craft shook, then exploded with a loud pop. The mercenaries hiding behind it were knocked back by the blast, their allies put off-balance by the surprise. Shepard and Zaeed made full use of the momentary lapse in focus to grab Tori by the arms and drag him with them, breaking into a headlong dash past the burning vehicle down the street. Barely a second passed before shots began to ring out, bullets bouncing off the walls and the metal beneath their feet as the thugs hurried to catch up. Not even caring to look, Zaeed simply aimed his rifle over his shoulder and fired wildly, keeping his focus on running onwards. Shepard didn't even try to fire his gun, the task of keeping a tight grip on Tori hard enough. Between them, the Turian struggled with all of his might whilst screaming bitter abuse at his subordinates, demanding that they save him whilst complaining about their bullets coming too close for his liking. Eventually Zaeed simply swung his rifle around to strike him on the head, rendering the alien unconscious. The dead weight was harder to manoeuvre, but Shepard had to admit that his sudden silence was infinitely preferable.

"Where do we go now?" Zaeed, already panting with exertion, gasped between breaths.

"Hadn't really planned that far ahead." Shepard answered.

"So pretty much par for the course for us, then?"

"Yup." Shepard looked about, trying to spot a safe place to head for.

"They still have that second sky-car." Zaeed warned. "It won't take 'em long to run us down in that."

"There!" Shepard pointed further down the street, to a tall, circular building. "That hotel."

"You reckon we could hole up in the penthouse until we can call for backup?"

"Exactly." Shepard nodded. "We should be able to lock down a single floor and hold them off for a while."

"I ain't got anything better." Zaeed shrugged. "Lead on."

The pair dashed for the building, darting through a hauntingly empty lobby. Behind the desk, a sleepy night clerk had just enough time to raise his head before the trio were gone. Shepard took it as an encouraging sign that the staff were so relaxed, making it unlikely that the hotel was busy and thus reducing the chance of innocent guests being caught in the crossfire.

Barely stopping to get their bearings, the trio bustled into a wide open atrium that filled the centre of the cylindrical building, a small rock garden and a neat little pond in its exact centre. A spiralling walkway hugged the sides of the opening, leading all the way up to the second to last floor. Beyond, the glow of the opposite wards filled the purple-black night. At the far side of the atrium, a glass tube reached up to the heights of the building, housing a pair of elevators, the only path to the penthouse level. Shepard quickly slapped the panel to summon one, the pair quickly stepping in with their prize.

Silence filled the small cabin of the elevator as it trundled its way upwards, the trio standing awkwardly side by side. After a moment the peace was broken as a jaunty little tune echoed down from above, a repetitive melody that bored its way into Shepard's consciousness.

After the interminably long elevator ride came to its end, the Commander bulled his way out into a short corridor, dragging Tori behind him as Zaeed brought up the rear. Keeping a wary eye open for any potential pursuit, they made their way down the corridor towards the set of double doors at the far end, Shepard setting to work on the electronic lock while Zaeed covered the corridor behind them. In seconds, the door opened, allowing access to the lavish room beyond. Shepard stepped through, turning back to wag his gun in Tori's direction, ushering the Turian through. He glanced back to see Zaeed standing still, his gun turned up towards the ceiling as his eyes narrowed, searching for something. When Shepard followed the older soldier's gaze, all he could see was a series of tanks set into the corridor ceiling. A moment's thought allowed him to figure out that they were oxygen tanks, tied into the building's ventilation system. Most of the taller buildings in the Wards had a similar system in place, a way of delivering clean air to the building's inhabitants. For a building tall enough to reach the upper limits of the atmospheric bubble the Citadel maintained, the system was a must. Curious, Shepard glanced from the system to Zaeed and back again.

"Zaeed? You okay?"

"Yeah." The mercenary shrugged. "Just getting the lay of the land, making some backup plans."

"See if you can't jam the elevators." The Commander instructed. "I'll see what I can do about Tori's panic button."

"I wouldn't bother." Zaeed grumbled. "The device is implanted under the skin to monitor vital signs. Unless you were planning some spontaneous surgery, it won't be worth your time."

"Noted. I'll try to get a call out, get some backup on its way to us."

"There should be a comm unit somewhere in the room." Zaeed explained. "A place like this is going to see a lot of businessmen pass through. They don't like to be off the grid for too long."

Shepard nodded, turning to search the penthouse suite.

The suite was quite large, and luxuriously designed. Occupying the entire top floor of the hotel, the suite had a bathroom, a kitchen, a large living area and three bedrooms, one of which was truly grand in its design. A massive four-poster bed occupied the master bedroom, large enough to sleep ten with ease. In the living area, a large rug covered the floor before an open fireplace, a simulated flame flickering in the hearth, while three wide couches upholstered in some kind of leather sat around it. A small bar ran across one wall, while the opposite one held a massive window that gazed out over the Ward, the scene beyond a tranquil one as the bustling cityscape carried on with its day-to-day routine.

Shepard nodded for Tori to take a seat on one of the couches, keeping a wary eye on the alien as he began his search. The Turian sat slowly, his posture stiff as he watched the Commander carefully, ready for the first chance he could get to try and make his escape. Shepard kept his gun in his hand, knowing that the alien would either try to rush him or try to bolt at the first sign of inattention on his part.

A shadow of movement at the window caught the Commander's eye. He turned to see a familiar shape dart past, the second of the two sky-cars that had tried to corner them at the back of the club. Men with guns peered out of the craft, glaring through the windows at the Commander before the vehicle wheeled away, moving around and up the side of the building.

"Looks like Tori's buddies have found us." Shepard called to Zaeed. "I think they're going to try coming down from the roof."

"There's a bunch in the lobby downstairs, too." Zaeed replied from the elevator door. "They've got a tech working to get the lift going again. Must be a Salarian. He's getting through my work pretty fast."

The mercenary strode into the room, his gait hurried.

"We don't have a lot of time." He said. "Any word on our backup?"

"Just a second…" Shepard muttered, finding a control panel under the kitchen work surface.

A screen popped up between the kitchen and living area. The Commander hurried over to it, keying in a few commands. He released a grunt of disgust when the screen filled with static, the comm channels going silent.

"Unit's dead. Our friends must have taken out the antennae on the roof."

"So what do we do now?" Zaeed asked.

"You know, Shepard, if you co-operate, I could pull a few strings." Tori suggested, his voice laden with honey. "My men aren't interested in you, just Massani here. You help bring him down, and you could walk away from this. Why risk your life for a merc like him?"

"I'm not risking my life for some merc." Shepard replied. "I'm doing it for a friend."

"Friends?" Tori snorted. "Friends are only as good as the money that paid for them. My friends out there? They cost a hell of a lot. They're going to keep attacking until I'm safe. This will only end one way- with the two of you dead and me walking out of here, alive and well."

"No, it won't." Zaeed said flatly.

The bark of his shotgun was surprisingly loud, the spray of bullets from its muzzle ripping into the Turian savagely. At the close range, the Turian's armour and thick scales offered next to no protection, his torso bursting open like an overripe fruit. Blue blood splattered across the leather of the couch as the body jerked back, limbs still twitching as the face contorted into a brief expression of surprise before going deathly still.

"What the hell?!" Shepard flinched back from the sudden shot, caught unawares. He turned to face Zaeed, his expression one of shock and confusion. "Zaeed?"

"We've gone through too much to risk him walking away from this." Zaeed muttered by way of explanation. "Even if we find a way out of here, taking a live hostage makes things too complicated. Besides, he's still worth a lot as a corpse. You wanna help me get the head?"

"No, you go right ahead." Shepard turned away as Zaeed produced a knife, setting about the grim task of collecting a trophy to present to his client. A few wet slicing noises later, and the evidence of Tori's death had been secured. This done, Shepard turned to face the elevator, noting that the numbers were now counting up, a unit of enemies travelling up the building. Zaeed also noticed this.

"Looks like we're outta time."

"Got any ideas?" Shepard asked.

"One. How're your shields?"

"At full power." Shepard said, checking his omni-tool's reading. "Why?"

"When was the last time you went base jumping?"

**~o~0~o~**

Paul Miller fidgeted uneasily, hands clenching his gun tightly as he waited for the elevator to finish its ascent. Next to him, eight of his fellow mercenaries all stood patiently, on edge as they waited for the elevator to reach its destination and the next engagement to commence. Paul, the youngest and newest member of the troupe, found it hard to understand how they could seem so cool and collected in the face of what they had already experienced.

Paul had been one of the bodyguards who had been with Tori in the club before their whole world had turned upside down. He'd pointed a gun at one of his boss' kidnappers, before being blinded by the grenade that had almost incinerated Tori and a number of other mercenaries.

He could still remember the fierce intensity of the gunfight, his first fight against properly armed and trained opponents. The unexpected change to the rules of engagement now that his targets could fire back was unsettling, to say the least. Sweat beaded on his brow as he remembered being the next in line to pass through that door the attacking duo had managed to bottleneck, almost forced into the line of fire before a lucky grenade from one of his comrades had scattered the two attackers and opened up the battlefield a little more for the mercenaries. He could remember his confidence swelling at the sudden improvement of his side's odds, only for that confidence to evaporate as Massani's Krogan backup had torn into the club, ripping through what remained of his comrades with little effort. Facing off against the Krogan had been a truly nerve-wracking experience, seeing his friends and allies slaughtered in minutes as the burly aliens simply tore through them.

A near miss with a grenade and a lucky escape by playing dead had allowed him to get away from the fierce fight, reuniting with the reinforcements he now travelled with as he learned the grave news- not only had Massani and his ally escaped, but they had somehow managed to capture Tori, destroying a sky-car in the process as they made their way to this hotel.

Paul turned to glance at Silon, the Salarian who was busily slicing through the elevator's system to override the lockdown Massani had put in place. A glance over the alien's shoulder allowed him to see the numbers steadily rising on the screen, nearly at the penthouse level. A knot tightened in his gut as he tensed, taking a deep breath to brace himself for the coming confrontation.

The plan was all too simple- the elevator team would draw their attention, keeping their focus on the corridor leading into the penthouse suite, while a second team rappelled down from the roof, coming in through the windows and catching Massani and his friend in a neat little trap.

The elevator chimed to announce its arrival, and the doors slid open to disgorge its passengers.

Gunfire roared immediately, Paul dropping into a roll to dodge out of the way as he raced out of the elevator, his comrades following quickly. Two figures stood in the doorway of the suite, guns up and firing. A moment passed then, much to the amazement of Paul, the duo charged. Bewildered, the Blue Suns forces froze as Zaeed and Shepard raced towards them in a headlong dash. Before the mercs could adjust, the pair jerked to one side, darting in the direction of a pair of Turians trying to secure the left side of the hall. The two aliens, surprised by the move, dodged out of the way as the pair raced by, the fire of the rest of the mercenaries following the duo and forcing the Turians to duck.

A moment too late, Paul realised the plan of the pair. As they dashed past the last few mercenaries, a couple of shots connecting with their shields, Massani's friend took aim at the window next to the elevator, shooting out the glass in two shots. Paul moved his gun, trying to aim ahead of the pair, but only one of his shots connected with Shepard's shields before the two Humans leapt through the damaged window, soaring out into thin air. Just before gravity took over and the pair vanished from sight, the young man imagined that he could see a large spherical object attached to Massani's belt, but he couldn't be sure of what it was.

The corridor fell silent as the mercenaries stopped firing, Paul and a couple of others racing over to look out through the shattered window. As they did so, a cacophony of splintering glass came from behind them, the second team making their entrance through the big windows in the suite. A moment was all it took for them to find Tori's headless body, joining the first team in the corridor as Silon worked to open the elevator again.

As the corridor filled with silence, Paul imagined he could hear a small, insistent noise. He tilted his head, soon finding that the noise, a small ticking, was coming from above. He glanced up, catching sight of a device affixed to one of the oxygen pipelines that ran across the ceiling there. Before he could react, the device stopped ticking, emitting a single loud beep.

Fire washed through the penthouse suite, drowning out the screams of the mercenaries.

**~o~0~o~**

Weightlessness tugged at Shepard's innards as he soared through the air, finding himself wondering for not the first time that night how in the hell he had ended up in this position. Bullets zipped past his ear as he began to tumble down towards the distant floor of the atrium.

The Commander's kinetic barriers flickered around him, sensing the fall and flaring to slow it. A feature of most military-grade barriers, the protective device was capable of emitting a small Mass Effect field that could slow a fall to a more manageable speed. While it wouldn't entirely eliminate the momentum of falling from a great height, it could certainly serve to protect a trooper leaping from a drop-ship to the ground. In Shepard's case, the system transformed his leap from suicidal to merely insanely stupid. Next to him, Zaeed's barrier flickered with the same energy.

The duo fell, still picking up a lot of speed. As they tumbled, Shepard looked down to the ground, spying the target he would ultimately aim for. He twisted in the air, angling his body slightly to the side as Zaeed matched his course.

The atrium floor rushed up to meet them, the small garden growing larger all too fast. At the last moment, Shepard twisted to bring himself down feet-first, taking a deep breath. Zaeed mirrored his every move.

The pair struck the surface of the pond with a thunderous splash, a jet of water rising up around them as the sudden coldness sapped at their limbs. The impact was still powerful, rattling all of Shepard's bones as the air escaped from his lungs in a rush. The water closed in over his head as his feet struck the bottom, the Commander pushing off to float back to the surface.

Just as his head approached the surface of the small pool of water, a rumble and a shudder passed through the atrium, a blast of air striking the surface of the pond and sending a small shockwave rippling through it. As he surfaced, the true wrath of the explosion became apparent, the top floor of the hotel erupting into flames, amplified by the rupturing oxygen tanks. Debris rained down, splashing into the pond around the Commander.

Shepard turned, looking for a handy spot to clamber out. As he did so, a dark shape rose next to him, bursting through the surface of the water. Tori's dead eyes rolled in his skull, making Shepard jolt backwards. The Commander swatted at the grisly object in disgust, batting it away. Quickly following the severed head, Zaeed broke the surface, gasping for air. The pair swam for the edge of the pond, soon dragging themselves into the shallows and slumping down, exhausted. Zaeed juggled Tori's head from hand to hand before tossing it to the Commander with a smirk. Shepard quickly passed it back.

"A job well done, I reckon." Zaeed grinned.

"Yeah, well next time we go for drinks, I'm choosing the place." Shepard grumbled.

Zaeed's laugh was sharp, hoarse. Shepard soon joined him, their chuckles echoing up towards the flames above.

By the time C-Sec arrived at the scene, the duo were long gone.

**~o~0~o~**

In just a few minutes, Shepard found himself striding through the hectic markets of the Wards, dodging between countless denizens of the Citadel, all clamouring to either make a sale or secure some highly prized commodity. Zaeed had parted ways with the Commander almost immediately after leaving the hotel, Tori's head stowed in a bag over his shoulder as he headed off to hand in his bounty and collect the reward. A satisfied grunt and the promise of a future round of drinks was about as much gratitude as the older man had outwardly shown, but Shepard knew him well enough to know that the veteran warrior wouldn't forget the debt owed, their friendship more firmly cemented. Whistling a jaunty tune, the former Blue Suns leader had vanished into the bustle of the station, gone in a moment, leaving the Commander with most of the night still remaining to entertain himself.

Shepard swerved to one side to avoid a pair of bickering Salarians, two hotel employees trying to secure the best ingredients to feed their guests in the morning. The pair were both struggling over some kind of bulbous, purple watermelon, big warty growths covering its thick skin. The Turian stall owner swiftly intervened, parting the pair and producing a second specimen to settle the dispute, allowing Shepard to continue on his way as they moved out of his path.

Just as Shepard was striding past a stall manned by a friendly little Vorcha proudly crowing about his wide range of caffeinated beverages for sale, a buzz at his wrist caught the Commander's attention. He looked down to see his omni-tool flashing, an incoming call on his private channel. His brow creased as he noted the call was coming from the Normandy. Stepping away from the crowds, he answered the call.

"Shepard? Tell me I got the right frequency this time!"

"Joker?" The Commander's curiosity spiked as the voice of his pilot came over the channel.

"Oh, it is you! Thank god. You have no idea how tricky it is to control which frequency this things transmits on when you can't actually touch the controls. Miranda was so pissed when I called her the third time."

"Still having issues adjusting to the new body?" Shepard asked.

"More like having issues with the fact that I'm having to adjust to being the Normandy." Joker corrected. "Shouldn't you have fixed this by now, along with seventeen other intergalactic crises?"

"Its my night off." Shepard chuckled. "I figure the Galaxy can get by without me for a couple of hours. As for your situation… I reckon it'll do you some good to try walking in EDI's shoes for a little while."

"EDI doesn't have shoes. She has an ion exhaust port that burns at a few thousand degrees every second of every day." Joker grumbled. "Its like having a permanent case of indigestion, but a bajillion times more intense."

"I trust you're calling me about more than your ion exhaust port." Shepard deadpanned, trying not to break into laughter.

"Yeah, I need you to find EDI for me."

"EDI?" Shepard felt a knot of concern rise within him. "Is everything alright with the ship?"

"Everything's fine with the ship, its my body I'm worried about." Joker explained. "I was contacting EDI to find out what she and the girls were up to, and she was sending mental images through our link of what they were doing. But then the girls got wise and told her to stop."

"I think she's entitled to a little privacy. After all, there's never a moment where there isn't a member of crew manning her real body, monitoring her systems and issuing commands on her consoles." Shepard reasoned. "She's never really had time to herself before."

"Yeah, but what are they going to do to my body?" Joker asked, his tone exasperated. "They've been going around all the beauty boutiques, trying things out. Some of them were getting manicures. Manicures! What if they decide that EDI should get in on some of that? I don't think I could take it if I got my body back and it had been vandalised by a girls night out like that? What if they touch the beard?!"

"I'm sure your beard will be fine, Joker." Shepard sighed. "EDI knows that she's only temporarily in there. She wouldn't make any changes that you won't like."

"You'd better be right." The pilot of the Normandy huffed. "Every time I try to contact her now, she responds with a mental image of her browsing through some Salarian ceremonial mating robes, to try and put me off. If my body comes back wearing one of those, I swear to god…"

"It'll be fine, Joker." Shepard assured. "Really."

"Yeah, well I-"

"Joker?"

"I've… I've got a strange signal coming in. I'm not sure what it is about. Its on a priority channel EDI set up, so it must be-"

"What? What is it?" Shepard pressed.

"Its an emergency channel EDI set up. It links directly in with Legion's platform, monitoring his vital readings. He's been hurt, Shepard. I can't say how bad."

"Where is he?" The Commander straightened, a flash of worry racing through his brain.

"Not far from where you are right now. Just two levels up, out the back of Flux. Something's up, Shepard. He's not answering my hails."

"Keep trying. I'll find him."

A firm set to his jaw, the Commander rushed off.

**~o~0~o~**

**~LEGION~**

The passages running around behind the nightclub known as Flux were surprisingly empty, given the din seeping from the brightly lit establishment. Raw, primal beats forced their way out through ventilation grilles, window frames and even through the walls themselves, coursing through the stale, recycled air of the Ward with an almost physical presence.

Ignoring the noise from the bustling club, Shepard hurried through the back alleyways, searching for his robotic colleague. The detritus of the Ward spilled across his path, dozens of refuse containers and small drifts of garbage littering the metal passage. The Commander had to wonder at that, as normally the Citadel's custodians, the eerily quiet Keepers, would have contained a mess like this. Clearly the debris of several million inhabitants was proving too much for them, their janitorial duties piling up as they struggled to keep up. And yet, the Presidium and Council Tower were always spotless, the Keepers' vigil over the control centre of the station ceaseless, even though they almost certainly couldn't remember why it was important.

A rustling sheet of paper snapped Shepard back to the here and now, encouraging him to focus on the task at hand.

"Legion!" He yelled, his voice echoing far.

After receiving no reply, he glanced to his omni-tool, confirming that he was in the correct spot. The warning symbol on his map, relayed by Joker, was almost directly under his feet. Allowing for a small margin of error, he was within ten metres of his stricken ally.

"Come on, buddy. Give me a sign you're still online."

A long second passed, then another. Then, with a suddenness that made Shepard jump, one of the refuse containers jerked to one side, wobbling a couple of times before another jerk sent it tumbling over with a loud crash. A familiar, three-fingered hand reached out of the now open lid of the container. Shepard raced over, soon helping the Geth crawl out.

"What happened?" He asked, dismay clear on his face.

"This platform has sustained severe damage." Legion replied. "Motor skills are impaired. Self-repair mechanisms are offline. Memory banks suffering from sporadic filing errors."

"Hang on." Shepard encouraged. "We need to get you inside somewhere safe."

Grunting, Shepard hoisted the Geth back onto its feet, supporting it with one of his shoulders. Straining under the heavy weight of the machine, he shuffled off, looking for a temporary refuge away from prying eyes. Soon enough, and fortunately before they ran into any of the area's denizens, he spotted an omni tool maintenance shop, it's doors locked. A quick wave of the Commander's tool and the brief use of some of his not strictly legal software had the lock co-operating in no time, allowing them access. Inside, Shepard helped Legion up onto a work table before beginning a hurried search for some tools. The Geth sat in still silence, the only movement from the machine being the swivelling of its single 'eye' as it followed Shepard's progress around the room. Eventually the Commander stepped back over, armed with a small arsenal of weird and wonderful implements.

"No clue what most of these will do, but they're bound to help in some way." Shepard muttered as he took a peek under a layer of Legion's armour, sizing up the damage to the wiring and tubes beneath. Taking a sharp scraper, he set about clearing a glob of viscous coolant that had leaked from a broken tube and mixed with the trash from what had been Legion's temporary shelter. The Geth watched quietly.

"So are you going to tell me what happened?" Shepard prompted.

Legion remained silent for a long moment. It was only when Shepard stopped his work, turning a determined gaze upon the machine, that the Geth finally spoke.

"We did not intend to incite hostile action."

Their head dipped in a fashion they had picked up from their organic comrades. Had Legion actually been Human, or any other organic species, for that matter, he would have taken this as a clear sign of contrition, and of fear of impending disapproval and possibly even punishment.

"I'm sure you didn't." Shepard assured, taking what looked like a tiny crowbar to one of the Geth's torso plates, forcing it away so he could get at the internal components.

"We were fulfilling our primary mandate, observing organics, gathering data for upload to the central Geth Consensus. In order to provide alternate perspectives to those already observed on board Normandy, we chose to seek out new environments to analyse. Given the multi-racial makeup of the Citadel Wards populace, we judged this to be an appropriate locale for further study. Although denied access to the Flux edifice, we were successful in taking a number of long-range readings of the organics contained within."

"Oh yeah?" Shepard raised an eyebrow. "Any revelations?"

"We have made several observations. Primarily, we have noted an organic tendency to make a number of irrational decisions whose frequency increases in direct proportion to the amount of funds lost while betting on Quasar machines. We have recorded three attempts to auction off dwellings at a fraction of the true market value in exchange for additional credit with the establishment, two attempts to sell offspring into indentured servitude, fifteen attempts at inflicting physical harm upon inanimate machinery and one instance of solicitation, all springing from a desire to continue risking funds on what is at its base level a simple random number generator. We cannot understand the organic tendency to become more reckless when success becomes less certain. Trusting in what many refer to as 'blind luck' does not seem like a logical course of action."

"Of course it's not logical." Shepard said, pausing to pull at a component which seemed to be jammed into a corner it shouldn't have found its way into. "That's when it gets fun. Organics like to live a little randomly. It makes life unpredictable, and keeps us from getting bored. Of course, some take it a little too far, and do something stupid like gambling the house away or putting the kids down as collateral, but for the most part people get on okay."

The Geth fell silent, continuing to watch as Shepard tinkered around with its insides. Shepard reached deep into the machine's chest cavity, pulling out all manner of muck that had found its way inside. Finally, he managed to get both halves of the shell that covered Legion's chest unfastened, both the original Geth housing and the N7 armour fragments that had been used as a makeshift repair. Now able to remove these pieces, he took a closer look at them, noting the unusual damage that they had sustained. The white metal-plastic alloy that was the Geth armour had been chewed up by some kind of machine, punctures from dozens of small, perfectly spaced teeth tracing lines across the surface. Other scuffs and dents covered the Geth's synthetic hide, leaving marks like Shepard would have expected from some kind of archaic engine, with cogs and other parts grinding swiftly enough to have traced this kind of damage. He glanced over to the other armour fragments, turning them around in his hands as he examined them. The same marks were present there, as well.

"What did this?" He asked, bemused.

"A garbage disposal unit. We sustained extensive damage before we were able to extract this platform from the apparatus." The Geth leaned its head to one side. "Our motor functions were significantly impaired in the process, leaving us unable to seek an appropriate refuge. The refuse container was the optimal solution available."

"So how do you go from taking readings of a casino crowd to crawling out of a disposal unit?"

"While taking our readings, we were discovered by a collective of juvenile delinquents seeking an opportunity to deface a public edifice. Upon our discovery, the majority of the group assumed this platform to be an advanced model of personalised mech. They suggested illegally seizing this unit, assuming that we could be sold for a great deal."

"Can't imagine that you'd let them just drag you off to be sold in some back alley down near the pressure hull." Shepard observed.

"Indeed. Unfortunately, there were three Quarian-Creators in the midst of the group. They recognised this unit, and convinced their allies to leave us alone. The group then left."

"I'm guessing that wasn't the end of it."

"Twelve point three minutes later, the Quarian-Creators returned, alone."

"Given the history between the Geth and the Quarians, I'm willing to bet they didn't just come back for a friendly chat." Shepard grunted as he coerced a part back into its socket, aligning it with the glowing tubing that formed the synthetic's spine.

"Correct. We attempted to engage them in conversation. We thought that perhaps making contact with Creators not affiliated with the command structure of the Creator Flotilla would aid us in opening civil discourse between our two peoples. They did not react as anticipated. They attacked, intending to destroy this unit. We believe that they were seeking vengeance for Creator lives lost during the Morning War."

"Did you try to fight back?"

"No. We wished to avoid escalating the situation."

"I think it's safe to say that the situation had already escalated. They wanted to kill you, Legion. Look at what they did to you!"

"We are more than our platform. Our run times can travel via FTL transmission to the nearest server hub, where we can be uploaded to a new platform. To the Geth, physical shells are disposable."

"To the Geth, yes, but your shell isn't disposable to the Normandy. We need you on our team." Shepard countered. "Not forgetting that armour you've got strapped to your shoulder. You wouldn't want to lose that, would you?"

Legion was silent. It looked to the Commander, then to the armour parts Shepard had indicated. A hand, stripped of its plating, reached out to brush the shoulder pad.

"...no, we would not." It said, its voice low, hollow.

"You're our friend, Legion. We care about you, personally. If your platform is destroyed, your personality would cease to exist."

"We do not understand. By the very nature of our existence, the Geth are nothing more than data, binary code arranged in set patterns. Such data is predicatble, and can be replicated."

"Sure, the run times would survive, as would your knowledge and experience, but your identity is more than raw data. We could put the run times back together, but Legion wouldn't come back. All we'd have would be a Geth who thought it was Legion."

"Would that not be a sufficient replacement?"

"No." Shepard sighed. "Because deep down we'd know that it wasn't the same Geth we'd fought beside." He glanced down at the armour fragment in his hands, a fingertip brushing over the N7 logo. Inspiration struck. "You know, I'd really like to put these armour fragments into some kind of exhibit. The Citadel Museum is putting together a display about my work stopping Saren. The armour I wore while doing it would make a perfect centrepiece. Liara has most of the suit, I've got the helmet, and Miranda saved the scraps she pulled out of me during Project Lazarus. I reckon we've got the whole suit between us."

The Geth went very still, it's back ramrod straight. After a long, icy pause, it spoke.

"We are currently using these fragments to maintain the structural integrity of our chassis."

"But they're damaged, and hardly ideal. Why don't we run up some proper armour plating for you in the armoury?"

"These components are sufficient. The use of Normandy's omni-gel supplies for such a task would be inefficient."

"Then I guess we could just use a spare set of armour from my cabin. I have a few old parts lying around."

"We do not think that this will work."

"Why not? They'll be functionally the same, they'll offer you just as much protection, and they'll look identical to these parts. What would be so different about using them?"

"...no data available."

"You see?"

"Shepard-Commander?"

"A replacement's not good enough, is it? No matter how close a replica it is, it's still not the same. You can't explain it, you can't understand it. That's just the way it is."

"Was the museum scenario meant to illustrate your point to us, Shepard-Commander?"

"Yes, Legion."

"Then you do not desire the return of the components?"

"No. You keep hold of those. You've earned them."

Shepard went back to his work, but he felt a change in the Geth's stance as he did so. Where before there had been cold , stony indifference, now there was almost a warmth, a contented glow. Had the machine possessed lungs, Shepard was sure that its chest would have puffed out proudly. He smiled to himself as he delved into the inner workings of the synthetic once more.

~o~0~o~

After almost two hours of tinkering, Legion was finally in a fit state to move about under his own power, albeit a little shakily. Replacing the final armour segment, Shepard stepped back to inspect his work, somewhat satisfied with the result. The Geth was functional, at least, although it would still need a session in the Normandy's tech lab with Mordin's tools to bring it back up to a hundred per cent. Legion looked down at itself, head turning as its one eye examined the N7 armour on its shoulder. It's hand reached up to lightly brush the red and white stripe. Finally, it looked up.

"We thank you, Shepard-Commander."

"Any time, Legion." Shepard patted it on the shoulder. "But next time, make sure I'm around before you try talking to a strange Quarian again. I'd rather not have to do this a second time."

"Acknowledged."

Shepard nodded, turning to leave. He'd almost reached the store's doors when the synthetic's voice called out to him.

"Shepard-Commander?"

"Yeah?"

"We are trying to understand why the Creators attacked us today. We did not initiate any hostile actions, nor were we armed in any fashion. The Creators were aware of our peaceful intent. We did not present a threat, and they did not take anything from this unit. It was not logical, nor was it of any benefit for them to attempt to destroy us."

"Organics do stupid things, Legion. Especially when they blame you for their own misfortunes. None of these Quarians may have been around during the Morning War, but they're still going to blame you for their current circumstances. Living hand-to-mouth, trapped in their suits for all their lives, pretty much exiled from every civilised system in the Galaxy, their lives are hard. That kind of life can breed some pretty strong grudges."

"But we are not responsible for their current quality of life." The Geth protested. "It was the Council's decision to prevent the Creators from colonising a planet within Citadel Space. This was a direct result of their neglect of established laws with regards to AI research, as well as activities that were perceived by the Council as potentially inciting conflict with the Geth, endangering the lives of citizens under the Council's care. It was the creators themselves who chose to attack the Geth, leading to the Morning War and the many casualties that resulted from it."

"I don't think that the Quarians will look at the matter from such an unbiased standpoint."

"But if we cannot rely upon the Creators to act rationally now, how are we to establish peace between our two peoples?"

"I..." Shepard's mouth worked silently as he found himself unable to come up with an answer. "I don't know, Legion. I don't know."

The Geth looked at its hands, no other movement coming from the synthetic. Shepard sighed as he turned to leave, sparing one final glance back at his mechanical comrade, lost in its own electronic thoughts.

~o~0~o~

**~GARRUS~**

Stepping out of the shop, Shepard soon lost himself in the crowds of the Wards, submerged in the bustle of the capital of galactic civilisation. He wandered the markets until he finally found his way back to Flux. Drawn by the pounding beats, he sauntered in, only accosted briefly by the Turian bouncer before the alien recognised him, hastily muttering apologies and ushering him inside.

The club was relatively unchanged from the last time Shepard had been there, back before the Battle of the Citadel. A large wall of windows looked out over the Wards, while two floors were home to a bar and casino, both of which were heaving with clients. A small dance floor to one side was host to many revellers, all situated somewhere near the far end of the scale of inebriation. The club had been expanded, the bar made larger to accommodate more tables and a few secluded booths against the back wall. Behind the bar, the familiar face mask of Doran, the Volus owner of the establishment, moved about swiftly, making pleasant conversation with every customer, recalling each and every one of them by name. As Shepard made his way to the bar, the portly little creature sauntered over, his vocaliser conveying much warmth.

"Ah, Commander Shepard! It's nice seeing you again. I haven't seen you in a while. Not since you helped clean up that mess with Jenna, I believe. What can I get for you?"

"What's good tonight?"

"I've got some brandy from Elysium. I can't drink it myself, what with the damage strong alcohol does to this suit's scrubbers and all, but from what I've heard from the customers who've tried it tonight, it really hits the spot."

"Sounds good."

"Make sure and get him to pay up front, Doran." A deep, reverberating voice spoke over Shepard's shoulder. "Shepard's terrible for taking care of his tab."

As Garrus slipped into the chair next to him, Shepard sent a knowing smirk his way.

"Cute. But you're one to talk, Vakarian. As I recall, you were the one sent flat on his ass in Eternity after one too many attempts to pay for your drinks by offering Aethyta 'alternative forms of payment'."

"Hey now, she was tempted. I could see it in her eyes." The Turian chuckled.

"Uh-huh. Right." Shepard drawled. "We both know that she has a thing for me."

"You? Don't make me laugh, Shepard! You've got all the charm and subtlety of a Krogan in heat."

"I think you must have taken one too many shots to the head." Shepard swatted the alien across the back of his skull. "Because we both know you're talking about yourself there."

"Okay then, Shepard. Let's see just how smooth a talker you really are." Garrus smirked as he raised his drink to his lips. "Three o'clock, Asari coming in the door." A subtle nod of his head indicated the target. "Red dress, black facial markings."

"Loser pays for the drinks?" Shepard asked.

"While the winner- that'll be me, but the way- gets a dance, and gets to keep hold of his man license."

"Get your chit ready." The Commander gulped the last of his drink. "I got this in the bag."

Leaving his Turian comrade to watch, the Commander swaggered over to his target, placing himself just two feet from her as she leaned against the bar. He chanced a glance over to her, taking in the full sight of her. Breathing deep, he turned to face tha Asari. Sensing his attention, she glanced to him, disinterest in her eyes.

"Can I help you?" She asked in a bored tone.

"I couldn't help but notice you here by the bar." Shepard opened. "I don't think I've seen you around here before."

"Really." Her voice was flat. "Even though I've been coming here regularly for years? Maybe you need your eyes tested." She rolled her eyes, turning away.

Shepard ignored the loud snort echoing from further along the bar, deciding to take a more direct approach.

"Can I buy you a drink?"

"I have no doubts that you could, but I'm happy with the one I already have." She lifted the small glass Doran had already delivered to her. "Now, if you don't mind, I was having an enjoyable evening."

"Come on, what could it hurt to give me a chance? You never know, you might find an evening with me quite enjoyable."

"I don't think so." She turned back, eyes gleaming with irritation. "Who do you think you are that your company should be so entrancing?"

"We'll, the name's Shepard." The Commander explained, feigning a modest tone. "You might have heard of me. Commander Shepard, Alliance military. First Human Spectre, hero of the Citadel..."

The Asari's eyes flashed with recognition. Shepard's pulse soared at the chance of victory, before his quarry's expression turned to one of rage.

"Shepard?! You're the son of a bitch who sold my sales rep that phoney 'endorsement'!" She spat. "'Favourite store on the Citadel, my ass! Yeah, my store and every other one on Zakera Ward."

The Commander mouthed silent words as a sapphire finger poked him in the chest. The Asari continued her tirade.

"I've a good mind to-"

"I'm sorry, miss, is my friend bothering you?"

Garrus stepped forward, intervening before the AsariA's vitriol could grow any more potent. Flustered by the Turian's sudden appearance, her anger lost its focus. She hesitated a moment before answering.

"This- this man," she pointed at the Commander vehemently. "Conned my employees into giving him enormous discounts in my store!"

"Did he?" Garrus turned to Dhepard, eyes wide as he tutted. " how could you, Commander?" He turned back to the Asari. "Allow me to make it up to you. Is that a Thessian Sunrise you're drinking there?"

"Uh... Yes, yes it is." The woman stared at the glass for a moment. She moved to lift it, but Garrus reached out, placing a gentle talons around her wrist.

"Allow me." He glanced to the Volus behind the bar. "Barkeep! This woman needs a refill."

Doran nodded, moving quickly to mix the ingredients. The Asari, flustered by the taller alien's attention, could only mumble thanks. Garrus grinned a wicked grin directed towards the Commander before turning back to her.

"Don't mention it, my dear." He soothed, his voice a gentle purr. A look of surprise crossed his face. "Oh, where are my manners? We haven't been introduced yet, and here's me offering you a drink! I'm Garrus Vakarian. On Omega, I went by a different name, but I shouldn't really tell you that one. It could put you in grave danger."

The Asari's mouth formed a nearly perfect circle as she gazed into the Turian's eyes, a hint of a question in her stance. Garrus looked about with a conspiratorial air, then leaned close.

"But if you really want to know, they used to call me Archangel."

"A-Archangel?!" She stammered, struggling to keep her voice down as Garrus lifted a talon to her lips. "I heard you were dead!"

"The mercs want to believe that, so it's a pretty little bedtime story they tell themselves. Truth is it'd take a lot more than the Blood Pack, Eclipse and the Blue Suns to get to me. Remind me to tell you about the time I hunted down a rogue Spectre with only a Krogan merc and a Human for backup."

"You saved my sister, you know." The Asari explained, eyes wide with awe. "You fought off twenty Batarians with your bare hands. She tells me about it all the time."

"I think I remember that night." Garrus nodded sagely. "She had your eyes. Lives near Afterlife."

"That's her!" The Asari gasped. "I can't wait to tell her you remember her!"

"Maybe you can wait a little longer?" Garrus grabbed her forearm. " I'd love to spend some more time talking with you. Perhaps you'll grace me with the next dance?"

The pair stalked off, the Asari clutching the Turian's arm as she simmered and giggled, entranced by everything he said. The Commander watched, shaking his head in disbelief as the pair took to the dance floor.

"Here you are, si- oh." Doran placed the freshly mixed drink on the counter, looking about in confusion. Finally, he turned to Shepard. "Your friends drink, Commander. That'll be twelve credits."

Grumbling, Shepard transferred the money, then downed the drink in one gulp. It was going to be a long night.

~o~0~o~

Shepard was well on his way through his third beer, having taken to one of the booths against the back wall, by the time Garrus returned, a bounce in his step. Cheerfully, he slid into the seat opposite his friend.

"And so, the legend of Archangel continues to grow, as we both knew it would."

"Laught it up, cuttlebone." Shepard grunted, unable to avoid being a sore loser. "How did you do it?"

"Her sister was just as cute as she is." Garrus commented, not meeting his friend's gaze. His tone was dead steady as he surveyed the bar, the ghost of a smirk touching his mandibles. Shepard's eyes widened.

"You-you knew! You knew who she was!"

"And that her store produces some of the finest omni tool upgrades you can get legally. It was quite popular for a while. Apparently some jumped-up celebrity called it his 'favourite store on the Citadel'." The Turian's grin spread across his face as he finally met Shepard's eye. "Plus those beads she was wearing around her wrist? The ones you didn't even bother to look at? Turian courtship jewellery. She's totally got a thing for scales."

"We'll played, Mr Vakarian." Shepard lifted his bottle, draining the contents as he toasted his friend. "You truly are a master. I concede defeat."

"Gracious as always, Commander." Garrus sniggered.

"Anyway, I reckon I'm done for the night. Got a lot that'll need doing tomorrow-" Shepard pushed away from the table, moving to stand up, but found his arm caught in Garrus' tight grasp.

"Oh no you don't. A bet's a bet, Shepard." The Turian chided. "Now, let's go and find out just how many different kind of dextro liquor Doran's got hidden behind hat bar of his..."

The Commander groaned, slumping back into his chair as he slapped his forehead against the table. Garrus stood up,moon finding himself a comfortable corner of the bar to inhabit for the rest of the night, the charges for countless exotic and expensive drinks soon flowing from Shepard's omni tool.

**~SHEPARD~**

"Shepard? Commander Shepard? Is that you?"

The Commander turned at the question to find a young woman standing next to him, her soft features and short, black hair hauntingly familiar. It took a moment, but he soon affixed a name to the face. After all, he saw that face every evening, telling him all about the comings and goings of the Galaxy, usually with his latest feats right in the middle of it all.

"Emily Wong." He said, offering a warm smile. "The reporter, right? I hear that you've moved on to big things now."

"Yeah, it's been an interesting two years. After those articles on the Citadel ATC and that exposé on Fist and Chora's Den, the big news networks had me on their radar. I read the headlines on the Newsnet now. And it's all down to you, Commander."

"Well, you're welcome." Shepard replied, taking another swig from his glass to suppress the groan that rose up as he saw Garrus heading for the bar again, Doran having lined up another exotic mixture for him that just screamed out 'expensive'.

"God, its been such a long time since we last spoke!" Emily smiled fondly. "And I hear that you've been quite busy."

"A little." Shepard shrugged. "A few Collectors here, a couple of terrorists there, and then there's a Reaper invasion."

"I was covering the story as it happened." The reporter said, her tone grave. "Watching the live feeds from the system... I've never seen anything so horrible in my life!"

"It wasn't very fun seeing it in person, either."

"I can imagine." She answered quickly. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Shepard finished his glass.

"You know..." Emily traced her finger through a droplet of spilled beer on the bar's surface. "We're running a piece on the war effort soon. You know, trying to boost morale by talking about how well we're doing, giving the public advice on how to prepare for an attack, asking for anyone to come forward if they have any suspicions of indoctrinated persons, that kind of thing. It'd really boost our ratings if we could get an interview from you in the studio."

"I'm not really the interview kind of guy." Shepard said, a tiny mote of panic in his gut. "Just ask Miss Al-Jilani."

"I saw that." Emily nodded. "She got what she deserved. I imagine there are a few people wishing they'd thought of that first. But I'm not going to put you on the spot like that, Shepard. Just a few basic questions about the war and what's being done to combat the Reapers and take back Earth. A little confident boasting to get the public feeling good, maybe a few questions from viewers, nothing more."

"Well... If that's all there'll be to it..." Shepard's tone remained dubious.

"I promise." Emily ran a finger across where her heart lay, the age-old gesture to swear secrecy.

"Fine. When do you need me?"

"Great! Just show up at the studio by seven AM, local time. We'll have the interview all planned out by then."

"I'll be there."

"Thanks! This is going to be so great!"

Elated, the young reporter jumped to her feet, nodding her thanks to Shepard before practically bouncing out of the club. Smiling quietly, Shepard turned back to his drink before movement from his Turian friend caught his eye, summoning a low groan. Garrus was triumphantly striding away from the bar with an enormous glass, the drink being made from seven differently coloured layers all topped off with no less than three umbrellas and a lit sparkler. As the alien walked past, the Commander's omni tool beeped, announcing that a truly monstrous sum had been drawn from his personal account. Shepard's head struck the table before him with a loud thunk.

**~o~0~o~**

_**Author's Notes: **_**After an interminably long time, the prodigal author returns! My humblest apologies for the delay in updating. I have a long string of excuses at the ready to defend myself, but ultimately it comes down to a couple of things- first, I've not really done anything Mass Effect related for a very long time. Second, Real Life is a pain in the rear.**

**So I was thinking to myself, how could I make it up to you guys? The answer my brain gave me: Do as Bioware does. When you let your fans down, give them an over-the-top, cheesy series of silliness . So here we are! This chapter and another one, maybe two, will be a series of scenes involving each individual member of the squad as it stands right now. Some scenes will be cheesy, some will be silly, some will just be plain crazy, and the poking fun of certain other versions of the Reaper War will be frequent, but I'm mostly wanting to do this to get familiar again with the characters by spending some quality time with them.**

**Now to be fair, this isn't a straight rip-off of Bioware's final DLC. My first idea for this chapter was the Grunt segment, which was originally thought up to be a cameo appearance for a certain internet celebrity whose work I have enjoyed for the past couple of years. However, my attempts to get in contact to ask for permission went unanswered, and TBH I probably stalled waiting for a reply longer than I should have. So, instead of scrapping an already quite meaty segment of the chapter that was done, I figured I'd just leave it in there. The persona in question leads a busy life, and I didn't want to keep hassling them for a 'yes' or 'no'. The cameo remains, and kudos to those who spot it, but I'm not gonna make a big thing about it, just in case the persona in question takes issue. I guess I've already got permission to put Gavin from Miracle of Sound into Resistance, so I shouldn't get greedy and try to have too many interwebrities in my stories.**

**Anyway, after I'd written out the Grunt segment and the Garrus segment, I realised the vibe both scenes had, inevitably making the comparison to Citadel. I started thinking about what kind of scenes I'd have liked to have seen other characters have, coming up with Zaeed's and a nice little scene for Jack that'll cap off this part of the narrative. After that, I figured that I may as well go the whole hog and started toying around ideas for everyone, until the ideas really started flowing. As I said earlier, this is my way of making it up to you all after such a long break.**

**So, without further ado I'd like to mention what I'm planning for the next chapter. As well as the character scenes, I'm planning to write out Shepard's interview with Emily Wong, something that I feel really should have happened in the game, speaking as someone who was quite fond of her character in the games and... disappointed with how she was handled for the third game. Now for this interview, I need your help. Obviously I have the interview planned out, but I thought it might be fun to have Shepard field a few questions from viewers as well. I'm hoping you guys will oblige. Get in character, and send me- sorry, send Shepard- questions to answer on the show. Nothing that breaks the 4th Wall, but stuff you'd want to ask the Hero of the Citadel if you were a civilian during the Reaper invasion. PMs would be preferred, to keep the questions a secret until I publish the chapter, but you can post them in reviews, if you like. Hopefully this will work!**

**That about sums it up for now. I've got a bit of work to do catching up so I can get onto the next mission, but I hope you'll bear with me. Thank you to all of you who've stuck around this long waiting for me, and a big thank you to those who reached out to make sure I was still around. I'm really touched by your concern. Thanks for not forgetting about this story. I'm sorry I've kept you hanging all these months.**

**Fainmaca Out.**

**P.S. Any of you out there with PS3s, try out a little game called Journey. Its one of the most perfect games I've ever played. The very definition of Bittersweet, and very emotionally engaging. I'd almost say life changing. If anything proves that games can be art, this is it. It really helped me when I was at the lowest point of my not-writing funk.**


	54. 54: Citadel, Part Two

_Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes._

**Chapter 54: Citadel, Part Two**

**~SHEPARD~**

Shepard was uncomfortable. The heat was intense, the noise deafening, and the device sitting behind his ear itched like nothing he'd ever experienced. Worse still was the opponent he faced; the public. Never in his life had he been so nervous, scared even.

He'd turned up at the Presidium-based studio early, unsure of what to expect, and honestly still a little unsure of what exactly had happened. A mob of make-up specialists, sound and holographic technicians, scriptwriters and one obnoxiously loud producer had descended upon him like gannets swooping down on a discarded meal. In no time at all his face glistened with any number of products to smooth out wrinkles and enhance an image of youthful vigour, the uncomfortable earpiece had been inserted, and he'd been instructed on just what to say and how to act during his upcoming interview. One junior member of the costume department had even produced a fake grenade launcher for him to tote while giving his interview, but a withering gaze from the Commander soon had him thinking twice. Now, he found himself in a seat that was just a little too small for his frame, making him sit all the straighter, sitting opposite the calm, composed Emily Wong. Simmering jealousy lurked in his gut at the sight of her serene exterior.

"You should relax a little, Commander." She recommended in a hushed whisper, her eyes locked on the cameras not ten feet away, silent but ready to spring to life at any moment. "You're looking a little... stiff."

"I've never had to do one of these before." Shepard grumbled. "The closest I got to it were those interviews with Al-Jilani, but those weren't in a studio like this, with a live audience I'd have to answer to."

"It'll be fine." Emily answered. "Just stay calm and be yourself." Her brows creased for a second. "Just try not to punch anyone this time, okay?"

"No guarantees." Shepard hid a smile.

They both glanced to a nearby screen, catching sight of the current segment being transmitted, a brief summary of the latest Quasar tournament results being narrated by a dour Salarian with glassy, grey eyes. The alien's slow drone finally trundled to a halt, allowing the lights in the studio to spike a little brighter as the cameras whirred to life. Shepard's body froze, his back straightening involuntarily as Emily began to speak.

"Thanks for that, Jorunn." She turned to lock her gaze on the camera lenses, giving the impression that she was looking her audience in the eye. "You're watching the Citadel Newsnet, and I'm Emily Wong. In just a few moments, we'll be speaking with the Commander Shepard, gaining an insight on the Reaper invasion as well as asking him his opinions on current matters affecting Citadel Space. Don't forget to call in with your questions for the Hero of the Citadel using the frequency on your screens right now." She shuffled the data pads before her for a moment, organising the headlines she'd been instructed to read out every once in a while. "But first, an update on the Kowla Pulsar Cup, being held on the former Krogan colony world of Khelida. Bookies' favourite the Tuchanka Hellspitters are playing off against Khelida's own team, the Varren Pack. Kick-off was scheduled for just fifteen minutes ago, so let's go over to our reporter in the field, Diana Allers. Diana?"

The screen before the duo blinked, immediately switching over to show a video transmission from what appeared to be a war zone. Fires blazed merrily, reaching well over a dozen metres into the sky as thick clouds of what might have been smoke but was probably tear gas rolled along the ground. The yells of countless combatants filled the transmission, with the occasional explosion perforating the gunfire that chattered loudly. In the midst of all this, a small woman looked about herself nervously, uncertain of how to proceed. At Emily's prompt, she looked over to the cameras.

"It's absolute chaos down here, Emily! Two of the stands are on fire, there have already been seven fatalities, and somebody has weaponised several hot dog stands!"

"That was fast!" Emily commented, calm in the safety of her studio. "What caused the riot this time?"

"The riot began after Hellspitter front charger, Urdnot Korrg, scored an early goal to put the Spitters in the lead, but one of the referees disallowed it due to suspected use of biotics. The other two referees contested the decision, and before long there was a disembowelling."

A loud explosion caused Allers to turn from the camera, her pose becoming more anxious.

"Incredible! So the two teams are still tied, then?"

"At the moment the Spitters have entrenched themselves around their goalposts, but the Varren Pack have just brought their tour bus onto the pitch."

The video transmission rumbled, shaking from side to side as Allers staggered, almost falling off her feet.

"Looks like they've brought a mortar cannon to the field now." Emily noted.

"Yes, but I think the targeting system is malfunctioning." Allers was becoming more panicked. "The shells are going everywhere! I think one might even-"

A thunderclap interrupted her transmission, the video feed reduced to fuzzy static as the reporter's voice was replaced by a loud scratching noise. After a brief moment, Emily turned to address her audience once again.

"We apologise for the interrupted transmission. It would appear that Diana is suffering some technical difficulties. Don't worry, we'll be back in touch with her soon for the results at the end of the game. And remember; playing Kowla is illegal in the majority of Council Space, and where it is permitted it should only be performed by professionally trained Krogan licensed by the Terminus Kowla League. Now, the headlines..."

Emily breezed through the headlines, covering such stories as the recent devastation of the Eye of Tor'lakht, the rebuilding work on Thessia and the latest rumours of Reaper movement around Mass Relays connected to the Arcturus System. Mingled in with this were plentiful stories of holovid celebrities and their latest melodramas, the newest politicians trying to win over the favour of the people with countless platitudes, and other countless rumours and whispers of the lives of the rich and famous. At long last, after what felt to Shepard like an eternity, she reached the end of her stack of announcements, finally turning to face him. As the cameras around the Commander whirred to life, Emily flashed a winning smile at one of them.

"Thank you for joining us. This is Citadel Newsnet, and I'm Emily Wong. Tonight, we're joined by one of Humanity's greatest icons. A soldier whose rise to prominence over the past few years has been nothing short of meteoric. Three years ago, he came into the public spotlight after being appointed as the first Human Spectre before becoming the hero of the Battle of the Citadel. Over the years, he has become a true champion of humanity and now spearheads the war effort to repel the hostile forces that now occupy Earth and threaten all of Council Space. Here with us tonight for an exclusive interview is Commander Shepard." She paused, turning to face the Commander. "Commander, thank you for joining us."

"A pleasure to be here, Miss Wong." Shepard stiffly responded, a bead of sweat rolling down his spine.

"So, Shepard, for those of our audience who may not be familiar with your background, perhaps you could tell them a little about yourself. You grew up back on Earth, didn't you?"

"Yes, that's right." Shepard nodded. "I was born in New York just over thirty years ago."

"And... yours wasn't the easiest of upbringings, was it?" The reporter pressed.

"You could say that." Shepard admitted. "I grew up out on the streets. No family, no real education. Eventually, I fell in with a couple of gangs. Not... not my proudest moment."

"And yet, here you are, a hero to Humanity. What inspired you to join the Alliance Navy and take that first step towards being the man you are today?"

"Well, as a kid I grew up with all the stories of Arcturus' Two-oh-nine Squadron, General Grissom, Admiral Hackett, and a dozen other Alliance heroes out there, facing the unknown and making a mark for Humanity out amongst the stars, and I knew that I needed to do the same thing. I've always wanted to find somewhere I could make a difference, help those in need, and show the other races of the Galaxy just what our species is capable of. So, the second I was old enough to pass for eighteen, I'd put myself forward to enlist."

"And that was that? You just decided to dive right in there and leave your old life behind?"

"Not a chance." Shepard chuckled. "The officer at the recruiting station twigged pretty quickly that I was too young, and threw me out faster than you could say 'delinquent'. But I came back the next year, and pretty soon I was on my way to Arcturus Station for basic training."

"You didn't let the rejection get in the way of your ambition, and overcame the disadvantages. A real inspiration for all of us." Emily shuffled her papers. "So, not long after completing your training at the Arcturus Academy, you found yourself on assignment, facing the first real challenge of your military career."

"Akuze." The word was barely a whisper on Shepard's lips. He struggled to keep his shoulders from slumping as the memory rose up unbidden in his mind.

"I understand if this is a difficult memory for you, Commander." Concern etched Emily's features. Perhaps the line of questioning hadn't been wise for an impromptu live interview.

"Yes, it is." Shepard's voice threatened to become steely. "But it's a huge part of who I am. No point in denying it."

"Could you tell us a little about the mission, Commander?"

"We were on a routine scouting mission out on the edge of Alliance Space when we got word that the colony on Akuze, in the Ileatas System, had stopped responding to all hails. It was a pure fluke that we were the nearest ship at the time. The USS Romania was scheduled to be in-system, but a malfunction in her GUARDIAN defence systems kept her in dry dock for a week longer than anticipated." He chuckled at the thought. "If it weren't for a simple electrical imbalance in a few faulty power conduits, my life would have turned out completely differently."

"So you were sent to investigate the colony instead?"

"Technically, no. We were ordered to head to the nearest Mass Relay and download the comm logs while the Alliance put together a small squadron to investigate. Our presence on the borders with the Terminus Systems was considered more important. It was during the time when pirate activity on the edges of Alliance Space was on the rise, and the Skyllian Blitz was still very recent in public memory." Shepard folded his hands on the desk before him. "We were the ones to choose to head to the colony instead."

"You disobeyed a direct order?"

"There were two and a half thousand people in that colony. When Captain Siden, our CO, asked for a show of hands in favour of going down to investigate, our vote was unanimous."

"What did you find down there?"

"Silence." Shepard explained. "I know a lot of the reports focus on the chaos that followed, how terrifying it must have been, but in truth the worst part of the whole experience was right when we landed and found the colony deserted. There wasn't a single sign of life down there, just a bunch of prefabs that had been torn open as though they were made out of cardboard, the belongings of the colonists scattered every which way." He glanced down at his hands, thumbs twiddling anxiously. "It's unnerving, seeing such devastation, and yet hearing nothing but the wind blowing through what used to be a thriving settlement. The scene just doesn't add up in your mind."

"It must have been a difficult sight to come to terms with."

"I think that was when it truly started to sink in for us just how dangerous and unknowable the Galaxy really is." Shepard replied. "We were all still fairly raw recruits, and while we'd heard the stories about the threats the Alliance was formed to defend Humanity from, we were all thinking of the Battle of Shanxi, coming up against an as-yet unknown race and fighting a straightforward war. We charged off into space thinking we were ready for anything the universe could throw at us. It had never really occurred to us just how unprepared Humanity was to be out among the stars, how truly alien the threats could get. We had no clue what could have wiped out an entire colony, ripped apart the buildings and vehicles without leaving a single body behind. "

"Of course, in hindsight we know all too well what the dangers of Akuze were." Emily prompted.

"Yeah. The Threshers." Shepard's tone darkened further. A shiver trembled at the base of his spine, threatening to race up his body. "We kept searching until well after dark. Scoured the remnants of the colony, the cargo port, the surrounding farms, even found a network of caves in the nearby hills that went pretty far underground. We'd searched everywhere the colonists could've reached in a single day on foot. Couldn't find a single surviving colonist. Eventually, we got called back to the shuttle. Captain Siden figured that we shouldn't be running around in the dark with an unknown threat out there. We settled down around the shuttle, and turned in for the night."

Pausing for breath, Shepard became aware of the silence that had descended around him. He glanced over to Emily, seeing the young reporter leaning forward in her chair, listening with rapt attention. Looking beyond her, he could see the rest of the production crew, all mesmerised by his tale. The cameramen leaned out from behind their machinery, the Turian at the sound desk leaning forward, talons curled under his chin as his eyes shone. This was the tale that everyone knew about Shepard, but in the Commander's experience he'd come to learn that it was the one tale no one would tire of hearing.

"The first sign we had that we were under attack was about halfway through the night cycle, when the ground started shaking. We thought that it was an earthquake. The Captain didn't want to risk the shuttle being damaged, so he ordered it to take off and come back for us when the quake had stopped. That was when we got our first glimpse of one of them. The shuttle took off, then the ground where it had been sitting just exploded. The first Thresher tore into view, wrapping around the shuttle. It was an armoured troop transport, kind of like a bigger, heavier relative of the Kodiak, but all the Thresher had to do was clench its muscles once and the whole craft crumpled like a tin can. The crew inside didn't last long. To tell you the truth, after about five minutes I resented them for that.

"Before the debris from the shuttle had even finished falling, the rest of our camp dissolved into chaos." He closed his eyes, the memories of that night welling up from the darkest corners of his psyche. "There must have been seven, eight… maybe ten Threshers. All homing in on us with incredible precision. Of course, we had no idea what they were. We didn't know that they could sense vibrations through the ground. So, on reflex, we scattered and started firing at them, not realising that was the worst thing we could do."

"How horrible." Emily breathed. "What was going through your mind at that point?"

"Honestly? Nothing at all." Shepard felt a flush of embarrassment at the admission. "You'd think that in a moment like that your mind would be racing at a hundred miles an hour, but my brain just locked up. No tactics, not a single thought of attack, just fear, panic, and an overpowering urge to hide."

He glanced down at his hands on the table before him, now threatening to clench into fists.

"I ran, firing wild at the creatures over my shoulder. Most of the unit had the same idea. Those that didn't… they went down first. Captain Siden was still yelling out orders as he was swallowed whole. Pretty sure he gave the blasted creature heartburn on the way down." Shepard drew in an unsteady breath. "The rest of us bolted for the remains of the colony. The Threshers were onto us before long, and they were gaining ground. I remember looking to my left and seeing one of the team's tech specialists fall, his armour coated in the slime that they spit out. He didn't get back up, and there wasn't time to go back for him."

"It's said that the only way to take down a Thresher Maw is with heavy artillery, preferably from orbit." Emily remarked. "Did you have anything you could use against them?"

"We had our guns, but in hindsight they were worse than nothing." Shepard explained, not bringing up the many times over the past three years when he had, in fact, gone up against the enormous monsters with little to no weaponry and even, once or twice, on foot. "All they did was turn us into noisy, easy to find targets. Aside from that, the team was equipped with three M35-series Mako exploration vehicles. I managed to get to one of those before the Threshers caught up with us, and by that point the other two were already moving.

"We figured anywhere but there was good, so we floored it, but the Threshers were too fast. We didn't even get out of the valley. The other Makos were toast in seconds, then mine was the last to go. A Thresher hit it from behind, flipped it over, and I lost consciousness."

"That must have been a terrible thing to experience."

"The last thing I remember is my Mako rolling to a stop, then a Thresher ripping the canopy open and bearing down on us. The next thing I knew, I was getting hoisted out of the thing by a rescue team the following day." Shepard released a tense sigh. "After I got back home and was dragged through the debriefings, I was sent to a psych ward to determine whether I could go back out into the field or not. With a mission going south like that, it was no surprise that the brass had their doubts about my stability. For a while, it looked like they were right."

"According to official records, you were kept in the facility for monitoring purposes for six months." Emily's eyes flicked down to her notes. "What happened to you?"

"I clammed up, basically." Shepard could feel the flush of embarrassment rise in his cheeks. The weight of the millions of eyes staring at him was a powerful presence in his mind. This wasn't what the public needed to see of one of their figureheads at that moment, not with an imminent threat to face. But, on the other hand, they needed to hear the full story, high points and low together. "For two whole months, I barely said a word. To the staff, to my friends, to my superiors, to anyone. Every night, I'd wake up in a cold sweat.

"Then, one day, I caught a news story about a colony just two systems over suffering a similar attack. Thanks to the intel gathered from the wreckage of our unit, plus biological samples retrieved from the attack sites, the colony had the knowhow to repel them with minimal damage. Inside of three weeks of that, the Alliance had figured out ways to draw the creatures out of hiding and then bomb them from high altitude. While they were still hard to kill, damn hard, we could at least chase them off, maybe even force them to move their territory elsewhere. Even if that was impractical, we knew enough about their nesting behaviour to avoid trouble spots. Granted, this was all stuff the Galaxy at large knew well enough, but the Alliance was just figuring it out for itself, and committing itself to doing better and better in the future.

"Its in a moment like that when you realise just how hostile the unknown can really be. How one false step could land Humanity in hot water before we even know it, and yet how we could grow and learn from these experiences, become stronger as a species. I realised I couldn't change what had happened, but I could learn and improve thanks to it. As a member of the Alliance, I could work to protect Humanity, becoming their shield against any threat, be it wild beast, runaway technology, or a hostile force. I realised this was my privilege and my duty, and had requested permission to return to active duty within the hour. I couldn't change what happened at Akuze, but it sure as hell wasn't going to happen again."

"Very noble of you." Emily commented.

"I was just another Human figuring out what that being one means. " Shepard answered. "After that, there was no way I could sit still. I barely gave the brass any time to think before I barged out of that ward, standing taller than ever before."

"And it wasn't long after that that you were assigned to the Normandy, under the leadership of then-Captain Anderson, now an Alliance Admiral."

"Yeah. At first, I thought I was assigned to the Normandy to be kept under the supervision of a more experienced CO. Given what I'd just been through, it would have been understandable. Of course, I know now that my experiences had put me forward for consideration for becoming Humanity's first Spectre. Clearly the higher-ups had more faith in me than I did."

"How did it feel, finding out you'd been chosen to become a Spectre?"

"Humbling. I was chosen to represent the best Humanity had to offer. To guard our interests in the larger Galaxy. I've never felt more honoured, and more anxious. It's a big commitment to live up to."

"I'll bet." Emily breathed. "And, of course, it wasn't long before you faced challenges that tested your resolve." She shuffled the notes before her. "Less than a month after your assignment to the Normandy, your hunt for Saren and the events that led to the Battle of the Citadel took place. Not an insignificant start to your career as Humanity's prime representative."

"Not the easiest of beginnings, no." Shepard supressed a smile as fond memories bubbled up in his mind. "But at the same time, we as a species took a big leap forward during those times. We became a part of the greater Galaxy, gained many allies, and, most importantly, stuck a dire blow against the Reaper threat."

"Yes, the 'Reapers'. Ancient machines that wiped out the Protheans, isn't that right?"

"And every civilisation to have come before them." Shepard added, aware of how difficult a tale it was to sell. "Now, they're here for us."

"As we have seen with the invasion of Earth." Emily's voice flowed over the facts, summarising the untold casualties in a few paltry words. "Which brings us to the question no doubt everyone wants to ask of you: do you have a plan? What can we hope to achieve against such powerful foes?"

Shepard's breath hitched in his throat. He'd known the question was coming, of course, but even so he felt unprepared. A dozen replies were all safely tucked away in his brain, countless reassurances to allay the fear of the public, hopeful boasts to inspire confidence, a hundred lies to keep panic from setting in. He'd carefully rehearsed each and every one of them, ready for an assault from any direction, but now not a single one stood to the fore as worthy of use. His momentary pause was caught by Emily, a flash of concern in her gentle features, but when he began speaking she visibly relaxed again. The Commander steeled himself, finally having chosen his words.

"At this stage it's hard to have any real plans for an assault on the Reapers." He admitted. "We have the numbers to face them, especially with only a small part of the armada within the Galaxy, the rest trapped out in Dark Space, and for the most part they are confined to a single solar system. Technologically, however, they have us outmatched. Although we out of all the species they have faced have had the most time to grow and advance, we're still centuries behind their technology."

"You say that we are the most advanced of any civilisation they have faced?" Emily asked, her eyebrows twitching with curiosity. "How so?"

"In truth, we have the Protheans to thank for the extra time we've had." Shepard spread his hands before him, gesturing to make his point. "They sabotaged the Reapers' original entry route, delaying their return. We know that the Reapers were due to return sometime between the Asari discovering the Citadel and the Rachni War, so several thousand years ago. Think about what has occurred during those intervening years, which species arose and which technologies have been harnessed. The Salarians, the Krogan, the Turians, Volus, Quarians, Batarians-"

"Not forgetting Humanity, of course." Emily prompted. "After all, without our intervention, Saren's plans here at the Citadel would have come to fruition and the delays would have been for nothing."

"There's that, of course." Shepard acknowledged. "We've even seen the rise of a powerful synthetic race in the Geth."

"Surely you don't suggest we should co-operate with the Geth in this war?" Emily's surprise was evident. "After Eden Prime? After Feros?"

"Those incidents involved only a small faction of Geth, ones who had chosen to operate on behalf of the Reapers." Shepard momentarily spared a thought for the Geth heretics, rewritten using the very code they'd hoped to use to subvert their independent brethren. "I don't think we should judge the species as a whole based upon the actions of a select few. After all, Humanity wouldn't wish to be judged by the Galaxy based upon Cerberus' activities alone, would it?"

"But didn't you yourself align with Cerberus recently?"

"I did. Briefly." Shepard's answer was curt. He knew how deep a hole his next few words could dig for him. "They were a means to an end. A way to stop the attacks on Humanity and defend our colonies. In times of war, we must look to unexpected allies to get the aid and resources we need. Like Cerberus, or the Geth."

"There are some who would call that hypocritical."

"Well, to them I would say that my home planet is burning as we speak." Shepard held back his irritation at the path the interview was taking. "I don't have time to wait for battle strategies to be run up by bureaucrats who've never even seen the frontlines, much less fought on one. Humanity is hurting, and we need help." His gaze switched to the camera aimed at him. "We can't do this alone, and we're the ones taking the brunt of this attack, holding them at bay as best we can. The Asari have already seen what will happen once they get past us. Thessia was just the start of what they can do unless they are stopped immediately."

"I see." Emily pulled out a note from her stack of reports. "So what is your opinion of the Human civilians flocking to Cerberus in their hundreds due to the example you've set?"

"I admire their spirit." Shepard said. As he did so, he heard a number of clicks and tuts from the aliens among the crew in the newsroom. One Turian, he saw, was shaking his head knowingly. "But their actions are misguided, as well intended as they are. The Alliance would benefit greatly from their aid. Not just in the Naval forces, either. There are a great many ways to offer assistance without picking up a gun or joining radicals like Cerberus."

"So… what else can we do?" Emily asked, a plainer question than the Commander had expected.

"At the moment, we're working to bring all of the Galaxy's leaders together for a war Council. There are organisations working to gain the co-operation of as many military assets as we can for this summit, but bringing the entire Galaxy together with a united purpose is no small feat."

"Organisations? Do you mean the Spectres? The Special Tasks Group? Your old contacts in Cerberus?"

"I'm not at liberty to say." Shepard flatly answered.

"Understandable, I suppose." Emily couldn't conceal her disappointment, but soon brightened again. "Anyway, Commander, thank you for your time today. Now, if you don't mind, we'd like to take a few questions from our viewers."

"Go right ahead." Shepard said, his anxiety renewing. He'd forgotten about agreeing to this part. At least with Emily, he could trust the reporter to be professional. With the public, he had no idea what to expect.

"Okay. Our first question has been sent in text format from a Drakus Nisteen all the way out on Palaven. He asks whether the rumours are true that your crew includes an active Geth platform."

"Well, I hope that you'll understand for operational security that the identities and racial makeup of my crew must remain confidential." Shepard answered smoothly. "I can say that my crew and my combat squad in particular are very culturally diverse. This allows us to gain a broad cultural perspective that can aid us in future missions. In much the same way that the first Normandy was the product of a collaboration between Turian and Human scientists, every victory of my crew is the result of many species working together in unprecedented harmony."

"And long may that co-operation continue." Emily nodded her head in approval. "Our next question is from a Meera Regus from Tayseri Ward. Meera?"

"Thank you, Emily." A maternal voice echoed through Shepard's earpiece, instantly giving the Commander an image of an imposing, motherly type. The voice was just sharp enough for him to know not to cross it's owner, but had a warmth there that only a mother could possess.

"What was your question, Meera?" Emily prompted.

"Commander. Your history is well known, with your roots on Earth and Alliance upbringing. Obviously, you have quite the personal stake in this war. Given your past attitude of doing what is necessary to get the job done, as seen by your alliance with Cerberus, how do we know you won't put other species at risk for the sake of your own people? Thessia has already been attacked once, how do we know there won't be another attack as you try to force these Reapers off your own world and make them someone else's problem?"

"Okay…" Shepard drew in a deep breath as he shifted to lean forwards. Emily twitched, as if fearing Shepard would simply give up and storm off the set, a thought that he had to admit had crossed his mind. "Firstly, Meera, allow me to reassure you that I have no intention of inflicting this kind of invasion upon any other planet. When we take the fight to the Reapers, we're not simply going to evict them from the planet. The fact is, there's no way that the Reapers can be someone else's problem. They're everyone's problem, right now. Turians, Humans, Asari, Vorcha, we're all at risk. The only way to defeat them is thoroughly. If even one is left running loose, every single one of us is at risk."

"So you intend to wipe them out?" Meera's voice grew sharper. "Perhaps it's that trigger-happy attitude that provoked them to attack Earth! Haven't you even tried negotiation?"

"Negotiation is not an option, much as I wish it were." Shepard replied sadly. "The Reapers have been doing this for millions of years. They don't spare anyone. Those who they don't kill, they enslave, through the use of an insidious technology that operates in their presence."

"But the cost of a war with these beings-"

"Thank you for your question, Ms Regus." Emily quickly intervened. "But I'm afraid we must move on to another caller. Next we have Vectus Cingetorix on the line, from Dekuuna. Vectus?"

"With barely constrained excitement: My greetings to you, Commander Shepard. With sincerity: It is an honour to speak to the Hero of the Citadel. I am your biggest fan."

"Thank you very much, Vectus." Shepard smiled at the Elcor's words, bristling with sincerity. "Always a pleasure to meet a fan."

"Nervously: I have holos of your greatest battles on all of the walls within my domicile. With slight embarrassment: I've also commissioned a life-size sculpture of you by Forta. Hopefully: Perhaps you could sign it someday?"

"If I get the chance to swing by Dekuuna, sure." Shepard tried to stem the blush that rose in his cheeks. "What was your question?"

"Curiously: Do you have a favoured weapon loadout? With pride: I am aware that you have used the Carnifex handgun and Avenger assault rifle during many of your campaigns, but it there a favourite?"

"Well… I've always been a fan of the Widow, myself." Shepard leaned back in his chair, momentarily stymied by the unexpected question. He'd been prepared to dodge some kind of request to join the Spectres or something, although the mental image of an Elcor Spectre was an intriguing and lasting one. "But if I really had to choose one to rely on if I were marooned on a remote planet, I think I'd have to go with the Mattock. Sometimes the older styles really are the best."

"Gratefully: I appreciate your answer. Tentatively: I was also wondering whether there was any chance of putting myself forward for Spec-"

"I'm afraid we've got another caller on the line. Thank you, Vectus!" Emily butted in once more, spotting the look of sheer panic on Shepard's face. "Next up we have a Moh Rivek. Moh?"

"*shkt* Thank you, Ms Wong." The nasally voice of a Volus came through on the line. "It's a- *shkt* pleasure to speak to you."

"It's not often we get a caller all the way from Irune. What was your question, Moh?"

"*shkt* I wished to ask the Commander whether he- *shkt* knew if the Reapers had any designs on Irune. Should the-*shkt* Vol-Clan fear an attack?"

"At the moment, the Reapers are focused on Earth." Shepard explained. The knowledge of what they were doing taunted him, but he knew that revealing the true plan of the enemy to the public would only incite panic. "That's why this is our best time to pull together and strike. They're all in one place, and we can take them out quickly, before anyone else suffers an attack on their home."

"And what of the- *shkt* material cost of this war?" Moh pressed on. "The Earth-Clan are in a shambles, with the loss *shkt* of their homeworld and the seat of their *shkt* government. The Galactic markets have already been *shkt*negatively impacted. Could this war *shkt*bankrupt us?"

"I'm afraid you'll have to ask somebody better with finances than me." Shepard replied. "I just fire the guns. My superiors figure out the cost of the bullets. What I will say is that, in this time of need, I'd hope the average man and woman would be willing to make sacrifices to aid the war effort, so that when the war is over we can focus on rebuilding our homes and economies. But for now, saving lives must come before saving livelihoods."

"I see." Moh breathed. "Thank you, Earth-Clan. Your honesty is appreciated."

"Thank you, Mr Rivek." Emily said as the line clicked again. "I reckon we've got time for a couple more questions. One last caller, this time from the Human colony of Elysium, Mr Drago Nettis. Can you hear us, Mr Nettis?"

"Yes Miss Wong. Thank you." A voice with just a trace of a Slavic accent spoke up. "Commander Shepard, I wanted to know about the two years in which you vanished. Some say you were working undercover. Others claim you were KIA, that the real commander Shepard was killed by Geth. What happened?"

"To be honest, I can't say much about those two years. My ship was attacked, and I was badly wounded. I spent those years being rebuilt while in some kind of medical coma. Even by the time I woke up, I was still healing, but the Galaxy needed me on my feet, not laid up in bed."

It was an answer. Not the full truth, as Shepard didn't like to dwell on what he experienced after the Normandy exploded, much less talk about the experience, but it was a true enough answer not to bother his conscience.

"A traumatic experience for anyone." Emily supplemented. "It's a testament to your resolve that you recovered so quickly. Thank you for your question, Mr Nettis."

The line clicked shut, an Emily pulled one final datapad from her stack.

"And lastly, we have a message from Palaven, from a Mestus Regellidis. He asks what he and his friends can do to help the Normandy in the war effort."

"Truthfully, the best thing you can do to help us win this war is go to your local authorities and volunteer. We'll need more than just soldiers. An army will need supplies, maintenance, medical care, a safe place to take some shore leave in between the worst of the fighting. Most of all, those soldiers will need to know that their people stand behind them, supporting them. It helps to remind us of what we fight for, and how hard we need to work to protect it."

"Inspirational words for all of us." Emily said, sitting a little straighter in her chair. "Commander, thank you for joining us today."

"A pleasure, Emily." Shepard bowed his head to her. The reporter smiled, then turned back to the cameras.

"That was Commander Shepard, talking to us about the current conflict. Join us again later today when we'll be back with the latest headlines and the solar activity forecast for your local area. This has been Citadel Newsnet, I've been Emily Wong. Take care."

**~o~0~o~**

Shepard let out a long sigh of relief, glad that the ordeal was finally finished. Across from him, Emily continued shuffling her reports, looking to him with a warm smile.

"You did great." She assured. "Thanks for doing this."

"No problem."

"Sorry if I seemed a little… y'know… harsh." She continued sheepishly. "I'm expected to be quite blunt."

"That's alright." Shepard shrugged, steepling his fingers as a thought nagged at him. "You wouldn't be a fair and unbiased reporter if you didn't ask the tough questions."

"You okay?" The reporter's brows rose again curiously. "You look like a man with a lot on his mind."

"Aside from the end of civilisation as we know it looming over us?"

"You know what I mean." She pouted.

"Yeah, okay." Shepard chewed his lip for a second. "It's that last question you had. The one from Palaven."

"What about it?"

"They said they wanted to help 'The Normandy'. Not the Alliance, not the Council, not the Hierarchy."

"People see you and your ship as the leading figures in this war. You stand for everything that'll keep us safe. Seems natural that they'll start thinking of you instead of the Council or the Alliance."

"I guess." Shepard shrugged. "I'm just not used to serving as a cause to flock to, that's all."

"I'd be encouraged by it." Emily reasoned. "Far better than them all still ignoring you like in the good old days."

"True." Shepard acceded. "Still, would be nice if-"

Interrupting the Commander mid-sentence, his communicator began to bleat urgently. A message popped up, blinking red. Begging Emily's forgiveness, he opened it, reading the contents as his expression went from surprise to consternation, a frown settling on his face.

_Shepard._

_Your damn Salarian is out of control. I don't know what you authorised him to do down here, but if I don't get an explanation, I'm locking him up. You've been warned._

_Meet me in C-Sec HQ within the hour._

_Captain Chellick_

"Something wrong, Shepard?"

"I'm afraid so." The Commander sighed. "Looks like I'll have to go. Sorry about this."

"Don't worry, I understand completely!" The young reporter smiled. "The work of a hero is never done. Take care out there, Shepard."

**~o~0~o~**

**~MORDIN~**

Shepard strode through the front entrance of C-Sec Headquarters, stomach knotted with unease at the abrupt tone of the message that had summoned him.

Various officers paused in the middle of their tasks, stopping to glance at the Commander as he rushed by with purpose in his step. Quiet whispers followed Shepard, a mixture of awe and anxiety.

The Commander walked by the massive elevator column that led up to the docking bays, turning left towards the corridor that led to the requisitions office. There, a Turian stood waiting for him, none other than ChellicChellickk, the head of all C-Sec operations on the Presidium Ring, second only to Bailey in the command structure of the Citadel's Security Force. The stern officer waited in silence as Shepard approached, hands clasped tightly behind his back as he stood up straight, spine like an arrow. A stiff salute belied the barely constrained irritation that simmered beneath his hide.

"Commander."

"Chellick." Shepard offered a hand, but the Turian ignored it, his posture not relaxing for a moment.

"About time you got here." The alien growled. "Your Salarian's locked himself in our holographic training suite. Just a few minutes later, the power draw on our systems trebled. The techs have no idea what's going on in there, but its playing havoc with our operations here."

"Mordin's got a bit of a one track mind when he's got something new to try out. Have you tried talking to him?" Shepard suggested.

"Damn frog won't answer me. All I could hear from inside was a whole lot of gunfire and explosions. Whatever he's doing, it's big. All I'll say is that he'd better not damage the range. It took a whole lot of credits to get that fancy new tech installed, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let a crazy Salarian destroy it."

"Why'd you let him in in the first place?"

"He's got STG codes that gave him a free pass inside. Once he was on the range, he used a series of Spectre authorisation codes to access the range. Your codes, Commander."

"Of course he did." Shepard sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I've had half my labs shut down in the middle of very important work, Commander. I couldn't let this carry on for much longer." Chellick explained. "I figured seeing as he had your codes, you'd maybe either be able to explain what's going on, or at least call him off. But I'm guessing you didn't know that he was coming here today, then?"

"No, I did not."

"Then I guess we'll just have to break our way in there. We can't let our work be disrupted like this."

"Give me a chance to talk to him, first."

"...okay, Shepard." Chellick replied after a long second's thought. "Five minutes. But if I have to break into our own firing range, I'm gonna have to arrest the little guy."

"That won't be necessary, I promise." Shepard nodded his head. "Thanks."

"Don't thank me. I'll make sure your ass is on the line if this evolves into a full-blown incident."

Nodding, Shepard gestured for the alien to lead on. Chellick turned to stride off down one of the corridors leading away from the main foyer, taking Shepard towards what the Commander remembered as the way to the requisitions office. A couple of moments later, they stepped into the once-familiar office. Much like the last time Shepard had been there, the office still had several gun racks lining its walls, while a desk manned by the exact same bored Turian who had been there all those years ago took up the centre of the room. The only difference to the office was the doorway that now occupied the back wall, around which a group of techs had gathered, all seeking to break the encryption on the lock that glowed an obstinate red in its centre.

"We've tried everything we can think of." One of the technicians, an Asari, explained. "But we've never seen encryption this complex outside of a military-level operation. The code keeps evolving. Every time we try a new way around it, the code resets itself using a different set of rules and sometimes even a new form of encryption."

"The Commander is going to try and talk to Doctor Solus." Chellick explained. "Everyone step back. We don't know what kind of experiments the Salarian's been running in there, and I don't want any of you suffering from accidental exposure to any radiation, or worse. Give Shepard some space."

The Commander stepped up to the doorway, the faint echoes of thunderous gunfire vibrating through the metal doing nothing to add to his confidence. Taking a deep breath, he thumped a fist on the door, the metal clanging loudly under his touch.

"Mordin! It's Shepard." He shouted, hoping he would be heard. "Open up in there."

The gunfire abruptly stopped. Silence fell, the assembled C-Sec officers watching the door tensely, almost as if they feared that a Reaper was about to burst through it. To be honest, with what he knew of the Doctor, Shepard couldn't say for sure that something similar wasn't about to happen.

After a long moment, finally the door jolted open, with everyone present almost leaping back in surprise and dread. However, what greeted them beyond the portal was no ancient and vengeful monster, but rather just the professor himself, hands folded together as he peered out at the assembled throng. Lights flashed chaotically behind him, a technicolor storm that explained nothing about the Salarian's purpose within. As the alien's eyes alighted upon the Commander, he smiled.

"Ah! Shepard." The Salarian nodded in greeting. "Good to see you. Glad you could make it."

"What's this all about, Mordin?" Shepard asked.

"Tests."

"That's it?" Chellick seemed nonplussed. "My whole precinct practically on lockdown, and all you've got to say is 'tests'?"

"Important research for Normandy mission." Mordin shrugged. "Can say no more."

"What he means to say is that it'd be a good idea for us to keep this work classified for now." Shepard explained as diplomatically as he could to the simmering C-Sec commissioner. "Spectre business, you know?"

For a moment, it looked as though Chellick was going to argue, but then he just sighed.

"This is why the Spectres are such a bad idea." He grumbled. "No oversight, no self-control. Fine, Shepard. You can keep your spirits-be-damned secrets. But can I have my damned precinct back?"

"Mordin?"

"Of course. No longer require so much power to continue experiment." The Salarian tapped a code into his omni tool, after which the department's lights flared slightly brighter. "Apologies for inconvenience, Officer Chellick. Hopefully will not happen again."

"See that it doesn't." The Turian grumbled, before stomping away. His subordinates soon followed suit, although a couple lingered, trying to get a glimpse inside the holo-suite. Shepard, too found the unusual lights behind the Doctor rather alluring, his curiosity eventually getting the better of him.

"So are you going to show _me _what's in there, or do I have to make it an order?"

"Of course!" The Salarian turned, waving for Shepard to follow, already delving into his quick-fire explanation of his work. Shepard ducked into the holo-suite after Mordin, the doors sliding shut behind him. "Was performing tests on 'omni-blade' recovered from Prothean ruins, and came to realisation that Normandy holographic facilities were woefully lacking. C-Sec training facilities renowned even within STG circles. Perfect testing ground to carry out experiments."

"Without asking the permission of C-Sec first?" Shepard asked with a note of rep roof in his voice.

"Time on Citadel limited. Will not be long before Normandy departs, and will be impossible to say when we shall return. Had to make most of opportunity. Formal request would have taken days, perhaps weeks. Simpler and more efficient to use Spectre codes to bypass normal procedure."

"Using my codes."The Commander hid a smirk.

"Would have asked permission, but was informed by crew that you were preoccupied with a prior arrangement with other members of the team. Did not want to interrupt."

"I see." Shepard shook his head. "Well at least tell me you've learned something from all of this."

"Indeed! Have tested out a number of new devices using holographic suite. Larger gauge shotguns, cluster mines, shoulder mounted grenade launcher for Krogan on team, antimatter powered thruster pack, smart ammunition for sniper rifles, artificially intelligent grappling hooks, Iridium plating for-"

"Lots and lots of things, I get it." Shepard held his hands up to slow the alien's speech before it rose to a pace that was even more impossible to follow. "But what about the blade? Have you learned anything about that yet?"

"Hmm?" Mordin's face took on a perplexed expression, beforebecoming dismissive. "Oh, yes. Will get around to it later. More important tests to be performed right now. But first, wanted to show you... This!"

The Salarian stepped forward, kneeling as he activated his omni tool. Sparks flickered through the air around him as he activated a few crucial mechanisms in the holo-suite around himself. A shape took form before him, a roughly man-sized mass of transparent metal. As features became more and more defined on the device, a barrel here, a hand-grip there, Mordin continued talking, his rushed tones firing out the words almost too fast for Shepard to follow.

"Had initial idea seven years ago, on Tuchanka. Studied several native life-forms of the planet, including aggressive forms of insect life. One species discovered was similar to Earth's ants. Queens, workers, soldiers, hive structures. Was capable of firing small amounts of acid from sacs on thorax. Projectiles could often reach speeds in excess of those of a bullet. Potent defence mechanism. However, noticed interesting behavior among the ants. Ants would always travel in large groups, and were able to synchronise attacks using mechanism through pheromone signalling. Workers and soldiers would form up in close-knit, almost perfectly geometric formations, and would fire acid simultaneously. Targets were almost entirely destroyed by attack, bodies completely covered in acid."

"Seems a little over the top, even for Tuchanka." Shepard observed.

"Seemed like overkill, until studies were performed on primary predator. Ants were often the prey of a creature known to Krogan as the 'Splitter Slug'. Fascinating creature. Nervous system distributed consciousness of animal throughout entire body. If small part of animal remained intact, it survived, growing back to full size over time. As little as point oh-five per cent of body was required for survival. Worse, creation of multiple pieces of animal created multiple creatures. Some Krogan farmed Splitters by simply cutting them into small pieces several times a day."

"I think I see where this is going."

"When ants were attacked by Splitters, was necessary to destroy whole creature at once. Otherwise, multiple creatures could be created, able to move and attack independently."

"And the unusual formations helped to do this?"

"Yes! Sheer volume of assault, combined with careful placement of each unit within formation, led to total destruction of attacker, with little to no chance of further risk."

"And so you're telling me all of this now because...?"

"Reapers have insidious means of attacking. Our own refugees can be turned into weapons. Indoctrination is constant risk from even relatively small samples of Reaper technology. When operating in heavily populated areas, would be far safer to ensure total destruction of Husks, if possible. Granted, Husks lack regenerative abilities of Splitters, but chance of remains spreading indoctrination to other refugees is high."

"If you're about to tell me that you've found a way to make a gun that uses acid to vaporise Husks, I may just kiss you."

"Am flattered, Shepard, but such a gesture will not be necessary." Mordin smiled, familiar with Human hyperbole. "Also, weapon does not use acid. Rather, fires bullets coated with incendiary accelerant at a rate of seven thousand bullets per second. Unfortunately, could not make weapon portable. Size and magazine capacity made turret configuration only viable option."

Mordin turned to wave a hand at the finished simulation beside him, a proud smile on his face.

The fruits of the insane alien's tinkerings was what looked like the offspring of a tank and an armchair, with a little hint of a star fighter cockpit in its lineage somewhere. A spacious, well-padded seat beckoned invitingly to the Commander, placed carefully behind an array of controls both impressive and intimidating. Two control sticks reached back towards the operator, holographic sheaths offering a place for roughly Human sized hands to go. The screen blinked with a swiftly scrolling array of data, a small aiming reticule at its centre offering guidance to the gunner. Shepard glanced to Mordin questioningly, to which the Salarian responded with a grin and a nod. As the Commander took a seat, the holographic suite using kinetic barriers to give the turret the sensation of being really there, the professor took a step back, calling out to the suite itself.

"Simulation eight-seven-alpha, Tuchanka map."

In moments, the holo-suite created the scene, soon populating it with a variety of different Husks. Shepard felt a gleeful chuckle rise in his chest as he dove into the simulation, Mordin watching with proud joy. The Husks rushed towards the duo, but the turret sang out a lethal greeting.

~o~0~o~

Over an hour later, the pair emerged from the holo-suite, broad grins on their faces. They walked through C-Sec headquarters, quite oblivious to the glare Chellick shot them as they passed him in the foyer. As they stepped out into the Presidium, Shepard glanced about, drinking in the peace of the area.

"I needed that." He admitted. "Thanks."

"Any time, Shepard." The Salarian nodded happily. "Glad you approve of new weaponry."

"Shame it can't be made portable."

"Perhaps over time. However, for now can submit designs to weapons manufactories in Citadel and Alliance space for attachment to tanks and gunships. Should be useful in battles to come."

"You can say that again." Shepard looked about again, this time a little wistfully. "Hard to believe how close the war is to us here."

"Conflict always nearby, Shepard." Mordin replied sagely. "Must simply be prepared for when it arrives. In meantime, no point in allowing the reality to weigh upon your mind. Cannot stave the conflict off with anxiety. Only results in further distress, lack of sleep, hasty judgement, and reduced enjoyment of finer things in life, like music, theatre, or shooting large-caliber weaponry at hilariously outmatched holographic opponents." He was silent for just a second, although to the manic Salarian this might as well have been an hour. "Also results in reduced sex drive, a factor which may increase irritability in Jack. Such an outcome... undesirable."

"Wha...?" Shepard's jaw hung open as he turned to the alien, only just catching the ghost of a grin that haunted the professor's lips. "Very funny."

"Humans say 'laughter is the best medicine'. Am simply living up to reputation as foremost doctor in my field."

"Don't forget 'modest', too." Shepard drawled.

"Of course. Thought that was implicit."

"Well," Shepard said, glancing around. "There's still a little time left for shore leave. You got any more plans, or is it back to the Tech Lab?"

"Have heard that Francis Kitt has scheduled performance for tonight in Kithoi Ward exhibition Centre. New production of classical Human musical called ' The Phantom of the Opera'. Have heard good things about it. Interesting casting choices. Female lead is Vorcha. Fascinating. Do you wish to join me?"

"Uhh... music's a little wasted on me, Mordin, especially classical stuff." Shepard frantically scrabbled for an excuse. "I think I'll just take a walk around here for a while before heading back to the ship. But you go and enjoy yourself."

"Very well." Mordin shrugged, clearly puzzled as to why anyone would pass up such an opportunity. "Will see you back on the ship, Shepard."

Sighing with relief at having dodged such a bullet, Shepard strolled off into the Presidium, no real destination in mind as he took this rare occasion to just let his mind wander along with his feet.

**Author's Notes: Okay, so I think we know the drill by now. I apologise for slow update speeds, make some excuse about whatever slowed me down this time, promise to do better next time, fail to do so. I'm like a bad boyfriend, only lazier. Real life is crazy, I get distracted way too easily at the moment, and this story suffers for it. I still plan to finish, eventually, just please have patience with me. The ideas I have are still awesome, it just takes a while to paint it in words.**

**Anyway, here's Part Two of the Citadel series! The interview was difficult for me to write. It's a lot of dialogue, which is definitely not my strong point. Let me know what you think, so that I can know what works and what doesn't. Part Three of the Citadel is underway, and will hopefully finish this little interlude series so we can get back to the proper missions.**

**Big thanks to everyone who messaged me and left reviews since the last time, and special thanks go to Dracconnis, MRegarde and V-rcingetorix for sending in the viewer questions for that final segment of the interview.**

**As an aside, been playing the Old Republic a bit more lately. Finished the Agent and Smuggler storylines recently. The Agent made me think... why couldn't Cerberus have been handled a bit more like the Star Cabal? That was an excellent shadowy organisation to deal with! Not overplayed, still a very serious foe to fight, and every encounter felt satisfying, rather than irritating. Come on Bioware, we know you can write well!**

**Anyhow, rant over.**

**Take care, readers, and let me know what you think!**

**Fainmaca Out.**


End file.
